《A Villainess Should Be Strong》 Chapter 1: Reincarnated Chapter 1: Reincarnated ------------------------------ "It wouldn''t be fun if the viiness was weak, would it?" Have you ever wondered what''ll happen if a reincarnated viiness took her role too seriously? She''ll go as far as to make a God cry. [Recorded change. The 26th of April, year 20xx. Time assumed: 10:35 a.m. Details: Reincarnated into a newborn''s body. Medieval time era. European bloodline. Aristocratic family. Data unconfirmed.] Her striking golden eyes scanned the surroundings, making the surrounding adults muddled with fear, worry, and anxiousness. [Suggested action: Act like a newborn infant.] She concluded as tears pooled and rolled down her cheeks. The adults let out a relieved sigh as they rxed and smiled. They spoke in a foreignnguage, which shocked her as she was confident in her ability to speak and understand allnguage in existence. The shock didn''tst long, however. She settled down and familiarized herself with thenguage''s traits. There were two words that she picked up. Estelle and reste. [Subject''s name: Estelle reste. Data unconfirmed.] [An unexpected drowsiness iing. Cause: Assumed to be the infant''s natural response.] With tears still drenching her face, she fell into a deep sleep once her eyelids closed tight. Strangely, her hearing was still untouched even when in sleep. Although she couldn''t see anything except the pitch ck darkness known to man as ''closing one''s eye shut'', she was still able to hear the two voices talking to each other. "Looks like she has fallen asleep. I GOT worried for a second there, but it seems like she''s alright," one adult adorning a maid outfit smiled, but her eyes told another story. [Detected hostility from the organism. Response: Be alert.] "Yes... I''m sure she.. Estelle will grow up to be a wonderful person," another woman spoke up, this time with a genuine tone and expression. "Madam, let us fall back for now. Why don''t we leave the youngdy alone so she can get a peaceful sleep?" the maid outfit woman''s mouth twitched, her tone strange when she addressed the other woman as ''madam'', as if she unhappy at the thought of having to call her that. "Uh, would that be the best thing to do?" The madam''s voice contained traces of worry. Then again, this may just be a misinformation on Estelle''s side. Her vision was limited. She could only deduce what the other''s thoughts were solely by the voice''s intonation. A skill she honed for years and was an expert at. "Of course, it''s best that we leave the baby alone so she won''t get stressed," The maid responded to the madam''s worries without showing any agitation. "Then, please arrange me some tea and cakes, Helen. The weather is brilliant, and n is also about to finish his work. We shall wait for n in the gardens," the madam kissed Estelle''s cheeks and said goodbye. "Understood, madam," Helen''s voice contained malice, but the madam was far too oblivious to notice it. [Helen''s hostility directed at ''madam''. Potentially harmful to madam''s life.] [Hm? What''s with this baby?] [Another unknown organism detected. Waking up.] Estelle opened up her eyes once she judged that the other women were already out of the room by the sound of the doors closing. A golden ball of light floated around her and broke its perfect sphere shape to poke Estelle. [... You''re going to keep talking like that forever? Wait, not that! You can hear me? ] The ball bounced in the air excitedly. [Unnecessary concern. Answering your question, yes I can. Asking your identity.] [Me? I''m a fae... Specifically the- Well, not that you know who I am. Just call me Heine.] [Understood. Heine it is then. My name seems to be Estelle.] [Seems? You''re not sure?] [Of course. I was born a moment ago. Did you really expect a baby to be fully aware of everything around her? Why are you reading my mind anyway?] Somehow, her way of speech seemed to morph into somethingpletely different. It was more unrestricted, and her vocabry extended to those that conveyed emotions. The ball of light moved around in circles, then left through the door, passing the solid object. After a few seconds, it came back and morphed into a different shape. It morphed into a young boy with messy green hair and a braid going down to his chest on the right side. His eyes were like emeralds, matching his hair color. Adorning nothing but a ck robe that went up to his knees, he stared at Estelle. [Hmm. You''re a pretty interesting baby, aren''t ya? By the way, I think your mom will die soon. ] Ignoring Estelle''s question, Heine smirked and said. [... What an unpleasant notice. Couldn''t you have worded it better?] Estelle responded. What she received in return wasn''t an answer, rather a full-on staring festmenced by the being called ''Heine''. Estelle frowned at Heine''s stare, feeling ufortable since her current body was of a bald infant. His words, however, caught her attention as they proved her predictions to be right. [I''m just speaking the truth. The two humans that were here before, one of them seems to be your mother.. Truthfully, she''s also a bit weird. Ugh, what''s with your family? Anyway, the maid that was beside her.. she''s into ck magic. Ew, holy spirits like me, within a mile radius with a ck magic user... Gives me the shivers.] Heine put on an act and pretended to shiver. [ck magic? You mean there''s magic in this world?] [Of course there are... Wait, you''re not worried about your mother?] [I have just been born. We established no bonds. I have no emotional connection to her in the slightest. Her death would not affect me.] [True, I also never experienced motherly care, so I''m the same, but don''t you humans usually care about your family''s death?] [I have deemed that it''s impossible to save her.] [If I say it''s not hopeless, would you save her?] [Most likely, since growing up without a mother would ce me at a disadvantage. Data shows humans without their mother''s presence regrly face discrimination at a young age, andck of care and nurture resulting in a personality change. From the economic side, you would lose one ie provider, although judging from my surroundings, I seem to have been born into quite a well off family.] [I wasn''t asking for data... Where did you get them anyway? Never mind! Then, I''ll lend you my power for a bit. ] Heine poked her forehead and poured a stream of golden light. [Concentrate and let the light spread from your head to your other body parts and into your bloodstream.] Estelle decided to temporarily trust the weird fairy of unknown origins and followed his instructions. Not even a minute had passed before her body responded. [... It''s warm.] Estelle''s body glowed the same golden shine Heine had. [Wait, you seeded? Huh?!] [It''s easy though?] [Uh, guide the light then. Let it pool on the tip of your index finger. Then carefully let it out of the tip. Like a string. ] Heine blinked his eyes repeatedly in shock, but quickly regained his calm back. In just mere seconds, a string of light came out of Estelle''s fingers. [Wao. Even for a God''s Blessing, isn''t this overkill?] [.. Now what?] [*cough* Let the string travel to where the maid is and enter her core. The core is in the middle of her chest. ck magic is weak to Holy magic, so...] It would kill her for sure. Heine thought, but refrained from saying it. The string acted like vines, sticking to the walls and circling things, then releasing it to go to another victim. Weirdly enough, Estelle could see through the string, so she had a gist of where she had to go thanks to the vision. After creeping around for a while, she found her mother seated peacefully while drinking tea. Helen, the maid, was staring at her like the golden-haired madam was long dead. It circled around her hands before spreading to her chest, safely entering through the middle. As Heine stated, a pitch ck sphere was located there. The string circled the sphere as it grew longer and longer, not touching the said core until it finally was long enough to circle the sphere fully, not leaving any ck glow visible. Then, she immediately tightened the grip, closing in on the core. "*COUGH*" Helen coughed up dark red blood mixed with clumps of ck goo. She seemed to be in massive pain, as if the blood scorched her throat. She fell to the ground, clutching her chest. [More?] Estelle, who''s consciousness split between the baby''s body and the string, contacted him through her thoughts. [You seem unfazed.] [She''s a hostile presence. Best to get rid of it early.] Simple logic. Why let her live if she would threaten her wellbeing? That would render her stupid. [Try constricting the core. The ck magic is denser than usual, so your first attack wasn''t enough. The one targeting your mother shouldn''t be a normal person if they cultivated the magic to such potency.] Chapter 2: Reincarnated (2) Chapter 2: Reincarnated (2) A sudden miasma spread, causing others to be aware of the jarring scene. Guardsprising knights and magicians ran up to the ce. One used teleportation magic and immediately enveloped Helen with a shield, isting her from everybody. "She, are you unharmed?" The man who spoke had striking silver locks and light blue eyes. Hemanded the soldiers while hugging the madam by her waist. His face turned grim at the sight of Helen on the floor, lifeless and covered with ck blood. "I am fine. I wasn''t able to notice the ck magic in her, but someone did. If it wasn''t for them, I would not be talking with you anymore," She''s eyes misted. The silver-haired man''s expression repeatedly changed, like he wanted to say something but couldn''t voice it out loud. [Hm? They can''t notice my magic?] Estelle, on the other side, was eavesdropping on them while trying to familiarize herself more with the so-called ''magic''. [That''s even more of a surprise, but yes, they can''t. It''s over now. That man is your father, and he is very much enough to take care of everything from there. Your job''s done.] Heine narrowed his eyes as he found all of this to be a strange urrence. Still deep in thought, he morphed back into a ball of light. [Well, then. Estelle, I''m going to go for a bit. I''lle back to check up on youter, so just rest or something. ] Heine flew away while talking, not leaving Estelle any chances of extracting more information from him. And with that, he disappeared with no traces, leaving Estelle unable to do anything besides stare at his previous position. She heaved a deep sigh. [What exactly is happening... I don''t even know anymore. Let''s shut down my brain for a bit.] Perhapsing from the sudden magic exposure she just had while being a baby who has never had prior experience with it, her mind had a slight migraine, but it was still at the point where it can be tolerated, so she just let it be. She needed time to process everything. Staring at the spirit tree, Heine was standing mindlessly. He raised his hand to gently go over the tree''s deep trunk covered in vines. The spirit tree''s consciousness had previously told him about Estelle''s existence. Spirit Tree. Even though they couldn''t move nor touch the higher realms, no being on thends could escape its grasp. It was the bane of existence for nature and faes. Of course, Estelle''s existence must''ve caused a disturbance that failed to escape it as well. It sensed something changing, something unknown. The world was changing, and it came from a mere newborn baby. A human, at that. Of course, it would shatter its calm. And so, it sent a message to the fae king, the only one capable ofmunicating with it. To respond to the call, Heine visited the alleged disturbance''s position. And what greeted him was definitely worthy of the Spirit Tree''s quick reaction. A baby. A baby was using magic moments ago. It was something no one has ever heard about. If you take into ount that the baby was from the human race, it''ll be even more shocking. Even faes, who were known to be especially adept and talented in magic, would have to spend at least months to feel and use mana. For humans, the expected time was when they reached the age of 10. That''s why, the church would annually send people all over the kingdom to hold a magic detection test. For those who had an abnormal or special talent, they would be discovered through this method and offered to attend the royal academy. Heine sighed. The royal academy, as good as it sounds, was actually just a forced breeding ground for future manpower. To add on, most of the students are part of nobility, since only those with exceptional skills would be able to attend this academy, and nobility had prior magic education whilstmoners didn''t have such a thing. This is why mostmoners prefer to attend the Academy in Elysium rather than the royal academy to avoid discrimination and oppression. However, the deluded nobles prefer to mingle with each other, alienating themselves from the diversity in Elysium''s Academy due to their prideful behavior in being nobles. The church''s sole purpose came to y exactly for this reason. ''Offering to attend'' was not the church''s way of conduct. It was more suited to be called forced. A farce to forcefully admit the talentedmoners into the Royal Academy. To hone them into future resources. Considering how Estelle used magic moments after being born, a feat even Heine, the Fae King himself achieved in a month, her magic aptitude would be considered phenomenally high. Even higher than himself. Heineughed bitterly. [For you to notify me of this girl, what is your intention? To take her into the spirit kingdom? Eradicate her while still weak?] For a split second, Heine''s eyes showed a dangerous glint. He was more than willing to do that. In fact, although faes, including himself was created through the tree''s life spirit, he did not consider it his parent. If anything, he only felt pity towards the tree. It was unable to travel across the world it had control over. Even though it possessed power over nature, it could not physically do anything by itself. It had to channel its thoughts through a medium, which would be the fae king in this case. Heine received back not a single sound. Indeed, the Spirit Tree only came and by whenever it had purposes for the fae king. It wouldn''t respond to such a call. Feeling irked, he thought back to the human baby. If a human was to receive such absurd powers and someone with ambitions got their hands on her... It would certainly cause an imbnce over the other Kingdoms. [Or perhaps... you want me to watch over her and guide her.] Heine thought that since the Spirit Tree did not directly issue an order to kill the budding spirit, it had left the final decision for him to make. Whatever her intentions wereter on, as long as she doesn''t touch the spirit kingdom and maintained a friendly rtionship, wouldn''t it be fine? Looking back, she held a perfectly normal conversation with me, could see my body even when I''m in my light state and didn''t purposely show myself, and killed a fellow human being who she judged as hostile. As a newborn baby. She seemed far too logical. As if she already had prior living experiences. Being born while already having intact memories of your previous life. Now that he seriously thought about it, this statement did would justify the logical thinking and decisions she made. Still, it was an absurd idea. [All of this is too ridiculous... What exactly is she?] Heine, now in his adult form, sat down with his back against the tree and hung his head low. Meanwhile, back in the reste Dukedom, two separate parties had their minds filled with two separate things. First, everyone was still in shock over the breach of security concerning the life of She reste, the Duchess. This was something unprecedented for years. More precisely, because the Duchess herself was able to do forms of self-protection to a certain extent, normal dangers like attempted assassination would be caught in no time. However, the danger today came in the form of a personal maid, someone the Duchess is supposed to trust. Personal maids did note out of nowhere, they had to undergo several selection processes and a period of interaction with the madam herself. If the madam deemed her as unsuitable, the maid would not be chosen. And the maid in particr was Helen. Someone who had stuck with them for years. Someone who the madam herself would even go as far as to call her a ''friend''. The Helen in their memories was a simple and innocent girl, who also housework skills was also quite exceptional. Upon further investigation, it was revealed the the maid Helen they knew was probably gone from this world. It wasn''t that the madam''s judgement on Helen that was false. It was that the maid itself had been switched with someone who had looks that exactly looked like the former Helen. This would elevate the case from just being a maid who was controlled to despise the madam to a clear nned murder. One that went unnoticed until moments right before the deed was done. Whoever it was that saved them from having to experience a tragedy, they ought to thank them one day. The other party was of course, our beloved Estelle in regards to the recent events. She was Estelle, but at the same time, her soul didn''t only belong to the newborn''s body. As she closed her eyes and fell into deep focus, her mind started to rey what she pertained to be past memories... in apletely different world. Chapter 3: Estelles Past Chapter 3: Estelle''s Past Kirisaki Reina. That was the name of the girl dubbed as ''Prodigal Goddess''. It didn''t matter what she was doing, she would always excel in every aspect, learning at a pace thousands of times faster than the norm. Her name was always mentioned everywhere. She possessed stunning beauty. Unrivalled intelligence and talent. A mellow, ticklish voice to the ears. A calm and cold disposition, opening her heart to none but herself. She was a lone wolf, and yet admirers would always look up and worship her. People''s praises and ttery could be heard every single day. But never did she associate with anybody except her closest friends. She had two childhood friends who she still kept around even after she fully closed her heart. Their names were Yuuma and Hikari, two children who came from the same orphanage Reina stayed for 8 years in, whoter got adopted along with Reina by the Kirisaki family after much consideration. Yuuma belonged to the average category. Well, that was what everybody thought. He was actually silently supporting Reina from behind, but never showed his skills to anybody besides the trio. Those who knew his real name were few, as he broke his ties with others after he decided to be Reina''s shadow. He dealt with the underground activity as an informant most of the time, but his true skillid in the hacking department. If he and Reina were topete in hacking, he would win by a hair''s breadth, only losing in some cases where he lost focus. Hikari belonged to the special category. Her talentid in her charms and wits. She would get along with anyone in a single breath, her character was truly that sociable. It was as if the term ''social butterfly'' was made solely because of her. She also possessed dazzling beauty, though it leaned more towards the cute and lovely, in contrast to Reina''s sharp features. Those who knew of the trio called them the ''Royals''. Reina, like the literal trantion for the Spanish term for ''Queen'', was under none but the heavens itself. She never cowered under any challenge, no matter how pressuring nor dangerous it was. Yuuma, who supported the Queen from the shadows, was alike the ''Prince'' depicted in stories, those whoid low and pretended like they couldn''t shake the throne. Hikari, with her likable and charming personality, truly suited her name which meant ''Light'' in Japanese. She was like a warm light to the masses, and that made her get nicknamed as ''Princess''. As for a King? No one matched Reina''s capabilities as to deserve the title ''King''. Things were going well for the trio. As the main spokesperson, Hikari would show herself as the face of everything they were doing. Reina would then take charge of the executive department, while Yuuma would assist Reina in keeping everything under control. They delved together in many fields, building associatepanies left and right after the first parentpany, ''Estelle'', meaning ''Star'' was made. However, a certain problem arose. And it didn''t sit well with Hikari. Hikari was envious. Even though she always tried her best, her results were neverparable to those of Reina''s. Even though the one who was shown to the public was her, people would always admire and talk about Reina as if she didn''t exist. Reina''s beauty. Reina''sposure. Reina''s wisdom. Reina''s intelligence. Reina''s capabilities. Reina, Reina, Reina. It was always about Reina. Reina was the Queen, but she could only measure up to the title ''Princess''. At first, Hikari didn''t pay attention to the details. Their friendship meant everything for her. They shared the same background, same history, same past. But over time, she began to feel like they weren''t equals. Reina ended up above her and Yuuma, even though they were together in every single moment. Of course, Yuuma, who deeply admired and adored Reina like she was his blood-rted sister would not have such thoughts. But Hikari, who felt like everything was unfair, began to set up a n. As a childhood friend, Hikari knew what Reina''s so called reverse scale or achilles heel was. It was precisely the two of them. Yuuma and Hikari, the ones that have stood beside her for as long as they could remember. Other than them, there was probably no one who could order or ask her to do something willingly. After all, those two were the only living proof that Kirisaki Reina, even with all of her inhuman characteristics, was still a human being in nature. It was raining heavily. Reina, with her jet ck hair draped against her simple evening dress was sitting in the balcony, as she found the crowded party atmosphere to be sickening. Listening to the borderline peaceful soundsing from the trickling rain was the only way she could cope with the disturbing cheersing from the party. Reina hated crowds. She didn''t understand why people liked to mingle with each other so much. To her, every rtionship except the ones with her childhood friends was just a transaction. No emotions involved, interaction purely made for benefits. She was never someone who would throw a party. However, that day was special. It was her birthday, and although usually they would just celebrate it by having a dinner by themselves, Hikari objected to this. Hikari said that she should at least throw a party befitting of her name and status once in a while. And that day was her 25th birthday, which she honestly didn''t find special. But, to satisfy her friend''s nagging, and especially because Yuuma also felt like Hikari was making some sense, she agreed to throw a party. Herpany and business partners were the only one invited, which meant the party truly was only attended by the high ss people. Hikari did doubt her ns. Seeing how Reina and Yuuma didn''t care about the titles and how people looked at them brought Hikari to a dilemma. It felt like she was the only one who cared about the differences between them. Then, seeing how people praised and flocked to Reina the whole time, not minding her in the slightest even though she always attended to the masses steeled her resolve. It was now or never. Hikari picked up her cellphone and dialed Reina''s number with a dark expression. "Reinaa? Could you go to the parking lot and fetch the box in our car trunk? It''s ck in color," "Why can''t you get it yourself?" Reina calmly replied. "I''m in the prep room right now, I broke my heels... There should be another pair in that box," "Clumsy as always. Fine, I''ll get it for you, I want to get away from this party anyways. I''ll take it to the prep room, okay?" "Yes... thank you, Reina," Upon hanging up the call, a smile blossomed on Hikari''s face. Finally. Finally she could get rid of the disgusting bug that has been stering itself all over her heart mind and heart. Reina went down to where their car was parked. She opened the car''s luggagepartment and found the box Hikari mentioned. Unsuspecting of her friend''s schemes, she opened it without restraint. Little did she know, the moments right before she opened the box was herst moments on Earth. "Reporting from Building XXXX, Tokyo. An unknown explosion was triggered in the parking lot of the building where Estelle''s president, Kirisaki Reina''s 25th birthday party was held. A body, which was identified as Kirisaki Reina herself was found lifeless next to her own car. The explosion is now undergoing further investigation, and the incident itself is under suspect of intentional murder." . . . The next thing she knew, she was already reincarnated inside an infant. Kirisaki Reina had a special perk. Her mind worked wonders, but it was terribly mechanical. Her thoughts were always well organized, and if someone were to hear them, they would definitely point out that it was robotic. Her mind worked like a system. Even in the modern day Earth, her mind would automatically analyze and study her surroundings and convert what she perceive as ''data''. Perhaps others would call her memory a ''photographic memory'', since she would never be able to forget what she had converted as ''data''. However, her mind would be closer to a supeputer. Information and incidents passed through her five senses. Her brain would then rack them up and store them. As far as she herself had researched, no humans were noted to have such a strange ability. She didn''t train herself. It was something as natural as breathing for her. Ever since she was born to a couple she didn''t know about, she had this ability. The only thing she found strange was the fact that she wasn''t able to recall the faces of her parents, even though it should''ve been registered as ''data''. No one knew about Reina''s thoughts. Not even Yuuma and Hikari. Estelle opened her eyes. Her golden irises were extremely captivating. She thought for a moment. Well, that''s statement could be considered incorrect now. Upon entering this new world, a fae king had rudely imposed on her thoughts. He would be the only exception. Estelle slowly closed her eyes back and ended the night with a peaceful sleep. Chapter 4: About the World Chapter 4: About the World After gathering her thoughts, Reina, now called Estelle concluded the events that led up to her death. Her 25 years worth of life, gone just like that because of her emotionally unstable childhood friend. [Humans often called this type of emotion jealousy, if I recall correctly. Hikari... Pray that you never get reincarnated to this world. For I will hunt you down.] [...Hm?] There was something amiss. Estelle was bewildered. She had realized it before, but didn''t think much about it. However, now that she was given the chamce to ponder upon it, her mind really was no longer in its mechanical state. She had emotions. Her words were very different from the way it was back then, in the memories she had. She was at a loss. This method of thinking was something she never experienced before, so to be exposed suddenly... it was truly a weird feeling. [Is this what it truly means to be human?] She questioned. Emotions. Pesky little things that can cloud one''s judgement. Unable to do anything in an infant''s body, sheid still in herfy crib and debated on whether she found this newfound way of thinking to be a great addition or just pure bothersome. It was like tasting freedom. Her thoughts were no longer constricted and rigid. Like someone had ced a seal on her mind and the seal only broke now because she reincarnated. [Ahh, to hell with that. The most relevant task right now is to process this world''snguage... But I won''t be able to get anywhere in this body. *sigh* How troublesome. If only I could find a teacher...] Around this time, something clicked in her head. [That fae... Heine said he wasing back right? Perhaps I could ask him to teach me? Eh, but I conversed with him properly?] Estelle scrunched up her face in confusion. [That''s because you and I were speaking in the spirits''nguage. I also don''t know what''s going on, but apparently you''re a lot more special than any other baby... Of course you are, what the hell am I thinking.] Heine facepalmed as he recalled the former events of Estelle achieving a ''first blood'' kill possibly hours after being born. [But how do I know the Spirits''nguage? Am I not a human?] [Hmm... You probably have the Spirit''s Blessing. All Spirits are automatically born with the title Spirit''s Blessing, but there are other cases where the Spirit Tree randomly bestows the blessing upon those of other races.] [Can you exin how this world is?] Estelle was a genius no one had ever seen, but her body was just of a normal baby. Sitting was clearly impossible for the infant, let alone otherplicated movements. Seeing a baby wearing a serious expression while lying down like a dead log in the crib made Heine''sughter on the brink of eruption, but he did his best to hold it in. Estelle seemed to have sensed the mockery and tried to re at Heine, but as a baby, it only made the whole picture funnier. [*cough* Hmmm, to start off, I already double checked, but your race would be human. There are 5 main races and 6 kingdoms in total. The first kingdom is called Alynthi, ruled by the humans. To be frank, I hate your race. They are the weakest and yet the most eager to trigger a war. Power-crazed royalties, fucked up politics. The crime rates are also astronomically higher... They are the smallest kingdom... but they love war for sure. They''ve always wanted to colonize and oppress the other races, but the sess rate is low... Even if they seeded, the stolennd would be recovered in a matter of months. Right, for some reason, they always birth out these maniacally strong people, but thank God those people aren''t idiots and chose to go for peace. The second is my homnd, Sylvania, dwelled by the spirits. To be honest, the kingdom itself isn''t a formal one. It''s centered around the Spirit Tree, and since the forest around it was originally unmarked territory and other races tried to obtain it because it had bountiful resources, we decided to dere our forest as a kingdom and prohibited ess. You have to pass through a magical barrier to get inside. Sylvania is the most abundant ce for mana. On that note, we are also first ce in terms of magical abilities. The third would be Eliredien, also known as monster kingdom, home to beastkin. Eliredien is a diverse kingdom in terms of... everything. Since literally all monster races live there, the cultures, cuisines, goods, and just everything ispletely diverse. All the races are unified by the beast kin king, a muscle-brained lion with a uselessly huge robust and muscr body. Their main strength is... literally strength. Brute force. They can swiftly handle heavy weight weapons like toys, and their swordsmanship is considered the best in average. Fourth is Alfheim, it''s managed by the elves. Alfheim is royalty based, and the people there really respect the rulers. The rulers are descendants from the first ancestor, so they are the most powerful in terms of bloodline. They value their morals and ancestry so much to the point of blind worship. Alfheim is close to Sylvania, so some assume we arerades since both of us are forest-based kingdoms, but! We are by no meansrades with those over proud people! They excel in archery and wind maniption, by the way. Fifth is Vaitral, the dragon''sir. They are a pretty closedmunity and are usually hostile to others. Their king holds the title ''Naga'' and has no rtions to royalty blood. If the current Naga dies, they''ll just hold a strengthpetition. In there, strength rules over all. They are overpowered since birth, but as far as I''ve seen, your current state tramples over the dragon babies like they''re trash on the ground. They have this thing called ''dragonblood'', something you''ll never see outside Vaitral''s people. They can transform themselves freely into human form and partially transform back to dragons. They also have the advantage of aerial fighting. Last and the final one, Elysium, is home to no races. It is a kingdom founded by the 5 ancestors which came from all the previously mentioned races. All race hold equal power in there, and since apparently the previous Sage went ham on the equality system, if you do some stupid shit there you''ll automatically be transferred to the barrennds. The Sage is one of the stupidly strong people from your kingdom, by the way. The vastnd outside of these kingdoms'' territory is called Intemerata, meaning ''untouchable'', but that is just the formal name. We have always been calling it the ins. No one is allowed to own thisnd. At the same time, everybody is allowed to use it. No rules,ws, taxes, or any others are applied there. Most of it is just barrennds, but monsters typically appear there, so except for travelling between the countries, people don''t cross it in fear of getting attacked. Any questions?] Estelle was slowly losing her mechanical mind, but her memory was still strong. She quickly remembered all of the information Heine told her. [By your story, you seem to hate humans, so why are you helping me?] [Hmm... I can''t say I hate humans as a whole, because even as a fae, I do have human friends. And for your case.. let''s just say... I''m here to prevent a future monster from going astray? You''re interesting anyways, so I don''t really mind.] Heine was truly speaking the truth, although he left the part about how the Spirit Tree was the one to give information about Estelle. Although he didn''t know what the Spirit Tree''s desire was, he truly found her, who waspletely unfazed and devoid of emotions upon another life''s death interesting. In addition, the Spirit Tree shouldn''t be hostile to the baby if it gave her the blessing. The spirits''nguage itself wasn''t something meant to be learnt. All of his people could speak it right after being born, it was something ingrained in them. Not only could she converse in it while still being a human, she could also see him, the spirit king, a feat even some higher spirits could not achieve if he tried to hide himself. That day, he did not fully hide himself and was just in the light form. He was just scouting and didn''t expect to be discovered. Most humans wouldn''t be able to see him in the light form, so he had let his guard down. He wondered if he truly hid properly, would Estelle be able to find him? Heine unconsciously smiled. After moments of silence went by thanks to him drowning in his own thoughts, Estelle called upon him. [Heine?] [In short, in conclusion, in everything, you are a very interesting little monster!] Heine proudly dered a statement that one would not be that grateful about when it was directed to them. Chapter 5: The Villainess Chapter 5: The Viiness While Heine was dwelling on his thoughts, Estelle rewinded his words in her mind. There was one thing that caught her attention. [I''m a monster?] Estelle wanted to frown at how Heine described her. [If we are going with this world''smon sense, yes. Terribly yes.] [Is that so? How exactly are you going to prevent me from going astray in that case?] [I thought to make a deal, but I''m not sure. I could probably kill you off here, but the fact that you possess such powers and even has the knowledge of the Spirits''nguage makes me hold back.] The way Heine straightforwardly mentioned his ability to take Estelle''s life right then and there did not anger her. In fact, it brought some sort of relief to her. It was easier dealing with someone who openly showed their intentions than those who choose toy down like dogs, pretending to be weak and harmless. Just like how Hikari had to set up a trap to get her. But then, since she fell for that trap, would the foolish one be her? That said, there was one thing in Heine''s words that did not sit well with Estelle. A simple question. [Why?] Making a deal with a baby was an action any sane person would never execute. The current Estelle was no different from a slightly strong baby, so although she had enormous potential no one had ever seen, a deal was still disadvantageous for the fae King in front of him. After all, he was the literal ruler of an entire kingdom. [Because it means you hold great meaning to the Creator. The Creator only gives powers and abilities to those he likes or... those who will be important in the future. The word ''important'' varies, some are good, the others are bad. As far as I know, it works like a cycle. The Spirits are the closest to the Gods, so we are usually acquainted with every blessed person in thends. For example, The Sage who held monstrous powers. He was blessed and loved by spirits, so although he grew between humans and was indeed a human, his knowledge, manners, and thinking were all under the spirits'' guidance. In the end, he was the one who contributed the most to equality within the races. That''s why, I suspect that you might be someone important. I don''t know whether you''re good or bad, but I''d have to heed someone''s call, so it seems like I will be your ''guide''.] Heine had his hand up to an ''I-don''t-know'' pose. From his words, Estelle concluded that guides were essentially the same as teachers. Heine was offering himself to be her teacher, which struck Estelle with another horde of questions as she still could not see the point of doing this. [Deals can''t be made if I''m the only one profiting off of this. What do you want from me?] [It''s simple. As a King, I naturally have to protect my people, so I hereby ask you to promise me... never hurt the Spirits in case you turn evil. No, even if you are good, please keep this in mind.] Heine shrugged. [Hoh? What if the spirits are the first one to make a move? What if they are hostile?] [As for hostile, they shouldn''t be. You probably possess the Spirits'' Blessing, so spirits will treat you as someone friendly. But if my people attack you first, then so be it. You are free to do what you wish. And if possible, I''d like to request a one-time chance.] In other words, he wants me to be a guarantor for the future. [What great harm would it be, that it is unable to be taken care of by the spirits?] [The birth of someone good means the birth of someone evil. This is what the cycle truly means. If you hold great power, the other side will hold basically the same power. It''s only a matter of the powers'' cultivation. In case we get threatened, I want to be able to borrow your power once.] Estelle carefully considered the sides. She would be able to benefit a lot from this deal. Meanwhile, Heine only wants protection, which is manageable if she were to obtain powers stronger than the spirit and her enemies. As Heine said, the only thing that matters is the cultivation. So if she were to madly train herself and best her enemy in every aspect, it should be no problem. Weighing her choices, Estelle gave in. [Once. Deal. I keep my promises, so don''t worry.] [To a good partnership, then.] Heine''s lips curled to an arch as he created an imprint out of nowhere. He gestured to repeat his former words. [To a good partnership.] Estelle regarded the imprint as a contract. Repeating words would mean both sides agree. The imprint cracked and shattered into pieces right after Estelle finished her sentence. Her mind felt hazy, and once again, she fell asleep out of her control. --- A scene yed before her eyes. It was of a girl possessing silver strands of hair, a pair of stunning golden eyes in tears. She seemed to be in agony over something. Her whole body had injuries, but rather than the physicalplications, her agony felt like it came from her feelings and thoughts instead. Then again, how would she be able to tell? No, the correct question was, how was she able to tell? Estelle felt like she was being called. No, it wasn''t in a literal way, but her soul resonated with the girl''s. The beautiful girl was someone unfamiliar to Estelle, so she felt quite puzzled as to why she was so attracted to her. The more she looked the girl, the more she felt unsettled. She wanted to stop the girl. When the girl cried, it resounded in her heart as well. It was as if she was the one crying. As per mentioned before, her previous life never heeded any emotions. It was always based on rigid data. Logic. Now that she saw this girl that appeared to be massively controlled by her emotions, she hesitated to approach her. In a way, she was scared. Even the term ''scared'' was something new to her. For the first time in two lives, she felt ''scared''. She was uncertain as to what would happen. She refused to ept the entity in front of her. However, even without an approach from Estelle, the unknown being took it into her own hands by slowly floating towards her. In a fleeting second, the girl was right in front of Estelle. She looked straight into Estelle''s eyes. Unwavering. Her hand slowly extended to where Estelle''s chest was located. "You... are the... viiness," her tearful eyes slowly closed as she broke the silence with her voice. Her material figure started to disappear into fragments and entered Estelle''s body without warning. "What do you-" Estelle intended to respond to her im, but her voice was cut off as her vision slowly warped. The girl had faded into nothing, or perhaps not. Perhaps she was absorbed into her? Or did she really disappear into nothing? She felt like the girl was her. But at the same time, she wasn''t her. Estelle''s mind theorized a couple of possibilities, and she truly sought to meet the girl once again, hoping to get some answers pertaining to the whole ident concerning her reincarnation and new emotions. All she could see was an endless sea of pitch ck. Her eyes opened to reveal a startled Heine. It was a dream? [Are you awake? Seems like making a contract with me was too much for you to bear. My apologies, I forgot for a second.] Heine''s words wereced with guilt, worry, and concern. Someone who had never been exposed to magic would have an adverse effect upon suddenrge exposures. Heine didn''t forget this fact, but he thought that she was capable of handling it. Estelle also didn''t tell him about the dizzying feeling she felt the first time she used magic, so Heine did not hold back from forming the contract. Seeing how Estelle had turned silent, Heine''s worry elevated as he regretted his decision. Estelle was staring into Heine''s emerald eyes in wonder. [What color is my hair? My eyes?] [Huh?] Heine thought that Estelle would rebuke or reprimand him, but did not expect such a question. [Just answer.] She had so many questions but the answers were close to none. [Your hair is silver, your eyes are golden?] Heine was visibly confused, but he still replied. [As I expected... That''s why she felt so familiar. She was... Estelle? The original Estelle? No, that would be weird... Unless I took her spot.] Estelle also thought it was absurd. She didn''t know why she believed so much in her newest theory, but something inside her told her that it was correct. But there was one thing that matched what Heine said perfectly. The concept of good and evil. She was told that she was a viiness. An evil person. Then... [I am the viiness.] Estelle suddenly said. [...?] Heine raised one of his brows. He didn''t understand what was going on. Chapter 6: Magic Testing Chapter 6: Magic Testing [I am the viiness. If we''re going by your story, I should be something like the evil team leader.] [T-that''s not something to decide so casually! You don''t kno-> Heine was taken aback by her sudden ims. [I know. I saw it in my dream. As such, I don''t think you''re meant to be my guide.] Reying her words inside her head, it really seemed too outrageous to be true. Who is she to suddenly believe what was shown in her dream to be a reality? Where was her previous life''s logical side? To hell with these emotions, she preferred the mechanical her much more! She did not have to bother with minuscule, irrelevant things like having to ount for others'' suggestions and thoughts unless it brought her benefits. s, that part of her seemed to have sessfully integrated inside her. Became one with her emotional part. Heine looked dumbfounded and unsure as to how he should respond. Estelle chuckled in her mind. Heine was no exception, the ''dream'' revtion also sounded ridiculous to her. In the deepest of her heart, she believed the revtion. Her mind, however, contrasted this belief as she thought it was nonsensical. [Look, look. I don''t know what happened in your dreams, but that''s not important. Even if you were cast as the viiness'' role, the decision still lies within you. You are the one who''ll choose whether to act or not. I mentioned roles before, but imagine it from another point of view. A ''hero'' could massacre an entire vige if he wanted to. At that point, it came down to his actions. If he were tomit a massacre, would he still be ''good''? Or would he be ''evil''? Even if you are the viiness, are you really going to... you know, in history, there has been some really dumb viins... Are you really willing to group yourself with those bunch of idiots? And, didn''t you save your mother a while ago? That could be considered as a good deed, no? Following the same logic, I am not going to pull out of my role as a guide just because of your dream. We''ve just met for the first time, so it must be hard, but I want you to trust me for now.] [... You have a point. Sadly, I don''t find myself being in the bad side that far-fetched of an idea. If I was assigned to a role, then I am to take it seriously.] Estelle wasn''t shaken by Heine''s words. [You... Oh well. Like I said, the options are with you. I won''t interfere. The contract has already been made, so the deal will not change. As long as you don''t touch my Spirits, I don''t really care about the other races. We could live without them.] [Yeah, I know.] If Estelle was capable of doing so, a smile would already bloom in her face. Unfortunately, her facial muscles didn''tply to her thoughts as it stayed nk. [So, what exactly are you going to teach me?] [Right. Before the practical stuff, I have to tell you how magic works first, do I? Magic is... to put it simply, limitless. There are endless possibilities to be taken note of. They alle from the same source, which is mana. Without mana, you cannot use magic. The factors that affect your magic is divided into two. The first one is affinity. Affinity pertains to the 4 basic elements, which are Fire, Water, Wind, and Earth. All the other magics are derivatives from those 4. For example, the Nature Magic that is sourced from Earth Magic. Aside from that, there is something called Unique Magic. It is not sourced from the 4 basic elements. There are 2 types, Light and Dark. These two also has it''s branches. The Holy Magic I lent you recently is sourced from Light Magic. The ck Magic that maid has is from Dark Magic. For most of the spells, creativity is the one thates to y. One''s imagination and ability to bloom that into a reality. But that being said, even if you have the Fire affinity and a great imagination, but still do not have a tight grasp on its concept, you can say goodbye to the cool fire show you visioned. Usually, people can only use one affinity, but in some cases, there can be dual and triple affinity users. As for quadruple... It is said that only The Sage had a quadruple affinity. The other factor is core purity. Cores are essentially our mana bank. It is the most mana concentrated part in our body. If it is destroyed, the mana will spread around our body and bloodstreams, acting like poison. The purer the core means the more mana you can absorb. It''ll also be more high quality. When you are born, your core will automatically absorb the surroundings'' mana, but the effect won''t be optimized to its full potential because you are not aware of it. As such, there is something we call awakening. It''s when you finally grasp the true foundations of your core and its affinity and can utilize it practically. For you... you seem to have undergone the awakening since you were able to use Holy Magic even if it was bestowed. *sigh*] [What''s the norm for others?] [It varies between the races, but it also depends on the person''s capability. For example, I was able to awaken a month after I was born, but my people''s average time is around 6 months. Spirits are on average the quickest to awaken because of our mana abundant surroundings. If I had to summarize, the humans would be the slowest, followed by beastkin, elves, dragonkin, and spirits. However, there is always the chance of an unknown variable like you appearing, so the average don''t really matter.] [Wao. I''m terribly fast, then?] [... Yes? You have only realized this now? It seems like I need to hammer a lot ofmon sense into your head...] Heine rubbed his temple, feeling helpless. [I have never been in contact with magic. How the hell am I supposed to knowmon sense about it?] Estelle looked at him as if he was the weird one for thinking she was weird. Heine felt like she made some sense. He wanted to ask why her thoughts were so developed in that case, but he relented as it was not relevant to the contract they made. [Now, now. As I said before, you have already awakened, so it will be possible for you to use magic. The Holy Magic you used previously was bestowed by me, but we don''t know if you have Light Magic yet... So! I brought this thing...] Heine rummaged in what seemed like an alternate spatial storage. Seeing his hand half in the space, leaving the parts up to his arm looking severed, it was not a pretty sight. Thankfully, Heine found the item pretty soon and pulled it out. In Heine''s hands was a dull crystal ball. It was clouded and opaque. [I assume that I''m supposed to put my hands on it?] She had been forcefully dragged by Hikari into watching a ''transported to another world'' type of movies in the past and knew the gist of things. [Yeah. Here, I''ll help you.] Estelle was not able to properly sit down and was left reaching for the crystal ball to no sess. Heine chuckled at the cute sight and lowered the ball to Estelle''s reach. The moment Estelle touched the ball, a cracking sound reverberated in therge room. [Huh?] [Huh?] Both Heine and Estelle were taken aback at the reaction. Clearly, this was not the expected reaction. Chapter 7: Minerva Eire Chapter 7: Minerva Eire [[Appraisal]!] Heine cast. [Crystal Ball] Durability 0/100 -Used to detect mana purity, its amount and the magic attributes. [Ha.. hahaha. You really are a monster.] Heine dejectedly looked at his now broken crystal ball. [Sorry?] [No... it wasn''t your fault.. I won''t let this be! My pride as the Fae King is at stake!] The taste of defeat seemed to have awakened something inside Heine. [...] Estelle was face palming inside her head at Heine''s sudden enthusiasm. [Heheheh... There''s no other choice... [Mind''s Eye]! How about this! A rare spell that allows me to learn everything about th-> Skill [Mind''s Eye] was cancelled due to target''s high resistance. [Mhm, mhm. I also predicted that this would happen, but... I wanted to show off... There is ast choice, but it''s no fun...] For a split second, Estelle thought she saw Heine with dog ears that drooped down in disappointment. Pouting, Heine raised his index finger to touch Estelle''s forehead. Like the previous Holy Magic, a warm feeling invaded Estelle''s body. [This is called the Truth Magic, a subsidiary of Light Magic. If used, it can unveil the user''s stats... But I can''t see it, so it''s no fun!] Heine was looking forward to be the first one to see Estelle''s status, but it seemed like that wouldn''t be possible. [How do I use this?] Estelle manifested the magic and was able to concentrate it towards her limbs, or even all around her body, but she could not figure out how to see her status. [Just think of your status and what you want to know.] Heine was still dejected because he couldn''t be the first one to see Estelle''s status. [Right. My bad, I though it wouldn''t be as simple as this.] Status. Estelle thought. Tring! A game like window appeared in front of her. Status Estelle reste | Human (?) HP : 10.000/10.000 Title : - [ God''s Blessing ] - [ Reincarnated One ] - [ Spirit''s Blessing ] - [ Creator ] - [ ??? ] Core Purity : 99% Mana : ???/??? Affinity : [Null] Unique Magic : [Creation Magic] Skill : [Holy Magic] [Truth Magic] [Hmmm?] Estelle raised a brow. [How was it? I wanna see!] [Wait, let me see your status.] Heine looked at her. Estelle looked at him back. [...Fineee! Here.] Heine swiped his hand and made another window appear. Heine | Fae King HP : 270.000/270.000 Title : - [King of Fae] - [World Tree''s Communicator] - [Ruler] Core Purity : 78% Mana : 20.000/20.000 Affinity : [Water] [Earth] Unique Magic : [Light Magic] Skill : [Bestow] [You only have one skill?] [Ahh, the skills disyed are the ones that I have shown you. [Bestow] was used when I lent you magic. Skills like [Mind''s Eye] will not get listed, though. It''s considered a universal skill, albeit a very rare one. Did I tell you about universal skills already? Well, uh. In summary, universal skills can be learned just by obtaining a skill book... But for Unique skills, you either have to inherit it or look for an ancient grimoire... Or something like that.] Estelle just hummed in response. [How do I show my status to you?] [Just think of me looking at the same window.] 5 minutester, Heine''s face was still nk. [Earth to Heine?] [Can I give up on being your guide?] Heine shed the brightest smile he could manage. [No?] The contract was already made, and her benefits would be taken away if she agreed. It was obvious that she would reject. [I want to rant. No. Nothing''s making sense here! You''re breaking my psyche! Spirits are supposed to be knowledgeable, but I''ve never heard of something like you! First of all, what the hell is with that obnoxious question mark next to your race? Why is your mana question marks? 99% Purity??? Go to hell! Why is your element something I''ve never seen before? Why is the Holy and Truth Magic listed as skills?] [Wait. You can''t see my titles?] [Your titles and the HP are the normal-est thing in your status!] [What titles do I have? ] [Spirit''s Blessing and God''s Blessing?] [Interesting. He can''t see my other titles?] Estelle thought to herself. [Have anybody besides me managed to break that crystal ball?] [Hmm, yeah. The ones known are few, but I''m sure there are more than those discovered. The Sage was the first one. Then it didn''t happen for so long until the Elf Queen Shirley. Then came Witch Minerva. Then... I did make a crack when I was tested but it wasn''t split like this. The others also only made a crack... Except the Sage. Naaa, tell me, are you secretly the Sage''s reincarnation? You''re eerily simr to that guy..] Heine''s suspicions were based on his yful nature, but the more he seriously thought about it, the more it sounded usible to him. Heine squinted to analyze Estelle''s whole being. [Is the Sage dead?] [I wouldn''t say dead. No one actually saw him die. He disappeared after establishing the equality. Many believe he is dead, but I only believe in what I see with my two eyes. Maybe he was tired of interaction or something, and decided to go live by a tree house somewhere in this world? If he decided to do that, who on Earth would be able to track him? No, you may be able to surpass him in the future, so I''d be grateful if you could track some people for me... I have a few names on my hit list... Just a few, I promise. Just a few...] Heine started rambling. It seemed like he loved being absorbed in his thoughts. [We share the same sentiment.] [Now back to the problem... I don''t know what the Null Element or Creation Magic is.] Indeed, if Heine didn''t know what her magic was, how would he be able to teach her? In a field that he''s not knowledgeable on? [... Is there really no one who knows?] [I know someone who might know what to do, but seeing her is probably going to be a bit hard. I can contact her for you, though.] [Then, let''s try it.] [To be frank.. She''s a little, entric, to say the least. I mentioned her before, her name is Minerva Eire.] [The Witch.] [Whatever happens next... Let''s just try, shall we?] Heine sucked in a cold breath as he materialized a golden wand and grasped it within his hands. He then pushed in front of himself and chanted in a weirdnguage. After the chant was finished, an oval-shaped space rift was opened, showing apletely different location than the one they currently staying at. "Come out, you old hag!!" Heine shouted with all his might. Thankfully, he did put up a soundproof barrier when he started talking in reality, so no one would hear him. "I TOLD YOU NOT TO CALL ME OLD HAG, YOU WRETCHED FAE!" A deafening scream responded. "Eh? She''s present?" Heine covered his mouth in disbelief, but not a shred of guilt can be seen. "You got lucky. I recently finished my newest magic, so I decided toe out for a while." A beautiful figure with disheveled crimson hair and a pair of eyes that seemed to contain a sea of mes showed up by the window. "Huh? Since when did you have a child?" Minerva took a nce at Estelle, who was staring back at her. "She''s not my child! Besides, spirits don''t reproduce sexually!!" Heine refuted her outrageous im. "But you can, riightt?? That eastern fae, wasn''t he a father of, I don''t know, 20 something kids?" "Ugh! Don''t group me with that guy! He''s a fallen one, there was no saving him. If it wasn''t for his essential power, I would''ve killed him long ago." Only here would you see two adults talking about obscenity and murder in front of a baby. Well, since the baby was technically not a baby in mind, it should be fine. "HAHAHA! Indeed, it''s always fun teasing you~"Minerva stepped out of the space rift. Her eyes swept to Estelle''s body still lying on the crib. "Ara? Isn''t this the reste''s kid?" "You know her?" "Hmm, She contacted me to ask if I could teach her daughter sometimes," "That makes it easier, then. Could I leave her in your care?" "How unusual of you. You''re trusting her with me? A baby, to this one?" "Well, there''s no other way around it. And besides, I think she''s the unusual one, though? Take a look at her status. Estelle, care to show her?" Estelle nodded and imagined Minerva seeing her status. "This-" Her expression turned grim as she seriously analyzed each and every single status Estelle possessed. "Heeh, how rare! Even for She and n, this is a bit too much, isn''t it?" Minerva''s tone changed. As a researcher and a witch, seeing Estelle was akin to discovering somethingpletely unseen and unheard of. It made her want to dissect and analyze every single piece of her. "I came by the World Tree''s revtion. I suspect that she might be the next variable." "You know what you''re implying by that, don''t you?" Minerva stroke a re towards Heine, reminding him of the disaster that mighte due to Estelle''s birth. "Of course. I told her about it, and she said that she was the ''evil''." "She? You mean she can talk?" Minerva got super close to Estelle, staring curiously at her. Estelle was lifted by her half glove-covered hands and raised up to the sky. "Don''t do such things! Get back here, old hag!" Heine gentlyid Estelle back down as if she was a precious specimen that would be contaminated otherwise. Chapter 8: Coming Out Chapter 8: Coming Out "She has the spirits'' blessing, as seen on her status. She can converse in it through her mind. It''s not possible to voice it out because she''s a newborn, though." "Hmm, I see. But she can understand our conversation right now?" "Since we are speaking in the spirits''nguage, yes. But if you want her to reply, you''ll have to build a telepathy like me." "Ehh, how rude of you, intruding on a little girl''s thoughts~!" Minerva teased Heine yfully. "You-! Ugh, just try and see what you can do with her." "Yes, yes." "First of all, nice to meet you, Estelle~ Take a look at my stats, won''t you?" Minerva swiped her hands in the air and made another window appear in front of Estelle. Minerva Eire | Half Human, Half Elf HP: 172.000/172.000 Title: - [ Experimental Magician ] - [ Knowledgeable One ] - [ Librarian ] - [ Crimson Witch ] Core Purity: 82% Mana: 32.000/32.000 Affinity: [ Fire ] [ Wind ] Unique Magic: [ Light Magic ] Unique Skill: [ Researcher ] Estelle looked over it and memorized everything. The first thing she noticed was that her HP seemed normal, but her other stats were still absurd. "Ah, don''t go thinking your HP is normal because you''reparing yourself to a fae king and a witch." Like she already knew what Estelle would think, Minerva immediately added. [...] There goes myst chance at being normal. "Now, now. It''s not like you have to be normal, do you? In front of you are twopletely abnormal people, so just get used to getting yourmon sense ruined, ''kay?" Minerva brightly smiled. "I n on instillingmon sense to her, don''t just suddenly decide like that!" "Ehh? I mean, there''s no way that''s possible, you know? I mean, if we''re going to be her teacher, the least she could do is destroy a whole city?" Minerva shrugged, as if her words werepletely normal. "How irresponsible." Heine facepalmed. [...You''re also irresponsible for fighting in front of an infant.] "She started it! Okay, maybe I got too hot headed. Anyways, Minerva will be helping you to use and discover your magic. If she can''t do it, then no one could." Although Heine and Minerva seemed to always pit against each other, he trusted Minerva fully in terms of abilities. "Actually... My newest magic might be the perfect solution to this... How convenient! I have to make some tweaks here and there though, I''m guessing 3 days would be enough. Let''s meet by then," Minerva waved and went back inside the space rift. "I will be going back to see how things are going, but you can always contact us anytime with the telepathy. Got something you need?" [Do you have a body fortification skill or something?] "I do, but for what?" Heine raised his fingers and poked Estelle''s forehead in an instant, directly bestowing the skill. [You''ll see.] Another day passed, and Heine once again came to visit. "How many days since you were born?" [3 days.] "I know you''re monstrous, but don''t all human bones work the same way?" Heine, who now learned that he would be spending a lot of time with Estelle brought a whole tea set with him to enjoy, and was now sipping on the said tea while questioning Estelle. [Body fortification. Training. Bones got strong. The rest is practice.] Estelle exined in a short and simple manner. "I must say, you are the first one to make me triple check someone''s race. You''re really human, right?" Compared to the first time Heine seemed to be more used to Estelle''s out-of-the-world perks, so the reaction dulled down. [It''s just logic. I kept the magic for 3 days nonstop, it shouldn''t be a surprise that I can walk now. Although it''ll be a bit wonky.] Estelle held onto the crib''s rails, showing off that she could stand up now. "Whatever. Did Minervae?" [She did. She talked with my mom in the humans''nguage so I couldn''t understand. After that, she gave me a book that contained the humans''nguage and made it transparent to others, so I can understand it now. Still can''t talk though, I have no teeth.] "You know my skill [Bestow]?" [The one you used on me for Holy Magic and Truth Magic?] "Yeah, I can bestow you the humans''nguage as a knowledge with that skill." Estelle looked at Heine as if he was trash for not telling her earlier, but suddenly changed her expression afterwards. [Minerva''s book probably contains more knowledge than you have, so it''s fine.] "You cheeky-" Heine was about to scold Estelle before a familiar space rift appeared. "Hi hi~" Minerva''s cheery voice could be heard. She nonchntly stepped out and sat down on one of the nearby chairs, leaving the space rift in an opened state. "I told you to close the space rifts after using them! You could trigger this ce''s-" Heine must have sensed an iing presence, since he immediately grabbed Minerva''s hand and disappeared into the air. ck! The door was being opened in a very slow motion. The door handle twisted downwards. Two figures entered the room side by side. Their muttered to each other in a low voice, making Estelle unable toprehend their words. Only after they drew nearer, did Estelle finally be able to distinguish their faces and understand what they were saying. It was this body''s parents, Duke and Duchess reste. "Estelle is fast asleep... I feel bad for not visiting her these days," She softly spoke, as if she was terribly afraid of waking the baby up. "You had to undergopulsory treatment after the incident. We can make it up from now on," n held She''s hands in an attempt tofort her. "You''re right... But I still have nightmares haunting me every single day. If, that day, instead of targeting me, they targeted Estelle..." "...It''s best not to think of it. We have strengthened the security around her, I would like to see them try to harm our family again," "n..." She leaned into n''s embrace as tears slowly rolled down her cheeks. Being sentimental is great, but not when you had to watch them as a full-fledged adult inside a newborn infant''s body. "Uwaaah!" Estelle made a cry just to attract their attention and stop them from going overboard in front of her. n had already ced a kiss on top of She''s forehead. If she left them alone, who knows to what point this two could escte their advances up to. [God, what is with all of these adults showing no restraint in front of a baby? Aren''t they scared that they will pollute the damn baby''s eyes?] Estelle was quickly lifted up and had her hair caressed in an attempt to console her. She looked to see She''s red rimmed eyes at a loss on how to proceed. [...I don''t think that''s what you should be doing to a crying baby, but I''ll y along. I''m tired of crying anyways.] Estelle''s cry slowly started to slow down. Not long after, only small sobs and sniffles were present. "My... Isn''t she cute?" She pinched Estelle''s puffy cheeks that had long turned red from crying. "...Indeed, she is quite adorable," The usually stone-faced n, who had never shown another set of expression other than anger and disgust, finally showed Estelle a slight smile. [This feeling is not that bad.] The feeling of familial love and bonds. As Reina, she attended quite a few funerals where she would see their rtives break down into tears. She never understood why others would cry when someone died. No one could live forever. They would eventually die one by one, so why couldn''t they ept that a family member was gone and continue their life? As a member of the Kirisaki family, there was not a single second of her life in which she considered them her family. She was only grateful to them who adopted and raised her before she bravely took a step into the business world. It seemed like she was bound to form a lot of questions in this life. There was already a new one popping inside her mind. [..I would be d if I could selectively choose the emotions I want, though.] n and She did not leave until it was nearing night time. In between the hours, Estelle had fallen asleep multiple times, but she would always wake up to see her parents'' faces gently looking at her while talking to each other. It was a very peaceful night, albeit the soreness she had to face the next morning due to She carrying her in the wrong postures. n and She''s visits continued even after everything stabilized. Simply by sitting still and hearing them talk, she was able to gather quite a bit of information. First of all, the reste Dukedom was one of the highest ranked nobles in terms of status. There were plenty of people who supported them, but the ones that opposed them were equal in number. Assassination was not a normal thing, but it was not like it never happened. However, the recent case involved the use of ck Magic, which had already been established as forbidden long ago. The culprit was not caught, but whoever it was, they definitely raised the awareness of an entire Dukedom, so props to them. Chapter 9: Growing Up Chapter 9: Growing Up ''Somehow, I have turned five years old.'' Estelle intensely looked at the mirror which disyed her reflection. The silver locks she inherited from her father had already grown up to her waist. Her hair was quite wavy, presumably because of her mother''s gics. Her facial features was developing smoothly, and her pearly white teeth were neatly aligned inside her mouth. She was able to enjoy the taste of various delicacies the chef provided and did not have to suffer under the nd taste of baby food no more. [Bless good gics.] Estelle silently thanked in her heart. She had heard of severe cases in which someone would continue to have crooked teeth even after entering adulthood. Living for five years, Estelle had sessfully made adjustments in regards to her emotions. The first few years were quite rough, as she did not know how to deal with it, but as of now, she would probably qualify as a cheerful youngdy. She stared at the night sky nkly, her mind void of thoughts. It was only after a maid''s voice interrupted her focus did her sight leave the skies. "Young miss! Please don''t run away!!" A young woman dressed in a maid''s outfit ran up to her. "I''m not running away, Lylia..." Estelle was holding a magic book written in the Spirits''nguage. "Miss, your birthday party is about to start! Why are you still reading books??" Lylia carefully brushed Estelle''s hair and braided it. [Right. Heine and Minerva told me about their ns.] "Come, let''s go," Estelle got off the chair after she confirmed that the styling was finished. "Father, mother," Estelle respectfully greeted with a smile. "My lovely star~ Come here, mother wants to hug you!" She had gotten much more cheerful than when Estelle first met her.. Although the incident impacted her quite a bit, she recovered within weeks. She was a loving and caring person. Carefree would be the best way to describe her. Not once did she scold Estelle for her deeds. Although Estelle was not unruly, she would skip herpulsory sses from time to time because she had already learned the material. n used to rebuke her for this, but seeing how Estelle was actually ahead of her peers, not behind, he gradually relented and decreased the amount of sses. Estelle ran up to her embrace, hugging her tightly. "Estelle, you have two special guests that will being to your party!" She cupped her face and nted a kiss on her forehead. "Correction. Two special guests who were shameless enough to invite themselves." n interjected from the side. "Who are they?" Estelle pretended to not know anything. "You''ll see~" She wanted it to be a big surprise for her. [Sorry to disappoint, but I already know who it is.] Estelle grinned at her mother, enjoying the feeling of the blonde woman''s fingers running through her silver locks. "May you grow up into a splendiddy," Heine handed Estelle a brown colored teddy bear. "Are you saying that I''m not a splendiddy right now?" Estelle pretended to be mad. "Perhaps?" Heine joked, earning a light kick from Estelle. "Where''s Minerva?" Estelle looked around for the crimson-haired beauty, not seeing her anywhere. "Minerva''s helping Yulia out. She probably won''t make it. She told me that she''d do her best toe, but I doubt they''ll be able to finish it within time," "Yulia? Her sister, Witch Yulia Eire?" "Yeah. We wanted to bring her over, but she''s always secluded in her home," Heine said. "Hmmm.. By the way, I don''t think my father is going to like me being you guys'' apprentice," Estelle whispered, careful as to not reveal the big request to the surroundings. "He is going to like it no matter what. Don''t forget, both of us are still prominent figures, and I''m a King. Do you think a Duke could tantly reject our offer?" Heine''s lips creased up into an arch. "Tyrant," "Only when it concerns our littledy, right?" Heine chuckled. Estelle wordlessly got up. Heine followed right behind her, asionally pestering her with words, but also careful as to not anger her. The reste Dukedom did not hold a huge celebration for its young miss'' fifth birthday. Instead, they settled for a gorgeous moon viewing event, in which the one and only miss would sit right in the middle of the stage and entertain the guests. After maneuvering through the Duchy for some minutes, the two finally reached the gardens where the event took ce. The night was illuminated by a gentle moon and the stars. Right by the stage was a pond with lotuses floating on top. The moon''s reflection in the water was as dazzling as ever, creating a serene feel to the celebration. Knights and maids were all invited. In fact, there was not a single person attending who didn''t belong to the reste Dukedom. The only exception was Heine, who invited himself to the party. "Everyone.." Once Estelle opened her speech, not a single sound was made. Every single attendee was looking at her fondly. Some of them were newly employed, but most of them were people who had attended to Estelle ever since she was born. Whether it was Lylia, her personal maid, or Derrick, her escort knight, the audience were involved in Estelle''s first years in one way or another. "My name is Estelle reste, the daughter of my beloved parents, Duke and Duchess reste," Estelle started in a formal manner. "Actually, it was Miss Leah who prepared a formal speech for me, but if you didn''t already know who I am, won''t I be troubled?" Estelle grinned, breaking her formal way of speech down to the ground. Miss Leah, her teacher for both noble conduct and social skills could be seen cupping her forehead in distress. Everyone broke intoughter as the atmosphere turned into joy. "I turned five today. Five years old. I wonder if father will finally let me go to the cities? The passing merchants told me that their children were already capable of maneuvering through the city by themselves when they were four years old! My freedom, is it really lower than a merchant''s child?" Estelle looked over to her parents and saw n sighing. The statement was met with cheers from the knights, who collectively made a sound of agreement. Their argument had always been based on the fact that they were capable of protecting her, but n never gave in to the request, even after Estelle begged with teary eyes. "Lylia, my dearest maid, when will you stop berating me? Even though I''m like this, I''m still your master!" "Derrick, stop bullying me because I''m short! You''re not that tall, once I grow up, I''ll only need to wear 10cm heels to surpass you!" "Sarah, I want you to stop making dolls for me! I already have too much! In addition, a certain Spirit King gave me another plush just now! My collection is growing, but I don''t think I''m d!" Estelle raised the brown teddy bear to the sky, showing everyone how fed up she was with plushies. Everyone looked over to the Spirit King Heine with caution, afraid of him being offended by the miss'' words. Heine shrugged, showing that he did not mind. Right after, the crowds'' cheers came back louder than ever. "Mother, please stop feeding me sweets! If it wasn''t for the genes, my teeth would''ve been cker than charcoal!" Estelle pulled out a biscuit packet her mother had given her just this afternoon. She covered her mouth in shyness as she used the other free arm to put up a thumbs up sign, conveying that she will try her best. "Lord n''s teeth were crooked too! It was only after he turned ten that all of them suddenly turned neat!" A knight from the older generation spoke up. "Yeah, there was even rumors of him using concealment magic on his teeth because he was insecure!" This time, it was an old butler who used to take care of n in the past. "Lady, you should check your teeth thoroughly!" Another knight added. "Hey!" n scolded. "You guys aren''t safe as well! The amount of sweets you all give me can feed an entire family for days whenpiled! Especially Reynald, stop using me as a food tester!" "Miss is the sole reason I cook new things, the lord and madame only gives me empty praises I''ve heard a thousand times before! Miss'' description of the dishes I make are so detailed, I couldn''t possibly abandon such a good food critic! Miss, this humble servant is almost convinced that you were born to taste food!" Reynald praised Estelle with great honesty. The praises didn''t make her happy in the slightest, though. "I''m the master, damn it! You guys are supposed to obey me when I tell you to stop, not retort back!" Estelle kicked a small rock that was lying in front of her in frustration. "I don''t mind working for free if young miss would continue to taste test for me! In fact, I''ll pay for it!" Reynald did not back down. His pride as a devoted chef did not allow him to. He had found the perfect critic that every chef desired. Estelle''s way of words in reviewing culinary was just too good to be wasted! "Actually, me too! Miss, serving you is one thing, but making you plushies and clothes is apletely separate thing! I can pay for you to ept my works!" Sarah eximed. Estellepletely forgot about her servants'' absurdly high pay. All of the servants were required to pass certain qualifications in order to enter. It is said that the reste Dukedom''s employee test was far harder than the royal castle''s They must''ve gathered enough money to live the rest of their lives while keeping their financial status stable. The supposed speech slowly melted into a confession scene. Chapter 10: The Constellation Chapter 10: The Constetion Noble conduct? Decorum? What was that all about? Above the reste Dukedom, several ''fire flowers'' were ignited with the help of fire magic and Estelle''s Creation Magic. Of course, Estelle did not directly proim that she would be helping and pushed Heine to take the job instead. Since the Creation Magic did not require her being close to the target, she could tinker with the ''fire flowers'' and no one would suspect her. She did not n to hide her magic talent forever, but the Creation Magic was apletely separate thing. It was something no one had ever seen before, just like the ''fire flowers'' that were full on blooming in the peaceful night sky. The so-called ''fire flowers'' were of course, something suggested by Estelle. Using the fireworks she saw in the past as a reference, she drew a vague outline on a piece of paper and handed it to Heine. Thankfully, Estelle had always told him about her strange innovations, so he was able to redraw the entire thing and make out an understandable blueprint. Borrowing the powers of lesser fire spirits, they were able to end the party by unleashing the rose-shaped red me into the darkened skies. Because it was made with magic, there were no loud booming sounds, which took out some of the excitement. Whether you like it or not, a huge part of every fireworks disy was the thundering sounds that would escte your heartbeat and add into the experience as a whole. The problem was, there were no such thing as the regrly seen normal fireworks in the current timeline, let alone rose-shaped ones. Without a doubt, it attracted the eyes of many. From the royalties, nobles, tomon popce, all of them who were awake had their eyes glued to the skies above the Dukedom. Some took it as a blessing, the others took it as a bad omen, and there were even people iming it to be a forewarning for destruction. Their eyes were focused on the reste Dukedom, anxious as to what the oue will be. Their enemies rejoiced, thinking that the Dukedom will finally face their demise. Their friends worried for them, sending a bunch of letters that would pile up into one giant mountain. Whatever the people''s reactions were, the entirety of reste Dukedom was rejoicing and celebrating without a care. After a few minutes, the fireworks ceased to exist and the party was starting to die down. "The teddy bear," Heine stretched out an arm towards the silver-haired girl donning a blue dress. "Hm?" Estelle was puzzled. What teddy bear? "You said you already have an enormous collection. Give it to me, I will give you another present in return," "Hmm... Nope," Estelle smiled cheekily. "Why? Won''t it be useless to you?" Heine frowned his brows, not seeing why Estelle would prefer a useless gift instead of something she could utilize. "Because... The gift''s content and purpose doesn''t matter, the real gift is the sender''s feelings...? Or at least I think that''s how it went," Estelle was unsure as to how the saying went, but she knew the general gist and meaning of it. "But I got that because the spirits said that human children liked plushies, I wasn''t even nning on giving you a teddy bear in the first ce. What feelings are there?" Heine snorted. "This would be your first time attending a birthday party of mine, right?" Estelle did not answer his question. Instead, she began walking towards the one and only body of water in the reste Dukedom''s garden. "... Yeah. I''m sorry for noting to the previous years'' parties. Even though I have more freedom than the other rulers, I am still a King, after all," Following suit in her tracks, Heine solemnly said. Indeed, both Heine and Minerva was supposed to have their first birthday party attendance today. In the previous years, Heine and Minerva always had a sudden urgent task to do. Even today, Minerva couldn''te because she had to help her sister out. That''s why, the gift really didn''t matter to Estelle. Whatever she wanted, she could just create it out of thin air. Why bother waiting for gifts? Attending the party without any troubles would suffice as a gift. Of course, Estelle wouldn''t say it out loud. It would attract pity and make it burdensome. They would feel as if they caused disappointment for noting and force themselves toe the following years. "I might as well say that the concept of ''everyone fails the first time'' can also apply to this situation," Estelle stopped in front of the pool. She turned around and faced Heine, looking straight into his eyes. "In short, I am inviting you to the next, next, and next birthday parties. Make sure toe and redeem yourself," Under the moon, Estelle''s silver locks reflected the gentle rays of light, her eyes glimmering along with it. Estelle''s words were worded so that it could also apply to Minerva, but she was absent. Heine rubbed his eyes. He thought he had seen Estelle''s as an adult for a split second. However, after repeated rubs, the image disappeared and it was back to the five years old child as usual. "Your answer, mister busy King?" Estelle pinched Heine in the leg. "Huh? Ah, uh, yeah, I''ll settle with that," Heine covered his mouth. He was embarassed, because he thought that the vision was caused by his unruly imaginations. "It''s settled, then," Estelle suddenly ran. She went behind Heine and kicked him from the back, ending it off with a free fall death hug. Even with her tiny arms, since she trained herself not only in magic but also physical training and martial arts, her strength was enough to knock down the King into the pool, catching him off guard. Ssh! Not only Heine, Estelle also had to sacrifice herself. Both of them were in the water, drenched and soaked all over. Heine nkly looked at the floating Estelle and broke intoughter. "What the hell was that?! You''re stupid!" Heine eximed. "What?! No! Why am I stupid? I am obviously this smart!" Estelle retorted. Heineughed heartily, and the short bickering soon broke into sounds of loudughter. "What happened?!" The knights were the first one to reach the scene, but the maids could also be seen running behind them. "We fell!" Estelle made a peace sign and grinned. Sighing, Heine carried Estelle out of the water using the princess carry method. It was nighttime, and the pool''s temperature was naturally quite low. It would not be a surprise if they came down with a cold the following morning. After getting out of the water, Heine was met with a cold re from n and a somewhat worried She. However, it must be said that amidst her worries, she was actually trying to hold back herughter, indicating that she did not take the incident too seriously. "Care to exin?" n sternly looked at the two. "Look at what you did. You made trouble for me, future official disciple. How am I supposed to get their eptance now?" "I thought you were the Spirit King, and father would not have the guts to decline your offer?" Estelle wrung out her hair, the coldness slightly affecting her. After all, she was still a child, and her shivers and teeth chatters were all part of the normal reactions. "Peace, Estelle. We strive for peace above anything else. Even I would think twice before offending another country''s Duke!" "Well, you''ve done it now. Remember, there is no medicine for regret," Estelle got down and ran to hug her mother in apletely dried state. Since Heine had wind magic, it waspletely reasonable that Estelle was dry in just a few seconds. Chapter 11: The Constellation (2) Chapter 11: The Constetion (2) "Give me a good reason. Else, I won''t be sparing you, even if you''re a King," n''s harsh words fell upon the green-haired fae, who was now sitting beside the main perpetrator of all, Estelle. Estelle let out a small chuckle by the side, rejoicing in the King''s perils. "Estelle, what makes you think that you will be spared?" n directed his somber gaze to his daughter. Estelle blinked her doe eyes over and over again. "Ao! We were just... ying around, right? Hmm?" Estelle nudged Heine using her elbow, her smile so bright that it could blind someone''s vision. "I was forced to y around with her!" Instead of strengthening her ims, he decided that it would be best for him to shirk responsibility, and that was exactly what he did. What was friendship? Can it be eaten? Estelle widened her eyes in disbelief. Sending a hateful re to the entity next to her, she had to endure scolding from the one and only Demon King n. Of course, n also knew when to stop. After he saw that Estelle was no longer in focus, he knew that any words that came out of his mouth at this point would fall into deaf ears. Because there was simply no point in continuing, he had to give up and take another route. Estelle hated thepulsory sses the most. In her mind, she was fully aware that the teachers offered lectures around the things she already mastered. Theory of gravity? She came from the 21st century of a world where magic did not exist and humans had to improve their life using science! Physics, chemistry, biology, she was obviously better than the tutors in that sense! Magic? Although the time she spent with Heine and Minerva was limited because they had their own tasks to do, she was a genius on her own! Give her an ancient grimoire and rest assured that she will decode it in a day! Moreover, since the entire Dukedom did not know that Estelle had already awakened long ago, the magic sses were actually only about basic theory. Basic theory. How much information could be stored under the phrase ''basic theory''? The concept of magic was not something revolutionary. It was something even amoner could exin by the time they turn six! Can you imagine how torturing it must be, hearing the phrase: ''Magic requires mana to be activated'' at least ten times in one lesson?! If she really did follow a noble child''s schedule and attend the magic ss 10 times a month, she was afraid that she would be able to recite the entire lesson backwards in no time. And such, if one were to name a thing that the young miss hates, the sses were certainly going to be the majority picked answer. Exactly why n reste decided to save his words and add a week''s worth of sses into Estelle''s schedule. "I''m going to extract your soul, pulverize your weak and frail body, st the ashes into therge seas, create a new vassal, and insert that cursed soul into the goddamn thing," Estelle was staring into the nk space, her eyes gloomy and dark as she muttered. "I heard the nobles have to take your ''punishment'' on a daily basis, though? Even worse, the royals apparently have to finish twice the amount of work in the same time span," Heine held both his arms in front of his chest, his eyes tied to Estelle''s movements. If he didn''t pay close attention, the words Estelle carelessly spouted at him might seriously develop into real actions. "Well, I didn''t ask to be a noble, they didn''t ask to be a royal, but I *clearly* nudged your stick shaped arms. You mean to tell me that you are that stupid to not understand what the gesture made? Damn, sucks to be you," Scowling, Estelle made sure to emphasize on certain words and even went so far as to create gestures in the air. "Your point? I saved myself from unnecessary trouble, and it was your fault in the first ce! Why in the actual hell did you push me into that pool? You''re clearly the onecking in IQ!" "IQs are bull. shit! They are just numbers! Me using the reason ''Oh, I saw of a shadow sh behind you and thought it was a ghost, so I instinctively pulled you into the damned pool'' would be a better argument!" Heine''s eyes shed in a strange light, but it was quickly reced with another retort, replied with a sound argument from Estelle, then back to Heine, starting a never-ending cycle. It was unknown whether ''thankfully'' was the best way to describe the situation that followed the bickers, but soon, a certain crimson-haired beauty came to visit. Minerva seemed to have rushed to their location in great haste. She was anxious, and her overall appearance conveyed that she did not have any prior preparation at all. Her striking crimson hair was disheveled and out of ce, loose ends were sticking out everywhere, indicating that the poor strands of hair had not beenbed. Her eyes were sunken, a dark shadow looming under the poor amber-colored eyes. Her skin looked overly pale for a normal person, herplexion too ashen to be called healthy. "Minerva?" Estelle stopped paying attention to Heine once she saw Minerva enter her range of sight. Heine also turned his head and focused on the staggering woman "Uh, yeah. Sorry... I couldn''t... make it," Minerva''s steps were wobbly, and it was not long before she stumbled upon a small rock and fell face forward onto the ground. Estelle and Heine managed to prevent the fall and caught her mid air, but if they werete for even one second, the witch would have surely injured her head. Estelle and Heine looked at each other. Estelle was obviously puzzled, but Heine''s eyes did not appear to be so simple. Having spent quite the ridiculous amount of time with Minerva, his first reaction was not to worry about her copse, but rather what trailed her to their location. Minerva''s older sister, Witch Yulia Eire. If n was nicknamed the demon king, then Yulia had the potential to surpass that. Like n, she was usually calm and collected on the usual basis. The phrase ''calm before the storm'' perfectly described her strange temperament. As Minerva''s elder sister, she was naturally also another bloodline witch, which meant that one of their parents was a witch. A witch''s power was not inherited, but the potential was. The ''potential'' was essentially the deciding factor of their future powers. The powers were sourced from something they call constetions. The witches'' potential would allow them to randomly be assigned to a constetion. Minerva''s constetion was the World''s Library, while Yulia''s was the World''s Arcana. To put it simply, World''s Arcana was a magic that specializes in seals and barriers. Like the World''s Library, extensions and upgrades could be added to the main source. Both Minerva and Yulia usually spent their free time developing and researching new possibilities to the main branch. The problemid within Yulia''s undeniable thirst for more knowledge and discoveries. Her temperament could drastically change depending on the findings, and Minerva would be dragged into the experiment in one way or another. If Minerva did not even rest before showing up to them, it would create the possibility of her escaping the research process instead of finishing it. The evil lord Yulia was someone that would not let her colleague go no matter what if the research was not finished. Heine gulped when he thought of the elder witch''s rampage mode. Chapter 12: The Constellation (3) Chapter 12: The Constetion (3) "First of all, let''s heal her. If she was really on the run, getting involved with her older sister is going to be.. bad. Like, literally a disaster," Heine said. Minerva could only perform basic levels of healing magic, so it made sense that she could not fully recover. Compared to her, Heine and Estelle had a much higher understanding on the magic and could revitalize her easily. Estelle was still confused, but she cooperated with Heine and healed Minerva. It was not just her physical state that got affected, her mental state was also on the brink of copse. Even though they had healed her to a perfectly healthy state, she still refused to wake up. "Err, this should be because she didn''t sleep for.. probably days," Heine scratched the back of his head. Worse off, Yulia was a drunkard. She was someone who enjoyed drinking for an energy boost. The amount of scattered wine bottles on the floor after she came out of a secluded research would be equivalent to how much alcohol the merriest pub in the town served for a week. She only liked to drink a special brew from the Elven Kingdoms. It was named the Moonlight Wine. It is said that the Elvennds contained particles of the Moon Goddess'' divine powers, and most of it was concentrated in the royal pce. The Moonlight Wine brew was not something anyone could just easily get a hold of. It required the wine to beposed of a specific species of mutated grapes that only grew inside the Royal Pce''s gardens, where it was directly exposed to the divine particles. The country''s best winemakers would then be brought to the pce, where they had to meticulously take care of the grapes and ferment in under special conditions. The wine could not be separated from the source of divine power, so the entire process had to be done inside the pce. Storing was another problem. All and all, it was a very troublesome thing to get your hands on. Now, the only reason a human like Yulia Eire could get an abundant supply of such rare wine was simply because, she yed a major part in the Elven Kingdom''s safety. Just like how Minerva could forcefully awaken someone''s power and elevate their potential, Yulia Eire was absurdly adept in the arts of seals and barriers. Thus, an exchange was made. The Elven Kingdom would provide her with the wine, and Yulia would create a barrier that would protect the Elven Forest in its entirety. And how was that same Yulia Eire dangerous, you say? Because the wine was a deadly weapon when it crossed her research. The wine would basically provide her with thest energy spurt at the culminating stage of the entire process. What made the Moonlight Wine so different with the other wines? The high level of intoxication. "MINERVA, WHERE THE F*CK ARE YOU?!" A loud scream that seemed to hold enough power to shake the earth itself was slowly getting closer to where they were standing. "As I thought... Do I really have to deal with this sh*t again..?" Heine''s face was drained from energy as hemented. "How far could she go?" Estelle knew the gist of things just by Heine''s former reactions and the iing scream. "At her worst... maybe burn down a couple of houses?" "...As much as I''d like to ignore it, we''re in my house. Hell no, we are getting out of here!" Estelle cast enhancement magic on herself and princess carried the knocked out Minerva as she leapt high enough to step on the roofs. "You''re running away... Good, good! We were about to finish that sh*t, you ran away at such a crucial time! Let me catch you, you little punk!" Yulia let out maniacal screams as she followed suit. The crimson locks of her sister was akin to the red cloth used to instigate bulls in bullfights. Only, Estelle the Matador was not on the attacking side, but rather the defensive side. Estelle quickly contacted Heine using a mind connection. [I don''t even know what she looks like! I can''t look back, I''m damn scared!] Estelle felt chills running up her spine. Even though she had not even made a single eye contact with her mentor''s sister, her piercing stare directed at her back was enough to deter her from ever making that decision. Heine had hidden himself seconds before Estelle ran up to the roofs. Receiving Estelle''s message, he chuckled in delight. One''s misery was another''s happiness. [Don''t worry, just y cat and mouse for a few hours and Yulia should be down. If you''re lucky, maybe you can stop her..? I''d advise you not to, though. She''ll go full offense once you attack her.] [You damned- YOU BETRAYED ME TWICE! SEE HOW I''LL DEAL WITH YOUR DISLOYAL ATTITUDE LATER ON!] True to Heine''s words, Yulia would only chase her, but never attacked her with magic. Estelle could not risk the chance of being caught off guard by Yulia''s foreign magic, as she had never experienced it. She followed Heine''s advice and yed what seemed to be a never-ending game of tag. Fortunately, Yulia ended up copsing after about a little over two hours. Sensing the opponent''s pause in movements, Estelle halted. Letting out a sigh in relief after confirming that the other party was unable to continue the pointless chase, Estelle was finally able to take a good look at her mad chaser. Yulia Eire had straight white blonde locks and was d in simple ck robes and a dress underneath. She was not even wearing shoes. Her adrenaline proved its worth as her feet was visibly bloody, and yet she showed no signs of stopping moments before she copsed. [She looks like-> "She looks like an elf? That''s because she is one," Heine''s voice came from behind. As a reflex, Estelle created an energy ball in her palm andunched it against the entity behind her. "Calm down there," Heine formed a barrier as a protective measure and diffused the energy ball in great haste. "...You f*cking bastard. Once everything''s finished, you think you can just act like nothing happened and walk here calmly? Have some shame, you piece of sh*t," Estelle scowled. "I''d like to be called an opportunist instead. I pride myself in making profitable choices at all time," Heine smiled, unbothered at her words. "Nevermind that, what do you mean she''s an elf? Isn''t she Minerva''s sister?" "... The reason is probably not very appealing to hear," Heine''s gaze grew clouded. "Truth doesn''t need to be appealing," "Guess so," Heine gazed at the two copsed beauties in pity. "To put it simply, one of the reasons why Witches are despised is because of their special genes," Heine sucked in a deep breath. "After delivering a baby that has a Witch''s bloodline, the mother has a very high chance of dying. The baby will unconsciously start sucking the nearest cold energy, which conveniently happens to spike in a pregnant woman''s body," "You''re saying that Yulia''s mother didn''t survive," "Of course. But I doubt that anybody would want her to continue living," Heine clenched his fist. "Both Yulia and Minerva''s mothers were forcefully assaulted by their abomination of a father," "..What about the father? How''s he doing right now? More importantly, why have you never told me this?" Estelle was confused as to what she was supposed to feel. Anger? She had never met the father. To say that it was anger would be too far of a stretch. She disliked the man just from the stories, but that was it. Pity? Even if the situation was one that would elicit pity, she doubted that Minerva would like to be pitied for something she was not directly involved in. "Minerva killed him," Heine was a living eyewitness of the incident. "Oh," Strangely, Estelle felt d. "And I personally don''t believe that one''s past should get in the future''s way, so I deemed it unnecessary to tell you. Minerva is still Minerva," Heine rified. "Yeah. Fair enough," "Estelle..? Happy birthday... I made it to the party, right?? Be careful, I think my sister.." Minerva fluttered her eyelids, struggling to open her eyes fully but failed repeatedly. The two hours long sleep proved to be not enough to make up for the mental stress she was under during the secluded research. "Just sleep. You''re tired. I''ll carry you to our home," Estelle squatted and covered Minerva''s eyes. Minerva gave up to the promise of great slumber once again as she closed her eyes, her breathing bing steadier every passing second. Yeah, she was d. "Thank you, Minerva," Estelle said as a reply to the crimson-haireddy''s well wishes. "It''s past midnight. It''s not your birthday anymore," Heine chided. "Some words are not meant to be spoken out loud. Maybe you should study that line," Estelle jabbed the King with shallow strength, clearly joking around. Chapter 13: The Constellation (4) Chapter 13: The Constetion (4) "Are you two sober now?" Estelle questioned, sipping her cup of fragrant chamomile tea. She deserved it, especially after she single-handedly prevented the destruction of her home. Single-handedly. Heine didn''t do jack shit, he just stood there and watched. "...Yes," Minerva replied. "Minerva, I appreciate you trying your hardest toe to my birthday, but I didn''t ask for you to bring a... maniac with you," "Maybe that''s her birthday present for you," Heine said in a snarky tone. Estelle sent him a displeased re. Sighing, her line of sight turned to the half-elf Yulia Eire. Yulia was staring at Estelle with all her might. It was as if she treated Estelle as an object of observation. "...Hey, would you mind stopping? I don''t have a good impression on you, especially after how our first meeting... turned. Your stare is not making it better," Estelle protested. She had long epted that her acquaintances consisted of abnormal people with nomon sense, but even so, Yulia''s personality might be too much for Estelle to take in. "My apologies. I shall introduce myself properly. My name is Yulia Eire, a Witch and also Minerva''s older sister. I have heard about you, Estelle," Yulia was a pretty calm woman when she was not engrossed in research or in a state of drunkenness. "Estelle reste, soon to be your sister''s official disciple. I can''t say I''m pleased to meet you, but I hope my perception can change in the future," Estelle was blunt with her words, like she always was. "I will try my best, so could you let me see you use magic? Oh, and if possible, please let me see your status," Yulia said, making the other three visibly shocked and confused. Estelle had long learned from the others that statuses were actually meant to be kept to themselves except when you had to go through legal purposes. Statuses would reveal the numbers that define your pure strength, which can be used as a gauge on whether there is a chance to beat you. Asking for statuses was usually done by arrogant challengers who only dared to walk up to whoever they saw as a potential weakling. Even though the person might not mean that, it was still considered immoral for someone you weren''t close with to suddenly ask for your status. All in all, it was a rude gesture. People preferred to attain skills like Heine [Mind''s Eye] to secretly take a look at others'' status. [Mind''s Eye] was rare, so there was another skill known as [Seeker''s Eye] that was basically a degraded version of the former, but it had many restrictions. "..You said you''ll try to improve my perception, but the first thing you say is this?" Estelle frowned. "I thought that peeking would be rude, so I asked. Also, your magic is interesting, to say the least," To Yulia, her words was polite and would even trante to a praise. Correction. Yulia Eire was not calm. She was just someone whocked inmon sense, and one who did not know how to act ording to the proprieties. "A ve to knowledge and nothing else, that''s what she is," Heine chided. "Didn''t think it was this bad," Estelle scratched her head. Minerva trusted her sister, and often went to help her, so Estelle''s problem did noty in trust. Minerva herself was quite the uptight person when she dealt with outsiders, but she would be very different with the people she trusted and their acquaintances. For that kind of Minerva to act like a saint and help her sister meant that Yulia was not necessarily a bad person. "I could do that, but would you tell me the reason?" "It''s interesting. Although it is something I''ve seen before, you are way different. I seriously want to do lots and lots of experiments with you," Yulia said, devoid of any guilt. She bore a resemnce to that of an innocent child, but the reality did not conform to the description. "Again, that''s just how she is. Forgive her," Minerva said. "You guys are already immune to this. I will probably get there someday...?" "Years. It will take years," Heine''s gaze turned mncholic, sad air enveloping his whole being as he wiped his non-existent tears with a gentle smile. "Heine, take your medicine," Estelle snapped her fingers and sent a fireball over to Heine''s face. Obviously, it was diffused before it could harm him. "I''m healthy, thank you for worrying," Heine''s smile was sickly sweet, inciting Estelle to punch his refined features in a fit of anger. "Anyways, I could show you... I guess," Estelle''s attention turned back to Yulia. Estelle made her status visible to Yulia. Yulia, who now had this piece of information in front of her, was excited beyond the point of normalcy. To a devoted researcher of the unknown like her, Estelle''s status was akin to being gifted 20 servings worth of A5 Wagyu beef out of nowhere. "As I expected, you really are one of the Constetions!" Yulia eximed. "Constetions?" "You also have a seal attached to your status... In total, there should be three seals? Two are ced on your titles and one on your race. Are you aware?" Not heeding Estelle''s question, Yulia continued asking. Two for the titles and one for the race. One of the titles should [Reincarnated One]. "..No," "I really want to unseal it... Would you let me have a try?" Yulia grasped Estelle''s small hands and looked at her with shining eyes. "First of all, could you exin what the Constetion means?" "An Elven... No, the Spirits should be aware of this as well. Some of the oldest Dragonkin, too. When the legendary Sage made wonders all around the world, he was always with these Constetions," "The Constetions are made up of twelve people that were directly chosen by the Sage to be on his side. They were basically the world''s bnce protectors. Because all of the races did not want to unite, the Constetions were assigned to keep everything in check and eliminate any threat," "How would you know that I''m one of them?" Estelle could not find a connection between her and the so called Constetions. "All of the Constetions held strange powers.. And with the recent breakthrough in my research, there is a possibility that the powers in question include Creation and its pr opposite, Destruction," Yulia exined thoroughly. "Are you able to break my status'' seals?" "Depends. Before I make a statement, could you let me check the case''s severity? I''ll just... do a little poke around," Yulia stretched out her hands, like a tigress waiting for the right chance to pounce on her prey," "Unfortunately, I am notfortable with you peeking in directly. Could you teach me the Arcana Magic instead?" Estelle blocked her wishes. It was not that she was unwilling, it was just that she wanted to avoid revealing her status as a reincarnated one. Disheartened, Yulia protested. "Do you really believe that you can learn it from scratch? I heard that you weren''t even able to learn Minerva''s [World''s Library] skill. How could you learn mine?" Indeed, Estelle had once tried to create a magic simr to what Minerva''s [World''s Library] does. Not once did she seed, but that didn''t mean that the failure would deter her from ever trying to do something unreasonably hard. "We won''t know until we try. Maybe I''ll seed?" Estelle grinned. "Foolish. I could potentially allow you to unlock a new power free of charge, but you choose to go the hard way," Yulia scolded. "My preference," Estelle reminded. "I could.. force my way in, but would that be too discourteous?" "Stop it," Estelle red, her face turning unsightly at the thought of Yulia acting her words out. "...Yes, yes," Yulia backed away. "I have something to do, I will go first," Excusing herself, she left the vicinity in a hurry. No one said a word after her departure, but the other two knew that Estelle had already regarded Yulia as an unpleasant person. After escaping, Yulia stopped by a nearby tree and leaned her body towards it. She was visibly trembling, her face drained of blood. Her body dropped down and the tremors further increased. Looking at her hand, she bit her lips until blood came out in order to ease the pain sprouting inside her. Her entire body felt like there were thousands of poisonous insects crawling inside, each and every one of them taking turns to bite her innards. Lying on the patch of grass, Yulia clutched her stomach. Her nails were digging into her skin, but she couldn''t feel any pain. The unknown pain that attacked her was way too great for her to notice blooding out of the skin she pierced through with her nails. "Est-elle..." Yulia spat out, suffering through the pain. She was on the brink of losing consciousness from just pure pain. One could only imagine how it felt to be her. It was only after more than ten minutes did the pain fly away, leaving the exhausted Yulia drenched in sweat and tears. "What the hell..." Yulia looked up to the blue sky and healed her physical injuries. She was able to gather enough strength to get up, but her mind was already deeply affected by the excruciating pain. Chapter 14: Arcana Magic Chapter 14: Arcana Magic "Forgive her. She never learns," Minerva frowned in distaste. Estelle was someone she had known ever since the former was born. Even though it was only five years out of the indefinite amount of years she had lived through, she had already considered Estelle as a close kin. "No, I can''t say that I don''t understand her. It''s just that the way she presents herself is a bit too much," Estelle shook Minerva off. The feeling of her close ones apologizing for something out of their control, especially when the one receiving the apology was herself bothered her. "...I also have something to do," Heine interjected, his face crumpling up for unknown reasons. "Is that so? Then, what about Minerva?" Estelle inquired. "Ao! I''m already free from my sister''s clutches, aren''t you going to bring me with you?" "I... have to endure harsh tribtions under the pretense of a ''punishment''... Minerva, I don''t want to get you involved," "Huuh? What''s this about?!" "I''ll graciously trante it for you. Estelle pushed me into the pond yesterday, so n punished her with seven days worth of noble education," "Ahh. T-then, I also have something to do," Minerva started to walk away, creating a space rift connected to an unknown destination. Snap! The sound of Estelle''s finger snap made Minerva jolt in her ce. The space rift in front of her coincidentally perished without a trace. "I-I''m really grateful that you are willing to suffer with me, but is it really fine?" Estelle''s babydoll eyes welled up with tears. "...I''ve made my decision. If you are insisting this hard, then we shall face this tribtion together! Thank you, Minerva, for staying with me," Estelle valiantly wiped her tears off. "I, I, I.... Heine, wait a second, you motherf-" Blink! Heine''s reaction speed was enough to barely make an escape from the young miss'' cursed acting. His escaping methods were developed through real experience, it was very time-efficient and cleanly executed. However, Minerva did not have time to praise the King''s fast reactions as she was pulled by the hand, Estelle happily dragging the adult with her. Punishments, oh punishments. If you don''t drag someone along with you to face it, how would you fare? From history, economics, magic theory, embroidery, dance, tomon courtesy, Estelle had to spend half a day either sitting down and listening to the tutor or repeating the same gestures for minutes without a break. In Estelle''s mind, it was already an established fact that the higher-ups knew nothing about child rights and the mental stress their nobility sses would cause. s, she was lucky to have n and She as her parent. Although it was a truth that Estelle was way ahead of the curriculum, she was thankful that her parents did not take advantage of that fact and push her even harder. If that was the oue, she would have been long gone from the Dukedom. "Minervaaa, how could my father be so heartless? I have to endure six more days of this nonsensical torture... When will they understand that a child isn''t supposed to bear this much work?" Estelleined, sighing a deep breath as she tousled her silver locks against the sofa sheid down on. Her eyes were lifeless as she repeated the word ''heartless'' while staring at the nk wall multiple times. "Not going to console you. You dragged me with you, made me your stupid dancing partner, stepped on my foot purposely-" Minerva''s words were cut off as the sound of the door opening interrupted her rant. ck! "Lady Estelle, I heard that-" It was Derrick, Estelle''s private knight and escort. The one who liked to mock Estelle for being short, even though it was obvious that she was only five. Comparing his height to hers was stupid. "Ah, Derrick, you''re back," Estelle''s eyes lit up. She waved at the knight, who was now advancing into the room. "You damned Witch, who are you to approach mydy like that?! What''s your purpose?!" Derrick was aggravated. Minerva''s eyes shrunk, her gaze sharpened as she stood up to face the knight who now had his hand ced over his sword''s handle. The silver de pointed against Minerva, making her bite her lips and approach the man with anger. The Knight Derrick was not someone unfamiliar to her. "Even if I''m a Witch, what can you do? What have I done wrong? You humans are the only ones to openly despise our kin, but you chase after us when you need our power. Quit your bullshit, whoever Estelle mingles with is out of your business. Just do your job, little knight," Minerva bound Derrick''s movements with her magic, disabling his ability to attack. His sword fell down, creating a huge sound as it bounced off the floor. "This.. Minerva, Derrick is-" "I know. I know what he has gone through, but what he did is still not right. If I have to bear the sins of every single one of my kin, shouldn''t you face retributions for ughtering my kin a while ago? You prey on the weak and powerless witches, shun the strong, bute crawling when you need us. Say, since we are so evil, what prohibits me from killing you? Your life is clearly so easy to take, why would I need to take in your insults and let it go like nothing happened?" Minerva''s crimson hair seemed to light up on fire as her anger channeled through. Derrick''s mother was someone who got assaulted by a travelling Witch. As a seventeen year old teen, he was already fully aware of what a Witch''s sudden visit entailed, and the screams of his mother did not better the experience. His mother survived, only to be taken away once she gave birth to another Witch. To Derrick, Witches were despicable beings. "You- all are.. just the same!" Derrick spat out poisonously. "Oh? Then, are you able to say the same thing about Sierra?" Sierra was Derrick''s little sister, the product of that day''s assault. Derrick''s eyes widened as he struggled to break free from Minerva''s binds. Unfortunately, Minerva''s high magic power overpowered the young knight with ease. "You dare..!" Derrick must have cursed Minerva a thousand times in his heart. His expression was unsightly, and the blood veins sticking out of his neck and face with prominence did not help. "What my father did was out of my reach. My mother was also taken away by him, I never even got to talk to her. Not even once. You know Sierra''s the same. You know it. You just don''t know where to put your grudge on, so you choose to me me for it. Unbelievable," Minerva released her clutches. The saying ''A child should pay for their parents'' mistake'' was nothing but a joke in Minerva''s eyes. She also wanted to kill that bastard of a man! It was only after she gained enough power that she executed the deed, but not once did she feel any sort of affection towards that man! Derrick dropped down to the ground, his eyes still burning with unrelenting hatred. Minerva''s words seemed to have reached his ears, but did not lessen his loathing. In fact, it might have infuriated him even more. "Maybe.. maybe if you killed him fast enough, if you hunted him earlier, he wouldn''t have lived to attack my mother," Derrick saw Minerva as one of the people responsible for his mother''s tragic death. Nonsensical as it is, Derrick''s actions resulted from theck of revenge targets he could have. His mother was gone, his father was gone, and Sierra''s father- the witch had been eradicated. The culmination of Derrick''s prejudice against Minerva could be said to have been born from the fact that his mother was attacked one night before Minerva sessfully killed him. The assault caused Minerva to receive sufficient information that exposed his whereabouts. It proved that he was still near, as impregnating another would cause his powers to deplete for a short while. The day the incident happened, Minerva visited Derrick''s home to look for usible clues. In her mind, nothing was more important than catching the bastard that terrorized so many people. Minerva scoured through his tiny home, and sometimes even getting closer to his mother and examining her like an object. This memory was firmly imprinted inside his mind. The calm Minerva who treads on her mission without a hitch, not minding Derrick''s extra present. Of course, Minerva did leave some gifts before she left. A crate full of precious medicine and rejuvenating products. Money was also slipped in a pouch full of gold coins. The ingredients helped the pair of mother and son heavily. The son, who had to live off people''s pity also had to bear the condemnation of those who viewed them as filthy and shameless. Thus, his earnings wasn''t a lot. Minerva''s gift made him able to nurse his mother back to health just in time for her to be able to reim their bnce. The Sullivan family continued on, with the single mother painstakingly scouring through jobs to earn money. Perhaps, Mother Sullivan knew that she wouldn''t be able to live on. She told Derrick to save the funds for after she left. Derrick, who hated how pessimistic Mother Sullivan was being watched as she grew weaker. The lively woman was nowhere to be seen, only someone who looked like time was chasing them to their demise. Derrick knew how precious Minerva''s medicine was. Even that couldn''t save his mother. What else could be done? s, despite all of Derrick''s frustration, she still passed away after Sierra''s birth. A human body wasn''t powerful enough to bear the weight of a Witch''s magical energy. It could be said that they only lived on thanks to Minerva''s assistance. As if she calcted it from the very start, she gave him enough resources to nurse his mother- only enough tost nine months. Because she knew that his mother wouldn''t be able to live on. However, to the younger Derrick of that time, her actions were seen as inconsiderate and insensitive. Although he knew that what she did was for the best- as just one hour of dy would cause the culprit of all this to disappear into the shadows and possiblymit another crime, Derrick couldn''t ept it that easily. "Stop it, you fool. Control your emotions," With Estelle''s body in front of him, Derrick immediately dropped his sword, creating a vibrant sound along with it. Estelle knew the underlying story. She couldn''t say either side was right or wrong. Ultimately, the culprit was now dead. Minerva who didn''t want to risk his resurrection cleaned him up like a madman, repeatedly torturing him and watching every single second of his agony pass. Only after she confirmed that his soul was no more, that he wouldn''t enter the cycle of reincarnation did she rx and tried to forget about the matter. "Ldy, I.." Derrick couldn''t disobey his young miss, for she was precious to him as his master. However, he couldn''t forgo his hatred for the Witches. "This is not your first time seeing Minerva with me. As an escort guard, you can''t distance yourself too much from your master. You must have seen how Sierra acts around Minerva. I''m not asking you to ept her, I just want you to not be hostile every single time you see her. We have an amiable rtionship, it''ll trouble me if you keep doing this," Estelle reprimanded. "That.." Derrick lowered his head. He knew. He had always stayed within close proximity with Estelle, so there was no way the two could hide from him every single time. He had seen her multiple times, and in every single meeting, he evaded her to do another task. Now came Sierra''s identity. Sierra was in a way, Minerva''s half-sister. Like Yulia, the three of them shared the same father. Minerva was not even sure how many more siblings she has around the world. That father of hers was just too sickening with his acts. If Sierra wasn''t employed by the Dukedom, Minerva would probably not have cared to know about her. The only sister she kept close was Yulia. Albeit a crazed woman at times, Yulia had herpassionate parts. Not only sympathy, Yulia saw how talented Minerva was. Thus, she helped her out. This couldn''t be said for Sierra, who mostly had more human capabilities than a Witch would. Yes, she did have magical qualities, but it wascklusterpared to the other two sisters. Minerva and Estelle dide and see Sierra from time to time. Sierra worked as a helper in the Dukedom, so it was easy to spot such a young child that stood out from the other peers. The Duke had employed Sierra in order to protect her safety while Derrick was working, but little did she know that herdy would be acquainted with her half-sister, whose existence she never knew. "Derrick, do you hate Sierra?" "No! Sierra is an angel, there is no way I would hate her!" Derrick could be ssified as a sis con, albeit his indifference that he used as a mask. "Brother... You are causing problems for Sis Minerva and Estelle again!" A soft voice entered the room. Chapter 15: Arcana Magic (2) Chapter 15: Arcana Magic (2) "Brother, you are causing trouble again!" The girl who spoke was called Sierra. The tiny, feeble little girl was Derrick''s half-sister, who shared the same father as Minerva. Sierra Sullivan. She also had crimson locks, although the color was not as fiery and vibrant as the elder. The repulsive father had zing crimson hair, which was inherited by the two but not by Yulia. Her hair was only around her neck''s length, but her bangs were long enough to create a side ponytail. The cute hairstyle created a fresh image for the young one. "Sierra,e here," Estelle gestured with her hand. "Sis- I mean, Lady Estelle!" "It''s only Derrick, why would you feel the need to call medy?" Estelle chuckled at the girl''s antics. "Now, close the door, won''t you?" Consoling the toddler''s now erratic emotions, Estelle patted her hair and sent her off to lock the door to prevent any further interruptions. To Sierra, Estelle was both herdy and role model. Although she was only a year short from the silver-haired child, Estelle had already mastered the arts of deceiving people to the utmost degree. The child was pacified by her and obeyed themand. She had seen Estelle obtain tens or even hundreds of sweets with ease just by attracting pity from the maids and knights. However, after no one was around, her expression immediately changed into that of a nk one! Un, definitely very formidable! This method of obtaining sweets without any hardships, Sierra also wanted to try! Unbeknownst to Estelle, the little girl had already admired her for the wrong reasons. "Brother, how could you cause trouble for Sis Estelle and Sis Minerva?!" After locking the door, she rushed over to Derrick with both arms situated on her hips, puffing her cheeks and hurling out the question. "Brother, you are so useless!" "Brother, don''t even think ofing home tonight!" "Brother, your mouth is so dirty, but at least it could be used for giving a heartfelt apology to Sis Minerva! Fast, spit it out!" Sierra''s words were stabbing Derrick, who was already copsed on the ground and powerless all over. "S-Sierra..." Feeling sad after his sister didn''t take his side, he stretched his arms to touch her, but Minerva''s restrictions prevented him from doing so. He fell down pathetically and groaned in pain. "Hmm? What was that? Why do I hear rotten sounds from somewhere...?" "Sierra, how could you!" Derrick''s tone screamed betrayal and grief. "Not speaking to rotten sounds. Rotten sounds must be cleansed by apologizing," Sierra did not spare her brother a single nce as she ran up to Minerva and hugged her slender legs. Receiving a head pat from the taller, her face immediately bloomed into a wide smile. Derrick widened his eyes. He was reluctant. Reluctant to believe that his little sister would be on such friendly terms with another offspring of that shitty bastard! Even though Sierra was also someone who contained the blood of the Witches, Sierra was thoroughly innocent! However, this other Witch whose age was unknown, who knows the amount of people she had killed? She even tortured her father for years before letting that measly life fade away! He also wanted to take revenge, but once he got stronger, he found out that the perpetrator had been killed! Who was he supposed to enact revenge on? "Derrick, stop thinking about pointless things. Your mother has passed away, your father''s whereabouts are unknown. Sierra''s father is dead. If you continued to brood on the past, who would take care of Sierra? Even though Minerva can sometimes be.. morally disabled, Sierra still considers her as a close rtive, maybe even a mother figure," Estelle approached the knight who still had not gained enough strength to get up yet. "If you try to distance Minerva from Sierra, you will only be taking away another source of happiness for her. You hate yourself so much for letting Sierra be wronged, why can''t you understand that Minerva is doing nothing but making Sierra happier? Does it matter that she is a Witch? All that matters is Sierra''s happiness!" Estelle sighed. She was only five years old, but why was she always surrounded by childish adults who would stoop that low to the point of receiving a lecture from a kid! "Ugh, that-" Derrick gritted his teeth. He knew that Estelle''s words held nothing but the truth in it. "...I''m sorry," he muttered under his breath. "For what?" "For.. for ming you. I know that not every Witch is bad, Sierra is the living proof. But... I can''t-" "Forget it. I won''t bully someone weaker than me. Just don''t repeat it again," Minerva healed Derrick''s fatigue. Although her healing capabilities were not as adept as Estelle or Heine, it was still enough to cover Derrick''s condition. Derrick wordlessly got up and carried Sierra with him to the exit. Sierra struggled a bit, but the elder''s strength was not something she could ovee. She could only let herself be obediently carried off while waving goodbye to her two acquaintances. Click! The door shut tight. "Don''t let him get to you. He is a good guy, but he just can''t separate himself from the past," "Yeah, I know. I''ve been through a lot more, what effects are mere words going to cause?" Minerva scrunched up her nose. It was not something to be proud of, but Minerva stated it like it was obvious. Witches were despised by most humans indiscriminately, but Minerva knew better. As someone who had lived for several humans'' total lifespan, she would not only meet and experience the bad side of humans, but rather the good side as well. Her human friends were few, but she treasured every single one of them like they were her family. Even those who had already passed away from aging. To Minerva, Derrick would only be someone foolish, someone with little knowledge of how the world worked. Minerva was not crazy. If her now dead opponents were not the one who attacked her first, she would not have to protect herself and end up killing the opposer as a result. Did he seriously believe that Minerva would just kill someone for fun? "But, Lady Estelle is really impressive, yeah? To be able to lecture someone nearly twenty years older than her..." Sierra muttered. "Shut it," Estelle coughed, making Minerva break intoughter. The situation was diffused, there was no longer any need to be stern. Outside the reste Dukedom, Heine''s voice rang. "Yulia, the cause of all this, was it Estelle or another person?" Heine looked at the still tired Yulia Eire in dismay. "Both sounds like a usible answer. Either way, it''s definitely connected to that little disciple of yours. How frightening," Yulia grinned, her eyes burning with interest despite her words. "Cease the act. A second time would not be enjoyable, right?" Heine reminded. He sought to follow after her departure, because he knew that something was wrong with her condition. His eyes were sharp. "...Of course," Yulia nodded, showing her agreement. "Be careful next time. We are either being watched by the one who favors Estelle, or that there is a System that automatically generates punishment for you. Either way, don''t offend her. She''s not someone unreasonable, you could befriend her like how Minerva and I did," Heine stretched out his arm to help pull her up. Her strength had all flown out the window after going through the severe pain. "Yeah," Yulia struggled to get up. Moaning in pain, she bore the ufortable feeling and made a space rift. Her figure was soon nowhere to be seen as soon as she entered the gate and left nothing back. "The Watchers..." After Yulia''s disappearance, Heine''s mind zoned before he safely came back to the reality. "..." Heine hesitated. He then also made a space rift to connect to his destination. On the other side of the world, Yulia smiled as she prepared the final stages of her research, excited in the thoughts of making a breakthrough. The reason she suffered such a huge drawback was not simply because she opposed the little girl, it was because she did something else under the bus. While arguing, her power masked itself, stretching its sneaky presence to ponder upon the mystery that is Estelle''s seals. Contrary to her righteous words as to howplex and hard it would be to open Estelle''s seal, the first seal was unlocked speedily- done in less than five minutes from the moment her eyes fell upon the little girl. The content that unfurled beyond her eyes was something unexpected. After she got the results, she started to receive the pain. However, instead of being discouraged, she tried further. Prodding on the second and third seal. It was to no avail, as her magic was blocked off. The pain was already starting to get to her too, so she retreated. But her blood boiled even further when she thought about the rest of the seals she failed to crack. Chapter 16: Special - Wandering Thoughts and Sleepless Nights Chapter 16: Special - Wandering Thoughts and Sleepless Nights Reincarnation. What did it mean to be reincarnated? To someone like Estelle, who possessed knowledge of the parallel worlds'' theory, reincarnation was a little bit easier to ept. If there were an unlimited amount of worlds, being reincarnated into one of them after death was not something too far fetched of an idea. But what if the body you reincarnated in was supposed to hold another soul? For Estelle, who was favored by the Gods and given the golden finger of reincarnating with her memories, she would not know how it feels. A lone soul, possessing little to no knowledge, lost and fluttering about. With no chances to reincarnate other than waiting in line for their turn, what did taking over a body mean? Where would the original soul go? Estelle woke up in the middle of the night, her entire body drenched in sweat and her lips bloodied. She had unconsciously bitten her own soft lips to the point of injury. The murky taste of blood invaded her taste buds. Nearby was arge window disying the enchanting night sky scattered with stars so small that it looked like a cluster of dusts. Getting down from the bed, she slipped into her custom made bunny slippers and slowly walked towards the window. Carefully opening thetches, she was able to fully open the venttion system, letting the cold night breeze brush against her body. The lc curtains flied about, just like her silver locks that was still drenched in the salty liquid. Deciding that it would be bad to let the expose the child physique to the cold air, she cast a fire spell to keep her warmth stable. The revtion of life and the reincarnation circle made her ponder upon herself. What was she? Did she take another soul''s ce? The ''her'' that she talked to in her dream years ago, the tearful sight she saw, was it the original soul''s wallows? Her mind was kept awake. She did not know whether it was because of the fact that she had already slept for four hours prior to waking up, but her mind was leaning more towards supporting the busy thoughts theory. Reincarnation. Was she lucky because she received such a chance? Was the rejected soul, if it even existed, automatically unlucky because the vassal got possessed by Estelle, no- Reina? Time did not cater to everyone''s wishes, it only catered to itself. Even as she repeatedly went back and forth from lying back down on the soft bed, to getting up and staring into the unknown, time unconditionally passed. The wind was also getting colder, so Estelle frustration level naturally rose with it. Sighing deeply, she got off the bed once again. This time, she did not walk towards therge windows, but rather to the doors. "Hot chocte,dy?" Lylia''s voice crept up from behind, making Estelle jolt from the shock. "...Lylia," Estelle heaved a sigh of relief. "Sleepless nights are annoying, right? My mother used to make a cup of hot chocte whenever I had trouble sleeping," Lylia walked towards the nearest cab and retrieved a porcin mug and a jar of milk powder. "...Ifdy feelsfortable with sharing your stories, this one will undoubtedly lend her ears," "I didn''t say I had stories," Estelle yawned as she made small steps to a wooden stool. Just a while ago, when she tried to sleep, she was wide awake. But now, she was yawning. What was this dumb sorcery? "Well, this one did not say that the offer is restricted to a single use. Feel free toe anytime," Lylia stirred the powdered milk submerged in hot water as she slowly added bits of cocoa powder inside. "Enjoy it, perhaps it would calm down your mind," Lylia passed over the mug. Taking a small sip, Estelle felt like her mind was refreshed. "Thank you, Lylia," "It''s my pleasure," Chapter 17: Invasion Chapter 17: Invasion "Derrick is not stupid. Just wait it out, he will definitely.. realize his mistakes in the future," Estelle consoled Minerva. Even though the elder had lived for an astounding amount of years, hurtful words were still hurtful. In face of a society that condemned you constantly for being alive, what could you do? "Hope so! It would not be in my favor if he continues doing that forever. I''ve grown attached to Sierra, you see~" Minerva looked unaffected by everything. "Indeed," Engaging in small talks, they were soon interrupted by a knock on the door. "Enter," Estelle responded. "Youngdy, the lord wishes to see you," Lylia slowly closed the door upon entering and reported the news. "Father? Now?" "Yes. The lord had informed that the matter was urgent," Lylia curtly said. "...Alright, tell him I will be there in a moment. You can go back now," "Understood, youngdy," Lylia withdrew herself from the room, leaving the two. Estelle nced at Minerva, who casually waved her hand about. Estelle took that as a signal for her to acquiesce to her father''s demands and nodded. Estelle got off the sofa and left the room with a dejected face. She mentally prepared herself to be scolded. The contents of the talk would probably not be that far from how it was improper of her to drag Minerva around with her during tutoring. Not long after, Estelle sessfully arrived in front of n''s study. Giving therge doors a gentle knock, she only entered after receiving an "Enter"mand. Inside, n was sitting on the reclining office chair. He eyed his daughter with a stern look before letting out a sigh. It was unknown as to what the sigh meant, but Estelle''s guesses were all for the negative reasons. "Estelle, I had wanted to inquire about-" n''s words were cut off by a loud, eardrum - shattering bang that invaded nearby. Instinctively shielding herself, she cast arge barrier, making sure the membrane included n in it. She knew that her reaction time was undoubtedly the faster one between the two of them. Perhaps enacting such a high - ranked barrier was too excessive, especially when her father, who had never seen or even known that she was capable of doing so was currently present in the scene. But then, what was she supposed to do? Her father would have been caught off guard. He did not specialize in offense, he was more well suited to literature and paperwork. Although whenpared to others, he had better means to protect himself from danger, the explosion was too close for their ownfort. Screwying low, if your own safety was at risk, why the hell would you stilly low? The greenish barrier protected the room with prominence as none of the explosion''s aftermath connected with n''s study room''s interior. Not giving her a chance to ck off, another explosion soon followed. The surroundings that weren''t covered inside Estelle''s barrier had long turned into rubble. Small rocks and dust were now intermingling in the air. [Earth affinity mage?] Estelle hadunched a scanning magic and detected an abnormal power source only a 100 meters apart from them. [Minerva, where are you?] Estelle contacted the crimson - haired Witch. ''It''s not a human. It''s a monster. Be careful. You are with n, right? Get She while you''re at it, I''ll take care of the ones downstairs.'' Minerva responded with calm. As if she was used to these kinds of scenarios, Estelle could hear her voice instructing the others downstairs. This made Estelle feel a sense of ease, even though this unprecedented event was happening right before her. The faint rumblinging from the first floor made her heart beat with anxiousness as she could feel the mansion she called home falling apart. [Monsters?] "ROARRRR!!!!" A deafening roar, followed by a series of grunts and growls reverberated against the walls and created echoes all over the ce. ''Remember the Intemerata? The ins? These guys belong to there. Some call them ''The Strays''. There are not many of them, so I don''t know why the hell they''re here, but we don''t have time to ponder upon that now. Take care of it, we''ll converseter. I''m almost done with evacuating, meet me downstairs when you''re done. Bring n and She with you.'' Minerva responded. The roar must have been a marching chant, because right after the echoes ended, the room was sted with another set of explosion. "Holy hell, take your chill pill and go to sleep," Estelle maintained the evesting barrier before a dangerous thought shed across her mind. Her mother! Estelle widened the coverage for her area scanning skill, extending her search to She''s rooms and further beyond. In her mind, she could feel a power source lighting up inside the room, but several abnormalities were starting to approach said room. Saving the matriarch was not the real problem, how she was going to do it in front of her father was the question. "Uhh... father, you are in a dream," Estelle smiled as she created a space rift and connected it with the space beside Minerva. She kicked n''s figure, who appeared to be in a trance, into the ring oval gate. [Sent him to you. Going to get mother now.] ''Wow, another dead weight! Well, actually, no but.. Tch, doesn''t matter.'' Minervained, butter on corrected herself. Estelle was already right beside her mother by this very second. How? Space rifts were godly as long as you have visited the destination previously. Screw running in a frantic state, you can just cheat the way and teleport! Near or far, it doesn''t matter. "Mother!" Estelle jumped out of the space rift and ran to her mother. "Estelle, you- ngh!" She grunted in pain. Only after redirecting her attention to her mother''s lower body parts was Estelle able to find the source of the pain. Her right ankle had a stone embedded in the vulnerable parts, which exined perfectly why She was down on the floor and could not move. Just by looking at the wound, Estelle grimaced. Having the tendency to imagine the wound inflicted on others be applicated to you as well was not easy. She hurriedly crouched down beside She, mobilizing her mana to remove the stone. She was not capable of using healing magic, so Estelle was sure she had to step in. She was able to detect bone fracture and excessive skin trauma. The blood flow had been clogged by the stone. When Estelle removed the object, blood immediately came spurting out of the wound. She, who cringed in pain, firmly gripped at Estelle''s forearms. Estelle knew that she had to work fast. Examining the wound onest time, she concocted her healing progress. "Mother, this is all a dream," Repeating the same phrase she said to her father prior to this, she ced the stone carefully on the floor and cast a high grade healing spell right after. The disfigured flesh quickly regenerated. To her favor, she had discovered the injury rather early, so She had not suffered too much. The stone''s cement also worked in her favor, as it didn''t let a lot of bloode seeping out. Even for healing magic, blood was not able to be recovered and could only be assisted using a body strengthening magic, which She wasn''t too adept in. The stone was probably the result of the barrage of debris that flew about thanks to the intruders. One of them might have hit She by chance, although it was rather unlucky that it injured the essential bodily part for movements. "Estelle..?" She was taken aback, but years of living as a Duchess had sharpened her perception and decision making skills. It did not take much for her to realize that this was a dire situation. Her daughter possessing powers of unknown origins should not be the primary question right now. After giving her ankles a few stretches and turns, she was all ready to escape the scene. "..!" She was once again shocked by the existence of a space rift. Not even high court magicians could perform this magic, let alone a five year old noble child! "A dream, a dream, I say! For now, let''s just rejoin with Minerva," Estelleforted She by gently running her small hand through the adult''s back and contacted Minerva once again. [Minerva, I''m heading to your location.] ''Okay. You revealed your power?'' Judging from how fast Estelle resolved the matters, Minerva concluded that she must''ve shown it to both of her parents. [Not all, but yeah. What could be more important than safety?] ''Sure enough.'' After appearing right in front of the crimson - haired beauty using a space rift, Estelle immediately joined the two parents together and sped her hands. The so - called monsters were still busy wreaking havoc to whatever object touched their eyes. "So, mind exining from the very start?" Estelle probed, ncing at the rampaging creatures in discontent. Minerva, who was nowpletely calmed down and on the upper side of the battle whistled as she shot down another monster with ease. Chapter 18: Invasion (2) Chapter 18: Invasion (2) "Mind exining?" Estelle tied her waist - length hair up in a high ponytail as she approached Minerva who still had a space rift opened right beside her. She had been sent to wherever Minerva set the space rift''s destination to. n had already been sent away, so there was only two individuals inside of the mansion as of now. Correction, two individuals faced with an unknown number of monsters. "An abnormal case. Monsters are few in numbers, they shouldn''t appear so casually... and in suchrge groups. Have you seen the creatures'' appearances yet?" "No, I used a space rift. I rushed to my mother''s side. If anything, they all have an absurd amount of power," Estelle replied, preparing herself to have a face-off with the monsters. Minerva fell into deep thought as she mumbled strange words. From Estelle''s perspective, it seemed like she had a clue about what was going on, albeit notpletely sure. Estelle raised a brow at Minerva''s sudden trance. "MINERVA!" Estelle shouted. Casting her chantless magic to surround the area, she was forced to lurch forward and drag Minerva away. The action was done in a split second. Not even a second after, another explosion was heard, along with the shattering sounds of Estelle''s green barrier. "Shattered?!" Minerva regained her focus and was shaken. "Punctured, to be precise. The monsters are smart. They managed tobine their magic tounch a potent shot. We''re taking this outside, the building is going to copse anytime soon," Estelle opened a space rift with the wide open training grounds as the destination. Holding Minerva''s hand in hers, she jumped into the space rift. They connected to the training grounds'' skies, Upon reaching the safe grounds, Estelle reopened her area scan magic to track the monsters'' movements. "...Minerva," "Yeah?!" "Did you close the space rift you made?" "...No," Minerva''s face morphed into terror. She guessed why Estelle asked her the question. "Four creatures disappeared from the total group," Estelle had kept track of the monsters'' numbers, so it was easy to detect the sudden subtraction, especially four of them at once. "Shiiiit..." Minerva winced. She pped her forehead, her stress increasing even more when she saw the rest of the monstersing out of the building to follow them into the training grounds. "You have to go and close that damn rift right now," Estelle sighed. Both situations were dire. Space rifts were essentially a disturbance in the spatial realms of the world. Once opened, it will never be able to close unless the opener closed it by themselves. Although Estelle wasn''t sure that she could take the entirety of the attackers by herself, the refugees'' lives couldn''t be forsaken. It was better for Minerva to chase after the opened space rift and close it down after exterminating the strayed monsters. "I-I''m sorry!" Minerva ran in great haste, anxious to get there as quick as possible. It wasn''t possible to create multiple space rifts to different locations, so she had to return by herself. "Now... what the hell are they using?" Estelle frowned. She hadn''t detected even a sliver of elemental magic in the explosions. That could only mean two things. One, they used pure strength to cause a quake. Two, their elemental affinity is somethingpletely unheard of. She wished that it was the first option. The rumbling soundsing from the shattered wall in front of her made her heartbeat''s frequency rise like never before. This would be Estelle''s first real fight. Up until now, she only spent her time learning both offensive and defensive magic in those short meetings she held with Minerva and Heine throughout her years, careful as to not reveal any connection to the outside world. Today, not only was she going to face an unprecedented enemy, her mentors were also not in her vicinity. Being left alone was one thing. She could tolerate it. But today''s incident... It was something she had never experienced. The faint tremors slightly shaking her foothold, the unknown creature''s steps getting nearer with every passing second. Her heartbeat sped up. She was clueless as to what she was supposed to do. Fight? The being close to her was not ssified into anything she had learned on previous asions. It defied her knowledge. Herbat ability was solely based on knowledge and potential, but not experience. It was only now that she was faced with such adversities did she freak out without stop. The importance of experience. If it was a couple years ago, when she still had faint influences of the mechanical mind, she would have performed ording to her logical decisions and would not falter at such a crucial moment. But s, her emotional side had sessfully integrated with ''Reina'' and became a unity. It was not up to her decision now whether she wanted to choose which mind to act on. She couldn''t help but feel restless at the sheer amount of opponents she faced. "Shield. Shield, shield, shield!" Defense. That was the only thought that came across Estelle''s mind. To protect herself from the iing harm. From there, she could analyze their habitual actions and concoct the best measure. The fouryers of defensive shields were formidable. However, the enemy''s methods were tactical and practiced. They learned how to counter Estelle''s defensive barriers from just dealing with it for a bit. The firstyer was punctured by a concentrated st directed at the weakest spot. The barrier dissolved, leaving only three membranes left. Using the same method, the other membranes were dispersed at a fast pace as well. She was pitted against numbers. Her mana could be considered boundless, but the speed of her erecting the barrier was surprisingly slower than the endless barrage of attacks the monsters tried tond. One barrier was destroyed in less than a second after she erected it. Not long after, she was unable to keep up and had no more barriers to fend off an attack. A spear aimed towards her heart came flying. Dodging the attack by enchanting a super speed magic on herself, she thought that she had regained her footing when shended on a distant resting table, but her right leg was suddenly pierced by another spear of the same type. Estelle let out a scream in pain. The monsters'' attack speed was too nonsensical. Perhaps it was indeed due to the overpowering numbers, but even so, Estelle cursed the unfairness it brought against her. She knew a spell that would block her pain receptors, but her mind was currently zoned out. Call her arrogant, but she had always thought of herself as a genius. Someone with infinite mana, an astounding capability to memorize new spells, supported with an imagination that could further develop the spells and materialize said magic. If she did not proim herself as a prodigy, who could? Though, faced with a seasoned fighter, she was as strong as a clueless baby chick who wielded an unparalleled weapon. The ce they were fighting on was not that far away from the Dukedom''s main castle. If she was to release a high - ranked magic right then and there, there would be nothing left after the battle. "Shield!" Estelle cast, her right hand tearing off the spear stabbed deep inside her flesh while simultaneously casting recovery magic. What pain - blocking spells? In front of a real battlefield, her mind could not process normally and could only stick to basic knowledge. She had a high - ranked recovery magic, but the pain she had to bear during the spear removal was needless to say, enough to make her faint. Holding on to her consciousness, she repaired her flesh as she tore it again and again trying to remove the spear embedded deep inside. Blood was continuously spurting out of the wound and there was nothing she could do to replenish it. What body - strengthening methods? The pain took over her mind and clouded her sense of reason. After continuousyers of barriers was put up and punctured, she was on the brink of copse as her body had bled far too much. The wound was no longer present, but the pain she faced and the bleeding brought her to a weakened state. Sweat covered her entire body, tears streamed down her petite face. In the first ce, she should''ve known better. As a former adult who lived in modern Japan where science was a thing, she should have known that removing a stab wound was not desirable. Grabbing the nearest handle to support her, she stood up, her legs wobbling like never before. The monsters had closed in on her. Her area scan revealed that what she saw was not the entirety of the attackers. Some of them possessed invisibility magic and concealment magic and could not be seen with naked eyes. She had learned the [Mind''s Eye] skill Heine demonstrated multiple times in the past, but how could she think up of such a feature? Her focus was constantly being tested. Every time she dodged an attack, there was always a follow up to it. After a couple of near death experiences, she learned to form not onerge shield, but multiple small shields of the same potency. It was as if she was knitting a nket. The small shields came from the same spell, but it waspressed into a smaller surface and could withstand the attacks now. The monsters soon changed their attack pattern to mixing explosions with the spears. The explosions would be enough to destroy one of the small shields and a spear would be thrown at the exposed part. Just then, one of the monsters caused a quake that cracked the ground and forced her to retreat to the sky. She had thought that the monsters would be capable of flight since they possessed such power, but the reality left her in shock. She was now able to see the monsters'' faces with rity. They were built like a strangebination between a lizard and a gori. Fur and scales joined to create an unnatural pattern that did not mix well together. Their backs were hunched to the front, and their arms were much longer than the legs. The sight disturbed Estelle as she had never seen something like this before, but that was not the main concern. [If I get up to the high ground, they can''t follow?] On the brink of fainting, the revtion blew her mind. She stayed still in the air and none of the monsters got closer to her. They resorted to throwing spears that appeared out of nowhere. Turns out, the solution was so simple? For someone who had infinite mana like her, staying up in the sky and maintaining the flight was a piece of cake. The monsters continued throwing spears at the skies, but severalyers of barrier was enough to counterattack the weapon and make it fall back down towards the ground. Now floating up in the skies, sheughed, her tone cold as ice. Stretching her hand out, she attacked the monsters below with a barrage of spears, the same thing that they used to attack her. The blinding golden spears that fell upon the monsters were manufactured using her Creation Magic at an impossible pace. Supplied by her infinite mana, the amount of spears raining down were in the thousands in just a couple seconds. She imbued abination of Water, Wind, and Light affinity magic on the spears. Her judgement was no longer clouded and she could differentiate between elements that could potentially cause irreparable damage. [I''m dumb... I''m so dumb. These guys are dumber than me, how did I suffer so much?] She rained more spears down and even materialized a chair imbued with Wind magic to keep it still. Sitting down, she closed her eyes and tried her best to ignore the screams of the monsters. Only after less than half an hour did the scream vanish, leaving no traces. Chapter 19: Invasion (3) Chapter 19: Invasion (3) "...Ick experience," Estelle pursed her lips in annoyance. If it wasn''t for her sudden revtion, she would have had to settle the fight by sting off the entire Dukedom. It wasn''t about who the victor was, it was a concern on the aftermath. The damages she made were not few even though she managed to realize a fatal weakness in her enemiester on. Her first fight was very amateurish, the training grounds that originally had facilities like a resting area and many others was crushed under her stray spears. Of course, it was a given that anyone''s first fight would likely be full of mistakes and perks that one could easily avoid once they learn through trial and error. However, Estelle had always been confident in her power. The power she had pointed to the ancient spells she memorized. Those spells, amplified with her infinite mana could cause destruction no one can survive from. What Estelle possessed was knowledge and only that. It was akin to someone who learned a newnguage, memorized the grammar structures and the entirety of its vocabry, but had never spoken saidnguage. Something was ignited inside of her as she vowed to change this as time went. Sure, she was only five years old, so there was time to grow. But in cases like this, where Minerva and Heine would not be present and there was a threat the Dukedom could not protect itself from, what can Estelle do? If monsters capable of flight chased her up to the sky, she would not be able to get a grip on her mind. Just like how she performed in the recent fight, she had forgotten most of the avable magic spells that would''ve helped her in tons of ways. Use a magic spell that contained powerparable to an atomic bomb and blow up not only the threat, but also the priceless home she attained, where tons of her memories would be stored, the Dukedom? Not only that, she would also be causing damage to the territory outside the Dukedom itself. Standing high up in the skies, she looked down to see hundreds of unidentified monster corpses with golden spears sticking out of the carcasses. The earthennds was stained with the ck, gooey blood of the dead monsters. "Come to think of it, where the heck is Minerva?" Estelle wondered. She had sent the Witch to eradicate the lost monsters. Even if Minerva did not possess infinite mana, the amount of experience she had was iparable to Estelle. She could not imagine her having trouble with just four monsters. [Minerva, are you there?] Estelle tried contacting her using spiritmunication. ''...Are you done over there?'' Minerva expressed shock through her words. Even though Estelle was strong, she didn''t expect her to be able to eradicate all of them in such a short time. [I found a loophole and took advantage of that. Why didn''t youe to assist me?] Sighing in relief after confirming that Minerva was still doing fine, she questioned the elder. ''I killed them all, but I was a bit toote. There are some casualties here, mostly on the knights. Your parents are fine, but... my healing prowess isn''t enough to cover all of the injuries. I have stagnated the wounds from bing worse, but you shoulde here and heal them.'' In times like this, she wanted to thank whoever it is that gave her all affinities and immense talents. If Minerva was the one who got stabbed with a spear, what could she do? Bear with it until the fight ends? Her regenerative and healing abilities were better than the average, but it would not cover arge wound or gash. She wouldn''t have been able to fully recover from her injury, let alone take the battle to the sky and perform the feats she executed. [Okay, I''ming right now. Where are you?] Minerva had not told her where the space rift connected to. ''...'' [Minerva?] Feeling a bad premonition rush through her brain, Estelle closed her eyes to prepare for the news. ''Actually, I''m not sure?'' [Huh?] Although it wasn''t what Estelle expected it to be, which was something way worse, the dilemma that surfaced was hard to extinguish. Minerva told her that she should be located ''somewhere'' within the ins, but she did not know the exact location. She had created the space rift on a rush, so the destination wasn''t properly set. She wasn''t even thinking about the ins, but somehow, the rift sent her there. The ins, like its name, was a very in ce. It stretched far and wide, to the point where one could not see the end of it even after walking for days. Finding Minerva''s location, especially when she herself couldn''t see anyndmarks pointing to where she was, would be hard even for Estelle who utilized area scanning magic spells. [Why can''t you just open a rift back to the training grounds?] Estelle questioned. ''I''ll run out of mana! And, and, some of the injured guys shouldn''t be moved lest they get worse.. I think.'' Minerva replied. Indeed, creating a space rift for a singr person, particrly the rift''s creator didn''t take up that much mana inparison to Minerva''s sizeable mana bank. However, the rift''sws indicated that transportation of other people would take up much more mana, and the amount of individuals she evacuated took a toll at Minerva''s mana. She also had to save some just in case another ttack hapened, so she wasn''tfortable in spending it all. [I can probably scan all of the area and find your location that way, it will just take a long time.] Estelle sighed. It seemed like her work was not over. ''Alriiight, I''ll be waiting. Sorry!'' Sometimes, she wondered how Minerva was able to keep her life for more than a hundred years with her clumsiness and recklessness. She had never stepped a foot inside the ins, so she had to personally cast flight magicbined with eleration enchantments on herself and travel to the ce since she couldn''t make the rift. [In these cases, teleportation would be great..] Estelle began thinking up of ridiculous ideas that might be realized in the future, but not for now. Once she arrived, she stood still in the air and cast the scanning magic. "[Area Scan]" The results showed two separate groups who had their numbers in the hundreds. Seeing something strange unfold, Estelle raised a brow. [...Minerva, count your numbers?] Estelle asked. Minerva hummed in response as she counted the total number of people she had with her. ''Including me... 121!'' Minerva had evacuated all the knights, maids, and other departments'' servants. Thankfully, the people that were stationed in the castle today did not amount to much. The same people were currently situated behind Minerva, some sitting down and the others standing up. Either way, most of them had creased brows and pursed lips, anxiousness and worrycing their eyes. Their home and workce had been decimated by unknown sources. Estelle''s expression turned grim as she realized that there were something more than just Minerva''s entourage in the ins. Even worse, ''they'' outnumbered the them by at least 5 times. Estelle wished that she saw wrong. [Take cover somewhere. You guys are in danger.] She discovered Minerva and the group, but along with it, hundreds of monsters appeared to be lurking around the vicinity. Clusters of the creatures were even moving towards the group. ''Hm?'' [Possibly more monsters. Just evacuate them to somewhere else. Ask my mother to cooperate if you need. I can kill them, but I''m still exhausted from.. a lot of things.] ''Wha-'' '' ...Roger.'' Minerva realized the severity of the situation from her tone and started to go into work mode. A few minutester, Minerva contacted Estelle again. ''It''s not possible for some of them to move. Large gashes made their way into their legs. Moving them would make it worse.'' Minerva reported. She tried her best to heal them, but ultimately, it didn''t suffice. [Then just wait there. I''ll finish them all.] ''Eh? In front of these people??'' Minerva worried about the traumatic experiences that could emerge. [It''s fine.] Letting out another sigh, stress filled her to the brim as she fled to the unknown creatures'' location. Looking down from the skies, the creatures seemed very unorganized and unruly. They did not march as a team, but more like a bunch of high schoolers in a field trip. Their appearance resembled the chimera - like creature that appeared in the Dukedom, although some had minor changes to their features. Their voices mingled with each other as theymunicated in anguage Estelle had never learned before. It was akin to a riot, their speech sounded like mumbles and no one cared to listen to what others were saying. Estelle slowly descended from the skies and was seen by one of the creatures. One creature turned to two, and the number multiplied without stop. Soon, all of the creatures had seen Estelle''s figure and was starting to brace themselves in vignce. Estelle prepared herself for the fight mid air, nonchnt at the creatures'' cries and shouts. Minerva worked to coordinate the group so that they could prepare for the worst case, that is Estelle going too ballistic and potentially harming them. She knew that the child took care of the crowd in the manor, which numbered in the hundreds too. The time she took wasn''t long, so the damage must''ve caused a catastrophe. Getting caught in the battle where Estelle was involved in was something that no one would wish on their worst enemies. Cooperation was key in chaotic situations like this. The feeling of restlessness spread through the people. It was understandable, since they were being put in dangerous and unknown situations without a clear exnation. Minerva told her n to the nearby guard, who nodded inpliance. She was Estelle, their youngdy''s trusted acquaintance, so the manor''s people had some level of trust on her after seeing Estelle now floating in the sky. There was one thing that they understood: Theirdy was protecting them with her life on the stake. The simple knowledge led everyone to forsake their fear and try to preserve their lives for it was something that thedy fought for. In the battlefield, Estelle thought back to the feat she performed in the manor. It was the most efficient thing to do. However, the concern here was on whether they would pounce on Minerva''s group. Thinking about it, Estelle created a bunch of shields from above the sky, forming a turtle like shell. Just like that, Estelle started the abundant rain of spears. The spears were produced at an astonishing rate, it would not be too far of a stretch if someone said that the number was simr to real water droplets in a drizzle. She struck down the ones nearest to the group first. Then, slowly, she started making her way up theyers. The war cries gradually turned into sorrow as the thick despair in the atmosphere lowered their resistance. Seeing their brethren fall down without a fight, the others chose to drop their weapons and march towards a different direction in panic. It was one girl versus hundreds of creatures, but the main point was not their strength. A squad whose morale was lowered to the very bottom and could not be decreased any further, who in their right minds would think to advance further? Although the monsters didn''t really have a sense of camaraderie, natural instincts were a thing. Their ingrained logic made them turn back and retreat. Huffing her breath, Estelle felt tired. Strange, because her mana bank was still filled by question marks, never seeming to be close to depletion. The effects of battle? Did that tire her out? [I don''t feel anything, though.] Estelleughed in a self depreciating manner. Her emotions all revolved around things that would put her at a disadvantage, this was the first time she was thankful that she did not have an adverse reaction towards such a sight. For someone who got pissed at being called a shorty, not flinching when a bloodbath was urring in front of them was a mismatch in reactions. After the battle, Estelle descended down. Minerva came to approach her, the child who had shocked an entire group of people for the mass execution she held. Her expression was somewhat off. "Hey, I thought about it for a minute, but..." Minerva''s expression turned solemn. She looked like she was having a tough conflict inside her heart and was filled with hesitation. "Hm?" Estelle''s interest was aroused. Since this was the ins, Minerva told her to go ham on the killings and show no restraint. She threwrge meteor like fireballs left and right, only stopping every so often to rest and recover her mana. The fire would render the monsters unable to move, and Estelle would swoop in to take their lives with her spears directed at their vitals right after. Estelle was still in her battle junkie mode, so she wondered what other ideas Minerva had. "Instead of having us wait, couldn''t we just escape together and not fight the monster? " Minerva questioned. "Wait, nooo! Your mana was limitless, you should''ve came down to evacuate us with a rift!!!" Gaping her mouth, she realized what would''ve been the best solution of all. "..." Estelle looked at the crimson - haired woman in disbelief. Come to think of it, this whole face off was pointless. Estelle''s mind was still not in the right ce from her first real fight, so the thought never crossed her mind. Sure enough, stupidity was the deadliest weapon, an unmatched threat to someone''s victory. Chapter 20: Aftermath Chapter 20: Aftermath Only after they regrouped with the others did Estelle have the time to rx and rest her brain. Her emotion spikes were too much to handle, especially after the period of time where she had to bear the pain of extracting the spear. She only had one worry left in her mind, and that concerned her father, n. In order to protect her father, she had shown her barriers, which was impossible to mask as a normal spell. Her instincts told her to go all out, so she did. Her father, who worked with the higher ups in the country should be able to tell that her magic was notparable to the normal shields people see. It was a higher ranked barrier magic that required an astonishing amount of mana. Not to mention, she cast a space rift right in front of him to toss him down to Minerva. Space rifts required a profound understanding on Spatial Magic. If someone said that a five - year - old child cast a space rift, they would be mocked and treated as a clown. Estelle turned her head left and right in search of n and She. She wasn''t worried about She''s reaction, because the woman had a natural disposition that allowed her to rx and calm down in every situation. However, her overprotective father was a different case. Let alone trying to exin how she learned ancient magic, she''d have to bear the reprimands from him. Her eyes met with Derrick, who was sitting right beside a sobbing Sierra. When Estelle tried to approach them to look closer previously, she discovered that there was still arge gash that started from the knees and down to the ankles. Derrick was one of the wounded that Minerva talked about. Blood stained his surrounding equipment, but it was not seeping out as much as the wound''s exterior appearance. Judging from Minerva''s familiar mana that was attached to it, it seemed like the first aid she talked about was actually stitching the wound with magic threads to contain it. Nevertheless, he was still losing blood. [It won''t be long until he copses.] Estelle knew what being at a deficit for blood felt like, so she was worried for Derrick. After all, he was still her personal Knight and Sierra''s brother. Estelle walked up to the slumped man. "Derrick, where are my parents?" "With... that Witch. They are talking about the damages," Derrick was indignant as he was not willing to say Minerva''s name and could only address her as the Witch. "See, she''s not a bad person, right? She saved you, you better stop thinking about foolish things like you did before," Estelle knew that his heart was still unsettled. "...I am indebted with her," Derrick lowered his head down. Amidst the ring pain, it was a wonder how Derrick was still able to hold a conversation with her. Derrick was an upright man who counted his debts very well. Since his life was saved by the Witch, he wouldn''t do something as outrageous as openly rebuking her. He would be washed down with shame. Sierra''s sobs were ringing out right beside them. "I''m going to ask big sister Minerva for help, so don''t cry, ''kay? Your stupid brother will definitely be fine!" Estelle made an ''OK'' sign with one hand, the other rubbing Sierra''s already disheveled crimson hair, making it even messier. "...Liar," Sierra mumbled, lines of tears decorating her face. Estelle could only smile in a relenting manner. She herself knew that her words could not be believed that easily. She hadn''t shown the people her healing magic. Even though she showed them her outrageous arsenal, a normal person wouldn''t think that someone who was well versed in offensive abilities could also disyrge - scaled regenerative magic. "Take care of this stupid brother of yours, make sure he doesn''t act rash," Estelle patted the girl and left for the door. She could First and foremost, there was something more important than Derrick. Her parents. Estelle found her parents and Minerva sitting against each other and seemed to be discussing something in a serious manner in an enclosed room. Concocting her n, she rushed at She at full speed and dove into her embrace. "Motherrr!!!" Estelle cried out. Her first n was to y foolish. "Waah~ Our little star, were you scared?" She ced a hand on top of Estelle''s head, stroking it with gentleness. "No, Estelle is only scared about one thing in this world..." Estelle looked up and scrunched her face. "And what would that be?" "Father!" Estelle pointed at the unsuspecting n and dered. y dumb. y childish. "Father, can I ask you something?" Estelle was still buried deep in She''s warm embrace, muttering. "Hm?" To be honest, n did not object to her daughter''s secret studies and surprising potential. Any parent would not despise having a talented child. There was no reason on why Estelle''s magic was wrong. She wielded magic, but did not trespass to the forbidden area of curses and ck magic. In fact, the only worry n had concerned Estelle''s safety. Just like before, he was worried that his baby daughter would get ustomed to fighting and put her life on the line multiple times. Contrary to Estelle''s distorted imagination, n took it pretty well. Rather than regarding Estelle as a ticking cmity bomb, he thought of her as a guardian angel- after all, if it was not for the child, the manor wouldn''t have been able to survive without losing a lot of lives. Minerva only associated herself with them because Estelle was there, so they would''ve had to deal with it through strategic fighting and not whatever Estelle did. "The injured people... I can save them," Estelle raised her head to look at n in the eyes. "They are our people... Can''t I save them?" She continued, her eyes watery with tears. n was hesitant. Even though most of the people in question were loyal to them, they could not risk a spy or an outsider working for their enemies discovering that the Duke''s daughter possessed astounding power. They would definitely use this to their advantage. Worst case would be selling the information to the Church. Healing magic, especially those who pertained to healing another life was rarely not categorized under the Light Magic faction. Other forms of healing existed, but normally it was Light. The Church could possibly take advantage of this knowledge and push Estelle to the spotlight. If the Church or the Royalties discovered this piece of valuable information, they would certainly aim to make Estelle their weapon. If the nobility, the Royals, and other sly foxes got involved, it would be hard to dissolve their desire to im Estelle. It wouldn''t be strange if the Church tried to make Estelle their saint or priestess. Or even made Crown Princess and the future Queen by the Royals. Knowing that n''s thoughts were leaning towards this downside, Estelle continued proving her point. "Minerva can help me. I''ll cast magic outside the room, I just need to coordinate the movements," She appealed. She hadn''t nned to showcase it directly either. The matter of the spy was something that Estelle was aware of. Such arge attack couldn''t be coincidental, especially when the monsters'' direction headed straight towards their home and not sporadic. It was as if someone controlled them and gave them specific orders to take down the Dukedom. The fact that they were able to think in the first ce was a shocking reveal. The amount of Knights were significantly lower that day because it happened to be near the day of Rosealte, a festival that was held inmemoration of the world''s peace. Some of the Knights went home. Some were sent to the reste territory to help out the masses. As for others, they were stationed at the capital as envoys and part of the cumtive help to seed the festival. n let out a dejected sigh. It had to be known that not once did Estelle back down on matters that she was dead set on. He knew of Derrick''srge injury. In fact, the reason Derrick had gotten injured in the first ce was because he stood in front of them, shielding them from the four creatures'' attacks alone before Minerva''s arrival. The creatures seem to have noticed that n and She were the ones that held the most power and focused their attacks on them. Derrick, who realized this fact jumped straight at the couple and wielded his de with bravery. In the midst of panic, he was the first one to have splendid reflex. His battle instincts was honed enough to be able to react that quick. Through deduction, he discerned that she was bringing this matter up because Derrick was her personal knight. It wasn''t a foreign knowledge to them that Estelle treasured and prized her closepanions. "As long as you make sure you are not detected, I will allow it," n relented. "Roger!" Estelle made a salute with her hand and got off She''s embrace. Like a little devil, her mischievous grin shone through. The weak and pitiful act she disyed seconds prior was no more. She immediately turned to Minerva, who stood in the corner of the room silently the whole time and grabbed her wrist, dragging it while running off. The benevolent parents that were left behind could only stare at the leaving people''s back in wonder. She was not unfazed, but it could be said that she was quite calm in regards to the whole tirade. n was riddled with worries, but he also approved of his daughter''s power as it would do nothing but benefit her when used in the correct way. "Our daughter... Let''s just watch over her, alright?" She leaned against n. They were truly worthy of the nickname ''Cheesy Couple''. They were actually seven years in the marriage, not counting the engagement years, but the amount of love they had for each other was still so abundant. Whether it was envy or admiration, all sorts of viewpoints were directed at this couple. Estelle told Minerva about her ns. Minerva would be the leading actress, while Estelle would be the mastermind behind the whole y. "Minerva, I''ll be standing on the rooftop. Tell me when you''re about to heal. Remember, use the light magic first, then give me the cue," Estelle reviewed the n onest time before earning a nod and leaving for the rooftop. They were going to mask Estelle''s magic within Minerva''s magic. People viewed high - leveled spells as shy and overflowing with grandeur. Minerva was capable in performing some tricks that would help her in her Holy Maiden act. Not long after, Minerva managed to act alongside Estelle''s directions and healed the heavily injured patient ward, that of course included Derrick. Naturally, Estelle had to hold back on the heal, because Minerva was not known for her healing abilities. It was abination ofyering healing spells and supplying the patients with ''high grade'' potions. Instead of allocating all of the achievements to Minerva, the ''high grade'' potions were called in. They were introduced as treasures concocted by an alchemist Minerva knew, who had top notch skills. As a public figure that had stayed in the world for more than a hundred years, her abilities were pretty much vaguely leaked to the public. If she disyed too much of it, Minerva could be held up for the ability in the future. If Estelle was present, everything would be fine, but if she wasn''t, there would be trouble. Even worse, if the royals and the Church heard the rumors, they might even attach a High Saint title to Minerva and force her to join the Church under the name of God and... It was better not to think of it. Thus, the people were told to stay silent about the potions and Minerva''s ''healing prowess''. After the healing process was done, Estelle entered the room and walked up to the pair of siblings who was now somehow quarreling. Estelle approached them and had Derrick be dragged away for further treatment, as his injury was one of the threatening ones that could not be healed fully in fear of Minerva''s name. Once Derrick left the vicinity, Estelle faced Sierra with a triumphant look. "How is it, Sierra? You didn''t believe me, right?" Estelle grinned. The little girl doubted Minerva before, but now, she must be giddy with happiness. "Never said that your words were wrong. Sis Minerva isn''t capable of that kind of magic, Sierra personally saw her struggle to retain brother''s condition. The potion is also part of the fraud, it''s just a normal potion with hallucinatory effects that could incite euphoric sensations. Sis Estelle, Sierra is also a Witch," Sierra pouted as she decimated the fraud case, exposing it with a low voice. Estelle blinked, not knowing what to do. Sierra was a bright child, adding that to her Witch blood indeed led her to have a constitution sensitive to magic. Although she didn''t think that she''d be found out, it wasn''t strange. A Witch was a Witch. You couldn''t measure them with normal standards. "I guess.. I was found out?" Estelle scratched her head,ughing weakly. "Un. Thank you, Sis Estelle," Sierra walked forward to give Estelle a tight hug. [..Well, there goes that. It''s fine, right?] It was Sierra. Estelle didn''t think much of it and smiled. "Sierra is so smart~ You must continue to be this way, don''t be like your brother," Estelle received the hug without restraint. They were both children that could be categorized as having a delicate visage, so the scene that was created by the two of them hugging was quite exquisite to look at. It made the surrounding onlookers'' hearts be filled with warmth. Wholesome was the perfect word to describe the aftermath of the invasion. Chapter 21: Changes Chapter 21: Changes Perhaps it was because Estelle''s offensive capability was revealed, the process of getting Minerva and Heine to be epted as her mentors were far easier than what they first thought. Not only the reste couple, other residents of the manor also deemed that her current teachers would only hold her development back. Estelle was clearly far more adept than the tutors. n only administered some limitations and regtions for the teaching methods, most of it concerning Estelle''s safety. He had already acknowledged the fact that his daughter was superb in what she does, and did not intend to impose on that matter. To tell the truth, the five years prior to the invasion was enough for Estelle to memorize the magical spells that were exposed to the public. She even had the opportunity to learn unique magics thanks to Minerva and Heine. There was one ring fact that bothered her every time she cast a spell. The magic spells that existed were simply put, impractical. The power depended harshly on the amount of mana you exert, which would invalidate tons of people from being able to use it. You were restricted by your innate mana bank. The concept of imagination was also too vague to be taught systematically to the public. Unique magic that derived from everybody''s affinities could not be explored to the fullest extent thanks to theck of knowledge regarding magic itself. There was strangely little knowledge surrounding magic. Practicality. This problem surfaced as Estelle experienced her first battle. If the current world''s situation was to be tranted to a metaphor, it would be that of a world where everyone aspired to be a trickster, a magician that did not care about the results and only viewed the obnoxious disys as the strong ones. [Hellfire] was one of these cases. A me that was in a shade close to ck, whose effects could be amplified through supplying more magic. It took up a huge chunk of mana just for summoning it. Even for monsters like Heine and Minerva, it took a toll on them. It''s effects were indeed devastating, but the cost was too high. The time taken to summon it was also not desirable in the slightest. In contrast, Estelle realized that she was able to fix this in a certain way. During one of her experiments, she was able topress her spells, cutting down the mana expense multiple times. Not only did she increase its functionality, the casting dy she had was also significantly less. She was able to perform chantless magic, but there was a slight dy in the spells that would stack up to an undesirable waste. However, by not focusing onto one enormous spell and dividing it into several spells that conjoined to form an entity, that dy was nonexistent. With the smaller spells, she was able to cast one of them without dy, and the same logic applied even when she cast hundreds of them. With therger spells, she had to bear at least five seconds of dy for each casting period. In a closebat fight, that dy would affect the oue without exception. Not to mention, the offensive spells were all categorized into ''weak'' basic spells and ''strong'' advanced spells. Sure, a huge meteor fireball would be stronger than a fire bullet. However, in a fight, wouldn''t the bullet be much more proficient and advantageous? The learners all focused towards mastering advanced magics, but she doubted that they had ever considered the consequences of it. In arge battlefield, where the enemies were collected over in one side, yes, it would be more efficient to st them off with an advanced spell. However, battlefields were mostly closebat. Within a fight, yourrades would be mixed together with the enemies, leaving you no choice but to st them off along with the foes if you only mastered advanced magic. Spells like [Hellfire] was hard to control. Not only the enemies, you would st off the ground too. Full of disadvantages. Estelle had a headache as she thought about it carefully. As a person living in modern Japan in her former world, she was exposed to fantasy - themed cultures ranging from animations, literature, down to the media itself. The concept of magic was always vaguely defined in the stories she got to view. Perhaps because it leaned more towards theical and humorous side, the content revolved around how the main character dominated over the others while still somehow being tricked, forced to do things, and ending up on the brink of death. That same girl who worried about stuff a five - year - old girl was not supposed to brood upon was currently sitting inside the training ground''s resting area, debating on how she was supposed to channel her wish and manifest it into realization. [At least bullet like blows... Compressing [Hellfire] topact sizes and stacking hundreds of them? Trajectory magic, I wonder if I can develop that...] Estelle considered her chances. [Hellfire Shot]. By containing the me in an imaginary close space, perhaps she would be able to create marble - sized bullet. It could lessen the burden on the caster and also on the battlefield. Trajectory effects was desirable but not necessary. Just the development of the bullet would be significant progress. Akin to introducing guns to spear - wielding people. She sighed in distress, worrying over the future. "You are like, five. Sometimes I wonder if you are actually an old man reincarnated inside a baby with how much sighs you''ve let out," Minerva said. Her staff was shining brightly by her side, the golden ting in addition to the ruby red gems embedded in the circr tip catching everyone''s eyes. Estelle''s eyes winced. Don''t even let her talk about staffs. She was sure than a small orb would suffice. Therge staffs endowed with gems and stones were pleasing to look at, but they thwarted the meaning of convenience entirely. Using her elbow as support, she leaned her face onto her palm, cupping her cheeks while staring at Minerva with nothing inside her head. "Minerva, rewriting the world''s magic, how well do you think we''d fare?" Estelle said in a casual manner. She did not expect a serious answer, she only wanted to express her thoughts. However, this single sentence shook Minerva''s heart and incited something inside of her. Sure enough, as a powerhouse, she had always felt that the world''s magic was alwayscking in a lot of departments. Estelle''s words did nothing but serve as a fuel to that dim fire inside her heart. The fire to develop the deteriorated magic to its fullest extent. Estelle''s thoughts that were supported by the genius Witch, became the initiator for the future establishment of a magical institute, but that was for another time. Instead of training her magic on the spells she deemed ''useless'', she decided to focus more towards the possibilities she could jump on, starting from the very basics like a literal wisp of me, slowly raising the levels. Minerva had joined in on the n, she was fully on board with it. "Come to think of it, where is Heine?" "Should be helping my sister out. If my sister did not chase me... It''s likely that she dragged Heine to do the experiments in exchange for my presence," Minerva replied. Yulia was a steadfast person, there was no way she''s turning back once she delved inside one topic. Whether that was a good quality or otherwise, the judgement can only vary between different individuals. For Estelle, she disliked the fact that Yulia did not care about her antics'' effect to its surroundings. She was someone that used to be apany''s founder, she knew how much a simple mistake could trigger a domino effect and cause ripples to everyone''s workload, not just theirs. Thus, the character was carried to this world and Estelle tried to dodge said mistakes in whatever way possible. It was not a rarity that she hated herself for not being able to achieve something. That same logic applied to theck of fundamental basics of magic in this world. [If ifes down to a pinch, I can decimate everybody along with my foes, but I don''t want to that.] Estelle had finally gained her newfound purpose after being reincarnated to this world. Since she was designated as a viiness without a hero, she had the freedom to do anything, right? Changing the world''s magic, she did not believe she was unable to do it given the unlimited time. "Calling for me?" A certain jade - haired fae donned in royal garments descended down from the sky,nding safely on the ground. "Heine!" Estelle greeted the man''s arrival. "What were you doing? I felt some huge vibrations in the magic field..." "The bullets are made out ofpressed higher fire magic, specifically derived from [Hellfire] andced with ze properties. The metal surrounding it is a metalloid covered in a membrane so it won''t burst. Like a capsule, the metal can melt when ites in contact with a targeted surface. Once the fire erupts, it won''t go out unless it''s overpowered by another magic source... I wanted toce the bullet with poison and trajectory magic as well, but it''s impossible for now. This is just an experiment," Estelle snapped her fingers and made several bullets appear in the air. The bullets she had on hand was thetest prototype of her idea, the stock she had was not that many. She was getting closer to her vision day by day, so she didn''t mind the slow progression. It was better to get something wrong in the experimental period than when it was time for battle. "A shame, but it only means that I still have a lot to improve in," "Is this the gun you were talking about?" Heine snatched one of the bullets and examined it with bare eyes. To him and the rest of the world, the concept of guns and bullets were foreign. Estelle had mentioned the project before, but Heine didn''t think that the result would arrive this soon. Bullets were identical to pellets, which existed in their world. However, the firepower of magic - imbued pellets would be iparable to those of Estelle''s bullets. So small, so frail, yet so powerful. "Not exactly. Guns are the objects that will spew out these magic bullets in the future... I''m nning to make thepartments one by one after I find a suitable material. If I get the chance, I want to make several types of these bullets.. Maybe a corrosion effect or an electrifying shock," Estelle listed down her wishes one by one, although the criteria was somewhat terrifying. Heine raised his brows as his imagination created a beautiful scenery where the girl went ham with her weapons. Her ballistic tendency unfolded and created a tragedy. Waking himself up from the daydream, he convinced himself that the Estelle he knew was sensible and logical. "Do you want me to help? I can try and search for a material that suits your requirements.." "No... I will focus on the bullet''s development first. My grasp on the Creation Magic is not enough to create these guys mid - fight.. That''s my goal for now," "..Alright," Heine ced the bullet down on the table and sat down. After thinking for a second, Estelle made a confused look. Heine rarely visited because he had official duties as a King, but he was somehow here without any notifications and seemingly did not have any purpose. "Why did youe here? Wearing that, on top of it," His royal garments certainly caught her eye. She had only seen him in them less than ten times. "Huh? You don''t know?" "Hm?" Chapter 22: Audience Chapter 22: Audience ording to Heine, there had been some changes that applied to the whole kingdom the moment her birthday party was held. First of all, the ''fire flowers'' or more urately fireworks, was something that had never been seen prior to that party. The people who saw it, there were the ones that took it as a blessing, but the ones who took it as a bad omen outnumbered the positive. ''The Red Roses of reste''. Whether it was started as a rumor, or if it was done for political purposes, the news broke out vehemently. Those who saw it firsthand, those who only heard of it, all of them spread out the news like wildfire. It must be said that rumors, when said by a majority of people, will be considered as not only hearsay but a fact. "Have you heard of thetest update? The royals are apparently nning to summon the Duke''s family to inquire about the ident," "I also heard that not long after the Duke''s daughter''s birthday party, an attack hit the Dukedom," "I live nearby and I heard the sounds of copse. It was so scary, I thought it was an earthquake," "Such a shame... Have you heard that the omen and the attack might be because the Duke was involved in ck magic? The practice is illegal, an exchange must be made in order for the wielder to obtain massive power," "Yeah, a lot of people are specting that the Duke used ck magic to..mit unforgivable acts," "Wow... I thought the Duke was an upright person, but this..." The people''s voices umted to form a certain viewpoint. Fake or not, it didn''t matter. Rumors, spections, when it is said over and over again by thousands, or even the whole poption, would it still have no credibility? Witnesses could be used as evidence even in the modern times. It only needed a lot of simr testimonies, a lot of people in order to convict someone. "So, you''re telling me that they are trying to bring us down?" After listening to Heine''s exnation for a bit, Estelle pinched the space between her eyebrows and let off a stressful sigh. Troubles came in rolling one after the other. She felt entertained as her mundane life was no more, but her current state was difficult to deal with. As a five year old, there was little she could do in terms of political and social rtionships. It was hard to gain trust and credibility as an adult. As a child, this difficulty bar was raised to the heavens. "Don''t know. If the Duke copsed, the whole kingdom will be thrown into chaos. If they are smart, they won''t touch the Duke..." Heine crossed his legs as he theorized. "Only, reputations are easy to ruin. If the Duke has a bad reputation, it will be the same as cing him under house arrest. The higher ups can still use the Duke''s power while restraining him from getting stronger," The reste Dukedom had an important position. The Kingdom of Alynthi had four major aristocratic families, which were led by two Grand Dukes and two Dukes. Likewise, the Kingdom was separated into four directions. Ultimately, the Grand Duke title was only given to the Royalties'' close rtives. There were a total of three Grand Dukes, but one of them decided to not fight for the delicious piece of meat that is the four directions'' territory. North, East, West, and the South. Within theserge divisions, smaller territories of different leaderships and sizes, led by other nobles existed. The highest leaders, however, would be the four households. The cold northernnds was governed by Grand Duke Clyde Riefenstahl, who was the current King''s rightful younger brother. The second rtive was Grand Duke Reginald Christensen, who governed over the westernnds. He married the King''s elder sister and solidified his session to the position. Duke Lloyd Vegner was in charge of the easternnds. To be given the chance to govern over the territory, he was a special case out of the other Dukes. Duke n reste, Estelle''s father, immediately inherited his title from the previous Duke. The four dukes were then even further ssified into factions, which mainly consisted of three alignments: the Royals, the Neutrals, and the Liberals. Nobles entered these factions, and although they don''t pit against each other openly, the tense rtions was always there. That was the current situation. The territorial leader might rotate in future generations, but changing the leaders often will yield bad results, as proven from the past history. The only reason why n would be targeted this harshly was highly probable to be from his status as a territory leader. "...My father isn''t a man without ambition, but he would never touch the country. It will endanger us, his family and loved ones," n reste was a man whose sole ambition was to better the lives of his people. The definition of a good leader. Although his actions might be perceived as cruel from time to time, people could see that it was for their sake. "The country doesn''t care. The country only cares about the fact that n is strong, too strong to be left alone," Heine''s gaze turned dark as he recalled the atrocious behaviors the rotten humans showed. The Dukedom has been getting stronger. Estelle''s birth seemed to speed the things up, too. In these five years, the Dukedom was flourishing. The other "This ''omen'', the plot, it shouldn''t have been made in the recent times. At the bare minimum, it must''ve taken them years if they are staging it to this level. They arepletely ready to push your father down, so be careful," Heine advised. The opponent was far too ready when giving a response to the news. They knew what news would sway the people''s hearts. The reste Dukedom was well known to people as a cold individual. His closed off, confidential attitude provided a room for the poisonous doubts to slip in. Causing a rumor like that, Estelle was afraid that even if she didn''t show the fireworks, they would''ve stillunched some sort of usation. The hatred that caused them to do this, howrge was it? "The summons, when is it?" Estelle knew that her father would never dare to tell her these matters. The fact that Heine was already here, donned in royal garments, it could only mean one thing. The summons was near, there would not be enough time for her to forge a n for a counterattack. Indeed, Heine''s reply confirmed her thoughts. "...In two hours," Heine solemnly said. "Sorry, but I can''t side with you this time. I was invited as a Ruler. I don''t want to involve my people, and I sure know that siding with your father would bring consequences to me," Heine''s grave expression conveyed everything. It''s not that he wasn''t willing to pick her side, it was that he couldn''t do so. As a Ruler, the chosen Spirit King at that, the most important thing was the safety of the Fairy Forest. The worldly matters of humans, they wouldn''t want to involve themselves in it. Spirits were originally an indigenous race that came from the forests. They were more reclusivepared to others. Thanks to Heine, who was more open minded in terms of rtionship with other races, the situation got better. However, defending the Dukedom was still a silly dream. "I understand," Estelle was not bothered by Heine''s indifference. It wasn''t her style to rely on other parties anyway. The only thing on her mind now was how exactly was she going to fix this. "I can lend you a hand. I''m not tied to anybody except my own sister," Minerva joined the conversation back. "To tell you the truth, I suspected that this would happen, but I did not receive a direct invitation," "This condemnation, it would probably be held privately, keeping it as an open secret. There is no formal invitation, but the royals'' aim should be to use the public''s opinion to their own advantage," "Right. You must be careful. The audience.. I''m afraid that most of them would be on the Royals'' side this time. You can''t expect fairness," Heine advised. cing the King''s people on the trial would help to solidify whatever testimonial they were preparing to fake. By not opening the discussion to the people, they can force their own narrative when ites to it. ''The royals are so benevolent, they must''ve pitied the Duke so much that they hid the settlement.'' ''I heard that it was the duke who sought a private audience... The Duke is getting more and more willful as time passes. Outrageous.'' The power of people''s words. It was weak in small numbers, but in a world where rules were set and rights were established, the people''s opinions were more valuable than gold. "It''s okay.. It will be fine. I don''t believe that my father would not have any means to deal with this. As a child, I can''t possibly barge into the confrontation directly," Estelle rubbed her temples as she loathed the fact that she brought up the idea of fireworks just for memories'' sake. Even though this was going to happen without a doubt, she could''ve dyed it for far longer if not for the incident. If this happened when she was an adult, she would have no problem breaking off any rtions with her family and acting on her own to silence them. That way, she would be the only one to shoulder the me, her family would be safe. As she said, her role was a ''viiness''. Since the people was openly against her beloved ones, she had no problems decimating them the same way she did the monsters. There was no difference in her eyes. However, as a five - year - old child, however, what could she do? If she revealed her power, it would probably be used as more evidence to back up the theory that there was illegal practice going behind the scenes. A five - year - old possessing such power was unheard of, even in the dragonkin and spirit races. Time. That was what shecked. "I''ll try to assist you as much as possible. Although I am only invited to bear witness, I can provide a neutral suggestion in the discussion. I won''t overstep my bounds, but I will y a fair and wise King for once," Heine assured his newly confirmed disciple. Even though it was not really a master - disciple rtionship and more like a cover for her power and experiments, he did not n on desecrating this connection as the one who held a master''s role. "That''s great. I will go over to my father''s side, you can choose to go now. If you stay here any longer, we don''t know if there would be a spy ced here. You might get involved," The situation was dire. There was a spy. Estelle was certain about this. It was no longer a spection, but a fact. Without one, the narrative would not be so strongly believed and trusted. The clear information, the vivid description, it was not possible unless the person was in both of the incidents themselves. Someone who was trusted and revered enough for their information to be held credible. "I know. I wish you luck," Heine quickly departed, not wanting to waste any time. If he was seen, not only would he be affected, but the Dukedom would probably be charged with the crime of colluding with another nation, specifically the Dukedom''s faction. Stupid. Thews were stupid. It served as a transcript for normal people to follow and abide to, but to the strong, it was something to be manipted and yed with in order to save their reputation when they get involved in a crime. As one of the powers, the Duke was an upright faction, he did not want to involve himself with stained matters. Thews that applied to him was the same as themon people, simply because he the ones in charge ofw was in support of the ''stained'' faction. Without a doubt, the odds were all against them. Walking towards her father''s study that had been fixed with magic since the monster attack happened, she braced herself once she reached the door. She had told Minerva to fall back and wait for the news. Replying with an affirmative, Minerva told her that she was going to scout for information and possibly contact her humanrades to get an outlook of the situation. Knocking gently on the door, she introduced her presence as she called the patriarch in a soft voice. Receiving a reply, an eptance to her arrival, she twisted the golden knob that was located in a height just slightly taller than her figure. "Father, I have received the news," Estelle stepped inside the room as her sight fell onto her stressed mother''s figure and a grim expression showed by n. Even though he did not express it with actions, his heart must be stirred like the seas'' waves in a storm, unsettled and drowned in worry. "No matter what happens, I won''t let you three be affected. No matter what happens," n''s resolve could be heard through his voice. His tone was rigid and cold, but his words conveyed warmth and care, theplete opposite. However, there was an anomaly located inside those same words. "...You three?" Estelle was dumbfounded. Chapter 23: Audience (2) Chapter 23: Audience (2) "You didn''t hear wrong," n coughed. He had been nning to convey the news on to his daughter soon. On an impulse, he blurted it out since he felt like it was a decent timing. "By that, you mean..." Estelle covered her mouth with her palms, gasping. "Little star, your younger sibling is on the way.." She interjected. The news made Estelle''s heartbeat fasten. With both delight and anger. Delight at her expected sibling, anger at the current situation that was unfolding. What should have been a happy asion was going to be ruined by the humans'' greed and the silly farce born from it. Her father did nothing wrong! He lived his life properly and didn''t engage in much collusion with other nobles. He never wanted to associate himself with a set faction. The only one that resounded to him was the Neutral faction, as he wished for nothing but peace to his family and people. Even then, he only maintained a distant rtionship with the other Neutral nobles. However, her mother who was now pregnant had to bear the risk of being charged of treason. Something they didn''t do. A pregnant woman who had to bear the curses and loathing from hundreds of thousands of citizens, who would not crumble under the stress? "..How many months?" Estelle took a deep breath to calm herself down. "Should be around five," n replied, giving an estimation since there wasn''t a scientific method to provide a definite answer. "Five.. Just great," Being five months into a pregnancy ced her snugly into the second trimester, where her emotional levels would fluctuate in an irregr pace. There goes another worry added to her list. "I''ll.. be fine. I''m not that weak, guys," She smiled. Worries were worries. Even though it might not be true, it would still cloud your mind. Even though someone reassured you a hundred times over and over that your worries were not viable, it would still stay there, unmoving. Not to mention, She was weaker than a normal person. Her constitution hadn''t been well ever since she gave birth to Estelle. It only worsened from there, and since it wasn''t a sickness, they didn''t know how to improve her condition. The only thing they could do is prevent her from getting seriousplications and alleviating any difort. "That aside, you two are so cruel! Why did you hide everything from me?" Estelle fake pouted. It was the moments before they had to face a dire situation, being tense and unsettled would only bring detrimental effects. In fact, Estelle thought that if her position was switched with either side of her parents, she would''ve done the same thing. Telling your child these matters weren''t easy. "Little star..." She received a warm hug from Estelle. She then ced a kiss on the child and stroked the beautiful silver strands. The action was very calming for both parties. "But.. I didn''te here for that," Estelle further hugged She, snuggling up to her stomach. "Bring me there," Estelle turned to look at her father. Her gaze was filled with security and a burning spirit, no traces of falter could be sensed. Her golden eyes shined withplex emotions that shouldn''t be possessed by a mere child. n knew what she meant. The summons. Estelle wanted to go. No, she had to go. "Estelle, my dear, you know that there are some matters that I can''t acquiesce to, even if it''s you," n shook his head in disapproval. "Father, you know that there are some matters that I ampletely hard - headed on. If you don''t bring me, I''ll ask Minerva to get me inside somehow," Estelle frowned. They bickered for some time. The clock was ticking, time passed without a care. Not long after, there was only an hour before the designated time from the original two hours when Estelle first arrived. The distance between the Dukedom and the royal castle needed at least thirty minutes to cross it without disturbances. The main character of this event, Duke n had to set off right now in order to prevent any tardiness. "Father, you are bringing me with you," "Estelle!" n raised his voice. "I know you are worried about all of us, but there''s no need to bear the weight alone! As a member of the reste family, can''t I tag along?" Estelle pleaded. n was someone who would shoulder all the me when a disaster hit. Estelle would usually approve of that character, but it was different when it concerned her father. "n, little star knows her limits, bringing her-" She wanted to assert her opinion, but was met with an oush from n. "She, have you gone nuts?! Those guys, no, they don''t deserve to be ssified as humans. Those animals, they won''t let any of us be! Not even a child, not even a pregnant woman!" n''s words sounded quite harsh, but it was his real thoughts. She flinched as her emotions spiked up in response. "So what?! Do you really believe that I don''t want to butcher every single one of those bastards? My blood rises when I think of their disgusting behavior!" She bellowed in rage. "What you are doing is alienating us from the real situation, something we are involved in! Even if we pass this turmoil, they still won''t let us go!" After She finished channeling her frustrations, a crisp p sounded out. p! "Fight, fight, fight all you want, but the carriage has arrived. You have three minutes to decide... Whether you want to bring her into your entourage, or let her sneak illegally with me. Either way, she won''t give up," Minerva sounded bored, incredibly bored. She looked at the two parental figures as if they were foolish. It wasn''t as if they didn''t know Estelle. The girl was abnormal, to say the least. Much more abnormal than anybody else. "..Crimson Witch. While I have epted your offer of bing Estelle''s mentor, I would appreciate it if you don''t involve yourself in our family''s matters," n acknowledged the other''s presence, but barred her off without a care. His stance as a parental figure was rigid. Estelle wouldn''t get involved in messy matters like this. He wanted her to live an unfettered life, even after her absurd power was revealed. "Oh, so you know that it''s FAMILY matters and not PERSONAL matters?" Minerva rolled her eyes. "Then why the heck are you trying to block off your family from all of this? Come on, make it make sense," "Father, she''s right. This predicament, it sourced from me. Even though they had been nned this for years, the incident that incited the news happened because of me," "Please, for the sake of God, just give in. She''s going there no matter what, and if you don''t get into the damn carriage right now, you''re going to bete," Minerva tilted her head. Weighing out the choices, the better circumstancesid in the one where he would relent and board the royal carriage right now. Even She tried to persuade him. Below the sweet whispers of the threedies, the silver - haired Duke finally made up his choice. The time was trickling down anyway. He had to make a decision. "Fine! Fine, I get it!" n thrashed his hair as he sighed, pinching his temples. "Great! Little star, we are going on a trip. You can''t look like that. Lylia, you heard me?" She eximed. Estelle usually didn''t like to dress up, so in truth, She felt quite disappointed at this. The summons was a great opportunity for her to show off her precious daughter''s beauty. Estelle really didn''t like it, but she acquiesced since she had asked a lot out of her parents. She thought that she had topromise on her part as well. She broke into arge smile. pping her hands twice, the aforementioned purple - haired maid, Lylia, appeared out of nowhere. "Yes, madam," As a Duke''s daughter''s personal maid, she had a considerable amount of experience in closebat and scouting techniques. "Youngdy, please," Gently pushing Estelle by her shoulders, she led her into the dressing room to change into a suitable outfit. Estelle was just in the training grounds, she couldn''t possibly wear the conventional noble girl dresses. With the frills and flowy skirts, it was only a matter of time before the intricate dresses gets ruined. Burned, stained, torn, everything was possible in Estelle''s experiments. Although she was quite reluctant to follow, Estelle knew that pushing her desires more than this was not a good thing and decided to tag along. Not long after, the family of three was standing in front of the carriage prepared for them in formal dresses. Following behind them was Derrick and Minerva, who was disguised as a guard. It was a rare sight that she would change out of her loose Witch robes, but it had to be done. Her hair was masked with illusion magic, turning the crimson locks into golden ones tied up in a high ponytail. "Oh, aren''t you so cool," Estelle smile was sickeningly sweet as she nced up and down at Minerva''s attire. Her current status was the same as Derrick, a personal guard. She opted for a flexible chain mail to wear. Even though the metal tes'' weight could be relieved by magic, Minerva imed that dyeing her hair blonde was already tarnishing her dignity, and wearing a bulky metal te would only desecrate it even more. "My preciousdy, you''re cuter than this humble one," Minerva stared at Estelle''s silver dress in mockery. "I''m firing you," Estelle''s dress was only down to her knees, so she had no difficulty hopping into the carriage by herself. "Oh, that can''t do!" Minerva faked a shocked and distraught expression. The carriage was quite wide. Although a maximum of four people was rmended forfort, the use would not apply to the quartet since one of them was a child. Boarding the carriage were Estelle, who was situated between n and She, facing Minerva and Derrick on the other side. The ridested for forty minutes, ten minutes longer than the minimum allotted time. They ended up arriving around fifteen minutes early, and stepped inside the castle with no fear. They were informed that the audience was already in progress, which elicited some frowns and curses from the party. If they went with the schedule, they should''ve been earlier than expected, but the fact that the audience had already started meant that they were duped. "They would actually stoop this low to trick us?" She pursed her lips, indignant on progressing further into the battlegrounds. "Bastards will always be bastards," nmented, not showing a shred of facial expression. He knew that every action he made will be scrutinized to the highest degree. Escorted by one of the royal adjutants, they walked down the hallway. Arriving in front of the gigantic golden door, the two guards that were standing next to it immediately went into formation, grabbing the door handle and opening it for them. Announcing their arrival, one of the guards said in arge voice. "Duke n reste andpany have arrived--" Chapter 24: Audience (3) Chapter 24: Audience (3) "Duke reste andpany have arrived!" The guard announced with arge volume, gathering everybody''s attention in a sh. Their eyes turned to them, every single stare as sharp as des, wanting to pierce them mentally. Thankfully, all of them were prepared to face such a challenge, and bore the painful gazes without showing a change in expressions as they walked up to their assigned table. The reste Dukedom was only one level lower than the King. Since there were no Grand Dukes, their status were only below the royals and above everyone else. They were exempted from bowing down to the King. "Long live Your Majesty the King," n made a simple salute, followed by the other four. "My subject, do you know why you were summoned?" The King received the salute, but did notply to the proprieties where he is supposed to instruct n to sit down. [Minerva, isn''t he supposed to let us sit?] Estelle pursed her lips. The nobles'' gazes on them were sour. The King''s treatment worsened the loathing looks. ''...These pesky royals will try to make it hard for us in every single way, this is just one of them.'' Minerva scolded, disgust showing on her face as she red at the King. Estelle bit her lips in rage as she looked over to her father, who was standing straight in front of them. Unbothered as ever, n''s eyes were cold and unfeeling. Like he had already given up on everything. It wasn''t like he didn''t hold loyalty to the Kingdom, it''s just that they disappointed him too many times. The King was corrupt, but his tendency to want the people to adore him led him to create a separate persona. The benevolent King the people saw was indeed the same person who was now inciting n''s rage. There were many blind supporters within the people who viewed him as the perfect ruler. Little did they know, the ones who performed the miracles were his subordinates, the hardworking and honest nobles. n always refrained from interacting with the Royals. Because he had given up on them, who betrayed his expectations. "Answering Your Majesty, this one does not know," n answered curtly. The court was shaped like a ring, amounting to a maximum of seven floors. The ones on trial was at the very bottom floor, while the King was slightly above them and below the people. The audience was situated ording to their peerage ranking. The higher ranked ones would sit on the lowest floors to provide better view and understanding. Simrly, the lowest ranked attendees sat on the higher floors. The ones on the seventh floor was still able to view the court''s progression due to a special screening created by magic. The ones on trial would be magnified and projected on the screen. In this case, the entire reste family was erged to be seen. "My people have gathered and reported your wrongdoings to me. My subject, I know that you have been loyal and helpful to me for years. However, I cannot overlook any injustice in my kingdom," The King knocked his fingernails against the throne''s armrest. "We are giving you onest chance to confess out of consideration for your service," The King''s words made it sound like n really did something and was just unwilling to admit it. [Loathsome bastard.] Estellemented, clenching her fists. "My King, this one is unaware of his wrongdoings. I have notmitted any acts punishable under thew. May Your Majesty rethink his conclusions once more," n challenged his ims. Once n finished hisst sentence, the audience immediately gasped one after another. n''s words were faulting a King''s words and bringing doubt to its credibility. A King''s words were akin to gold. Rare and precious. Once the King proimed something, he could not retract the meaning easily, just like how other people are not capable of refuting his words. n was challenging this golden rule. "I also think that judgements can sometimes be clouded," This time, Heine inserted himself into the conversation. Estelle had her sight drawn to the new voice. She saw the familiar Spirit King sitting on the first rows, looking down at them from his height. [I can only fan the fires. I''ll leave the rest up to you guys.] Heinemunicated his message to Estelle using the mind connection. Outide, his stature lookedpletely professional, nothing was off. [Un, I got it.] "Spirit King Heine, are you aware of your current role?" The King stated in a tense tone. "A Ruler must be impartial, objective, and wise," Heine calmly replied, closing his eyes. "Are you implying that this one hasn''tpleted either one of them?" [Of course it''s not one... It''s all three of them, stupid.] "The King has taken my words the wrong way. I was just stating my opinion. I am sure that the other Ruler also think the same?" In actuality, the Human King was only able to invite two other rulers, one of them being Heine and the other the Beastkin King, Gazelle Leonhardt. Both were invited thanks to the connections between Estelle and Heine. Gazelle, being Minerva and Heine''s former student, was called in to help his newest junior disciple. The true purpose was to put more pressure onto the King. Unlike Heine, Gazelle was known to be upfront and brutally honest. His way with words was rigid and unbending, not willing to cloud his meaning behind analogies and unclear metaphors. The nobles, who particrly liked speaking in the aforementioned way was considered as disgusting liars to the Beastkin King. "..Your words are not wrong," Gazelle nodded in acknowledgement. This time, Estelle''s line of sight was once again, drawn to the first floor where the mentioned Beastkin King was sitting by. Gazelle Leonhardt had a robust body covered in golden armor that seemed heavy enough to outweigh Estelle by at least ten times. His face was human - like. No traces of beast morph could be seen in any parts of his body. ''He''s your senior brother.'' Minerva chimed in, causing Estelle to jolt in ce. [..Senior brother?] ''Heine and me took him in as a disciple years ago, long before he became king.'' [Wait, the other disciple you mentioned was a literal King?] Estelle almost gaped. The sudden revtion was too shocking. ''You were going to meet him eventually, so I didn''t bother borating on it. Ah, he probably doesn''t mind you peeking on his status, so feel free to do so.'' [..For matters like that, you should borate no matter what the timing is...] Estelle grumbled, but her interest in the King''s status made her drop the matter. [Mind''s Eye Activate.] She cast the spell inside her mind. A magical circle illuminated her golden eyes, glowing with a fuchsia - colored hue. The magic circle was made invisible to the public, but those with keen eyes would be able to notice her subtle use of magic. Status Gazelle Leonhardt | Beastman (Lion) HP: 330.000/330.000 Title: - [ Ruler ] - [ Lion King ] Core Purity: 37% Mana: 10.000/10.000 Affinity: [Fire] [Earth] Unique Magic: - Skill: - [...] His status was not low, butpared to Heine and Minerva, there was arge disparity. ''You''ve seen it? You see, he came by in a near - death state and suddenly said that he wanted to be our apprentice. His core purity... Sigh, it was such a shame, he could grab the concepts pretty easily, but his constitution iscking. Wait, it''s not time for this.'' [Right.] Estelle ced her gaze back onto the King. "My dearest guests, one ought to not preach their religion on other faith''s holy ground," The King said, his gaze turning dark as he swept through Heine and Gazelle''s figures. (A/N: A reader of mine gave this phrase as a suggestion because the previous one was "One ought to act like Romans while in Rome." It contained Rome, which didn''t exist in Estelle''s world. If anyone has a better phrase, feel free to give it!) It was not a secret that the Fae King, Beastkin King, and the Crimson Witch were acquainted and had a bond that was more than casual friends with political benefits. "Are you saying that you are admitting that there is injustice in this ''holy ground''?" "..How could that be? It''s just that the evidence all points to this subject of mine.." The King regained his calm and chose to try and divert the attention back to n. He had noticed that he was being discussed more than the one on trial. Grabbing into the anomaly, he took this chance to further his advances. "The red roses that burned on top of the reste Dukedom, the monster attack that followed the disy... I wonder if the Duke knows that red roses are often used as a symbolic icon by the people who practice ck magic? Not only that, I have heard that the recent ck magic advancement is about reproducing artificial monsters... The Duke must know that the appearance of monsters in that amount is not normal?" The King''s words seemed like he was just stating facts, but he was clearly trying to stir up matters and bend the audience''s thoughts towards his views. [I am pretty sure that the monster incident didn''t involve outsiders. There might be explosions, but that can be justified as training. From an exterior point of view, nothing should be out of ce.] ''As we thought, a spy has been ced.'' [I want to burn the ce down.] Estelle was irritated with how she couldn''t just use straightforward methods to solve her problems. Social hierarchy, prestige and fame, why did she have to mind those things? Her actions were hers, why did it involve her surroundings? ''Rest easy, a bug is short - lived.'' Minerva tried tofort the child''s irritation. [Un, I know.] "I might have an exnation to this, would everyone care to hear?" Bringing surprise to others was Gazelle, who offered his thoughts in a gruff voice. ''Gazelle is a lot more free in terms of actions.'' The Beastkin Kingdom was actually not that unified since there is a lot of species inside. Gazelle rules on top of them, but his actions will mostly affect his species, the Lions and not so much for the others. Sensing Estelle''s thoughts, Minerva provided this new piece of information. [What about the other kingdoms?] ''The elves are extremely unified, they have a royalty system where they treat the royals as Gods. Their reproduction rate is really low, so they abstain from politics and choose to seclude themselves inside Yulia''s barrier to avoid damages. The dragons are individualistic. One dragon will be enthroned as the most powerful, but the other dragons are free to do whatever they want. Their ruler is just a title, and akin to amander at war. The spirits... Well, it''s not like they aren''t free to act on their own, it''s that they don''t want to. They choose to stay inside theirnds and not make any contact with the outside world.'' [I see.] Noting down the information, Estelle continued to listen to the discussion. It was her first time being in a political setting, just like how it was her first time being in a real fight a while ago. "..May the Beastkin King speak his thoughts?" The King had to show respect for the other Rulers not only from the formalities'' sake, but also because they were not in a valuable positionpared to the other Kingdoms, which held quite the pack of punch. "I am sure that everyone knows about my affiliation with my mentors; the current Fae King, Heine; and the Crimson Witch," Gazelle brought the spotlight away from n. He had not been informed about the whole situation, but he was clear on one thing. He sensed Minerva''s presence by the reste family''s side, he saw how Heine tried to support the used while staying in the neutral zone, and he also knew that his mentors had epted a new disciple residing in the reste Dukedom. Knowing that Heine could not fully support them, he used his freedom to help. "I have been informed that they have selected a new disciple," Chapter 25: Audience (4) Chapter 25: Audience (4) "..May the Beastkin King speak his thoughts?" The King had to show respect for the other Rulers as a point of formality. "I am sure that everyone knows about my affiliation with my mentors; the current Fae King, Heine; and the Crimson Witch," Gazelle brought the spotlight away from n. He had not been informed about the situation, but he was clear on one thing. "I have been informed that they have selected a new disciple," His words caught everyone by disbelief, as the pair of powerhouses had not selected another disciple ever since Gazelle got epted. Their first andst disciple- that was what people named Gazelle. Before, a lot of people were aiming to be closer to the untouchable pair by trying to be their disciples. Not only will they procure guidance, they will also form a connection, a pivotal one at that. However, the pair disappointed them with theirpleteck of interest. The invitations were all declined without a care, even the ones with high status. The Human King himself had extended an invitation for them to tutor the Royal Prince, but even that was only responded with a careless letter conveying their disapproval. "I don''t know why the Beastkin King is bringing up that topic when we are disputing Duke reste''s case. Though I must say, the identity of that new disciple interests me. As a break from the serious matters, will the Beastkin King inform us of the news?" "Well, it''s not unrted to this matter. My new junior sister is standing down there, as the reste family''s daughter," Gazelle''s face turned smug as he announced the news with a casual tone, bringing the spotlight down to the silver - haired youngster down in the trial chamber. Once again, everyone was taken aback by shock. One unknown individual even knocked down something, creating a loud bang in the otherwise silent room. Not only was the newest disciple hailing from the Human race, which was known to be weakerpared to the rest, her age was also extremely young. As previously mentioned, the Humans only conducted a capability test at ten years old, because the average awakening time was as such. "..We never knew that the Beastkin King liked to joke. As far as I am concerned, Duke reste''s daughter is only around five years old. Us humans'' awakening time is sadly around ten years old," [...Why would he say that here?! This would incite even more anger from that damned King..] ''..I might have an inkling on what he''s nning, but Heine has to cooperate in this. I don''t believe that he''s willing to stake his country just for external affairs like this.'' With that, Minerva went silent, but the mana fluctuations Estelle detected brought the probability of her contacting the other ruler. "The spirits and how they react to the ck magic element," Gazelle''s misced statement restored the people who had been drowning from shock''s consciousness up. "The Spirit King Heine is present, why don''t we ask for help?" As if the victory was already in his hands, he imed his stance on the matter with vigor. [The Spirits?] ''As I thought, he really went for it. Ahh, look at the fae''s face, it''s so darkkk~'' Minerva internally sighed. [Wait, exin for a bit.] ''Err... To put it into simpler terms... Faes are sensitive to magic, correct? This im, there is actually a continuation to it. Long ago, ck magic didn''t exist. To be precise, it wasn''t something possible with natural magic. ck magic is produced by the corruption of matter... Thus exining why the spirits, who are born from nature are not very resistant to the magic. Upon contact with ck magic, spirits have a high chance of getting corrupted as well. They have learned to adapt to this condition by having an adverse reaction to the ck magic they deem as repulsive. So... Gazelle is nning to let Heine or his underling be a taste tester for your magic. If you are clean, it''s likely that your parents are clean as well. ck magic is easy to get out of control, so a user''s child will usually end up with a contaminated magic core and have no choice but to turn to ck magic. Of course, your father might have to be tested too.'' Borrowing Heine''s power. It wasn''t a bad idea. Though, there was still a loop hole. The Duke might not be the direct user of ck Magic, but if he controlled subordinates who utilized the element, it''d still be a guilty conviction. They would certainly bring them down knowing this fact. [Even so, they are all against us, won''t they bring up the chance of people under my father being the users?] ''At least it''ll wipe out the direct rtion, no? And spirits are really sensitive... If they are smart enough, they will back down. After all, the higher ups, not much of them are innocent and untouched.'' Minerva''s tone lowered as she insinuated the possibility of the im being turned against the users themselves. She swerved her gaze across the audience and found a few suspicious candidates, reeking of the loathsome element. Even her, as a Witch, was able to sense it. The Spirits would definitely react and point out the real culprit. "W-what are you talking about? Surely, we can''t involve another Ruler just to pass judgement on my subject.." The King''s grip on his armrest had already tightened. His knitted brows showed that he did not think that the matter would escte this far. "I don''t mind," Heine spoke up. ''Wao, what a benevolent act for him to do?'' Minerva half - expected this oue, but she thought that he would have more deliberation and consideration before jumping straight on the gun. "The news about the Duke''s daughter being mine and Minerva''s disciple, why don''t I confirm it myself?" "The answer is correct, and by that, what can you get from it?" "Us spirits are utterly disgusted by what those absolute idiots call ''magic'' even when it''s clearly not something born from the sources of nature," "I shall refrain from overstepping my bounds, but I hope that everybody''s intelligence is high enough to realize that there''s no way a ck magic exposure can escape my sensors in close vicinity..." "Of course, whether I''m talking about the times I spent with Estelle or the current trial room, you can forge your own conclusions," Since that was what their forte was, why don''t they use this specialty of theirs? After Heine''s short speech was over, mors started brewing deep within theyers of each and every single floor. Though it was silenced, the tension in the atmosphere could be easily felt. "...It seems like there was a mistake in the reports. Setting the im about the ck magic aside, what does the Duke have to say in regards to the monster attack?" The King tightly gripped his armrest, doing his best to hide the popping veins caused by anger. It could be theorized that the King wasn''t the one behind the plot. However, the one who initiated it should be from the Royal faction. They were the ones obsessed with power. Loathing n who gained such high credibility and recognition must''ve irked one of them. If not, the King''s anger was far too unnecessary. If the opponent was from the Radical faction, the King must be somewhat rejoiced at their foiled ns, even though it meant that the Duke got away unscathed. To show one''s anger like that, wasn''t the King foolish? The people could easily read into the matters, no? "That one, I shall answer," Gazelle once again spoke, a triumphant smile painted on his face. "Beastkin King!" Gritting his teeth, the human King was about to burst as he growled out the words. His words were specifically constructed to leave the involved parties a peaceful way out without anyplications. To resolve everything like nothing had happened. It was the best solution, yet Gazelle still wanted to continue. Gazelle raised his hand, and his attendee stepped forward to open up a visualizer made out of illusory - based magic. It wasced with a truth - detecting magic, so one could confirm the credibility of that showcase. The screen showed a barrennd,pletely void of any living things except miniature nts scattered haphazardly. Then, a deafening sound pierced the calmnds. The owner of the soundposed of shouts and shrieks soon appeared, their appearance not that different from the ones who attacked the reste Dukedom. Thump! Thump! Thump! Even though their movements were not synchronized, the massive amount of monsters made it possible for a clear ringing sound to be created by simultaneous footsteps. The loud footsteps ovepped with each other, making your heart subconsciously beat faster due to an underlying anxiety. However, the scene did not end there. Soon enough, another pack of monsters showed up, this time having different characteristics from the previous ones. They seem to be headed for the same direction and did not n to stop. Their faces showed determination and fighting spirit to cause devastation to the world. "This is your answer," Gazelle closed the clip. "The emergence of ''Strays'' out of nowhere. It''s not only in the Human country. In fact, they''re spreading all over the world as we speak now," Gazelle announced with arge voice. Gazelle''s clip brought fear to the audience. Such arge amount of monsters. The ''Strays''. ''...I think I know why Heine wanted to cooperate.'' Minerva''s low - spirited voice interrupted Estelle''s train of thoughts. [Because Gazelle would have all their attention on him with this breaking news?] ''Indeed... There is one problem, though.'' [Hm?] ''This is also a breaking news for me. I can''t possibly imagine the iing cmity if these guys were left alone.'' One pack was enough to cause havoc to a aristocratic mansion. Although the numbers were lessened, elite knights were still stationed there. And yet, the disaster couldn''t be prevented without Estelle taking them on and using her full power. If they got into the civilians'' abode, one could only wonder what the oue will be. [..Just like before, we''ll settle it somehow. Either situation is dire, I can''t abandon my family, even if it meant sacrificing thousands'' of people to the monsters'' march.] "We need an advancement. Simultaneously, all races should learn to defend themselves if they want to survive. I''d advise you to stop wasting your time. The impending doom is near. If you don''t wish to be a survivor, then keep fussing over this ck Magic bullshit," Gazelle, with his signaturemander voice dumped his thoughts altogether. The room grew silent. The main focus was no longer n, but the monsters. With a solemn atmosphere, the summons soon ended with a clear verdict. The Duke was innocent for the moment, since a much more important issue was raised. It didn''t mean that he was cleared of all charges and suspicions. The red roses were proven to be a byproduct of magic, specifically the Spirits'' magic. Using Heine as an excuse, they were able to get away because the Spirits were originally very secretive- not much is known about them. Whereas the monsters.. it was the easiest part out of the entire subject. Thanks to the clip Gazelle showed, people were able to learn that it wasn''t because the Dukedom performed ck Magic, but because the monsters'' numbers have indeed increased exponentially. The King didn''t say that n was free. He might still be targeted, but the ''doom'' Gazelle spoke about was frightening. The possibility of the myriad of monsters appearing just like they did at the Dukedom made people gulp their saliva in distress. Even if the Duke used ck Magic, the real issue here was clear. The existence of ''Strays''. A lot of them. Amon enemy that had to be exterminated. The summons, although they escaped, the winner was unclear. No one gained anything out of it. Chapter 26: Allegiance Chapter 26: Allegiance "Spy, spy, who are you?" Estelle twirled a small ball of condensed fire with her finger as she hummed the low tune. Looking up to the blue sky, she pressed her lips together. The spy that had been nted into her home. The identity of said spy was still enshrouded in mystery, and it was still unknown down to the smallest clues possible. "Asking like that will get you nowhere," A voice entered her ears without prior warning. Estelle, who was far toozy to turn her whole body, could only roll back her head over the chair to see the iing presence. "Heine," Affected by gravity, her hair touched the ground, dirt sticking to the silver tips thanks to the brushing motion. "Sit properly, I''llugh at you if you fall down," "I won''t fall!" Estelle sat up straight. Her gaze fell onto the fae. "Minerva told me that what you did could endanger your kin. Are you fine with that?" She was referring to his actions at the previous summon, where he directly offered support to their family instead of staying as a passerby. It was a sudden decision, Estelle wondered if the man regretted it. Heine stood still, studying the child''s expression with detail. His lips twisted to form an arch, as he walked towards the table Estelle sat by in small steps. Once he sat down, he looked at the young girl before him with seriousness as he spoke his words one by one. "A new Spirit King was born," He sighed. Estelle gawked at the man, who was able to pass down the information in a casual manner. "Didn''t you say..?" Estelle was debating on how she should proceed. Only, her memories told her that Heine once taught her about how new Spirit Kings were born after the death of the previous one. "You see, I also don''t know. Right before I went to your ce, I had already received the news. I''m basically unemployed now, so I just did whatever I wanted. It''s something like myst shift as a King," In other words, he became daring because his task was relieved. He no longer had restrictions. Even so, knowing the braindead Human King, wouldn''t he still hold it against the entire Spirit Kingdom instead of just Heine? "I''m not sure as well, but the World Tree has made its decision. I''m sort of lost right now, hm?" Heine stretched his neck. The matter seemed to no longer hold that much importance to him. He further exined the situation, giving out details such as his current unstable role and the imbnced leadership status. Some Spirits were truly loyal to just him, they swore their lives upon an oath. The appearance of the new King was legally approved by the World Tree itself, but it didn''t mean that the hardcore subordinates would ept it straightaway. They recognized Heine''s worth. The World Tree did an unprecedented action. In that case, the loyal subjects were willing to leave the structure to follow Heine alone. They too felt the overbearing attitude the Tree disyed. "You don''t want to hold the position anymore? I''ll help you take down that neer if you want," Estelle would choose Heine over the newborn King any day. She knew how much Heine cared for the other Spirits, how much he contributed to the Kingdom. Estelle felt irritated at heart. The devotion Heine had was priceless. His efforts and achievements was repaid with a forced abdication. Snatching the position away from him like this didn''t sit right with her. Without an rm or warning. Heine was born with a destiny- to be the Spirit King and lead the race. However, this destiny was taken away from him. And the deration was made with a simple message, with no formalities whatsoever. -Because a new King was born, thete King shall be abdicated. What sort of bullshit was that? It was a surprise that Heine wasn''t already seething with rage. "Thanks, but nope! Actually, shouldn''t I be d? I''ve been burdened by that selfish Tree- be it Spirit or World for over a hundred years now, I was basically doing freebor!" Heine waved his hands, deterring her from the idea. "Also, it''s not like I will lose touch with my kin, it''s only my position that changed. I''m only a simple fae now," Heine was touched by his subjects'' undying trust in him. They were currently in a stalemate with the faction who supported the rise of a new King. This was the first time Sylvania had a divided mindset. A predetermined King meant that no subjects dared to oppose the ruler, because their tradition and beliefs told them that the Tree was right- whatever it said would lead them to glory and prosperity. Heine''s subjects wanted the new King to mature first before granting him the throne. This way, the imbnce would be fixed. Heine was a great ruler, one that made sure nothing went wrong. Even if something did go wrong, the casualties were often close to zero. However, those who received the Tree''s news no longer supported Heine. The ims that whoever dared to follow Heine would be doomed eternally surged up. They were the ones who held most faith in the Tree. Indeed, the Spirits have been following the World Tree for God knows how long. It was hard to make a change in their mindset. Heine, too, wasn''t nning to change it. "Did your powers decrease?" "No. It''s my innate ability, so the only thing affected is my [Ruler] title. It''s gone now," Heine summoned his status, pointing at the Title section. "Actually, I feel sort of refreshed. It''s like I was chained with heavy weights, and the chains just got cut. Wait, no, that sounds awful. Cheesy, even," Estelle''s golden eyes lit up with delight as she realized that Heine did not change one bit. Chuckling, she observed Heine''s movements and expressions. Although it was unknown whether he was hiding pain behind that character of his, it wasn''t her ce to force him to open up. After further scrutinizing, it really did seem like nothing was wrong with him. In fact, he seemed happier. "So there will be no pce dramas? I''ve always wanted to see a real one," Estelle teased. The mood had softened down into a jolly one. "No pce dramas! If you want to see them, just refer to your race''s royalties, that should be sufficient," "Right, what was the final oue? Minerva hasn''t visited in days, and my father won''t tell me anything," Estelle pondered. The previous summon was left undecided, because the charges on n hadn''t been dropped. The news Gazelle brought made a huge mor in the ranks, but it only served as a distraction. Whether or not they would let n go was still unknown. "Don''t know. I just finished relinquishing the throne, I haven''t been in touch with the news sources," "How''s the new King?" Estelle grew curious. "Normal, I guess? Well, to be fair, he is the new King, but decisions will still have to pass through me. I''m still alive, so the Spirits who has been under me will naturally prefer me over him," "Take me to see him one day," Estelle proposed. "Sure. One day," Heine''s smile gradually faded as he went back to a serious manner. "So, the spy," He hade to Estelle''s ce to disclose these two matters. The first one has been discussed, it was time for the second one. Estelle also dropped the smile and gestured for Heine to continue his words. "I might have an inkling on who that person is," Heine put a finger on his lips and lowered his voice. He then spoke his thoughts out loud. During the exchange, Estelle was riddled withplex emotions. Heine''s theory made sense, but Estelle wasn''t that willing to believe in it. Heine, who had imparted Estelle with his theories and ns suggested for her to take it slowly, reeling in the prey with small baits. After that, Heine left once more to try and solve the matters in his Kingdom. He had gotten especially busy. Estelle left the room and walked around to search for a certain person. Then, she found him. "Derrick, where is Sierra?" Her personal Knight was going on a light patrol. It was strange that he didn''t stick around her all day, like he used to do in the past before Estelle rebuked him for not respecting her privacy. Considering her own power, she herself didn''t think that Derrick was necessary. However, she valued her rtionship with Derrick, since she didn''t have that many close bonds with other people. "My little sister is out on a shopping task with a few other maids. May I ask why thedy looked for her?" Derrick curtly responded. "Minerva''s going to arrive here soon.. She said that she has a gift for Sierra," Although it was just a split second, Estelle captured the sight of Derrick''s eyes glowing with slight hatred in that shing moment. "Derrick, do you think Minerva is bad?" "Lady, you can''t force me to like someone I don''t feelfortable with," Derrick''s jaw clenched, remembering the unending matter. "I won''t. I just wanted to say that Sierra''s situation is simr with you and Minerva, just the opposite," "Your meaning?" "It''s best for you to deduce the answer yourself," Estelle sipped the warm tea, taking in the calming chamomile fumes. "Oh, and one more thing.. You have been neglecting your duties quite a lot recently... Remember your ce and position, alright?" Estelle warned. Estelle shed him a bright smile, which was replied with a stoic face from Derrick. Derrick has been disappearing quite a lot. This was the truth. However, Estelle was still quite indignant over the whole story. Her meaning was left unclear, but if Derrick was truly the ''hands'', then [I did it. It was simple.] Estelle contacted the fae who had proposed the idea to her. [Just wait it out from now on, you''ll get a response soon. I''ll be gone for a few days.] Heine responded with great haste, his tone somewhat worrying. Heine had told her that some Spirits still see the new King as a fake persona. A phenomenon where a new King is born during the reign of another never happened prior to this incident, so it was justifiable that a lot were skeptical. [Minerva, where are you?] ''Busying myself over growing your nts. It''s pretty interesting, but I can''t stay away from them too long... Can''t you fix this somehow? Add a self - serving feature?'' Estelle and Minerva had been working on a type of nt that could store mana in it, with the potential of recharging one''s mana in dire situations. The concept of potions were strangely, not viable in this world. The health potions could be covered by healing magic and body strengthening techniques, so no one really bothered to make a method that could restore the health points. As for mana, the world had a silent rule in which one that ran out of mana in midst of a battle was as good as dead. It was like they gave up on searching for an idea that could fix the problem. Indeed, the reality was not as simple as the games Estelle remembered back in the modern world. In those games, they had a specific form and range of ingredients that could bebined to form potions. In Estelle''s case, there were no such things. The ''nts'' Minerva talked about was the result of a gic mutation thanks to endless exposure to high magic power source since the seedling period. [Can youe here once you''re done? There''s something that needs to be taken care of.] Minerva seemed to have noticed the urgency of the matter as she gave a short and concise reply, implying that she would be there as soon as possible. "Now then.. I''ll trust your words, Heine," Estelle''s eyes were full of mirth. She hated ungrateful people. Especially those who would pretend to be saints, hiding their true personality within. In her hands were a stamp imprinted with the mark of a rose and a crimson red sealing wax to match the theme. Heine had entrusted her with these items before he departed, and the identity of the items shocked her momentarily. Red roses, the symbol of the Duke''s fief. The stamps were proved to be the original ones, since the Duke''s stamps were found to be missing. The news weren''t disclosed to the public, so no one knew. If this was the case, then it would exin how no evidence was found regarding the spy. Researching deeper would get you another piece of crucial information, in which there was a record of letters and items being sent using the seal as a method of rification. Everything would be fine if it was just a normal rat, someone who wanted bad things to happen to the longevity of the Dukedom. However, the person in question was one that was close to her, which led her to wish for this news to be false. "...This fell out of your knight''s armor when he passed by the pce''s hallways. I caught it in time before it hit the floor, so no sound was made, no one noticed a thing," Heine''s words rang again and again inside her head, reminding her of the suspicion she now held. Chapter 27: Allegiance (2) Chapter 27: Allegiance (2) "What happened?" Minerva arrived around an hourter, still in her usual messy appearance. "The rat. It has been identified, the only thing to do left is setting the trap up," "Rat? Ahh, that," Minerva made a sound of understanding as she took a seat on the nearest chair, positioning her elbow on the table and cupping her face in her palms. "So? What do you want me to do, and who?" "I need you to poison somebody..." Estelle smirked in a way that was unsuitable for her age. Minerva widened her eyes in disbelief as she knew that Estelle disliked underhanded methods like poisoning and curses. Although smart, the methods were unfair, as they could ruin someone without them even knowing that their doom was right behind their every step. "...With words, of course," Coughing, she further rified, making Minerva''s expression ease up. "The target?" Estelle handed her a transcript containing a rundown of the ns, depicting specific actions Minerva had to execute in time. She hadpiled the necessary information with haste after receiving the news from Heine. The plot was ready, it was only the actors that were missing. Minerva scrunched up her brows as she looked at the text. Her face contorted and distorted into various emotions. She then nodded her head, promising to do the job with no ws. Waiting for the time written on the file Estelle gave to her, Minerva recounted the n and snapped into her acting mode. She wished that this wasn''t the truth. A little girl entered the manor. Like Derrick previously said, his little sister went out on a shopping task. The girl, Sierra Sullivan, was the prime suspect. ording to Heine, the most likely culprits were the Sullivan siblings. Approaching the girl with ulterior motives, Minerva scanned the girl from head to toe. She couldn''t find anything amiss. She wanted to doubt Heine. But the man had never disappointed her in terms of credibility. He was someone who wouldn''t propose an idea unless he was at least 95% sure. Minerva was betting on the remaining 5%. Hoping that he was mistaken. "Sierra! Hiii!" Minerva greeted in high spirits. Waving her hands energetically, Minerva walked towards the manor''s entrance to wee the girl. "Big sister Minerva! Howe you''re here?" Sierra happily replied, clearly ecstatic at the other''s visit. "Look at how excited you are. I came to see Estelle, but she''s currently out with Heine," Minerva fondly gazed upon the child. "Shall we have a little chat?" Of course, the invitation was met with a positive answer. From the shadows, Estelle lurked around. Sierra might be sensitive to magic, but when Estelle got serious, she wouldn''t be able to best her. Masking her presence, she watched. She watched the two''s interaction with great interest. Estelle''s lips curved into an arch as she knew that the trap was set. The two sat down on a nearby table. Minerva even poured tea, and the little girl happily drank the liquid. Oblivious of everything that went behind the scenes. She observed as Minerva acted out her lines, and waited until Sierra''s expression morphed into something strange. [...If it''s like this, then Sierra''s really...] Estelle''s gaze darkened. Like Minerva, she too wished that Sierra was innocent. However, the angelic little girl was far moreplex than she thought. Looking at Minerva''s increasingly dejected expression, Estelle knew that she had realized that the information provided wasn''t falsified. Preparing her heart to soothe the immediate concern and care she felt for the siblings, she decided to strengthen her will. A spy was a spy. Whoever endangered her family shall fail. [Minerva, fall back. Your job is done.] Estelle informed. ''Really?'' Minerva replied. [En, I''ll take care of the rest from now on.] Estelle knew the girl''s next destination. Heine''s n made sure to construct a usible conversation for Sierra to believe in. -Because it was Minerva, the girl would trust her words. ording to Heine, that was the case. Rushing to the mentioned ce, Estelle told Minerva to separate from Sierra. The few key points Estelle had inserted into Minerva''s script would definitely force the girl toe to ''the ce''. The next phase jumped straight into the climax. Estelle had not expected that the rat would fall into the trap so easily, but there they were, secured tightly thanks to the falsified bait. Estelle and a few other guards, including Minerva stood in front of her father''s study as they waited for the ''trap'' to unfold. "Ahh!" A pained scream came from inside. In that same moment, Estelle gestured for the guards to break in and capture the trapped rat. "I wonder how long you are going to y this game for," Estelle stepped inside the room, pping while smiling like an angel. "Sierra?" The five - year - old child should''ve looked like a godsent gift, but to the trapped rat, she looked no different with a devil. "..Big sister," Sierra bit her lips as she red, subtle hatred and despisecing her brown irises. Her hands were bound by a magic string, the byproduct of Estelle''s magic. Scattered on the ground was a box, a fake box, to be precise. It had electricity coursing through the entire medium, the color blue sparking with vigor. It was also the activator for the magic string that was currently binding Sierra''s hands. The box, when opened by someone other than Estelle, would create a loop for Estelle to administer her magic to the culprit. In this case, Sierra was the proprietor. Of course, Sierra was not alone. Right beside her was Derrick, who had worry written all over his face. He didn''t bother with formalities such as greeting his master, he did not feel guilty, he only felt worried about Sierra, who was now crying in pain. Sierra did not intend to fall without struggling. However, the more she tried to get away from the binding string, the more it dug into her skin. Blood even started spurting out, although only in slight amounts. "It''s better if you stop. It''s futile," Estelle coldly gazed upon the little girl. She steeled her heart and told herself that every crime must be judged fairly. "W-What are you talking about? Hey, please release me, sister.. It hurts really bad... Please," Sierra choked on her own words, tears streaming down her face as she tried to convince Estelle to stop her actions. "Derrick Sullivan and Sierra Sullivan. Under the crime of espionage and treachery, the two of you shall never step another foot inside this Dukedom''snds," Estelle stated her decree. Her decision and intake on this matter was no longer debatable. The girl''s cries hurt her, but she couldn''t waver. "However... I do desire to hear your thoughts, your motives for doing this. Care to tell me?" Estelle tried to hear it. "I don''t understand! I''m also a Witch! I''m destined to be a great figure like sister Minerva! This useless brother of mine does nothing but drag me down! What''s with his ''witches are bad'' statements?! I''m also a Witch, doesn''t he have a brain?! He''s insulting his own little sister!" After realizing that there was no other way out, she started to confess. Sierra bellowed out as her whole body struggled to break free, but the guards did not care and restrained her even harder to the point of eliciting another cry of pain from the child. Her hands further bled. The wounds became more serious. Crimes, especially at such a high degree were not excusable in any way, even if the wrongdoer was a young child. If the deed was done with clear intentions, nothing could be justified. The entire Dukedom was set to doom if Estelle did not make prior connections to a hegemon like Heine, who in turn was deeply acquainted with Gazelle, another Ruler. "Sierra.." Derrick was clearly stunned. He had nned to beg Estelle to forgive the two of them, or at least spare their lives. As the medium, he had known of his little sister''s other side, but he didn''t think that it was this bad. Derrick had found out about Sierra''s antics months prior to this. It was an ident, but Sierra broke down because of it and threatened Derrick with her life if he wouldn''tply to her words. In face of such a heartbreaking threat, what could he do? Ever since Estelle warned him to stay in theirnes, no, even before that, he was already nning to convince Sierra to stop. Spying on the Dukedom''s matters, it was easy to lose your life and be buried six feet underneath the ground. Now that they were caught, he wished that he could turn back time and forcibly stop Sierra. After digesting the reason, Estelle''s mood worsened. It was the type that she disliked. A foolish and brainless act. "...In consideration of the years you have served me, I will not threaten your life, but by no means are you going to be let go without any punishment," Estelle crossed her arms as she cast a binding spell on the two of them. She instructed for the guards to bring them to the dungeon. Her status as the two figures'' disciple had been revealed on the King''s audience, so Estelle no longer hesitated in performing such simple magic. Estelle visibly saw the Derrick heave a sigh of relief. At the very least, their lives were safe. He thanked her in his heart. But then, Sierra went on another outburst. "Big sister Minerva doesn''t even like you, no one likes you! They''re just pretending to y along! In the future, you''ll definitely meet your doom!" Sierra spat out the words in anger. "SIERRA!" Derrick screamed. She kept trying her luck. What if their lives would no longer be spared? A person''s patience was limited. "No one likes me..?" Estelle disyed a frowning face, as if she was deeply shaken by the revtion. "Hah! Of course! Big sister Minerva just told me that she loathes you from the very start!" Sierra squinted her eyes, ready to marvel at Estelle''s despair. Minerva prepared herself to reveal the truth, but she was stopped by the same person who ordered her to ''poison'' Sierra''s mind. [Don''t.] Sensing that Estelle had other unresolved motives, Minerva held herself in ce and pretended like she was on a neutral side, not acknowledging the statement, but also not showing any signs of rebuttal. The next moment, Estelle''s expression was reced with a degrading one as she stepped forward until she reached the same girl that was being restrained. Sierra flinched, her heart pounding like never before. Estelle raised her hand to nudge Sierra''s forehead, knocking her small head backwards. "Funny. I like myself, am I not a person? Besides, it''s not like my world will end if no one liked me. How childish," Estelle chuckled. "The fact that you were willing to be manipted by the one behind this all further proves your childlike qualities. Don''t you realize what danger you were put in? Not to mention, you dragged Derrick into this. I am a Duke''s daughter, if it wasn''t for the devotion Derrick had for us, you wouldn''t even be here right now," "Your crime is heavy," "You would''ve been taken away forcibly, separated from each other, and tortured forever. Whereas the one who ordered you to spy on us would be free," Of course, this was a lie. Estelle would''ve still chased the one who led the monsters down, no matter what. "What, do you desire approval? Minerva''s approval? You want to be a strong figure just like her? Even so, you''re willing tomit underhanded tactics and work for pitiful people?" The scene looked out of ce. The silver - haired child with her hand now gently ced against the bottom of the other girl''s chin was sure to be thought of as a y if the picture was seen by a person from the modern times. Estelle''s expression made stomachs churn in difort. She had developed a phobia, an extreme feeling of reproach towards ones who betrayed their close ones, made use of them, and thought them as mere tools. It wasn''t only disgust. She loathed people of Sierra''s type. Those who were willing to act like a small animal just to incite feelings. Even as Reina, she still had the conscience to think of others who worked for her as someone with the same standing as her and not below. After all, herpany was led by her, but was not built up from the ground by her alone. She made arge contribution, but everything would not have been possible with a one - man - effort. That''s why, seeing Sierra who discriminated and showed dislike to Derrick, who had pure adoration towards this half - sister of his irked Estelle to the max. Derrick had been with her for many years, just like how Sierra was there as an apprentice maid. Having seen Derrick''s devotion and efforts to obtain happiness for the small family, how could she not get angry at Sierra? Sierra held pride on her bloodline. As a half - Witch, she thought that she should be getting special treatment, that she should thrive to the pinnacle like how Minerva did. Even so, she missed two important points. First, Minerva''s father, who she inherited the bloodline from was not a simple Witch, he wasn''t someone you could meet whenever you could. He was someone who had massive powers, and even had the capability to defile Yulia''s mother, a High Elf. Although his powers wouldn''t directly affect his offspring, it increased the chance of themnding on the high side of the power potential roulette, in which the sisters did seed on getting special powers. Second, Minerva did not reach where she was standing right now purely because of her high potential, but also because of how she managed to control her emotions, how she managed toy low and cultivate her power until she gained enough strength to take down her father once and for all. Minerva was someone who did not see herself as a strong person just because she had the Witch bloodline. In fact, she had a hard time mixing in with the crowd because her mother was someone from a small vige. The rumors of her being a cursed child who killed her mother naturally spread like a wildfire. Enduring that for years made her an expert at controlling her emotions, sealing her hatred away, and increased her judgmental vision. "I am sorry, but..." Chapter 28: Allegiance (3) Chapter 28: Allegiance (3) "I am sorry to say this, but if you''re talking about the ''tea time'' we held this afternoon... that was orchestrated, all of it was done on purpose. Sorry to burst your bubble, but those were empty words," Minerva shrugged, unwilling to see the other''s beads of tears rolling down her rosy cheeks. Even though her true face was revealed, it was still quite painful for her, who has been acquainted with the child for years to have to ept the cold truth. A sense of kinship even sprouted inside her. They were both Witches. However, this was a serious matter that couldn''t be overlooked. What Sierra did, even though the action was done through Derrick, had endangered the entire Dukedom''s wellbeing. She would choose Estelle''s side on this matter. She couldn''t protect Sierra for what she had done, because that would be selfish. "B-but why? You are a Witch, right? You''re a Witch like me, you shouldn''t choose that pure - blooded human''s side! You... Right, think about the rough times you''ve gone through, think about what humans have done to our kind! Think about those who made use of you, aren''t you angry at them?! You''re powerful, why don''t you decimate them all?!" Sierra roared. It was a surprise that a child would spit out those poisonous world, the fact that her words contained maniptive elements did not help in any sort of way. She purposefully took advantage of Minerva''s past to try and incite her emotions. It was a pity that the target was Minerva, who couldn''t care less about those puny matters. However, a question bugged Estelle. Derrick was overprotective of Sierra. He had always tried his hardest to make her forget about her Witch status, make her feel like she was fully human just like the rest of them are. She wasn''t hated, wasn''t ostracized, wasn''t used for her power like Minerva. If that was the case, why would she grow to hate humans, hate her brother, and obsess over the Witches? [Minerva, why is Sierra leaning towards the Witches if Derrick''s words were all she heard about them?] ''...That, I can''t say for sure. I''d suggest you to detain them for now. The problem solving can take ce in another time.'' [En.] "Why aren''t you replying to me?! Right, you must''ve been muddled! Big Sister Minerva, wake up... Please, wake up.." Sierra''s tears were heart - wrenching, but it couldn''t pay for the losses that were made. The child''s mind could not help but rey the elder Witch''s words. (A/N: Each line separates the past conversations with the current story. You should be able to determine which is which just by reading..?) ____________________________ "..not Estelle. I never liked her... ever since the very beginning. Heine, too. We have never liked her, but we were.. scared. Estelle is far more powerful than what you can imagine. Who knows, she could be spying on us this very moment and no one except her would notice," Minerva twirled her slender fingers around the porcin cup, her eyes fixed on the pool of caramel - colored tea. "Apparently, the Duke''s seal has been missing, but it was retrieved back a while ago," "No one is under suspicion for now," ____________________________ The littlements Minerva nted under Estelle''s guidance certainly led the not - so - nave child into the trap. "..Right. You never said that you hated her.. Everything you said was the truth. That''s why.. my magic didn''t detect anything.." Sierra widened her eyes in realization. Minerva did not respond, but her expression turned grave as she looked away from the child, remembering how she had hoped for what Estelle told her to be false. ____________________________ "I want you to say anything about me. Anything. Even the fact that you don''t like me," Estelle handed Minerva the document she had gathered, which included evidence and clues that led up to the real culprit. Perhaps it was thanks to her newfound emotions, but Estelle was able to roughly guess her surroundings'' perceived emotions, including that of Minerva and Heine. Minerva was deeply shocked when she heard those words slipping out of Estelle''s mind, though. Indeed, what Minerva and Heine held towards Estelle was not feelings of love, nor was it fondness. More than that, they had respect and admiration for her abilities. The words ''never liked'' could mean so many things. Minerva ''never liked'' Estelle as she was still in fear over how the child was the most dangerous being she had ever encountered, but at the same time, she held no feelings of hostility. As a sane person who had lived through hundreds of years, she perfectly knew that going against Estelle could cost her her life, and by no means is she going to attempt that. The same goes for Heine, who had to shoulder more responsibility inparison to Minerva. She also knew how Estelle was sensible and that the chances of her abusing the immeasurable powers she possessed were low, so she quickly regained herposure and stayed unfazed. "Heine told me that Sierra may possess the Truth Magic. That''s why, you need to be honest with your words. We can seal her power, but she''ll get wary if she receives no response from said magic. I want you to y along every time she scans your words," "Tell her that my family''s seal is located behind a shelf in my father''s study. It''s an essential part in whatever they are nning to do. She stole it once and nobody caught her, her guts must be through the roof," Estelle continued, earning a simple nod from the crimson - haired woman. ____________________________ "There you go. I have never lied to you, my dear. Your brain does a lot of stuff, and filling up false information with subjective statements is one of them," Minerva stepped forward to approach the child, who was now flinching at the elder. Even though her actions did not resemble a child, she still thought of Minerva as her pseudo - mother figure. "Sorry, but I am going to detain the two of you," With a snap of her finger, the two individuals'' ankles were tied down with a magic string, in which there was a ball made out of magic that lied on the ends. This was to prevent another fit of struggle. No matter what they did, they were not able to budge their ankles. They wouldn''t be able to stand, which rendered them from moving. The other bindings were removed to give them relief. If Sierra hurt herself any further, Derrick would also get heated and try struggling. The injuries after that had to be prevented. Minerva signaled for Estelle to retract the guards. Knowing the n, the silver - haired child responded with performing exactly what the elder told her. Once the guards were gone, they looked at each other, with Derrick being the only one refusing to look at the other three. Whether it was out of shame or lingering hatred, they didn''t know. "The Monster attack," Estelle whispered. "Does it have anything to do with the human race?" Estelle questioned. Right now, Estelle was almostpletely sure that Sierra knew something not much people know and was much more knowledgeable in the fields of monsters if she was able lead the horde here. "...Why should I tell you?" By the looks of it, Sierra was indeed, rted to the incident. "Because if you don''t speak up, I don''t mind calling Heine over... I''m pretty sure you know about what the higher Truth Magic can do," The Truth Magic had a subsidiary branch, but it was rtively unknown to the mass. Nicknamed the Soul Magic, it involved the use of higher Truth Magic to infiltrate the target''s soul and extract valuable information. The drawback was that, the target''s mental stability was risked. Because it would be part of a forced attack, the chances of the magic core being destroyed was high. Of course, if the user was weaker than the target, it would fail. However, Sierra was nowhere near as strong as Heine. Sierra flinched upon the mention, and lowered her head. Because her hands were being restrained by the guards, she could only look up to the one she used to call ''Big Sister'' hatefully. "..Duke Alfonso," Sierra muttered. "Say what?" Estelle raised a brow at the foreign name. No, it wasn''t exactly foreign, as she did study about the nobility in her mandatory lessons, but she did not recall about any interaction her father and the Duke had. "Duke Alfonso is the person you''re looking for. I don''t know much about him, but he was the one who approached me. I knew about the iing monster attack, but that was it," "Through whom did you meet him?" Estelle asked, ncing at Minerva every now and then. "..No one. I picked up a letter. I was walking through the marketce when I noticed a letter imbued with magic. It stood out, and I was drawn to it. At first, it was only out of curiosity, but the contents were actually directed at me, which made me believe that they had nned this for a long time. Ultimately, our ideas were the same and we would end up at the same goal, so I cooperated with them. Satisfied?" The brief summary was very concise, and contained nothing but the important informations. "The seal. I suppose that he told you that the seal could be duplicated, and that no one would find anything amiss, huh?" The ''bait'' that lured Sierra into the study was the Dukedom''s official seal. There were infinite possibilities that could be achieved by abusing the seal, and all of it would be detrimental to the Dukedom. It wasn''t a surprise that the seal would be the target of many, but the fact that they had managed to steal the seal the first time was quite the shocker. It led her to believe that there were many others who helped them. "I''m not that stupid. I know that the real one is made out of restricted material. If the material wasmon, hell, I would make one myself. I epted his offer knowing that it " Sierra turned her head to the side as she muttered. "But you''re pretty stupid to follow through with their sketchy ns," Estellemented, which led to a re from Sierra. "Right. You''re free to go now, I''m satisfied with this piece of information," Estelle called in for the guards to enter once more. "Guards, ce them under strict supervision. They. Are. Not. Escaping. Got it?" Estelle red down at them, pressing down on the sybles, and making sure that their heart does not sway in face of former camaraderie. "Wait," Just as she was about to leave the vicinity, Derrick called out to her. Her eyes fell onto Derrick, who was staring back at her with great anticipation. After a longsting staring contest, Estelle let out a defeated sigh as she closed her eyes shut and scrunched her face. "...Together. Put this pair of siblings in one cell, separated from the rest," With that, she turned her head away. She did not n to let her heart be influenced more than this. Derrick finally beamed with happiness, even though he was being dragged away that very moment. The guards, who were once teammates with the foolish older brother could only sigh and thank their young miss for fulfilling Derrick''s underlying wish. All of them knew that Derrick was not a bad person. The young miss, too, would probably only detain them until she was able to solve the problem with her mentors. Chapter 29: Allegiance (4) Chapter 29: Allegiance (4) "Duke Alfonso?" Estelle recalled the name Sierra mentioned and fell into deep thought as she contemted the reason why he would oppose her father like that. "Sierra''s going to be dangerous for us in the future. Although eradicating her would make us lose Derrick as well.. Won''t it be better if we disposed of her now?" Minerva''s words were not wrong, the perfect example was the recent incident. If Heine was not observant, would she have been fooled for longer? Not to mention, she was prepared to betray whichever side she was in order to avoid damages to herself, like how she sold out Duke Alfonso because of a threat that would cost her her life. "...No, both of them are potential allies. It''s just that they need to be tamed.. Do you believe that I can''t do it?" Estelle spoke in a challenging tone. Minervaughed. The way she spoke seemed to imply that the siblings were akin to exotic pets that could be tamed. However, she wasn''t exactly wrong either. The siblings acted highly on their emotions. It was part of their characteristic. The excessive immaturity affected their decisions. Perhaps Sierra would mature, but Derrick was already an adult, yet still had his bad decision making side. "Oh, how can that be? Our trust is wholly ced on the almighty Saint Estelle," Minerva sneered, rolling her eyes to the side. "Bet. I''ll force you to believe it, there is nothing I can''t do when I try hard enough," Estelle burnt the tips of Minerva''s hair with a finger flick, which earned her a re of malice from the elder as she restored the damage. "Crafty, ''eh?" Estelle tilted her head as her lips arched into a wide grin. "Fix your attitude, little girl," Minerva scowled, brushing her hair repeatedly. "Sure, the only thing you win against me is your age, olddy," She retorted. "You''re starting to sound like Heine," Minerva tidied up her hair, going as far as to cast magic to enhance its features. Soon, the strands went back to its previous lustrous condition. "Oh, that''s not good! I don''t want to be as busy as him!" Estelle faked a distressed tone, covering up her mouth as part of her act. The twoughed and further mocked the absent former Spirit King for the perils he had to face. Part of it was sympathy, as the King was being pitted against by his own race who he had protected for years without end. Once the small talks ended, they finally got to the main point. "Okay, so, let''s start from... factions, shall we?" Estelle created a futuristic window that disyed what she currently knew of Alynthi''s aristocratic groups. "The Royal faction, 5 Dukes, 8 Marquises, 11 Earls, and 21 Barons. The Liberal faction, 2 Dukes, 11 Marquises, 7 Earls, and only a single baron. The Neutral faction, 3 Dukes, 6 Marquises, 4 Earls, and not even one baron." Estelle read out the information, analyzing the possibilities inside her mind. Just from the statistics, it can be seen that lower ranked aristocrats tended to mingle with the main power, which were the Royals. Joining another faction could risk their pedigree or even rank being taken away, so their action could be justified to a certain point. To say that every noble in the Royal faction is a viin would be too much of a stretch. Just like how even the Neutral faction had evil - minded individuals, the Royal faction also contained powers that did not want to act ording to the higher ups, but stood with the faction''s ideology and goals. There were also secluded nobles that only joined factions for fun, not giving anymitment whatsoever. Alynthi''s political matters weren''t tidy in the slightest. "Duke Alfonso is in the Liberal faction. My father is in the Neutral. If Duke Alfonso was in the Royal faction, it''ll make perfect sense since they have been trying to suppress father for a long time, but why would a Liberal plot against us?" From the previous summons, she observed the King''s expressions. Judging from there, she guessed that the culprit was part of the Royals faction, since the King showed great changes when they were on the verge of losing the case. [Was it truly just regret from failing to see a potential threat fall..?] Estelle doubted it. If the culprit was from the Liberals, the King would be on a win - win situation where he''d rejoice no matter what. "I don''t keep up with the humans'' disputes, so I won''t be able to answer that question. However, I have a piece of meat for you guys," A familiar voice invaded the discussion, and the owner of that said voice revealed themselves right before them. "Heine?!" The fae''s visits had decreased ever since the Spirit Kingdom''s turbulence arose. For him to make a visit, it meant that he brought something important. "Un. About the monsters, the only thing confirmed is that it is indeed, not a natural asion," "Well- obviously. But.. if the monsters are appearing all over the world, can you really say that it''s the work of the Humans? How brave do they have to be?" Estelle mused. "That''s true, but it''s likely that your kin attained a way to control them. Although the perpetrator hasn''t been confirmed, going by how they specifically aimed for Duke reste, we might as well search ourselves first," "By that, you mean.." "Someone.. or something. Whatever it is, there''s gotta be something they''re aiming for in this Dukedom. If not, they wouldn''tunch such arge scale attack publicly. They''re set to ruin you guys first, even though there''s other enemies," Heine proposed. "How do you look for it?" If Estelle couldn''t find it, who could? She didn''t sense anything amiss in the manor. "Dunno, maybe ask somebody?" "Who to ask, though...?" Estelle thought about it, but judging by how the secret managed to stay covered for years, especially when she has been living here all the time is arguably quite impossible. Not to be haughty, but Estelle was confident in her powers. Heine and Minerva also made frequent visits to her home, but nobody noticed. Other than her, Heine, and Minerva, who would be there? Heine did not answer. Instead, he turned to Minerva, who blinked in confusion upon being stared at. "Don''t tell me..." Minerva bit her lips in hesitance. Just by relying on her instincts, she knew the person in question. Instinctively, she backed away. Estelle, too, realized who Heine meant the moment Minerva reacted that way. [Right.. There was that one..] Minerva received the shock of her life right after. Without flinching, Heine stunned her temporarily and dragged her over to amunicator, in which the message''s receiver was set to Yulia Eire, the redhead''s elder sister. Yulia Eire, the lunatic researcher. If it was that woman, she might have a way to unravel any undiscovered seals. Neither of the three was adept in the arts of seals and barriers. Not to mention breaking the seal, even finding one would be near impossible. "E-elder sister! Come.. fast- ugh," Minerva red at Heine for his reckless and brute ways. He knew that Minerva''s regeneration powers werecking. Since she couldn''t shield herself in time, she had to take the damage and wasn''t able to relieve it in mere seconds. Heine was one step ahead, he used an audiomunicator instead of a visual one. Even if Yulia was a maniac for her research, she wouldn''t want her one and only sister to be ced in danger, after everything they''ve gone through together. If only Yulia saw the real scenario, she wouldn''t have arrived in minutes. s, due to Heine''s clever ns, the blonde woman showed up. Her hands held a crushed diamond - shaped stone, which they recognized as a teleport stone. It was a stone meant to designate themselves to a certain target. In this case, the target was Minerva. It was valuable because of how hard it was to make. In the face of her little sister, Yulia had destroyed it without a thought. Whatever danger it might''ve been, to capture Minerva meant that they had absurd power. If Yulia thought about it closer, maybe she might''ve been able to sense something weird and doubted it a little. However, the action was done swiftly, giving Yulia no chance to digest what happened. With a side wink from Heine, Estelle was able to tell that he also ced a blockage in their location. They were currently in the Duke''s mansion, Yulia would bex and think that it was only a simple matter. It must be said that Heine knew his surroundings too well, far too well. Although Yulia''s seal - breaking abilities were higher than Heine, time was not kind to anybody and directly crushing a teleport stone that instantly brought them to whoever the stone was meant for was better than wasting said time. In hectic times, every second mattered. Little did she know, she had just wasted what counted as a valuable item, just a level below national treasures, in order to arrive at the Dukedom''s training grounds that she was familiar with. Minerva had also been healed by Estelle, so no one looked out of ce. The fiery woman cursed Heine for being that cruel. "It had to be done. You suck at acting, so you would''ve ruined everything," Yulia sighed and massaged the space between her eyebrows as she realized that she was just tricked. Tilting her head, she gave in into her fate. After all, she was not in a rush since she had just finished hertest research. "Minerva, you owe me a service for this. A special one," Yulia''s eyes darted over to an empty chair and sat down. "And? Exin yourselves, I might go on a rage if your reason isn''t good enough," "Simple. Help us search for an item," "...Tell me more. I''ll decide after I hear it," Yulia remembered the work she left behind. She red at the man, warning him that she''d rage if it wasn''t as important as they made it out to be. After the exnation was done, Yulia banged her fists on the table as she trembled in anger. "Bastard, you know that I don''t participate in politics!" As a Witch with both human and elven blood running through her, it could be said that Yulia was a misfit. The humans alienated her for being a Witch, while the elves despised her for the human blood she had. Instead of mingling with them like Minerva, Yulia chose topletely cut off contact with both races. "I''m not telling you to involve yourself in this. You can do the deeds behind the stage.. You won''t be an actor," Heine negotiated. "Yeah, then? This girl, why should I use my powers for her? Say, she doesn''t like me, and I share the same sentiment," Yulia still hasn''t forgotten the incident that happened back then. Although she wasn''t sure about the cause, she was certain that it was connected to this young child in front of her in one way or another. Her gut feeling had jumped out and told her to avoid associating with her, and she was more than ready to follow the message. Still, her researcher origins made her unable to distance herself from this rare subject. [Reincarnated One]. That was the title Yulia saw when she exerted her efforts to break through Estelle''s status seals. The seals that covered her weren''t that many in numbers, but each and every one of them was near impossible to crack. It was foreign, as if the encryption came from a different ne altogether. However, she noticed that the seal that covered the ''Reincarnated'' title was vastly different from the rest. It was much easier and was a simplified version of the others. Although it also caused her some problems to solve, it was doable with her skills. Perhaps it was just her overcautious side jumping out, but it was as if someone, or something desired for her to unravel the title. As if it was purposefully made to be uncovered by her, that was how much the seal stood out. The fact that it contained traces of her recent research subject, and happens to perfectly match with it... That certainly did not strike her in the right way, nor did it increase her goodwill towards the suspicious child. Estelle''s origins were being scrutinized by the blonde Witch, and because she was also quite petty, she wasn''t willing to offer her help. Not after she was subjected to a painful experience she had never seen anything alike before. Chapter 30: Allegiance (5) Chapter 30: Allegiance (5) "..No. Just no," Yulia turned around and was prepared to leave the space. "Halt," Heine stopped the woman in her tracks. With an unwilling expression, she faced the Fae King in displeasure. "What now?!" She was a little irritated, understandably so. She had been tricked out of her focus and offered a job she didn''t exactly want. "Consider doing this.. not for Estelle, but for your own sake. They have been cultivating monsters. We haven''t confirmed whether it is artificial or not, but I reckon the variety of specimens would interest you in some type of way," Heine tried to persuade her. "..You say it like I''m not an actual Witch, and I could just steal a couple for myself," "That''s true, but don''t you want to solve the mystery? Find the production method? Who gave them the knowledge to do so?" Heine knew that the conversation was heading in his preferred direction. With a lovely smirk, his voice''s tone grew more convincing, eliciting a disgusted re from the blonde Witch. Indeed, she was quite interested on how they managed to do it. So far, no one got interested in managing the ''Strays''. They originally had a low number too, so where did the new beings pop up from? "Think about it, Yulia. They are running arge - scale operation, one that you won''t be able to solve by yourself. However, by cooperating with us, not only are your duties lessened in the case that.. they go rampant and the Royals ask for help, but you''ll also be able to torture the person over there all you want," Heine did not shy down from telling the truth, he already sensed instability from the monsters. It won''t be long before the control weakens. "Ha! There is no telling that.. I''m not the person you''re telling me torture. What if.. what if I was the creator after all?" "..Knowing you, you won''t be able to resist showing off such a discovery. It wouldn''t be a surprise attack by then, you would purposely send them a notice containing the news of your visit... Because you want to brag about your results," Minerva inserted herself into the conversation, showing her perfect knowledge of her sister''s behavior. Yulia was suitable to being called a madman. In this case, she wouldn''t stay secretive and would disy it firsthand. Perhaps she''d even open a gallery for people to look at her results. "Correct!" Yulia pped. "I''ll take you up on this offer. Since you''re requesting the service of this great me, I better be the one leading the infiltration," "No one is infiltrating anything, though?" Heine smiled, contradicting her point. "Eh?" Yulia tilted her head in confusion. "You''re telling me that you need me to find.. something you don''t even have a clue about? Are you really being this ridiculous?" Yulia brought her pale hand to her forehead as a support. "Yes, but the location counts as a clue, no? We know that there is a high chance that it is located inside this mansion. We only sought your help to break down this mansion''s barriers and look for an abnormality," Estelle chimed in. "There is a high chance.. So that means it could potentially not be here at all," Yulia frowned in displeasure. "What if it turns out that there''s nothing? Will my work be wasted? It''s tiring on my part," "The reward still stands. For the specimens, we promise you that we''ll obtain it somehow. In high quality, too," Heine guaranteed. It was a dangerous guarantee, since they weren''t sure about the perpetrator, but at least they knew that Duke Alfonso was connected in one way or another. As long as they investigated it, the truth woulde out one day. "..I don''t like formalities. Stop it," Yulia waved her hands as if dismissing Heine and Estelle''s way of speech. They were way too rigid for her. "That makes it easier, though. Don''t forget your promise. After this all ends, bring the items to me.. including you, Minerva," Sighing, she conceded defeat. Yulia''s sight then fell onto the crimson - hairedy who had a sudden jolt. "Come, let''s go," Yulia stood up and tied up her long hair into a ponytail. "Lead me to this mansion''s powerhouse," An aristocratd is obligated to dedicate an entire space as the barrier''s core. Not only does it make the strength more stable, it also prevents the barriers from being disrupted. In order topletely bring down a barrier, one must unseal said protectiveyer or destroy the core. It must be said that every core was under heavy protection. Of course, the higher the authority, the stronger the barrier needed to be. If you do not desire to risk your life, the arts of seals is the only path you can take. Aside from Yulia''s Arcana Magic, there is other forms of sealing magic. It might not be as strong, but it was enough for petty thieves to steal a couple of things from the lower ranked nobles. Of course, the barrier erected for the reste Dukedom would not be far off from the Royal Pce, leaving no leniency for a crime to bemitted. "Heed my words. Spread high and far in between," Yulia chanted, and the spectators were immediately hit with a cold mist. "Lend me your power, search thisnd and bring me the results I desire," A magic circle formed below her feet and made a couple of rings around her. They simultaneously glowed and signaled the start of the search. Estelle raised her brow in confusion. Yulia''s chants was different than what she knew. It was like she became a vassal for a foreign power. She felt it too, the unknown vibrations that entered Yulia''s body, slowly giving her power. Like the magic wasn''t hers, but this foreign being''s gift. Heine took one look at Estelle and knew that she was still foreign to Yulia''s disy. After all, due to theck of people that practiced the method, close to no concrete writings were left behind. "She''s a Spirit Borrower," Heine said. "Borrower?" "To put it simply, she contacts an otherworldly spirit to channel their strength through her. The Spirits that lend their powers have no rtions to my people. In fact, there are a few Spirit Borrowers in my country, too. It''s just that Yulia''s power is far greater," Heine exined. Not everybody could be Spirit Borrowers, the Spirits have to acknowledge your presence first before they''d lend you their powers. To make it harder, no one was able to see the otherworldly spirits, because they were described to be in a different space and time altogether. Only through the Spirit Borrower could a channel be formed between the two worlds, letting their powers trickle into this world. "Otherworldly.. huh," Estelle was reminded of her previous world. It was far more advanced than this one, but at the same time, there were no traces of magic. "Why have I never heard of it?" Estelle questioned. She made sure to study magic without leaving any knowledge behind. The extent of the magical spells she knew wouldn''t be overtaken by anyone. She was confident. "Because, the users outside of the Spirit Kingdom can be counted in one hand, including Yulia. The arts of Spirit Borrowing is really hard to reach. Even in my Kingdom, only a select few individuals could perform it. That''s why Yulia is so special. She is loved by otherworldly Spirits, as seen as how they are willing to lend her power. You wouldn''t be able to find another one like her," Heine exined. "In terms of Spirits, she excels more than anyone, more than Spirits itself. It''s really a strange case. A Witch''s power is always unpredictable," He continued, gazing at the focused woman. "Then, since her power stems from this borrowed power, would there be any chance for me to perform her Arcana Magic if I''m not loved by the otherworldly Spirits?" Estelle asked. "Who knows," Heine chuckled. "You''re much weirder than Yulia is, maybe you could do it someday," "Hmmm," Humming, Estelle took in the new information. Perhaps she should really investigate this matter. The term ''otherworldly'' caught her interest. Her vision was once again set on the blonde woman who was now surrounded by a bright magic circle, her hair fluttering wildly even though there was no wind. "Found it... Wait, what?" Yulia was about to break her focus before she retreated and licked her lips as she increased the magic output to confirm what she just saw. Realizing that Yulia was acting strange, the spectating trio looked at each other and decided to seep their magic to sustain the changes. Yulia''s power was increasing with every passing second and they were not aiming for the power core to explode anytime soon. Minutes passed and the energy waves started to get more violent. In order to ensure that no damages were made, Heine knew that they had to do this from a different approach. "Estelle, just redirect her leaking mana. If needed, absorb it. She''s wasting so much mana, damn it!" Heine pulled out his wand as he couldn''t contain the outflow with bare hands. Minerva also did the same, and nodded at Estelle. The work originally done by three people was now shared between the two, so they had to put more effort. Estelle removed her parts and left it for the other two to manage. She began to supply her own energy to overpower Yulia''s mana and make it dissipate. The quartet did their own thing, maintaining their focus and not spewing a single word. Yulia was already drenched in light sweat for as long as they could remember. All of them had an understanding that the bnce was not to be broken and they had to bide for the right time. The time spent was nearing an hour. Estelle felt the leaking mana lessen and lessen before it was all perfectly contained back in Yulia''s mana pool. Just when Estelle wanted to sign the other two to stop, Yulia suddenly dropped down to the ground and showed no signs of intact consciousness. "Big sister!" Minerva was the first one to rush towards the copsed woman, which was then followed by both Heine and Estelle after repairing some minor damages. "She wasted too much mana. It''s natural that she''d copse, her mana is not infinite.. like a certain someone," Heine took the chance to remind Estelle about her ridiculous cheat. As a full - fledged magician, Heine was quite envious of the girl''s perks, but did not sumb under the difference and whine. "...Should I give it back to her?" "What?" "The mana," "No, no, no. You can''t do that, it''ll cause a bacsh," Minerva hurriedly waved to tear down her idea. "I mean, I''ve created the exact energy type using my magic, it''s not exactly my mana. It should be fine.. I don''t if it''ll work well or not, though," Estelle justified her im. "...Wait, I actually want to try. Can you replicate mine?" Heine was curious not just for fun''s sake, but also for an important test. Minerva looked at Heine like he was insane. The daredevil waspletely disregarding the chance of something deadly happening. If it was her, she''d stay as far away as she could. "Sure," Estelle nodded. Heine leaked his mana into the surroundings, which was then absorbed by Estelle. The rest of it was contained by Minerva, who was full on ring at their leisure when she had to work for nothing. "..Done," Estelle breathed out after a couple minutes. She wasn''t used to the process yet, but she had spent the long minutes protecting Yulia with full productivity. The method was devised right then and there, as the idea sparked within her not long after she realized that all mana were simr, yet so different. "Just to remind you once again, I''ve never tested this before. Don''t me me if something bad happens," Estelle brought up her hand, gesturing for Heine to do the same. "Don''t worry, I''m not that weak. Just pour a little, we''ll see how it goes," Heine grasped the smaller hand in his own before feeling a certain type of energy flow to his bloodstreams and into his mana core. At first, it was a foreign feeling, but it soon developed into a pleasant and soothing experience. Estelle''s provided mana was cooling, it was akin to his own but much more purer. "Purer mana.. I should''ve expected it from the one with a 99% core purity," Heine felt his mana deposit rise until it was filled up to the brim. In the process of protecting the mansion''s powerhouse, they had wasted a ton of mana, but the exhaustion disappeared. Completely. Heine hurriedly checked his status before widening his eyes in shock. He turned to look at Estelle with dark and solemn eyes, wondering as to how Estelle''s existence was allowed. Chapter 31: Allegiance (6) Chapter 31: Allegiance (6) "You... just increased my core purity," Heine''s eyes were clouded. Leaving Estelle''s ridiculous stats behind, her actions werepletely unrestricted by the rules andws he knew. His world view was always getting destroyed by the young girl. He had always tried to ept the outrageous facts and take it with a grain of salt, but he was slowly getting more confused. Even if Estelle was alone, she would still be able to perform what others neededrge numbers to do. Even if Estelle was alone, she would still be able to do the research, write her own materials and articles, and make breakthroughs for the current state of magic. Heine had witnessed her prowess himself. The five - year - old already had a sharpened logical mind and would not lose out to the best schrs. Even if Estelle was alone.. maybe she would even be able to do the Spirit Borrowing technique they talked about just now. Heine''s thoughts were straying farther and farther. "Heine?" Estelle put up her hand and made a fly swatting gesture in front of the unsuspecting Heine. Heine broke out of his mind space, but was still mentally burdened. Increasing one''s core purity. Even if it was just for a few moments, it would bring massive, tremendous benefits for the user. Firstly, it would refine their magic output and increase their control. Not only would magic be more practical, its firepower would also be raised. In addition, there was still so much to explore, so much to venture into. No one was ever recorded to have increased their core purity. No one. Estelle wouldn''t know this, but Heine knew just how frustrating it was to suddenly break through a bottleneck that has been guing the users, especially if it was done with minimal effort and no thoughts. Heine knew how much people of his level prized their aplishments, because it was just that hard to achieve something new when they reach a certain level. "It''s nothing. You can.. do the same thing to her, but I think you need her permission first," Heine resigned to the truth and told his honest opinions. It was a strange feeling. Although the mana was identical to his, it still felt foreign. Like his body wasn''t willing to ept it fully. Nheless, the two entities still mixed with each other and created a unity. Seeing Heine brush it off just like that, Minerva wasn''t willing to let the matter go. If her hearing was correct, then what Estelle did was another impossible miracle. "What- Heine,e here for a sec," Minerva dragged the nked out Spirit King outside the room, leaving Estelle with the unconscious Yulia stillying down on the floor. Estelle looked at the two leaving figures in confusion, but focused on Yulia''s body. "Heine, you, you know what she did. You know what it entails," Minerva confronted the man. "Yeah, but what are we supposed to do? None of us is in the wrong. It wasn''t her fault that she was born like that, born to destroy allmon sense. What can we do?" Heine retorted back. He thought that he was fully strapped in and prepared to face all of Estelle''s antics when he decided to be her ''guide'', but Estelle has proven time and time again that she was capable of doing everything alone. "Ahh, it''s up to her, honestly. The best thing we could do is nurture and teach her about this world''s boundaries, and suggest that it''d be better not to show it. But in the end, it''s really.. her choice. If she chose to destroy, there''s nothing we could do," Heine cynicallyughed, as if he wanted to mock himself for being so passive in contrast to what he used to be in his younger days. But really, what could they do? Even as her guide, she was progressing at an unforeseeable pace. "That.. no way," Minerva hung her head lower and lower. Indeed, even after spending 5 years together, she has to admit that there was a fear factor in their interactions. Fear. They were scared of the girl. The girl who kept bringing out miracles. Howughable. "Her current existence is beneficial to us. You know that she''s not someone to act without proper thinking. It''s just that.. I worry for the future. Emotions can get out of hand as quick as lightning," Heine batted his eyshes, forcing his thoughts to stray away from the negatives. Not only that, he still had one contract.. that would grant him one chance to borrow her power involving the safety of his people. ''His people'' would naturally include him as well, so he calmed himself down to rely on the contract. Although they might seem dramatic, it really wasn''t an overreaction. They were interacting with a ticking time bomb in a daily urrence. The mental stress and tension might not be shown outwards, but they sealed it deep within their hearts. "Come. Let''s go back inside. I will vouch for the results, it won''t hurt your sister. Please, allow it. I''m sure that Yulia would voluntarily make herself a test subject once she discovers Estelle''s mana... sharing?" Heine did not know how to phrase the term, it was truly something he never saw before. Up until now, they had to wait for their bodies to umte mana in a natural way whenever they wasted their mana pool. Estelle, a mana bank that would never run out, could bring a catalyst to the world''s bnce. [World''s bnce...] Heine was reminded of the term ''Constetions''. They consisted of powerhouses that strove for nothing but the bnce of the entire world. Yulia mentioned it before. He only believed it a little, but now, he was forced to recognize Estelle''s feats. If not the ''Constetions'', then she''ll go out and create her own set of team. [I wonder, if my words would actuallye true and she''ll be the next Sage.] Heine chuckled, despising himself forparing the two back then. It seemed too real now. Now that it really was about toe into fruition, he couldn''t treat it as a joke anymore. Who knows, maybe all of this was because he jinxed himself a few years back? Shrugging, he entered the room once again to find Estelle sitting beside the sleeping Yulia whilst holding a crystallized bottle that contained blue liquid inside. "Actually, we might as well try this one first. Even if I drank this, there would be no effect," Estelle dangled the small container lightly. "Mana potion. Something Minerva and I have been working on... The nts finally bore ripe fruits," "Potion?" Heine raised his eyebrow. "To put it simply, emergency first aid kits for mana. It''s not easy to make it, though. It''s still in the testing phase, so go ahead if you''re okay with it. Once again, I can''t guarantee anything," Estelle handed each of them one bottle. Estelle created the bottle based on her past knowledge of games, but it came out looking too beautiful,pletely unsuitable for themon potions sold on market stalls in games. Exploring her Creation Magic led her to discover that there was a limit to everything she does, or at least for now. She had to understand and grasp the structural integrity, elements, and the creation''s building blocks in order to create it out of nowhere. The potion was made with a translucent ss. In order to understand the steps, she had to go and ask a ss craftsman to exin the procedure to her. Only after mixing the current technology with the modern one she knew was she able to create a permanent object. If she created an object purely from her imagination, with no depth in the required information, it would just be a temporary ceholder that won''t even be able to hold a candle to the real ones. Nevertheless, her power was still a veryrge cheat. "I''ll take it. My mana hasn''t been recovered yet," Minerva trusted the product because she was involved in the process. Logically, the product was supposed to work. Logically. Taking off the cap and drinking it all down with a massive gulp sound, Minerva almost threw up. Luckily, she managed to swallow everything, preventing a huge mess from being made. "The taste... must be changed," Minerva cringed at the aftertaste. It was not something you could describe with words. Bitter! Minerva''s taste buds screamed in agony, begging her to cleanse her pte. "Here," Estelle handed her a ss of water, which was hurriedly snatched and drunk up by Minerva. Water wasn''t enough to dilute the taste. The suffering continued. "The results?" Heine asked, slightlyughing at the woman''s struggle. In a reflex, he wanted to mock her for not agreeing to try out Estelle''s personal mana sharing, but that would be too mean. "Urghh... Oh! It.. surprisingly works," Her stomach churned. With a distorted facial expression, Minerva checked her status and confirmed. Her mana had indeed been refilled. Although the taste was terrible, it did work. It could be improved, but this was a huge discovery. "Side effects?" "None other than the taste, makes me want to vomit," Minerva cringed as she did her best to suppress her stomach''s content from jumping out. "The Core Purity?" Heine asked. This was an important factor. If the Core Purity rise worked through potions too, it would be a much bigger deal than before. The current mana potion was already equivalent to national treasures, but the moment it had the Core Purity feature, the value would be indescribable. "Didn''t increase," Nodding in satisfaction, Estelle took another bottle and began feeding it to Yulia. "Ah, wait! My sister is-" Minerva wanted to stop the little girl, but it was toote. "She can''t eat disgusting stuff.." Mumbling, Minerva decided to stay silent and not interject Yulia''s awakening. Not long after, Yulia''s eyshes began to flutter. "...Mn?" Yulia was still light - headed, unable to think clearly. "You used too much mana. What happened anyways? For you to waste so much energy..." Heine exined the situation. "Huh? Wait, this taste-" Yulia covered her mouth, gagging in disgust. Unlike Minerva, who tried to subdue the taste, Yulia wanted nothing more than the ability to relieve herself from the deathly taste. "Drink," Estelle offered fresh water. Like Minerva, she was frantic to gulp it down as fast as she could. "W-what cursed thing did you feed me when I was unconscious?!" Yulia protested. She had a sensitive pte, so this forceful injection would possibly deter her from consuming any objects for days. "A potion," Estelle replied. Then again, she knew that the concept of potions was something unfamiliar to this world''s people, so she did her part and exined the best she could. About the potion and its effects, and the possible alternate mana transferring process. "You''re saying that not only did you make this.. stupidly horrendous in taste but beneficial cursed liquid, but you could also transfer mana from yourself after a replication process? How is that possible- Wha," Yulia''s head spun even more. Minerva and Heine looked at each other and remembered that Yulia had not been informed of Estelle''s abnormality in great detail. Sneaking a nce at the two, Estelle sighed as she decided that it was best to call a truce for now. She exined about her powers, the mana she possessed, the matter with Heine''s core purity being affected by hers, and even the sealed parts that she lightly prodded on, trying to get a reaction from the blonde. Yulia was, needless to say, shocked, but she was quick to regain her footings back. "Try it, then. Do what you did to that Fae to me," Yulia stretched out her hand. "In exchange, I would even promise to try and break the seals you want from now on," She proposed. It was apparent that she prized Estelle''s uniqueness in a great position, and was not shy to ignore all the feuds they had up until now if it meant discovering new things. "See, I told you she wouldn''t even consider her own safety. One win for me, wait for my favor," Heine and Minerva had betted on whether Yulia would ept the deal in one go or have second thoughts. Heine, who chose to go with the ''I don''t care about myself, I care about my research'' path Yulia had ultimately won without difficulties. Chapter 32: Allegiance (7) Chapter 32: Allegiance (7) After further discussion, the transferring process was initiated. Like Heine, Yulia''s first reaction was pure shock. "I see... Alright, I sincerely thank you for allowing me to undergo this marvelous experience," Yulia mumbled in awe. Her Core Purity really increased. Estelle seemed to have gained a bit of respect in Yulia''s heart. The way the older woman looked at her with wondrous, sparkling eyes made the child ufortable, but also understanding. She was introducing something new and unprecedented, it wasn''t a surprise that a woman mad for discovering new things like Yulia would be moved. "That aside, could you tell me what you discovered?" Estelle inquired about the forgotten matter. "Ah, right. You see, the ''object'' they might be looking for is not located here," With a few swipes of her hand, Yulia made several windows that showed detailed maps appear. "However, this mansion acts as the connector to the object''s location," Estelle looked at the map in admiration. The intricate details forged into it made her curious on how Yulia managed to procure such a thing. Upon a closer look, she found out that the map contained even more surprises, such as a touchscreen feature that provided the user with extensive information in regards to the ce. It even had a visualization model built into it. Sensing Estelle''s intense stare, Yulia exined. "Ahh, this map, it was a product of one of my... unfortunate research. It can be called a sess, but.. this isn''t what I imagined. I thought that I could implement a feature that would allow me to get some vision from these checkpoints, but I wasn''t able to do it, after all. In theory, it should''ve worked, but.." Yulia pointed out red dots scattered around the map. [An intelligence system? Such a thing...] As Reina, Estelle had witnessed a certain extent of the ssified government intelligence system and how brilliant it was. Upon second thought, she deduced that her knowledge might be helpful to this discovery. "I might know a way to help you, but that''lleter. I''d have to ask you to devote your attention to this matter first," Yulia looked at Estelle with her clear aquamarine eyes and let out a small chuckle. "Really, I was immature back then. I''m sorry. I''d like your input on the map I devisedter on," Yulia apologized for herck of conduct prior to this time. "Apology epted. It wasn''t a huge matter anyways. But... didn''t you not want me to speak formally? You are doing the exact same thing you told me not to, where is your conscience?" Estelle joked. "..Call it a habit," Yulia scratched her face in embarrassment. "Back to the topic, this is what I discovered. Firstly, the ''gate'', if you would say, is right inside your father''s study. Secondly, I traced the destination, this was what gave me the most trouble. I don''t know if this would be appropriate considering... everything, but I wholeheartedly trust my magic. This is just a supposition, but your house might be connected in one way or another to Alfheim''s royal pce," "Alfheim... Thend of the elves?" Estelle mused. The fact that the supposed connection was located in her father''s study did not help. If they pieced it together with the fact that the monsters seemed to concentrated towards the study back then, it would not be too far of a stretch to call the attack an actual premeditated one. However, something was amiss. If it was that simple, her father of all person should''ve known something about it. "Someone who knows about the reste family more than father, the head..." Estelle listed out all the affiliations the family had with other personnel out of the house and found nothing. "Perhaps, Duke Miller?" Minerva raised up the question. "Duke Miller, the one who governs over a territory in the northernnds?" Estelle recalled. "usible. Judging by how n did not know anything, it should be rted to the previous generations instead. Thete Duke reste was engaged in a close brotherhood with Duke Miller," Heine formed up his own opinions and thought that it was quite reasonable. "Duke Miller... huh," Estelle had a hand up against her lips as she thought. Estelle concluded the meeting and told them that they would reunite tomorrow. Until then, Estelle was interested in helping Yulia out, so she began talking with the elder around the topic for quite some time. Estelle was careful to not engross herself too much, as they would be losing precious time that might be crucial to their ns. She found Yulia to be quite an interesting partner to talk with, as they shared a tendency to create magical and frivolous ideas. She believed that if they were to befriend each other, a mutual symbiotic rtionship could be formed. After parting with Yulia, she then headed towards her father''s study to inquire more. n was busy with his governing work, as always. Being a diligent ruler, he refused to let off any corrupt officials live in his territory. As he rooted one corrupter out, another would sprout out of nowhere. The injustice was neverending. He worked hard to prevent further chaos from happening, but people were daring. At the very least, the Southernnds he governed was more civilized than the other regions. "Father, are you acquainted with Duke Miller?" As she was sitting on top of n''sp, Estelle took a chance to ask the question. She wanted to know more about the person in question. "Hm? Duke Miller, as in the current authority holder, or the heir apparent?" n rubbed Estelle''s head, fawning over the younger without showing a difference in his expressions. The older Duke was already in histe ages. He wouldn''tst longer than three years, or so people predicted. Thus, the heir apparent had to start preparing for his father''s nearing departure. Although the title holder was still the older Duke, the heir apparent was more recognized by the people as he was the one who regrly showed up in his father''s stead. "The current authority holder. Wasn''t he grandfather''s close friend?" "Indeed.. my father was older than him by five years, so their rtionship was akin to siblings," n recalled. "Then, may I meet him?" "...For what?" n narrowed his eyes out of suspicion. Estelle always had crazy ideas. He was afraid that her visit would be one of those. "For.. a project of mine. Don''t worry, it won''t be dangerous! Uhh.. Right, I might''ve already sent a letter of my arrival.. So.. Bye, father!" Estelle escaped n''s clutches and sprinted towards the door, creating a space rift in front of her and disappearing into it. "Estelle, wait!" n''s reaction was a step toote. He wanted to block his daughter''s movements, but Estelle had already entered the space rift and gone off into the unknown. Sighing, hemented on how he would always be defeated by the crafty and scheming daughter of his. He only wished that she goes easy on whatever she nned to do. And to not make arge mess out of it. She met back up with the Witch sisters. "I.. got the permission? Probably? I didn''t stay long enough to hear, but he probably allowed it. Yeah, probably," Estelle convinced herself, praying hard for her father to not hold this matter against her when shees back. "The reason n is so harsh with you is because you act like this," Minerva sighed in disbelief. "Eii, nevermind that, let''s go! I wrote that I''d be arriving in.. fifteen minutes from now. I''ve never been to his house, though. Have you?" "No, but I''ve been in the area. Are we going now?" "Yeah, we could scout the area first. I''m counting on you, Yulia," Estelle''s perception towards the woman had became pleasant. "Leave it to me," Yulia responded. Minerva created a space rift that connected to the area near the Duke''s mansion. Going through said rift, they were in high spirits and filled with readiness. "Yulia, the scan," "I''m telling you ahead of the time, I can''t do anything if my probing can''t get past the barriers. I have to break the barriers, which would alert them," Yulia started her unique magic. Magic circles glowed around her body, and Estelle did her part to conceal the scene. The remaining fifteen minutes were used to scout the nearby area. The results came to be negative, as Yulia could not find any anomalies. "My bad. There were tons of barriers, but I suppose the situation won''t be pretty if I broke it," Yulia released her magic and recovered it using Estelle''s mana transfer. "I reckon it''s fine. Our target isn''t Duke Miller, it''s the information Duke Miller has. We shouldn''t care about his personal matters unless it concerns our destination," Estelle said, earning nods of agreement from the others. "Now, now, who is this?" A voice interrupted their stealth, causing shock to run through them. Immediately, their heads turned towards the foreign entity. Behind them was an older male whose hair had turned ash white, face riddled with wrinkles, and a sickly, thin body that made others worry about his condition. "I wonder if I may ask what the esteemed guests'' motives are foring to our mansion?" The man spoke with kindnessthering his voice. "We are here for a visit. I am the reste Dukedom''s youngdy, Estelle reste. We have notified the Duke by a letter addressed under Duke n reste''s name," Estelle exined. "A visit.. That''s right, I seem to recall something like that. Very well, I shall be your guide. Shall we depart?" The man offered. "If you would," Estelle gestured for the man to walk first, while they would be following closely from behind. The man agreed, and started to lead them in. "Yulia," Estelle whispered. "Yeah, I know," Yulia replied, scrutinizing the man leading their way with distrust. [Should I appraise his status?] Estelle was confident that she would be able to pierce through his barriers. Making a channel that connected all their thoughts, she instructed them to talk on the channel instead of speaking out loud. [No, he''d definitely notice the interference. It''s better toy low for now, acting hostile will get you nowhere.] Heine advised. Indeed, there was no way he wouldn''t realize a forceful peek, especially after.. Even so, Estelle was left feeling unsettled as they entered the Duke''s mansion without any blockage. Estelle had concealed their presence, the fact that the old man before him was able to discover them meant that his skill was abnormally high. [Let''s be wary.] Chapter 33: Allegiance (8) Chapter 33: Allegiance (8) "Mister, what kind of person is Duke Miller?" Estelle asked. "Before that, could I ask what the young miss thinks about him?" Normally, his behavior of asking a question back would be considered impolite and out of the line considering Estelle''s status, but she did not dwell her mind upon such a trivial matter. "Hmm, let''s see. Not much is known about him, because he rarely shows up to the public eye. In fact, this will be my first meeting with him," "Is that so? Well, that''s a shame. He has the leisure to only show up to special royal banquets.. Come to think of it, they are going to hold one soon, aren''t they?" The steward, whose name had not been revealed yet led them to a secluded door located on the mansion''s sidelines. Their first step into the mansion was made, and they immediately felt a surge of energy go through them. {The barrier detected us. It''s... strange. Don''t use any magical power before we meet the Duke.} Yulia pitched in to warn the others using the thought connection they installed. [En, I also thought the same.] Estelle''s expectation towards the Duke increased. "Soon? For what asion?" Estelle was puzzled. If her memory served her correctly, the princes are still far from reaching ten - years - old, in which they would be tested and selected for the Royal Academy. The birthday banquets are part of something they could refuse to attend, but the testing had to be witnessed by everyone. "The third prince has been born," The steward replied in a concise manner. "Third prince? Why have I not heard of the Queen''s pregnancy?" Estelle raised her eyebrow. "Because the mother isn''t the Queen, duh. The King had an idental affair with Count Irving''s daughter, Adina. Apparently, the Queen refused to let Adina go, but would agree to keeping the baby, since the King''s ''offspring'' are all to be respected.. or something along that lines," Minerva jumped in, providing an exnation to the confusion. Minerva frequented the capital''s popr bars, where information like these were spread without any care for repercussions. "idental, huh?" Estelle chided in disgust. They entered the mansion without any disturbances. They had to be mindful of the barrier Yulia sensed, because it wouldn''t be profitable if they got branded as a hostile presence by the sensors. Thus, their magic had to be masked and concealed. Estelle looked around, ncing at the minimal decorations that embellished the warm - toned mansion. "Right. The Queen isn''t someone the King could easily ignore, so he had topromise with her. In the first ce, he was rumored to not have been attracted to Adina, and the whole thing was set up by her schemes.. which, I guess, would make it not idental," Minerva concluded. "Hmm," Estelle hummed. She was reminded of her own mother''s pregnancy. Although she was still unfamiliar with the idea of a younger sibling, she resolved to herself that she would try her hardest to be a great elder sister. With their walking pace, by the time they finished chatting, they had arrived to the supposed meeting ce the steward assigned. "Please wait inside for the time being. I shall call the master," The steward opened the doors and revealed a cozy, tidy room bursting with the sense offort. The steward then exited the room, leaving the quartet to themselves. They looked at each other, wondering how they were so trusted. Looking around, her attention was drawn into the painting hung above the firece. The picture depicted a couple embracing each other. The man, who was assumed to be Duke Miller in his prime age, was enveloping the woman who had jade - colored hair, a tan, honey - kissed skin and was blessed with beautiful features. Upon closer investigation, Estelle frown and turned around to look for further paintings. "As expected.." Estelle mumbled, holding a small framed painting in her hands. The person inside the pictures reminded her of someone. "Have you been waiting long?" A man, whose voice was the same with the steward who let them in entered the room. "..You really are Duke Miller," Estelle sighed. She had expected such a development ever since their trip to the inner branches of the mansion waspletely unobstructed. No one paid attention to their group, everyone was oblivious to their presence, even though they were casually walking around the ce. "Illusion magic, right?" Yulia brushed off her shoulders after dispelling the concealment spell. The reason no one looked at them was simply because, no one could. The Duke Miller in front of them applied magic to them, and that,bined with the barrier check was what caused the surge of magic energy they felt. Indeed, because they haven''t been recognized by the mansion''s barriers yet, casting searching magic would be counted as infiltration and would be noticed. Even so, for him to be able to envelop them in aplex magic like invisible shields without them being able to detect the source was admirable. "Fret not. I''ve had those type of reactions as well. My magic is not that strong.. This is the result of my Unique Magic," Duke Miller exined. "Unique Magic? You also have one?" Estelle pursed her lips. The majority of people around her had some sort of Unique Magic, it made her wonder how rare it really was. "Yes.. although it doesn''t provide me with offensive strength. I used to go on secretive missions with myrades in the past, but my body has grown duller with the time, I''m not as agile as I used to be," Duke Miller nced at his ankles, his eyes brimming with regret and frustration. "Are we permitted to use magic here?" Estelle raised the question. "Of course, your arrival is weed. Let us take a seat first," Duke Miller walked towards the wooden tables and offered the seats. "May I take a look at your status?" Being daring, Estelle tried her luck. "Feel free to do so. I''m afraid that if I refused, your grandfather will rise from the dead and me me for not taking care of you," Duke Miller joked. Strangely so, the old man allowed her to do her thing. Taking advantage of the permission, she peeked at his status. Augustine Miller | Human HP : 47.000/47.000 Title : - [Contractor] Core Purity : 51% Mana : 4.300/4.300 Affinity : [Wind] Unique Magic : [Spectre''s Magic Code] Skill : [Spectre''s Cloud] {Not bad, but a bitckluster if we take his feats into mind.} Yuliamented. The spell [Spectre''s Cloud] was the one mentioned by the Duke, the one that allowed him to mask the quartet from the surroundings. Assisted by the Unique Magic [Spectre''s Magic Code], It ignored the power difference between them. If anything, Duke Miller was a true support. If the concealment magic was cast by someone weaker than the target, the effects would be decreased as well. However, since Duke Miller''s Unique Magic bypassed that rule, he would be a great help to a party of high - statused individuals. [Spectre''s Magic Code?] Estelle frowned at the umon naming sense. {It means that the magic he possesses is iplete. The parent magic should be called [Spectre Magic], what he has is just a subsidiary element. Though, I haven''t heard of someone with [Spectre Magic].} [I see..] Estelle was trying to figure out how it was all connected. "So.. the conversation we had on the way here was a test?" Estelle rubbed her temples at the man''s sudden personality change. "Not exactly a test, it was just something I did on a whim. You bunches were so interesting, it would be considered sphemy to not y around for a while. It was funny seeing how you guys were wary and careful at everything," "You have some huge guts, don''t you?" Minerva took a bite of the snack the house provided. A casual reminder, bringing their real statuses as terrifying hegemons to light. Maybe, to the majority of people, they would be filled with pressure andce every action they take with caution. However, Duke Augustine Miller was different. "If I didn''t have huge guts, I wouldn''t have survived this long," Augustine''s tone hardened. "I know what you are searching for, Reichter''s granddaughter," Reichter reste was the name of Estelle''s paternal grandfather, or in other words, the previous Duke reste. Estelle recalled the portraits she saw of the man. Reichter reste had passed away years before Estelle was born. Along with the death of Reichter, her father, n, was bestowed the title along with thends based on the will. ording to the stories, Reichter reste was someone with a free soul, just like his wife. Although he was a noble, the things he did would always stray farther and farther from the boundaries ced on nobles. Reichter and his wife, Silvanna, was a pair to behold. Silvanna came from unknown origins, so she was scorned and disliked by the nobles that aspired to acquire the reste Dukedom''s standing. Silvanna''s clouded family tree was a perfect chance for the Duke''s enemies to condemn the pair and possibly cause rifts between the rtionship. They hoped that they would be able to stain the Duke''s name by thwarting Silvanna off the stage. However, the royals never got their hands on Reichter. Estelle''s mind began spinning in theories and possibilities. The Duke Miller before her was a part of Reichter''s wild entourage. The brotherhood they shared must''ve meant that he held some of Reichter''s secrets. "Then, what would be your answer?" Inside her mind, she was grateful that the Duke already knew what she came here for. "I cannot pass down the information you need," With a solemn look, Augustine rubbed his fingers against each other, his thoughts jumbled. "It relieves me to hear that we are on the same page. I also do not desire to extract valuable information from you without any forms ofpensation," Estelle responded. "No, I didn''t mean it that way. It''s not that I don''t want to pass it down, and I''m not talking aboutpensation. It''s that the current you is not worthy of the knowledge," Clearing things up, Duke Millerughed as he watched Estelle be even more confused. "By that, you mean..?" Estelle was puzzled. "The things I can say are limited," [Understandable.] Estelle knew that the mission she went on wasn''t an easy one. She didn''t expect the answer to be served to her on a silver tter either. "It''s a good thing that you were not rash in making your decisions. If you tried to tinker with the teleportation spell at your mansion before being acknowledged, you would''ve faced harsh repercussions," Instead of directly answering Estelle, he talked about the spell. By his words, it got confirmed that the spell was for teleportation. -Not a space rift, but a teleportation. Estelle began to ponder over the mystery. Eliminating choices that are impossible. In the end, she still didn''t understand. "...I got it. I wille back soon. What are the hints that you can give me?" Instead of wasting time scraping at nothing, she decided to take it a step backwards and think it over once she goes back home. She was still inside Duke Miller''s mansion, in which barriers of unknown levels existed. Her research was also restricted, not performing at its best level. "The hints.. history, I suppose. Look into the history. Be careful of misleading information, don''t get fooled," Augustine warned. Since this was the medieval times, unauthorized books could also make their way up to the history section. It was hard to tell which ones were the truth. However, a Dukedom''s library was frequently checked, its contents would be verified multiple times. Estelle found it strange that Duke Miller challenged a Dukedom''s literature''s truth. -[Could it be that the history books are false.. or something like that..?] This was a possibility. Since there was prejudice against Duke reste, perhaps the history books were deliberately distorted. If that was the case, who was she supposed to look for? "Understood. One more thing.. can I explore this mansion freely?" Bing more confused, Estelle pinched her temples and continued asking. "...Of course you can," Smiling, Augustine gave his permission. "Any restricted areas?" "No," Augustine readily replied. Nodding in agreement, Estelle and the rest bid their farewells as they left the room. Each and every single one of them hadplicated thoughts guing their minds. Chapter 34: Allegiance (9) Chapter 34: Allegiance (9) Outside of the room, the quartet held a meeting. "..Estelle. I don''t know if I should be saying this, but the Duke Miller.." Minerva hesitated before continuing. "He didn''t question your existence, not even once. Although you haven''t told him your maximum capability yet, you were able to look at his status through an appraisal spell, which would entail that your strength is above his. If I was in his position, I would''ve..." "You''re telling me that the Duke predicted my arrival, knew my powers, and is currently in a position where he is to give me trials to this ''acknowledgement''?" If Estelle''s instincts were correct, Augustine Miller''s speech and the pronouns he used pointed at her, and not the rest of her group. "I mean, he was waiting for us, wasn''t he? He knew what you were looking for, wasn''t suspicious in the slightest, heck, what kind of old man is he?" Minervained. "Well, considering the outrageous things that''s been happening.. Nevermind that, did you see his title?" Estelle asked. "?!" Minerva and Heine made a sound of surprise. Yulia, however, looked unfazed. "I did. [Contractor], wasn''t it? Had to break through some annoying filters, but got in anyways," Yulia spoke up. Minerva and Heine, the only two who didn''t found out about this hidden matter frowned. "Right. I''m different because I overpowered his status assisted by my appraisal skills, but even you had to deal with the troublesome barriers first. Heine and Minerva couldn''t even see the barrier," "Urk," Minerva pouted. She wanted to protest that she didn''t excel in barriers, nor did she possess enough power to overpower the Duke. "Wait... hm?" Thinking about it, Minerva blinked repeatedly. Could it be, the Duke was stronger than her? She couldn''t overpower him? "Minerva, I know what you''re thinking. That''s not it. The Duke''s barriers are too profound, but it doesn''t necessarily mean that he''s strong," Yulia cleared up. Acknowledging her statement, Estelle nodded. "Thank God I''ve renounced my title as the Fae King.. The recent events would shame me to death if I still held the title," Heine was now freed from his expectations, so he had no guilt in saying that he wasn''t powerful enoughpared to the undiscovered elements in the world. "That said, we have been finding outrageous things left and right ever since the monsters'' invasion.. I don''t like this development, it''s sketchy," Minerva added. Estelle contemted the rest''s thoughts and tried to reason it with her own set of opinions. If the world was a big puzzle, they were currently in the four corners: having found a suitable puzzle piece to fit in the four, but has trouble in finding the rest within an enormous pile of simr looking pieces. Indeed, in a puzzle, the corners were always easy, but the rest of the puzzle would look the exact same when they are clueless and devoid of significant information. Duke Augustine Miller. The title [Contractor]. [Spectre Magic], the parent Unique Magic. Reichter reste. Silvanna, the wife of unknown origins. The house''s connection to the Elven Kingdom, Alfheim. "What would it take for the Elves to acknowledge us..?" Estelle asked in curiosity. It was better to start somewhere rather than sit around and do nothing. "In the first ce, elves are proud beings. They hate half - bloods more than they hate the pure - blooded humans, because they consider it as the action of tarnishing the royal bloodline.. Which is," Yulia momentarily stopped her memory recall. Her expression turned to that of someone who just received a tremendous revtion, bringing her the shock of her life. Estelle looked at the stunned Yulia in confusion. "Could it be..?" Yulia pondered. The frequent stops were making Estelle crazy. She wished that they could forsake all hesitation and spout it out. In this scenario, every piece of information was valued highly. "Any clues are dly epted. Just tell it," Estelle urged her to speak. "Do you know the story of the Elven Moon Goddess?" Looking at the three''s confusion, Yulia coughed and continued her theory. "Well, this is something that I learned on my trips to Alfheim.. In exchange for setting up their barrier. To be precise, the Goddess is apparently not of Elven ancestry, but she gave a divine blessing to the Elves. The reason the Elves detest half - bloods so much is because every elf in existence contain bits of what the Goddess blessed them with. The divine power. Although it has been diluted through the countless generations, there is one group of people that still contain high volumes of this divine power.." Yulia started to narrate the story. Moments like this made Estelle remember that the trio she interacted with were truly peerless figures in their fields. "The direct descendants of the blessed ones. The royals. This is also the reason why Alfheim''s people worship the royals so much.. it''s like worshiping their deity through a vassal," "Although this was just a fleeting rumor, Silvanna, the Duchess reste at the time, was rumored to be a deserted royal elf," Yulia dumped out the information like it was nothing, but the shock that came to those who heard it for the first time was greater than an earthquake. "..Sister, how did you-" "Minerva, my pitiful, dumb, but cute younger sister, I am a half - elf, am I not?" Yulia sneered in a joking manner. In addition to that, I helped them a lot. They gave me the authority to ess their libraries, albeit not all segments," "..Urk," Minerva scolded herself for not thinking of that possibility. "Continuing the story.. I believe that this theory is feasible, ah. To begin with, the title [Contractor] is attained when you sessfully form a contract with a higher spirit, his [Spectre Magic Code] would make sense if the spirit he contracted was a real spectre," "The reason why the reste mansion has a rtion with the Elven Kingdom''s pce could also be ounted for thanks to Duchess Silvanna, huh?" Heine added. "Right," "...Even after knowing that, what are we supposed to do?" Minerva questioned. Knowing the clues was one thing, applying the clues and forming a solution was another. [Am I supposed to search in the Elven Kingdom instead? If the history books are incorrect.. If grandmother is an Elvish Royalty, then..] Estelle recalled Duke Miller''s warning. It was possible. "Obviously.." Estelle looked at Yulia in expectation. "Break down this entire mansion''s defenses and find other clues, right?" With the permission from Duke Miller, Estelle was no longer pretentious and wanted nothing more than breaking down the mansion into smithereens. Yulia blinked repeatedly. She, a dignified Witch, was actually being made to infiltrate a person''s mansion for clues that might not even be there?! The audacity! Just as she was about to retort, Estelle offered her a deal she couldn''t refuse. "I''ll let you peek at my status right after this," Estelle nkly stated. "...Deal!" The expression of ''You got me, I''m really drawn to that abnormal status of yours!'' was clearly written all over Yulia''s face. And so, with both the voluntary work of Yulia and the permission from Duke Miller, the crew starting working on different matters. Estelle was taking a look at Yulia''s map and searching for parts she could improve, noting it down and going back and forth from minding her own business and supplying mana for Yulia. She estimated that everything would take time, so as an unlimited mana bank, she provided mana for everybody. By doing this, they were also starting to get used to the mana sharing process. They started to getfortable with it. It was a shame that they were racing against time. If she had the chance, she wanted to properly try and learn the Arcana Magic. She didn''t believe that it was impossible for her to contact the otherworldly Spirits. In a sense, she was an otherworlder too, no? Yulia worked seriously, waging the chance to research Estelle''s status made her fired up. Estelle had told her that the chances she could get would vary ording to her performance. Thus, she worked very hard to decode and break down the seals and barriers ced on the mansion, looking for something out of ce. Minerva was trying to spy on the nobles that were under their suspicion, such as Duke Alfonso and his underlings. Of course, this couldn''t be done without her personally going over to the ces. Shemented that Yulia''s map would''ve made her work much easier, but she had to waste mana creating and jumping in and out of space rifts since the indirect option was not possible yet. Heine told the others that he would go back to Sylvania, the Spirit Kingdom, to supervise the newly enthroned King and take a look at some of the records to see if he found anything. They picked up their pace, concentrating on each task and careful as to not disturb each other. "I''m done," Yulia breathed out, exiting of her focus session. She had used too much mind power, her thoughts were in a disarray. Luckily, Estelle provided her with boundless mana that even enhanced her status. The maximum was found out to be around a 5% core purity increase. A measly five percent might sound small, but it really wasn''t a little number. The change even a 0.1% increase could bring would be equivalent to attaining a valuable resource, which was time. Those with higher core purity would have an easier time understanding thews and rules of magic, such as how it operated, how to channel said energy, and how to circte the energy around your body. The time disparity was enough to make one lose their minds. Just because of the low innate talent, one could be disqualified from entering the world''s pinnacle stairs. Of course, Estelle''s effect was not permanent, it onlysted for minutes. If it was permanent, one could only imagine the world''s reaction when they found out. "..." Yulia nced at the serious faced Estelle,plicated thoughts running through her brain. She still hasn''t forgotten the pain she had to face as the repercussions for the actions she took. She was certain that it wasn''t Estelle''s wrongdoings. Even Heine assured her that it was Estelle''s backer. A backer would also not make sense, since she couldn''t feel a mana disturbance. Such a powerful magic would at least cause waves of disturbance even if it was concealed to the highest degree, no? However, she considered Estelle''s personality. She wasn''t someone who would bite the hands of the ones who treated her with good intentions. Just like how Minerva and Heine stuck with her even though she was a ticking time bomb, she thought that following her wasn''t a bad idea. After all, being by her side brought a change to her life''s dynamics, seeking the mystery of this world intrigued her quite a bit. In the end, won''t she find out about the attack''s perpetrator if she got to unravel Estelle''s mystery? She began to suspect another element. An otherworldly being, just like the Spirits she contacted. Maybe Estelle had an entity that watched over her like a Spirit. Forget it, this was akin to a trial period for her. She wasn''t something who cared enough to deeply consider the future''s matters. As someone who has lived for hundreds of years, she couldn''t care less if she died, so why not bump up her life''s excitement and see through the journey with these three, and more toe? Though unnned, a small smile bloomed on her face without anybody noticing. "I''m afraid that the Spectre is no longer present in this world," -Yulia "The Spectre Duke Miller is connected to is gone," -Heine "Duke Miller''s Spectre is something that has been deleted from the world long ago!" -Minerva Yulia, Heine, and Minerva respectively conveyed the same message, at the same time. Estelle, who didn''t know anything, felt a bit left out, but that wasn''t important, eh? Chapter 35: Allegiance (10) Chapter 35: Allegiance (10) "..?" Estelle was puzzled at the sudden barrage. She felt left out. Afterpiling the information and matching it with each other, they reached the ultimate conclusion. Indeed, Duke Miller''s powers should just be the remnants and nothing more. The [Spectre] in question adhered to the suspicion they had, it really was a spirit that made him gain the [Contractor] title. ording to Yulia''s search, the mansion had traces of the [Spectre]''s powers, but it was already faded and easy to breach. Most of it was concentrated around the Duke''s physical body, so it could be assumed that the Duke had something on him that preserved the power. If the Duke''s status didn''t disy the magic as [Spectre''s Magic Code], she wouldn''t have came to this theory. The ''Magic Code'' in question should be due to the reduced magic- from the original [Spectre] into its remains. Heine''s records, on in the other hand, showed that the Duke was active up until three decades ago. Before that, the Duke frequently went on missions and traveled all around the world. He even went through the Sylvania and Vaitral, which were known to reject other races multiple times. This could be achieved with the help of a [Spectre]. The way to utilize a [Spectre] was very diverse. You could use it as a shield, be proficient in illusions, or even make it seem like you disappeared into thin air. Minerva''s information showed his downfall. After an unlisted tragedy happened, the Duke''s powers were lost and he couldn''t perform his feats anymore. Her acquaintances roughly knew about the Duke, but Glenn, her former top mercenary friend provided her with more details. The key they were looking at was how Duke Miller got a [Spectre]. Rumors might be rumors, but Glenn had told her that Duke Miller rose into fame a short while after his six - year - old daughter died. At that time, the Duke was in histe thirties. There were those who believed that Duke Miller had strengthened himself with his daughter''s death as a basis, but the unsaid rumors were still engraved in everyone''s hearts. First of all, A [Spectre] was an otherworldly spirit that was not born as a full - fledged spirit. Their souls originated from a living being. If someone died with grudged, unresolved troubles, or anything of the sort, there was a high chance that they could be a [Spectre]. A [Spectre] would only make a contract with someone close to them. It wouldn''t be a surprise to see people constantly theorizing about how Duke Miller''s young daughter was the [Spectre] he contracted with, due to the matching clues. Not only was his daughter dead, the Duchess also passed away duringbor, leaving him with the current heir apparent son. Duke Miller was now in his seventies. His fame died down, and along with it, the story was buried. In addition, the Duke was rarely present in the public''s eye, so people didn''t discuss his matters that much. At most, the spections would be ignited for a short while. His son, the heir apparent, was now in his thirties. Once Duke Miller passed away, he would inherit the title and continue the legacy. With both the Duchess and the daughter dead, and the heir apparent not knowing the past incidents, it could be said that the Duke Miller was the only one who truly knew what happened. Aside from that would be Estelle''s grandfather, Richter. "That doesn''t exin the acknowledgement thing, though," Estelle mumbled. "..Maybe you need a blessing?" Minerva brought up her idea. "Blessing? From whom?" "I mean... If your grandmother was really a royal elf, you could be epted in the Elves''munity," Minerva said. Even if she was disconnected from both the Elves and the Humans, she definitely possessed basic knowledge about the two. Yulia leaned more towards the Elves, so her knowledge about the humans were a bitcking, but it did not matter that much. "Didn''t they hate half - bloods? Wait, no, forget half - bloods, even if it could be true, I only have a quarter of it," "If you are a royal, they''d have to acknowledge you no matter how far the blood had spread. Like I said before, they worship their royals like deities. If you have the royal blood, your Moon Goddess'' Blessing could be activated.. Probably," Yulia said, earning a nod from Minerva. Estelle thought back to her status. The eerie question mark beside her racial information red at her every time she opened the window. ''Human (?)'' If the only reason her bloodline was vague was the mixed Elf blood, the status should''ve disyed it as a quarter, just like how Yulia and Minerva''s information was written as Half Human, Half Elf. [The Moon Goddess... It''s very.. unrealistic.] Then again, her existence was the most unrealistic thing. [What other element is there?] She questioned. After further consideration, she decided to give it a go. She currently had the [God''s Blessing] and the [Spirit''s Blessing], the [Elf''s Blessing] title was harder to get, but if the royal theory was really possible, it would make sense on why Duke Miller phrased it as ''her'' acknowledgement and not the rest of them. She also wondered if the [God''s Blessing] would ovep with the Moon Goddess'' own. She didn''t know which God gave her a blessing. but she hoped that it wouldn''t contradict other blessings. "Where, and how can I get the blessing?" Estelle steeled her resolve. "..The Elven Kingdom. Inside the Pce. So.. good luck convincing n..?" Minerva fiddled with her fingers, wishing her the best of luck. The overprotective father, n reste. "..Yikes," Estelle grimaced. She did not forget about how she abruptly left her home after one - sidedly dering that she would be going to the Duke''s house. Would she be able to convince him? Indeed, the scolding she had to face after returning back home made her regret all her choices. n wasn''t pissed because she sent a letter in his name, but he got angry over how Estelle seemed to forsake her safety. No one knew what could''ve happened. Estelle was an easy target to people who didn''t know her power. They were only aware of her identity as the Duke''s one and only daughter. People would want to capture her for their own profits. Even if Estelle defended, it meant that her power would be discovered. The information would be spread across the country, and the higher - ups wouldn''t miss this chance to take control of Estelle''s life. "Damned girl, when will you learn?!" n smoothed out the crinkles on his forehead. He was getting headaches thanks to this unruly daughter of his. He stressed over Estelle''s matters more than he did facing government work. The fear of having his daughter on the risk of being treated like a caged bird by power - hungry trashes enveloped his thoughts. "Well, well, don''t be so harsh on our little star. If the baby heard, won''t they feel aggrieved? They haven''te out yet, but their father is already angry here and there," She pacified the two, hoping that the endless scolding would end. Estelle observed She. The pregnancy was nearing its end. She was five months in. A decent sized bump protruded out. Her motherly glow was certainly peaking, making her even more beautiful than what she normally looked like. Her hair was braided loosely and swept to one side, the only clothes she wore were loose dresses that didn''t put any strain to the body. Her noble figure, however, could not be hidden. Her back was straight, the smile she never lost was still stered on her face, and none of her manners were lost. Estelle, who had heard of the dilemmas of pregnancy in great detail from her previous life could not help but praise her mother for not showing any changes. "Right, right," Estelle nodded. Her father was too much! In a second, a sharp re was shed at her, making her subconsciously turn her head to the side. n also knew that just like he previous times, Estelle would forever be Estelle and would not learn her lesson. "You... aren''t you scared that your mother would worry about you? She''s already five months in, shouldn''t you care for her more?" n also didn''t want to scold Estelle. However, the worry he feels every time Estelle makes a trouble would never decrease. "Ara~ I''m not worried about our little star, didn''t you see how great she was at protecting us a while ago?" She was a huge fan of Estelle''s prowess, unlike n who wanted to hide it. "That- the things she''s doing is escting day by day, who knows what she''ll do by the end of it!" n retorted. She, of course, only responded perfunctorily and did not take theints in a dead serious manner. The two elders began bickering. Only n got heated up, whereas She stayed passive and answered him normally. Really, how could the Duke be titled as a cold person? Clearly, he was very emotional. He wasn''t doing anything wrong by being emotional, though. Estelle thought about it and found her parents'' words to be somewhat true. As a filial child, she should stop rampaging around if she cared about her parents'' well being. Just like the previous incident, what if an attack happened while she was away? She could open a space rift and arrive immediately, but it might be toote. Since they were definitely being targeted by a certain someone, a form of protection was needed to ensure everybody''s safety. A pregnancy. She heard that the stronger a baby''s innate talent was, the harder it was for the mother to give birth safely. She had to linger around for the risks. Preferably, she''d nurse her mother back to health after the delivery and set off afterwards. For the basic safety, she could ask for Yulia''s help in setting up barriers. Furthermore, she had promised Yulia that she would help her in her researches, maybe it was time to settle down for a short while? Focus on the things near her and forget about the hardships for a bit. The impending things could wait. She had to make sure her family could stand on their own before her departure. Maybe leave one of the Witch sisters to protect the family? If you got confused: - When Richter was the Duke reste (30+): (Duke Miller (35+), daughter (6), Duchess (30+) - Daughter dies - Duke gets power - Active for 10 years or so - Duchess conceives the heir apparent - Dies inbor - Duke settles down as a single father and stops - Last heard: two decades ago. - When n was the Duke reste (20+) : Duke Miller (60+), heir apparent son (20+) - 10 years passed - Estelle''s birth - Current timeline. Chapter 36: Development Chapter 36: Development Afterposing a n, Estelle reached apromise with her parents. She would be given the chance to travel abroad. In the first ce, her parents had seen her overpowered abilities. She was capable enough to protect herself. Hell, when the time came to it, Estelle would be the one protecting them instead of the other way around. "Mother, please take this," Estelle handed She a pill covered in golden luster. She''s pregnancy was getting nearer and nearer to thebor day. Her stomach was already bulging out like a ball, and the sickness that apanied it was terrible. The baby was likely to be strong. "Ara, what is this?" She took it and observed the beautiful shine. "A pill to ease your difort, mother," Estelle was being diligent in taking care of her mother. Three months had passed since the excursion they did to the Duke Miller''s mansion. Ever since she realized how negligent she had been, she devoted herself to keeping her experiments and tests at home. One could never be too cautious. Last time was enough, another time would not be pardoned. Learning barrier and sealing magic from Yulia, erecting a couple of both defensive and offensive fields here and there, everything was done as preparation for future events. "How are you feeling these days?" Estelle asked, holding She''s hand in hers and channeling warm mana to circte her mother''s pressure and relieve any blockages. "Our little star is such an excellent doctor, to be able to make pills like this," She praised. Her warm energy was capable of healing one''s mentality. Signs of tiredness showed in every single part of her body. The symptoms had been increasing as oftely, and thebor day woulde in around a month, so everyone was erratic. Every single individual in the mansion paid attention to the madam''s condition with much focus, not wanting to miss out on any failures and potentially risking something. Everyone knew how much n prized his wife. Their care was not only based on their loyalty towards the manor, but also the fear of what would happen in case She encountered troubles. Luckily, the young miss herself offered to be the madam''spany. Estelle, too, dropped her other researches to concoct pills for She. She gained experience in the medical department instead of crafting weaponry, but it didn''t feel like a loss. She was more important. Her mother figure. She was the kindest person she had met. She didn''t want to lose her. "Mother.." Estelle tugged She''s sleeves. She knew that She would not say that she was in pain no matter what happens. The topic would always be diverted. She wanted to avoid the matter. "Little star, when I had you, wasn''t I like this too?" She ran her fingers through Estelle''s silver locks. "Father snitched on you, he said that this time around is much more serious," Estelleined. "Ao, did he really say that?" She pouted to express the dissatisfaction she had. "That''s why, Estelle is going to take care of mother," Estelle grinned and gave a light massage to She''s shoulders. If She desired to be positive, the only thing she could do was support her and y along. "..Estelle," She softly called out. It had been a while ever since she called her by the name. Usually, she would use pet nicknames. "En?" Noticing the change, Estelle hurriedly answered She. "I.. If I don''t survive, make sure you take care of your baby brother," She looked at her stomach full of longing. Her mental state had been fluctuating all over the ce. Her facade was too strong, and no one was able to detect any anomaly. Last year, it was the same as this. Her smiles were kept on even when she had to face several different types and levels in terms ofbor pain. Only.. this little baby was a lot more rebellious, and fear began to creep up into her heart. Her body wasn''t weak internally, but it wasn''t exceptional either. She had quite the prowess in magic, as proven by how she was able to stay equal in battle with n in their younger days. Two strong figures naturally created a strong offspring. One of the quirks you would obtain from having a baby from two powerful parents was that, your pregnancy might not go as well as those who had normal parents. Both her and n were by no means normal. She could feel that the uingbor would be much harder and riskier. "..You shouldn''t say that. The baby will know. Mother is so great, could they bear to hurt you?" "T..That''s right, I shouldn''t doubt the baby. Little Sun or Moon, mommy is sorry not trusting you," "Sun or Moon?" "If it''s a boy, then the pet name would be Little Sun. If it''s a girl, then she would be called Little Moon!" She exined. This was a concept the couple thought up of after the countless brainstorming sessions. They had decided a name for both gender, but it was never revealed. "This little one is much more naughtier than you, but I will still love them," She expressed her thoughts, the tone of her voiceced with clear sadness. "Exactly, mother loves the baby so much, Estelle will scold them if they act up," Estelle consoled She. She wished that her mother can live a life without any hardships. The kind and strong woman deserved it. Time passes quickly. Just like that, the long awaitedbor day soon arrived. "Sweetened potions... This should make it work," Estelle mixed two different liquids to form the new version of the Mana Potion she fed them. "Try?" Estelle handed it to Minerva, who jerked back. She was still hung up over thest potion she drank. On an instinct, her body refused to drink the liquid. "Trust me, it should work," Estelle assured her. "...In theory, that is," Correcting herself, she pushed Minerva to waste her mana on arge spell, erecting a magic barrier to contain said spell. "Uuuu," Worry was shown on Minerva''s facial features, but sheplied nheless. Casting thergest spell she knew, she wasted her mana with the help of Estelle, who dispersed the spell she cast into nothingness. Her left hand chugged the Mana Potion without restraint right after that. Her eyes were tightly shut, but the taste she dreaded did not appear. Her mana also replenished back to normal. "..Huh, you actually seeded," Minerva looked at the liquid in wonder. The color, viscosity, smell, everything was the same, but the taste was different by arge margin. "Of course I would.. It''s only the taste-" Estelle was beginning to feel proud, but her speech was interrupted. "Young Miss! The Madam- her water broke!" Lylia could be seen running at full speed to her current position. Her face showed anguish, possibly because She''s condition worsened. "..!" Estelle couldn''t help but frown. Finally, the day came. "Minerva," Estelle called. Getting the hint, Minerva nodded back and gestured for her to go, wishing good things about the uing trial. "Father! How''s mother''s condition?" Estelle arrived at the room with Lylia. The procedure was about to start. "Not that good. She contracted a fever, it''s going to be harsh on her," n was trying his hardest to keep a calm expression on, but his right foot betrayed him as it made rapid up and down movements. Although small, it was visible. "..Father. Can I go inside?" n looked at Estelle''s pleading gaze and sighed. He didn''t want to admit it, but there was a high chance She would not survive. Usually, the children aren''t allowed to enter the room, but n did not want his child to lose her chance in seeing her mother for thest time if anything did happen. "Go in, but don''t go for too long," "Okay," Entering the room, Estelle saw a flushed She weakly lying on the bed. Her eyes were shut and the breath pattern was not steady. "Mother," Estelle walked up to her side and gripped the lean hand. Touching She''s forehead, Estelle frowned at how high the temperature had be. "The healers were called, but every time they tried to lower the temperature, it would shoot back up immediately," Lylia exined. This abnormal scenario could only be corrted with the child in her womb. The healers theorized that the child''s energy was too strong and contrasted with She''s weakened body, resulting in an unwanted bacsh. "..I will try," Estelle wanted her mother to have a great condition before delivery, but it seemed like it was impossible. [If the baby was the problem, then..] Estelle ced her hand on top of the bulging stomach and started making her way in and taking a look at the internal situation. The two powers were imbnced. The baby''s energy was spreading all over, concentrating in the lower area where the womb was located. It overpowered She''s own energy and caused a negative reaction. Estelle healed her mother with the best spell she knew, but like how the healers said, it shot back up. [..I have to control the baby.] Estelle isted the baby''s unnatural energy spikes in her own mana, calming it down. Thest time she checked, this energy was contained in the womb perfectly, but the tiredness made a small gap for it to rampage and escape. Like a shield, Estelle''s golden mana enclosed the raging energy. Her other hand was healing She at a high speed, hoping for the temperature to cool down. As She''s expression gradually bettered, Estelle removed her hand and sighed heavily. Thankfully, it was able to be controlled. Making sure that it would not be breached, Estelle made precautions for sudden spikes during the process. Estelle also made her best efforts to revitalize She, replenishing her energy and strengthening her physique. "..Mother, please take this," Estelle knew that she wouldn''t be able to enter the room when the delivery procedure starts, so she prepared a stone infused with her mana long ago. The golden mana was tightly secured inside the small spherical item, giving it an eye - catching tint. Estelle wrapped her mother''s fingers around it. "If you ever have troubles during the delivery, please hold this item tightly. It will lessen your sufferings and soothe you," Estelle''s mana control was steadily rising day by day, it had reached a level where she could eliminate the contrasting effect and only bring the positive effects when inserted to another person. Unlike the baby''s energy, Estelle''s mana would instead bring a healing aura. "I made all of you worry, and even made trouble for my own daughter. I''m so bad, right?" She forced a weak smile, opening her eyes slightly to take a good look at Estelle. "No, but I will be mad if you don''t try your hardest to survive. Mother, I hope you have a safe delivery. Estelle will go now, alright?" Giving ast "..You are so mature, the baby will be d to have you as their older sister," "The baby will also be d that their mother is you," Ending it on a positive note, Estelle jumped down from the chair and left towards the door. Taking onest look at She, she closed the door behind her and met n''s eyes. [..Ahh, these kinds of worries are really not good for my heart.] [Father''s condition must be monitored as well.] Not only the mother, but the father would also have risks during a childbirth. Especially if the father is someone this lovestruck with his wife, what would happen if Estelle wasn''t there to watch over him? Silently, she grabbed his hand and did the same mana channeling, calming his fluctuations down. Not a word was spoken, but n would be forever grateful for the blessing that was given to them in the form of Estelle. Several hours passed. Within that time, screams and cries of pain emerged out of the room, gripping their hearts like a lion''s w. "Congrattions, Duke, it was a safe delivery," A helper came out of the door and brought out the small life out. The oue they had desired. "..It''s a boy, She wanted to name him Noah," n''s eyes reddened, but there were no tearsing out. "Noah," Estelle was given a chance to hold the baby in her hands. Assisted by Lylia, she cradled the baby and felt warm inside. "Noah, Noah, Noah," The name sounded so elegant, it rolled off the tongue like butter. Estelle repeated his name multiple times. It fit so well. Noah. "My baby brother Noah," Estelle had a rare smile stered on her face as she let the baby down slowly, afraid of hurting him in any sort of way. Noah reste, wee to the world. Chapter 37: Development (2) Chapter 37: Development (2) "Mother, your condition has been getting better," After She gave birth to Noah, her body was weakened by a considerable amount. For a week, she suffered repercussions from Noah''s strong energy as it abruptly left her body through pregnancy, leaving her state unbnced and filled with riot. It could be said that her case was quite simr to those who were pregnant with Witches. Their body would be affected by the baby and end up spiraling out of control. "It''s all thanks to you, little star," She herself did not think that she would survive. She was pessimistic, but her daughter was much more capable than she thought. Estelle nursed She back to a stable health, focusing on nothing but She''s treatment. Noah was checked by the healers and was brought to the church to be blessed. His birth rights also had to processed, as the birth of a male offspring was a big deal for them, who had the Duke title. Not much people were informed of She''s pregnancy, so the sudden announcement brought shock to many. Although a female heir apparent was not something unheard of, people still preferred males as the head of the household. When the small age gap between Estelle and Noah were looked upon, n decided to temporarily shift the sessor title to Noah instead of Estelle. Estelle had not begun her sessor studies yet, and n himself knew how much Estelle loved her freedom and consequently her hatred for studying. These little changes did not affect the family, but it brought uproars to the noble society. To Estelle, they could only be described as stupid. One wouldn''t be able to not notice the love n shared with She. Why did they doubt that a second child was possible? There was no need to freak out over Noah, she wouldn''t be surprised if another one woulde in the near future. Well, n was having serious mental aggravations after She''s condition plummeted, and that scenario would probably be something he would desperately avoid. He wouldn''t risk She''s life once again. One thing that bothered her was the words Yulia said on a visit. "Your younger brother is just as interesting as you. I would advise you to be mindful of yourself.. and your powers. We haven''t really researched deep into it yet, have we? I''d rmend you to understand yourself a bit better. Your effect on the world is not miniscule, I wouldn''t want you to lose sight of your path," Yulia''s words were vague, but Estelle instinctively knew what she was talking about. The concept of someone''s fate. In truth, she was an anomaly. She was someone who bore the thoughts and memories of another person who had lived in a separate world. There had been no records of someone like her appearing in history. She''s condition was too dire. If Estelle did not exist, She would be dead. Not only that, Noah was also unstable. If Estelle was not there to stabilize his overflowing energy, Noah would''ve gone on a rampage. His infant body would not be able to handle to surge of power. He would''ve met a sorry ending as well. If we take those two into ount, n would also be affected, for obvious reasons. The problem here was Estelle. She brought otherworldly knowledge with her, and applied these ideas into her research. Her magic aided her even though she hadn''t understood them fully. Just these little facts were enough to change someone''s fate. Extending someone''s life. She was sure that what she did was possession. She did not reincarnate right after she was born, apparently a day or two had passed when she opened her eyes to this world. Estelle''s consciousness was not there. Did she, Kirisaki Reina, make the real consciousness vanish as she fused with the infant body? Or maybe it was when she had a dream about the girl who told her that Estelle reste was meant to be a viiness? When she lost her mechanical mind and started to grow her emotions? ''Understanding yourself.'' She really didn''t understand herself. Perhaps, Estelle was still unwilling to ept her existence. Her unsolved aspirations, her hatred for Hikari, her wish to reunite with Yuuma, all of them made her detached from her current world, while at the same time, she was undoubtedly the five - year - old child nearing six, Estelle reste. She was still hung up on her past, and that prevented her from being truly Estelle. The adult her and the child her was fusing. Day by day, she felt her emotional side take over, and her logical side was getting eclipsed by therge presence. Again, this was something she had never experienced. In her previous life, even as a child, shecked humane emotions, and her actions were based solely on logic. [..Living a life as Estelle and forgetting Reina''s existence.] Her past bothered her. This was a fact. But it still made her ufortable to forget everything. She felt like there was something unsolved, sitting right in front of her. It was just that, she wasn''t able to see it yet. [Because I am not worthy yet?] Estelle was reminded of the Duke Miller''s words. Proving her worth. Her existence. Proving that she is truly Estelle reste and not someone who possessed a body. She was nearing six. Noah was born, and She would probably be the cheerful self she was in a few months. In those few months, she had to secure the household''s safety, so that she would be assured when she left for the Elven Kingdom to research her lineage. She''s health was priority for now. From then, she would invest her mind on setting up Yulia''s protective barriers and counterattack measures for the Dukedom. If she had to build a fort for protection''s sake, she wouldn''t mind. It would only cost her a few months, but in the case that she didn''t, she would lose her entire family and acquaintances. [My effect on the world..] Estelle contemted on this matter, but could not find a definite answer. The answer she sought for. ____________________________________________ Today, Estelle also held her regr tea time with She. As her temporary doctor, Estelle had to make sure nothing went wrong, so a full day observation was needed. "Young miss, are you going to hold a banquet for your uing birthday?" Lylia, who was always by their side, poured chamomile tea for the pair of mother and daughter. "..It will probably just be a party like before. No more fireworks though, we knew how that went the previous year," Estelle regretted her showcase even until now. It made the royals more aware of their existence. They took advantage of that, and as a result, they were almost charged with unjust ims. "I see. Then, may I ask you something?" Lylia was hesitant. She fiddled around nervously, as if what she wanted to say was a precarious matter. "Yeah?" Estelle was puzzled. Why did Lylia have to ask for permission? "It''s about Derrick and Sierra. Surely they.." "Of course they will attend. Even if they don''t want to attend, I will make theme," Estelle thought that Lylia was silly for asking such an obvious question. The pair of Sullivan siblings were ced in a luxurious detaining center. The life inside the bars were even better than what a normalmoner had. "Is that so," Lylia heaved a sigh of relief. What those siblings did was unfortunate. Estelle was willing to forgive them, but they still had to face the repercussions for their actions. Estelle told the people in the mansion to avoid the two. At first, the knights were distraught as they thought that Derrick was doomed for sure. Theyter realized that Estelle was just trying to make the two of them see how great the people were, how much of a shame would it be to separate from this environment. Sierra was a hardheaded person. She refused to give in and even acted quite rudely to those who passed her. Although they weren''t allowed to say anything to the siblings, they still looked at them endearingly. Sierra was still a child, it wasn''t impossible to revert her psyche back. Derrick, on the other hand, took his actions under the pressure of Sierra. "My, I really liked those two. What are you nning to do with them, hm?" She asked. "For Derrick, I will still be employing him as my personal escort. As for Sierra, I n to have her go under the tutge of Minerva and Yulia. After all, her potential as a Witch is there, it would be a waste to ignore it," Estelle had thought about how to change the siblings'' misconceptions. Derrick despised Witches because they stole his mother from him, while Sierra adored her Witch bloodline. If Sierra was to be a good -natured Witch, surely Derrick would have no choice but to respect her wish. Perhaps he would even open up to the existence and Witches and somehow get along with Minerva and Yulia. If the n seeded, that is. Once a traitor, always a traitor. Estelle is willing to give them second chances, but there must be some barriers between them that distinguished their positions. [What a shame.] Estellemented. She thought that they would''ve been great aides. "Is that so? Then... what else... Ah, right! Won''t you be Noah''s teacher when he grows older?" She proposed. "..Noah''s teacher?" She exined that she saw how Noah seemed to be attached to Estelle, to the point where she even felt jealous at one point because Noah preferred Estelle''s embrace than hers. "Young Master Noah always smiles whenever the Young Miss holds him, right?" Lylia chuckled from the side, acknowledging She''sints. She too participated in caring for Noah, but the infant always sought for Estelle. This could be attributed to how Estelle had encased him within her mana on thest moments before the delivery urred. Noah might think of Estelle as a familiar warmth, the one who he feels mostfortable to. The energy he possessed couldn''t be fully controlled, so it must''ve had some kind of bacsh. Estelle, who freed him from that constricting feeling and soothed him would naturally be memorable for him on an instinctive level. "I see.. I mean, I don''t mind, but just know that mymon sense isn''t exactly applicable to anyone else?" Estelle sipped her cup of tea and munched on the desserts. "Don''t worry, Noah won''t lose to you! I''m sure of it!" She was fired up for the strangest reason. Knowing her mother''s personality and seeing how determined she was, Estelle could do nothing but agree to the promise. "Ah, that reminds me. After a few months, I will be going to Alfheim with Minerva, Yulia, and Heine," "Ara, you really got closer to those three, huh?" Estelle never told anybody that she had a close rtionship with them. Minerva was someone they could expect, but Heine and Yulia was surprising. One was a former Fae King, and the other was another powerful Witch that wasn''t close with the human race. Both didn''t detest humans, but refrained from interacting with the race. [On that note, I haven''t heard of Heine for a while. Should I go check his country out?] Estelle was interested in the new Fae King. Heine had told her that since she possessed the blessing of the Spirits, it was possible for her to enter their forest without attracting hostility. [Let''s see... Sylvania is to the right, and Alfheim is a bit far from there, but I could make it in one trip.] Estelle did not want to use the other three''s space rift to get to the ces. She thought that it was a pretty good idea to go over and take a look herself, scouring through therge continent. [For that, I need a transportation method.] There was no way Estelle was going to stick with the world''s ssic transportation devices. Carriages, horses, wooden ships, farmer carts... None of them wasfortable. Even the carriage the royals sent to them on the trial day was ufortable to sit on. Going on a trip to Sylvania would take days if she used the traditional devices, so she hoped to create a new device. [My checklist is.. Making a transportation method, finishing up Yulia''s map, increasing the mansion''s protection, going to Sylvania, followed by Alfheim... My birthday is in.. two months? Mana potions are done, so next is the health potions.. Need to make weaker and smaller types if I want it to bemercialized though. After Alfheim, I will go back to here? To meet Duke Miller.. Duke Alfonso and his monsters...] [Aih, there''s no way I can do this in just one or two years. How long would it take? Sheesh.] Estelle grumbled. She had to arrange the sequence of events with care, or else there might be a fatal mistake. [There was also the matter with the gun..] [And with the inefficient magic spells...] "What are you thinking, little star?" She asked after seeing her daughter zone out for so long. "How to convince father to let me go to Alfheim..." Choosing her utmost priority, Estelle gazed at She with an expectant look. Knowing what she meant, She chuckled. "I will help you with that one, you don''t need to worry. n is stubborn, but surely he can''t win against me?" She lifted her index finger up to her lips. Patting her head, they enjoyed the rest of their tea time in happiness. A moment of rxation before executing uing tasks that might take up to more than a year, it should be well deserved. Chapter 38: Development (3) Chapter 38: Development (3) "Estelle, help me out with this!" Yulia eximed. Her golden, silky hair was now tangled up and had lost its luster. Dark circles formed under her eyes, and the clothes she wore were ragged as she hadn''t changed in weeks. Estelle had told her to clean herself with Water Magic multiple times, but Yulia wouldn''t listen. She said that it would ruin the mood as it made her feel like she was just starting the research, like she hadn''t made much progress. Estelle couldn''tprehend that way of thinking, so although she was rather detached from her surroundings during the research, she would always make it back to her family during nighttime. To act her part as the Dukedom''s young miss, she interacted with the people, went to apany her parents, and ended the day by watching over Noah and eventually sleeping nearby. In truth, her body was growing at such a monstrous rate that she could discard sleep for a week or more and still be at her best state. However, she had resolved to get along with her family and take care of them, and that resolve wasn''t going to be broken anytime soon. The Dukedom''s people were already aware of their miss'' strange powers, more or less. From the intellectual prowess she showcased ever since she was born, down to the recent sightings of her ''savior'' like power, they had begun to praise the miss as an ''Angel'', a blessing to the Dukedom. Estelle''s mindset certainly was everchanging. Recently, she had came to the conclusion that even if there was a spy in the Dukedom, her hidden talents had already been discovered from the previous incident, albeit not theplete details. If that was the case, it would be more profitable for her to openly disy her surging power to the masked spy than toy low in front of people that already knew her secret. In short, she could be seen on the living room one second, and suddenly at her brother''s cradle the next second, and no one would suspect her because.. no one cared! (A/N: SHE VENTED!! VOTE HER! Estelle was not The Impostor.) Time passed without a care. Estelle''s birthday party was held more discreetly this time. At six year old, she was the Dukedom''s guardian angel. Time seemed to pass quickly when you''re rxing. What an irony. Before long, the n to go to Sylvania woulde. Parting with Noah and her parents, her only worry was that something bad would happen while she was away. Even after she made sure to give the manor protective measures, she still felt unsettled. Although she could go back in a second, methods of farawaymunication was still underdeveloped, so she can''t be contacted easily. [Damn. At this rate, I''m bing an inventor instead of a viiness.] Estellemented. Her argument was that, her enemy hadn''t shown up yet! The good guy, her target, was nowhere to be found! [The path of being a viiness is truly not easy..] [Well, I don''t have grudges against anyone, who am I supposed to attack? How do Imit evil deeds?] [Even if I''m a viiness, I am not stupid. Why the hell would I go around and wreak havoc for innocent people?] [Being a viin sure is tough when there is no hero or heroine... ] [Heine said that I am just simply not suited to be a viiness, but I don''t think so. I just don''t know where my counterpart is.] [Hero or heroine, the gender doesn''t matter! All I need is for you toe out!] [I''ll promise not to kill you too soon.. Probably.] [I mean, Heine said that my counterpart will definitely hold simr potential with mine.. Please don''t die early.] Estelle prayed for the safety of her enemy. [To put it into perspective, my opposite should be.. one who holds [Destruction Magic], right? It feels like my power got switched with theirs... When we talk about destruction, don''t we think of viins..?] Estelle questioned. She ranted on until her anger dissipated. Whilst doing all that, she was handling the creation of her newest prototype model. A transportation vehicle in the shape of a turtle. "A turtle?" Yulia squinted. She had been worn out from trying to improve her stalker-ish map, so her eyesight stared bing hazy. Teleporting here and there, gaining intel from the ces she marked, putting her visual memories inside the map... Yulia''s resolution had to be recognized and given praise. She was dead set on the map''s creation. The map could be said to be a national treasure at this point. It was unknown how much mana and effort Yulia put inside. Of course, Estelle''s work was mixed within as well. "Yep. Wouldn''t it be cute?" Estelle thought up of the transportation model and came up with a turtle - shaped sky ship. The turtle''s shell was designed to have a transparent, semi - permeable feature. When activated, it would still protect the contents, but it would be invisible to light, wind, and other natural resources. "This would take care of the housing and protective problem, controble speed, doesn''t need tond because it can be minimized... About the transparency, I will take care of it with illusions," Estelle was adding absurd features into the machine. Experimenting with her magic was very entertaining. Although she was troubled as to how she could utilize her magic without proper guidance at first, she came to brainwash herself, saying that the other elements must''ve been just like hers at first. No one knew how to utilize it, but it got better as time progressed. For her, [Creation Magic] was a great aid in fulfilling her fantasies. This turtle ship, too, was made out of her basic knowledge about structural integrity and the materials'' characteristics. Trial and error was a must in everything. The only thing was that her magic worked using her mana, and since she had infinite mana, she could use her magic to no end. Her question was: If there were researchers like Yulia who worked for new innovations, there must be one for magic spells as well? Minerva was close to her description, but what she was looking for was someone who devoted themselves to magic just like Yulia with her matters. Fanatics of magic spells. Magic researchers? Surely, they would have some solutions to the practicality of magic? As of now, she could only stick to the magic spells she learned and her boundless creation magic that had no elements. She didn''t possess the knowledge necessary to formte her own spells. Her ability couldn''t be developed efficiently. [It would be profitable for me to learn under a magic fanatic...] Estelle was curious. What would going under such a person''s tutge be like? "So, when are you leaving?" Yulia asked, tinkering with her own project. She had gotten out of her concentration mode, so she was able to rx a bit. She really lived a hustle and bustle life. Not that she was required to do research, but she did it out of her own free will. "In a week or so? The defense mechanisms you set up should be enough to take on an attack of the previous monster assault''s caliber. Only.. I don''t know how much their research has progressed," Yulia''s barriers weren''t omnipotent, but even Estelle had a hard time breaching it. The reason was simple: the ''Strays'' she battled with used their own physical power instead of any fancy magic spells. Yulia made a barrier dedicated fully to repel physical attacks, requiring you to be adept in magic. One must say, Yulia''s knowledge in barriers was crazy. Estelle realized her weaknesses and recognized it. Ever since she had her battle, she focused on searching her weak points. In a short time, she already found two of them. [Close rangedbat and efficient magic.] Those were troublesome. She thought about the monster''s source. One must not forget that the monsters didn''te out of nowhere. [The creator must be a powerful magic user... Could I ask for their teachings?] The matter of artificial monsters was something no one could touch for generations upon generations, but it was suddenly solved. What kind of genius was on the other side? Could it be, her mortal enemy? Estelle''s blood boiled. If she truly found her enemy.. wouldn''t she be able to experience the thrill of having a rival topete with? The genius seems to have great abilities. En, definitely rival - worthy. [But then, I''d want them to teach me their craft, so it''d be better if they were friendly, right?] Estelle''s mood became better as she hummed a happy tone whilst adding small touches to the ship. A weekter, Estelle was preparing to depart just like how she told Yulia. Minerva was to apany her until they were not in sight. They had managed to convince n after painstaking debates, in which he finally relented by saying that Minerva had to be there as well. A guarantee for her safety so he could rest assured, that was Minerva''s role. In fact, n had softened up a lot in regards to tolerating his daughter''s actions. From the baby delivery incident, he was able to see Estelle''s mature side which was usually masked behind her carefree attitude. Even when he was shaken, Estelle stayed calm and knew what had to be done. Her preparation was perfect. He was able to gain some trust in her. Trust that she knew how to conceal herself and protect her safety. Of course, n wouldn''t know that the words ''Minerva will apany Estelle in her journey'' was a matter that Estelle orchestrated. Upon flight, Minerva would get off and teleport to Heine''s ce immediately. She was weak to long - distance travel, since she never traveled through other means other than the space rift ever since she mapped out the whole world. She only walked with her two feet or connected two locations using a rift. What azy person. But true enough, there was no meaning in traveling across the world as Minerva had already done it in her long years of living. That was why, Estelle was now on the turtle ship alone. To experience traveling across the world, being a young child. She knew that the trip would be a nice experience bank. Excited to see what the future holds, Estelle set off for the skies and eximed loudly once she wasn''t in range. With a wide grin, she gripped the ship''s railings and acted out the ssic scene she saw inside the adventure medias. The line that could be described as cliche and cringe. "Let''s see..." Estelle grinned. "A new journey starts now!" She hoped that the line didn''t foreshadow anything. Definitely not a huge incident that could overturn her life in one go. Definitely not the opening to a new chapter in her life. Everything would be as usual, and her ns wouldn''t be disrupted. Right? Chapter 39: Journey: Sylvania Chapter 39: Journey: Sylvania Estelle had to take care of her needs by herself now. She missed her maid Lylia. Lylia was the epitome of a perfect maid, she was meticulous and detailed in every single thing she did. "Lyliaaa~" Estelle rubbed her eyes as she cooked fried eggs. She could just drop down from the ship and go to a nearby market, but she was toozy for that. Chewing on the sloppy eggs she made, she observed the smooth progress the turtle ship had. It breezed through the air without any hindrance. [En, I''m such an expert.] Her painstaking hardwork did not go to waste, the turtle ship gave her afortable experience devoid of the drawbacks other transportation methods had. She activated the transparent shell feature, gazing down to the boundlessnds. Because the ship still moved whilst she was asleep, she had already exited Alynthi and was now in the untouchable ins, Intemerata. She had to say, thends were as dry as deserts. Because no one could own thends, even if someone nted trees or flowers, they couldn''t fight for their ownership if someone came up and stole the nts. Thus, no one wanted to nt anything in these barrennds, because it would just end up in a loss. Besides, the climate was dry all year and only resilient nts could keep their life intact. Estelle recalled the fact that the ins also had monsters, the ''Strays'' dwelling inside. She grew curious of the origin of the enemies she fought inside the Dukedom and wanted to try and search for them. She drove the ship with magic and descended to a lower altitude. A pack of monsters entered her line of vision as she captured their features with her eyes. A hint of difort washed over her as she sensed an anomaly within the pack. "..This," Estelle''s expression turned grim. The monsters contained traces of corroded mana cores. Their mental stability was low. Some of the hordes'' members even fought against each other. The stench of bloodshed, be it past or present, invaded Estelle''s nostrils as she acted as an overseer from above. "Strays..." Estelle wondered. Even if they were monsters, weren''t they born with a pure mana core at some point? Then, howe every single one of them had a corrupted core? Estelle, who could see their rotten aura had to cover her mouth. The eerie ck mist surrounding the Strays were stronger than the ones she battled in the manor. Her first answers were simple: the mostmon cause of core corruption, the use of [ck Magic]. The magic corrupted the core to the point where you would be hurt by the slightest touch of Holy elements. Her books described the Strays aswless creatures, but not ones that utilized [ck Magic]. Duke Alfonso had to have obtained his specimens from somewhere. If their guesses were correct, then a strong magic user resided by him. If he really took them from the ins, did he really have to implicate every single creature? To corrupt them all? Seeing the deranged monsters trailing around, Estelle felt sick. They were not worthy of her magic. None of them were suited to be her opponent. She thought to free them from their shackles, but it honestly wasn''t her responsibility to do so. "A viiness can attain good merits, but even if I did free them, I would still have to kill them. I can''t rid everyone of their lives, I can''t bear the sin," Estelle felt regretful. The only way she could free them from corruption was to counterattack the force with her [Holy Magic]. The bacsh would cause the monsters to die or suffer harsh retributions. Perhaps a few would survive, but the genocide that she''d cause was to huge. Unless she had a way to not harm them whilst freeing them from the magic, she wouldn''t do it. They no longer had a will, but Estelle still didn''t want to get rid of them. "..I''m sorry, but I don''t have the right to take your lives," Estelle felt like it was such a shame. The monsters she fought proved to be quite a good sport. She thought that it would be good experience for her to take on these monsters, but now, the idea had long been evaporated. Estelle continued to drive her ship to her destination, Sylvania. Sometimes, she peeked down, but nothing would change. Intemerata was indeed famous for itsck of everything. A clear stark difference from the kingdoms surrounding it. It was truly a shame. Outside of the kingdoms, the only sentient lives that existed were the monsters. Even then, the monsters were now being manipted to serve as the ingredients for an experiment. [Are youing here?] Heine''s voice interrupted her serene peace. [I''m boarding a turtle ship right now, I won''t reach there until about three to four days.] Estelle replied. [Then, you''re passing through Intemerata, right? Could you bring some monsters with you?] Heine made a difficult request. [..Huh?] Estelle was shocked. [I''ll exinter... I''m sort of.. busy! That''s right, I''m busy right now! Sorry, but I''m breaking this connection!] Heine sounded rushed. Indeed, the connection was broken the next second. "What in the world..." However, Estelle did n to fulfill the request. It could be a visiting gift for Heine, especially since he asked for it himself. The things that puzzled Estelle was the reason he did that. [Why would he need monsters? Furthermore, he didn''t specify on whether he wanted alive monsters or corpses.] Estelle grumbled. Even so, she stillzily got up from her seat and put the turtle ship on stationary mode. One of the disadvantages of the ship was that it couldn''t be stored inside a magic bag because of it gigantic elements and huge mana currents. It had to be parked somewhere. Luckily, no one could see it if it was to be submerged inside the fluffy clouds. Jumping down from the ship, Estelle used some Wind Magic to keep her afloat and reached the ground safely. She navigated around thends to find the monsters''ir. Before jumping, she had marked down one of theirs and was now preparing to head there. "This will be my second real fight..." Estelle mumbled. Being six years old, her figure could not surpass the human limits even if she had monstrous powers. She was petite and the monsters would be several timesrger than her figure, like how it was back then in the mansion. Not long after, the monsters''ir was already in sight. The unpleasant stench of ck magic was repugnant, but she stayed calm as she thought of her next move. "Let''s see.. [Fortification]!" Estelle cast strengthening magic on her body as she charged towards the nearest monster. The monster looked like abination between a red ox and a humanoid bipedal creature. The horns that jutted out from their heads were as sharp as a de. They wore clothes to cover up their private parts. The fabric had blood stters all over it, from fresh spots to dried ones. "[Magic Bullet]!" This was an attackprised of no elements. It was a pure bullet made of mana, which worked the best for Estelle considering her element, [Null]. Unfortunately, she was not able to disy this attack in front of other people because it would show her special identity. The concentrated ball of manaunched itself towards the nearest monster. GRRR!!! The monster that received the attack growled. The growl acted as a signal for the others, as they crowded and began to approach Estelle with clear intentions: to kill and remove the outsider. The bloodthirst was potent, so potent that Estelle was stopped in her tracks. "Tch.. I wanted to engage in the fight more, but I can''t," Estelle prioritized her life. She was afraid of getting hurt. Pain was her enemy, and she would spare every extra effort to avoid it. Casting a Wind spell, she created a wind current that helped her stay in the air and shot the monsters down with urately aimed spears. Reminding herself to spare some of the monsters, she only shot a few on their hearts. The rest were shot on their limbs, knocking their bnce and pinning them down to the ground. "..I''m sorry that I wasn''t able to fight you fairly, but I really can''t stand pain," Estelle was still trembling from the ominous bloodthirst the horde disyed. [Are Strays really this.. destructive? They didn''t think, their minds went straight to killing mode upon seeing me.] Estelle shuddered. [I mean, I did attack them, but they didn''t show any shock. Like a lifeless robot who''s programmed to attack whoever disrupted them.] The monsters didn''t even budge when her [Magic Bullet] hit theirrade. "But... These Strays are way stronger than the ones I fought in the mansion," Estelle pursed her lips. It seemed like the artificial monsters were not as developed as the original ones. Although she could see some simr features, their prowess were totally different. The monsters in the mansion should be led by their creators, who allowed them to rampage. These monsters'' will came from themselves. It was their wishes to kill. Estelle picked up the corpses and stored it into her magic bag, whilst the alive ones were bound using her mana and brought back to her ship. The total earning amounted to seven corpses and four alive subjects. Estelle was careful in handling the live ones, trying her best to not make any contact with the monster whilst binding them. After the binding was done, she healed their wounds to a certain point where they wouldn''t die. "Wait.. I still have 2 days until I reach Sylvania.. Doesn''t that mean I have to stay with these guys.. even when I fall asleep?" Estelle realized. That day, she did not sleep, but focused on creating a cage that could secure the monsters. Since she didn''t know how to create a proper cage, she had to experiment several times before she was able to produce a cohesive bond between the irons. Fortifying the iron bars,cing it with magic, she had to waste time since this was the first time she created something like this. Shemented that she could not learn Yulia''s advanced barrier magic. Her barrier magic, which stemmed from typical Unique Magic was too weak to handle the creatures. Once she put up a barrier, their aura immediately destroyed the membrane, rendering it useless. She alsomented that her [Creation Magic] could only stretch out to objects she perfectly knew the characteristics and structures of. Although it was still a cheat in the end, she had to waste a lot of time if she wanted to be able to utilize it to its maximum point. [Then again, what''s its original purpose? Am I even supposed to create.. things that didn''t exist in this timeline?] Estelle was brought back to the topic of fireworks. An idea she brought from the modern times. Was she not supposed to do that? "..." Estelle felt strange. Her barrier magic was sourced from the magic books. Some of them were ssified as high level magic. However, to these monsters, it was just child y and did not cause any effects. It was even repelled without a thought and purely by their aura. Doesn''t that mean... the world was losing in terms of strengthpared to these creatures? Chapter 40: Journey: Sylvania (2) Chapter 40: Journey: Sylvania (2) Estelle''s trip was going well. Thanks to her constant maintenance of the ship, she had a safe ride across the skies. Because she passed through thends, she would be able to create a space rift in future events. Perhaps it was because Estelle still treated the monsters well even after locking them up, but they started opening up to her and wasn''t as hostile as before. For instance, they used to refuse any approach from Estelle, but now, they began to seek interactions with her. In addition to menial needs like asking for food and water, they also began to show humane actions like making funny faces to each other and having intonations in their speech, as if they weremunicating with each other. She could even open the cage and they wouldn''t riot. The risks she took had the potential to be fatal, since they were flying through the sky. Thankfully, all went ording to her predictions. Although Estelle didn''t know what caused the change, she was still wary of the monster''s intentions and kept her guard up. After all, she did kill their brethren even if they were already that corrupted. If she was in their ce, she would despise herself. She didn''t know if the monsters knew that she was the one who brought this upon them. All that she knew, was that the monsters'' corruption lessened each time she checked. Her first assumption was that the monsters had short - term memory. Through spending time with her, they forgot about their original identity and behaved as if she was their acquaintance. Intriguing as it is, Estelle chose to leave them be and treat them like she should. Call it thepensation for her actions. She''d give them the best possible treatment as a captive. The four Strays she captured was strange in a good way. She healed them to full health since it felt agonizing to look at their horrendous wounds. Pity was aroused inside her heart. Dayster, Estelle had arrived in the outskirts of Sylvania. It had been a week since she departed from the reste Dukedom. The first thing she saw was a huge bundle of trees protected by a dome - shaped translucentyer. Sylvania was home to the spirits, or what some might call ''faes''. [Heine, I''ve arrived. Do I just enter?] Estelle contacted Heine through a spirit connection. [Huh? Ah, it''s you. Yeah, you should just enter. The spirits won''t be hostile to you since you have the blessing, so... right, I''ll send a guide to you. Just explore for a bit and wait for her to arrive.] Heine replied. He still sounded busy. [Wait, where can I park my ship?] [Ship? The turtle ship Yulia told me about? Uhh.. anywhere you want, we have plenty of unused spaces.] [Got it. Go do your thing, then.] Estelle was confused as to what Heine was busy over, but decided to wait until they met personally. [En, see you!] Heine cut off the connection and did as what Estelle said. Estelle got down from the ship and enchanted it with a protective seal for preventive measures. She then started to walk around the breezy forests, feeling the abundant mana fleeting about. She met a spirit along the way, which then increased to two, then three, and before long, she was covered in curious spirits who deemed her as interesting. Be it balls of light or tiny fairies with sparkly wings. She was reminded the day she met with Heine. He infiltrated her room using the light sphere form before showing her his true form. That was six years ago. How fast. Luckily, she was able to understand the spirits''nguage, so she conversed with them smoothly. The spirits recognized her as one of their own despite the differences and quickly got close to her. [Maybe it''s because of the [Spirit''s Blessing] title?] Estelle found their voluntary approach to be funny, because her understanding of Spirits were that of a reclusive race that disliked interacting with other races aside from their own. After a while, the envoy Heine sent finally arrived and greeted Estelle with high respect. "Lady Estelle reste, if I am not mistaken. I am Het, a royal attendant. Lord Heine has bestowed upon me the task of escorting you to the castle. Please follow me," Unlike the other spirits, who looked like balls of light or small fairies, Het maintained an adult form. An androgynous beauty, who possessed an unnatural air that surrounded him. Thankfully, the male pronouns he used exposed his gender. If not, Estelle would have to hold an internal debate on what to call him. Before leaving, she wanted to part properly with the Spirits she just met. They were greatpanions to spend time with. "Ah, yes. Little Spirits, I must leave now. I''lle backter, okay?" Estelle smiled as the Spirits crowded around her frantically. "Elle, don''t go~" A spirit whined. The Spirits had chameleon - like properties, as seen from how they started to radiate dark hues as opposed to the bright colors they showed previously. The first colors she witnessed were orange to brown before they epted her as their own. Once they surrounded Estelle, they changed color to white, gold, and other bright shades. [Light colors are happier emotions, dark colors for negativity, and colorful ones disying other expressions?] Estelle concluded. [It''d be easy to tell what they''re feeling.] Estelle chuckled internally. She found the creatures to be cute. "Un, un! Being around Elle isfortable, don''t wanna separate!" Another spirit followed and protested against the higher spirit who wanted to take away the lovely human they just got to know. This was strange to Het, because lower Spirits were normally apprehensive towards higher - ranked Spirits. Higher Spirits had the ability to consume the energy of lower ranks. A Spirit was essentially made of pure mana, which was beneficial to one''s growth. Some high ranks regrly picked suitable Spirits to increase their power, which created a natural dislike towards them. Thus, lower ranks usually went to hide when a high rank got close to them. "Don''t abandon us!" "Yeah, yeah!" The other Spirits cried in unison. "I''m not abandoning you guys! I promise I''lle back.. Ah, that''s right! I''ll give each of you a gift," Estelle opened her inventory and took out several beautiful orbs. The orbs were the same as the one she gave to She. Those mini spheres that contained Estelle''s mana would serve as a token of remembrance for the little ones. "Let''s see... There we go!" Estelle made the orbs'' color change into those that matched each of the spirits'' hair or eye color. "What''s this?" "Hm?" The spirits were curious. "A present for me. Grip it tight when you miss me," The spirits were friendly, too friendly, even. They were already treating her as a close kin. "Hmm... I will let you off this time~" A spirit happily received the orb and spun around in delight. "This is so pretty! Thank you, Elle!" Another one chirped. "Then.. I will too!" "Yep, yep! G ''bye, Elle!" Having settled the matter peacefully, Estelle fulfilled her mission and was satisfied. "Bye!" Estelle cheerfully replied. Estelle took out the monsters she captured and nned to bring them to the castle along with this trip. The monsters, numbered four in total, peacefully came out of the cage and followed Estelle willingly. Het, who observed the strange actions marked the information down as he led the little girl and the four creatures following behind her to the castle''s direction. Once she got to the castle, Het led her to Heine''s location. "Heine!" The familiar fae entered Estelle''s line of sight. "What happened, really? You''ve been so busytely," "Estelle.. Nice to see you," Heine greeted. "To put it simply, there''s a problem with the world," "What do you mean?" Estelle was hit with the sudden gloomy news and was shocked. "The world.. No, to be precise, the world''s core has been corrupted," Heine''s expression was grim, and the spirits that floated around him also felt down. He sighed in distress. "Corrupted..?" [Like the Strays.. How peculiar.] Estelle frowned. Widespread corruption that even reached the Spirit Kingdom. What could''ve caused it? Heine began exining to her one by one. More or less, she was able to understand the severity of the situation. The Core Heine spoke of meant the Spirit Tree, otherwise known as the World Tree. The world''s heart. The sacred being that has been progressing extremely well was now showing signs of corruption, which could potentially affect the world''s bnce itself. Not only that, the Spirit Tree was also the being the spirits and fae revered and praised as a guardian deity, if the matter of corruption was to be leaked, it would certainly cause a nationwide chaos. "King- My apologies. Milord, may I have a word with you?" Another spirit, who by the looks of it seemed to be of a high position, approached the two. "Sui," Heine acknowledged the other''s presence. He told Estelle to wait and left with Sui to hear her out. Estelle was left alone. The castle did not have as much lower leveled spirits as the outside areas. Most of them were humanoid, and possessed the same androgynous outlook from the first nce. [They''re all beautiful as hell.] Estelle observed the race''s looks and found out that they all looked like they were we crafted by the Gods themselves. [I mean, their race is the closest to God, so that ain''t wrong.] [..Well, I have great genes as well, so I can''tin.] Estelle began spacing out, thinking about her unsolved problems. From time to time, her mind would wander to the monsters that she brought to this country. [I wonder if they''re treated well here. They went through a week of extraordinary treatment, what if they''re suddenly dropped into harsh conditions?] "Estelle," Heine soon came back, but Sui, who wanted to share her stories with him unexpectedly did not leave. Heine had a distraught expression on his face. He rushed towards Estelle, so his breath was unsteady. It made Estelleugh since the fae had the same case with Minerva: a stunningck of exercise. The trio she frequently interacted with all didn''t engage in physical activities. By mingling with them, would she grow up to be just like them? "What did you do?" Heine questioned. "Eh?" Estelle didn''t know what caused the question, so she tilted her head in confusion. Chapter 41: Journey: Sylvania (3) Chapter 41: Journey: Sylvania (3) "You.. what did you do?" Heine was surprised, but Estelle was just as surprised as him. "Did I... do anything wrong?" Estelle worried that she might''ve not known about some rules and identally broke them. [Was it the Spirits? Was I not supposed to befriend them?] Estelle worried and was about to clear things up and cover for the lower - ranked Spirits. "No.. More like, you did something right.. but," Heine crossed his arms. He thought that he had gotten used to Estelle''s miracles, but it seemed like he was still miles away from attaining perfect peace. He once pledged to never show a huge reaction to Estelle''s casual miracles with the basis that he had gotten used to it, but the girl went ahead and destroyed another part of hismon sense. "The Strays you brought.." "Did they do something? They''re not that bad, they followed me quietly after I released them from the cage, uh- the corruption, right? It has lessened, although I don''t know why! Their thinking has-" Estelle felt that it was a shame for the monsters to be misunderstood. She didn''t know if Heine was aware about the corruption in their core, but her short interactions with the monsters intrigued her. She wanted to see if the monsters could be cured. If so, she would be able to potentially gain a powerful ally, an army. The monsters were strong, too strong for her liking. If she could spar with them everyday... her mind was going off to the outer space. "I got it, I got it! That''s exactly what''s strange here! They weren''t supposed to recover!" Heine raised his voice to overpower Estelle''s mindless rambling. "Huh?" Estelle tilted her head in confusion. "Do you still remember your first contact with ck magic?" "The maid who tried to assassinate my mother, Helen..?" Estelle recalled her very first meeting with Heine, which also marked the first kill she achieved after reincarnating as Estelle reste. "Yeah. You ended up having to snatch her life. Do you know why?" Heine facepalmed. The study of ck magic was something that was hidden. Estelle has never had contact with it, and her surroundings didn''t provide her with the materials needed to learn more about it, so she naturally wasn''t aware of what she just did. "Could it be.. once a core is corrupted, you can''t purify them..?" Estelle deduced. "Exactly," Heine replied. "The way a core corruption works is just like a poison without antidote. If left alone, it would still impact the consumer. If amplified, it will worsen. But there''s no cure for it. Once your core is corrupted, no matter how little it is, you can''t revert back to your untouched core," Heine continued, exining the concept of corruption. "So.." "I don''t know how you managed to do it, but the monsters that are alive has significantly less corruption than the corpses. Just to rify, were they all in the same state before you took them in?" Heine asked. "Yeah.." Estelle began to realize how big of a thing she just did. At the same time, her mind began wondering if she could''ve purified the rest of the monsters. "What did you do after that?" "Well.. I put them in a cage, fed them, gave them good treatment, and treated them as pets.. I guess?" Estelle recalled. "Pets.. Dear God, yourmon sense is so broken," Heine sighed in distress. He covered his eyes with his palm and groaned. "..I did it unconsciously, so I don''t know!" Justifying herself, Estelle put her hands on her hips as she protested. "It''s not exactly a bad thing, though. Your ''ident'' could bring a breakthrough in our problem," Heine''s expression changed. "It might be because of your absurdly high core purity, it might''ve affected your surroundings.." "If you truly have the power to purify corrupted beings, then I must ask for your help," Heine made a low bow to Estelle, shocking her immensely. "Get back up, what are you doing?!" Estelle straightened his posture. "Please.. Please save the spirits. I''m using my chance, the chance we talked about when we made a contract," Heine hugged Estelle tightly. Unbeknownst to him, tears were falling down his cheeks, wetting Estelle''s shoulder. His face didn''t distort, but the overflowing tears were evidence to the turmoil he experienced. He tried to keep a straight face, in which he seeded in. However, the constant stream of tears made a huge contrast to the peace he disyed. "H-Heine.." Estelle didn''t know how to soothe the older man. She stroke his head, then went lower to pat his back. They stayed in the same position until Heine calmed down. She didn''t expect the man to show such a heavy reaction. She understood how he felt just a little bit. He was not only tasked with the role of leading the Spirits, but also as the Spirit Tree''s messenger. Now that the Tree was in danger and without a known solution, he must''ve felt so anxious to the point of despair. "Are you okay now?" Estelle was surprised by Heine''s sudden outburst. She knew that Heine has been preupied over thest year, ever since a new Fae King was elected. The pent up stress that was umted throughout the year must''ve impacted him and shook his emotional stability. "Yeah.. Sorry," Heine pursed his lips as he took a deep breath in and out. "No, it''s fine. You have to exin what happened, though. I won''t let you leave before exining," "..It''s a long story. Sit down. Sui, retreat," Heine cleared the vicinity from people and began speaking up. "The Spirit Tree... The world''s heart," Heine sighed. "Although it was just a small nick, a corruption effect has been ced upon it. Corrupting the Spirit Tree is the same as poisoning the entire world from within! Whoever was stupid enough to perform such actions... No, forget their stupidity, their strength must be terribly high as well, to be able to inflict corruption upon the being that could be presumed as the ''God'' of this world," Anger had been brewing inside the former King''s heart ever since the things started going downhill. No one suspected anything. To think that the Spirit Tree could be damaged in such a way was an idea that would never cross any spirit''s mind. Just like how the elves viewed their royals as the envoys of God, the Spirit Tree, to the Spirits, was their deity. "It began.. no, we don''t even know when it begun. I was dethroned from my spot, so the Spirit Tree couldn''t contact me.. As you know, only the vassal, the King, couldmunicate with the sacred tree. Therefore, the tree should''ve contacted the current King for a meeting. But.. it didn''t, and when we discovered the strange disturbance, it was toote," Upon hearing the information, Estelle''s suspicion immediately went towards the new King. She was a witness to Heine''s contact with the Tree. When she was born, Heine went back and forth about how he supposedly got informed of her arrival by the Tree. The speed of which the Tree contacted its King was fast, very fast. Heine also performed his duties and went to the Dukedom in a sh. Now, this new King didn''t do that. "..I''m not implying anything, but do you trust the new King?" Estelle questioned. Everything seemed too convenient. Heine was still alive, but a new King was born. Then, the timeline for the incidents coincided almost in a linear path, from the first time the mansion was attacked to the present. "There are mixed feelings, of course. The decree that stated the King''s identity was mandated by the tree''s consciousness itself. Even so, a lot of spirits chose to side with me after seeing how imbnced the situation was under his reign. Personally, I trust him for the Tree''s sake. No matter how far we stretch it, he is a Fae King. That can''t be denied," "Are there really no records about two Kings being born in the same period?" "None. Even if there is, I reckon they won''t note it down," "Why?" "Because us spirits can only follow one ruler. To us, the ruler is like the channel between the Spirit Tree and our race. This also became one of the proof that the new King is real. I can''t feel the channel between me and the tree no more," "Then, how did you know that the tree has been harmed?" "The tree is this world''s heart. Us spirits are very sensitive to the world''s changes. The disaster with the monsters.. it''s not only thanks to the humans, but also the tree''s damages," "...I understand. Then, what can I do to help? And, can I meet the current King?" Heine looked troubled. It was then that Estelle realized that the internal affairs within the Spirit Kingdom was not yet settled. Heine didn''t say anything and directed Estelle to a path. From there, they started delving into the deepest part of the castle as Heine continued his story. "His name is Kalis. A young spirit who knows nothing about the world," "I was simr to him at first. When I was born, my growth was sped up, and I was crowned the King within less than a year," "I was fortunate to meet Minerva, that fiery woman. She taught me, a Fae King that didn''t know anything about the outside world and guided me through the wide skies," Heine reminisced about his past encounters. "But he.. he knows nothing," "I should''ve kept him cradled inside the castle for the first few years, but I didn''t. It''s possible that he was influenced by an external force.. that''s why, Kalis is now being imprisoned inside the castle, whilst a trusted subordinate of mine who has the same mana wavelength as him ys his role," Heine''s gaze was cold as they descended down the secret staircase hidden behind aplex mechanism. "..And you didn''t n on telling me about all this?" If Estelle wasn''t discovered to be possessing a purification power, the ''King'' she met would probably be the vassal and not the real one. "Yeah. Figured it''d be worse to involve unrted parties," "..Mm," Estelle hummed in agreement, passing through the hidden rooms with ease thanks to her height. The spirits'' castle actually held this much structure underneath the bare ground. It made her wonder who designed the ce, as it must''ve taken much effort to sessfully build it without any disasters urring with the current technology and knowledge. They soon reached a humongous gate. "Lord," A spirit emerged from within the sealed dungeons and handed Heine a rock te with strange engravings on it. Estelle squinted. [Huh? Un..seal.] Even weirder, she understood the text which was in anguage she had never interacted with. [Unseal as in a spell for opening the gate.. Written magic? What is that?] Estelle raised a brow. Written magic wasn''t a foreign concept, but thenguage the unsealing spell before her was something she hadn''t seen before. Not even once. Just like before, she was able to understand the monsters'' tongue. [The Spirit''s ancientnguage or something? Strange.] She thought. s, Heine''s magic power acted like a switch for the door. The gates opened to reveal another sealed door. "We''re going," Heine waved his hand for the servant to retreat and entered the room with Estelle. Chapter 42: Journey: Sylvania (4) Chapter 42: Journey: Sylvania (4) Once they entered the hidden chambers, Estelle could faintly smell the musky smell of filth. Sounds of rattling chains could also be heard increasingly growing in volume as they drew closer to their destination. [Chains?] Estelle started to crease her brows. The so - called Fae King was being chained down. How was Heine allowed to lock him up? Obviously, there''s still a faction that supported the new King. They detested Hein, but he was still able to chain him? [Don''t make any harsh sounds. He''s very sensitive.] Heine warned in advance, earning a hum of acknowledgement from Estelle. Taking a look around, it seemed like the ce held nothing but a narrow corridor that wasn''t even equipped with lights. You had to create a source of light by yourself. The path led up to a wider space, in which she saw a glistening barrier enclosing a small settlement. Inside the barrierid a bed that had chains strapped into it. The other end of the chain was tightly locked onto a boy''s wrists, dangling off heavily. They stopped in front of the barrier, but the child did not even look up. "Kalis," Heine called out to the young child in front of him. Both his hair and eyes were ck. The darkest shade of ck. It was strange, because Spirits normally had features of the bright color spectrum. However, it wasn''t enough for her to suspect something was off. An anomaly would always sprout out. The pale Kalis didn''t look like a Spirit, but Heine''s testimony proved his identity. "It hasn''t been a year yet, but he''s already this big?" Estelle questioned. The man had a fully grown physique. He was lean and slender. His features were sharp, but his physique made it look like he was malnourished and haven''t eaten in a while. Bones could be seen protruding slightly in some ces due to his tattered robe. "We''re spirits, different growth rates," Heine threw out a casual response. A Spirits'' humanoid form depended on one''s power. The stronger they were, the more they resembled a human. Kalis was able to take on a full human form without any traces of his Spirit features, which indicated that he had huge power. "Kalis, lift your face up," Heine spoke once again. This time, ''Kalis'' responded. Slowly, he raised his head up to reveal an exquisite face that could be described as perfect if not for the huge, pitch - ck mark that covered more than half of his face. The marks seemed to stretch down to his neck and possibly the rest of his body. The marks looked like a passionate fire burning up without a care. "This.. This is your King?" Estelle covered up her mouth as a form of reflex. She didn''t know why, but the sight of the boy made her ufortable. Her stomach churned as she felt repulsed by the boy. [The Strays? Why do they carry the same feel..? Is it just my fleeting thought?] "How is it?" Because of Heine''s former warning, they conversed in low volumes. "The marks are definitely impurities.. It shouldn''t be there. But I don''t think it''s ck Magic. It''s.. something different. Much more sickening," Estelle had the urge to puke. This was the first time she had such an adverse reaction to magic. "Not ck Magic?" This time, it was Heine''s turn to frown. He thought that theplications that surrounded Kalis originated from the forbidden magic. "I don''t know.. It''s something I''ve never seen before," Heine had his own doubts. "Never seen before.." Heine repeated the words again and again in his mind. A thought flew across his brain. There was another person who possessed a magic that they had ''never seen before''. The person was right in front of him, the bearer of [Creation Magic], Estelle reste. Estelle made sure to learn every essible magic known to man. If it was something that she had never seen before, the only answers would be either a special case like Yulia''s Spirit Borrowing, or somethingpletely new. His instincts led him towards the second answer. Heine debated whether to keep the theories to himself or to tell the girl. "Kalis.. was it?" Estelle drew closer to the boy who had lifeless eyes that peered into her with disinterest. He looked at her like she was not there, as if he had already given up on everything. His line of sight was on Estelle, but his thoughts were in another ce. Estelle breached the barrier to try and make contact with the boy. She moved her hand forward to touch his arms. The moment their skin touched, Estelle immediately retracted her hand and hissed. "Ouch!" Estelle yelped in pain. The touch had resulted in a sensation that felt like electric currents invading her bloodstream. The hand she used to reach him was instantly numbed and paralyzed. Estelle couldn''tprehend what caused it. The man called Kalis did not do anything. She felt no manaing from him, so it wasn''t him that activated the reaction, but something thatid within his being. Estelle gulped her saliva as she braced herself for another shock. She approached the man and decided to sacrifice the same right hand that she used to hold his hand before. [Might as well force it to see what happens.] Estelle had fear brewing inside her heart, but she was also curious. If Kalis repelled her, it meant that he could be her opposite. She was cognizant of her fate as the [Viiness]. The opposite of a [Viiness] was a [Hero]. The man before her, Kalis, could be the perfect mold for a [Hero]. Her thought process might seem skewed, but it made sense for her. [Is he really..?] Estelle''s mind was stirring in chaos. If Kalis was her counterpart, what would happen? He was a Spirit, and her a human. She wasn''t scared of the races fighting with each other, she was scared that she would drive a wedge between the unity of the Spirits with her existence. Someone who was loved by the Spirit Tree, is a friend of the former Fae King, but is enemies with the current King. Wouldn''t that be funny? Her existence in itself would draw mixed feelings. [Whatever happens..] Estelle was resolved to see where the story would go until the end. The fact that Kalis had a reaction with her meant that she had a part in the whole scheme. Whoever was nning this to happen, they definitely assigned Estelle a role to y. That is, if her theory was correct. The ''someone'' who nned the script deliberately granted her the chance to continuously meet figures that shouldn''t be disclosed to a simple Duke''s daughter. She had a role. Only, she didn''t know whether her role was an enemy, or if Kalis was actually also ''evil'' and could be turned into herrade. Kalis showed no reaction to the touch, which led Estelle to believe that she was the only one being affected by the electric shocks. Under Heine''s worry - filled gaze, Estelle grasped Kalis'' hand in hers. Indeed, a shock attacked. "Urgh!" Estelle tried to bear the pain. Her arm was scorching hot. It was a mixture between electricity and pure heat. She didn''t know which one caused the worst pain. The longer she held his hand, the more painful it got. However, her resolve to continue would not be so easily broken. "I''m not going to lose, I''m not losing to someone like you. I definitely won''t lose!" Estelle chanted as she gripped Kalis'' hand tightly as she bit her lips to bear the pain. The shock spread from her arm to her upper body, andter to her entire body. Everything. Everything was in pain now. After bearing it for more than a hot minute, Estelle felt the shocks gradually recede, but felt an ominous feeling as her instincts warned her to remove her hand this very moment. She should''ve followed her gut. She saw Kalis'' features glow with a purplish hue. His hair, which had previously been ck, slowly revealed a striking amethyst shade. His eyes followed suit and turned into a simr color. In a split second, Kalis had tugged on her hand with a harsh force and pulled her into his level. Taking advantage of their intertwined hand, he wrapped his other arm around Estelle as he glued their bodies together. A shock iparable to the previous ones struck her as she felt Kalis'' body embrace her and drain all of her strength away. "AAAAHHHHHH!!!" Estelle shouted out a mortifying shriek as she slowly descended into slumber, overwhelmed from the absurd amount of pain served to her. Thest thing she saw was that of Heine''s worried face and Kalis'' reformed face. His face showed no traces of emotions even when faced with her screams, but a certain vision forced her to stay awake even though her consciousness was slipping by. Her eyes forced itself to widen as she observed how Kalis'' marks disappeared for a sh before returning back. Indeed, she was proven to be the key to the mystery. Although the cost was absurdly high, she didn''t mind. She smirked in victory. In the end, she won, didn''t she? Her theory was right, she did have something to do with Kalis. Her existence made Kalis reveal another side to him. It meant that the ''someone'' who granted her power nned this ahead. Her theory was proven. Her job was temporarily done, since she yed her role. More than anything, she was happy. For she had made progress in discovering her identity. Chapter 43: Arayle Chapter 43: Arayle "Kalis, you bastard!" Heine retrieved Estelle''s fallen body and backed away. He noticed that Kalis was the source of Estelle''s pain, the shock that caused her to faint. Heine red at the currently standing man. "I''m your King, am I not? Such rudeness.. I will not tolerate it, the fallen King," Kalis retorted, taunting the other spirit. His deadpanned look was no longer there, it was reced by a shit - eating grin. "..You, who abandoned your duties and ignored the Spirit Tree''s worsening state will never be worthy of being called a King," Heine focused on healing Estelle, in hopes of getting her consciousness back. To be honest, he didn''t like Kalis, even though the man was decreed to be the King. He wanted to question the Tree''s judgement. What had caused it to produce another Ruler? Why was he discarded? To his frustration, nothing worked. Estelle''s eyes stayed tightly shut, whilst Kalis was looking at the pair with a degrading gaze. "Whatever you say, the Tree has given me the authority and title. It can''t be refuted that I''m the true King, no matter how you try to regain your control back," Kalis shook his head, helpless at Heine''s useless efforts in healing Estelle. "It shouldn''t be the people that serves you, it''s the opposite! A Fae King serves their people and maintains the world''s bnce along with the Spirit Tree and our race. That''s how it has always been," Heine argued. His beliefs were something that originated long ago, from the very first record of a Spirit King''s existence. To his words, Kalisughed like a maniac. Heine''s words were the best joke he heard today. "What, don''t you feel like your freedom is being stolen?" Denying Heine''s heroic statements, Kalis questioned. "The moment you were born.. like me, you were immediately stationed on the King''s seat, because your predecessor died before you were born. In my case, you are here, but weren''t you frustrated? Confused? Angry?" "A King who doesn''t love his people will think like that. You are far too naive, Kalis. You''ve never seen the world, you don''t know how important our race and the Spirit Tree is," Heine gritted his teeth. His words couldn''t knock any sense into the young spirit''s head. It went inside his right ear and directly exited through the left side. "A Fae King''s responsibility isn''t just to lead the Spirits. We Spirits are known as the most essential beings in regards to the world''s continuation, you can''t just be selfish and ruin everything. Be wise, Kalis," "You are in no ce to lecture me," Kalis stretched out his hand and released an ominous mist, enveloping the entire dungeon and clouding Heine''s senses. Heine clenched his fists whilst holding Estelle securely in his arms. Kalis'' magic was different from the Spirits''. It was unnatural and unbefitting of the Spirits who carried the virtue of innocence and wisdom. Kalis'' magic was gloomy, and his heart was blinded by the amassed hatred and negative emotions. The negativity was channeled to his mana, tainting the supposed pure Spirit mana into a sickening aura. However, it was still in the realms of spiritual magic, which led Heine to wonder how Kalis'' magic got corrupted to such a point, "Kalis..!" When Heine realized that the seal that used to lock Kalis'' powers had been destroyed, it was toote. His consciousness grew foggy, and thest thing he saw was the smug face Kalis wore. He felt confused. When Kalis first appeared, his growth wasparable to that of Estelle, but Heine still managed to seal his powers. This should''ve momentarily stopped Kalis'' aggressive and outrageous behavior. s, the truth proved to be different than what you''d expect. As of right now, Kalis was stronger than him. How did he manage to grow even under seals? He faintly saw Kalis break his restraints and move closer to him, prying his arms away from Estelle like he was something that tainted and dirtied the young girl. Kalis thickened his magic and increased its effects, concentrating it into his fist. The lithe hand was surrounded by pitch ck mes that made Heine''s stomach churn. "Good night.. Sleep tight, preferably forever," Kalis jabbed a heavy blow directed at Heine''s stomach, effectively ending anyst energy Heine had. Heine felt like he was hit with a thousand needles. The wave of pain was enough to knock him out, forcing his body to drop down and giving up on protecting Estelle. Heine was full of questions, but his body couldn''t hold up as he fainted, regretting his choice to bring Estelle to meet Kalis. Kalis coldly gazed at Heine''s fallen body and went over to Estelle, who was also unconscious. "Now then.. Shall we depart, mdy?" Kalis carried Estelle''s body and teleported right away, erasing any lingering evidence as to not disturb the sensitive barriers any more. Only Heine was left copsed on the ground. The worst thing was that, Heine''s magic was one of the only remaining keys to the secret dungeon. Now that Heine was unconscious, no one was able to enter and check up on him. Kalis teleported to a ce he was long familiar with, to the domain where his master rested. Upon reaching the entrance, he went through a check up and confirmed his identity before entering. Estelle was dropped on the floor, her body limped over and made small, static movements. With Estelle''s high regeneration powers and the help of Heine, breaking out of Kalis'' magic was not that hard to begin with. She just needed time, especially because she had been taken aback by the painful sensation that overcame her senses. The sounds of heels cking against the floor rang before Estelle was able to regain her full consciousness. "Who did you bring here, Little Fairy?" Her voice sultry and smooth like honey, she approached the two with elegant andposed steps. "Stop calling me Little Fairy. I have my own name," Kalis clicked his tongue. "Don''t fret over such small matters... Isn''t this girl the one master was looking for?" The woman flipped her long hair back and suddenlynded a harsh kick to Estelle. "How utterly disgusting," The masked woman spoke, their anonymous voice full of mirth. The woman drew closer and jerked Estelle''s head up forcibly by pulling on her hair, pinching her chin and examining her face in close distance with interest. "Estelle reste.." She dragged her fingers across Estelle''s cheeks. "What a milky white skin.. Makes me want to create beautiful scars on it," "Yion. Master told us that we shouldn''t hurt her," Kalis red at the tinum blonde woman in displeasure. Their Master''s words were above all else. Yion''s actions were disobeying the rule. "What a boring person you are," Yion dropped Estelle down again and wanted to leave before she was interrupted. Sharp javelinsnded around her, piercing her long robes and sturdy boots. Her reaction time was severely slowed down as she felt a huge pain bursting through her entire body. She was rendered unable to move, but she didn''t resist after digesting the situation. There was only one person who could subject her to this kind of treatment during the short time span that psed prior to the attack. "Kalis is right. Yion, did you not hear about my conditions before?" Small steps trickled down into the room as the little bells that decorated the unknown being''s clothing jingled, creating a peaceful chime. "M-Master!" Yion''s face paled. Kalis hurriedly fell down onto their knees and greeted the little girl, whilst Yion was still stunned by the girl''s magic. "Greeting the Venerable One," Kalis saluted the girl. "Stand," The girl spoke. "It is not you whom I seek.. It''s your other partner. Yion, when I bestowed upon you two the duty of searching for this girl, what did I tell you?" The girl''s voice was cold and emotionless. However, the disy of no anger petrified Yion even more as she gritted her teeth to bear through the pain and force a few words out. "Master... I- I was doing it for your sake," "Answer my question, Yion. What was my warning back then?" "I believe.. that I wasn''t wrong," Yion persisted, even through the increased pain output. "Stubborn fool!" The girl sighed, relieving Yion of the pain. A sting force was cast on the older woman, pushing her body backwards into a staggering motion. Yion coughed up dark red blood in form of splotches that ended up staining her dress. "Kalis, take care of her. Make her repent on her actions. I don''t want to see that kind of disobedience being repeated one more time," Rubbing her thumb and index finger together, she turned her line of sight to the now half - unconscious Estelle. "Also.. there are traces of your borrowed magic on her. Don''t think that I don''t know the reason she passed out.. Kalis. You too used too much force," "My deepest apologies. It had to be done to secure the target," Kalis immediately bowed, cold sweat forming on his skin. "Oh well. I guess you wouldn''t be able to get her here without using my magic... I want to spend some time with this littledy of ours. Fall back," The girl lifted Estelle''s body and made her stay afloat, staring at her with a meaningful gaze as if pondering about a distressing matter. "Understood, master," Kalis made another bow before he teleported away with the pain - riddled Yion. The little girl calmly brought Estelle away with her to a certain direction. After passing through the wide and long corridors, they finally reached a secluded room that was located in the innermost part of the domain. Dropping Estelle on the bed, she took the initiative to perform some simple cleanups to the girl, taking advantage of her knocked out state. Not long after, Estelle was able to break through her slumber. Wiping her eyes to clear her vision, the unknown girl who was around her age caught her attention as she warily got up with haste. Unfamiliar surroundings, someone she didn''t know, her memories of being knocked out. [Since I was taken here... Heine was taken out too?] "Hi," The girl smiled. "My name is Arayle. Call me Ara?" Estelle was full of suspicions and prejudice against the girl, but decided topromise to see what would be the oue. [There was also the matter with Kalis.. There''s a high chance that Kalis is my counterpart.. The ''Good''.] Estelle resolved herself to inquire more about the situation. [Wait, where did this girle from?] Estelle scanned her surroundings in confusion. It was an environment she had never seen before. A morous room. One that would suit a royalty. "Estelle, right? I''m the one behind Kalis, nice to meet you!" With enthusiasm, the girl spoke. She wasn''t ashamed of proiming her involvement in Kalis'' matters. "..Nice to meet you," Estelle reciprocated the greeting, although slightly hesitant. "I must say, seeing you reduced to such a state pleases me very much.. I don''t know why," Arayle suddenly stroked the other''s rosy cheeks and slid her fingers through her silver strands of hair. The weakened Estelle was an enticing sight to Ara. Like a powerful stimnt, it encouraged her to attack and get rid of her right now. An adrenaline rush surged through her and spread like a wildfire inside her bloodstream. However, her main motive was more important. "I dislike you, but at the same time, I feel like I like you. Can you exin how this is possible?" Arayle tilted her head, demanding an answer as if she wasn''t the culprit of the questioned one''s abduction. Chapter 44: Arayle (2) Chapter 44: Arayle (2) "Can''t you exin to me? The reason why.. I feel like our souls are connected. Are you like, my long lost twin or something? I think our age demographic is pretty simr.." Arayle pondered, curiously staring at Estelle as if she was an exotic animal. Analyzing her every movement. The curiosity Arayle disyed towards Estelle was dead obvious. It made Estelle recall the first time she met Yulia, in which the Witch also disyed simr emotions. "I didn''t even know you existed before you kidnapped me. How would I know why you are reacting that way towards me?" Feeling apprehensive at Arayle''s behavior, Estelle backed away. "Ahh, I see. I guess that checks out too," Arayle made a small chuckle, but swiftly covered it up with a light cough. The room was taken over by a deathly silence. Neither of the two knew what to ask, what happened between them, and how to approach the other. "Anyways, I''ve abducted you, Estelle. Wee to my pce. I''ll take good care of you until yourradese to save you," Arayle stood up from her seat and thought briefly. "Will they be able to save you? Surface dwellers.. Nevermind, the chances are close to zero. Ahh, I really want us to form a good rtionship, so be good, alright?" Arayle smiled sweetly. Strangely, Estelle''s instincts picked up a bad premonition from the action and convinced her to agree on the offer. "Do I have any restrictions?" Estelle asked. If she was stuck here, it would be better to increase her benefits and good opinions rather than freak out and break down in confusion. "You can do whatever you want. I''ll give you this," Arayle equipped Estelle with an obnoxious bracelet. "This..?" "Hmm.. Let''s just say, it''s imbued with.. Kalis'' magic, and it''ll activate if you try something daring. I''m sure you know what happens next, right?" Arayle tapped the bracelet, bringing Estelle a sense of danger and animosity. [..This girl is weird. She''s kind to me, but at the same time.. her hatred is out of the bounds.] Estelle frowned. She was sensitive to people''s emotions. She recognized Arayle''s hatred as one of the most potent case she hade in contact with. Even though she didn''t know who the hell the girl was. She then coughed lightly and responded to Arayle with a relenting tone. In these cases, adaptability was your best ally. Arayle also seemed to want to keep Estelle''s life. She also facilitated her. Although the hostility was present, she shouldn''t freak out in case Arayle changed her mind and no longer wanted to keep her. "Well then, you can contact any of my subordinates to fulfill your desires. As long as you don''t run away from my pce, I don''t really care, so be good, alright? I''ll treat you.. well," Arayle informed. "That''s fine with me. Am I able to use my magic?" "Sure! Don''t push yourself too hard, though. The sensors in that bracelet would considerrge magic output as an escape attempt," "How do I know the limits?" "You could go to Yion..? She will help you. The one who sped up your recovery rate was her. Although.. She was also the one who kicked you here and there. Don''t worry, my orders are absolute, and so will yours from now on," "Yion.. Thank you for the kind offers, then," Estelle sighed. She had sumbed to her fate and was interested in the enshrouded mystery behind the world. She didn''t mind staying in the pce for some time. [The only thing I need to worry about is my family. My baby brother.. I wonder if his condition canst forever.] It wouldn''t be strange for a sudden outburst to ur one more time and endanger the infant. Knowing that her parents and Heine were given mana stones with her magic calmed her anxiety for a moment, but the thought of those mana stones running out brought the distress back. [If Noah doesn''t trigger anything, then the mana stones should suffice for until he gets a little older.. In that case, Yulia and Minerva will be there to assist him.. won''t they?] Estelle didn''t know when she would be able to escape this foreign space. [If I can think up of something before my time runs out..] Estelle grumbled. She decided to try and explore the new domain she was put in as Arayle gave her the permission to do so. Walking out of the door, she could see that everything, from the size to the furniture and decoration was huge. The royal environment was veryvish and morous. The theme color was icy blue, and there were even some objectspletely made out of ice. [So Arayle''s element should be ice?] She deduced. There was a high possibility that she, as the master of the pce, built the terrain elements ording to what suited and benefited her. She inspected each and every corner of the domain to find that all of them were made by magic. However, it wasn''t the [Creation Magic] she possessed, but rather something simr to alchemy. It was conjured by magic particles and as a result, became dense with mana. "I''d say that this ce is simr to the Sylvania.. Very high in mana," Estelle stroked one of the furniture, feeling the cold manae in contact with her. "Don''tpare us to those low - ranked race, please?" A familiar voice fell upon her ears as she turned around to look at the neer. "Kalis," Estelle recognized the man. The most notable change she noticed was the ck mark that used to cover his face. It hadpletely dissipated now. His hair and eyes, which used to be ck, also kept the amethyst to violet shade it changed to when he confronted her back in Heine''s dungeon. His physique also got better. Previously, he was only skin and bones, but now the man''splexion got better. "Surprised?" Kalis approached the girl, whom in turn backed away by reflex. "Ahh, my bad. You were injured by me back then. I apologize for that. If I didn''t do that, I wouldn''t be able to bring you here," Kalis held up his hands to show that he wasn''t hostile. Remembering that Arayle was the ruler here, and that Kalis was obedient to the girl, she decided to drop the hostile atmosphere. "That girl.. Ara told me that her subordinates were to obey my words. Does that apply to you?" Estelle decided to be brave and inquired. "If it is within my authority, then yes. Obviously, I would be the judge to whether or not I can fulfill your wishes. I will try my best, though. You''re quite special to our Princess," Kalis shrugged. The purple haired man with a matching pair of amethyst eyes and a prominent mole under his eyes was a beautiful treat to the eyes. Every single one of his movements seemed trained. Although his attitude was morexpared to what she imagined, she could sense that he was scrutinizing each step and action she took. "Then.. would you mind serving me some tea and desserts? I''d like to have a chat with you as well, so please make it two portions," Estelle reverted back to her noble mode and executed her words and poise with grace and elegance. She didn''t exactly like the constricted mannerisms she had to learn, but Kalis was hiding every hidden thoughts he had. To counter that, she also acted the perfect nobledy her parents once wished her to be. "Very well. I shall guide you to the dining room," "Dining room? I wanted to have a little tea time, is there no ce to sit outside?" "Outside? You want to go outside?" "Yes. Tea time is best held on a breezy, calm ce. Not a dining room," "..Mdy, why don''t you try having it inside the dining room for this instance? Perhaps you might take fancy to it, we can go to the outside realm another time," Without receiving an affirmative answer, Kalis began treading on his own path to the dining room, refusing to abide by Estelle''s request. "Wait," Estelle spoke. "I believe that my request isn''t too hard. Ara gave me quite a bit of authority, won''t youplete this task for her, and not me?" Estelle smiled. The wave of malicious intent she faced head on afterwards was unpleasant, but she persevered. To her antics, Kalis sighed. Indeed, the request was a simple one for someone of his caliber, and Arayle did tell him to do whatever Estelle wanted as long as it''s not overstepping the bounds. "Fine. Then, please follow me as we exit the pce. The pce is very huge to begin with, I shall impart you with a map," Kalis held a hand up to his mouth and coughed. He also dropped his re. [Ara''s authority really works.] Estelle thought. "Excuse me," Kalis wanted to perform a memory transfer, so he touched Estelle''s forehead and imnted a set of memories to the other. [..!] Estelle was surprised. Memory transfer magic wasn''t something that was known to the world. Adding on to the strange magic he possessed, it further increased Estelle''s faith on Kalis'' identity as her archenemy. [But to think that Arayle could control such a man.. Wasn''t Arayle more suited to be my counterpart?] Estelle began doubting the truth. She felt conflicted, but chose to focus on what was going on right now. Digesting the new information sourced to her, Estelle nodded and gave her appreciation. The map was detailed, it showed even the smallest piece of information about the pce. The map showed not only the pce''s coordinates. The pce was called Elyezer. A massive ice pce in the middle of nowhere. One thing she noticed was that the world was identical to therge continent she knew, but it was strangely different. The geographical illustrations matched the five races'' respective kingdoms, and even thend of freedom, Elysium. In fact, the pce was located in a region that mirrored Elysium. [How could this be..?] Estelle thought that she would be taken away to another space, but she didn''t expect the ice pce to be located in the renownednd of freedom. [..Is it really Elysium, though?] Estelle doubted it. She would''ve heard of such a massive building at least once before. Especially with its grand size. "Aren''t you going to follow me?" Kalis raised his brow. He hadn''t fully acknowledged the newdy yet, so he was a bit disgruntled over the fact that he was essentially the girl''s butler. He didn''t know why the princess prized Estelle so much, but he had to obey. If anything, he would find out the reason on his own. Estelle snapped out of her thoughts and quickly followed Kalis to the ''outside'' domain. Upon opening the entrance door, Estelle was bewitched by the sight that greeted her, but at the same time, she was riddled with fear. One thing for sure, she was no longer in the continent she was familiar with. She would even raise the doubt that she was in apletely different world. After all, she had experienced two different worlds, so the possibility of a third one existing wasn''t low. "Wee to Elyezer, the Underworld''s Princess''ir, also known as the Floating Armament," Kalis introduced. Chapter 45: Elyezer Chapter 45: Elyezer Arayle Sistina Algernon. The princess of the Underworld. The Underworld was just as vast as the surface realm, but the unfortunate difference was that of the Sun''s reach. Unlike the surface, the Underworld couldn''t receive the Sun''s warmth. Its skies were painted with a crimson, blood like hue, and there were ck mists that mimicked clouds floating around. The sceneries were unchanging. Day or night, the Underworldcked the effects of the orbital movement as it was enclosed in another spatial dimension, the only means possible to form a contact between the two realms being the power of ''Destruction''. Those who held royal blood possessed strange qualities. They were transcendent demons, not purebloods, but they were far stronger than the demons themselves. ''Special breeds'', or so they called them. They were able to wield the power of ''Destruction'', which could eliminate anything that stood in their way with ease once the magic was perfected. Arayle Sistina Algernon was the 108th Princess of the Underworld, and the second one to actively seek out contact with the surface realm. Just like Estelle, she was born six years ago. Their birth date matched, and it wasn''t long before Estelle found out that Arayle was her counterpart, not Kalis. What happened back then was thanks to borrowed strength, which ultimately belonged to Arayle. It was the same mechanics as how she borrowed Heine''s magic the first day she came to the world. Estelle, who learned that she was thrown into the Underworld, which had its own sets of mysteries before she could even explore a part of the surface realm, felt conflicted. After Estelle expressed interest in the Underworld, Arayle gradually loosened up her control. She was treated as a sibling, and soon the title of ''Faux Princess'' was granted to her. In the Underworld, Estelle was free to do whatever she wanted. Free to research anything. Free to explore. All because time was stuck in ce. Simply put, the time flow in the Underworld was significantly slower than the surface. One year was equivalent to a month in the surface. Technically speaking, Arayle could be considered as six - months - old. The Underworldcked life. nts were unable to grow there. However, remnants of those same nts existed, in the form of withered objects that looked like it would break in a single push. Written in the history books, those remnants were like a token of remembrance to the races. As if saying to never overstep your bounds.. like you did in the past. The Underworld used to look simr to that of the surface. Living in harmony, under the bright Sun and white clouds. Nature enveloped them, and their races thrived as if they lived in a paradise. However, those things were now mere remnants of the past.. Sealed within the history books, a taboo subject for the citizens of the Underworld. They have gotten used to everything, their hearts grew numb and had already epted the truth long ago. And thus, the Underworld became what it is right now. A soulless, lifelessnd abandoned by the higher authorities. A fallen world that centered around Elyezer, therge ice pce built by the current princess, Arayle. Estelle recounted the information she gathered as she walked around the pce nonchntly. The people regarded her as a princess, so the treatment she received was top notch. The pce was upied by only a small group of people, because it didn''t require maintenance. Everything was built by magic. As a result of their past mistakes, the citizens of the Underworld had a great magic capability. The buildings, the furniture, everything wasposed of magic. Arayle was like her, a wielder of every element in existence. However, she couldn''t use Estelle''s [Creation Magic], just like how Estelle would face a drawback when she came in contact with [Destruction]. The only difference was that Arayle waspletely fine after interacting with the power of Creation no matter how long it was. Perhaps it truly embodied her status as a Viiness. She was the viin. Arayle would be the hero. Arayle not getting affected by her ''evil'' powers made sense. It just made her wonder. Why is [Creation] the evil one, whereas [Destruction] is the good one? "Princess, where would you like to go?" From within the darkness, Kalis appeared in his usual gait. His facade as the Fae King had long been thrown out. d in violet clothes that matched his tinum hair, he was the spitting image of the princes described in novels. Towards the man, she was a little confused. Estelle had her own doubts. Kalis didn''t resemble Heine, and Yion''s looks was the opposite of Minerva. But their position, their dynamic with Arayle, it was somewhat simr to what Estelle had with the other two. Estelle had always wondered. Was the surface realm a copy of the former Underworld? Now that the Underworld had fallen apart, did the authorities create a parallel version, which was now the surface she used to live on? Then, who was in charge of creating these worlds? Ignoring those questions was one thing, but the fact that Kalis was able to manipte the spirits into believing that he was their King was strange. She had to delve deeper into the matters, but her situation prohibited her from doing so. "..I''m going for a little sightseeing. As long as I don''t escape the pce, I thought I was free," Estelle didn''t look at the man fondly. In a sense, Kalis was her enemy. "Is that so? I would''ve thought otherwise seeing how hard you try to figure out your limits by using Yion," "Ara gave me the permission to. You''re technically lower than me, can''t you show some respect? After all.. I am the ''Faux Princess'', am I not?" Estelle cynically smiled. "Respect is meant to be earned and not demanded, littledy. I originally came here to remind you about your uing tenth birthday. The Princess has ordered for us to invite the important guests from all over thend. This will be your first contact with people other than the subordinates under the Princess'' faction," Kalis exined. He had taken over the role of Estelle''s teacher over the course of years. This uing ball was no different. Estelle rolled her eyes internally. Even in the Underworld, useless proprieties still existed. "I''m here to issue a warning.. Both for the ball and your unnecessary thoughts. It would be for the best for you not to make trouble. The Princess has her own ns, you will eventually be reunited with your acquaintances. Be patient and no one would be hurt," "..Yion is dumber than she looks like. She trusts people easily despite how she acts. Don''t betray her, please," Kalis'' tone changed. It was as if his words came from a personal standing, not just because they were co-workers. Although they fought a lot, the two still cared about each other. "I know, you don''t need to remind me so much. Just do what you were instructed to do," Estelle sighed, picking up her pace and leaving Kalis behind. She really wanted to escape. Just as she was given the stamp of approval to go on a journey by her father, she was kidnapped to this extent. Even though it would just be a couple months on the surface, her parents would still be worried to death. Sighing, she walked around to ease her boredom and coincidentally passed through some people. Aside from Arayle, Kalis, and Yion, those who lived inside the pce could be counted in one hand. To be prefise, there were only two others. First, the ck Knight, Riel. A secretive man who hides himself behind a thick protective armor, leaving an intimidating presence wherever he went. However, due to their recent increasing interactions, Estelle found out that the man was awkward in a cute way and had a warm heart. As a faux princess, Estelle''s safety was priced to a certain level. When she dropped a cup of tea onto herself a while ago, Riel was the first one to rush and care for her, worriedly asking her questions. Perhaps it was a soft spot for children, as she didn''t find him acting that way with Kalis and Yion. Yion was the sole Archmage who helped to govern over the Underworld, assisting Arayle in her duties. Kalis and Riel were also fellow helpers, but Yion''s role was farrger. Her majestic presence brought a sense of gracefulness in her every move. Her long, blonde hair elusively ired around as she walked, and she due to her extra attention in both fashion and beauty, she looked stunning even behind the feather mask she put on. Although she was prudent and arrogant, Estelle had to admit that even the likes of Yulia and Minerva would not be able topete with her. She had all the rights to be arrogant. She was the teacher Estelle sought for, the one who didn''t pursue the shy, impractical magic spells and instead tried to maximize their fullest potential in every way. Kalis, on the other hand, was a master at disguises. Estelleter learned that Kalis'' forte was [Shadow Magic], following his Unique Magic [Astral Realm]. He manipted the shadows like his own breath, and assisted himself with the help of astral powers, giving him the ability to divine the future and thus, finding out Estelle''s existence for Arayle. Thest person aside from Arayle herself was someone Estelle hadn''t met, even after living inside the pce for years. Named Elias, he was supposedly Arayle''s parental figure and the one who taught her ever since she was enthroned as a Princess following the death of her parents. He was still a very mysterious person to her, but Arayle had always spoken nothing but good things about the man. It made Estelle slightly curious and left with a desire to see the man herself. Arayle was ''kind'' to her. After knowing that her magic was heavily detrimental to Estelle, she set bounds to herself in order to ensure Estelle''s safety. Aside from the fact that she was the mastermind behind her kidnapping Estelle regarded the girl as a ''kind'' person. Maybe that kindness was faked. But to her, it didn''t matter. She was given a chance to live. Even that was generous to Estelle. "Ten years old, huh.." Estelle walked onep more before going back to her room and copsing onto the bed. "Arayle''s party is the shared with me. I will be introduced formally that day," Estelle pursed her lips as she stared at the ceiling. "If I don''t get epted by the Underworld folks in that party, then I''m.... done," Closing her eyes, she began to feel drowsiness take over her consciousness, finally giving in to the feeling offort. Chapter 46: Elyezer (2) Chapter 46: Elyezer (2) Kalis was in a rush. His work increased from dealing with a single princess to two. Although the second one seemed more conservative and mindful, he still stressed out his warnings whilst taking care of the princess'' dress. "Get ready for the ball. Tardiness-" "-will not be epted. Keep your conduct straight and don''t interact with the guests too much, maintain a distance. Mind your identity as a princess. Anything else, my dear teacher?" Estelle sighed as she listed all the things in a simr tone to that of Kalis'' usual voice. "...Whatever happens, do not fight. Leave everything to me and Yion," Kalis added, dumbfounded at his temporary student''s exemry answers. She usually disliked to follow proprieties. But this time, she seemed to have memorized everything. Estelle''s social studies teacher had not been wrong when she said that balls were akin to a battlefield. Even in the Underworld, it was the same. However, the ''battle'' was different. In the surface, you couldn''t use physical force to attack another. You had to care for morals and your outlook. In the Underworld, everything was unexpected. There was no telling if there would be an attempted assassination or not. Arayle herself experienced it a couple times each year. Truly beings with no fear. "I got it, I got it. You need not worry about my performance. Even though I was a bit wilder than my peers, I was a nobledy. I know how this goes. The things you spout are a copy of my teacher''s words," Estelle still remembered the horrendous lessons she was forced to take. "That better be true. If I see you fighting head on with someone.." Kalis narrowed his eyes. "I know, I know! For God''s sake, leave it to me!" Estelle raised her voice. Kalis sighed. His worries couldn''t be appeased. This was the faux princess'' first showcase, any mishap would tarnish the royal name of Algernon. "Let''s go. You better not lecture me in front of the public," Estelle tidied up her dress slightly before walking towards the ballroom''s backstage. After further preparations, the ball was ready to be conducted. Estelle was scheduled toe out earlier than Arayle, so she started to rise from her seat and headed towards the ballroom. Her silver hair and stunning golden eyes made her look like a literal angel. Some of her hair was tied up and formed into a double space bun, and the rest of her hair was let down with some waves. She had silver crystals on the bottom of her eyes to further decorate the look. Her milky white skin was very alluring, making others wonder how she beautiful she would be in the future. The dress she wore was silver in color, with intricate golden emboridery to match her hair and eyes. The dress was crafted from a special silk that possessed lifelike characteristics, making it flow like the wind with each movements she made. The back was shorter than the front, whih only went down to slightly above her knees. Her shoes, which was supposed to be heels at first was changed into a goddess-like slipper with vines slithering up to her legs, a gift from Heine. She walked down with grace, announcing her powerful presence with every step she took. She was confident in her noble conduct. Acting wasn''t something ahe particrly liked, but she knew how to use the skill to her advantage. [..Though, some action would be great. I''vezed around too much thanks to Arayle''s seal, but at this point.. Wouldn''t I be able to..?] Estelle pondered, spacing out whilst keeping herposure straight. Murmurs were already spreading with haste. Those who opposed Arayle would take this as a chance to make a jab on her, whilst those who merely disliked her foreign presence would voice out their thoughts in the form of ''concerns''. Then, a voice suddenly rang. "Why is there a filthy human here?! Behold, my people! The supposed ''faux princess'' is a human! A pure human!" A man stepped out of the crowd and proimed loudly. His face showed pride, as if he waspletely in the right. Narrowing her eyes, Estelle''s expression gradually morphed into malice as the man continued parading around with his justification. "Even if the princess appointed her, she is still a human! Must we ept this?! Is this not mocking ourselves, a pure human who lives in the surface being instated as a royalty?!!" Wanting to increase the mes of scorn even more, the man raised his voice to unite the public opinion. [I have to bear it..] Estelle kept a straight face, her eyes glowering with displeasure. "Look, she''s admitting to it! A pure human dares to trespass into our realm.. I shall take care of her on the royal family''s behalf!" The manughed boisterously before charging full speed at Estelle. Estelle clicked her tongue and activated a speed enhancement spell, a simple one that wouldn''t trigger her shackles. Before the two coulde in contact with each other, they were interrupted. "Lower your stance!" A powerful, booming voice reverberated throughout the room. The owner of the voice was a young girl with a simr stature to Estelle, the Princess herself, Arayle. "You are in the presence of the 108th Princess," Arayle released her pressure and subdued the man. "...This subject greets Her Highness!" The man spoke through the pain of being suppressed and hurriedly made a salute. "Duke Theodore, what do you mean by your previous statement? I have made it clear that she is to be treated like me. Are you opposing my judgement? Are you nning to do another ''assassination''" Arayle held her head up high, the aura of a royalty exuding from her and overpowering the man who used to be prudent moments ago. Duke Theodore was someone who kept his face in the public. However, behind the scenes, the amount of times he tried to send spies and killers to people surpassed everyone else. "This subject can''t ept Your Highness'' decision. This new princess is a pure human, someone who should not mingle with us! What use does she have aside from being a trophy princess?!" Duke Theodore retorted. A lot of the other nobles pretty much had the same idea. To the public''s decreasing favourability rate, Arayle let out a sigh. "What if I said that she could be the connector to the surface?" Arayle proposed, walking up to her throne and sitting down. With a snap of her finger, Kalis appeared right by Estelle and in the next second, they appeared by the throne''s side. Turmoil started brewing within the crowd. Bringing up the surface was a taboo to their realm. A sphemy that made them recall their past. "Might I ask what Your Highness'' words..." Another man dared to try and confirm Arayle''s meaning. "They mean exactly what they mean. This girl right here, Estelle reste, is a child of the surface''s humans. However, she is special. She possesses power akin to mine, and if she is to be nurtured well, "Is Your Highness saying that your kindness towards her was not solely based on her status as a surface human, but also to make progress for our history?" A noble that supported Arayle jumped in to better the flow of the conversation and make it turn in her favor. "That is correct. I believe that our gloomy history can be changed, we only need a revolution! My people, do you not believe in our world''s potential? We avoid the matters about the surface, but don''t we long for it nheless?!" Arayle was truly shining and living up to her role as the Underworld''s Princess. To someone like Estelle, who only saw bits of Arayle''s persona, this new side was baffling. She knew that Arayle has always hidden her true self behind a mask, but the disparity was truly too great. "This.. how does Your Highness n to continue from now? How could we branch to the surface?" "If anyone recalls.. I am the second person to try to reach out for the surface. The first one was my great great grandfather," Arayle drew in a gaze of mncholy before continuing on with her narrative. "In my hands is a note containing his extensive research on this matter. I n to continue on his legacy and fulfill the dream. This princess shall be the path to our glory!" "Ohh.. Ohhh!" Gaping mouths were scattered everywhere. However, Arayle continued her speech without a care and expressed her thoughts and desires. As a result, Estelle was made to stand in position for the rest of the speech until the ball ended with a bang. The nobles were put off for a while, but aeback was sure to be made shortly after. They epted the final oue to give face to Arayle, but the next time there was a chance, they would definitely utilize it to the fullest extent and hinder their path. Things like this were exactly why authorities were a major turn off for Estelle. You had to undergo so much restrictions. Can''t do this, can''t do that. It was a shitty position overall for someone who didn''t strive for power. "Sorry, I had to do it this way. If not, trouble would send themselves to you in every single step you take forward," Arayle grinned. She was referring to the words she used during the speech, treating Estelle as a useful object. "..But your words aren''tpletely filled by lies, is it? There''s no way you brought me here and raised me for nothing. If observation was your goal, it would''ve been pointless to treat me well. If you see me as a threat, you could''ve just disposed me from the very start," Estelle stated. "..Correct!" Chapter 47: Arayles Desire Chapter 47: Arayle''s Desire "..Correct!" Arayle grinned in delight. The smug look on her face slightly irritated Estelle, but she shrugged it off. "To be fair, I don''t really have a strong reason, do I? I just don''t like you," Arayle''s smile disappeared as she got closer to Estelle and observed her changes. "No, dislike is a weak word... hatred would be correct," "But it''s true that you might help to bring a change to my world?" Arayle mused,ughing in between her sentences. It was as if kidnapping Estelle was a mere whim that she felt like doing. "I''ve never met you in my life prior to the abduction," Estelle gritted her teeth as she was hit with Arayle''s emotion spikes that triggered an unconscious disturbance. Although the other was smiling, the reactions that she caused proved that she was feeling irked and even angry. Estelle didn''t know what caused them to be in such a rtionship. In the six years she lived, she had never offended another personnel except for the recent incidents involving the danger of her family. "That.. goes both ways. I also don''t know. Well, you turned out to be less interesting than I thought. And.. suppressing you doesn''t give me joy," Arayle was slowly losing interest in Estelle. Estelle felt the mood drop and all of a sudden, she was also being affected. Not in an emotional way, but physical through and through. She wanted to strangle Arayle and tell her to stop her emotional roller coasters for she was hurting her just by doing that. "Maybe we need another trigger..? For example, the death of your close family members.. Your little brother perhaps?" "Don''t you dare," Estelle readied herself forbat. She knew she was weaker than the other, but she got to learn a gist of how Arayle''s train of thoughts went. She didn''t care about anybody''s life. Treating everything like a game and detaching herself from the worldly affairs. She might seem easygoing, but once she loses her interest and her mood sours, even if you were once her most loved person.. she wouldn''t care. Then, it came down to betting everything. If she was going to do it anyway, then Estelle would rather struggle to make Arayle keep her interest.. or throw it all away and do the opposite, in hopes of being released eventually. But she knew, she knew that the proposal of being released when the timees was just something to give her hope. "You twisted fuck," Estelle wanted to punch her delicate face. "Hmm, I''ll take that as apliment. But really, you want to live that badly, huh? Pestering Yion to such a degree where she''s beginning to warm up to you and treat you as a proper student.. How scary of you," Arayle clicked her tongue. "Yion''s a kind person deep down, so you''re taking advantage of that. Should I punish you?" Arayle stretched out her hand and lifted Estelle up using her bare hands, choking her in the neck. "Unlike you, I know how to make people like me. Losing one or two friends would hurt me, but that won''t be the end. However, Kalis, Yion, and Elias are the only ones you have," Arayle''s hold on her neck tightened, and Estelle started to spit blood from the amount of power Arayle was using. Unconsciously, she let out her magic as a form of self - defence. Their powers battled against each other. Shocks traveled through both girls'' bloodstreams, their unique magic creating an adverse reaction against each other. Arayle was unused to pain, so she released her grip and retreated, trying to get her mind cleared up. However, Estelle had already experienced the shocking effects multiple times, the sensation was something not foreign to her body. She was someone who used her body as a test subject to gauge the reactions. It was akin to the inner workings of a vine. She endured doses of Arayle''s power. Little by little, she regained her control. When Estelle first came into the Underworld, she was just as unused to pain as Arayle was. The difference was that, she continued developing that pain tolerance everyday. And now, although the power still brought her pain, it was endurable. Taking advantage of the other''s confused mindset, Estelle lunged at the girl and used her brute force to channel anything left in her powers into a single fist, punching Arayle in the stomach as hard as she could. When Estelle noticed signs of pain in Arayle''s expression, she knew that it was working. Arayle was strong, but her body was undeveloped and did not have a tolerance to direct confrontations. Her potential was massive, but unlike Estelle who underwent basic physical training, Arayle was just a little girl. Of course, getting punched in the gut would shock her. One punch wasn''t enough, Estelle was prepared to copse at the same time as Arayle. Forcing herself to bear the shock of using magic, she infused her attacks with mana andnded the blows. "S-stop! What are you- Kalis!" "You underestimated my struggle. I''ve made preparations for this kind of situation. You should be familiar with what I''m using at you," Estelle felt like her vision was clouded by a thick haze as she operated the magic she has prepared for thest four years. "[Dimension Break]" Estelle spelled it out for the girl. The same spell Kalis used to transport her to the Underworld in order not to trigger the spatial membrane between the two realms. "You- how were you able to master the spell?!" Arayle''s eyes widened as she screamed on top of her lungs, trying to wrestle her way out of Estelle''s attack. It was a gamble, but Estelle had a feeling that the ''restriction'' ced onto her magic usage would not cross over the lines of heavy injuries. Death would not be the worst repercussion. "We are simr. Don''t you think I would be able to master this kind ofplex spell easily if I were given freedom for four years?" It was Estelle''s turn tough, maniacally gloating over the fact that she was able to reap her benefits after bearing everything for years. "For aplete answer, I memorized Yion''s research records when she got lenient and left her book," Estelle''s memorizing prowess was indeed top notch, especially when herst life was taken into consideration. "Thank you for being soft hearted... Teacher Yion," Estelle took this as a chance to teleport away from the cursed ce, leaving Arayle stunned and unable to chase. She truly enjoyed her time with Yion. The start was rough, but the knowledge she got from her was more valuable than anything. She was grateful that she studied under Yion''s tutge. Although she hadn''t been given absolute freedom in terms of magic, as long as she carried on the knowledge to the Surface, she was sure that a huge advancement could be made. [Dimension Break] activated and sent Estelle back to her original realm whilst simultaneously shielding her from the spatial changes in between the travel. Designing Minerva''s house as her destination, she dropped in front of the familiar beauty. Before she was even given the chance to take a look around, a loud bang suddenly sounded out nearby. Estelle rushed out to take a look and found a hideous scene of rampaging monsters. "What the actual-" Estelle wanted to curse. She just came back, but the situation that greeted her was chaotic. "Estelle?" "Uhh.. I''m back?" Estelle wanted to exin more about her sudden disappearance and arrival, but immediately copsed onto the ground. Her body, mind, and soul, everything had been heavily impacted after forcing herself to inflict damage onto Arayle in order to escape. All that matters to her was that, she was finally able to see the nostalgic crimson - haired beauty, which acted as a signal that proved her return. She didn''t know how much time had passed, but the next time she opened her eyes, she was already rested within afortable bed and healed continuously by magic. Her powers were still unstable over the previous outbreak, but it seemed like her magic wasn''t limited anymore. The chains may only work inside the Underworld, it couldn''t work otherwise. They had a lot to catch up, so their chats extended for hours. "Heine was hit the hardest. You disappeared in front of him, after all. He''s riddled with guilt and shame for allowing you toe with danger, but he wasn''t able to pay much attention," Minerva, who was in charge of nursing Estelle showed a hurt look inside her eyes. After the incident happened, Heine immediately visited the Dukedom and paid heavy respects to the reste couple. Apology for exposing Estelle to danger, even if he wasn''t aware of it. Of course, apologies wasn''t enough to make up for it. The reste couple refused to ept the apology. In the first ce, it wasn''t Heine''s fault, and they also had a part in it since they allowed Estelle to go on a journey of her own. The only way it could be resolved is if Estelle returned to their side. Now, the rtionship between those who were left behind by Estelle was astringent, worsening day by day with nobody to make the first move to change the dynamics. "...If I was the Fae King, I wouldn''t have been able to see through Kalis'' disguise. Even the Spirits didn''t notice anything wrong. He was recognized by the Spirit Tree. I just don''t know how he got his status.." Estelle recalled the man. "Hey there, your expression is screaming ''I want to go take a look''. No way in hell!" Minerva rebuked her. Estelle just came back from years of unknown exploration. "..Even so, I need to investigate further on a matter. The moment I recover, I''m leaving nheless. You can''t convince me otherwise," Estelle gripped the sheets tightly. If she just stayed still, she wouldn''t be able to defend herself the next time Arayle paid her a sweet visit to bring her back. Minerva bit her lips, stress clouding her mind after many years of peace. "Things need to change. The world is already on its way to evolve, we need to make our own efforts to match it," Estelle felt like she was being chased by time. Chapter 48: Reunion Chapter 48: Reunion "I''ve started something that I''d have to fix eventually," Estelle''s look was grim. Her words were meant for both Minerva and herself. In one way or another, her arrival must''ve triggered something unpleasant. "First of all, schedule a meeting with everybody. Tell me what happened over the past year.. I mean, months," Estelle realized that although it had only been several months for the surface''s inhabitants, her body had undergone four years'' worth of change. Minerva seemed to have noticed the anomaly as well, a questioning look surfacing inside her eyes. "I.. this is a long story. Don''t worry, I do n to tell you guys everything. Just gather everybody first.. Oh, and.. the two Sullivan siblings, are they still imprisoned?" Estelle remembered the two servants that used to be under her. If she wants to concoct a n that could potentially solve the surface''s problems, Sierra Sullivan''s assistance was needed. If she could make Sierra submit and offer her loyalty to her, that is. "Un. Although.. I''d like to say that your ns might have to be altered. The world is way different now. You might as well take a look by yourself," Minerva shrugged, a troubled expression showing up on her face. "I''ll do that once I set myself straight. I''m still a little jumbled after my journey.. Went through a lot," Estelle pinched the space between her eyebrows and snuggled herself back inside the bed. Minerva looked at the young girl''s foreign figure and sighed. Sometimes, the world was truly mystical. "I got it. You can rest for as long as you need, I''ll make sure to inform your family. Rest well, littledy," Minerva turned off the lights in the room and left. Estelle rested for another three days before she felt her overall condition improve. The ws of the Underworld seemed to weaken after she got back to the surface, which was great. Although she still felt the reins of Arayle''s magic on her, it was considerably weaker and was as good as naught. Once she got back to her full state, she should be able to dispel it. Though, the real problem is that Arayle knew of her entire biodata, including that of her close friends and families. Obviously, they were bound to meet. However, Estelle instinctively felt like the Underworld''s people had some repercussions for trespassing the other realm, so as long as she stayed wary, she should be fine. A meeting was organized the next day after Estelle''s recovery, with n and She storming into the room Minerva prepared with great haste. They hugged Estelle tightly. Although no tears were shed, Estelle felt their great emotions and her heart also ached. Heine was also invited. Although he was still debating hard and beating himself in his heart, he moved closer to get a light embrace from Estelle as well. Estelle reported on her condition, then went ahead and solved every misunderstanding that happened. After that, she began to tell the story she experienced. "So you''re telling me that there''s a separate realm called the Underworld that mirrors ournd, the surface?" "Well, I''d say that it''s backwards. If the rule is that one year equals to a month in the surface, then ording to the chronological order, the surface was created after the downfall of the Underworld," "..It''s hard to believe, but you really grew up to this point.. I''ve got no other choices but to believe, do I?" Heine still looked sullen, wary on how to interact to Estelle even though she had expressed that she didn''t hold anything against him. "Yep. I''m ten now," Estelle held up all her fingers and grinned. "Ahh, I don''t even know anymore. The world has been freaky nowadays, I don''t have time to scrutinize your change. Happy bted birthday, though," Minervained, congratting the girl and reminding her of the ongoing situation. "..Thank you!" Estelle was happy that Miner a stayed unchanged. "Happy bted birthday," n followed suit. "Happy birthday, little star," She caressed Estelle''s hair with care. "Happy bted birthday," Heine said. "Thank you, thank you. With that said, I haven''t fully recuperated yet after the blow from my kidnapper. I haven''t seen the world. How bad is it again?" Estelle questioned. "Yeah.. About that," Heine frowned, switching back to his professional attitude. Telling everything he knew, he watched as Estelle''s expression warped here and there as she heard the story. "HUH?!" Estelle almost jumped out of her bed after hearing Heine''s story. "You''re telling me to believe that the monsters I saved evolved into a sentient being and started to drop prophecies about their own race..?" Estelle''s mouth gaped in shock. A simple action from her caused a huge discovery. The small group of monsters she stayed with foretold the future of the monsters'' evolution. Be it power, intelligence, morphology and its variations, everything would undergo a drastic change in the near future. As of now, the monsters were still held inside the Sylvania''s castles. If the spirits had been skeptical at first, those suspicions had been melting down bit by bit ever since things that the monsters prophesied slowly came true, one by one. From the appearance of a mutant species, to that of a fully operating n that cooperated with each other genuinely, things that people would''ve never imagined started happening. "Yes. They also kept grumbling to see the ''Princess''," Heine added. "Which I suspect to be you, obviously," "Uhh..." Estelle hadn''t told them about how she lived in the Underworld as a Princess, but she mentioned Arayle, Yion, Kalis, and the hidden Elias. She hadn''t explored much of the other world as she was focused on doing her research to maximize her chances of escaping. "Well, if I were you, I''d meet them just to see how things goes, but it''s entirely up to you," Heine suggested. "Of course I''m going to meet them. By the way, didn''t you ask me to bring those creatures? You''re not utilizing them?" "They''re variants, important variants at that. We''d be crazy if we used them," Heine nonchntly replied. After the group conversed on a deeper level, Estelle got to find out other changes to the world in the short period she went missing in. First, although some people did hunt monsters for special materials and defense prior to the change, the upation''s number started increasing as the monster''s count also rose. Especially after the monsters began to formte detailed ns to attack, the defenders must be prepared to handle all kinds of situations. Thus, there has been an outbreak of organizations that amassed like - minded individuals and sought to fend the monsters back. Every country had its own form of defense by now, although it''s still far from perfect due to the exponential growth shown by the monsters. It had been built in a rush, but once the foundations stabilize and strengthen with time, it would provide a sufficient "What happened to Duke.. What was it? Alfonso? And there was the Duke Miller too," "Well, dukes are of a high standing, it''s hard to try and convict Duke Alfonso. There are only five households with the duke title.. The royalties won''t like any of those houses falling since it''ll do nothing but cause trouble. Even if we piled up his crimes, the King would just cover it up," n interjected, voicing his opinion. "Right. If we want to judge him fairly, we''d have to get other countries involved. Though, that doesn''t limit us from nting spies. I''ve gotten some of my acquaintances to infiltrate here and there, but Duke Alfonso is actually very careful with his ns.." Heine chimed in. "Hmm.. Four months and you did all of that? How''s things going in your country, Heine?" "The matter with the Spirit Tree hasn''t been resolved yet, but.." Heine was hesitant on whether he should spread the news to everyone. "...Clear out the room if you must. I need to hear each and every hint I can get," Estelle sensed the ufortable position Heine was put in and took the matters into her own hands, asking everyone to evacuate. Once the room was cleared out and only the two was left, Estelle went a step further andced the room with soundproofing magic, making sure nothing leaked. "Well? The report?" Estelle gestured for him to speak. "The matter with the Spirit King.. The dubious title he had "Kalis. I''m familiar. What about him?" "Right.. he managed to dupe the entire Spirit race.. Hell, even I believed it. should''ve known that something was wrong with him," Heine clicked his tongue in annoyance. "I might have the reason to how he was able to execute that role, but.." "But?" Estelle''s curiosity was raised. She had been interested in finding out the truth, she''d take any clues, no matter how small it was. "I have a question," Estelle then tilted her head, as if expressing for Heine to go ahead with his ideas. "When you went to the Underworld, did you get treated as a Princess?" Heine raised up the question warily. He himself wasn''t sure about the integrity of his worries. His intel revealed that Estelle''s identity was special from the start, but he just couldn''t form a perfect picture from all the clues he got. Estelle grew silent. Indeed, she had masked herplete experience since she hasn''t confirmed the reason Arayle and her had some sort of blood - carved feud between them. "I was, but it''s not the same with Arayle. I''m an inhabitant of this world, the Surface, while they have apletely different realm over there. Arayle''s a proper royalty whilst I''m just my parents'' daughter," Estelle exined. "A faux princess?" Heine mentioned the term that had been attached to Estelle for so long. "..Exactly," Estelle confirmed. "That checks out, then. The Surface, the fallen Underworld.." Heine hummed, delving into a focused mode. "What checks out?" Estelle became even more confused. Could it be, Heine knew something about the story behind the whole fiasco? "Your identity.. the reason why the Spirit Tree decided to move.. and why you''re the direct cause and cure to it," Heine held up his index finger to point at Estelle, smiling sweetly as if he had been relieved of his troubling matters. Chapter 49: Turning Gears Chapter 49: Turning Gears "What.. do you mean by that?" Estelle halted in her movements, shocked at what Heine revealed. "I''ve been doing my research.. you see. I might have an inkling to what is happening, but there''s no jarring proof," Heine exined. "However, if it''s you, you might be able to get the proof," Heine said, summoning a crystal ball and chanting a quick spell to make an image appear on the surface. A group of people were living in a settlement, but the particr thing that stood out from them was their appearance. All of them had characteristics that mirrored one another, only differing slightly. Their features were very exquisite and delicate, like a humanoid doll that was given life. Each of them wouldn''t lose out to the world''s most popr beauties. "An unknown race. Us spirits have identified them as not belonging to any of the known races. They look very simr to humans, but they have different elements whenpared to your race.. such as brimming talent in all fields," "..Examples?" "To put it intoparison, they could casually cast high-leveled spells like it meant nothing. Their casting speed is tremendously efficient, and their physical prowess is also monstrous. It''s like the magic you envisioned came into fruition," Heine began narrating his discoveries. "Just like you, they can sessfully manipte mana from as early as a week after birth, ording to the direct sources. Not a single one of themcked in these talents," "As of now, we have temporarily given it a name. That is, the ''Ancestral Human'' race," Heine proimed. "They act and look like humans, but their culture seems to be from the forgotten past.. Something unheard of," Heine showed her examples of their living conditions. Furnitures that she had only seen in books appeared everywhere, as if it wasn''t rare in the first ce. Estelle was amazed by the flourishing foreign culture, and it also strangely mimicked the things she already knew. For example, the way they built their temple - like buildings resembled that of ancient Rome''s architecture. "And what does that have to do with.. me?" Estelle couldn''t make out an answer from the given information. "You see, they repeatedly inquired for a ''Princess''. Whom they also addressed as a ''Goddess'', by the way," Heine disclosed the matter by zooming into one of the people. "Apparently he is the.. leader, or something. Reginald Sven. He talked about the existence of a ''Princess'', and the description definitely matched you. Eerily so," "Would that even make sense?" Estelle rebuked the man''s ims. Heine was too quick to assume that Estelle was the person in question. She was Estelle reste, a Duke''s daughter. Although her soul isn''t Estelle, but the description they gave belonged to the body of what was supposed to be a normal aristocraticdy. What ''Princess''? [..I''m definitely mother and father''s daughter, no? I was reincarnated.. right after birth. Could there be a possibility where I was switched right after mother gave birth..?] Her earliest memory was in a crib, where she was left alone after the delivery urred. Several hours must''ve passed. There was room for a highly trained personnel to carry out the switching process without being discovered. [Even so, who would switch me out.. And what''s my true identity if that was the case?] Estelle questioned. Anyways, her utmost priority right now was too meet with the newfound race Heine mentioned and search for her ancestral lineages. Any clues were epted, and this one was not an exception. Heine assured her that they were indeed looking for her. Heine had never failed her, so she was willing to follow through with this quite farfetched guess. However, another doubt still weighed upon her mind. "But.. Heine," Estelle raised up her voice one more time. "Hmm?" "That- the stories point to the body''s description, right? But.." Her soul was different. Estelle held back her words. Ever since she entered the new world, she had never spoken about her reincarnation. Her soul was technically not Estelle''s, it was Reina''s. Heine, who didn''t know of this matter, could be misled by the clues and think that ''Estelle reste'' is the ancestral race''s chosen one, but ''Kirisaki Reina'' begged to differ. "What is it?" Heine raised a brow. "...Did they just describe my appearance, or specifically called for me?" "You''re talking in a roundabout way. What do you need to say?" Heine sternly replied. His eyes scanned over the little girl and didn''t n to drop the matter, even when Estelle tried to divert the topic away. Estelle pursed her lips and clenched her fists, digging her nails into her palm. To be honest, Estelle trusted the man pretty well. Heine had been with her ever since she was reincarnated, and not once did he show any signs of betrayal. She was indeed scared of the same thing with Hikari urring once again, but Heine shouldn''t be implicated too much by her feelings. To a certain point, Heine deserved to know her identity. Although she had always been selfishly conducting her wishes, Heine supported her through and through. She was willing to trust the man. Perhaps, opening up would lift up a burden from her heavy heart. Maybe it could even provide her with a better chance of hunting down Hikari, provided that she also got reincarnated after death. "Heine, I.." Estelle dragged out her words, still debating inside her heart. Slowly, she spoke. "I was rein-" "Reincarnated," Heine cut off Estelle''s speech, sighing in distress. "It really took you that long to say it out loud. Like, c''mon, do we really look that stupid to you? You''ve been showing off crazy ideas that shouldn''t exist in the world like it was nothing, had always been a genius from birth.. what else?" Heine rambled. "Huh..?" Estelle gaped her mouth in shock. Heine knew from the start? Or perhaps, along with the time they spent, he raised up his suspicions? "You''re probably asking yourself: how and when," Heine awkwardly smiled. "To tell you the truth, we knew about it since you were a child. Remember Minerva''s [World''s Library]?" "Her unique skill... Don''t tell me-" Estelle hurriedly got up, but was stopped by Heine who got her to rest her body. "Minerva likes adding add-ons into her skill, and apparently one of them was.. a soul searching feature capable of detecting the soul''s characteristics," Heine exined. "The feature was meant to help people who had their souls attacked or affected, but in your case.. Minerva told me that your soul didn''t belong to you, that it was a foreign entity," "From there, we just naturally pieced up the bits of information and came onto the conclusion that you aren''t the real Estelle," Heine grinned. "...I''m more amazed by the fact that Minerva managed to keep it shut from me for what, 6 years? That''s impressiveing from her," Estelle snarkilymented. Heine chuckled in response. "Anyways, it really took you this long to confess? I''m hurt!" "Sorry," Estelle lowered her head and apologized. If she was in their ce, she would''ve been somewhat affected too after knowing that herpanion acted like the way she did. "..Estelle, you know that the one we befriended isn''t the ''Estelle reste'', Duke''s daughter, but the soul inside the Duke''s daughter, right?" Heine reassured the girl. "I know.. that''s not why I refrained from telling you guys. It''s just that- I''m not a trusting person," Estelle waved away Heine''s overflowing care and snuck back inside her nket. "..That, I can''t help it. Well, it''s fine, though. Maybe one day we can get to a point where you can bepletely open to us. We have a lot of time, there''s no need to rush your feelings," Heine calmly advised, not shaken at all. Estelle still felt a bit sorry, but agreed with Heine. After all, her own wishes were ultimately the thing she must prioritize. "Minerva always felt bad about finding out the truth. She thought that it was a breach of security," Heine mentioned. "Ah, really? ..That exins why she''s so willing to be my assistant," Estelle thought back and felt like Minerva conformed too much to her casual ideas. "I mean, she said that your ideas were interesting, too. It''s like opening up a new world every time. When I''m free, let me in?" Heine asked jokingly. "Actually.. sure! That could be great," The topic trailed off from the original, so Estelle reminded herself to stay on track. "So, what other than the description gives you proof that I''m the person in question?" Estelle asked. Heine smiled meaningfully. Chapter 50: Heine Chapter 50: Heine The Spirit Tree''s direct creation. That was the Spirit King. There would be only one king existing in a period of time. After meeting their doom, a new king would be born. ''Heine'' was one of the kings. He didn''t know who the former king was, nor did he want to know. He was an existence created solely for the sake of filling in the throne. Spirits were born using the power of the Spirit Tree. However, the kings had a different magic supply. They were born with abundant power, and contained traces of the Spirit Tree''s life itself. They had a special power, and that was tomunicate with the Spirit Tree and receive information from it. Heine never doubted his existence. He instinctively knew his purpose and managed to fulfill it well. From time to time, he would be called by the Spirit Tree. Apart from those calls and some trivial matters concerning the spirits'' livelihood, he had freedom. Thus, Heine amassed power and traveled across his country. Wherever he went, there was nothing but spirits. Some trespassers would asionallye and cause trouble, but he quickly dealt with them. The spirits didn''t particrly like outsiders. Most of them never stepped outside of thend, and the outsiders had never came here for a good purpose, so the impression was bad. Some spirits were particrly rebellious and liked to travel. They would leave thend without telling anyone, and didn''te back. In the end, the spirits thought that they met their end and refused to connect with the outer world even more. Heine was neutral in regards to this matter, but he sided with the spirits just a little bit. That day, the sun was a little harsh. As if it was angry, it burned with all its might and scorched thends its rays touched. The Spirit Land was usually chilly even in summers, but that day was different. A lot of spirits felt hot and hid in a shaded area. Suddenly, he sensed an unknown presence. He became wary and started preparing his magic. He tracked the other side''s position and approached while hiding. It was a woman with zing crimson hair and amber eyes. She wore clothes that was befitting of a magician and held a wand. "I wonder why you are spying on me?" She did not look over to his position and just casually said, still walking to who knows where. Heine did not know why, but he felt like she wasn''t hostile. Instead of throwing her out like the others, he dispersed his magic and showed himself. In order to see through his magic, she would have to be very strong. At least on par with him. He took an interest. "This is the Spirit''s Land. Trespassers aremon, so I am wary to all of the unknown presences, including you. State your intention," "Ao! I was just passing through~ I was bored and walked without a destination, who knows how I ended up here?" Her voice was very yful. She seemed like a very carefree person. Someone who didn''t care about the world they all lived in, but someone who had her own world to care about. "...The Spirit''s Land has a barrier. You are telling me you passed through without noticing?" "Mhm? People say I am very strong, so maybe the barrier was too weak?" She nonchntly said. "Such sphemy- You dare!" "*chuckle* I''m just kidding. It must be my sister''s magic. She has a Unique Magic that deals with seals and barriers, yournd''s barrier must''ve been canceled by her protection. See?" She took out a talisman out of nowhere. Indeed, the talisman contained traces of unknown magic and seemed to repel the barriers. "Even so, that only further increases the reason on why I can''t trust you. Would you please withdraw peacefully?" "Ehh? No hospitality?? At the very least, we should introduce ourselves! I am Minerva Eire. People call me the Crimson Witch," She extended her hand. "..I am Heine, the Spirit King." Heine reluctantly introduced himself for courtesy''s sake. "Nice to meet you, Heine. I''ve finished the ''passing through'' activity. I''ll go away for today, because I know your rules have to be obeyed.. Come and see me sometimes, I''m very bored. I live in the Astral ins, on top of the highest peak." Minerva grinned. Her eyes seemed to contain traces of sadness and longing, but it quickly dissipated. "I''ve never been outside." "Hm? Is that so? Thene outside for me, will you? I''ll return now, see you! You must visit!" Minerva opened a space rift. In the other side was a simple wooden house. It looked very cozy. Spirits didn''t like houses and usually lived alongside nature, so the house looked particrly amazing to him. She waved and smiled at him and went over to the other side, ending their chance encounter. His days went on like usual, and the thought of seeing the woman constantly came up. He was enticed with the thought of going outside, truthfully. "Astral ins... Maybe I should see the outside world for a bit." Those simple words marked the start of a fateful encounter, which would then turn into a normal thing for them. Just like that, a friendship was formed after back and forth visits, travels, encounters, and incidents. Their friendship was special. One was a carefree, yet overpowered human. The other was also overpowered, but he was restricted by the Spirit King title. People would''ve never guessed that a friendship between a Witch and the Fae King could exist. Over the years, they influenced each other and ended up like siblings. They would bicker, quarrel, and fight. After that, they would make up and continue like usual. Luckily, the two had a long lifetime due to their powers, and was nowhere close to death. They even picked up a disciple along the way, whoter ended up being the Beast King Gazelle. Minerva opened the world for Heine. Heine''s personality gradually morphed from that of a strict and unbending one into a more yful one. She made him saw everything clearly. The outside world was not that scarypared to what the spirits imagined. There were good people like Minerva, Gazelle, and their acquaintances. But of course, there would also be bad people. Particrly Minerva''s race, the humans. Heine soon learned that most of the trespassers were humans who wanted to have a bite on the abundant resources. He was enraged and wanted to fight, but was soon calmed down. Minerva and all of her acquaintances talked him into officially making the Spirit''s Land a country to prevent further trespassing. He thought about it and soon agreed. Sylvania, the Spirit''s Country was formed with the help of the Beast Kingdom, Minerva and her friends, and Heine''s own power. Minerva, to him, was sometimes annoying. But she was an important friend that helped him develop. Grow out of his shell. Then, that day came. The Spirit Tree called him for an audience. It told him nothing but the location of a Dukedom in Alynthi, the Humans'' Kingdom. He was rather confused by this, but thought that something must''ve happened and rushed over there. He didn''t find anything strange besides the unnaturally strong people he met along the way. The reste Dukedom was never a prominent household on the outside, but it was actually very strong on the inside, he thought. Then, he suddenly sensed an unnatural mana disturbance. It wasing from a maid. Her magic was foul and had an unpleasant stench to him, who was sensitive towards magic. It wasing from the ck Magic. The maid stood beside an unsuspecting woman, who was stroking a baby''s cheek with care. It seemed like she was the baby''s mother. The maid persuaded the woman to have a tea time in order to let the baby peacefully rest, and soon left. Heine thought that the maid must''ve had some unpleasant connections that threatened the spirits, and that was the reason why the Spirit Tree contacted him. However, he soon found the baby to be a bit weird. The baby looked like she was conscious of everything. Thus, he peeked into his mind, an idea that even he thought was stupid. Upon hearing the thoughts, he was dumbfounded. They conversed. And went through some things together. It was shocking. But somehow, he epted everything. He guided and taught the girl, and there was one special asion. She said that she was a viiness, based on a dream. He thought that it was stupid for her to decide it based on a dream and shrugged it off. That same day, he had a dream. That he was a reincarnated person. With a ''role'' to y. Chapter 51: Heine (2) Chapter 51: Heine (2) The dream was abnormal. It was a surreal mix created by how close the experience was to him. Like he went through every single action implied in this ''dream''. Just not in the same lifetime he was currently in. The premise was that he got reincarnated. The Fae King Heine was the reincarnation of a person called Astarte. In the dream world, there existed a monument called the Tree of Origin, Yggdrasil. It was the source of all life. ''Astarte'' was born from this tree. He also had an elder sister born from the same tree. His sister was a carefree person. Maybe even more than Minerva. She liked the color white the most, and would usually wear white oversized robes because it was fortable''. She was the most powerful person he knew, aside from the Creator. She would sometimes go down to the lower realms and interfere with things she didn''t like, which wasn''t supposed to happen. The Creator who ruled over all, the one who created her, scolded her every time she got found out. But s, the scolding was futile. The woman would never learn. She was born with a free spirit. The Creator knew this the best. Prior to Astarte''s birth, the woman had apanied him for countless years. The Creator''s first creation. That was Astarte''s sister. One time, she descended into the mortal realm and appeared before a pointy-eared race. She saved them from a deadly threat because she couldn''t bear to see beautiful people die with an unjust cause. Thanks to that, traces of her power had been left behind in that specific race''snd. The mortal world was insignificantpared to her presence. Just by helping them a little, she was able to leave remnants of her power inside the race. Luckily, her authority made it enough to justify her actions and let it slip by. She was then recognized as a Goddess by that same race. They weren''t wrong though, she was really a Goddess. They just gave her the wrong title. Astarte''s sister embodied innocence and kindness. Maybe even naivety. She particrly loved challenges and struggles the most. From the very start, she was born as the most powerful being under the Creator and couldn''t experience how it feels to be struggling. She liked to discover new things. Solve mysteries. Unlike other, who wanted to avoid troubles, she sought for that same trouble. For it gave her a sense of thrill. Something that livened up her emotions. The dreams continued. Like chapters, Astarte''s life yed before his eyes in form of a memory roll. As if he was watching a movie. Every night, without fail, there''d be a new chapter. At first, he doubted the meaning of the continuous dreams. However, as time passed, he began to ept it as a part of himself. It brought him a sense of loss. He was sure that the memories was his. Itid somewhere within him. The memories seemed so close to being unlocked. Yet, the moment he tried to recall more than what the dreams showed him, it created a bacsh that caused him pain. In the end, he gave up on forcing things and continued the dreams like watching episodes from his favorite show. A dream came where he saw Astarte''s sister apanying a teen inside the mortal world. It was so vague that he couldn''t even recall his face or voice, but he knew that the boy was important. They seemed very close. And then, the next dream showed a tragedy. Arge chapter had been skipped. It only showed chaos and demise. He couldn''t recall what happened, but the afterfeel was so agonizing that he cried in reality when he woke up. His body was still shaking uncontrobly. Then, he realized something strange. ''Astarte'' was beginning to fuse with him. Heine felt what Astarte felt. What was the tragedy? The next dream. He remembered that the boy survived, but his elder sister had perished without aplete soul, so she couldn''t be saved. Her soul had shattered into pieces. The Creator wept. When he woke up, he had tears streaming down his cheeks. ''Astarte''. Someone Heine had never met or heard before. But he felt like Astarte was himself. No, he was sure. Not only was the entity fusing with himself, his memories and emotions also began to affect Heine''s own. And the dream was trying to convey something to him. A message from Astarte to Heine. His body no longer felt like it was Heine''s. He recognized himself as Astarte. Heughed at himself. He ridiculed Estelle for trusting a fleeting dream that might''ve just been a coincidence, but here he was. Doubting his existence over dreams. A series of dreams. He kept secret of the ongoing experiences, but he soon realized that the dreams had went away. He didn''t know for what reason. Perhaps, Astarte had died after the tragedy. He began to regain his logic and struggled to go on with his day. It still felt like he was missing a part of him. He thought the dreams ended for good. But then, he had another dream. This time, it was still vague but it strangely felt fresh. It was set in a ce he could''ve never imagined. The buildings were tall and futuristic. There were tons of carriage-like things moving a lot faster than the carriages he knew. Some were supported by four wheels, others two, whilst the rest variedrgely. Lots of devices and electric-powered objects. He himself was an avid user of it. This time, his name was Yuuma. He had a room filled by monitors and wires. The room was dimly lit. The temperature was cold, and the only furniture present was a ck rolling chair. Papers were scattered loosely, bound into packs by some clips. Water and daily necessities. He spent most of his day working inside the room, but it didn''t mean that he was a recluse. He lived in the same house as his two childhood friends. He would go out and meet those two whenever he exited the room. In this world, he also had someone who resembled him, Astarte''s elder sister. Her name was Reina. Kirisaki Reina. She was one the ''two childhood friends''. Unlike her elder sister, Reina was very cold. Perhaps it was because of the conditions they had to go through, but she never showed genuine emotions. It was like she couldn''t feel anything. He knew that she was very loving and warm, but couldn''t show it. Something prevented her from doing so. There was one thing that reminded him strongly about his elder sister. It was the love for challenges and trials. She never backed down in front of anything. She would always believe, and believe. In the end, she stood on top of everybody after rigorous hard work. Reina and Astarte''s elder sister wereplete opposites. But he was sure that they were connected somehow. The dreams went on like the first world did. Years of memories were packed into scenes which yed before him. After the first moments of confusion and dysphoria, he had begun to look forward to these dreams. Sadly, Reina also had a bad ending. Just like the first world, a huge part was skipped. It was frustrating. He remembered Yuuma breaking down when he heard the news of Reina''s death. The dream ended there. This time was no exception. Tears were once again, streaming down his face. In the dreams, the two lifetimes never ovepped. Yuuma didn''t have the Astarte''s memories. However, he had eerily simr circumstances. He wondered why he was having these dreams. What did it mean? What was his ''role''? If Estelle was a viiness, what was he? He wanted to ask Estelle if she too had continuous dreams, but he held himself back. The dreams ended shortly after the tragedy happened. From then on, he didn''t have any dreams rting to the two worlds. He continued on with his days like usual, but realized something after spending time with the reste Dukedom''s little princess. Estelle reste. She was simr to the two figures he watched inside his dreams. At first, she had thoughts befitting that of Reina. Then, she started gaining ''emotions''. Her personality grew to be simr to Astarte''s sister. It was a strange hypothesis, but his instincts told them it was true. He had cracked the code, or something like that. If he recalled correctly, Astarte''s sister had a name that possessed sybles from both ''Estelle'' and ''Reina''. He just couldn''t piece it together. In the end, he chose to keep everything to himself. He befriended Estelle and made a sessful cooperation with her. The Spirit Tree also advised him to stay near her, which he did. For now, he would just follow Estelle and see how things progress. He was still missing a part of him. Sticking with Estelle wasn''t only because of the decree. It was fun. He discovered a lot of new things. He genuinely liked the girl''s presence, it made him feelplete. _____________________________________ ''Heine'' had a role. Unlike Estelle, he wasn''t told of his role. Instead, he was given cryptic dreams. After long nights of thinking, he drew a conclusion from it. Estelle stood out from the rest. She was a strange individual who went againstmon sense. If Astarte''s sister and Reina were truly connected to Estelle, then she would eventually meet a tragic demise. She had a role. Everyone had a role. To Heine, his role was to stay beside her. Chapter 52: Turning Gears (2) Chapter 52: Turning Gears (2) "Well, the coincidental timing.. and the fact that I was called by the Spirit Tree to aid you, remember?" Heine said. In his mind, there existed a much deeper exnation, one that involved his cryptic dreams, but he refused to tell her right now. If he wanted to bepletely honest, he''d tell her his real identities. How he didn''t only know that she was reincarnated, but also how she was Reina. And he was Yuuma. Hikari was the only one missing. He himself didn''t know where the other girl went. It was too much of a coincidence. There was no way the three of them weren''t connected in some way. He himself had the instinct that Hikari was also here. Somewhere. Lurking behind them. "Hmm.. Ah! That reminds me, how''s the Spirit Tree''s condition?" Estelle, unbeknownst of Heine''s thoughts, asked. "It was in shambles before, but now it has been repairing itself. It won''t be long before the connection replenishes, but if it takes another hit like what Kalis did.. I''m afraid that it won''tst," Heine narrowed his eyes, recalling Kalis'' unpleasant actions. "The repair.. didn''t you say something about my power being the key to..?" "We don''t know yet. Although it worked with the monsters, there''s no telling if you''re going to be able to purify the Tree. It''s an entirely different case," "Well, we can at least try," "Mhm," Silence. Estelle didn''t know what to say. Although she was one who went through the incidents, she was still unable toprehend why everything happened. Why she was put in this position. "For starters, I''ll go to the Spirit Tree first. The monsters are also in Sylvania, yeah? Let me meet the them. Then.. I''ll go to the new race too. Compile all the information that you think would benefit me," Estelle felt like she still needed rest. "Roger. Your powers? Did it get better?" "Still a bit off. I think another rest would do the job. I can''t say for sure of Arayle''s reach is gone for naught. Her powers are just as entric as her," "You''re the one to talk," Heine chuckled. "I''ll leave you to rest more, then. Call me whenever you''re ready," "Mmm," "Good night," "Night.. Isn''t it evening?" "Have a good sleep," Heine coughed, correcting himself. "You have a great day too," After that, Heine left the room. Estelle slid back inside the nket. Her thoughts were still racing. The new information she obtained confused her even more than what she originally had been. One problem after another. "Ancestral Humans. Princess. Why is it Princess? Why is it always Princess?" Not a Queen? Reina? "Ancestral. Past. Goddess. Princess," "Underworld. Past. Abandoned by the Gods... Princess?" Estelle recalled that the Underworld brought demise onto themselves. But the detailed reasoning was never specified. Apparently it had been lost through the generations. Even so, wasn''t it too sketchy that nothingsted? Not even a single manuscript? She had ess to the most secretive archive there was in the pce. Arayle granted her the permission. She looked through everything. But nothing answered her question. Why? "Ahh, nothing rings a bell. Am I forgetting something? Something that I should know?" Estelle ruffled her hair, trying to think up of anything that might be a clue. If she was really an important role, shouldn''t she possess the necessary information to solve the case? It was then that a painful shock hit Estelle''s head. "Ouch!" she cried in pain. [Did I get it right? A forgotten memory?] The shock acted as a stimulus for her. Her body was previously tired, but now it was jolted awake. She struggled to sleep for the first half an hour, but she eventually descended into a peaceful slumber. The next day, she woke up to a ring sunlight peeking in from the curtains. Her throat was parched. She identally sucked in air through her mouth and triggered a coughing reaction. Sitting up abruptly, she coughed for a few seconds before the itch dissipated. "Awake?" One of the voices she longed to hear when she spent her years in the Underworld entered her ears. It was the blonde Witch, Yulia Eire. "..Yulia," Estelle called out her name weakly. "I did my best to nurse you, so be thankful. You had a lot of disgusting seals ced onto you." Yulia''s rxed posture was dignified as she held a book, her eyes calmly sweeping through the words written on the pages. Not a single nce was given to her way. The woman liked to pretend to be cold, even though she had apassionate persona. Yulia wanted to make it seem like everything was normal. However, with just a slight nce, Estelle was able to tell that Yulia was exhausted. [Was it because of the ''nursing''? Seals? I didn''t even notice anything.] Estelle''s eyshes fluttered as she repeatedly opened and closed her eyes to regain a perfect vision. "..." Estelle dozed off, still sleepy. She stretched out her arm to hold Yulia''s. [I should.. still remember it. Even though I haven''t used it in a while..] Estelle mused. Yulia jerked a little, knowing that the girl must''ve noticed her condition. She dropped her book and finally looked at her. Estelle started channeling her mana without permission. She knew that Yulia was alright with the process. Out of her three test subjects, Yulia was the one who had the most simr mindset with her. She was adventurous and had an innovative mind, thinking up of solutions that even she, as someone who came from an age that was much more developed than the current technology standards, wouldn''t be able to discover. Yulia was a true genius. Estelle closed her eyes to focus, reminding herself of the familiar process. She supplied Yulia with the mana she replicated from the Witch until her mana bank was filled back to the brim. After the process, she removed her hand and let out a gentle sigh. She was confident in her abilities, but after four years of not using it, a fear that it would fail had arose. "As always.. mystical. What a strange feeling. It feels like I''m being renewed," Yuliamented. "...I''m home," It was awkward. She felt awkward with everybody. She had changed too much. It would feel weird, no matter how much they tried to prove it otherwise. She left as a six year old and came back as ten. Don''t even mention the vicious nobles that will definitely aim to use this age jump to their advantage. She wasn''t even sure that she could maintain a rtionship as close as before she left with all of her acquaintances. Not even her family. "I heard the story from Heine. Apparently it was four years long for you? To us, only a couple months had passed. How interesting," Yulia picked her book up and continued reading it, asionally turning her head to the side and jotting some words onto the lone piece of paper ced on the tabletop. "Yeah. Isn''t it funny?" Estelleughed, creating purified water out of thin air and pouring it into a cup to soothe her parched throat. She yawned once more, stretching her upper body. She was currently in Minerva''s house, so her clothes hadn''t been changed since she reunited with them. She got off the bed to prepare for the day. "Are you scared?" All of a sudden, Yulia asked. "Scared? Me? About what?" [What do I have to fear?] Estelle thought. Estelle was in the stage of denial. No matter how she wanted to fit right back in, the current her was different. She skipped four years. Hearing her question, Yulia sighed. "..Ultimately, ites down to a matter of choice. If you want to try and keep your identity as a Duke''s daughter, you will be scorned. I''m just saying this: from an outsider''s perspective, if I didn''t know you and I saw you skip four years, I will not view you in a good light," Yulia had her own views on the matter. She wasn''t one to support another without telling them the consequences or the negative parts of it. She was someone who would make sure others knew what they were doing. Especially if they were important to her. Every risk and reward. She''d tell them to consider it carefully. "If you want to.. try something else, however, I will assist you. Me, Minerva, and Heine. Us three will assist you. I reckon your parents also wants you to prioritize your own wishes," Yulia''s suggestion was something Estelle could guess. The ''other option'', there could only be one thing. That thing will resolve all the troubles. The dilemmas. Estelle reste will be free. "In short. We are all waiting for you. Estelle reste, what shall be your choice?" Yulia closed her book and stared at Estelle, who had a grim expression. "I.." Chapter 53: Estelles Choice Chapter 53: Estelle''s Choice "I..." Estelle dragged out her words. She didn''t know what to reply with. Both options had positive and negative sides. However, one side clearly weighed more on the negative side than the other. The decision maker was no one else but her. "It''s not like you have to reply right now. I''m just saying that you might want to consider it carefully. Either stay as the Duke''s daughter.. or be free," Yulia added. To attain freedom. For a normal ten-year-old child, that shouldn''t be raised as one of the choices. However, because this was another world with less strictws, there were ways for Estelle to detach herself from the Dukedom. It would be a bit hard, but if Heine, Minerva, and Yulia''s help was counted, it wasn''t impossible to get out of this dilemma with little to no damage. The question here was either: a. Estelle will prioritize herself and stay with her warm family, ignoring all sorts of bacsh, or b. Estelle will attain independence and separate herself from the family. The second option would eliminate all chances of the nobles getting their reach into the suspicious matter that is Estelle''s sudden drastic change in appearance. There were many ways. In the world, there were more than just one race. Elysium, Sylvania, Alfheim, Vaitral, and Eliredien. The five Kingdoms aside from Alynthi, home to the humans. For her to quietly disappear into one of those ces with the premise of a kidnapping or a long-term educational travel trip, it would be the best case. She won''t risk being found out to be a ''strong'' person and getting tied down to the Kingdom. She wouldn''t be caught. Her progress will be significantly heightened since she could act freely. It was much more profitable, but she didn''t want to do it. Why? Why couldn''t she bring herself to choose the clearly more profitable option? Yulia herself didn''t expect the girl to reply right away. She was just there to raise the question. She expected this development where Estelle would have problems deciding. "I have to stay here- I mean, inside the Dukedom. Didn''t you say monsters roamed the world freely? Then, wouldn''t the Dukedom be in danger? As their daughter, I have to-" Estelle rambled on, her eyes unfocused. Her heart was shaking. Considering the two choices. It was hard on her. She desired half of both, yet she couldn''t do that. "Do you truly believe that they can bypass my barrier? Are you underestimating me?" Yulia snickered. Her tone changed. Yulia was quick to get offended when it came to her skills. She held nothing but the utmost confidence in herself. Having her prowess doubted would arouse her displeasure. "Monsters have bemon. When you came back here, didn''t you see a few crowding around this house? Minerva''s house is literally in the middle of nowhere. That''s howmon monsters have gotten. "I also put up several barriers around your territory. I didn''t waste the four whole months you went away in vain. I continuously upgraded the protective abilities, and even added some offensive measures. I''m confident that the barriers I put up will be enough to counterattack against those pesky beings," "In truth, the current Dukedom is safer than the Royal castle," Yulia further strengthened her point. Estelle grew silent. She pursed her lips and continued thinking. "I can''t leave Noah. We never know what might happen to him. I have to stay here!" Estelle defended. "You cane with us. Space rifts exist. You can pay a visit everyday for all you want. We can invent a monitoring device. An rm for danger. I don''t believe that we can''t do it. It''ll take a few months, but we''ll get it done," Yulia''s words implied that it was simple to create an innovation. In truth, it was hard. Trying to jump over the steady technology advancement. To think that Yulia was able to get on the same page as Estelle was mortifying. With the two of them, it was possible. But that wasn''t why Estelle didn''t want to leave. "That''s tooplicated and unnecessary," Estelle rebuked. "It''s an invention that''s going to be made one day. What''s the difference if we speed it up by a couple years or decades?" Indeed, monitoring devices will exist. Definitely. Even if it wasn''t for them, someone would create it. Estelle liked to innovate. Declining this defense would create a contradiction with herself. "But-" Estelle kept thinking of another excuse, but nothing came up. She fell into a trance. There was a strange Why was she so unwilling to be apart from her family? Was it just pure worry stemming from the fact that their enemies were everywhere, looking for ways to harm them? What was she scared about? Rejection? Loneliness? No way. Why would she be lonely? She was fine by herself. Even if she didn''t have Yuuma and Hikari in her previous life, she would''ve been fine. She would''ve lived for a longer time. Became more sessful. She was unparalleled. Yes, she was unmatched. No one was able to stand up to her. Except her two childhood friends. She was close to nobody. Some people might call it a sad life, but she begged to differ. She was sessful. She stood on top of others. What others had to aplish with an entire team, she could do alone. Wasn''t that the best scenario? Unlike others, she didn''t have to bother with unforeseen circumstances. Like betrayals. Only because herpany grew to such arge point did she have to employ several subsidiaries. To keep everything intact. Thepany ''Estelle'' was very secretive. As Kirisaki Reina, Estelle always made sure that the activities were closely managed. There were several people who tried to harm herpany. Those same people were made to suffer without end, as Estelle got her thorough revenge by eliminating them from the society altogether. One day they could be living happily, the other day they would be dirt poor and discarded on the streets. Such were Estelle''s straightforward iron rule. If you treated her well and brought benefits, rewards woulde your way. If you dared to wrong her, then you can just start counting your happy days from then on. It wouldn''t be long until you were beaten down to the ground by her. That was why, no one dared to approach her and enter her close quarters except for her two childhood friends. Scared. They feared Reina, who wouldn''t give a damn about anything other than pursuing perfectness. Theck of human emotions Reina had influenced her decisions. Sympathy would never be a deciding factor. It was a matter of right equals reward, whereas wrong equals punishment. In the same way, the abundance of human emotions Estelle had influences her thoughts and choices. If Reina wasn''t scared of being alone, that didn''t automatically apply to the current Estelle, who regained her emotions. So, Estelle''s denial stemmed from her experience as Reina. A lone wolf. Now, she gained a lot of precious people. Once she chose to be a lone wolf, she worried over what should be a simple thing for others. Emotions and connections. She just regained her humanity. She didn''t know it. What others took for granted, she saw as a very precious thing, akin to a treasure. Because even as Reina, she longed to have this humanity. To mingle with others. And experience all sorts of emotions. "Estelle.." Yulia sighed. She was a keen person with the ability to read others'' emotions with ease. Reading Estelle was a simple thing to her, especially when the child didn''t know how to control her emotions. No matter how adult-like Estelle acted to be, Yulia still analyzed her as the individual she was. How she reacted to things. Not what she did and performed. "Like you said before, things need to change. The world is beginning to evolve. Not only us, but everyone else, too," "Life isn''t as fragile as you think. We lose some lives, learn from the loss, and prevent future losses by doing so," "Look at how fast people got back up on their feet. Your way of thinking is too close-minded. You need to consider not only yourself as an individual, but themunity you''re part of," Yulia talked to Estelle as if she was giving advice to a child. In truth, Estelle was a newbie when it came to dealing with her emotions. Her control over them was the same as what her peers would have. "Community.." Estelle mumbled. She had been focusing on reaching results efficiently, but had always tried to solve problems by her own. She would take help from time to time, but ultimately, most of it was done solely by her. She just didn''t feelfortable leaving her back to others. "If you don''t know how to, then learn. Learn to fix a problem with a team. Don''t shoulder it yourself. Not everything can be solved alone. Even I have to borrow Minerva or Heine''s power from time to time," "I work alone, but that doesn''t mean that I can''t work with others. Being alone or together is not a fixed choice. You can switch. You need to understand this," Yulia hammered on the words into Estelle''s mind. One day, she could be alone, working in peace and solitude. Another day, she could be surrounded by her close ones and borrow help from them. It wasn''t like she had to be alone all the time, or together all the time. Estelle easily understood this. "I guess so.." she cast her gaze downwards, looking at the floor in a daze. "...I''ll ask you one more time. Once you''re ready,e and tell me.. no, us what your decision is," Yulia stood up from her chair and patted Estelle on the shoulder. She then left for the door. Estelle was once more left alone. Chapter 54: Estelles Choice (2) Chapter 54: Estelle''s Choice (2) [What I want to do..] Estelle thought hard as she prepared herself for the day. It was already evening, but she wanted to be clean and finish her daily regrs. Washing herself, eating a light meal, some light stretches, and basic mana regtion exercises. During all of that, she contemted everything that Yulia said. She had to pick either one of the two choices. To be honest, Estelle liked both sides. Being in solitude and in crowds. In terms of work, there were slight differences. She experienced working alone. It was great. She was able to stay focused on just herself. She didn''t need to think about unnecessary things like being considerate of another. Mistakes were easily discovered and noted down. She experienced working together. It was also great. It depended on the type of people her coworkers were, but it yielded faster results. In her case, she was working with the best of their respective fields. Yulia with barriers, her crazy inventions and researches, Heine with the Spirits'' affinity, and Minerva with her extensive knowledge of magic as shown inside her [Magic Library]. The end quality was more or less the same, but sometimes innovative changes can be made through the brainstorming of multiple people. In fact, she was only able to progress this far thanks to the three. They provided her with a path. The highest resources one could ever imagine. She enjoyed it. Learning and discovering new things with them. However, the basic simrity was that she would be in charge, leading the progress. She always made the final choice. Directed the scene. Perhaps it wasn''t that she liked to work alone, but that she preferred to take charge of something? To be a leader? Being surrounded by people also gave herfort from time to time. At the wrong time, she would be incessantly annoyed if someone approached her. It wasn''t a matter of the two choices Yulia gave her. It was a question to herself. What was she like? Her preferences? Likes and dislikes? She realized that she didn''t know herself at all. She never tried to discover things about herself, only going with the flow and taking everything that''s been given to her. [...Maybe I can''t stay here after all.] Being a Duke''s daughter would restrict her. Badly. There were so many things that she could name. It wasing shortly in the future. Not only that, her main quest was located in Alfheim. Her quest to trace her lineage back and obtain the supposed ''worth''. Only after getting said worth would she finally be able to face Duke Miller, who vaguely mentioned the concept of ''worth''. Yulia''s second option began looking great for Estelle. As she repeatedly thought about her future ns, Minerva came back. She entered the house and saw Estelle all readied up. Since she woke up at evening, it was already night time. Minerva had spent her entire day outside the house. "Yulia-nee came here?" Minerva asked, noticing some objects belonging to the blonde Witch scattered around. It seemed like Yulia had been doing things even prior to Estelle''s awakening. Yulia was quite the forgetful person. Luckily, when it came to serious matters, that forgetfulness decides to go away for a bit. That trait applied only to her regr activities, where she would casually forget why she was somewhere, or where she put her things. Small things like that. That''s why, one of her ideas was terribly simr to something called a GPS in Estelle''s past world. The ability to track all her belongings down. "..She told me about the choices I can take," Minerva widened her eyes. Sighing, she looked at Estelle as if she already knew that this was going to happen. Yulia had no chill. There was not a single braking system installed inside her. She was the type of person that would tell a dying patient that they had no hope left and it''s better to give up rather than suffering. That kind of person. Obviously, the trait had good points as well, but it would be considered harmful to some. "Then? Have you thought about it?" Minerva went over and picked up Yulia''s scattered items. Collecting them in one ce, she sat down and moaned out of exhaustion. "Not really. I was thinking of.. something else that bothered me," Estelle said. "Are you tired? What did you do?" "Fought off some monsters again. Those pesky things are really hatred-inducing," Minervained. Estelle''s thoughts diverted to the monsters. They weremon now. Widespread. Across the world. You would be able to see all kinds of monsters anywhere. How peculiar. This further deepened Estelle''s thoughts. She wanted to try and solve the impending case revolving around the mysterious monsters. "I want to try too, after I recover. Fighting them, I mean," She wanted to test how much her skills have evolved, or maybe devolved instead. Wouldn''t it be fun? She wanted a target. A testing target. Not an ounce of sympathy was involved between her and the monsters. It was like a huntress and her prey. The monsters just seemed like a perfect target to challenge her enough. To bring a purpose for her, who possessed strong power. After all, what use would power be if there was nothing to use it on? "People want to avoid monsters, but you''re going to greet them instead, huh?" Minervamented. "I guess so? I managed to learn a lot of things too... I just couldn''t put it into use," "Hmm.. Do your thing then. Did Yulia inform you about her discoveries yet?" Minerva asked, opening one of Yulia''s forgotten book on a whim. [Discoveries?] Estelle began to think. Yulia only mentioned the matter with her future choice. Nothing else. "Come to think of it, she didn''t mention it," Estelle pursed her lips. She would think that Yulia would be the first one to discuss the matter with her. They would then proceed to think up of ideas together. But strangely, Yulia didn''t do that. She came, delivered her message, and left. "What about the Constetions?" Minerva was already beginning to sense something strange. It was a bit off from what she expected when she learned that Yulia visited Estelle. Minerva expected the child to already know everything by the time she got here. But it seemed like her older sister had actually not said anything yet. "The Constetions? Why would that be mentioned?" Estelle became even more puzzled. She had heard of the term before. Years ago. When Yulia first met Estelle, she had mentioned that she was a part of the ''Constetions''. A group of specially selected individuals, consisting of 12 talented people in their own fields. Estelle still didn''t know how she was apparently a part of this group. She thought that Yulia was just being nonsensical. A wild guess. Until now, it had never been mentioned again. "..She forgot such an important thing?" Minerva raised a brow. As per mentioned before, Yulia was forgetful. However, that trait would disappear when it came to downright important matters. This time, it was something that involved a huge part of Estelle''s future. Why would she forget it? Unless.. she purposefully decided not to say it? For what? The Constetion wasn''t something bad. It brought honor to those who once addressed the title. They were viewed as valiant heroes. Although not all of them were good people, with some being a part of evil or deranged factions, they all had something inmon. They followed the Sage. One of the Founding Members of the world''s peace. Thus, the 12 people gathered would protect the world''s bnce as a consequence of following the Sage''s ideals. Be it the ''evil'' people or the ''good'' people. Minerva carefully considered the possible choices. Yulia must have a specific reason. "Why? What happened?" Estelle grew curious. "...What reason does she have to not tell you?" Minerva mumbled. The more she thought, the more she felt like Estelle deserved to know, even if she would be the one who conveyed the news and not Yulia. Ultimately, it concerned the human called Estelle reste. After all, the information was found inside Estelle. Yulia was also in the wrong for pursuing the seals'' matter without properly discussing it with Estelle. She decided to take the executive decision to break the news. Minerva told her that Yulia had managed to pry into another one of the three seals that covered up her status. It revealed another title. [Constetion: Astraea]. None of them knew who or what Astraea was. It seemed like a name, but it could also be an object. No matter what it was, the title was attached to Estelle. Estelle was dumbfounded. Somehow, she had became a part of this ''Constetion'' gimmick. Without having any contact with it. How did that happen? Was it something the original Estelle had as an innate title? Being added onto her status the moment she was born? The original Estelle. This was a matter that was always at the back of her mind. The fact that she took over an infant''s body. And that she wasn''t the first possessor of the body. Who was the original soul? And where were they? [Constetion: Astraea.] She herself never knew such a thing was there. Astraea. It didn''t ring a bell with her. But somehow, she had an instinctive feeling that it had something to do with her forgotten memories. The one she desired to find out about. Chapter 55: Farewell, Alynthi Chapter 55: Farewell, Alynthi "Why would she not tell me...?" Estelle recalled Yulia''s visit. She acted like nothing was off. It was just a normal day. Without any differences. Talking with her in ease. Behind all that, she was actually hiding these secrets? "I don''t know, but what do you think about the title? Does it resonate with you in any way?" Although Yulia was able to uncover the seal, she couldn''t do anything more than that. Not to mention, the third seal was described by Yulia as ''impossible'' to solve. It was something she had never seen before. A bundle of words. A cocoon of sealing chants. It was bizarre. It made one''s stomach sick. To Yulia, the sealing chants looked like cursed writings. Cryptic words. Upon attempting to pry the seal apart, you would receive a bacsh. It wasn''t something that was supposed to be opened right now. At least, Yulia was able to ensure that no one had the ability to open it. "..Nothing in particr," Estelle answered. Minerva hummed in response. There was nothing they could do. Rushing everything wouldn''t do anything good either, so it was best to take it slowly. Far more important matters lied within the world. For example, the monsters and the ancient race. All of them involved Estelle. It was as if.. the world itself wanted to make Estelle as the center. The center of every development. "What does it mean anyway? Now that I have the title, does it change anything?" Estelle asked. Estelle tried to administer her magic. Nothing changed. She couldn''t feel any difference. "Well... there are two usible choices since we don''t know what the original Constetions'' title was, right?" Minerva trailed her finger on her chin as she carefully contemted the question. With a swipe, she pulled out a magic book. It was part of her [Magic Library]''spartment. A physical representation of the skill. It floated in the air and glimmered with sparkles. "Constetions. What do I say? I probably have their magic in here somewhere, but I don''t know where exactly," Minerva browsed through her catalog. The [Magic Library] allowed her to study existing magic spells, and provided her with the possible ability to research into a new magic. This was the exact way she obtained her soul searching ability. The one that peered into Estelle''s soul and let her know that she was a reincarnated person. In fact, Yulia, too, had known about this fact when she unveiled Estelle''s first seal, revealing the [Reincarnated One] title Estelle possessed. However, there was a strange ambience between the events. It was too convenient. Before Minerva met Estelle, it wasn''t like she never though about creating a soul searching magic. She tried multiple times, but the progress suddenly jumped when she encountered Estelle. Too convenient. As if somebody was controlling all the events from behind the scenes. Minerva was sure that everybody felt it, too. The timing was too coincidental and orderly for it to not be nned. "One thing. You''re either a Constetion below someone else, or a Constetion destined to unite the other members," Minerva informed. "...?" Estelle, who didn''t know what she meant became confused. "[Constetion: Astraea]. That could be.. the title for the twelve Constetions'' member, or the ''Leader'' themselves," "Leader.. Like the Sage?" "Like the Sage," Minerva affirmed. "Even though the Sage led the Constetions, he was technically considered a Constetion too. The thirteenth Constetion. A shadow part, I suppose," The Sage wasn''t considered as a Constetion by the people because he had arger title. He was ''The Sage''. He didn''t need the Constetion title. That was why, Estelle could possibly be the ''Leader''. The one that would gather the 12 Constetions. Estelle thought hard, but nothing came to mind. If she was the second Sage, then doesn''t that mean she had to gather 12 other people? From where? The most probable candidates would be the people around her. Minerva Eire, the Crimson Witch. Yulia Eire, the Witch of Arcana. Heine, the former Spirit King. Those three candidates were overqualified to be a Constetion. In the world, they were top reigning champions. Estelle debated. If she was the ''Leader'', then wouldn''t these three naturally be a part of her entourage? "...Minerva, if I was the second Sage, would you be one of the Constetions?" Estelle timidly asked. "Hmm? It depends. I don''t really mind, since I''m not bound to anything. But.. am I even worthy for the position?" "We''re talking about a Constetion. Twelve people out of the entire world. Keeping the world''s bnce. I don''t associate with any.. important factions, I''m just myself," There was a difference between a Ruler and a strong individual. A Ruler had thousands of lives under theirmands. A strong individual might overpower a Ruler, but if they had few supporters, it was hard tomand others. Minerva and Yulia fell into the second category. They were strong individuals with little connections and political influences. Standalone Witches. "I think you''re worthy," Estelle imed. No matter how infamous one was, they still could qualify for a Constetion''s position. They just had to work to maintain the world''s bnce along with everyone else. In Estelle''s mind, it didn''t matter if one was a Ruler or not. One or two Rulers were enough. If everyone was a Ruler, they would be busy with their own factions and would have less time for the operation. Wouldn''t that be worse? Minerva was a top-tier Witch. One of the best magic user in the world that''s currently alive. Not to mention, she still had hundreds of years worth of life. No one knew how much further she could progress. She qualified. "...Then we can talk it out once more with Yulia and Heine. If you want me on the board, then those two are going to be invited as well, right?" Minerva massaged her temples and relented. In truth, she also wanted to see how things will progress. "Of course!" Estelle shed a dazzling smile. She beamed with happiness at Minerva''s reply. Thankfully, she agreed for the time being. At least it wasn''t a rejection. They soon prepared for Estelle''s official return to the Dukedom. Estelle trusted her servants, but it would still be unnerving if they found out about her growth. She was currently known to have ''disappeared''. If anything, she nned to continue that ''disappearance'' and transition to another country without making a ruckus. Thus, Estelle directly opened a gate to a ce that she was sure no one would enter except for her two parents: n''s study. "Then, I''ll be leaving now," Estelle bid her goodbyes to Minerva. Just yesterday, n and She visited her through Minerva''s kind escort. Now, Estelle was going to go back to them. Only to deliver the news of her eventual departure. Estelle felt somewhat hollow inside. She was going to miss the convenientfort and warmth of her parents once she travels abroad. It didn''t mean that she wasn''t going to see them again. In fact, just with the space rift she created to travel from Minerva''s house to n''s study, she was able to go back on forth between the two locations with ease. Her unlimited mana made it possible. When she crossed over to the other side, her two familiar parents were waiting. Sitting there on the couch, side by side. Both had a solemn expression that seemed to already know what was going to happen. Estelle''s arrival, too, wasn''t greeted by the usual enthusiasm. There was a stagnant silence for a minute. Both n and She sat there, gazing at Estelle. Like they wanted her to talk first, to deliver the painful message. Estelle readied herself. Even though she was technically an adult inside, the feeling of being scared to convey something to parents was universal. "..Mother, father, I have decided. I''ll just leave Alynthi for Sylvania," Estelle dropped her statement. She made her choice. Her voice became shaky. It wasn''t because she was wavering. It''s just that she worried too much for everyone. What would be the oue, and how would her choices affect that. n and She made a face that seemed to scream ''I understand''. After all, they too didn''t think that Estelle could be constrained inside Alynthi. The child was meant for so much more. She was the first to open her arms. Tears umted in her eyelids, forming a pool of water. Estelle, knowing that the gesture was for inviting her to a hug quickly rushed and gave She a tight embrace. n also joined and held the two in his own arms. "Little star.. We''re going to worry over you a lot. Mommy, Daddy, and Noah won''t know where you''re at, so we can''t even visit you," Estelle was going to tour around the world. No one would know where she was all the time. "You have to visit us a lot, alright? We will miss you everyday," She pursed her lips and exhaled a deep breath, trying to contain her sadness. It was hard. Watching your beloved child have to venture out there before they even be an adult. Watching them bear heavy responsibilities for eveyone''s sake. Because they were powerless to guarantee the child a happy childhood. They weren''t as strong as the ''Viiness'' Estelle. Chapter 56: Farewell, Alynthi (2) Chapter 56: Farewell, Alynthi (2) After a long, loving embrace, Estelle detached from her parents and went over to the nearby crib. Insideid her baby brother, Noah reste. He was sleeping peacefully, sucking on his thumb as if it was a delicious candy. This harmless looking creature was what almost caused She to meet her doom at an early age. Noah inherited both of his parents'' features, making his hair a somewhat duller silver than what Estelle and n had. If you look closer in the right angle, you could also see the yellowish tinge from She''s tinum blonde hair. "Grow up well. I hope that you can chase after me one day. I look forward to it," Estelle strongly believed that the infant had potential. If only he was born in a normal family, he wouldn''t have survived. Luckily, he had her as his older sister. Estelle''s brows creased as she remembered Noah''s condition. Although he didn''t show any signs of possible ailments right now, something terrible might develop as he grows. Thus, she had made preparations. "This is my gift to you..." She pulled out a pendant. It had no strings or cords. A small gem was embedded in the middle. It was a blood red color. The shade of Noah''s eyes. This was something Estelle created. Well, to be clear, something she envisioned, something that would help Noah in the long run. It was made by replicating Noah''s own mana, then creating a tamer version of it. It also served as a magic restrainer. Yulia had a massive part in making the jewelry, as she ced careful seals that would not harm the user, but would restrict the magical elements they possessed to a certain level. In Noah''s case, it was made to be flexible. The suppression level could change along with his growth. The more Noah administers his mana, the more the seal will suppress it to a healthy level. This way, Noah wouldn''t face any bacsh. He also wouldn''t go into a mana overload condition. Yulia''s helping handpleted more than fifty percent of the work. Estelle only created the pendant using her [Creation Magic], making sure that it was strong enough to withstand Yulia''s seals. Thinking about it, Estelle felt the urge to go and try out the ''Spirit Borrowing'' technique. Yulia''s powerful Arcana Magic was too powerful to not be learned. Of course, the suppression wouldn''t be applied forever. After Noah matures and understands the gravity of his power, and is able to control it, the ne will naturally be removed. She would personally teach him when he grows up. As promised to She. Estelle took the pendant and hovered it above Noah''s neck area. The gem couldn''t be covered with invisibility magic, as it would cancel Yulia''s sealing magic. She nned to make it an earring so that it wouldn''t stand out in a bad way. Pressing it against his right ear, she imagined her creation. Then, she created an invisible metal stud. It was long, but narrow in width. Next was the piercing. She cast a pain blocker magic on Noah. With a thin needle that wasrger than the stud''s width, she pierced the infant''s ear. Immediately, she healed the surrounding skin enough for the hole to not close. She bound the stud with the red gem and inserted it through the hole. Curling the hole to go around his ear loop, the final creation wasplete. The beautiful gem was nowfortably sitting on Noah''s ear. Earrings weren''t umon in male nobility. In fact, it was the current fad. Nobles scoured throughout the world to find the most beautiful jewels to make earrings out of it. It was believed that giving the jewel earrings to your children would bless them with great things. Thus, Estelle wasn''t worried about what people might think of Noah. Satisfied with the result, Estelle puffed her breath. "Big sister has to leave, so be good, alright?" Estelle caressed his soft cheeks, afraid of waking him up. The pain was lessened, but the touch will still be there. Perhaps, if Noah was a light sleeper, this touch would be enough to wake him up. That worry was then realized as the infant started to open his eyes. Noah cast his gaze on Estelle. He looked at her in a daze, like he was lost. Noah always had some type of affinity towards Estelle. The only reason why this would happen was probably because of Estelle''s hand in calming his outrages down. The infant had gotten used to her and regarded her as a safe ce, someone that made himfortable. Even though he was waken up abruptly, he didn''t cry. With his clear, beaded eyes, he scrunched his nose and tried to turn around. Although it took him a minute or two, he became sessful. Now, he was kneeling on the bed and in a loss on what to do next. Estelle chuckled at the baby''s antics. "What are you going to do next, huh?" She rested her arms on the crib''s railings, grinning at Noah''s efforts to reach her. The baby fiddled around the crib, touching the railings and observing Estelle with great interest. After a few minutes, he finally gave up and relented to his pitiful fate of being unable to escape from the crib. Estelle was reminded of her infancy period, where she met Heine. If only Noah also had past memories like her, he would definitely be able to achieve the same feats she did. She stood on her feet one day after her birth. Noah would be able to aplish that as well. Noah stretched his hand upwards, frustrated. He seemed to imply that he wanted to be carried. "Your sister grew bigger in just a short while, you didn''t notice anything? Did you miss me?" Estelle carefully took the baby out of the crib and cradled him. Noah showed a satisfied smile, raising his arms to grab at the air. Estelle decided to lend him her pointer finger as she brought it to Noah''s face, close enough for him to reach it. Noah happily grabbed at the finger and swung it. It was funny, because Estelle knew that babies could forget the faces of their own parent if the baby didn''t see them for a while. But somehow, Noah was capable of remembering her. Perhaps it was just natural instinct. She hadn''t nned on bidding her farewells with Noah since she thought that the infant wouldn''t remember her. However, Noah seemed a bit peculiar. Even after four months of not seeing a glimpse of her, he still recognized her. "Noah really likes you. If you don''te back for him, won''t he cry for you once he can speak?" Shemented, fondly looking at the two siblings'' interactions. "Then let him chase after me! Don''t trouble mother and father, got it?" Estelle ced a light kiss on Noah''s peachy face. "Is there any other matter that I have to mind?" Estelle asked, lightly patting Noah and babying him in a way that she thought was good. "What about Sierra and Derrick?" n reminded. He had personally given the executive decision on the matter to Estelle. Whatever happens to the siblings will have to rely on Estelle''s views. He thought that it was the right choice since the parties involved were all strongly connected to Estelle. She was also the one who made the borate n to trap the young Witch. Estelle thought about it. Sierra Sullivan. A potential great Witch. After all, she was born from the same father as Minerva and Yulia. There was great potential. "Like I''ve mentioned before, I do n to release and nurture her.. Actually, why don''t I go and see her right now?" Estelle didn''t worry about Derrick. The main problem was Sierra. "They''re still in the dungeons right? I''ll visit them," Estelle made up her mind and prepared to get out of the study to meet the siblings. Chapter 57: Farewell, Alynthi (3) Chapter 57: Farewell, Alynthi (3) Estelle was given the key to enter the Dukedom''s dungeons. In fact, the dungeons hadn''t been used that much. Criminals and convicted people were taken care of in a separate ce, to not further endanger the manor itself. So, the Dukedom''s dungeon was actually very neat and clean, suitable for livingfortably. It was also made this way to amodate for the two siblings. To avoid being seen by guards, Estelle asked her parents to vacant the space. The order was executed, and Estelle soon made her way to the dungeon. Upon arriving, she opened the gates to the secluded room. With a metallic ng, the lock that was guarding the doors clicked open and was able to be removed. The door itself was imbued with magic for further protection, but it recognized Estelle''s authority and dispelled in a sh. She lightly pushed the door open, peeking at the insides to spy on the scene. With a careful nce, she found Derrick lying on top of his bed, sitting in a meditating position. He seemed to be highly focused, closing his eyes with furrowed brows. He was calm. Not a single sound was made except for his shallow breathing. But then, a creak was created out of the door''s hinges. Estelle cringed, knowing that this would trigger Derrick and end her happy viewing time. "Who''s there?!!" His meditation was interrupted by Estelle''s arrival. He opened his eyes and got off the bed, going into a defensive stance. He looked left and right for intruders, only to find that the door now had a gap between the frame and the door itself. Derrick pursed his lips. He internally thought that it was just a guard doing their job. Thus, he approached the door to greet whoever was behind it. He found it strange, though, as his acquaintance guards would usually just barge in and say hi to him. s, he shook it off and opened the door. It was normal for him, because he actually still had lots of freedom along with Sierra. It was the result of having been imprisoned for so long. The security grewx because their behavior was exemry. "Hey!! Why are you being so shy-" Derrick enthusiastically said, still thinking that the one behind the door was someone he was acquainted with. However, the figure that greeted him brought a great shock. In front of him was a youngdy with a signature silver hair that he would recognize in a heartbeat, along with her striking golden eyes. That first impression was then destroyed buy the uncanny appearance. ''Estelle'' should''ve only been six years old, but the figure before him clearly surpassed that age. Upon closer inspection, the girl really resembled his former master. Derrick was confused. Did Duke n have a secret child that he never showed? If n heard his words, he would definitely beat the former knight up for being so rude and unbing. "You''re- Young Miss Estelle?!" Derrick eximed in shock. No matter how close he surveilled her, it was Estelle. Although she looked like she skipped a couple years, it was still easy to recognize her. The current Estelle looked far older than what he envisioned her to be in her adolescent years. "Do kids grow up this fast nowadays?" Derrick wanted toment. "You still recognize your former master? Good," Estelle leaned against the prison doors, waving her hands as a greeting. "This... what happened to you, Young Miss?" Derrick scanned her from the top to bottom multiple times, but the still couldn''t fathom how Estelle grew so fast. "Things happened. Things that you would''ve known if you hadn''tmitted that silly betrayal of yours," Estelle teased. Derrick''s head instantly lowered. The shame and regret that once showed in his persecution came back. He really regretted his choices. If only he was stricter and more diligent at educating Sierra, he would''ve definitely not fallen into this situation. "Youngdy.. What is your purpose?" Derrick coughed to regain his calm. "I came here to see you two. Where''s Sierra?" Estelle looked around, seeing no traces of the crimson-haired little Witch. "Sierra is taking a short walk. It''s her break time, given to her through anonymous voting. Everyone is so kind to us.." Derrick bashfully smiled. "Where can I meet her?" Estelle had some things to do. "I believe she went to the gardens... Are you going to look for her?" "Yep. I''ll be regrouping with you in a sec, don''t worry," Estelle assured the man that she wasn''t about to do something weird to Sierra. Agreeing, Derrick told her that he was going to do his ''religious'' activities. He had developed a liking to meditation and calming pieces, it soothed his heart, and washed his negative feeling down. Estelle marched to the garden right after parting with Derrick. There, she met Sierra, who was currently conversing with Anna, their gardener. Estelle waited after the two was done with their conversation. She talked with Anna to allow her to still keep her silence about Sierra, in which the gardener lightly chuckled and assured thedy that no one would reveal such a ''pointless'' thing. It meant that Sierra did this often. "Sierra Sullivan," Estelle called out. The girl''s head turned around at the mention of her name, squinting her eyes to see who called her. Uponnding her eyes on Estelle, her next reaction was something even merrier, expressing her doubts on how it was possible. However, the next second, she straightened up her tilted head andughed meaningfully. Her eyes were filled with mirth and glee over an unknown matter. Estelle raised her brows at this crazed behavior. What had happened? "I know why you''re like that, unlike that stupid brother of mine. You spent time in the Underworld, right? Meeting the Princess," Sierra suddenly proimed, making Estelle''s eyes and mouth wide open from the outrageous statement. "You also suffered because the Princess'' power is theplete opposite of yours," She continued. She even narrated some parts that only a handful of people should know. "You.. How do you know things this well?" Estelle frowned. Before, it was also like this. Sierra possessed information that someone like her wasn''t supposed to have. She credited that knowledge to Duke Alfonso, the one she secretly served behind the back. However, she might have to reevaluate that sentiment now. Duke Alfonso was ced under her strict supervision. There was no way that he could contact the little girl. Sierra and Derrick both wore restraining objects, the ones that forbade them from utilizing immense strength. It was basically the same as the jewelry Arayle put on Estelle when she was in the Underworld. More than anything, the most deciding factor was that Duke Alfonso wouldn''t have known about her special abilities. "Didn''t I tell you before? I''m a Witch! With high potential!" Sierra put her hands on the hips and shrugged. "..Your powers awakened?" Estelle gaped in understanding. If Sierra got a power that assisted her in finding information, then it would make sense. "What was it? The power, I mean," "Why would I tell you? Bleh!" Sierra stuck out her tongue and ran away. "Wait!" Estelle loudly called out to the girl. "Could you help me with doing something?" If Sierra''s power was indeed what she was thinking about, then the girl would have a very important use to her. Chapter 58: Sierras Favor Chapter 58: Sierra''s Favor Sierra looked at her in disbelief. The little girl couldn''t believe that Estelle would be this shameless, to ask her for a favor after imprisoning her for nearly a year now. It may not be a real, despairing imprisonment, but it still got on her bad side. If it wasn''t for her sudden power getting unlocked, leading to her anger being pacified by the need to nurture that same power, she would''ve exploded long ago. But now, the same culprit that caught her sought her help. Of course, she was going to refuse. But then, Estelle caught her dismay and pursed her lips. "I will grant your wish. I wouldn''t wrong myself, but as long as it''s something I canplete, I will do it," Estelle had to pursue this matter. There were so many questions and so little answers. Estelle wanted to know the extent of Sierra''s power and how she could use it. "Please," Estelle begged, further strengthening her wish and showing her determination. "At least, let''s talk about this. It concerns one of my biggest problems," Sierra''s first action was to check Estelle''s integrity with her Truth Magic. Estelle, knowing that she had to gain trust, lowered her guard in order for the magic to pass through her high defenses. Sierra received a truthful response from her magic, indicating that Estelle didn''t tell lies. She continued to try and proceed with the questioning. Nevertheless, she believed that she was in the higher standing in this negotiation. Estelle was the one who sought her power. "Is it something that could look into people''s memories? Or experiences?" Estelle asked,unching her barrage of questions. "S-something like that, yeah," Sierra was baffled. What did Estelle want to ask, to the point where she got so enthusiastic? Gulping her saliva, Sierra warily observed Estelle. "Could you specify what you can do? The more you disclose, the more I will give you rewards. I will not wrong you," Estelle sped Sierra''s hands in hers, her eyes glimmering with excitement. "...How far are you willing to go with these ''rewards''?" Sierra wasn''t going to trust her that easily. This was a matter of confidentiality, something that might affect her safety at the end. Estelle held her finger up to her lips while mumbling. "To the point that even if you wanted a hundred million gold, it''ll be fine, I guess?" "Are you kidding me?! A hundred million gold is Alynthi''s annual total rough iepiled together! Where would you be able to get the money from, when you''re just a Duke''s daughter?!" Sierra was unwilling to take her bluff into ount. It was as clear as day that the matter Estelle proposed was impossible. Let alone Estelle, even the Four Territorial Dukesbined together wouldn''t be able to pull out a hundred million gold with ease. "I have my own ways!" Estelle rebutted. The moment Sierra tried to check that response with Truth Magic, she got a positive response. Meaning that: Estelle didn''t lie. Sierra trembled in shock, wondering how Estelle could execute the wish. In truth, one of the easiest things Estelle could manipte were elements. One of the elements being gold. She was able to create gold after understanding its chemicalponents and how it performs. Thus, she gained the ability to create gold out of nothing. With her unlimited mana, creating a hundred million gold coins wasn''t a chore. Of course, knowing the consequences of producing money thatrge of an amount, she wouldn''t do it. At most, she would control the money''s cirction as to not affect the market as a whole. However, if Sierra truly desired riches, she was the perfect genie for that. "I don''t want riches. I just want to be strong. A strong Witch, just like Minerva-nee," Sierra clenched her fists, looking at her small feet in frustration. To be honest, she wasn''t all that satisfied with the newly gained power. It wasn''t something she could use in an offensive manner. At most, she would be a godly support, but she wouldn''t be able to protect herself without the help of others in face or mortal danger. She tried to ignore the frustration, but it was clearly hard. "Do you have a solution to that?" Sierra looked at Estelle straight in the eye. She wanted to improve herself. For that, she was willing to sell her soul. Just like she did signing a contract with Duke Alfonso in desperation. After she got imprisoned, Yulia paid her a visit to free her from the contract seal, but that meant that she had to get back to where she started. Back before she met Duke Alfonso, before she worked for him. Before she bargained for the ''miracle''. "I can. I can help you. I can even increase your fixed statuses," Estelle proimed with pride. If Sierra wanted to be taught, that would make everything easier. Estelle was confident that as long as she kept training herself and the mana transfer process, she would be able to create something more. Something that wouldn''t just be temporary, but permanent instead. Sierra''s eyes widened. She knew that Estelle was maddeningly talented, but to the point of increasing statuses was something that she didn''t know. "Then, we can talk," Sierra nodded in a solemn manner, anxiety showing on her face. She kept checking her Truth Magic sensor over and over again, but she picked up no false statements. "I wish to borrow your power to inspect some things," Estelle grinned. Duke Alfonso''s true intentions, the backer behind him, Duke Miller''s past, the Elven bloodline... everything. She wanted to answer her questions. Most importantly, her own self. There were tons of possibilities. Estelle wanted to explore each and every single one of them. For that, she had to obtain Sierra. At all costs. There were no magic known to man that could inspect one''s intentions and memories without harming or letting the target know. However, she felt nothing checking her. She, Estelle reste, could not detect Sierra prying into her mind. Then, wasn''t she the most profitable ally of all time? Estelle was happy with her find, and was prepared to carefully grow this power out. Chapter 59: Help Chapter 59: Help "Shouldn''t you give me a tester or something first, though?" Sierra pursed her lips as she met Estelle''s eye. Sierra was still skeptical, but she believed in Estelle''s power- and most of all, her connections. If she went under Estelle''s care, Sierra would be able to receive exemry education. She just needed something to reassure her that everything would be fine before she thrusts herself into this deal. Estelle brought her hand up to her lips as she mumbled. "A tester... I could do that," Estelle hummed as she materialized her mana. It was still a bit unstable. She had to get used to the new adjustments. "Give me a few minutes," Estelle grinned. She extended her hand as to ask for Sierra''s grip. Although the child was hesitant at first, knowing that Estelle was able to possibly bring a great change to her, she took the hand. Immediately, she felt a strange sensation. Like a dragon slithered into her bloodstreams and searched high and low for her. She squirmed, trying to avoid the feeling. However, the cause of the sensation was Estelle herself. As Sierra didn''t want to release the grip, the uncanny feel continued. Sierra let out cries and moans several times over the process. Estelle, on the other hand, focused on inspecting the child''s mana, trying to find out how she could replicate and utilize it. Just like the Eire siblings, Sierra''s Witch energy was already starting to be potent. There was no doubt that she would grow up to be a great figure as well. Non-offensive pioneers weren''t any less desirable than offensive ones. In fact, Sierra''s ability was highly favorable for certain work lines. Another minute passed, and Estelle finally released the grip. She took Sierra''s mana and absorbed it into her own System, learning the details and specifics of said energy. Unlike the previous times with Heine and the two Witches, this was her first timeing in direct contact with Sierra''s mana. The time taken to familiarize herself with said energy was several times longer than before, where the targets were people who she were close with. "..And now what?" The rim of Sierra''s eyes reddened, showing that the sense of ufortableness she felt during the process almost made her cry. Estelle blinked. Sierra was highly anticipating Estelle''s next move, as the child red at Estelle in a cautious yet curious manner. "Now... please waste your mana on anything," Estelle proudly eximed. Her exmation was not met with a kind response. Sierra furrowed her brows andshed out. "Are you trying to waste my energy so that I wouldn''t be able to fight back in case you try to do anything? That''s very low of you!!!" Although the child was jumping into conclusions, it wasn''t an unjustified theory. "Just do it and trust me," Estelle shrugged, not knowing how else she should convince the girl. "I won''t harm you. I swear," Sierra gritted her teeth and cast the spell that wasted her mana the most. Originally, she was brimming with energy, but now that bank was depleted to nothing. "What now?" Sierra red at Estelle like she was wronged. [It''s like I''m dealing with a wild cat.] Estelle''s lips curved up into an arch. She began formting Sierra''s mana, which had been imbued with particles of her own mana. Sierra''s mana was a fiery red color. A striking, passionate shade. "That is.." Sierra gaped at the energy. "Your mana. I''m going to fill your energy back now," Estelle extended her hand once again, gesturing for Sierra to reciprocate the action and take the hand. Sierra inhaled a sharp breath of air before lending her hand to Estelle. They gripped each other''s hands. Immediately, Estelle began doing her thing. "Now, close your eyes and concentrate around your own mana bank. If you lose focus, tell me," Estelle had to be careful, unlike the time with herpanions. Sierraplied, doing her best to focus. Estelle lowered her gaze as she retracted her arm. She looked at her palm, which still had traces of Sierra''s mana. With just the simple exchange, she was able to notice some things. First, Sierra had strong control. It was as if she didn''t have any mana fluctuations at all. The control was out of the world for a child like her. The transfer process, which should''ve been hindered the moment Sierra''s mana bank rejected Estelle''s reach ended up happening smoothly. Sierra received the promised rewards. The child instantaneously felt the change. She gasped in shock. Second, Sierra had an abnormallyrge mana bank. She had the potential to develop this mana bank even further the more she progressed through her years. [What a great seedling.] "You''re suited to... controlling things. Your mana control is stronger than that of Yulia and Minerva if we''re talking about base potential," Estelle deduced. It was quite the surprise. A pleasant one, of course. Sierra''s eyes widened as she heard Estelle''s words y out. "Well, I would like to experiment with dolls too, but I don''t know where exactly to start from," Sierra then grew dispirited once more. Her obvious reactions made Estelle chuckle in amusement. Compared to the tricky and scheming Sierra, the current child was just someone with pure intentions: to obtain power at all costs. "But," Estelle continued her words. She drew Sierra''s attention once more. "If you are willing to cooperate with this experiment, perhaps you could manufacture your own system," "Everything I built with the others were pure magic ys. We didn''t think about theories, we just experimented with magic. Of course, this method can have certain drawbacks. Your magic might stray and get awry if the experiment fails horribly," "Even so, are you willing to try it out?" Estelle put her index finger up against her lips as she watched Sierra tremble in great delight. Her offer wasn''t guaranteed to give Sierra instant sess, but when one thought about it, she could possibly be the world''s most powerful doll user. [Witches are scary.] Estelle admitted to her own mind. Every Witch she met had their own stupidly overpowered part. If only she was pitted against these beings with the same base potential, with the only difference being their statuses as a Witch and a human, the Witches would win without a doubt. It was strange. Witches possessed powers that seemed to be so out of the world, yet so fitting inside the circle of life. Strong figures are needed to keep the world''s bnce and let its development progress without a bottleneck. Although it would mean that most of the development would be done by these strong figures, the ones with lower powers could learn from these advancements and create their own spins and twists. Even so, Witches were strange to Estelle. Something seemed off to their existence. It wasn''t said in a negative matter, only a genuine question that baffled her. She recalled her title. [Creator]. If that only rted to her Creation Magic, everything would make sense. But then, there was anotther theory that had to be ounted for. Who could guarantee that every single one of them, including all of the lifeforms living inside the world were genuine beings that sprouted out of the circle of life? That they weren''t just generated creations made by a [Creator] stronger than Estelle? What if Estelle herself was a creation? Who could create such aplex system? So many questions bothered her. To search for the answers, she had been trying to execute efforts that would hopefully solve those questions eventually. For now, there was only a few information she gathered. The existence of the Surface and Underworld realms. The Surface, which was a replica of the Underworld must''ve been deliberately created to mirror the other by a certain being. Who was that being? ___________________________ After the first trial, Sierra became more expectant of the things she could receive. Her attitude towards Estelle softened, and her childlike qualities began to show from time to time. "Big sister- I mean, Estelle! Teach me how to do this form!" Sierra held a scripture with neat handwriting all over it. She pointed to a part that was halfway through the scrolls. "You''ve progressed this far again? Are you sure you''ve understood the basics? The foundations are as important as theplex forms. If you don''t understand the firstyer of the problem, how are you supposed to crack down the otheryers?" Estelle advised. Sierra was progressing too fast. She worried that the child would identally trigger a huge mistake that could cost her the entire future. "..But I reallypleted the lower levels," Sulking, Sierra rebutted as if a huge injustice happened to her. "Yes, but you''ve only read it in theory. Those notes arepiled by me, but it''s overly simplified because I only nned for Yulia to read it," Estelle rubbed her temples. Perhaps she should''ve given less materials to the child. She would be responsible for anything that happens to Sierra in terms of magic learning, since she''s supposed to supervise and guide her. "I understand..." Sierra knew that Estelle was saying that out of concern for her, so she relented. She started to practice the magic she learned instead of reading only the theory. The materials Estelle gave her pointed to an intermediate level of control magic, since that was where Sierra excelled. Indeed, like what Estelle said, Sierra''s practical abilities were less formidable than her readingprehension ability. Sierra sat down and grumbled. She got disappointed at how things turned out. "There''s no quick fix. You are already learning at a speed multiple times your peers. You are doing great," Estelle patted Sierra''s head, ruffling her hair lightly. "Still...." "I promise you that everything will be worth it in the end. Don''t worry so much, you have so many years toe," "Sometimes you speak like an old woman," Sierra pouted, turning her head away from the older girl. Estelle blinked in shock. She then chuckled and burst intoughter. "I''m just maturing," Estelle sat down beside Sierra and proceeded to teach her the important notes she needed to jot down. Chapter 60: New Disaster Chapter 60: New Disaster Everything was seemingly going well. Sierra was progressing with time, Estelle fixed her easiest problems first, the researches were advancing steadily, and everything was stable. In this short time, Sierra had begun to rx around the entourage once more. Although the side she showed previously was faked in order to fulfill her ns, it didn''t meant that the real Sierra waspletely rotten. She was, after all, still a child. A child''s personality could change drastically without any actualplications. Sierra was the product of such behavior. Upon realizing that perhaps she did not need to resort to unholy methods and could just be patient and grow out her power in normal ways, she settled down. It took her days to cope with the fact that her results were probably not going to show up in one year or two. After all, she wanted to get stronger as fast as possible, and the offer she had received from Duke Alfonso provided her with exactly that as her pay. She had constant doubts about her choice. She felt like she would be able to skyrocket her talent better with Duke Alfonso and the magician behind him. However, there was a scene that caused her to stop thinking that way. Once, Heine brought an extremely sick monster specimen to the mansion. Of course, the monster was tightly bound by restrictions that caused it to be unable to attack them. Heine brought it for Estelle to see, but there was another reason behind it. To dispel Sierra''s unjust thoughts. This was a solution provided by him, who thought that Sierra was still young- she had room to fix her mindset. Indeed, that mindset was fixed. At least the one towards her asional lean toward Duke Alfonso''s offer. Sierra had a shaky judgement, but it was strengthened by Heine''s self-made y. "This might be Duke Alfonso''s new ns. To create an even more horrible monster. This animosity is sickening," Those were Heine''s words. The monster was unlike the previous ones she had seen before. This one''s skin was pitch ck, and sharp horns protruded everywhere. Its features were no longer recognizable. You couldn''t tell which one was the arm, the feet, or the tail. Its eyes were like crystal beads, the creepy kind. Its mouth drooled a strange, greenish, thick liquid. Sierra was mortified by this bizarre existence. It was then that Sierra realized just who she associated herself with in the previous year. Just by standing near the monster, she received immense difort. The monster was highly poisoned with ck Magic. As a Witch who was sensitive to magic energies, she couldn''t stand being in such close proximities with the creature and puked within minutes. The use of ck Magic to an extreme degree. This creature was the very proof of Duke Alfonso- no, his backer''s growing atrocities. Whoever it was, their mastery of ck Magic must be very high, to an almost impossible level. Sierra realized it. There was no way this ''quick method'' of gaining power would be safe. Justing in close quarters with the specimen. She even started to imagine that she would be turned into a ''specimen'', as she was a Witch with high potential ording to Estelle. A man who didn''t mind creating creatures like this and disposing it casually to the world, to what extent could he go in the future? The offer that once seemed dazzling to Sierra was now a forbidden thing, something she did not wish to remember again. Indeed, anything that was too good to be true couldn''t be trusted. He needed to be stopped. However, Duke Alfonso wasn''t an easy opponent. After further investigations, they might have discovered what caused the King to grimace at Duke Alfonso''s loss years prior to the current time. In the trial, the King seemed to be agitated at the reste household''s perfect rebuttal to the ims. However, this was an unforeseeable deed. Duke Alfonso was part of the Liberal faction, whereas the King was, obviously, in the Royal faction. It was strange for him to want to support Duke Alfonso, even though the trial allowed him to be on the attacking position for two targets. It wasn''t like n was the only one who could be made into a target. It was also weird that Duke Alfonso''s matters wasn''t investigated clearly. If they were still enemies, news of royal troops storming into Duke Alfonso''s home should''ve been heard by now. It was as if the King himself helped to cover up Duke Alfonso''s secret experiments. This was able to be exined by the Four Dukes'' titles. The reste family was one of the title holders, but it wasn''t conferred by the current King, but rather given to n''s grandfather by the previous King. The first reste Duke wasn''t someone who was directly rted to the royal family, rather his achievements were that great to guarantee a Duke title. Other Dukes and Grand Dukes, and even some lower-ranked nobles, in contrast, had rtions to the royalties in terms of bloodline. If you traced back Duke Alfonso''s origins and bloodline, there was a strong connection with the previous Queen- The current King''s mother. The King was an insecure person despite of how he acted around his subjects. In closed quarters, he would frequently berate and say harsh words to those who failed his orders or didn''t obey him properly. He liked to be in control, and he liked to be obeyed. The [Ruler] title was something he obtained through being Alynthi''s King, and he was very proud of it. Everyone could be a [Ruler] once pressed onto the throne officially, but not everyone was suited to be a Ruler. This was the case in the current King of Alynthi. He was not fit to be a Ruler. To think that he would even stoop down so low as to cooperate with someone from the Liberal faction just to satisfy his ego was mind-blowing. Going by that information, many things could be inferred. Of course, the King would prefer the four titles be held by someone who pleased him. Perhaps Duke Alfonso spoke sweet words and enticed the King with the proof of his bloodline and many other offers, just like how he did with Sierra. Although Duke Alfonso himself wasn''t that trustworthy of a man, he was a more suitable subject than n, who was righteous and had an unbending will in his work. The King wasn''t innocent either, so Duke Alfonso who was able to perform petty tricks and schemes to benefit the nobles more, with the cost of the people''s harm was more profitable to the King. Duke reste, in contrast, didn''te from a direct noble bloodline and was upright in his deeds, protecting his territory''s people and making them flourish wholeheartedly. The King also disliked n''s personality in the court summons he attended in the past. It could be said that he disliked the entire reste Dukedom as a whole. Now, there was a high chance that the scheming evil man is waiting for the perfect moment to take down the reste name and snag one of the Four Territorial Dukes title for himself in one swoop. With the King''s aid, it was possible to turn the tides against reste, but that would be foolish of him. His image in the people''s eyes was a decent King. Although some of his lies were indeed caught by the people''s ears, they weren''t serious crimes. The heinous deeds were covered up. However, with time, their ns will grow. Into a huge disaster that might affect the whole world. Estelle stumbled upon this hard dilemma and couldn''t think up of a solution to save her life. The time of her departure was nearing too, but this new monster deviation that emerged out of nowhere made her reconsider. Every matter that was now in her hands was important to her. How was she supposed to approach this sensitive matter? Assassinate Duke Alfonso? The ck magician behind him, who until now is still unknown would still live. He would escape, and the monster problem wouldn''t be solved. Duke Alfonso''s death would also create a huge uproar. Tousling her hair in frustration, she sat down in a gloomy mood. The current Sierra''s power would be a valuable asset, but only for the future. Her current power was unstable. For example, she wasn''t able to tell specific details. When she found out about Estelle''s journey to the Underworld, she only understood that the girl was a ''Princess'' and that the Underworld was a mirror to the Surface. She wouldn''t be able to find out about the magician. "Who the hell is this magician?" Estelle grumbled. "What magician?" Heine arrived, dropping from the sky andnding gently on the grassy ground. "..Heine," Estelle pouted. "Hello there," Heine smirked, grabbing Estelle''s right palm and giving it a gentle, fluttering kiss. Chapter 61: The Two Mentors Chapter 61: The Two Mentors The two stilled. One out of confusion, the other out of pure amusement. "What have gotten into you?" Estelle looked at Heine in surprise. The man came out of nowhere and gave a subtle kiss to her hand, something that he had never done before. "Why.. why did you do that, I mean," "I''m just greeting someone I like. Is it wrong?" Heine beamed with a suspicious smile. His fingers trailed over Estelle''s right hand. "..No, but a person''s intent behind said greeting is important," Estelle retrieved her palm and gestured for Heine to sit on her opposite side. The fae did so, sitting on the chair. "There''s no bad intent. Don''t you humans like to do these types of gestures?" "Well, yes, but I''ve never done that.. I don''t think. I haven''t made my social debut yet, my father shields me too... It''s fair to say that Ick social interaction on a disastrous scale," Estelle said. "...What, are you going to hit me for stealing your ''hand chastity'' or something?" Heine backed away. "I''m not going to do that! What the hell is hand chastity anyway?!" Estelle raised her voice, making Heineugh hard. Estelle grumbled, displeased with Heine''s actions. "Forget about that, what were you saying before? About the magician," Heine dropped the jokes and finally asked about the matter. Estelle was reminded of her wails before Heine arrived. When she thought about it, this trouble was also notified by Heine. The evolved monsters were a force to be reckoned. If someone with a pure [Holy] attribute came near it, perhaps they would copse in seconds just based on how potent the ck Magic was. "The magician.. or is it multiple people? Whoever is behind Duke Alfonso. Is there no way to target them? Duke Alfonso is annoying, but ultimately he still can''t do anything without the ones who actually experimented on the monsters," "Hmm... Is that the case? Do you really think so? A magician?" Heine mused, pursing his lips. "..Am I wrong?" Estelle was sure that it would be a ck Magician going by how strong the magic was. Indeed, non-magician sses could wield the ck Magic, but why would they even delve into the realm if they didn''t want to reap theplete benefits of said element? It was stupid. "What about an omnipotent being who just wants to call chaos upon the world?" "Is there someone like that?" Estelle frowned at his suggestion. It seemed farfetched. Heine gave a smirk. From within his inventory, he took out a piece of document. He then slid it over to Estelle. "Read it," he said. Nodding, Estelle unraveled the document and carefully read the words. With each passing second, her brows furrowed and her eyes widened. She couldn''t believe what she was looking at. "..What?" Estelle turned her head to Heine in disbelief. "Aren''t I amazing?" Praising himself without batting an eye, Heine grinned. She read the entire thing from start to finish once more. Did her eyes see wrong? If not, how was he able to document this down? After making sure that her eyes didn''t fail her, she pinched her temples as she leaned backwards against the chair. "The matter with my reincarnation.. Sierra''s feud... and now this. I can''t seem to grab a hold onto you. I can''t read your thoughts. You''re so unpredictable!" Estelleined. "Isn''t that the point? Faes are meant to be full of mysteries, you are also full of mysteries, and so am I. If you can read my thoughts, won''t it be boring?" Heine shed Estelle with a tender gaze. Ever since he had told her about his knowledge of her past, Heine found her even more mystical. Just like how ''Reina'' was merging with ''Estelle'', he himself was experiencing the same thing. ''Astarte'' started merging with him from years ago. Little by little, it corroded ''Heine''. To the point of making him confuse Estelle with Astarte''s sister. It was a pleasant feeling. Being with Estelle felt like he reunited with something he once lost, something he had missed in the past. Not the romantic kind, but deeper than that. A sense of longing which stemmed from his entire being. If he had to describe it, it would be like separated soulmates. Once born from the same source of life, then pulled apart by the twists of fate. His natural instinct as someone who bore a part of Astarte drew him closer to Estelle. If he was once afraid of the child, now that sentiment was reced by pure fondness and the desire to protect. Heine chuckled, wondering how he became this dumb. A fool for what was left unsure without any proof to showcase. He was pretty certain at his hunch at Estelle being the original Astarte''s sister, but he could bepletely wrong. "Where do you get these information.. really," Estelle was dumbfounded by the sheer rity of the news Heine constantly brought to her table. Even for a Fae King, this was too uncanny to be true. "Everyone has their own secrets," Heine replied. "One day.. one day, when the timees, you''ll realize everything. Learn everything. And begin to understand who your soul truly belongs to, not who Estelle reste is," That piece of meaningful sentence would remain inside Estelle''s mind for the rest of her life, until she finally deciphered what Heine meant. After imparting her with those words, Heine turned around and left. Maybe his clues were too much, he thought. Maybe he revealed what shouldn''t be, he thought. s, what has been said cannot be retrieved. He left in high spirits, excitement brewing inside of him. "I wonder when she will return," Heine whispered as he flew in the air, enjoying the light breezes of wind hitting him. Speeding up, he left for his next destination. After being released from his official duty, he became more unrestrained. Sylvania still needed him, but he didn''t have to bother with the painful chains that once restricted him with the title of [Fae King]. He too, realized why he was unsatisfied with the title. Because he was him. A very simple, yet strange reason. _________________________________________ Back in the manor, Estelle was still pondering over the information Heine ryed. How could it be? The revtion was shocking, but when she thought about it, it made sense. It could make sense. The information detailed a certain ce. One that could be one of the operation''s bases. Although this one was a rtively smaller sized location, it was still relevant. The ce was located inside the Dukedom. On the main street, to add into it. "How could we have missed this.." A cockroach had slipped into their territory. No wonder they were so fast to respond to whatever happened in the Dukedom. Estelle should''ve suspected something more than Sierra lurking inside the Dukedom. There could be multiple spies. "Even so... the mastermind is him, huh. Surprising," Estellemented, ncing at the document once more. A name was printed on top of the paper, standing out from the rest. Someone she had never met, but one that she has heard the stories about. __________________________________ "Ha? So you''re going there?" Minerva yelped in disapproval after hearing Estelle''s story and seeing Heine''s document. "I mean, what else could I do? Just let them be and patiently wait for the next attack to happen? I''m leaving soon, thest thing I should do is demolishing those pesky rats," Minerva sighed. The girl just started to pick her pace back up, but she was already on her way to throw herself into another danger pit. Estelle pouted. She knew her limits. She wouldn''t do anything out of her bounds. And yet, there was a bad feeling about this trip. Hence why she told Minerva before going, in case something did happen. Was she crazy for insisting on going even though her instincts told her not to? "I can''t hold you back from fulfilling your wishes, but just.. Just keep yourself safe. A lot of people were hit hard by the news of your disappearance, even though we tried our best to keep it from spreading," Minerva advised. "En. I''ll do that. Thank you," "Don''t say thank you, I''m just doing my part as a mentor.. or am I? Am I still your mentor?" Minerva questioned. Estelle chuckled. It was a dumb question to her. "You and Heine will always be my mentors. That will never change," "...Then that''s good," Giving a tired smile, Minervaid her arms on the table surface and nted her face on top of that. The two went silent, each with different sets of thoughts. "As expected, fear doesn''t go away that easily," Minerva whispered to herself, making it inaudible for Estelle. Would people mock her, the Crimson Witch, for fearing a child? Heine had told her that the child wasn''t someone to be afraid of, but one that she should ept. But how could she ept such an out of the world human? Was she even human? Outside of Estelle''s own mind, the people around her also had lists of unanswered questions. It wasn''t just her that sought for answers. Although everybody had different things to ask, they were all just as lost as her in this world. "Minerva," Estelle felt like she had to say something. "We haven''t really gotten to know each other," Heine had told her about how the two Witches and even himself used to fear her. For what reason? She didn''t know. But one thing was for sure. Minerva was the most outgoing out of the three, but at the same time, she was the one Estelle knew the least. Simrly, because Minerva couldn''t fully open her heart to Estelle, the redhead didn''t know Estelle very well. "...Yeah," Minerva acknowledged. "We should get to know each other someday," "Someday." Minerva repeated, ncing over to the gleaming sunlight and back to the other girl. She let out a smile, watching as the girl fiddled with her fingers, perhaps in nervousness. Estelle herself didn''t know how to interact with Minerva after Heine told her what their real sentiment towards her was. She even went as far as to doubt her parents. Fear. It was easy to fear a strong entity. It wouldn''t be surprising if everyone she thought was very close to her actually ended up being the ones who feared her more than anything else. But then, just as her anxiety increased, Minerva said one more sentence. "We shouldn''t worry about trivial things.. We really shouldn''t," It was a message for both of them. Chapter 62: Trouble Chapter 62: Trouble "That said, are you going today?" Minerva asked, rifying the matter. "Yes," Estelle replied. "Figured it would be better to root them out as soon as possible. Are youing along?" "As much as I want to.. I have this peculiar sickness called beingzy," Minerva yawned, showing her tiredness. She didn''t fake her reaction, she truly was sleepy. Minerva rarely had a full night sleep, and she would even sleep during the day most of the time. A restful sleep was something she was unfamiliar with. "...You really should fix your life habits. What if it puts you in danger one day?" "Who knows," Minerva said. "I''m content with my current lifestyle..." Her eyes started getting hazy now that sleep was mentioned. "See? You''re getting sleepy again," Estelle, who had stayed by the woman''s side for years knew that Minerva had a habit of sleeping in parts. One to two hours at a time, then waking up and continuing with her day. In the first ce, Minerva''s current powers rendered her with the ability to forgo sleep entirely for a few days. "Ahh, just leave me be. I''ll probably take a nap somewhere... You''re going, right?" Minerva waved her hands, telling Estelle to stay out of her business. "Yeah. Take care, then," Giving up, Estelle sighed. She went over to her room, trembling at the thought of having to part with this for an indefinite time in the near future. Then, Lylia came in, bearing bad news. "Young miss! There''s danger in the city, pleasee with me to the Duke!" Lylia mmed the door open, forgetting her maid etiquette. Tears were on the rims of her eyes. Panic and anxiety showed all over her face, theplete opposite of what Lylia usually acted like. "..Lylia?" Estelle was still in shock over the sudden turn of events. She stilled in her position. Lylia couldn''t afford to waste any more time and ran to her side, pulling Estelle''s arms and leaving the room in a rush. "I cannot exin now, but the Duke wants to see you," Lylia ran. After a while, Estelle began to regain her focus and snapped Lylia''s grip off. "Tell me where father is. I will open a gate there," Nodding, Lylia agreed with her method. "The master is in front of the manor. He is in the midst of controlling the troops," Estelle opened a space rift in a hurry and set the location to where n was. The two then entered the gate, sessfully moving their ce. The moment Estelle arrived, she saw n standing alongside the Duke''s private army. The Knight Captain, someone who used to bully and tease her about how short and small she waspared to him no longer wore the goofy expressions Estelle was familiar with. The hundreds of knights were all in their stances, ready to march when ordered. The reste Dukedom weren''t renowned for the army, but the power they could exert was still exemry. The gant spirit shared between all the troops were in sync. With their faces hardened and hearts steeled to face the uing battle, it was a rare scene in the country of Alynthi, which hadn''t been engaged in a civil war for long. For the trouble to require the private army to be sent out, it meant that the normal army was already battling the problem as they speak. Many of the knights were people Estelle had only seen a glimpse of before. People who,pared to the normal army, were much more experienced and trained. n and the rest hadn''t noticed Estelle''s arrival yet. "We haven''t had to mobilize the army in a while, but it''s necessary for this time," n''s voice rang, amplified with the help of Wind Magic for it to travel across the entire squadron. "We must protect our territory, our city, Alynthi''snd. By no means are we going to be shaken with this storm," "Yessir!!!" The thunderous replies of the army made one''s ear cringe in pain over the sheer volume. "I know that many of you have families inside the city. The regr army is doing their best to battle the chaos and evacuate the citizens. I ask of you, as the Duke... to focus on the mission. I know that this is an oundish request, but please," n showed a troubled expression. He knew that during the private army''s movements, there was a high chance of them seeing their families getting caught in disaster. In that case, if the knights strayed and throws away the mission, everything would be doomed. It was an understandable thing in theory, but when done in reality, it could cause a bigger problem. "We are prepared to throw our lives for the city!!" One knight, who seemed to hold higher pedigree than the others shouted. The rest followed, shouting the same thing. Estelle decided that it was the right time to enter the scene. She told Lylia to stay put. They hadnded in the garden, so Lylia could hide in the bushes. "What happened, dear Father?" Estelle tugged on n''s armor. n was wearing a light-weight armor, but even that was rare. The knights'' gaze were drawn to the child. "...Estelle," n heaved a sigh of relief. "What happened," Estelle repeated once more. "A storm.. An unnatural storm brew in the city. Along with it, monsters attacked. Casualties have already been made," With a solemn tone, n told the situation. "Storm... and monsters? What do you n to do, father?" "The normal troops are already in the process of evacuating the people. Some have engaged in battles. The private army will be sent to reduce the scope of the storm along with the magicians sector, and fight off the monsters," n "And you?" "I will lead them. They are taking a risk, I will also do the same. I can''t be selfish," "..You are the Duke. And in front of you is the Duke''s daughter," "This is for the people. For reste," n gazed upon the blue roses, which was a signature symbol of the Dukedom. Bushes of this nt were nted inside the manor, and the city was also the same. Even the reste crest and g had blue rose symbols. "I will tag along if that''s the case," Since n was hardheaded, let her be stubborn as well. She was set for the city in the first ce. "No," "You''re being selfish, father," "Still no. This time, I can not budge. Please go to She''s side," "Minerva will protect mother. I can do more than Minerva. Father, you are fighting in the frontlines," "You are a child!" n raised his voice. "Age doesn''t determine anything for an abnormal monster like me," Estelle''s gaze froze up, her eyes no longer containing traces of begging, but rather disappointment. She didn''t think that undermining herself was needed, but her thoughts were in an awry after her recent interactions with Minerva. She was always afraid. Afraid of the possible chance of her own parents thinking that she was a monster. She didn''t care about anyone else''s sentiments, but her own parents. Something that she gained only in this world, never before. Loving parents. If everything was smooth, if she didn''t have this absurd power, everything would be different. She wouldn''t have these worries. But now, she faced n with eyes that pierced the other''s heart. "..No," n averted his gaze. "Father, you know me. Please," Estelle begged once more. She wished for nothing more than to be an adult and have control over her decisions. Forcefully pushing her intentions was possible, but it didn''t strike her in the right way. "Estelle. I''m begging you. Stop putting yourself in danger, let matters like this be solved by us," n whispered, enough for her to hear. He then waved her off, pouring his full attention into the army''s matters. The city was in peril. He couldn''t debate with his daughter any longer. "Father!" Estelle called one more time. "You are a coward. A massive coward who can''t even face your own daughter!" Estelle cried out, tearsing out of her eyes. Why couldn''t he trust her? Was he afraid of losing her? Afraid of her failure? Or.. afraid of Estelle, the human? Which was it? Estelle ran away, knowing that n won''t answer her anymore. Rushing towards the garden, she huffed her breath. Her physical abilities fell short to her massive magic power. Even so, she ran and ran. Running until her tears were all gone. "I can''t do this," Estelle slumped down, dropping to a squatting position. "I can''t do this... Uuuu," A pitiable cry. Sobbing, she stayed still for a few minutes before rubbing her eyes to dry the tears away. Her exhaustion died down, and she was able to recuperate. She still had little sniffles, but her eyes were no longer deluded. She had a task to do. "..I can''t just stand still. I have an inkling on who is behind this incident," Estelle clenched her fists with such force that almost made her nails break into the soft skin. Estelle remembered the contents Heine gave her. Chapter 63: Cleaning Up Chapter 63: Cleaning Up One of the things Heine''s document detailed was where the possible hideouts were. They were all reasonably spaced apart, but Estelle could travel through that distance in no time. If the matter was left to n and the rest, they would be overloaded with the task of protecting the city, not rooting out the masterminds. They wouldck enough hands to ring the culprits in. "Are they Duke Alfonso''s.. people, too?" Estelle muttered, donning a ck cloak and throwing the hood over her head. [Whatever it is.. I have to stop them.] If she couldn''t fight the chaos, then she would just fight the one behind said chaos. First and foremost, the closest hideout. Estelle was burning with determination as she leapt to the roof, wanting to gain some height advantage before shees into the city. "Let''s see...." Estelle sucked in a cold breath as she recorded the supposed ce inside her mind. Locking onto the location, she propelled herself with the help of Wind Magic towards the necessary direction. Continuing on slithering with no hindrance as if she had perfectly functioning wings, Estelle was able to reach the first building. Pursing her lips, she prepared herself to fight as she approached the door with light steps. Knowing that shecked physical strength, Estelle resorted to using a heavy stream of water to knock the door down. Conjuring a condensed pulse, the simple door was broken into pieces in no time. With it, Estelle also noticed that there were strange seals ced on the entrance. This further indicated, that her current location was indeed correct, and there was something more to the normal looking house. Inside, she was not able to find much stuff. It was generally empty, but the most distinctive thing out of all would be the gigantic magic circle drawn on the floor. The stench of what presumably might be blood was also present. But unlike her predictions, there was no one inside. "...I should be careful," Estelle covered herself with protective magic before lighting the room up with some spells. Her radar showed that there were no other individuals here except for her. The first thing that came to mind was to research the magic circle, but she didn''t have that much time. [Then I should just memorize it.] Estelle concluded. Going around the circle multiple times to note down all the inscriptions, Estelle spent quite some time just trying to read the text since it was practically unintelligible scratches. Thankfully, through corrtion, Estelle was able to piece out the mantras. There were also spells that she couldn''t recognize, and that was what she was going to trace after she was done with this whole ordeal. After making sure that she retained the information, Estelle went ahead and destroyed the magic circle. Just by ncing over the spells, Estelle could deduce what the force behind all this nned for when they constructed so many building points in the city. "Detonation, Energy Absorption, Mana Eater," Estelle read off her notes. These ''points'' were required to cover the entire city under their jurisdiction. [How were they able to get away with this?] Estelle was stumped. Clearly, dangerous spells like this will impact the entire city when triggered. If Heine didn''t present her with this data, the city would be at these people''s mercy. Estelle gritted her teeth. Emotions did not need to be involved right now. She needed to work fast. Covering her head with the same hood, she made sure that the building had no more features that could be exploited before leaving for the second location. This time, there were actual people inside the building. A total of five. Estelle''s gaze became cold as she infiltrated the building through the front door, with a simr way like before. Extending her palm to the air, she spread sleep and paralyzing mists throughout the room after taking precautions for herself. Without a fight, the five people were immobilized. They were still conscious, however. Estelle did not pay them much heed as her main priority was to inspect the bigger truth behind this matter. Once again, she found a simr circle in the center of the room. Studying it while the menid on the ground, unable to do anything, Estelle saw that the spells were the exact same as the previous one. "..You there, what is this circle for?" Estelle turned her head to one of the men, asking. "I- I won''t, kuh! I won''t answer!" The man''s teeth were chattering, with his veins bulging out of his skin from trying to resist Estelle''s spells. Estelle couldn''t afford to waste time. She didn''t like violence, but some scenarios needed violence. Even if it wasn''t needed, these men were nning something that would be detrimental to her city. The territory they all sought to protect. They were trying to harm it in arge scale. Estelle resolved herself after being reminded of the storm that was going on the city and the monster swarms. Her people were trying tobat it while risking their lives. If these men dared to attack the city, they must be prepared to lose their lives the moment they were caught. Without wavering, Estelle cut off one of the men''s heads. "I only want answers. I know that you have otherrades in this city, so if you''re not going to answer, just die," Estelle proimed, sweeping her gaze over the remaining four men. The men were silent. Whatever the n was, they had the integrity to not reveal it even when their lives were on the line. "Very well," Estelle nodded. She had to apud them for their, unfortunately, pointless bravery. With for slices, four heads were cut sharp at the neck, killing them off without any effort. Just like that, the second location was done. Estelle steeled her heart as she burned the corpses and destroyed the circle once again, not leaving before the scene was cleaned up to the highest degree. Third location. Estelle nced at the list of ces. There were a total of fifteen ''bases'' she had to lovingly visit. Out of all of them, would there really not be even one man that would spill the bean? Approaching each location with high vignce, Estelle continued trumping over the ces one by one. Within an hour, she had reached the final location. This base was the farthest from the manor, closest to the borders. One thing that Estelle noticed was that the spell''s intensity worsened the more their location neared the borders. Perhaps it was because the security was morex and the high mana fluctuations wouldn''t be detected that they became brave. With each building, she also had to bear witness to monsters scattering about and the evacuation process thatbatted it. There was also a visible storm boiling inside the city, but the storm''s severity was lessened by what seemed to be n''s flock of magicians. There was no second where Estelle didn''t worry about the city when she traveled across it to destroy the bases one by one. Luckily, there was an end. "..This is thest one," Estelle heaved a hard sigh, convincing herself to bear through this final ordeal. She was standing over thest building''s roof. Jumping down from it, she made a perfectnding with her two feet and red at the door. This was the farthest from the manor, which meant that the toughest spells would be located in here. Estelle didn''t know to what point, but she was determined to bring it down. Just as she was about to break down the door and finish herst job, a voice called out to her. "Miss! Please help me- ahk!!" A man copsed on the ground. Blood seeped out of him as he tried his best to extend his arms towards Estelle''s way. His eyes were full of pleading, but there was something that wasn''t quite right at first nce. [..Did I see wrong?] Estelle thought. A glimmer of hatred and anger. The man didn''t have any reason to hate on her, did he? She was a stranger. Or did she know him? No, that shouldn''t be. Just as she was doubting the man''s intentions, more words came flying into her ears. "Miss! What are you waiting for?! I can''t handle it any longer, please! Please heal me!" [As I thought, there''s something wrong.] A sane person would ask a passing child to heal them, would they? The correct words should be to bring them to someone else. Moreover, the man''s speech was too clear. [If I don''t save him and he turns out to be innocent, it''d be way worse. If he tries anything funny, I can just subdue him anyway.] Estelle made a simple resolve. Estelle approached the man, wishing to see what he intended to do. When she was just centimetres away from his head, strange chuckles began sounding out. Chuckles that turned into loudughter. A maniacalughter. A hand grabbed at Estelle''s feet, securing her right ankle inside their grip. [Puny tricks.] The man must''ve thought that she was a weak, defenseless child. Estelle wished to manifest mana. Something enough to immobilize the other without killing him. However, a familiar condition hit her. Her mana wouldn''t materialize. Chapter 64: Destruction Chapter 64: Destruction Estelle became puzzled. At the same time, she was frantic. With her left leg, she tried to kick the man with her hardest force, but it wouldn''t loosen up his hold. The man''s toothy grin was creepy, instilling fear into your heart. "This is what you get for snooping around in other people''s business," The man said, charging his hand with mana and rendering Estelle in tears in mere seconds. Akin to electrocution, strong currents of the man''s filthy mana seeped into her. A poison. That was what she wanted to describe the foreign element as. A corrosive material. [Impossible.] Estelle realized the severity of the matter. This disgusting mana, she would recognize it in a sh. ck Magic. Those who wielded ck Magic had a distinctive stench to them. Although her body was able to withstand the attack, Estelle still felt diforted. Her body repelled the ck Magic away. Even so, it didn''t change the fact that her magic was sealed away somehow. "What- it didn''t work?!" The man showed a disgruntled expression. "Tch!" Clicking his tongue, he tugged on Estelle''s ankle with great force, enough to make the girl lose her bnce and start to fall. The man was scared that the girl would have other cards up her sleeves other than her absurdly strong magic power, so his intent was to knock Estelle''s consciousness down as fast as he could. Estelle held back her fall by positioning her palms so that she would still be sitting after the fall. However, the man was quick to react. The moment he released the grip on Estelle''s ankle, he grabbed her two arms and pinned it over her head, overpowering her struggle with ease. "Heheheh.. can''t use magic now, can you??!" The man taunted, gloating over his victory. With a grunt, hended a heavy punch on Estelle''s stomach, making the girl widen her eyes and even tear up over the sheer pain and shock. She had never fallen into the hands of such a rough approach. More like, she had never been punched before. She had no resistance to it since her magic was taken away. A gag reflex was formed, making Estelle cough and choke in pain. Her mind was dazed from the sheer pain. With just one punch, she felt something inside her shatter, possibly her lowest ribcage. "HAHAHAHAH!! TASTE THIS! HOW DOES IT FEEL, HUH?!" The man''s crazedughter rang throughout the street, but precisely because this building was located in the city''s outskirts, no one could hear neither the man or Estelle''s pained voices. He continued the barrage of punches, and itt got to a point where blood was being coughed out. With her consciousness bing hazy, Estelle''s resistance dropped and her vision darkened. She knew that she couldn''t afford to copse here, but she couldn''t fight back any longer. [Minerva.. Heine..] Estelle recalled the two figures. If they had a strong intuition and inkling towards her departure, then there was a chance that they would find her in wherever the man was about to bring her to. Weak whispers were thest thing Estelle did before she was subdued by the man''s relentless punches. As a result, she was taken into thest base. When she woke up, she was chained up to the walls and had some inscriptions written around her. Staying calm, Estelle surveilled her surroundings. The man was nowhere to be found, but it was also impossible to break free from the restraints. [He didn''t kill me.] Estelle''s eyes burned with the desire to live. As long as she wasn''t dead, there was always a chance. She was the abnormal one. In a few minutes, the man came back. Peeking through the narrow doors, Estelle caught emotions of joy brimming inside his eyes as he stared at Estelle like she was prey. "I purposefully let you live," The man said. "So I can kill you while you''re conscious," "You made a mistake," Estelle retorted. The man clenched his fists in anger. He had a sword sheathed on his belt. The long steel sword was drawn out. The de pointed against Estelle''s slender neck. "Mistake? Me? In this situation, the only one who made a mistake is you. You should''ve stayed being a pretty child.. nothing more," Estelle was silent. "It''s because you children who get random powers, because you be arrogant! You don''t know how vast the world is and even got tricked by me!" The manughed once more. "Kill me if you can. Stop bbering," Estelle taunted. She had a n. She didn''t know how sessful it''ll be, but she would try it. The man let out a low grunt. He too had enough with this farce. He had been particrly close to one of the people Estelle killed in her cleaning session, and knowing that the samerade who spoke to him not long ago was now dead enraged him. "Die!!" The man shed down at Estelle''s torso in an attempt to cut her down. sh! Estelle''s flesh was cut. Arge wound was made, stretching from the shoulders down to her stomach. Like a blooming flower, blood sttered, some of it hitting the man and the other droplets flying about. [Now.] Estelle closed her eyes, letting her entire mind shift to conjuring mana. Blood traveled up the de, twisting around it and reaching the man''s hands. It was absorbed into the skin, making the man drop the de instinctively. Something wasn''t right. How did the girl manage to do this? Something wasn''t right! The man took a couple steps backwards, staggering and losing his bnce in fright. "I forgot to tell you... My HP is at the hundred thousands," Estelle wiped off the blood from her lips and spitted the remaining traces out. A nonsensical number. She was able to feel the pain of being beaten up, but that did not mean that she would die. As long as her Health Points did not drop down to zero, she wouldn''t die. The reason she copsed up until now was only because she couldn''t bear the pain. She hated pain. Badly. Gnashing her teeth, she tried her best to coil mana around her. There seemed to be a blockage preventing her from channeling her mana. Ignoring this, she forced the unnatural. Knowing that there was a surplus of blood in the area,ing directly from her, Estelle decided to use said liquid as a medium for Water Magic maniption. "Magician, today is yourst day on this world," Estelle shed a battle-crazed smile. She didn''t expect to meet this interesting of an opponent. The man made a choked gurgle, foaming out of his mouth as a result of Estelle''s electricity magic being imbued into her blood. The attack she made allowed her mana to seep into the man''s internal body, creating a shock from within. After hardships and struggles, she was able to free herself somehow. By overloading the restrictions posed against her, she destroyed them. The mana depleting spell the man used was also battled through this way. However, since she used brute force, her mana bank was considerably shaken. She opted to use another type of magic: Enchantments. They required low mana and could overturn the battle in one go if used right. She bent down to the shocked man, extending her palm to reach for his neck. With a light huff, she lifted the man up. Her left hand constricted the man''s thick neck like it was nothing. The lithe, harmless looking hand single-handedly raised the man into the air. The man tried his best to struggle, wanting to pull off the grip. But it was of no use. Estelle''s enchantment magic rendered her unbeatable even in closebat. Even if she had only learned to utilize it midbat as ast resort, she was able to gain control over this new ability. Too powerful. The girl could only be restrained if mana wasn''t in existence, or a method to make her magic ineligible for use was present. Then, she raised her right hand. Forming a ball of condensed mana, she closed her eyes. Battles always made her tired, but it brought her a deranged joy at the same time. A forbidden pleasure. A media to satisfy her underlying difort of being confused over the world. [Aah.. perhaps this was why I''m more suited to be called a ''viiness''.] These tendencies weren''t ones you would expect out of an adult, let alone a ten year old girl. Estelle mumbled incoherent words, shoving the ball inside the man. The ball lodged itself within where the man''s heart was positioned. The man was no longer hostile. If he struggled with full force before, now he was only scared for his life. He couldn''t speak, but his eyes begged for his life. Even shaking his head left and right was an impossible thing. Teacher Estelle will demonstrate for you. Your core will be overloaded, and just like a puffer fish, you would bubble up. Your body would not be able to tolerate the pressure, and as a result.. Explosion. "Boom," Like a sound effect, she shed the man a twisted smile. Her right hand waving him a special goodbye. Chapter 65: Her Role Chapter 65: Her Role Blood sttered all over her. The innards, pieces of flesh, and all the man''s ripped remains scattered everywhere. Estelle was in a daze. In her hand was the man''s severed head down to the neck, as the explosion only affected his torso. Even his pair of legs survived, lying lifeless on the ground with pieces of his intestines still attached. "Hehe," She let out a giggle. Crazy. The entire fiasco was crazy. "How displeasing," The stench of blood overwhelmed her nose. It was unpleasant, yet strangely satisfying. A sense of aplishment. When one is given power and freedom, there was a scale that would be created inside their minds, a scale that signified their mental bnce. This scale also applied to normal people, but in case of the strongest beings, it was easier to tip. As if everything was nned out beforehand, another interference came from the locked door. "Estelle!!!" Heine and Yulia''s figures entered her sight. Heine couldn''t open the door by himself, so he asked for Yulia''s help. Yulia had to unlock the seal, which had been unexpectedly quite hard to solve. [How convenient.] Estellemented. Only after she was done with the deed did theye. They didn''t expect the scene that greeted their eyes. Estelle''s silver hair floated in the air as her golden-colored mana freely flowed in the air. Anger and madness were shown inside her eyes. She couldn''t believe that she fell for these petty tricks. Hikari, Kalis, and now this dead bastard. [Can''t I make contact with people with ease? Am I denied of even that right?] Estelle threw the man''s head away, immediately rinsing her hand with Water Magic as if a great deal of filth was stered onto it. She took off the enhancement magic spells, taking in a deep breath. She braced herself for the pain that was about toe. [How fucking convenient.] Once again, she repeated. Sure enough, Estelle winced in pain once the spells were removed. She cast healing magic on herself right after, rejuvenating her entire being and returning it to back when she hadn''t engaged in a fight. Unless Estelle miraculously forgives a man who just tried to kill her, he was doomed. "The trip was cancelled. Shall we go tomorrow?" Estelle was tired. Tired of everything. She engaged in normal conversations with the two. With full knowledge of Heine and Yulia''s apathy to death for people like the man, she approached them. She didn''t even bother to clean up the remains. The man didn''t deserve such a thing. She didn''t even know his name, but he knew what he was doing. For people who delved into this industry, surely they would expect death to fall upon them too. Yulia was a bit taken aback, but Heine was different. "...What a beautiful human," Heine muttered. "Yes.. Just like that person''s figure.." "Huh? What do you mean?" Yulia asked,ing into the room while pinching her nose to avoid smelling the nasty stench. The man''s explosion was gruesome. They were experienced, so they could stomach it, but it was still a bit unsettling. Therefore, Yulia tried to forgo the hard facts and steer closer to Estelle. "Estelle," Yulia called. The girl''s head turned towards the elder and tilted ever so slightly, her eyes as innocent as a newborn''s. As if nothing happened. As if the incident was void. In a sense, denial was a form of self protection. Estelle, who was denying the truth of her deeds did not know how to face herself. A viiness. Really? Was she destined to take on that path? Is that the reason why people around her always got hit with misfortune? On her first day in the world, her mother almost died. Just because of a happy mistake, her entire Dukedom was almost implicated into a court scandal. Monsters that rted to her appeared. Heine was taken off the throne. Ancient humans that recognized her. The Underworld and Arayle who had a maddened love for her. Just what is it? Why was fate against her so much? She was a Duke''s daughter, but even if she tried to live normally, misfortune came knocking at her door. Was it because she''s a viiness? Because a viiness, the embodiment ofevil was meant to fall? She did nothing wrong. Her friends and close ones were innocent in the cases they were caught in. They were sinners, but not to such a severe degree that the things pitted against them were considered a given. Why? Because she, Estelle reste had a role that had the worldfuck her over at any possible chance? No way in hell. There was no way she was going to ept that. Demise? Destruction? Downfall? The literature she read in the past had viinesses, too. At first, she epted her fate without questioning it. She believed that she, Kirisaki Reina, was sent over to enter this world to y a role. And that role was a viiness. But now, she had enough. If the world turned against her, was she supposed to stay a pushover and let herself be dragged into ruin? And in the process, her acquaintances would be dragged, too? No. That wasn''t what she wanted. What she wanted was.. ..Was? What did she want? What was her purpose? To terrorize others, being the viiness she is? Or.. continue being ''Estelle reste'', the human, without minding about her destined role? Looking at Yulia and Heine, Estelle was able to tell that they were stressed. Gritting her teeth, she resolved. If the world painted her as evil, she will just do something a step ahead of it. She would break the chains of ''evil'' and ''good''. Be somethingpletely out of the bounds, a new category not yet made into existence. She was going to do it. All the conspiracies, all the threats. It meant nothing. She, Estelle reste, was tired of it. (A/N: Two words. Chaotic Neutral. LOLOLOLOL) Chapter 66: Reason Chapter 66: Reason "Are you alright?" Yulia extended her arms to touch Estelle''s face. Her handnded on Estelle''s cheeks, which was still smeared with potent blood. It was an unconscious decision, made with no second thoughts. It just felt natural. The scene that greeted her was shocking, but the main focus wasn''t that. It was the silver-haired girl currently standing in front of her. The girl was noticeably harmed- not only in the physical sense but also mentally. Her injuries could be fixed in no time, but her mindset was different. Once it changes to a negative direction, then trying to change it back would be difficult. When Yulia thought of Estelle, she could only think of a ticking time bomb. She wondered when the bomb would detonate. Or will it diffuse by itself without causing any existential damage? Either way, the girl needed a push for those two choices. A push that would send her over the limits, making her either turn ''good'' or ''evil''. One thing the Yulia didn''t know, however, was that Estelle nned something out of those two narrow concepts. She wanted something more, something that wouldn''t categorize ''Estelle'' only for her few actions. When you thought about it, the ssification was really narrow. If someone did nothing but good things for years, but did something sphemous- one that would render them into the evil category, would the person be ''good'' or ''evil''? It was just an endless chain of life. Both good deeds and evil deeds were necessary to some cases. Yulia still believed in the category, but Estelle no longer wanted to ponder upon her role in a direct sense. By no means would she ept the one-sided mark towards her. Not anymore. Perhaps when she was little and did not care about her surroundings, but not now. That was her current resolve. "I am alright," Estelle gave a tired smile to Yulia, dragging her feet while walking towards the locked door. "How did you guys find me?" Her head turned towards Heine. She expected Minerva to be the one to find her, but the woman wouldn''t suspect much as she was only gone for a bit. Perhaps, if a few hours passed,then Minerva would''ve found it weird too. Heine, however, somehow got to her. "Logic. I checked the first house, and tried to calcte the mana calibrations. The range of possible times you took while fixing one spot. After that, maths. I deduced that you should already be in thest ces, so I came here.. and vo, the seal was there," Heine said. "And he couldn''t open the seal, so he had to ask my help. We actually shouted quite a lot outside the building, but I guess the sound was blocked?" Yulia interjected. "Yeah, I didn''t hear anything. More than that, though... How did you think that I might possibly be in danger?" "Well, I came to help out with the disaster, but I couldn''t find you. I found it to be strange, because you would naturally try to meddle into the matters. Then, after asking around, you seemed to have disappeared into nowhere, so I quickly pieced out the storyline and oue... What ''Estelle'' would''ve done," Heine chuckled in a low voice. Estelle hummed in eptance and started to coil her mana around injuries and painful areas. The selected parts began to regenerate and heal in a high speed. She had to be thankful to Heine''s quick and decisive thinking process. "Even so, the gate was surprisingly an unfamiliar riddle. It waz tricky, but Iwas able to get through it," Yuliamented. Estelle also began to think deeper. "Stronger magic..Strong power,st" "..This makes sense. Now that you''ve given me information about the real mastermind, this would all make sense," Estelle huffed, remembering what Heine''s data said about Duke Alfonso''s magician backer. There was one name that caught her eye, the most important person behind the whole fiasco ording to Heine. Elias. The guy from the Underworld, the one that became Arayle''s parental figure. When she spent time in the Underworld, the guy was indeed not there. She had heard various news about him and his greatness, but never got to interact with him. A denizen from the Underworld. The Underworld was far more advanced than the Surface, although itcked resources. Natural resources and privileges were not a thing there. "...Elias, huh," Estelle didn''t know if she would be able to [Wait.] Estelle realized a strange discrepancy. If Arayle was ten years old right now, then in the Surface, only ten months would''ve passed. However, more than one year had passed ever since the evolved monsters first appeared. The Ruler before. Estelle''s expression turned grim. [Whomanded the research before Arayle was born..?] Her brain started trying to rack up reasons why this would happen. Firstly, the previous ruler of the Underworld. [No..] Estelle rethought the choices. ording to the books she read in the Underworld''s royal library, there was a time jump. The line of session didn''t transfer immediately. Arayle was born a bitter than expected, and there was an absence of power for some years. [Then..] Estelle moved to the second choice. Second,Elias as the potential instigator. [Records about Elias was not widely spread. His name was huge, but little is known about him.] [If that isn''t suspicious...] Estelle worried. Perhaps, the monsters weren''t caused by Arayle? When she spent time in the Underworld, she had chatted with the girl multiple times. Not once did she mention anything about monsters. However, now that the culprit was revealed to be possibly Elias, under whose orders did he operate? A solitary objective? Why? The records stated that the Underworld''s denizens disliked those who tried to mingle with the Surface. If Elias was the one who orchestrated everything, then why was he motivated to do so? What was his goal? Chaos in the Surface? There was no benefits for doing that. To connect with the realm? If so, then why was destruction brought? Estelle was once again puzzled. Chapter 67: Elias Chapter 67: Elias Estelle continued brooding over the ''reason'' why these things would happen in session. The plots were dangerous. One by one, she was stimted. Was it truly just because of her viiness role? Thinking about it, she sighed. After considering her choices, she decided to opt for the greater and more visible trouble here: the city''s safety. She was dyed by a short while. Although the man did not cost her that much time, in a dire situation, each second mattered. As Estelle felt the time ticking, she licked her lips and theorized the best way to solve this. Clearly, she could go up and fight the monsters right now, but there were some things wrong with that. First, her silver hair color was rare. It could be said as something that only belonged to the reste bloodline. Although other silver hair shades existed, ones that were as beautiful and eye-catching as Estelle''s did not exist. She could mask her hair, but the spell could potentially go wrong mid battle. She was going to have high momentum, and casting spells that changed your appearance usually required much concentration to maintain. Her going to the battle would be uncanny either way. A child protecting people from massive harm? She was afraid that they would catch her and force unrealistic options at her. Do a massive bombing? The entire city would perish. It wasn''t impossible, but there was another reason for her dislike towards helping them. It wasn''t because she was evil, but because she didn''t want the worst thing to happen. The ''thing'' wouldn''t happen in a short span of time, but will end up with results by as time progressed. Sensing Estelle''s grumbles, Heine took the chance to make his offer. "Estelle, just go up to the sky and look at things from there. I didn''t expect this attack, so I won''t have any leads this time. I believe that you can find the source of the problem by yourself," Heine said as he stretched his arms and prepared to take flight. "And you?" "I will help the soldiers. But if we keep busying ourselves with the monster attacks, the orchestrator behind this all won''t get caught," Heine knew that she was burdened with her status and position. Her age was also a bother. Estelle pursed her lips and lowered her gaze. Indeed, this was a solution. However, one thing would also happen as a result. A power regression. To be honest, this was a matter that gued Estelle a lot. The people were losing against the world''s development. They couldn''t match the speed of evolution. The power bnce was going to be disrupted this way. Up until now, powerful beings like her, Heine, Minerva, or Yulia always had to step up to solve problems inside their countries. She didn''t know how well the other country fared, but she doubted that there was another one as bad as Alynthi. The country was practically doomed to perish if not for them, no? If this time, they also helped and created a false sense of security within the masses... The progression would worsen even further. They would think that everything was going to be fine. The existence of a ''hero''. A savior. A ton of people would end up relying on this ''great person''. However, what they forgot was, what if this ''great person'' dies or leaves them in any way, shape, or form? They would be turned into chaos. A toxic mindset. It was hard to not rely on others. It was also hard to get out of a dependent rtionship. The people now lived in a time period where peace was everywhere. No wars, no tricky political devises, or anything. They were too soft to withstand the ongoing change. Thus, Estelle decided to make a harsh choice. "Heine, when you get there, wait until the people are really in trouble. Let the Knights do their best first. Don''t just get into the fray," Estelle said without emotion. Her eyes, though, failed her. Pain and anguish. The two emotions that apanied her decision. It was heavy. To think that she would dare to throw away some people''s lives, the lives of the masses just to wake up the other peers. There needed to be casualties before people understood the severity of a situation. Why was that, she wondered? Estelle had seen how the people reacted. They were panicked and not in ordance to what an evacuation should be at all. Loud, unorganized, and weak. She would try little by little. She couldn''t do it all at once, but she hoped that the fear of death and destruction would imnt itself firmly inside the people''s heads. "..Very well," Heine replied, imbuing himself with magic before bidding his farewells and taking his fae form to release his wings and obtain the power of flight. He understood Estelle''s intention, and did not question it. Yulia quickly followed after him. Parting ways with those two, Estelle covered her entire self in stealth magic. She flew up to the sky, just like what Heine advised her to. Scanning the surroundings, she was unable to find anything worth noticing. She took her flight abilities and scoured the skies. She was able to see the Knights fighting with all their might, yet failing topletely save themselves. They were injured, but they kept persevering. Knights were mentally trained in the first ce, but only willpower couldn''t finish the job. They were still losing. She had the desire to help them, but knowing that arge majority of them would end up safe thanks to Heine''s help reassured her. Estelle stayed in the sky momentarily and focused on looking for the objective. She often got distracted by the pained screams and shrieks, but she tried her best to not mind it. Then, something appeared in her radar. A pointer was designated to an unused tower. [There seems to be a high concentration of mana.] Setting the tower as her next location, she flew in maximum speed towards the building. The distance was not that much, so she was able to reach the ce in no time. Shended on a window. With her small body, she slipped inside and confirmed her target''s location. It was upstairs. One floor directly above her. Shoving away her fear, Estelle looked around and found a staircase. One that would lead her to the man unknown man. She climbed up the stairs. Everything was dark, but there was a small window pane that probably was a venttion. Entering the dark room, she took a few steps forward and stopped once she saw a figure pop out. The figure wasn''t surprised that a stranger entered. Just like they had already expected Estelle''s arrival. Although there was clearly something strange, Estelle continued walking forward. Until she reached the man. From the broken windows, light shone in and illuminated the tall figure. Wearing aplete silver armor set, the person''s head was pointed at Estelle''s direction, but a helmet was covering the features, making her not able to discern the person''s identity. "You''re here," It was a man''s voice. Estelle couldn''t recognize the voice, but she grew more wary. The man''s words clearly stated that he predicted Estelle''s arrival. She did not like this feeling of being led on. It was possible that she was only able to locate the man because he wanted to meet her. Scrutinizing the man with great effort, Estelle failed to get any necessary information from him. Estelle tried to use an all seeing appraisal skill on him, but it didn''t work. The man''s face was covered by a sturdy helmet, so she wasn''t even able to input the man''s appearance. She thought that the mask was intended to be something to not be removed, or at least one that had to be removed through special measures. s, she was wrong. The next second, The man started to raise his hand slowly. Estelle coiled mana and prepared to attack. She was not in a stance, but she would be able to go into any stance at even the slightest trigger. The man''s hands traveled upwards and stopped in front of his face. He then gripped the sides of the helmet and exerted enough force to snap the helmet out and removed the article of clothing. The man''s face was revealed. The bright, golden light of the evening sun shone upon him as he looked at the girl standing before him. It was a face Estelle had seen many times before. Although never directly. The man was someone who was renowned throughout thends inside the Underworld. Documented into books and scripts. His achievements were notable, and he had lived from the period of the previous ruler up until now. That same man, who she had only seen inside the books was now standing in front of her. Arayle''s mentor and parental figure. And the one Heine depicted as the mastermind behind the emergence of the new chaos. "..Elias," Estelle called out carefully. Chapter 68: Elias Motive Chapter 68: Elias'' Motive "You''re here, Princess," Elias'' voice was cold and emotionless, unlike the lively appearance he had. He had light yellow hair that shone brightly, and had the overall vibe of a Knight, not a Magician that could bring so much doom into the world like he did with the monsters. "..Why?" Estelle couldn''t figure out the reason. Why must this be done? Estelle looked at Elias in the eyes as he stored his helmet, ruffling his hair slightly. The Surface and the Underworld were two separate realms with separate entities and hierarchies festering inside of them. In Estelle''s mind, there was no need for the two to be mixed unless it is to disrupt one another. In other words, what Elias was doing right now was nothing more than creating chaos. Elias.. he was a being from the Underworld, no? She recalled the spell she had to use in order to create a rift between two realms. It was extremely taxing to use, even with her undefeatable talent. Estelle felt like her body was being ripped apart, while her mana bank was shaking and on the verge of shattering. It was not something ordinary people can do without extensive procedures and preparation. Arayle told her that in order for Kalis to be able to kidnap her, Kalis had to train himself to learn the highest pain blocking spell and imbue that even further with Arayle''s magic. Even then, Kalis still suffered bacsh. In the same way, Estelle forced her way into casting the spell and sent herself back to the Surface. She had to face extreme bacsh because her preparations weren''t fully matured. She had to make do with everything she could pull off. As a result, she fainted right after reaching the other side. ording to Heine, Elias was the mastermind. And upon seeing Elias'' reaction to her arrival, it further strengthened this theory. The man was alive and well, living inside the Surface and not ''working'' in the Underworld like he was rumored to. However, Elias'' pathing would be difficult to exin if this was the case. Elias was, ording to Arayle and the citizens of the Underworld, a diligent subject that worked in many divisions. And one of them was being Arayle''s mentor. The one to introduce the Underworld''s Princess to how the world worked, and instilled knowledge inside her mind. Then, wouldn''t the timeline between the two storylines ovep? Elias should be in the surface when the monster attacks first started. But ording to the royal records, Elias was present during the absence of power that existed in the Underworld after the first ruler passed away before another royal popped up. Elias taught Arayle. Yet, the monsters'' development always went on. The aggression, and continuous support. Did he really simultaneously do things on both of the realms? Then, wouldn''t that mean he had to travel between the dimensions multiple times? How was he still alive? Estelle couldn''t believe it. Even she wouldn''t be able to bear the pain. Did Elias have a skill that allowed him to be immune to this pain? "Were you the one who orchestrated all of this? The monsters, they weren''t hostile after being purified, right? You transformed them into those vile beings.. and for what?" The man had meddled into the Surface''s affairs and instilled new concepts in the world. "Princess Arayle instructed me to, so of course I have toply," Elias replied, not a tinge of regret or consideration blooming on his face. His words confirmed his involvement in the matter. Then, he was indeed, the magician Estelle was trying to hunt down. The one that helped Duke Alfonso. Estelle''s fists balled up, and her nails dug into her skin. She had heard of the reports, the incidents, the casualties. Everything the monsters had caused. Thousands of unaware, innocent lives were consumed during the process of adjusting to these sudden monster outbreaks. These were only the human lives'' tally, not counting the other races. Even saying only was desecrating the dead. Estelle understood about the circle of life and how it operated. Deaths caused by monsters existed even before the chaos erupted. However, the casualties were much lower. Not in the thousands. It was an absurd number that overpowered deaths caused by natural disasters that used to top the mortality rate due to there being no ongoing wars. Elias'' detached attitude made Estelle want to smack some sense into the man who did not care about those lives. "Lies. I''ve figured out the time difference. You- this n started even before Arayle was born. Don''t put all the me on her like that," Estelle scowled. Of course, her words were not ones that meant to protect or shield Arayle. Arayle wasn''t innocent, because she literally sent one of her subjects to kidnap a little girl from a different realm, forcing her to separate with her normal life. It was just that, she disliked how Elias pinned it on Arayle. It bothered her. Although Arayle also had the desire to connect with the Surface, her reasoning was different. She wanted to create a link between the two realms. Not to destroy one side. Was it beneficial for the Underworld if the Surface was destroyed? If not, why would Elias do such a thing? As far as her understanding went, the Surface and the Underworld were separate- they had no connections with each other despite the simrities they shared. If not for the gate that created a rim for their travels, the two realms wouldn''t have any interaction at all. Estelle was frustrated. "How were you able to maintain progress in both of the two realms? What does that make you? You.. the time difference brought significant impact to me, but you aren''t affected at all. How?" "I have my own secrets, of course. But.. am I not just trying to help your world?" "Help.. Are you joking?" Estelle bit her lips as she spat out her words of disbelief. Causing the deaths of thousands of lives was what he called ''help''? "Why do you have to care about them? The ones who died.. they are useless human beings who contribute little to the world''s progress. You''ve been in the Underworld, so you must''ve already seen how different and vast the two realms were, no? No one is worthless inside the Underworld. Everyone is needed, unlike in the Surface. I merely wanted to purge the world a little bit," "I''m sure you must''ve seen how the world recovered so fast and was able to adjust to the monsters. This is all because the strong and talented people who can quickly learn how to defend themselves and get an upper hand on the monsters. Whereas, like you''ve seen, the other lives leech off these powerful people. Aren''t they useless?" "Even so!" Estelle couldn''tpletely debunk Elias'' words, because in truth, she also had simr thoughts. "I n to stimte the power growth here little by little. I didn''t expect their potential to be as low as this. My initial prediction was much faster... but it is fine. The monsters now have the upper hand, so whether they want it or not, everyone will have to develop themselves," Elias sucked in a breath of cold air as his eyes peered off into the city, looking at the chaos that brewed. Elias then let out a chuckle. "Even just now, didn''t you tell that Spirit King to not save the civilians immediately? Let them suffer some losses? What about that? Aren''t you just the same as me, treating human lives as a dispensable object?" Elias questioned. "That''s.." Estelle couldn''t refute. "You''ve been watching?" Estelle''s conversation with Heine shouldn''t have been heard by anyone other than Yulia. Unless, at that time, Elias was already there? Elias gave her nothing but a smile. "Remember, you are the Princess. As for me.." Elias mumbled. He then mouthed incoherent words that Estelle couldn''tprehend. "Well, you''ll find out one day," After saying that, he jumped out of the window and disappeared into thin air. Within the short span of one second, Estelle caught sight of something strange. [Wings..?] Estelle was sure that she saw faint outlines of what looked like wings sprouting on the back of Elias'' body. Bizarre, ck wings mixed with some blood red spikes on the wing frames. "ck wings..." Even though she wanted to think upon it more, the danger in the city called out to her as another huge sound reverberated throughout thends. The sounds of explosions. Before, no firepower was used. But now, somehow the situation had escted. [Who the hell used fire when there is a strong wind storm?!] Estelle berated. She observed the current raging disaster. "That''s- the storm still has so much power?!" Estelle put her hands on the window rails as she jumped out and took flight to get a better view. It was hard to believe that the storm was still able to rampage after such a long time. It was supposed to subside, especially with the help of so many magicians'' powering together. "No... that''s a different storm," Estelle widened her eyes as she identified the two separate storms. There wasn''t just one disaster. There were two. The second wave of storm. This time, it was in the shape of arge tornado, wreaking havoc inside the city and destroying everything thates in contact with it. "That''s myst gift to you, Princess," Elias'' voice came about once more, bringing Estelle to a jolt. [Elias?!] Estelle hadn''t expected the man to still be in the vicinity. "Last gift your ass-" Estelle turned her head with haste, wanting to catch Elias'' annoying figure. However, he had once again, disappeared. Her radar also showed the same results. No lifeforms were detected. All that was left was a ck feather that dropped down to the ground. Chapter 69: Troubling Thoughts Chapter 69: Troubling Thoughts Estelle rushed back to the hectic area the moment she recovered from her moment of shock. There, she was able to find the silhouette of a fae that fought desperately against the ongoing storm. His expression looked troubled, and his arms trembled as he continued using magic to suppress the storm. "Heine!" Estelle shouted out the fae''s name, sessfully catching his attention during the intense defense. "Estelle... You''re back? How.. was it?" Heine wiped a trail of sweat that formed on his forehead as he diverted his gaze back to the storm. He was trying hard to contain it, but there seemed to be something that kept fanning it up, not letting it die. In order to find out what this external catalyst is, Yulia was sent to investigate. And such, the disaster was now being fought back by Heine. "Like your data said, it really was Elias," Estelle manipted her mana to support Heine and recharge his mana bank back to full. She casted multiple spells. One that subdued the storm, one that restricted its movements, and one that slowed it down. Out of the three, only the restrictions worked. The other failed and did not show any difference. s, with Estelle''s help, the storm now stayed in ce. Their conjoined efforts finally showed some differences in the situation. "And.. what did he say?" Heine asked, curious. "Lots of things. Ambiguous, just like the entire n he sorted out. That''s not important right now, how is the city progressing?" Estelle looked up to the storm and decided to help out a little. She didn''t exactly know how to make the storm itself subside, but she was able topletely restrain it in ce. She focused on the restrictions, thinking that although the storm will still be there, the disastrous effects it caused would be lessened. She ced magic strings that held and bound the turbulent typhoon together, not allowing it to move around and wreck the ce even further. Her current identity was anonymous, and there were not much people in the vicinity because most of them had been evacuated during the first wave since it was the nearest to the storm site. She was not afraid to mobilize her magic. In fact, most of the servants inside the Dukedom has figured out what was going on. Her appearance in front of the Knights confirmed their deductions even further, so what she had to hide from now is the citizens. The Dukedom''s people took it better than what she expected. "The Knights are holding up pretty well, but there are some casualties. This storm is unnatural. Artificially created. I must say that in terms of affinity with Wind Magic, I''m much better than the likes of you, but.. this storm doesn''tply with the rules of Wind Magic at all," Heine heaved a tired sigh, dropping his hands for a quick rest. Thankfully, Estelle came here to offer her aid. If not, he wasn''t sure how much longer he was going to hold up. "..I see," Estelle was still caught deep in thoughts from her conversation with Elias. His words were very frontal, and she couldn''t help but doubt herself. What is it that she wanted? The third path she chose to follow, the third option other than ''good'' and ''evil''. She was indeed a bit hypocritical with the way she did things. Estelle also began to sigh. "Elias fled from here, but his existence is a bit worrying. I honestly suspect that he''s not who I think he is. Maybe even Arayle got fooled by him. Arayle was awfully honest, but someone like Elias, who has a thousand faces to him is.." Estelle rubbed her thumb and index finger together as she controlled her mana to disperse the broken down remains scattered on the ground. "...Scary," Estelle swiped her hand and the debris were all collected into one ce and moved to an open ce. Heine nodded in agreement. Elias was apetent and clever enemy. Was he even an enemy? His intentions were twisted, but it was in line with bettering the world''s development. Not to say that the way he approached it was correct, but Elias was standing in the gray line of being a friend and an enemy of the world. Some might say that the selection is needed, and others might argue that all lives were important. Elias simply viewed the world as an object, something that trickles down to the simplest theory that is ''more quality, less quantity''. If morals weren''t considered, then technically what he was doing benefited the world. It provided the existence of a challenge, a threat for the world to ovee and triumph over. Out of this entire ordeal, a lot of people will die. Some will be sacrificed, will the others would get away and stay safe. The weak will eventually be at risk of dying at all times as the monsters'' evolution progressed. A harsh truth, but what if Elias'' n was needed? Estelle felt quite inferior to the Underworld. The Underworld and the Surface was so simr, but one prevailed over the other. The gap was as clear as day. Not to mention, the difference in time flow. To make up for the stark difference, the existence of monsters in the Surface could pose a division between the two realms. The Underworld did not have monsters, but Estelle clearly saw their potential. On the other hand, monsters were quite undefined. Everything about them was uncertain. At first, they weren''t that dangerous, but constant evolution was possible. [If we made these monsters into our weapons- or allies who we canmunicate with...!] Estelle considered the choice. Not only will their value skyrocket, it was also a chance to get back at Elias. What would he do if his monsters were turned into Estelle''s minions? [Even so, the way he spoke sounded like he knew me.. He knows something that even Arayle doesn''t. That''s certain.] Estelle thought if it might be rted to the previous ruler. If she recalled correctly, Elias was active back then, too. The Underworld''s Rulers had shorter lifespans than their subjects, possibly because of the power they held. Even so, it was still a long lifetime. Elias... how much had he learned? Estelle pursed her lips. "I''m going to try and deal with the monsters. You stay here and watch over the storm. If Yuliaes back and manages to pull off a discovery, or if anything dangerous happens, call me and I''ll be here immediately. My spell shouldst... unless something bad happens," "I would''ve preferred it if you didn''t say thest sentence. Sounds like a jinx!" Heineined, teasing her in a cheery manner as if there wasn''t a gigantic typhoon brewing in front of him. "What was said has been said~ Anyway, I''ll check up on the Knights! See ya!" Estelle flew up to a suitable distance before taking off to the ce where most monsters crowded in. Heine grumbled as he watched the storm with listless eyes, trying to spot the blonde Witch Yulia amidst all the chaos. He jumped up to one of the roofs that still stayed intact, as he sat down and materialized a lustrous pearl, which grewrger in size upon being supplied with mana. On the pearl''s surface, Estelle''s hurried figure could be seen. A recording device that could be imnted into a moving object and track them without notifying them. A new invention. Chapter 70: Heines Perspective Chapter 70: Heine''s Perspective Rewinding the scenes a bit, he yed a clip of Estelle and Elias'' conversation. It was all recorded. Everything that Heine took interest on, he recorded it with his devices. Heine kept tabs on her and lots of other people. This behavior wasn''t prominent in the first years of meeting Estelle, but as time went on, his memories as ''Astarte'' began to resurface. This led him to develop a twisted mindset. He deduced that it was the stress of having to cope with a new set of personality and memories, ones that differed quite greatly from his original belonging that ended up causing such a change. He also began to build his own people, ones that he made sure wouldn''t be able to betray him. They were people he personally scouted. Everyone had a dark past that dragged them down, and Heine dly yed the role of a savior to make himself their ''idol''. Someone they all are indebted to, someone they must repay. In the end, a couple dozen followers were gathered. From different races, different backgrounds, and different skills. He kept them all in a passive stance, structuring regiments that performed well in their separate subjects. The people, who varied in terms of seniority and age groups worked to assist Heine in his actions. A widespread reach over the world. Heine was the leader of such a fearsome squadron outside of Estelle''s knowledge. Behind everything, Heine had been spiralling into stress and piled up anxiety. He was anxious, anxious at everything around him. The first major hit he got was when he was taken off the throne so suddenly. He yed it off as nothing much, but his psyche was hit with the brunt of a mountain of dilemmas. He realized that even though he had devoted himself to the sacred Tree for as long as he could remember, the Tree didn''t act towards him the same way. It was just him that respected the nt, and not otherwise. The thought disgusted him. What was he working so hard for? To tell the truth, he already had deranged thoughts before he even met Estelle. It was back when he first interacted with Minerva. He saw a streak of freedom in the woman. A striking, blinding freedom that he never possessed. It befuddled him. What was the title of a Ruler worth? Why would he deliberately chain himself to the spirits, who took his power as granted because it was his ''role''? (A/N: A kind reminder, I had a chapter on Heine''s backstory a while back, you can reread it to refresh your memories hihi) It didn''t spark him joy. He heard about the faraway Rulers of other races. They were proud of their standing. It was an achievement for them, because it meant that they were worthy. But instead, what was with Sylvania? Everything was decided before birth. He hated to see it. Hated how low-leveled spirits were bound to set conditions. Hated how noble spirits obtained rights that were far more extensive than those below them. Hated how him, one of the many spirits, were directly given power to minister and chained to the sacred Tree. He didn''t know when, but somehow, he had grown to dislike his own race. Not spirits as a whole, but their embedded system. Perhaps this was why he got dethroned. He wasn''t fit to be Sylvania''s Ruler. He possessed the qualities for it, but not the mindset. Minerva, Yulia, and Estelle were the first trio that he had a truly genuine rtionship with. The only ones that seemed like a refreshing st of wind whenpared with the rest of the world. That was why, Heine was able to stop himself from rampaging out of control when the settlement of Kalis into Sylvania started. He convinced himself. Convinced that this dethronement was a form of freedom granted by fate. Convinced that it was all part of a massive ploy, and that he can make everything benefit him from now on. Convinced that he didn''t lose, but instead gained from this whole ordeal. Knowing the Spirit Tree meant that he also knew a great part of the world. How it worked, what was pivotal, and what couldn''t be shaken up. Manipting and exploiting this, he was suddenly granted with a dangerous ability he never thought would be possible. That was what brought him to this point, someone who used the power to build a forceparable to no one. The current him, he no longer knew who he was. Heine, or Astarte? Or even something outside of that? He kept a face, a stableposure and wore it everywhere he went. It was suffocating, but it was enough. Enough to keep him going. "Estelle, oh Estelle. My sister, you''re still as gullible as ever," Heine mumbled, closing down the vision. "Haven''t I told you.. that not only the monsters evolve, but also the world?" He looked into the bleak sky, shuffling his hair as he whistled a tune he was familiar with. The tune that would summon his own subordinates. "Master, shall we assist the Miss?" People who donned ck clothes that covered their bodies from head to toe appeared behind Heine, respectfully greeting him. His group. And the new race, the Ancient Humans. He dragged his palm across his hair, his lips tightening up as he gazed into the storm with a piercing stare. There was one variable that showed up outside of his calctions, and that was the Ancient Humans. These folks did not know who they were, and couldn''t exin how they came about. He searched far and wide for records of their existence, but nothing discussed these people. They were simr to humans. Yet, it was as if they came from a time that was way beyond their own world''s progression.. a realm outside of the Surface. He once questioned if they might''ve been transported here from the Underworld, but that wasn''t possible. To transfer ces from the Underworld to the Surface, arge amount of mana was needed. Complex and intricate magic spells to send them here. Calcte it with the amount of people and their potential levels, and the result was that it was extremely unlikely. Unless someone, who had a Did someone break the flow of time? This badly? Heine had gotten quite powerful, but he wasn''t there yet. "No. Leave her be. You folks are still no match to my sister. Instead, I want you all to do something else.." Estelle was definitely more than enough to take care of the current monsters. Their evolution couldn''tpare to the girl''s absolute potential. Heine lightly tapped on his lips, pondering upon his next move. Yes, moves. Moves that are well thought out and served to bring him the most benefits. Like a game, he was a yer and the world was the setting. He lived inside the setting and had to consider his moves. In truth, this cursed game of life, everyone was standing in the gray area of ''good'' and ''evil''. Just like Estelle and him, everyone had their own questions. Many mysteries existed, but few answers were scattered. Everyone sought the key to opening up the box of answers. But, mysteries are fun because they are, obviously, mysterious. Once the answer was unraveled, many people would feel a sense of loss. In the end, once youpleted the mystery, what if the answer was unlike what you wanted it to be? What if, you end up bing even crazier after you learned of the truth? More than a simple question and answer, Heine felt like it was deeper. A mind game. One that breaks your mind. This cursed game of life.. Is it even worth it to put an end to the series? "..A war. How long has it been since a war started in these vastnds?" "Hundreds of years, sir," One of the men responded. He didn''t seem to be fazed by Heine''s question. In his mind, Heine''smands were his duty to fulfill. "Then, what do you think about starting our own chaos inside this world?" Heine asked once more. "Whatever Master''s desire is, we will spare nothing toplete it," Blind worship and loyalty. This was what Heine envisioned from the start, but facing the actual thing was quite humorous. "Good," Heine chuckled. "Go and call Sui for me," Sui was the only one he brought from Sylvania. Sui pledged her loyalty to Heine after he started to make his ns. She was sharp, and became the first one to realize that something wasn''t right with Heine. After asking, she realized the actual reasoning behind that abnormality and swore with her life that she would always follow him. In a sense, she was his most trusted confidante. "Yes, sir," One man retreated and disappeared into the nk space, and the others soon followed. Heine became the only person left on the rooftop. He pulled out his recorder pearl once more, deciding to watch Estelle until other things surfaced. "This game.. I will win it," Heine snickered, his clothes fluttering in the harsh winds as heid down on the rough rooftops. Holding his pearl up, he saw Estelle now flying above the Knights.She was fast to make a move. He won''t let anybody else im the seat. He was going to be the winner, the one whoughs at the very end. Chapter 71: Angelic Lady Chapter 71: Angelic Lady Unknowing of what was happening in Heine''s side, Estelle, who rushed into the monster sites, saw the Knights fighting the monster assants. They looked like they were at their limits. Tired, and out of stamina. They could faint at any second now, but because they carried the weight of their responsibility to protect the city, they stayed upright. On the other hand, the monsters didn''t seem tired at all. The number of casualties on the monsters'' side was much higher, but they weren''t deterred in the slightest. The monsters continued to fight, fighting to their death for an unknown purpose. It was just invested in them, the natural instinct to cause chaos and destruction. The sole perpetrator would be Elias, but who knows what he did that incurred these massive evolutions. A quick decision was then made. She would help them, but not too much. She didn''t want to instill her role as their omnipotent helper. If that was the case, then everything would be much more troublesome. The Knights would have to fight, too. Grow, and learn. Eventually, in the future, they have to match up to the monsters. The era of peace andx attitudes was over. Now, you had to adapt. Be ustomed to new living conditions. Estelle put her hands on her hips as she stood on nothing in the sky. Wind magic was helping to keep her afloat at all times. No one was able to see her yet. She was floating high in the sky, whereas the Knights were highly focused onto their fights. Estelle thought up of the perfect move to finish up the battle. She would use spears, spears that wereced with an aiming spell. They would then beunched This was the method she used to kill the monsters during her first fight with them. It was convenient and didn''t leave any chances to fight back for the monsters, who hadn''t evolved to obtain the powers of flight. The Knights were able to hold the monsters'' movements, preventing them from attacking and injuring the men. Of course, these efforts weren''t foolproof. Two or more Knights were required to keep one monster in check. One would seal the monsters'' actions, whereas the others would take down the creature from the side. This n was inefficient, but it was the only way to keep the monsters in check. This made Estelle''s aiming process easier. The Knights held back a considerable amount of creatures, where they were standing on top of dead bodies themselves. However, there were still some iing creatures that would continue to pressure and gue their journey. The thing was, these two separate sections were divided by quite a good distance. The Knights did a good job of preventing the swarms from overwhelming them in one go. Thanks to that, Estelle could oversee how the battle went and knew to aim for the ones nearest to the Knight''s defense line. Those groups would implicate the Knights the most. Estelle decided to strike down those who were approaching from the outer corners first. The amount of enemies contributed to the Knights'' growing stress. Knowing that they still had so many enemies to fight made them want to quit. Luckily, Estelle was here now. A barrage of golden spears were created, masked with elemental magic to make it seem like they were arrows made out of the primary elements. Estelle imbued Light Magic into all of them, since the monsters seemed to have a particr weakness for said element. She aimed at the desired monsters and started creating the spears. Estelle''s mana glowed, and it attracted the Knights'' attention. They finally caught sight of the girl. Like a ray of hope, the girl''s presence dominated the battlefield. She took charge of the fight''s flow in mere seconds, overturning their seemingly hopeless future in one go. Estelle''s spears dropped down in a high velocity, each of them specifically aimed to perform a purpose, block and attack. Due to the overpowered characteristic that is an unlimited mana supply, Estelle was able to keep the production rate of the spears fast and with no breaks in between. The monsters, although many, had their numbers lessened and their march stopped. Estelle thought ahead, thought about how she could make the Knights train and save them fromrge casualties simultaneously. Thus, she forged a n. She built a barrier- a ring of death around the monsters. She purposely struck down the monsters in such a way that their corpses would align to form a high circle that would act as a hindrance to the monsters'' endless march. This way, the Knights could take their awfully needed breather, and continue on fighting after waves of monsters who passed the wall came. By that time, the monsters they had on their hands would already be cleared. This would maintain a steady supply of threat while also guaranteeing their safety. [I think this is enough.] Estelle thought as she observed the battle that was now favorable to the Knights'' side. She huffed and decided to cast another round of spears, spreading them in the air andcing them with the same aiming and reinforcement magic spells. She spread out her hand, her mind quickly designating their locations and readying the light spears for the eventualunch. Then, just then, Estelle felt something prickly on her back. Turning her head around, she thought that she had seen ''wings'', but within a blink, there were no longer anything there. "...Hmm?" Estelle raised a brow. The feeling was there. But nothing showed up. [Did I sense wrong?] Estelle thought, tilting her head slightly as she continued spawning more spears. However, the Knights who were in battle, but instead got distracted by Estelle''s arrival saw the entire thing unfold with their sharp eyes. It wasn''t just a feeling, wings did sprout behind Estelle''s back. For a split second. "Angelic..." One of the Knights mumbled. Within the dreary and torturous fight against the monsters, the existence of a glowing individual that brightened up the entire environment was pivotal to the Knights'' rising morale. It was like andmark that brought the news of their victory even before the battle ended. The obviously frightening spears were all pointed above them, but they were aimed at the monsters. This rified the neer''s standing, which leaned towards their side in the fight. Their fighting spirit was once again ignited after seeing the deaths of the pesky monsters. The barrage of spears were released, piercing the air with its great magnitude and finally reaching the targets. The monsters died, just like the first wave that formed the circle of carcasses. The wall was now even higher. The Knights also felt like their bodies were rejuvenated, and their tired selves were now reborn. They were motivated to fight, to ughter the remaining monsters, and to save the city. Of course, this had something to do with Estelle, who has been casting vitality magic on the Knights. The effect was reduced as to not impact the battle too much, but it could be felt. The others caught on to this one Knight''s words and started shouting in agreement. The theme was ''angelic'', and the praises were directed at Estelle. Her golden mana was conspicuous even amidst the chaotic skies that didn''t allow people to see clearly, not to mention the slight view of striking golden wings popping up behind her back that brought shock to everybody. Awe. They were amazed by the holy figure of the girl. How she was able to amass such great power and deleted the monsters'' lives in an instant. "Our angel! Our savior!!!! Woahhhhhhhh!!!" They shouted in unison. Like a war cry, they roared and continued their attacks on the monsters. (A/N: I''m cringing but- okay it''s there for a reason oki.. Everything I do has a reason :DDD) Raising her brow, Estelle descended down to the ground, careful as to not identally reveal her face to any passerby that is not part of her house''s knights. An angel? Her? It was a bit embarrassing! Estelle coughed mid air, and deliberately slowed down her attacks after the first burst. Her intentions were to fan the battle and turn the tides because things weren''t looking that great for the Knights, not subjugating the monster packs herself. She dropped one arrow, it hit a monster and took its life. Another arrow, another life was gone. And so on. The Knights were practically roaring and celebrating their victory already. They viewed the existence of this unknown helper as a guarantee for their win. It boosted their positivity and brought them extra motivation. Hours passed. The civilians were evacuated, and the battle was on their side. The other Knight squadrons that were tasked with evacuation came back and assisted the defense line, and further pushed back the monsters'' march. By dawn, everything had ended. Chapter 72: Last Disaster Chapter 72: Last Disaster It was a long fight. Hours of struggle that trained their bodies, minds, and soul altogether. The monsters did not tire out, but the Knights were humans. They had thoughts and sentiments. More often than not, their thoughts went astray and wanted to give everything up- that the fight was pointless and they were just wasting their time. The end was nowhere to be seen as they fought the monsters one by one. At one point, it wasn''t about their bodies anymore, but their minds really couldn''t take on another monster. It was very vexing. More painful than actual physical injuries. To cheer them on, Estelle rose up to the sky and stood mid air. She yed the role of a mascot, who the Knights could see and regain confidence from whenever they felt battered up during the fight. Thankfully, they were able to keep their sanity and persevere through the entire ordeal. They gained a lot from the swarm. They sessfully prevented the city''s destruction. It was like a hellish training regimen. However, along with it, they learned something. The ferocity of the monsters and their might. It wasn''t something they could hold up against. They realized that the reason they felt so refreshed was because the angelic little girl above them had cast a wide area spell. For that, they grew even more thankful. The battle would''ve been over in one or two hours if not for the girl. Obviously, the winner would be the monsters. Even though they obtained victory, they werepletely drained. Not much celebration was done. Before they couldugh and rx, they had to report back to the authorities. In this case, it would be n. They marched back to the evacuation site, knowing that n would be there. Led by the most experienced Knight, their eyes were constantly drawn to the girl who was still floating on top of the battlefield, unmoving like a still turret. Although it was a shame that she didn''t want to follow them, their duties had to be prioritized. They were also sensible, and knew not to push some things. The anonymous figure had saved them times and times again during the battle. If they couldn''t repay her right away, then the least they could do was to respect her wishes and not bother her any longer. Estelle observed the mountain of corpses from the skies and muttered. "Well, it''s good that I don''t find this gruesome at all," Her feelings had been desensitized to such a massacre, she wondered what atrocity would cause her emotions to be triggered. Turning around, she watched as the storm that was chained in ce still brewing asrge as it can. "The battle hasn''t ended yet," Estelle sighed. After this, she was going to have a good rest. The Knights walked on their way back to the evacuation site. Luckily, the distance was not that far away. When they arrived, n was standing outside of the camp. The civilians were all holed up inside the protective bunkers specially made for situations like this, where many lives would be threatened. It was just that they were never exposed to danger of such arge scale. They received considerable damage. n looked at the group of Knights and was instantly able to tell that they were exhausted. "Reporting back. The crisis has been averted, but the storm is still there," The most influential Knight stepped forward and gave his salutations towards the Duke before conveying his knowledge. Telling the story from when the storm doubled, to the battle''s beginning, and up until their victory. "The storm.. The twin storm, is it..?" n, who had been leading the evacuation process saw the storm too. He had been preupied with the turmoil that ensued. The civilians were chaotic in their paths. Murmurs, tears, and panicked shouts, along with a terrible mix of emotions was quite the challenge to pacify. However, the storm was just too eye-catching. n could see from when the original singr storm gained a friend and went ballistic together once the evacuation finished. He had the chance to step outside and finally swallow the precarious situation. And the other thing.. this ''angelic littledy'' who sounded awfully like his beloved daughter that graced his Knights'' reports. As much as he wanted to press on the matter, it was a bit tough to do so. If it wasn''t for Estelle, his Knights would''ve perished altogether. Even though n didn''t personally join the battle, he could read the terror that his Knights disyed when talking about the times they were pushed back. The monsters were too frightening. They were not only outnumbered, but an individual monster also overpowered one Knight by arge margin. n sighed, troubled by how he could solve this. He nodded at the head Knight and gave him the permission to stand back. He looked at the grey sky caused by the storm''s influence. The sunny fief was no longer in sight, and the morning which should''ve been graced with gentle rays of sunlight was stolen from them. "Estelle.." He murmured the little star''s name, expecting her hand in this matter as well. The girl wouldn''t stop unless everything was back to normal. Such was Estelle reste, the Duke''s daughter whose power was out of the world. Perhaps, only her could restore the fief back to its original state at this rate. He was selfish. n knew he was selfish. He wanted to protect Estelle, but at the same time, he wished for her aid in the Dukedom''s dilemma. As a father and as a Duke. Which one must her prioritize? Estelle was precious to him, and he couldn''t bear seeing her suffer. But if it wasn''t for her, the fief would copse. What must he do? Indeed, just like n''s predictions, Estelle was currently trying to figure out how to make the storm disappear. Heine and Yulia was by her side, aiding her in the process. Yulia had came back and delivered her results not long after Estelle went over to assist the Knights, but they still hadn''t found the true solution. The first clue was that the storm was actually manufactured using ground magic. It wasn''t wind, but fine dust and dirt piled up to create a wind like movement. Of course, it wasn''t like windpletely didn''t exist. It was just that, due to therge scale of the ground storm, it was impossible to destroy it. Yulia said that there was something keeping the storm together. A force that attracted the fine particles topile into the disaster they saw right now. "A force..." Estelle mumbled, looking at the storm that stretched up into the clouds. It was like a pir, but it didn''t bear a good meaning. Instead, she was reminded by the oue that woulde out of it. Their enemies would definitely take advantage of this, wouldn''t they? Estelle pouted before floating up into the sky. "The best way is to use brute force. I''m going inside the storm to witness this ''force'' personally. I''ll try to destroy it, but.." Estelle groaned as she scratched the tip of her nose, stretching her entire body and preparing to dive into the storm. Of course, she would expose her body to the disaster without proper precautions. Protective magic, enhancements, counterattack measures in case something goes wrong... She had it all nned. The only way she would fail is if another unexpected variable popped up.. In that case, everything went down to Lady Luck. She hoped that the omnipotent Gods of Luck could bless her for this brave stunt. "You''re crazy, you know that? I went around the sides, and I felt a strong wind pulling me towards the storm. I was meters away from that thing, but the force was enough to make me stagger!" Yulia raised a brow in disapproval. Entering the storm was one thing, but wouldn''t discovering the cause inside the storm be just as hard? Maneuvering their bodies once they get swept by the currents, they had to properly calcte the necessary force to exert. However, Estelle was Estelle. Once she was determined, what could shake her decision? Seeing the assured and rxed poise Estelle showed, Yulia could only sigh andment how the young girl didn''t value her life at all. In truth, it wasn''t because Estelle didn''t value her life. It was because her intuition told her that the solution was very simple, and itid within her. It was a gut feeling. Two massive storms created from nothing. Elias was a powerful figure, but his ns inside the Surface were very slow and time-consuming. If Estelle''s guts were right, then his power must''ve reduced significantly inside the Surface. Elias created the storms on a whim, treating them as an additional method for causing chaos. It wasn''t his main weapon. It was there as a support for the monsters'' relentless march. If so, then the storm wouldn''t have been made with meticulous and extensive ns. Further convincing herself, Estelle set off to the sky, gliding around with the wind like she had real wings. Chapter 73: The Gift Chapter 73: The Gift "Let''s see...." Estelle heaved a long breath as she flew near the storm. Originally, the storm wasprised of only fine dusts and sands. However, due to the destruction it caused, it was able to pick This meant that whatever was inside this storm pumped enough energy to keep the artificial storm going. Then, there should be an easy fix to this entire ordeal. To destroy this storm''s core. The problem was: where exactly is the core inside this gigantic entity? "Where do I start?" Estelle crossed her arms and rose up to the storm''s middle area. First, she decided to not be rash. No matter how confident she was, this is a storm. A storm which had a higher destructive ability than anything else she had ever seen before, even though it was a lifeless entity. Estelle observed the airflow. She deduced that as long as she paid attention to where the additional debris flew towards, she would be able to discern where the energy''s center was. Or at the very least, the general location. She further tested using a spear she created. Five spears in total wereunched to be sucked in by the storm. Estelle put a certain amount of protective magic on them so that they wouldn''t be destroyed. However, she underestimated the strength of the storm. Once the spear came in contact with the outsideyer of the storm, it began to break. Once it got sucked in, Estelle could see that the spears were no longer intact, and that the smithereens were flying all around inside the storm. She wasn''t able to see where the blisters led off to, so it was a failed experiment. The protective magic on the spears wasn''t peeled off. It was more of a brute force attack, one that was enough to bypass a protective membrane. Estelle imagined recing the spear with herself just now. Would she be torn and chewed up by the wind just like the spear, and end up being blown into pieces? It was a scary thought. Thankfully, she was conscious enough not to do that and instead try to approach the problem differently. The brute force the wind exerted was enough to st off all of the monster corpses they fought earlier and chop them into thin meat. "And this is what Elias called ''additional gift''?" Estelle sighed. The man''smon sense was worse than hers. There were two storms. Onerge, and the other medium-sized. She wouldn''t say it was small, but it was indeed tiny inparison with therger storm. The power was also weaker. Estelle decided to move over to the other storm for the time being. Challenging the big storm was too nonsensical. She had to inspect this smaller entity first. Getting closer to it, Estelle felt relieved. "It''s not as harsh as the other one," Materializing 5 more spears, she sent them the same way as she did with the first storm. However, surprisingly, the storm broke the spears once again. It didn''t make sense to Estelle. The smaller storm was noticeably weaker. Its movements were also not as ferocious as the other one. But, the spears were destroyed in the same way this time around. With the same power, and same time span. They reached the externalyer, were chipped off, and entered the storm. From then on, she couldn''t tell what was happening anymore because the storm was too busy with otherponents too. Scratching her head, Estelle pondered on how she could solve this dilemma. A storm. What caused a storm? If it was only the ground element and the sucking force of the core, it shouldn''t be this hard to destroy. "Additional gift," Estelle said. "Additional gift, additional gift... additional gift..?" The more she repeated it, the more she felt confused. Elias hadn''t chanted anything, did he? He was still around her vicinity even when the second storm started brewing. Estelle grew very conscious after she couldn''t feel Elias'' mana. She heightened her senses and searching ability. One thing that she noticed would be the absence of ground element mana in the environment. In order to cast a great spell, there needed to be a great supply of mana. In order to maintain a great supply of mana, one had to draw in more energy from the environment. This phenomenon should''ve caused or triggered a mana imbnce, yet she noticed nothing of that sort. A gift. What if, the storm wasn''t made of magic? What if, the storm was a ''gift''? An object thatid somewhere, propelling the growth of this shitty storm? The more Estelle thought about it, the more she thought that it was likely. [Is Elias still here?] If he truly had gone away, then his control over this storm shouldn''t be that strong. No matter how strong Estelle was, she still couldn''t properly manage a disastrous storm like this from a mile away. [It might not be magic.] A device. A device that contained a great amount of mana, that supplies this storm. Was it possible? Rather than wondering if it was within the realms of logic or not, Estelle decided to test it out herself. She threw out a field of mana sensory radars. Like a, her influence stretched far and wide. It took a lot of concentration for this to happen. Thus, she started focusing onto this particr spell, utilizing her utmost brain power to navigate through the wide fief. Somewhere, something that wasid down to channel mana. Where would it be? If she was in Elias'' position, where would this gift be located at? Then, Estelle was suddenly reminded of another thing. The bases that she had destroyed. When she was rampaging over those locations, she hadn''t activated her radar that well. She only searched lightly, because she had to hurry. Was there something that she missed? She went over the city slowly. Scouring through the streets, sensing the mana flow there, and spreading her tracks further. She circled around the destroyed bases, making sure nothing was wrong outside, and then investigated the copsed bases harsher. Nothing was found. Going from her current position, to slowly nearing the reste Manor, Estelle frowned as she hadn''t found any strange situation at all. Nothing was amiss. Her mana swarmed around. The amount of energy she mobilized was out of the world. No other entity could utilize this sort of magic, because their mana would be sucked dry before they could even finish the outeryer of the city. Estelle was currently in the middle section. The bases, the houses, the ground, and the skies. Nothing was there. At this point, Estelle''s hope was already bleak. It was just a suggestion, a possibility. It might not be true in the slightest. She just found it weird how Elias described it as a gift, and how he managed to trigger the storm without causing arge mana imbnce. Even through the array of disbelief, Estelle pushed through. She continued her search, knowing that she was wasting time and everything might just be a waste. Even so, she continued. After a long, detailed, and extensive search, she finally found something that was problematic. Like a ray of hope, this one result made relief and happiness wash through her as she marked the location down and released her magic and the mind working behind it. "..Found it," Estelle gasped, tired and exhausted from all the mental stress focusing that hard brought her. Her heartbeat quickened, and her breathing pace was rugged as she struggled to keep her bnce. Deciding tond on a surface somewhere for the time being, Estelle took flight and dropped off on a rooftop. She gritted her palms, curling them into a ball. The abnormality''s location was shocking to say the least. Chapter 74: The Gifts Location Chapter 74: The Gift''s Location "This.. ce is," Estelle grimaced. Right in the innermost section of the fief,id a manor that was known to house the reste family. This was where Estelle detected a strange resonance with the current storm''s situation. A resonance that had the same wavelength as the sinister spell she had found in the bases that were now long destroyed. Estelle would''ve never guessed such a thing. The catalyst was ced in a location with high security, and it managed toy low and not get found until this sort of intensive search was done. Hiding it in the ce people would never expect. How daring. However, how? How was Elias able to ce this sort of gift inside the fief? Estelle tried to recall all her memories back in order to decipher the mystery. If Elias'' aim was Estelle, then it would exin why he nted his gift inside the manor long ago. But when? Estelle''s total years in terms of the Surface''s time was approximately 7 years. When did he start nning? It couldn''t be, before she was even born? Estelle''s mind was racking up ideas to connect all the dots. "The timeline somehow doesn''t match. If Arayle and me hadn''t been born, on what basis did Elias target the Dukedom?" Estelle mumbled, full of questions. Furthermore, if she looked at the intricate details, the exact location of the object was actually inside a room in the manor. Having a dangerous object embedded within the building, how did it go through Estelle''s detection skills? Sure, she hadn''t scanned the manor thoroughly, but surely an object that could create a disaster of this caliber would be conspicuous? Estelle flew back to Heine and Minerva. Whatever the actual object was, she had to rush there before everything was toote. Elias'' movements were unpredictable. There was no telling when he would suddenly ''gift'' her with another ''present''. She felt like she was trapped in a game. A game where the wager was people''s lives and destruction. Estelle gritted her teeth and hastened up her pace. She was able to reach Heine and Yulia back in less than a minute. She was in a hurry, so she couldn''t do the proper exnation and stuff. She just had to convey the important details. "Heine, Yulia, there''s a change in ns. I have to go back to the manor. Please watch over the storm and call me if something happens," Estelle tapped the two adults lightly before jumping to the rooftop once more and taking flight. She couldn''t waste any more time. Opening a space rift that connected to the manor, she jumped in without waiting for Heine and Yulia''s response towards her request. She trusted that the two would be able to make do. Her tracks had been wrong from the first ce. Jumping out of the space rift, shended inside her room, where she connected the portal to. Estelle opened her detection skills one more time. The manor was mapped out, and her potent mana spread throughout the ce. Then, a signal came from a certain location. The same signal that resonated with her when she scanned the entire fief. The one that brought her to this ce because she viewed it as a clue. In truth, she wasn''t sure whether or not this was the object she was looking for, but it was oddly familiar. She quickly deciphered the signal''s location. "..Father''s study," Estelle was reminded of another incident that involved this exact room. That one time they searched the manor and found traces of a spatial gate connecting the reste manor and the Land of the Elves, Alfheim. [It''s my father''s study again.] The coincidence was a bit too convenient. Doubts starting appearing inside her mind. Elias nting this gift couldn''t have been a mistake on his part. It must''ve been a carefully nned situation. Did the connection with Alfheim have anything to do with it? What was so special about the study? Knowing her next destination, Estelle made her way towards the study. After reaching the room, she checked once more, making sure that the resonating object really was located inside the room past the door in front of her. Estelle opened the door carefully. No one was inside. Of course, that would be the obvious case. Her father was busy helping the civilians out and trying to fix the city. Estelle stepped inside the room, looking around in curiosity. When she thought about it, she hasn''t explored her ownnds that much. She was much more interested in foreignnds, perhaps because she hadn''t seen it with her own two eyes yet. In case of Alynthi, the civilization was more or less the same with ones that were described in history books when she lived as Reina. Only, this time around, real magic was heavily involved. Even her father''s study felt foreign to her. She had the study''s perfect image in her memory, but she didn''t have any memories that pertained to a ''feeling'' aimed towards the manor. She just wanted to protect it because her precious people was here. In the same way, she wanted to protect the city because, well, her precious people was here. Her thoughts drifted back to Elias'' words. Mocking the civilians as useless. Her precious people. The ones she was fond of and wanted to protect. If they weren''t here, Estelle wouldn''t have gone this far. Estelle narrowed her gaze as she thought about the city''s rumbling events. What was it that she wanted to protect? Who did she recognize as her people? Were the chaotic civilians included in the description of ''her people'', or was it just the ones she was close to and ones directly under her wing? This storm not only made a mess of the fief, but also stirred her heart. Huffing a breath, Estelle trailed around the room while spreading her mana. She searched for this anomaly, one that would give away clues about the gift. Then, a crisp spark initiated. Between her mana and the familiar abnormal elementals used in monsters. There was a monster''s energy. No. To be precise, the monster was mutated by Elias'' orders. Thus, the energy they procured should be from Elias as well. The monsters couldn''t use magic, but they brought a new type of energy into the game. It was absurd. Like ck Magic, but not exactly the same forbidden ck Magic the world knew. ck Magic used mana, whereas a monster''s magic leaned more towards an ambiguous energy that they were able to manipte to their own liking. No one else possessed this bizarre skill except for them. No one else wielded this kind of monstrous energy. She pinned down the location of said object. Getting closer to it, her footsteps were light and cautious. She didn''t know what to expect. Stored inside a sealed box inside her father''s study, came a weak energy that twitched from time to time. It resonated with the storm''s movements and strength. The twitches meant that the storm was trying to rampage or break free from a certain influence, which in this case was Estelle''s restraining magic. The box waspletely ck. It was made of a hard and rigid material, one that would crack a concrete floor if it was thrown down at it. It didn''t have a key, nor did it have a crevice that indicated that it could be opened. Rather than a storage box, it was as if the box was made to surround this particr object and not do anything else. She held the box in her hands, fumbling with it a couple times. After making sure that it really wasn''t an openable box using physical interference, she finally decided to use magic. She channeled her mana. Trying to cover the box and inspect the object. However, when she did this, a sensation entered through her hands and overcame her entire body with great speed. She dropped the box in an instant, staggering backwards in pain. She wouldn''t mistake this sensation with another. This was her archenemy for years. A type of magic that she struggled to ovee and finally managed to beat for a sh. One that she escaped from in the Underworld. "This.. is simr to Arayle''s magic, just a bit different," Estelle widened her eyes. Her hands were left with a jittery feeling, as if lightning waves were running through her veins. This was Arayle''s [Destruction Magic]bined with another strange element. She tried to probe around the object one more time. This was pivotal. The existence of Arayle''s magic proved that it was relevant to the current situation. Because of Elias'' alleged interference on the matter, it wasn''t a surprise that Arayle''s ability would be found here. After closer inspection, the magic that mixed with Arayle''s element seemed to be ck Magic. "ck Magic.. is involved," Estelle didn''t dare to get too close to the object anymore. She knew the extent of which the shock could go to. She had built a certain amount of tolerance towards the magic, but she was still unsure. If Estelle tried to mess around with it too much, there was no telling whether she would face a great bacsh that could make her copse. Chapter 75: Silver Ring Chapter 75: Silver Ring "How should I deal with this?" Estelle scratched her forehead, troubled. Getting closer to the object, Estelle''s trance was interrupted by a clicking sound. It came from the door, which had now been slightly opened. "Who''s there?!" Estelle asked, getting into a battle ready stance in case something bad happened. A woman''s chuckle then yed out, confusing Estelle. She was sure that she had heard this voice before. But it was hard to tell someone''s identity from just their chuckle, so she still kept her guard up. "Chill a little bit, won''t ''ya?" The clear and vibrant voice followed. This time, the woman opened the door wider and revealed parts of her figure. It was Minerva Eire, the Witch. "Minerva!" Estelle called out. "Thought so. I knew it was you! I sensed your mana, and was confused since the storm in the city hasn''t subsided yet. Why are you here, hm?" Minerva peeked from between the door''s gap and looked left and right, taking in the study''s situation into her brain. Minerva then entered the room, still wondering as to why the girl was there. Estelle didn''t think much about Minerva''s arrival because she did stay in the manor when she left for the city. "Do you remember when we first looked through this manor to find an item?" Estelle hesitated, bringing up the topic. Minerva nodded. It was back when Estelle first tried out the process of mana transferring, which bettered her rtionship with Yulia. It was quite the significant event. "I remember, why?" "Well, I might''ve found the item now. Yulia couldn''t pinpoint the exact object, but it should be that box on the floor," Estelle picked up the ck box one more time, careful as to not administer her mana in case she suffers another bacsh. Estelle was mindful of the fact that Minerva wasn''t all that familiar with her trip to the Underworld. She didn''t mind telling the woman about her adventures there, though. She told Minerva about how this particr object had ties with an element that could harm her the moment she came in contact with it. Minerva took the news with aplicated expression, nodding from time to time. They both sat on a chair to discuss the matter further, for convenience''s sake. Estelle prodded the object and tried to make her way into opening the box. All of her efforts were futile, she couldn''t even create a scratch on the box. Estelle sighed, wondering how she could approach the trouble. She first wanted to try using force to get her way, but the more she used her force, the more it pained her. She couldn''t take it. Even for her, who had built a decent resistance around this obscure element, it was too much. After observing Estelle''s continuous failure for a while, Minerva decided to step forward and ask. "Let me try?" Minerva offered, extending her hand to take the box away. Dispirited, Estelle gave the box to Minerva. Minerva had a confident smile stered on her face as she happily fiddled with the object. She materialized her mana, disturbing the box''s own energy. Her face distorted ever so slightly in the process, as she focused deep into the object''s structure. "Do this, do that, and..." Minerva concentrated heavily, as her hair started flowing in the air thanks to an unknown source of wind. Her signature color, a vibrant crimson red enveloped her figure. It was most concentrated around the box, which was know showing signs of cracking. Then, the box finally opened. Not exactly in a refined way, but it was enough for her to use physical force and get the object sealed inside the box from that point on. "..Vo!" Minerva eximed. In her hands was a sparkling, silver ring. A proud smile bloomed on her face as she showed the ring to Estelle. Estelle widened her eyes in shock as she watched the box be destroyed by Minerva''s magic and the item inside safely recovered from the sides. It was so hard for her, but simple for Minerva. "What did you do?" Estelle asked. "Ehe!" Minerva grinned, raising her free palm and coiling mana in the air one more time. She executed the same spell that helped her open the box. "Simply put, it''s a corrosive magic. I''m able to control my reach from the object''s exterior down to the structural integrities of the object I aim at. It''s something I made to make jewelries.. and, what do we have here?" Minerva twirled the elegant ring around as she brought it close to her face to observe it. "A ring," Estelle answered, raising her brow at Minerva''s obvious question. "Well I can see that! But, like, why a ring?" Minerva rolled her eyes at Estelle''s answer. "How would I know?" Estelle extended her palm to ask for the ring. Minerva handed her the piece of jewelry, and Estelle immediately pinched it with her two fingers and brought it up high in the air to observe it. The ring was just a silver circlet. Its body had swirling patterns, and it had a socket. However, the socket was empty. It was in the shape of a circr w hold, in which a suitable object had to be inserted to make itplete. Like an unfinished work of art, the ring was a spectacr piece of jewelry. It had a rtively simple build quality, but it felt refined and sophisticated. Inside the empty socket, Estelle was able to find letters that symbolized something unknown. It was two italicized letters. "S.. V?" Estelle squinted to read the fine print. SV sounded like the initials of something. She didn''t know what, but there should be an extended version of it. "SV?" Minerva tilted her head. "Who is that, your ancestor?" "Don''t know. As far as I''m concerned, the letter S would be.. My mother She, or my grandmother, Silvanna," Estelle mused. Her mother''s full name was She Riviera, so the initials wouldn''t match. Her grandmother, on the other hand, did not have a publicly known surname. The reste family was a rtively new noble lineage in the first cepared to the others. Her family records were short and simple. Inside those records, her grandmother''s name was written as only Silvanna. No surname, no nothing. Those who knew her addressed the woman as ''Duchess reste''. From the moment she was introduced to the society, her name was already linked with Reichter reste, Estelle''s grandfather. Her background was unknown, but Reichter firmly protected and shielded her from the curious nobles who wanted to look for exploitable mistakes in regards to the family. Perhaps the initials didn''t even pertain to the owner. It could be the craftsman''s signature, as the ring should have a special background judging from how it is stored with such care and had a special feel to it. Estelle yed around with the ring. Then, a strange thing happened. The ring seemed to rise up to the air, as it drew Estelle''s mana and took it into itself. This time, no bacsh was there. Moving by itself, the inanimate object trailed up to her ring finger and finally shoved itself down. The ring fitted perfectly around Estelle''s finger. Amazed at the strange actions, Estelle was further taken aback by another event. "The ring.. is like, calling towards the storm," Estelle felt a maic force pull her towards the direction where the storm raged on. She tried to pull the ring off her finger, but it didn''t budge. It was stuck to her finger. Grumbling in displeasure, Estelle huffed. She was meant to go back to the storm right after she finished her task here, so she didn''t mind that much. "This should be all that I''m looking for. I''m going to go back to the storm now, what are you going to do?" Estelle asked, creating a space rift as a quick shortcut to her destination. "I''m going there, but not with you. Go ahead, I''ll followter," Minerva said, waving goodbye to the girl. Estelle nodded in agreement, jumping into the space rift without much thought. Left alone in the study, Minerva had a gleam in her eyes. A crafty one. "Mmm... this material is indeed..." Minerva picked up crumbles of the box she destroyed. She recalled it being very hard to corrode. However, it had a joint point. Through attacking that point, she was able to shatter the boxpletely. "If I recall correctly," Minerva threw the dust into the air in amusement. "This is definitely that thing," Her mana spun like a thread and bound the floating shards together, creating a around the small fragments and gathering it up. "My eyes weren''t wrong after all," Minerva watched as the fragments joined together and created a small sphere. "I ought to research it, then," "I''ll be taking this as payment, Estelle honey~" Minerva skipped out of the room in a jolly mood. She had just obtained something that would potentially bring her research to another level. Even if it wouldn''t do that, it must have a use for future events. The material was that important. Chapter 76: The Stone Chapter 76: The Stone Back in the city, Estelle came back to meet Heine and Yulia, who were standing side by side while looking at the still raging storm. "Estelle," Heine noticed her arrival and called out her name, in which she replied with a nod. The two were left on the scene with a sudden note, so they were quite perplexed at Estelle''s line of actions. "What did you get at the manor?" Yulia asked in curiosity, not noticing anything different with Estelle. "Well, a ring," Estelle raised her hand to make them get a good look at the jewelry. "A ring that I can''t take off, at that," Estelle demonstrated herself trying to pull out the silver circlet, which ultimately failed. Estelle sensed no involvement of magic in the lock, but she was certain that a considerable amount of mana was drawn from her mana bank by this specific object. "Ehh.. is that so?" Yulia looked particrly interested in the ring, because it dealt with a sealing lock that could apprehend even Estelle. Observing it with gleaming eyes for a few moments, Yulia soon turned around and got back to the subject. "Soo... This ring," Yulia hummed. The ring seemed to ring a bell inside her head, but she couldn''t bring herself to remember what it was. "It''ll help, somehow," Estelle was still in a hurry, so as much as she wanted to converse and discuss the ring more with the two, she had to rush and stop the storm. "It should be so. When I checked, the ring acted as a controller.. or perhaps it was more of a reactor towards the storm. I don''t know the exact rtion, but it is certainly connected to the storm," Even now, Estelle still felt the pulling force that directed her towards the two storms. The force in therger storm was stronger than the smaller one, which was an understandable thing. Estelle once again prepared to take off, but this time, Heine was there to restrain her. His palm held the girl''s own. Estelle was caught off guard, but slowlyposed herself and faced Heine. "Why?" she asked. Heine kept his silence for a few seconds before opening his mouth to convey the message. "As always, don''t do rash things," Heine warned, releasing his grip and smiling like nothing happened. Estelle raised a brow at Heine''s strange demeanor, but she didn''t question it for long. There seemed to be a deeper matter into this. She wouldn''t look into it right now. "I''ll keep that in mind. I''ll go now to investigate," "Stay safe," Heine waved as Estelle propelled herself and flew in the sky with a rapid pace. Yulia, who was watching from the sidelines approached Heine and stood in front of him. "...What did you do?" Yulia calmly asked, her eyes alert as she nced at Heine. Heine wore an innocent expression, but Yulia knew that he did something within the short period of time in which he grabbed Estelle''s palm. He touched the ring in that contact. "Hmm... Casual research," Heine replied, raising both of his palms and rubbing them together in amusement. "Let me rephrase my question. What did you find out?" Yulia asked once more. "..Not much," "One more... Will it be dangerous to Estelle?" Yulia raised her brow, a tinge of worry sprouting on her face. "Yes, and no," Heine chuckled. "All I can say is.. It might be a good time for you toe back to Alfheim soon?" Yulia stilled for a moment, processing Heine''s words. "You mean.. the ring is that one?" Yulia widened her eyes, getting the hint of what was happening. There was something that both of them knew. A piece of information that they didn''t share openly. "It''s still only an assumption, but it should be," Heine gazed at his own palm with aplicated gaze. The power he obtained, a skill that allowed him to study an object just by touching it with his bare hands. He used it on the girl, and it both worked and didn''t work on the ring. It revealed things that brought up some questions. Hearing Heine''s vague answers, Yulia grew irritated. "..You and your disgusting secrets," Yulia clicked her tongue, turning her head away at the spirit''s behavior. "Hey, everybody needs to have a secret, right?" Heineughed, watching as Estelle rose up to the sky. For a split second, her ring glistened. Even though the distance between them was far, the ring''s shine was enough to let Heine detect the object''s existence with his bare eyes. "You keep everything a secret from the poor girl. She doesn''t even know how much you''ve done for her, I really don''t know why you''re willing to go this far," Yulia tilted her head. "Because she''s her," Heine grinned, walking away from Yulia''s location. "Damnit," Yulia muttered. ______________________________________ Estelle rubbed the tip of her nose when she reached the pinnacle of the storm. She circled the disaster to once again find out where the most concentrated force was located at. This time, it was much more easier. The ring practically revealed everything. It brought her to a certain location, where she was granted a shield that allowed her to trespass into the storm''s barriers. The ring guided her. It guided her to a stone, where her hand was able to reach the item and touch it. Starting there, her efforts began to feel like a joke. Her mana flowed out of her bank and into the ring. Then, just like that, the storm began to dissolve. Like crumbling sand, the dust rained down, but most of it were carried by the strong wind. Whatever the phenomenon was, the storm was strangely fixed in a short time. One storm was done, the other was not. Even so, it was still frustrating to see it happen. The storm, which had gued her for so long was now dispelled. In her hand was now a ck spherical object. After the storm dispersed, the maic force began to feel stronger. Like her heart itself was now responding to the pill. "This is.." Estelle held the small pill carefully. She had the instinctive desire to ce the ck gem on her ring. It called for the two''sbination. Estelle was a bit distraught and hesitant on whether she should do the action. She had a fear, a fear for if the connection would cause another bacsh to happen. She had a bad feeling. Even so, something told her that it had to be done. Otherwise, things wouldn''t progress. Bracing herself, she took a deep breath in before pressing the circr sphere onto the ring''s socket. The two surface''s instantly molded together to form aplete ring. Then, a reaction urred. Estelle was overtaken by an overflow of her golden mana, which spread out to the air and revolved around the ring. It felt very hot, like her entire arm caught on fire. This fire soon spread to the entirety of her body, in which she started moaning in pain as she struggled to bear it. This was apletely different sensation than what she expected to happen. It wasn''t Arayle''s magic, but it was just as painful if not more painful. The mana was continuously absorbed into the ring and the stone that she put on top. She wished for nothing more than to be able to cut her arm off, because of how much anguish it caused her. Struggling tobat it, Estelle cried, and cried. But then, she was once more hit with a stronger shock. With a shriek, her tears of blood fell down, and her body also started to copse. Her consciousness was knocked out, and she began falling because her flight spells were now canceled. Estelle fell with a dyed velocity because she was able to envelop herself with a slowing magic right before she lost consciousness, but it was still quite high. Heine, who kept his eyes at Estelle noticed her strange behavior that finally led up to her fall. "Shit," Heine cursed, realizing what was happening. He immediately cast flight magic and ran towards Estelle''s falling body, desperate to catch her. It was a rtively short distance, but his heart raced like no other time. This was his sister, someone her treasured and couldn''t bear to see get hurt. Heine should''ve known that in terms of physical endurance, Estelle wouldn''t even die from a fall that high. Her HP was formidable. Even so, he ran, sprinted, and jumped up to catch the girl''s body before it touched the ground. Estelle was unconscious, and in her right hand''s ring finger was an ominous ring with a ck sphere that now gleamed with a slight blue hue mounted on the socket. "The World''s Eye.." Heine mumbled, lowering Estelle''s body with care and tracing the ring on her finger. "It didn''t disappear after all," "Heine," Yulia soon caught up. "She needs to contract us three soon. If not, she''ll die," This time, Minerva had also arrived on the scene and was looking at Estelle with a grave face. "I know," Heine replied, standing up to face the two siblings who had a solemn look. "I know.." he repeated. "Are you scared?" Minerva sighed. The three had discussed this matter before. The matter of the Constetions'' signment with Estelle as the leader. There were multiple reasons why this action must happen. Of course, there was also the matter of Estelle''s path of finding out who she truly was, but another part was on how she wouldn''t be able to live much longer if she didn''t obtain the Constetion''s power. "Scared? Not at all," Heine frowned. Chapter 77: A Sense of Belonging Chapter 77: A Sense of Belonging "Mnnh.." Estelle moaned in pain after waking up to a bright ray of sunlight shining down upon her. She was currentlyying down on a soft mattress, covered in a warm nket within a decently insted room. Confused, she recalled that herst memory before falling down was that she shocked herself to the point of knocking her out. Estelle shook her head to regain her focus. In mere seconds, she was able to remember about the ring''s fusion with the stone. Her eyes instantly went to her right hand, where she was still able to see the familiar ring circling her finger. Sighing in both relief and regret, she got up from the mattress and looked around. Although the room she was in wasn''t shabby, it definitely couldn''tpare to the likes of her own house or Minerva''s room. She didn''t recognize the ce, but she felt quite safe. "Where is this?" Estelle walked up to the windows, wanting to get a firm look at whatever was happening outside. Before she was "...You have woken up, I see," Heine intruded, bringing with him a te of fruits to be given to Estelle. "Heine! I.. What happened after I dispelled the storm?" "You basically started convulsing mid air, then you.. lost consciousness and started falling. I think you cast magic on yourself, but ultimately, I caught you before younded on the ground," The screams Estelle made during her struggles weren''t heard by Heine because she was so far away and another storm was still present near her. The conflicting sounds blocked Estelle''s grieving shrieks. Only because Heine kept his eyes on Estelle was she able to react fast enough to her fall. Heine''s gaze darkened as he recalled the anxiety he felt when he chased Estelle down. "Uhh.. so, you saved me, right?" Estelle rified "Depends on how you want to look at it. I did catch you, but nothing bad would''ve happened to you even if you did fall to the ground," After the hectic scene ended, Heine thought about how foolish he was for not thinking about Estelle''s capability. "I''ll take that as a yes. Thank you, Heine," Estelle gave a small smile, still a bit dispirited from the leftover pain she faced. She shuddered when she thought about her being immobilized by the sheer pain. She hated pain. She really hated pain. If it could be avoided, she would want to dodge all the painful things. Sadly, she was somehow always met with great injuries in one way or another. "You can thank me once you survive your father''s madness," Heine sat down on a nearby stool and peeled an apple for Estelle, handing it to the girl. Estelle gratefully took one bite of the sliced apples before tying her hair up. "Ah, right, where are we right now?" "A separate room inside the evacuation bunker. Your father.. he," Heine stopped his words after considering the two sides. "You should talk to him yourself," "..Un, I will," Estelle knew what she did wrong. She knew that n would certainly be angered. Even so, if she was once again given the chance to resolve the storm by sacrificing herself, she would do it. It was only being knocked out cold, she would bear it if it meant the storm would be gone. Estelle began to stretch, hissing when a wave of pain hit her head. She cowered down. Heine quickly rushed to her aid, supporting her to stand up and get back to the bed. Estelle grimaced at the sluggish and slowed down effect she was undergoing because of the rampant pain. It felt like someone kicked her head every 5 seconds, stimting the worsening pain bit by bit. Only after a few minutes passed did she get freed from the waves of pain. Although slight tinges still remained, Estelle could now gain enough reason and immunity to cast a pain relief and rxation magic to help her recover. This demonstrated the severity of Estelle''s condition. "..Are you okay?" Heine asked. "I''m alright," Estelle insisted on proceeding with her actions. She first wanted to meet with n and apologize. Heine didn''t obstruct her, but he closely followed her steps to make sure everything was alright. Estelle, guided by Heine, travelled through the bunker anonymously, where she was seen by a good number of civilians who didn''t suspect her appearance at all. She saw the people that were saddened and in anguish over the recent events and instantly felt gratified. These tears, these weeps, these screams of horror were ones that wouldn''t be there anymore in the near future since she had taken care of one of the storms. However, when she met n, the elder''s look stunned her. n wasn''t angry. Instead of a deathly re that she had been anticipating for, n was colder than ever. "What did I tell you?" n''s stern look fell upon her. Disappointment could be seen in his eyes. Even if he couldn''t perfectly restrain the child, he at least wanted her to attend to her safety. Estelle did not fear her death that much because of her logic that there would always be an eventual doom that followed her. Estelle couldn''t face her father''s gaze. She was indeed to confident in her ability to save everything by herself. She hadn''t thought very deeply about her ns, and ended up copsing one more time. cing herself in n''s shoes, she was able to understand how difficult and chaotic his heart would be whenever she came back tired and battered. Ever since Estelle gained her emotions back, she was able to perceive others'' thoughts much better. She was already an expert in doing so when she was Reina, but now, aided with her own understanding and firsthand experience with those emotions, she was able to digest other people''s thoughts perfectly. n''s gestures, his tone, and his facial expression. It pained Estelle to see him like that. "Father, I''m-" Estelle tried to justify her cause, but it only worsened the situation. "What did I tell you?" Cutting off Estelle''s words, n raised his volume. His voice was low and raspy as Estelle''s beloved cold, but doting father persona was no longer there. Instead, it was reced with a detached man. "Every time youe back, you''re in a state where you''re knocking on death''s door. Irregr urrences. Your indifference towards the matter. Have you ever thought about exining whatever the hell you''re doing to us?" n said without stopping. "Since you want to be so secretive and careless all the time, then so be it. Go," n no longer looked at Estelle and went back to his important documents he still had to check. "Father.." Estelle''s mouth open and closed a few times, but she still couldn''t find a suitableeback to her father''s words. Seeing that the man truly did not n to interact with her any longer, Estelle left the room, sporting an apologetic look. "How did it go?" Outside of the room, Minerva was there. The woman had chased her after she finished taking care of things in the manor, but by the time she got there, Estelle was already falling down from her position. "Bad. Father won''t talk to me anymore," "Well, that is quite understandable," Minerva nodded, which garnered her a re from Estelle. Estelle sighed in distress. "The storm is still up, right? The other one," "Yes.. don''t tell me? Are you still going to attempt it?" Minerva raised a brow. "I''m going to try it one more time, but this time I will use a different method," Estelle tapped the cursed ring a few times, stroking it and having mixed thoughts about it. On one side, she obliterated the storm in an instant thanks to the ring. As a result, she also had to suffer the brunt of it and got into bad terms with n. It could be said that she traded the storm with herself, wagering her own health as the payment for eliminating the storm. However, Estelle was doubtful. Would it really be this rough? Was there not another way? Estelle remembered that there was still another storm brewing in the city and contemted. She reviewed her experience with using the ring. When she absorbed the storm''s stone, it was more like the ring''s influence taking over her. It led her to the stone to the point of creating a force of attraction. The situation was out of her control. A thought sprouted inside her head. What if she tried to manage the n by herself? Not going along with the ring''s wishes and just taking her own sweet thoughts? She wanted to be the ring''s owner. The energy at that time, her mana run rampant as she struggled to contain the stone''s reckless thrashing. She wanted to gain control. Make the ring operate by her will and not endanger her like before. With that resolution, she also had another bizarre thought. Since even after the storm has been pulverized, she only lost consciousness and suffered from a migraine the following morning, wouldn''t it be fine if she only had to take care of the smaller entity? That was her guarantee. With that same train of thoughts, Estelle once again packed herself up and set her destination to the other storm. From the side, Minerva was repeatedly trying to convince her to rest, but Estelle did not listen. Perhaps this was what caused n to finally lose it. The mentality and tendency of always sending herself to danger without a proper, fully logical reason. It was a world of Fantasy and Magic. To Estelle, who had lived a worldpletely different to the one she was in right now, the world''s concept was still quite funny even after living inside it for years. She never did feel like she belonged there. That was part of the reason why she was so daring, and why she repeatedly challenged herself. Chapter 78: Failure Chapter 78: Failure A sense of belonging. Until when would it take before she could feel at ease? That her identity was truly that of Estelle reste and not just a dysfunctional version of a human being? She always had troubles mixing in with the environment, but it did get better as she progressed through the years. However, one thing was for sure. She hadn''t escaped the stage of denial yet. At least not that she knew of. Her perceptions were half deluded, with her reality zoning in and out at random times. She was a powerful being. Albeit possessing a great power, she also had desynchronized outlooks upon the world. A strange cloud that floated around her heart and mind, causing her to never The fact that somewhere deep within her heart, she was still treating this entire thing as a simtion. A stupid simtion. A mastermind working behind everything she faced. Like a game. Yes, just like a game. Perhaps it was because of this sentiment that she was able to consistently throw herself into a pit of fire. Back in her days as Reina, ultra realistic games already existed. The ones who got to try it were only rich people who could afford the entireplicated set of devices, but the technology was already starting to be developed. Deep within her heart, Estelle still wished that the bomb that exploded wasn''t her true end as Reina. Perhaps, she was admitted into a hospital fast enough that she saved from the brink of death? That she just couldn''t gain her consciousness back and thus had to be transferred into a simtion where she yed the character of Estelle? Did reincarnation even exist? Estelle, Heine, Minerva, Yulia, did everyone truly exist? Who could guarantee that everything wasn''t just a game storyline made by this ''mastermind''? No matter how long she lived inside this world, it seemed like the concept never stuck to her brain fully. Ingenious ideas, things that were purposely made to be out of the box, her innovations, everything was based on the fact that she believed everything was not a cohesive world. It was a world full of deceptive pits. She, who wielded the power of Creation could materialize her wishes. What kind of power was that, and why was it allowed? It breaks the bnce. Simrly, Arayle''s power countered her too much. To the point where if Arayle had even used fifty percent of her power at all times, Estelle''seback would''ve been dyed for decades. Where was the bnce? Everything was so blurry, with the weak being too easy to trample and the strong being too hard to fight off. Even numbers wouldn''t help. If one was strong, then you had to be stronger than them to win. If not, relying on things like intelligence or petty tricks wouldn''t give you much leniency. It will only create a slight difort for the strong, but it was extremely easy for them to survive and retaliate. For example, when Estelle was knocked out, didn''t she survive what would''ve been a lethal injury to someone else who bore her physique? Didn''t she manage to win just because of that sole gap between them? The man that attacked died quickly, there was no chance for him to pull off something like Estelle and return the blow back to her. He sumbed to his fate without much of a revenge ploy. To Estelle, the world was a game where she was the main character. Her decision impacted others the most, her actions brought great changes, and her demise would also, obviously, affect the game. Because she was one of the main character. The good''s counterpart, a Viiness. A strong Viiness that will triumph over their enemies. "A Viiness should be strong," Estelle mumbled. "I am strong, but it is nowhere near enough when the ''good'' has an ultimate weapon that I''m severely weak against," Estelle sighed. She was now standing on the uneven ground surrounding the storm. The originally tidy ground had been messed up due to the storm''s outrage. She floated to the sky one more time, this time preparing herself to not get dragged by the flow of things. To control the ring. "Borrow me your power, eh? You don''t want to be removed from my finger. Do something for me, then," Estelle brought her curled up fist right in front of her face. The ring, with the pretty stone now mounted on it was charming and hypnotizing. It made one not want to remove their eyes from the object at all. "Come, you annoying disaster. I''m going to wipe you out," Switching her thoughts to battle mode, Estelle brandished herself to contain the storm. Determined to rid the city of any remaining chaos, Estelle closed her eyes as she channeled her mana slowly to the ring. She recalled how the process went in the previous times. Mana circted around the surroundings and connected a path like fine line of thread between the two entities: the ring and the storm''s core. Estelle didn''t know where the second stone would fit inside her now fully filled out ring socket, but she paid that fact no heed as she yed around with her mana and let it submerge and intertwine with the storm''s turbulence. Like in the previous session, her mana acted as a path opener to the storm. It was unknown whether the storm showed aversion or favor to Estelle''s mana and the ring''s strange powers, but a guide to the storm was created and now coiled around the supposed core. [Yes.. It''s this easy. It''s easy. Control the ring... Calm down.] Estelle repeated, focusing her attention to the core''s attainment. The storm slowly died down, with Estelle''s constant efforts dulling the effects bit by bit carefully. She thought that everything was going to go well. Only, right after the storm''sst bits dispersed, Estelle felt a twist in her heart. Like a string that existed inside her head was cut short and ripped apart. This time, there were no screams. Before she was able to scream, she was already on the ground,cking energy and unable to move. [Hah.] Estelle scowled. "I.. couldn''t master it, huh?" Weakly, Estelle choked red blood out as her vision blurred. Thest thing she heard were shouts of panic from the people she knew. [Aah.. those guys will be even more worried.. Father...] Estelleughed, wondering to what extent could her stupidity go. She constantly made dumb mistakes, but somehow she always ended up safe anyway. Well, she was one of the world''s main characters. If she died, the story would crumble. Even so, she was still distraught over what happened to her. It was more of a form of frustration rather than shame from her failure. ording to her predictions and rate of mastery, she was sure that she''d be able to manage the ring''s powers. She could''ve sworn that she didn''t copse because she failed to contain the storm. The process went by so smoothly, why would it fail all of a sudden? Estelle calmed herself down and considered her situation. She had to make use of the time she had, so whenever she wasn''t directly taking care of the disaster, she thought about the condition of current ongoing things. Rather than Arayle, the bigger enemy seemed to be Elias. Thinking about a certain Underworld''s cheery Princess, she also recalled the presence of Yion and Kalis. Then, her memories went back to Elias, who was a sly opponent. [Don''t tell me.] Estelle frowned. There was a high chance that her suspicion was true. Arayle always hammered the same sentence at her whenever she asked about Elias. That he was her teacher, the one that mentored her to use everything she had. That would include her powers, too. The powers that countered Estelle. If Estelle had to theorize about something, it would be that of Elias'' direct usage of Arayle''s type of magic. The [Destruction Magic]. Whenever Elias used his magic, it was always near a perfection-level mastery. Through initiation, Estelle was able to tell a slight difference between Arayle, who wielded her natural magic and the likes of Kalis, who borrowed the element from the Princess. However, Elias leaned more towards the type of Arayle, who wielded an element so natural to them that it felt like breathing. Just like when Estelle first tried to experiment with Creation Magic and ended up with a decent proficiency just because of casual testing. If Elias was able to wield Destruction Magic to such a point, then wasn''t it likely that he was a royalty from the Underworld? It was a likely possibility. Finishing up her straying thoughts, Estelle finally sought her surroundings. "But.. where.. is this?" Estelle dazedly looked around. She saw nothing but a nk, white space- an endless dimension. Where was she? Was this another copse after she eradicated the storm? What happened with the storm? Is the city finally safe now? Why was the smaller storm much more painful than anything she had ever experienced? Even more than therger storm.. even more than when she underwent exposure to Arayle''s magic? So many questions gued her. Her mind was still dazed. Her heartbeat was still pumping from the massive pain she took in. As she felt the difort, she felt like a lost child in the sea of void. Shocked, Estelle then felt her body tense up as she heard an ambient noise starting up. In the valley of nothingness, the sudden appearance of a sound made her jolt in ce. The sound seemed toe out of nowhere- she turned her head in all directions and still couldn''t find out the source. But she needn''t wait for too long, as the perpetrator showed themselves quickly. "You have exhausted your life force, my child," A gentle voice entered her ears, followed by a chuckle. "Wee.. to the Eterna, where everything is nothing and nothing is everything," Chapter 79: Eterna Chapter 79: Eterna "Eterna?" Estelle raised a brow at the unknown talker''s confusing words. Everything was nothing, and yet, nothing was everything. Her brain was almost on the brink of explosion at how this outsideponent was suddenly added into the fray. Estelle massaged her head lightly to shake off her chaotic state of mind. "Estelle," The voice once more spoke up, calling her. "Yes?" Responding, Estelle continued to survey her surroundings. Yet, nothing was there. The voice came out from nothing. A short link was created. Something that came out of nothing. Everything meant nothing. But everything came out of nothing. The confusing cycle made Estelle frown. She went inside the Eterna, although she had a physical body and was a human from a proper dimension. Then, why was she admitted into the Eterna? Was she, like the anonymous speaker, nothing as well? Estelle gulped her saliva, struggling to get up due to the dull pain that kept hammering her. "No," Reading her mind, the voice answered her pressing doubts. "You still have a defined value. Well.. not exactly ''defined'', but you are still a being that carries external value with you," "You- how could you..?" Estelle had never heard of such a thing as a power to read people''s minds, not even in the Surface or the Underworld. Yes, those types of skills existed in the literary works of her previous life as Reina, but this time was a bit different. What was the voice? Who did it belong to? "I am Eterna''s Ruler. Whatever happens inside my realm is within my range of knowledge," Once again, the voice replied to her questions. "Eterna..." Estelle mumbled, thinking that the name didn''t ring any bells inside her head. "Could you.. borate about this ce further?" Whatever this ce was, she ought topose herself and seek the way out calmly. Else, she would just spiral downwards with a messy mind. "Well.. for starters, not a single creature that visited Eterna could get out. Because they have all be a denizen of this realm. They cannot simply venture over to another realm, not even through a specialized spell. So that brings me to a question: why are you here?" "Unable to get out? Would that apply to me, too?" Estelle worried. She was now in this realm. Could she go back to the Surface? Or would she be another denizen of this ''Eterna''? "...I wonder the same question," The voice went near and far, circling Estelle with interest. Estelle jerked, feeling like a thousand eyes'' gazes were on her body at the same time. "Why?" She continued pursuing the matter. "You are not a full-fledged human being, but I can''t say that you are qualified to be a denizen of the Eterna. The Eterna holds creatures that have lost their value. To them, everything is worth nothing, and they can get everything from nothingness," Nodding, Estelle pursed her lips as she digested the information given to her like a good student. "For example... let''s see, not to mention physique, even the most basic things such as assigned sex does not exist. Genders, races, those menial things do not exist. Eterna is unified because we are one entity in truth," "...Such is thew of Eterna, the unending realm," The voice continued exining. Estelle lowered her gaze as she stared at the all-white environment. There were no barriers that separated the floor from the ceiling, nor did the realm have walls. Everything was indeed, nothing. But she was Estelle. A humanoid figure that now stood within this realm of nothingness. What did it mean? "But then,es you, the bearer of a strange power!" The Ruler continued its narration. By strange power, the Ruler seemed to mean her element, which was outside the constrained realms people knew. The Creation and Destruction were two pr opposites that were separate from the usual realms. This was a stated fact that were established between both realms. This fact seemed to apply inside the Eterna as well, judging by the Ruler''s astonishment. But then, reading Estelle''s mind, the Ruler came to correct her perceptions. "Ah, no, it''s not that the element of Creation is foreign to me, it''s that.. you are different from other entities of your origin," Giving a vague line, the Ruler hummed with curiosity. "Why are you here? Why do you exist? Who are you? You probably want to ask these kinds of questions, but I myself do not possess the sufficient knowledge to answer you," The Ruler said. Indeed, she had wanted to throw these set of questions to the voice. Unfortunately, before she was even able to obtain some sort of clue, she was rejected. "Then, how do I go back to my own world.. the Surface?" Estelle inquired. "The Surface is not connected to the Eterna. Unlike the Surface and its counterpart, the Underworld... the Eterna is a free ne, where.." "Nothingness rules," Cutting off the Ruler''s words, Estelle summarized. This repeatedw defined the Eterna. When summarized, one could say that Eterna revolved around nothing. The void. Deleted existences. Beings that lost their value. Nothingness. It was aplex statement, but Estelle had an understanding on the matter, albeit unclear and vague. "Exactly. You''re starting to get it," Confirming Estelle''s addition to its words, the Ruler made a very light chuckle. Estelle was assured by the existence of this Ruler. The words they spouted made her know that she was still within the realms of existence. She didn''t be nothing yet. Perhaps it was because she had experience too much troubles, she became desensitized to new things that were uncalled for sprouting from who knows where. Estelle sighed. She didn''t know what to do now, but she predicted that this was going to be another long journey. "Will you.. help me until I figure out how to get out of this ce? I''m sure that you don''t want someone like me intruding inside your domain as well?" Estelle spoke to the Ruler. "I will do that. I am quite interested in your existence as well, so there''s no reason for me to refuse," "Then.. once again, my name is Estelle reste. To a good cooperation, my guide," "...I have no name, but my status is that of the Ruler here. You may address me as you like. To a good cooperation," The Ruler returned the words and replied. Estelle gave a happy smile, indicating that she was back to her optimized state. She was not given much time to rest, but the situation didn''t allow her such ax corner as to quit runningplicated scenarios in her brain. There was onerge question that she had. One that she experienced firsthand upon going back to the Surface after spending years inside the Underworld. The time difference. "Well, first of all, I want to ask. How is the time flow herepared to the Surface?" Estelle asked. "Hmm... As much as I want to give you a detailed time estimation, the Eterna doesn''t have the concept of time. Everything is loosely connected together. If wepare it to the Surface, I guess you could say that the time flow follows each denizen''s perception of time," Estelle''s brow creased, troubled over the Ruler''s ambiguous exnation. "You mean to say that.. As long as I manage to brainwash myself that a second in Eterna is one year in the Surface, it would be that way?" "..Basically, yes. Be careful with it, though. You are not supposed to be here. The reason you are here in the first ce was because you exhausted your life force. Any more and you might really lose your value... and be a permanent denizen of the Eterna," Estelle gulped in fear, as she imagined not being able to go back to the Surface forever. "However, the good thing is that you got transported into the outeryers of Eterna. If it was the inneryers, you would have to spare much more life force. Your current remaining life force would be drained in a short minute," The Ruler once more said, giving Estelle an idea of how things worked in the Eterna. Because the denizens were worth nothing, their life force would not be decreased. Because they were worth nothing, they could remain here. But Estelle, who still had a value attached to her had to burn her life force bit by bit in order to stay. She couldn''t do too much, but if she wanted to get out of this ce, she had to do much. Her powers were heightened in a sense, but a cost was applied. "What will happen if I burn my life force? Will it affect me permanently?" "Yes, and no. If you want an illustration of what your life force is, it would be like a fire. The bigger, and the more vitality a fire has signifies its strong life force. The closer it is to a small wisp- to the point of depletion.. that would be when your life force can''t recover at all," [A fire..] Estelle thought. "Your current state is like a small fire. It would give you enough leniency for certain power outputs, but you won''t get to show it all off. I can only say.. be careful as to not burn yourself," The Ruler advised. It was basically the same concept as when she spent time in the Underworld. She made a resolute resolve. She would ovee this trial like the previous ones she went through. A small fire. Her chances of going back depended on this fire''s livelihood and her ability to utilize it. She was definitely going to beat this stage of life. "I got it," Nodding, Estelle asked for the Ruler''s helping hand in order to resolve this problem. Chapter 80: Mana Circuits Chapter 80: Mana Circuits "So, what do you think I can do?" Estelle asked. She was as clueless as a child when thrown into a foreign dimension with little to no exnation like this. A bit frightened, she steeled her mind so that she wouldn''t get shaken up too badly. "First and foremost... I suppose I shall grant you with the power to wield ''nothingness''. It shall serve as your weapon in your trip inside this realm," The power of nothingness. It seemed that before she was even able to wield her Creation Magic, she would be on the way to master another element that was outside of the regr spectrum. This time, she was directly met with someone who could be said to be the most proficient in their element, the Ruler of a realm. Oh, how Estelle wished that she could see the entire universe from an outsider''s perspective so that she could witness how many different sections of the world were there besides the ones she already knew. Estelle predicted that through this certain encounter, she would gain experience equal to none other. A meeting she would never be able to get in the Surface alone. A special chance. "And how do I use it?" "Try to guess?" The Ruler chuckled. Nothing changed within Estelle. She felt confused. No pain, no pleasure, no sensation in the slightest. However, it was logical in a sense. She was granted nothingness. ''Nothing'' didn''t have a form. Because nothingness couldn''t cause a change, it had to be approached through a different way. Her own way, as the Ruler said. "You can take your time to slowly figure it out. The likes of you are usually very intelligent, I''m sure that you''ll get the hang of it in no time," The Ruler said with augh. "Is there not even a single clue that you''re willing to spare me with?" Estelle''s brain was on the brink of beingpletely fried and drained. "Hmm.. Try to imagine yourself.. as an existence. Then, discover the nothingness within yourself," Vague statements. It was always like this. Like a huge puzzle, Estelle''s encounters were always filled with these sorts of confusing riddles that made Estelle want to drop everything and cate her craziness with violence. Screw everything. It was just that she didn''t possess enough power to do so, and she also didn''t have the authority. Although the clue was vague, it was still a clue. She had to scramble for everything she could use at this point. "..Got it," Estelle grumbled, not expecting herself to be met with a blockage in progress this early on. She imagined the headache she was going to face. How was she supposed to figure it out? Not minding Estelle''s visible distraught expressions, the Ruler continued its ''help''. "Next, I shall provide you with a soul meter. This can track your soul''s longevity and liveliness, so make sure to always pay attention to this. Don''t let it reach 0. No matter what. Keep it above 10 for safety measures, but in case that there''s a dangerous event, be mindful of your usage," As the voice spoke loud and clear, an object in the shape of a golden pocket watch dropped down from the sky and flew towards Estelle. In turn, Estelle reached for the object and sped it tightly within her grip. Opening the cover, she was greeted with a glimmering liquid and a series of numbers. "This is.. the instrument?" At first nce, it seemed to be nothing but a simple ornament. The liquid fluctuated back and forth, hitting the rounded corners of the container again and again. An instrument specifically created for counting one''s soul''s remaining value. The glimmering liquid was purple in color. Like a gxy, it had sparkles and silver glitters that looked like stars in the middle of the night. Estelle observed the bewitchingponents and couldn''t take her eyes off of the item. However, the data disyed a much darker conclusion unlike the beautiful appearance it had. Her soul count was miserable. Her current count was wobbly sitting on the forties, which indicated that she had burned through more than 50 units just with the sessive dilemmas that hit her in the recent times. She observed as the pocket watch she received flickered from time to time, mirroring her unstable soul. "Yes it is. Well, in truth, without that item, you should be able to tell when your situation gets dire. You will feel it, like your entire body is burning- breaking into mes because your soul evaporated too much," The Ruler said. Humming in agreement, she reflexively thought back to when she had experienced a simr effect. [So that''s why I felt another.. sensation apart from the usual pain standard..] Estelle understood her immediate question when she faced the storm''s bacsh. The pain was foreign to her, understandably. She finally epted her conditions andforted herself within her pressured mind. "How does the soul count work? How much will it decrease by if I decided to use my power?" Estelle asked, cautious of the stagnant count. "Well- although I don''t know what exactly happened on the Surface that caused you to be sent here in the first ce.. I assume that you forced your mana internalization too much, and that led to a haywire set of circuits," "Circuits? What are those?" "..So you don''t even know the mana circuits? Oh, this is going to be hard, isn''t it.." The Ruler sounded disappointed, to which Estelle grew ashamed of. "Can you manipte your mana? To what extent?" The Ruler quesitoned. "To.. a good range. I don''t know how to measure it," "Well, to be precise, mana circuits are something everyone has. Even if you don''t have mana, you have mana circuits. Even in the Eterna, there are specific mana circuits that work behind the scenes," The Ruler spoke. "This is because everyone- the entire world revolves around this delicate structure, which is a circuit in itself. Everything is based on circuits that are entangled with each other. Through tangling with the outside environment''s circuits, we materialize our mana and get the ability to use them to our own advantage. The practice of entangling such circuits is what we call mana maniption. We manipte the circuits, and through that, we probe around our mana, too," With that exnation, Estelle was able to get the gist of things. She began to try to manipte her mana, but she was deterred by the thought of draining her soul power away. "Don''t worry, manipting a small amount of mana won''t harm you. Be sure to control it well, though," The Ruler assured Estelle''s worries. "..I see," Estelle heaved a sigh of relief, as she began to experiment with the image of these ''circuits'' the Ruler talked about. After controlling her mana, she began to let it course through her bloodstreams. Slow, steady, and passive movements throughout her entire system. Estelle made timed breaths in order to fully immerse herself in this process. Her chest rose up and down. With it, the mana inside her also circted. Then, the imagery started. A set of wires. A circuit. Since it must have a center, Estelle set her mana bank as its ''core''. Estelle was sure that it would take a long time since the concept was foreign to her. She took it slow, as she blindly went through her system to imagineplicated circuits forming all around inside her body. Then, suddenly, it happened before her. The tying up of two circuits, one inside her body and the other outside. It was a weak imagery, but it was still a great progress to make. "I saw it!" Estelle eximed. Though it was only for a brief moment, she saw the circuits sh through. Like a pattern woven into the world by intricate threads that contain mana, the circuits each had their centers, a ''core''. Estelle was enlightened. She beamed with confidence. "I want to y around with this concept of ''nothingness'' you speak of," Estelle stated. That was her priority. To grasp the concept that ruled the current realm she was in. If she couldn''t master the power, how would she fare inside the realm? She didn''t know how long her journey was going tost. It depended on her soul power. To cover for that loss, she had to master this ''nothingness'' first. "Want to bet how long you''ll take?" With a jolly tone, the Ruler asked. To the Ruler, Estelle''s arrival might just seem like an amusing piece of entertainment. A great stress reliever. Estelle scowled, rolling her eyes at the Ruler''s attitude. "Come on, it''s just going to be a fun bet!" "No," Estelle declined, theorizing about the different ways she could wield this absurd ''nothingness''. "Well, that''s too bad. High risk, high return. Isn''t that the golden rule?" The Ruler instigated, trying to poke Estelle''s mind. "..There''s no way that one would voluntarily offer a high risk bet without knowing firsthand that they have a clear advantage," Estelle calmly replied. Estelle sat down, crossing her legs to think. The Ruler had gone away, so what was left in the realm was only nk silence. She thought deeply. This was a whole realm in itself. Like the Surface, like the Underworld, it was a realm. A realm of nothingness. What was it for? How did it start? How did it operate? The Eterna and its denizens. Estelle was currently inside the outer realms. She wondered whatid within the inner parts, but she knew far too well not to wager her life for that knowledge. Clutching her instrument tightly, Estelle pursed her lips. Her fate depended on her discoveries. Her thoughts wandered near and far. Nothing is everything. So, everything should be considered nothing inside Eterna. The problem was, which ''nothing'' could she use? Chapter 81: Realization Chapter 81: Realization Estelle first did her best to imagine herself as an existence. An existence with a worth tied down to her. Her soul count. It was now sitting prim and proper at 43, which was one point lower than when she first checked the instrument. Estelle took a deep breath in and started focusing. Visualizing her calm self sitting down, her breath steady, and her mind tranquil. Estelle''s breaths were rhythmically controlled. She counted a beat inside her head, to which her heartbeat and breathing pace would adhere to in terms of frequency. The voice had left her, so ''nothingness'' in form of silence enveloped her entire being. No interruptions, no sounds, no noises. Estelle was able to focus on herself. Not only as the person who does activities on a daily basis, but on a much deeper level that allowed her to explore herself. A thrill spread through her as she honed her mind, her focus'' intensity rising as she reached a higher level of visualization with each try she made. On the first try, she could only feel a faint outline of herself sitting in front of her. But by the tenth try, she managed to make herself, her physical body appear in front of her. The true intent of ''nothingness'' was that the Eterna- the endless realm, had endless possibilities. Through these possibilities, Estelle was able to separate the element of nothingness within herself. As the Ruler said, nothingness was everything. This included Estelle, who although couldn''t count as a true denizen of the Eterna, could stay within this silly realm. Estelle gleamed with excitement as her hands trembled at this new discovery. She could finally see the aspects on which she was able to branch upon. Within herself, she could visualize the things that were ''iplete''. She felt in tune with herself. No longer was she separated from her physique. Her body, her mind, and her soul all coborated to form oneplete entity. Nothingness covered her emptiness. She felt in peace. Estelle continued her arduous travels to the point where sweat was dripping off her forehead. Her lips trembled as she persevered through theplex emotions she felt throughout the process. Day by day, her understanding of this nothingness ploy increased. But she still faced a bottleneck. It was because she couldn''t utilize the element in cohesion with her own power. The nothingness was always an externalponent in her journey to actually gain the ability to use this element. It was like oil and water. Estelle''s primary Creation Magic was the body of water, and the element of nothingness inside her was the oil. They wouldn''t mix no matter what. It frustrated Estelle to the point where she thought to give up. But she knew that the moment she gave up, she would lose herst chance to return to the Surface. That was why, she never gave up. One day, she tried her training session one more time. This time, something was a bit different. Her mana coursed through her with such smoothness that she hadn''t seen even under her improvements. It was a scenario that overshadowed every single step she had taken in the past. The improvement she gained in this one training session was so vast that she herself couldn''t believe it. At the end of the session, Estelle was gleaming with hope and admiration for the power she had obtained. "I found it," Estelle proudly announced in her next meeting with the Ruler. The Ruler grew silent for a few seconds, but then regained its calm. "..This early? You should''ve taken on my bet after all. You exceeded my primary calctions," With a meaningful tone, the Ruler said. "What would I have gotten anyway? It was too risky," Estelle rebutted, dismissing his ims. "Well... Some gifts that might help you, I suppose," The Ruler answered, fleeting away without notice one more time. Estelle thought of the gesture as quite rude at first, but then she grew to realize that the Ruler was actually being called. To do its service. The Ruler had duties to perform, because it was, in fact, the Ruler of the Eterna. The Ruler rarely visited the outeryers. When it greeted Estelle right after she arrived in the realm, it was because Estelle was a foreign entity that sparked his sensors. Because she wasn''t supposed to be there. Thus, the Ruler descended down into the lower realms and met with the stranded girl. That was where their encounter started. The once dry encounter, which was filled by anxiousness from Estelle''s part was quickly soothed with a budding friendship between a voice that did not have a physical body and a girl stranded in the Eterna. The Ruler was also quite fond of Estelle, noticeably. Even though it was busy, the Ruler would always find time to visit Estelle amidst her breaks. These breaks were normally short and concise. Estelle knew that her time was limited, unlike when she was in the Underworld. If she did not manage to solve this predicament before her soul count ran out, then she would really be reduced to ''Value 0'' and be a permanent denizen of the Eterna. Estelle''s days were all spent with productivity. None of her hours were wasted. Because this was the realm of nothingness, the concept of things like hunger, sleepiness, and basic human needs were ignored. Estelle stood within the thin lines of a rightful existence and a creature who faced thew of nothingness. The Ruler always told her that the reason why Estelle was allowed in was that her soul was special. That because of a loophole created when her soul power drastically dropped, she was categorized as a valueless creature. This phenomenon was attributed to Estelle''s special existence. She had a particrly strong soul, with a value higher than her peers. The ''System'' counted her as a ''Value 0'' being, but she actually still had value left. Although it had dropped below half, this count was undoubtedly at least twice the worth of a normal soul''s digits. Estelle efforts weren''t rewarded with nothing. She felt herself constantly improve. It wasn''t a visible improvement, but rather a promotion within her own self. She was able to explore things she couldn''t do inside the Surface, where thew of the realm restricted her from many matters. For example, if she had to perfectly imagine how a certain object worked before she could manifest it with her Creation Magic in the Surface, she was able to perform the same feat without having aplete imagery in the Eterna. It was a stark difference. Because the Surface was so developed, thews were stricter. Meanwhile, the Eterna was filled to the brim with freedom. Although Estelle only stood inside the outer realms, she was still mystified by the benefits this realm brought her. The Ruler also told her that in order to conserve her soul power to the max, she had to live life like she was still in the Surface. Which meant that, her time flow would also be based on the Surface. One day inside the Eterna equaled to one day in the Surface. It was a regretful trade, because Estelle knew that as long as her soul power could guarantee her safety while traveling through the ''Eterna''. Everyone had their own perception of nothingness. Just like everyone had different ways to unlock their proficiency in using the nothingness to their advantage. Estelle had always wondered. Nothing was present inside the Eterna. The only one who retained their consciousness was the Ruler itself, who was an omnipotent existence within said realm. That would mean theck of life inside the realm. She had actually asked about this matter previously, to which the Ruler replied that the Eterna did not allow conscious beings. Because when one reached ''Value 0'', they would instantly be reduced to nothing but remnants that couldn''t retain their awareness. But what Estelle had wanted to ask was actually not that. It was another pressing question. One day, she decided to ask after her training session ended. It was nearing the end of her tenth day staying inside this realm. She had gotten somewhat ustomed to the strange rules andws regarding this ce, but it still couldn''t help her understand everything. Why did the Eterna exist? Since it was a realm for the valueless creatures, shouldn''t there be life? Why was the Ruler the only one put in charge? With such arge realm, why was it alone? Why was the Ruler alone, without any otherpanion? Wasn''t that such a cruel fate? Estelle couldn''t understand why. The Ruler should be a powerful entity. But it was bound to this realm. The Ruler''s knowledge and power was uncalled for inparison to itsck ofpleteness. "Why are you here?" To satiate her thirst for an answer, Estelle asked this simple question. Even as she was asking, Estelle tried to observe every single emotional hint she could pick up off the Ruler. She was worried that she had intruded into a forbidden matter, but she genuinely wanted to know. Other than admiration, she felt pity for the Ruler. Because even for how powerful it was, itcked the most fundamental thing. The most important thing for Estelle. The Ruler, who face this question, once expected this visit to be the same as the previous ones, where the two would have meaningless chatters. Even these meaningless chatters were worth something to the Ruler. However, instead of having these peaceful talks, Estelle had decided to ask a question the Ruler was afraid to answer. The Ruler was taken aback. How would this question be answered? Chapter 82: The Rulers Identity Chapter 82: The Ruler''s Identity "Why am I alone?" The Ruler repeated Estelle''s question, not knowing how to reply. "What do you mean by that?" Estelle calmed down her nerves as she was somewhat frightened to ask this question all along. She formted her speech in order toy the matter down carefully. She was still afraid that she might trigger something off. "Well.. how.. did you be the Ruler of Eterna?" Estelle asked, prying into the matter. It was a logical question. A lot of things didn''t make sense for the Estelle who had tried to find out more about the Eterna. With each piece of information she unraveled, the more the displeasure and shock she amassed. Within her knowledge, there were some ways in which one could be a Ruler. First, if you were born into royalty, you could go through the session process. Second, if you could conquer a kingdom, you may choose to sit on the throne''s position. Third was a bit out of the norm. It was when creatures like Heine were born with the duty to rule. There were no specific bloodline, and they would have no direct family. But they would still have the title [Ruler] attached to themselves without having to battle over it. Estelle wondered which category applied to the Ruler. In Estelle''s perspective, she would never voluntarily rule over this ce. It was dry, silent, and without any sparks of excitement. Everything was nk white, mirroring the theme of ''nothingness'' that covered the entire ce. Estelle was certain that she would go crazy in no time if she was left inside this ce to rot for an eternity. The Ruler was wise. Whenever it spoke to her, it would always bring words of knowledge, showing his many years of experience living and overseeing the world. But why? In such a ce, why would the Ruler choose to be restrained here if it had power to begin with? There were no lifeforms. Then, what prevented him from leaving and going on his own path? It was very confusing for Estelle, who valued freedom. Right. She was always free in her choices. Although rules were ced onto her as a human being inside the Surface, she followed little out of the astounding amount of both written and unwritten rules she had. For example, she frequently knew that what she was doing was not the best thing, but she would still end up doing the deed because she wished to do so and felt an urge to aplish her wants. It was selfish, but Estelle did prefer herself more than anybody else. She was confident in herself, confident in her ability to take on the world. She believed that her judgement was good enough to carry her in life. Because she was nurtured to think this way in her previous life. Not to mention, the betrayal that she ended up facing caused her to dislike trusting people easily. Even then, she still ended up being influenced by her emotions and taking rash actions at times. She admits that she had a tendency to perform dumb acts from time to time. Freedom. The main topic was the aspect of freedom. She, who was weaker than the Ruler could obtain freedom with no problem at all. The matter of conditions had to be considered as well, but if everything wasid down and put into perspective, the Ruler should have a higher chance of obtaining the desired freedom. Estelle was undoubtedly strong in the category of normal human beings. Estelle couldn''t understand why a much stronger being like the Ruler couldn''t even obtain freedom for itself. If Estelle had to say something, she would dare to proim that the Ruler was omnipotent. Like a True God who had aplete awareness and judgement over the entire universe. It was her first time meeting with such aplex being. The Ruler''s intentions always amazed her in one way or another because of its peculiar way of thinking. The only shoring it had was that it couldn''t separate itself from being just a fleeting voice and having to do a certain set of duty that it couldn''t refuse. How strong do you need to gain separation from this cursed position? From being the Ruler of Eterna? The Ruler itself never expressed a particr fondness towards the realm it governed over. The Ruler did its duty, but it didn''t mean that it did it with happiness. Sometimes, the Ruler would sound strained, and that made Estelle grew even more curious on what was tugging the Ruler down. Was it the tasks? Why couldn''t it throw away all its duties and set a fate for itself? Why was its fate this gloomy and low? Or was Estelle the only one who thought of the Ruler''s life as this way? Waiting for its answer with patience, Estelle rubbed her fingers together. It was her first time in a while feeling this anxious. Thest time this happened was a few years back, when she tried to talk about her decisions to her parents. She was once again reminded of n, who she had entered a probable cold war with as of the current moment. She wondered what happened now that her consciousness was here. Her body, would it enter aa? What would n''s reaction be? Would he regret everything because he didn''t stop Estelle and didn''t force her to stay? That he let her go when he clearly knew that she was definitely going to aim for the storm? Usually, the Ruler would answer her with high speed and precision. However, this time, it was much slower and with constant pauses. The Ruler hummed. "I guess...it''s because my existence is necessary in order for this realm to stay...?" With an uncertain tone, the Ruler answered. It was an answer Estelle didn''t expect. "Necessary? What do you mean?" Estelle questioned. "If I''m not here, Eterna will fall apart. I don''t have a physical body anyway, so I can''t go anywhere. I like to watch other realms, though. They are pretty interesting," The Rulermented. Estelle repeatedly blinked at the Ruler''s answer. What was it all about? A realm of nothingness. The realm itself was mixed with nothing but freedom because of its abstract element. However, the Ruler that governed over it was theplete opposite of the element. Estelle wondered what the Ruler thought every time it looked at the other realms, which were supposed to be much more restrictive than the Eterna, and yet had denizens that lived a life filled by colorful emotions. Was Estelle the one who looked at the world with rose-tinted sses? Why did Eterna need a Ruler if all there is inside the realm was nothingness? Estelle was curious to see the inner realms of the Eterna, but she couldn''t wager her soul power for it. She felt regretful that she arrived in Eterna with low power digits. "Is the Eterna needed?" Estelle almost wanted to take this pitiful consciousness away from its shackles. "It is. It definitely is. For creatures that managed to get their value down to 0, there would be no ce other than the Eterna for them. Their remnants will be stored here, fused with the realm itself. It''s thest straw before they are considered ''deleted'' by the universe itself. If the Eterna copses, countless remnants will disappear as well," Estelle thought of the Ruler as a selfless being. She didn''tpletely understand this whole ''remnant'' thing, but she knew that what he did was basically guarding over a huge pile of meaningless fragments. Fragments with no consciousness that served as nothing more than memory. Fragments that didn''t even matter anymore. "I am bound to the realm. Eterna is indirectly myself, as I can simultaneously observe everything going inside the Eterna in one go," The Ruler said,plications showing up in its speech. Estelle''s brows creased as she digested the Ruler''s reasoning. The Ruler was the Eterna itself. Then, wouldn''t it mean that the Ruler was a ''Value 0'' being too? Because the Eterna held nothingness. "..You must be worried for me. For that I thank you," The Ruler said, chuckling amidst his words because Estelle''s expressions were changing at a rapid pace. Estelle was covered with deep emotions. "Don''t worry about it. Better yet, why don''t you start prying open your powers to get the things going? If you don''t hurry, there''s no telling when a disaster could ur once again in the Surface," The Ruler advised. "I''m just baffled," Estelle said, not sure on how to convey her mixed up thoughts. "Don''t be. You''d be better off using that time on yourself. You have a very high potential, but your enemy would naturally have the same for bnce. I know what happened on your side, and your stay in Eterna is the perfect chance to ovee that disadvantageous difference," "By that, you mean?" Estelle tilted her head. "You discovered how to ''y'' with the element of nothingness, but you haven''t truly ''used'' it yet. This is only the beginning, you can go so much farther than this. Use your time here wisely before you return to the Surface, because you might not have another chance toe back here," Estelle realized that the Ruler meant the phenomenon she experienced while experimenting with the element. She was able to get it to work, but thebination between her Creation Magic and Nothingness couldn''t be fullypleted. There was still room to work with, room that mightnd her the chance to get a ticket back home. "..I got it," Estelle nodded in acknowledgement, epting her imperfections and wanting to fix it. However, inside her mind, she wondered. What would be of this realm and the Ruler if she left for good? Chapter 83: Oil and Water Chapter 83: Oil and Water "Do you have any other questions? Before I go back to the upper realms?" The Ruler asked. The Ruler''s words was an obvious attempt in trying to shift the topic to another matter. Estelle''s lips tightened at its words because it would mean that the Ruler would be alone one more time. She wished that she could apany him topensate for the God knows how many years he has been alone for. It was a natural instinct, a form of sympathy that led her to want to do it. Estelle''s eyshes fluttered as she thought about the questions she could ask. After thinking carefully, she found one more budding question. It was about Elias. The mysterious man of unknown origins that seemed even more threatening than Arayle, who was supposed to be her counterpart. Deciding to set the man as her object of questioning, Estelle brought the man''s name up. "Ah, do you perhaps know a man named Elias?" Estelle gathered up courage to ask about it. "..Elias?" The Ruler mumbled the man''s name. The being certainly hadn''t expected the question. Its primary goal was for Estelle to be freed from the Eterna, although it would mean that it won''t have a partner tomunicate with anymore. However, Estelle''s stay in the Eterna would do nothing but harm her. The Ruler didn''t want this. So, it decided to guide her as best as it could. Now, the question Estelle threw was quite off topic. A man named Elias. Of course, since Estelle mentioned it, the man''s identity wouldn''t me ordinary. The being tried to search for a man with that name who had special qualities. Estelle grew hopeful with the Ruler''s deep thinking. In her mind, there was a feeling that perhaps Elias truly was her destined enemy all along. The enemy she needed to beat as part of her fate. The chaotic, unbridled man who knew no bounds in his actions was one of the main catalysts to arge part of Estelle''s dilemmas. If he didn''t exist, then several of her troubles would disappear. With each passing second, Estelle became anxious, and overcame with emotion. She had long suspected that something was off with the man that brought disasters with him everywhere, she just couldn''t figure out the grand scheme of things. After a long wait, the Ruler finally spoke up. "..Elias Montessori?" The Ruler mentioned a name foreign to Estelle. Whether it was foreign or not, the main aspect was that the Ruler was aware of a man named Elias. The name Elias wasn''t all thatmon, and although there would be a chance of it being different people altogether, a hope was a hope. "..So you know him?" Estelle scrunched up her nose, her heart beating faster as she waited for the Ruler''s response with much anticipation. Elias Montessori. The surname Montessori. In the books she saw, she never learned of the man''s name. He would always be addressed as Knight Elias, but no one knew his surname. Even in the Underworld, he was a mystifying personnel. His deeds were admirable, and yet no one truly knew who he was. Truly a puzzling figure. Estelle couldn''t bring herself to fathom how such a man existed. Estelle was preupied with her thoughts, and failed to notice that the Ruler''s voice had faded. She was deeply afflicted by her running thoughts. About Elias. About Arayle. About her. Every time she brought herself to think about them, she would always have conflicting thoughts. There was a thin line that separated everybody and their actions. A line that would decide whether they were enemies or friends. Like Heine, Minerva, or the most prominent candidate, Sierra. Sierra was once her close acquaintance, being a cute child that tagged along with her happily. However, once her deeds were discovered, where did that bring the child to? To be her object of loath. Although Estelle still found it within herself to forgive the child, she wouldn''t forget that the child once became her ''enemy''. Even so, they now had a pretty amiable rtionship, with Estelle being willing to help the child and administer proper teachings for her future improvements. Just like that, she wondered whether people like Arayle and Elias would someday have a chance of bing herrade. Because life was everchanging. When Estelle realized that the Ruler was absent, she looked around in confusion. After confirming that the being truly did go away, Estelle concluded it as another emergency exit and continued on with her journey to fiddle with her power. Her routine was always like that, an endless cycle of striving to get better as much as she could in order to progress in her escape from the deadly silent realm. If the Ruler wasn''t there to guide her, Estelle would''ve given up long ago. The being gave her hope. Holding on to that hope, Estelle recalled the Ruler''s words and advice. That she was supposed to mix the element of nothingness with her power if she wanted to achieve something much more prevalent than her current stage of power. That she should utilize her time to the best. Estelle grumbled in displeasure as she still couldn''t figure out how to work her way around this simple matter. Her metaphoric way of describing the elements was oil and water. Oil and water wouldn''t mix. However, when they were spun around together, the oil would eventually be submerged in the water for a short while before separating once more. Oil came to the top, whereas water sank to the bottom as they both intertwined with their own kind, not minding each other. She was at that status. Oil was hydrophobic, and in this scenario, it represented the element of nothingness. Meanwhile, the body of water would be her own powers. The Creation Magic. She knew thatbining them would result in a great power for her to wield. However, she couldn''t utilize said energy in the way it should be. Mixing them would always end up in separation. Her Creation Magic would be tainted with nothingness for a short moment before returning back and being their own respective identities, no changes in the slightest. How could she create a reaction between the two in order to mix them together? She tried, and tried, but the result she got was now stagnant. It didn''t change. Since nothing improved even after that many tries, it would mean that her approach was wrong. She clearly needed something. She needed to add another partner to these two elements. Something like an emulsifier. Something that responded to both the element of nothingness and her power. [I wonder if it''s possible to manipte my mana to create this emulsifier..] Estelle was immersed in her train of thoughts, thinking about every possible solution she could muster up. Estelle racked her ideas up into several categories. Her mind was brilliant, and so was her ideas. Motivated with the will to get out of Eterna and resume her journey in the Surface, she continued to persevere. She knew what her next goal was. This ''emulsifier'' that she envisioned was so abstract that it hurt her brain trying to think about it. It was the closest to a solution, because it actually made sense. If the metaphor about oil and water was taken into perspective, then truly, the emulsifier is the answer. However, there was still a problem. How would she manage to produce such a subject? It was easy to mention the concept, but actually applying it was different. Creating something with no reference. Basically, Estelle was on the process of inventing this strange emulsifier. It wouldn''t be an item, it would be something that naturally came out of her. As per the Ruler''s advice, she was supposed to be capable of doing everything by herself. Estelle spun around, trying to animate the feeling of a mixture being made with her own body. As expected, her best guess was her mana. The peculiar mana she had. She was perfectly alright at this method of grasping at straws. As long as it would yield a result. Estelle had to strategically n everything, because her progress was unexpectedly slowpared to what she imagined. The Ruler told her that she was fast, but she couldn''t take thatpliment as is when she remembered about the fact that the time flow that urred in the Eterna was the same as the Surface. She had spent ten days being unconscious. She couldn''t imagine how worried the people she left behind would be. Estelle had to speed things up. Ten days were spent. She had to hurry back, lest the trip to this foreign realm drags out too much. Desperate, the girl sat down and heaved a huge sigh as she began to start her experiments, wanting to test out her ideas one by one until she found the perfect solution. [I can do this.] Repeating phrases of motivation to herself, Estelle slowly closed her eyes as she began to focus. This time, she would add a different twist- a spin to her methods. Chapter 84: Slight Mishap Chapter 84: Slight Mishap A way to manipte her mana so that it could perform as a unifier between her elements. She could now wield the element of nothingness, but only in its purest form. It was the most basic form, where she literally took it from her being''s essence itself. She hadn''t gotten to the stage where she could freely manifest the element from her surroundings. Estelle''s brows creased back and forth as she made her way into the intricate parts of her supposed n. It was to create a type of mana- a variant form. The basis would obviously still be her own mana, but the characteristic and type would be slightly altered. To be one that could hold both the element of nothingness and her Creation Magic. First, she had to create the medium for the exchange. Her mana was potent, but Estelle purposely made it airy for this experiment, because she couldn''t have an overly dominant element within any side. Everything had to be perfectly bnced in order for her to be able tobine it all. She controlled her mana, making it intertwine with the element of nothingness first. She was familiar with her Creation Magic, but the process of mixing together with nothingness was harder and much moreplicated. Thus, she had to amodate for this difficulty by averting most of her attention to said element. She didn''t know whether it was because she hadn''t had much experience with the element, but her connection with is was always unsteady. Primarily, her goal was to chase the binding point between the two, then slowly create a link with her Creation Magic at the same time. Estelle''s sweat umted on her entire body as she focused herself on honing this process down to a state stable enough for her to even try to mix in another element. She created her desired medium- a form of her mana that was specifically made to associate with nothingness. She then started to fuse it with her understanding of the nothingness, drawing in the element from her surroundings with difficulty. Estelle was patient, she endured everything from the very start to the end. The process was very long and filled with boredom as there weren''t much movements or action in it. Patience was key in such a situation. Estelle sat in the middle of the realm, her eyes closed and her expression sour. Thankfully, the concept of temperature didn''t exist in the Eterna. Her perspiration was the result of too much concentration and stress being piled up. If there were wind, or other distractions like that, she would''ve had a much harder time. In a sense, Eterna was a perfect ce to cultivate this experiment with nothingness. Estelle held on to her hope. Seconds turned into minutes, and soon minutes turned into an hour. For over an hour, Estelle made minimal movements apart from the ones where she had to adjust to her experiment. However, the experiment wasn''t all that bad. In the end, a result had came out of it. Estelle reached a point where she could separate her attention from the mixture of her mana and the nothingness. This mixture was still hard to maintain, but she was now able to try and bring in another element. And that was what she did. Estelle didn''t rush, but she didn''t take things easily as well. After she had created a stable mixture, she then tried to blend in her Creation Magic''s presence. As she had first expected, the element of Creation had the tendency to be dominant over the other elements. She slowly added in the magic, but she still couldn''t help but experience certain sparks from time to time. Moments where her Creation Magic would be close to ruining the entire process, which meant that she had to restart everything from point zero repeatedly urred, making her internally heave a huge sigh of relief every time the spike passed. Using Creation Magic was like breathing to her. If put up as a parable, her current challenge was like trying to dispel a blockage in her respiration system that prevented her from breathing normally. The blockage was of course, this hard to blend mixture of her own mana and nothingness. Her element of Creation leaned more towards an aggressive stance. However, this aggressiveness brought nothing but harm to her as she had to proceed with extreme carefulness. Her previous tests were that of trying to directly mix in Creation Magic and nothingness. Oil and water, without a single connector between them that would allow a chance of beingbined. This time, her own mana would act as the bridge that connected the two parts. Estelle''s concentration was shaky. Her attention was being separated into so many difficult parts that she struggled to maintain every single one. It was akin to bncing stones, even. The fragile state of her mixture of nothingness was the stones, whereas her mana would be the wind blowing the object and possibly ruining the sculpture if the stones weren''t ced in the perfect position. [How do I make this work?] Afraid of rupturing her progress by simply talking, she did not even dare to spout a single word out of her mouth. All of her thinking was done internally. Each side was persistent. Whenever she tried to assimte them, one would dominate over the other and disrupt the bnce that is needed. Estelle worried that the longer she continued to try and maintain this unstable dilemma, the higher the chance of her failing would be. She prodded the matter from different ways and techniques. However, none seeded. As time passed, her fear of the elements'' copse increased. It got harder to handle. Indeed, the power wasn''t meant to be maintained for a long time, too. It should be a short and concise process. Then, when it reached the third hour mark, something ruptured. The mixture she created, which was between her mana and nothingness broke apart. Estelle was also forcibly woken up from her concentration because her target was now gone. She blinked repeatedly, her eyes in pain after shutting them for so long. After a few cycles of blinking, her vision gradually recovered. Her sights cleared up and she was now fully aware of her surroundings. Well, it was still pure white nheless. "..Well, there''s that," Estelle slumped down, her chest moving up and down as she caught her breath that was in disarray. [...Around three hours in total.] Estellemented. Three hours. Her time was incredibly precious, and this experiment just had to result in a failure. What a shame. Her first major failure. Before, she was just testing things out and weren''tpletely sure on what she was doing, but this time was different. This method she concocted was one that she was quite confident in, and yet she still failed. One thing was for sure. Estelle was sure that she got close. At least close enough that she was willing to give this method another chance. Estelle waited until she had enough rest for a few minutes before sitting straight once more. She pped herself in the face two times, waking her drowsy self up before continuing to set up for the next try. "Come on," Estelle reminded herself of her goal. As powerful as she was, not everything was within her arm''s reach. Estelle wouldn''t credit everything that befell her upon her power and status alone. Yes, she was privileged, yes she was blessed, but that shouldn''t discredit her hard work and dedication upon her progress. She recalled the time where she continuously failed on experiments such as creating a mana potion and was once again motivated. Only, those times were harmless failures- nothing was put at stake. This time, something much more precious was being risked. Her soul power and the time she would waste. However, she truly believed that achieving this enlightenment on how to properly mix the elements would grant her with a power that wasparable to none of her previous experiences with said magic. She usually used a variety of elements, some of them sourcing from different base magics or even Unique Magics she procured through her means. Her Creation Magic was never fully explored, but it was truly convenient. It was just that her knowledge was not sufficient for proper exploitation of said magic. Estelle recalled the Ruler''s words, about how the Eterna was suited for her and her magic. She began to wonder what did the being mean by that, but it must be something profitable. After getting her mind back to shape, she began closing her eyes one more time and focusing on her experiment. In her failure, it wasn''t like she didn''t gain anything. She knew what things to avoid or do to a certain point. It wasn''t aplete waste of time. She coiled her mana, and the process began once again. She expected it to be much faster this time, because of her experience of maintaining the mixture of mana and nothingness that would increase her familiarity with the subject. Chapter 85: Final Point Chapter 85: Final Point Silence ensued in the familiar outer realm of Eterna. Just like usual, a silver-haired girl was sitting on the tform, concentrating on growing out her power. [Yes.. Just like that...] Estelle was enraptured in the beauty of her own progress. In total, she had failed three major tries. This was her fourth. The one thing that she noticed was that her development seemed too good to be true. It was amazing to see herself achieving this much in a short time. Including rests and breaks, she had used a day worth of time. This would be considered a great wager in exchange for her ability. At first, there was no visible progression. However, a lot of things did change internally and it made her happy. For example, she was now granted with the ability to utilize her mana itself as a weapon. After a lot of mixing with nothingness and Creation Magic, it was as if a variant type has been born. Her mana could wield offensive abilities. If she needed a channel- like a spell, element, or enchantment in order to attack using her mana before, this time would be different. She could use her purest form of said mana as a proper weapon. Of course, it wouldn''t be strong. Her own spells were still much stronger. However, this meant that she had just created, or discovered a new method of offense. Outside of the elements she knew, outside of the spells she was taught. This made Estelle aware of just how much she didn''t know of the vast universe. Up until a few months ago, she considered the barriers within her own realm as everything. She was too tightened up. She worked around things with the knowledge she already knew, assisted with ones she brought from her previous world. What she forgot to do was explore the uncovered things inside the realm itself. She considered the knowledge from her original world as sufficient supplements for her progress, but she was mistaken. Estelle was now proceeding at a great rate. After understanding some concepts, she naturally got better at controlling herself. She was now able to rx to a certain degree when practicing. Yes, practicing. Up until now, she hadn''t managed to fully mix the three problematic elements yet. It was such a crazy training scheme. Chasing something that she didn''t know anything about. The usage, the form, the element, she knew practically nothing about the final result, only guesses. She predicted that it would be something that added a feature towards her Creation Magic. Estelle found the Creation Magic to be extremely dominant. It would always overpower the other mixture, no matter how hard she tried to stabilize it. If aplete mixture was indeed created, the Creation Magic would surely surpass the other two''s influence and take over. She alsoprehended that it would be something that ''aided'' the Creation Magic and not change it in any way, shape, or form. Because Creation Magic, in the purest essence of it, was a rigid element. She was restricted to creating, creating, and doing nothing but creation. Just like the name suggests. It was a confusing subject. Creation Magic obviously allowed her to surpass thews of normality. She was creating things out of nothing whenever she utilized her Creation Magic. Yet, at the same time, it was restrictive. After seeing how advanced and flexible Arayle''s Destruction Magic could be, Estelle was led to believe that there was more to her magic. More than what meets the eye. Estelle deductions were few on this matter since she had little material to work with, but she had an overall idea. It was the fact that Estelle still had seals ced on her. The first time she met Yulia, these seals were seen by the woman. They hadn''t been opened because there was simply no time to devote their attention to the difficult seal. They couldn''t catch a long break that would suit their respective schedules. Breaking each seal would definitely cost them a lot of time. Estelle''s point, however, was that one of these seals would probably be rted to her Creation Magic. Simply because of Heine''s long-lived point of ''bnce''. Just like she was the viiness and she possessed Creation Magic, Arayle would be her counterpart, possessing the Destruction Magic. She didn''t know whether Arayle also received a dream like she did back when she was an infant, the one that dered herself as the viiness, but up until this point, there was indeed a high chance that the girl was her counterpart. The matter about Arayle being a heroine was not confirmed. She could be apletely different role. Either way, Estelle had decided to steer herself out of her confinements and take her own path instead of following her predestined fate. Today, she was trying things out like usual. Having gotten used to the first few hurdles, she passed them with ease and started to probe into the parts she failed in before. She didn''t expect to see immediate results. Her failures also brought her benefits, so she was a bit less worried. Just then, when she hit the one hour mark, something cracked. Not knowing whether it was a bad thing or otherwise, Estelle continued cultivating her case. However, an unexpected hurdle came flying at her. If before, she only had to be overwhelmed with harsh concentration and focus, this time would be different. Pain was included. Sharp pain that made her stagger. It came every time her mana came in touch with the two elements. Before, they hadn''t shown any signs of permanent mixing, but now it did. They were mixing together, but they still repelled each other. This rejection was what caused the pain, because Estelle could sense that the injections of pain happened only when she tried to mix the elements. Estelle couldn''t help but grit her teeth to distract her from the immense pain. [I''m alright. This is still fine. I have to.. pull through!] Estelle convinced herself and braced every single bit of the pain. It was always like this, the detestable cycle that enveloped her. Every huge incident, she would be washed down by pain. It was almost like a ritual. But one thing was for sure- after the pain ends, she would get something. A lesson. Valuable ones. Experience. For that same reason, Estelle bore all the pain without giving up or breaking her concentration. It felt like something was ripping her body apart from the inside. It was a disgusting feeling,parable to none. Estelle did develop a pain tolerance, but the pain that hit her periodically always increased in terms of strength. She was made to not be able to withstand all of it. At the end, Estelle was once more at the brink of copse. [A viiness should be strong. Not like this, not like the current me.] Estelle constantly reminded herself. That she would have to face Arayle eventually. That if she didn''t go through all these efforts, she would lose out against Arayle''s advantages. Be it time flow differences to the nature of their opposing elements, Arayle would beat her. Then, Estelle had no choice but to defeat her through another way. Perhaps, the trials given to her were meant to be harsh in order to cultivate herself to be someoneparable to Arayle. It was just that the methods worked against her desires. Force and even more force. Of course, there would be no point if Estelle just continued withstanding the pain without doing anything. That would be a training for pain tolerance and not her power. Estelle tried to maneuver what was left of her consciousness to operate her mana one more time. Estelle felt like she was on the tip of a steep cliff, where her destination was being hung up high above her and she just had to make a way to get there. Her destination seemed so close, yet so far and hard to get to. Estelle opened her small mouth to allow easier breathing. She tried her best not to panic even amidst the bad conditions. Her worries constantly surfaced as the pain surged all over her body, but she bore it all. Because it was a necessary procedure for her to grow. Estelle wished for everything to be over quickly. Unfortunately, that would not happen. As time ticked, seconds, minutes, hours had passed. Estelle herself felt like death really was tailing her all the time, seeking for the perfect chance to tug her down at any given moment. She was at the brink of copse. And yet, she couldn''t give up. She was close. Terribly close to the ending. And yet, she couldn''t understand what would break this annoying bottleneck in her process. The elements wouldn''t be one. They weren''t in unison. The blockage that was always present. The wretched element that stopped her from attaining her goal. The pain continued without stopping. The more she tried, the more it got worse. Another change came, this time it was when she tried to probe the mixture harder. A pain harsher than anything that came before psed over her. "Ahh!" Not being able to hold it any longer, Estelle was repelled by her own force and fell onto the ground. Wincing in pain, Estelle''s first priority was to check on her progress. Her mixture had disappeared, but she wouldn''t call it a failure. Something did happen. Something that wasn''t a ''failure''. She calmed herself down a little bit before feeling her power. If nothing changed, then she truly suffered for nothing. However, the moment she felt her magic course through her body, something did feel different. A lot different. "..This is?" Estelle felt the change within her unfold. Chapter 86: Concept Chapter 86: Concept It was a pleasant feeling, like something familiar to her was returned after a long period of separation. Her power of Creation. The power she was bestowed with ever since she took over this body, along with the title [Creator]. It was just as mysterious as everything that happened around her. In terms of awareness, she was as good as a child. She had so much more to uncover. And this power would be one of those interesting discoveries to her. A game changer for her path. She could feel it. As she yed around with her newly upgraded magic, her eyes lit up with every discovery. Estelle couldn''t resist a huge smile blooming on her face as she looked at the wonder that sprouted inside of her with gleaming eyes. Whenever she thought about her powers, the downside that is theck of flexibility would alwayse up. However, with this new upgrade, that downside was greatly reduced. She felt like she was able to top her previous creations. Before, her blueprints of the usable things she could make were basic ones that she mixed with both worlds'' knowledge. For example, her favorite move was the falling rain of spears. It was because she dedicated longer time in perfecting the technique through learning the intricate design of the spears. One prototype that she continued to produce at a high pace. Upon boosting it with tons of spells, the spear became strengthened. It was highly effective for killing monsters likend dwellers who couldn''t move that fast to avoid Estelle''s blows. The prime example was when she subjugated the waves of monsters by herself by pouring the batches of spears without end. However, even that couldn''t take advantage of her maximum potential. She was restricted by a few things. First, the spear couldn''t be maintained for long. Estelle focused on the power and production speed. The spear itself operated like a machine gun''s bullet, bringing down an enemy not only by sheer power but also overwhelming numbers. In truth, if Estelle could create high quality, longsting spears that could take down a strong monster in one go, Estelle would''ve done so. Her optimization skills and infinite mana allowed her to do so. She was capable of concentrating harder than any of her kind, and would be able to perform consecutive actions in a battle. However, the reality was far from her ideal. No matter how she experimented, only the low quality spears came out. By low quality, it didn''t necessarily mean not strong. It was just that the spears wouldn''t be effective in real closebat between regr soldiers. The magic she cast were like stacks of weight ced onto the spear. When used long enough, the spear wouldn''tst. That was why Estelle only utilized her spears during battle and didn''t distribute them when she could obviously strengthen her people with her weapon creations. This worked throughout all of her creations. The mana potions she created from her research were also like that. She now possessed quite therge batch of potions inside her inventory, and it was practically ready to be released. However, she refrained from doing so. It was because the potion''s user needed to have very specific conditions in order for the potion to take effect. The user must have lower than half their mana bank, and it would only work between the range of 25%-35% of their total mana count. Outside of that range, the effectiveness would be killed. Either it had a low recovery effect, or itpletely didn''t help at all. This led Estelle to discover that something was indeed wrong with her magic. It was iplete. She wasn''t able to create things that could fully stand on its own. She either had to supplement it with other elements, be it spells or enchantments. For example, if she wished to create a huge wave, she would also be channeling water magic at the same time. If she tried to make a whole wave using just her Creation Magic, the result would be half of what she could get with mixing with the other elements. However, even this had a flow. To put it into perspective, Estelle could create three waves. One wave would be made purely by Creation Magic. The second wave would be made by abination between the Creation Magic and elemental assists from Water Magic. This would strengthen the wave''s output, be it size, power, or spawning time. However, the third wave that she could create eliminate all needs for the previous two options. Creating a wave using solely Water Magic was possible for Estelle, who was adept at all types and elements except for those out of the ordinary like Arayle''s Destruction Magic. And exactly how did the wave created by the Water Magic perform? It surpassed the ones using Creation Magic. Outssed them by a mile. This also applied to the spears. Instead of using Creation Magic, she was technically able to make spears out of pure elemental energy. An example would be light spears- made out of the light element. In a sense, Estelle rarely used her Creation Magic on a daily basis due to this knowledge, except when she was researching or having the need to create an object. This was why, the ''flexibility'' she obtained amused her. Because it contained a possible solution to this dilemma. Just as she was fiddling with her newfound power, a familiar voice that she had hear repeatedly and was fond of at this point appeared. It was the Ruler. The being had visited her. "Estelle," The Ruler called out her name, drawing Estelle''s attention away from her sneaky little experiments. "Hmm?" Humming in response, Estelle''s eyes darted above. This was a habit of hers. Even though the Ruler had told her that it wasn''t above her, she would unconsciously look at said direction. This was because Estelle pictured the Ruler as a voice from an oracle. To her, the Ruler was her guide, and a being that passed down oracles to her. Pieces of advice and messages that brought her light. She associated the being with some sort of deity or other divine beings. "Did you seed..?" The Ruler asked. Knowing that the Ruler must''ve realized her change, Estelle nodded truthfully. "Surprisingly, yes, I did. I was prepared for a few more failures but the actual change just happened like that," Estelle shrugged, massaging her tense shoulders that had been tired out from the constant practice. Judging by the Ruler''s tone and voice, the being had descended to the outer realm in a rush. It usually visited her whenever its duties were relieved and it could take a break. This time, the Ruler came in a hurry. The Ruler didn''t reply for a short while. "..What, was I not supposed to seed? Did you think I had to struggle for far longer?" Hearing theck of response from the Ruler, Estelle questioned. It wasn''t like the being to space out this much. "Well.. yes. You''re proceeding much faster than I thought you would," The Rulermented, breaking itsyer of seriousness and letting a hearty chuckle out. Estelle gave a gentle smile as she thought about her eventual return to the Surface. Her soul power now rested at 38. Whenever she concentrated harshly, the number would lower down. Although her mental fortitude was quite strong and didn''t impact the count by a lot, every single digit mattered to Estelle. It was like a constant reminder of her struggles in the Eterna. Struggle like a helpless prey for the chance of survival or degrade into a Value 0 and die. To be honest, it wasn''t like she hated the experience. She was gaining a lot of gifts for herself that she appreciated. "Well, now that I''ve gotten the power, what now?" Estelle asked. She now regarded the Ruler as her teacher. The being would always give her pointers and advices that benefited her, leading Estelle to believe the being''s intentions. The being told her to achieve this mystical feature first. There was a time when she couldn''tprehend why this process was necessary, but as she progressed, it became clear. There must be a sequence of actions that would form a path for her return. "...Rest a bit. I still have things to do. I sensed that you broke the calm flow of this realm and I had to check it out.. I will tell you after your rest," "Alright...?" Estelle raised an eyebrow, not being able toprehend why the Ruler won''t just tell her next step. The Ruler was restricted to verbal help, so it couldn''t assist her that much. However, since she did need rest, she agreed to the offer. She was exhausted- both physically and mentally. Once the Ruler''s voice disappeared, Estelle began toy on the ground. A couple sighs were let out here and there, signifying her clear tiredness. She gazed at the empty realm with wonder. Her eyes were heavy. Afterying down, her drowsiness got boosted up by a lot. Estelle blinked a few times before sleepiness overtook her consciousness. After a few yawns, she fell asleep. Chapter 87: Next Target Chapter 87: Next Target When Estelle woke up, she was still caught in a daze, at a loss on what to do. Estelle yawned, rubbing her eyes to eliminate her sleepiness. She usually took periodical rests, around two hours every now and then. Training, thinking, sleeping. Those three activities were the only ones she performed ever since she got into the Eterna. It was simply because other duties weren''t necessary. The Eterna was strange. There was no barrier or boundary that separated the ground and the ceiling. There was also no concept of gravity, but Estelle didn''t constantly float. She was able to keep her footing and stay in ce in the middle of nothing. The realm of nothingness, she had gotten used to the living conditions, but she still wasn''t able to fathom everything. Well, this specific characteristic was only one of many strange qualities, so it wouldn''t be that much of a shocker. Estelle waited as she continued fiddling with her magic. Her life was so mundane here. There was no excitement. Well, she felt excitement when she managed to breakthrough her bottlenecks. However, it was only for a short while because the doom that psed behind it would always haunt her. She was waiting for the Ruler''s arrival. Because she couldn''t do much without the being''s existence. After waiting for quite a while, the Ruler''s voice fell onto her ears. She immediately perked up. "Hello," Awkwardly greeting the being, she stopped her listless fiddling and paid attention to the Ruler. "Hello there, child," The Ruler replied. "So, uh.. I did the thing.. right?" Estelle "Yes, you did," The Ruler chucked. "Why are you acting so unsure? And why are you referring of the incident as ''the thing''?" "Well-! Who knows, I might''ve done something wrong," Estelle pouted at the Ruler''s yful mockery. Not minding Estelle''sints, the Ruler began its instructions. "The next thing that you should do is training your Creation Magic," The Ruler said, sighing at something unknown to Estelle. The sigh was abrupt and out of nowhere. Taking in the Ruler''s words, Estelle raised a brow in confusion. "...My Creation Magic? Directly? Wouldn''t that affect my soul power?" The constant knowledge was that using her Creation Magic would impact the soul count higher than using pure mana and the element of nothingness. Estelle dreaded her digits dropping, so she was reluctant to use her Creation Magic unless absolutely necessary. Especially now that her soul count was starting to lower down pretty heavily, won''t she be at risk? She wanted to preserve her digits. The Ruler then soothed her worries. "It''s fine. As long as you use the power in the right way, you''ll be fine," The Ruler said. [The right way?] "But my Creation Magic is dominant," Estelle argued. "Yes, but Eterna will turn that around," The Rulerughed. "..How does that work?" Estelle frowned. Her experience inside the Eterna didn''t depict something like that. Her Creation Magic still harmed her, and the nothingness did less harm. But since the Creation Magic was dominant, wouldn''t it still harm her? Eterna was indeed strange. So strange that she was distraught. Estelle was a bit apprehensive at the start, but if there was a tendency to be pointed out from her journey in Eterna, it would be her unconditional trust towards the Ruler. The Ruler was her best guide- her light inside the Eterna. Estelle ended up acquiescing to the n. She trusted the being more than herself in the Eterna. The Eterna was the being''s space. It would not be an exaggeration to say that Estelle was still terrified deep down. Being thrown into an unknown space, with no physical objects or living things to see except for herself would spook anybody. Estelle naturally wanted to go back home as soon as she could. The only reason why she hadn''t panicked as much is because she was capable to digest the matter better than most people. No matter how she tried to put it aside, Eterna was a ce that she wished to avoid. However, she was also starting to get irked. Irked by the whole situation. Estelle took a deep sigh. Everything was so depressing. Why was she caught in this mess? How vexing. "How exactly can I use my Creation Magic?" Estelle sighed and decided to ask. She would follow up with the Ruler''s ns. "Hmm.. Show me thebination process first. My senses told me that you seeded, but I need to see it in action before I can say anything," The Ruler thought for a moment and said. The senses it referred to was a vibration that urred when Estelle sessfully made thebinationplete. The one that made the being rush without much thought. Estelle rubbed her palms together, preparing herself for this hearty exercise right after waking up. The process was taxing, but she could bear it now. "Alright, here goes!" Estelle took a deep breath before getting into her position. Estelle slowly closed her eyes, mustering up her concentration and going through the same phases she went through previously. She channeled her mana, sessfullybined it with the element of nothingness, and went on to mix it with her Creation Magic. This time, the process was much smoother. Estelle herself was taken aback by the difference. When she delved into the process, she was fully bracing for any pain that mighte with it like the trials when she triedbining. However, the pain was now nonexistent, much to Estelle''s happiness. And before she achieved the final enlightenment, she needed hours to even begin the mixing procedure. However, it was now smoothly going without any blockage at all. The blockage that once made her fail three times was gone. Her connections were sailing without any distractions. In the end, Estelle managed to reproduce her result in less than an hour. "Here... it is," Estelle managed to direct her mixture as a small, concentrated ball of power. Thebination was actually a form of another power. The enlightenment brought effects to Estelle''s magic, but the real product of thebination was this strange element. It was a bizarre mixture. It was not as stable as any other thing Estelle could wield, but it was now able to stand by itself. Estelle didn''t have to waste much time trying to maintain it. "..Well, I can say that you''ve indeed seeded. Congrattions for achieving this," The Ruler said, acknowledging Estelle''s result. "It was nothing much. Wielding the nothingness took much longer," Estelle recalled the time she wasted ten days for her first progression. She was ted at how smoothly the rest went by. "Well that was because you don''t possess the element. It''s your first timeing in contact with it, right? It would be unnatural if you took a short time," The Ruler pointed out. Estelle shrugged, finding either way diforting. She still wasn''t satisfied. "You had to draw out the element of nothingness from yourself before, correct? Where was it concentrated at?" The Ruler brought the topic up. "..My hands... and my head," Estelle answered. "There were also lingering elements around my limbs, but it was much lesser," "Those ces you just mentioned, why do you think they contain the element of nothingness?" "Because they''re losing soul power?" That was the logical exnation she could think of. "Hmm.. It''s not exactly that. It is true that nothingness is overtaking those ces because of the soul power factor, but you''re not losing the power from there. Ultimately, you lose soul power from, well, if it wasn''t obvious- your soul!" "Yes.. and?" Estelle tilted her head, not getting the Ruler''s point. "Your soul is essentially your core. Because you''re losing soul power, your body can''t keep up. Nothingness is beginning to take over, waiting slowly until your value drops down to 0," Estelle gulped, fearing the thing. She was afraid of dying inside here. Much more than dying in the Surface. It was because no one would know that she had died. The Ruler told her that her unconscious body would fall into aa state while she was in here, but that meant that her family and acquaintances might have to see her alive yet not realize that she has been dead inside the Eterna. She was afraid of it. Afraid of disappearing before she could inform any other guy. "So, your next task would be to convert the nothingness inside you to your Creation Magic. Create yourself. Your soul power, replenish it back to the point where you won''t contain any nothingness at all, and you shall be returned to the Surface because Eterna would reject you," The Ruler announced, making Estelle shocked at the promation. Her Creation Magic was able to replenish soul power? Restore nothingness? Was it really that convenient? Hell, wouldn''t that invalidate her previous worries? If she could restore her soul power, then she would be able to maintain life inside the Eterna, even. If so.. Wouldn''t that mean there was something she could do? Ideas revolved around her head. On what she could do, and how it''d impact her and the others. Especially the Ruler and its realm. Chapter 88: What A Reveal Chapter 88: What A Reveal "How.. do I begin?" Estelle was lost. In her hands was the element she had produced, but she couldn''tprehend what the Ruler meant by healing her soul power. In theory, it would work. Applying it in reality was a different matter, though. She still had to be led by an instruction if she wanted to rush things up. The Ruler didn''t answer her immediately. It pondered for a moment beforeing back to deliver a message one more time. "Have you used healing magic? Wait, that''s not right. You can use all magic except that counterpart of yours, correct?" The Ruler rified. "Yes, I can," Estelle was well aware of this convenient ability of hers. She nodded, confirming the im. "Well then, that feeling when you apply healing magic onto a target, do you know how that connects? As the receiver?" The Ruler asked. Estelle began imagining when was thest time she practiced the healing magic or used it upon others. "As the receiver, it''s like a warm feeling.. a heaping, soothing energy bursts from you and, well.." Estelle tried to recall the exact feeling, but she hadn''t gotten hurt a lot and rarely used the magic. She had used healing magic on others more than on herself. Most of the time, her excellent physique covered for her mistakes and made her heal fast enough that she didn''t need the magic. "Well, the process you''re going to go through is simr to that feeling. You can just emte the feeling of being ''healed''. Treat your soul power like a patient, and heal it using yourbination magic. "Where is this ce that I''m going to heal?" Estelle tilted her head as she asked. "Everything. Your limbs, your head, heal every ce that is losing soul power. Once your condition is restored back to full, then you will be ejected from Eterna," "One more thing. This is a future matter, but will I be able to use thisbination magic outside the Eterna?" "If the requirements were met, then yes. If there is nothingness for you to utilize, you can create the same energy. The increase in your internal strength is permanent, though. Like that improvement with your Creation Magic?" Estelle nodded, feeling ted that she would keep her benefits. She hasn''t found much use to thebination magic yet, but she expected that it woulde to be of use some day in the future. Her instincts told her that, and she was always sharp in terms of natural judgements. But there was still one thing that Estelle wanted to ask. An off topic question. "You seem to know a lot. How?" Estelleunched the question out of pure curiosity. "Hm? In regards to what? This matter?" "This.. and everything else. Is it obvious to you? All my worries, and the situation I''m in," Every time Estelle asked a question, the Ruler would have an answer. It was so strange, to the point that she wondered if the Ruler already had an answer key filled with the questions she asked. The being answered her so fast, like it was experienced with said question well. "Well- some of it, yes. The others.. for example, this matter is a bit familiar to me," The Ruler answered. "Familiar?" Estelle recalled that in the first day she stepped inside Eterna, the Ruler did mention that she was familiar. Her heart began to race as she waited for the Ruler''s follow up. "Hmm, you can''t say that no one that wasn''t a Value 0 has ever stepped into thends of Eterna. You''re not the first one with this case," The Ruler''s big reveal made Estelle frown. "What?! There were other cases?" Shocked, Estelle raised her voice. How could that be? She thought that she was caught in this stressful matter because of her iid fate, was that not the case? "Your soul is special, and that was what caused you to be dragged here. That''s the premise behind it. Once.. there was another individual who was just as peculiar as you," The Ruler reminisced. "With a strong soul, he was someone who underwent a lot of trials before he came into Eterna. After doing his necessary duties, he freed himself from the Eterna and began to embark on further journeys," With Estelle''s strong emotional sensor, she was able to catch on to the mncholic tone in its voice. Like a sentiment towards a dear old friend. Every now and then, the Ruler would shift into different tones, making Estelle chuckle at how bad it was in hiding the emotions it had. "Who was that man?" "The first Constetion leader.. I believe you guys call him the Sage? He wasn''t a Sage at all, though!" The Rulerughed. "The Sage.. That Sage? He went here, too?" Estelle became even more shocked with the revtion. "Yes. In fact, I think you share a lot of simrities with him," "...How so?" Estelle first heard of that same im being directed at her by Heine, who said that she was like the Sage. "When I look at you, your story really reminds me of the Sage''s path. It''s different in a parallel way. Like two problems that aren''t directly rted, yet share the same points. For example, he too had problems with being a Constetion leader. He didn''t even notice his status until he was near his demise. Luckily, I caught it in time," "..Huh?" Estelle began to sense something amiss. "Constetion leader? ''Too''?" By the word ''too'', didn''t the Ruler imply that Estelle was also a Constetion leader? "..Are you not a Constetion?" This time, the Ruler''s voice was the one who became shocked. Estelle ruffled her hair, knowing that a misunderstanding must''ve urred. The Ruler was all knowing, how did he mistake her for a leader when she hadn''t initiated anything? "I don''t even know what this whole Constetion thing was-," Estelle stopped her words froming out. That wasn''t right. She knew what Constetions were, and her colleagues seem to view her as the leader position, but she hadn''t actually understood about the concept. Correcting herself, she coughed and continued her words. "Someone did exin a bit to me, so I know what a Constetion is, but me? A leader? I haven''t done anything," "You don''t have to do anything. In order to be a Constetion leader, you have to fulfill the requirements. That''s it, really. After that, the members'' selection will ur," The Ruler said. "You are already a Constetion leader, you know?" "Wait, wait, what? No way," Estelle denied, waving her hands as she debunked the Ruler''s theory. "Besides, if that''s the case, then when did I fulfill the requirements? And won''t somebody who knows these easily be the next leader? Why me?" Estelle was confused, understandably. She questioned the Ruler with rows of questions. "Well- of course not anybody can be a Constetion leader of member! The requirements are hellish, and unless you are born with the talents, it won''t be achievable. The members are appointed by the leader through a consensual contract, but the leader.. is appointed by the world itself," "..What are these requirements?" Estelle asked. "To be acknowledged by the world, one must possess all the races'' blessings and be able to use all the elements inside said world. That''s the world''s highest form of favorability towards you," "No, you are clearly favored by the entire vastnds. Even the monsters and new race are fond of you, no?" The Ruler spoke as if Estelle was the one spouting nonsense. In its eyes, everything was clear. Estelle''s identity, the world''s situations, everything. "I didn''t know about all this.. Wait, could it be..?" Estelle recalled a certain part of hers that she has been putting aside for a while. The seals on her status. The seals that she never touched or tried to unlock, the ones she never paid attention to ever since she learned that she wasn''t able to open them by herself. "I was told that I have seals covering parts of my status. Could that be it?" Estelle brought the matter up. "Let me check, then," The Ruler hummed as it performed something in rtion to Estelle''s status. After a few seconds of checking, the Ruler continued its speech. "..You really do have the seals. Well, I will unlock those seals for you," "You can do it? Wait, not that, you''re allowed to do it?" Estelle had thought that beings like the Ruler would certainly not be allowed to help or involve themselves with a mortal, especially one of a different realm''s matters. The Ruler took in her concern. It considered her points, and came up with a suitable answer. "The seal''s opening is within my realm of expertise, and the world''s karma will treat this as a lucky encounter falling onto you. You have suffered much more, so this luck will be considered a justifiable bnce factor. This is also the Eterna, where my authority matters the most in terms of direct matters. The world''s karma still applies here, but since you are the Surface''s dweller... Well, just trust me. It''ll be fine." The Ruler announced in one long paragraph. As she heard the words, Estelle found it hard to keep up with the Ruler''s exnation. "Wait. Stop. World''s karma? I don''t understand. Tell me everything there is to the Surface, the Underworld, and the Eterna. Hell, you don''t even have to say it personally, but please document it in a neat manner..?" Estelle asked gently, rubbing the side of her head as she tried to process all the barrage of information. She was experiencing an information overload, which hurt her mind as it was crowding her thoughts heavily. "..I shall do that before you return to the Surface," The Ruler relented, agreeing to the girl''s solution. There were much more that it knew about. Chapter 89: Its Very Simple Chapter 89: It''s Very Simple After the short conversation, the Ruler left without much thought. It went back to the upper realms to perform its detestable duties. Estelle shook her head, her thoughts still chaotic at how ridiculous the current situation. It turned out that she was a Constetion Leader all along? If so, why would her colleagues not notify her of the matter? Did they not know? Estelle''s main suspicion fell onto Heine. She had met the former Fae King back when he was still the reigning monarch. He had the connection to the Spirit Tree. She didn''t believe that the Spirit Tree told him nothing about her identity. Estelle had an internal debate. As she progressed, why did it seem like everything was a big, concealed lie? No matter how she tried to downy the matter, it was as if the world itself lied to her without end. Estelle couldn''t bear the thought. She was first shocked with the casual attitude Heine put on when she revealed that she was a reincarnated person. Heine was strange. Suspicious. ringly so. And the thing was, he didn''t even bother to put up an act to cover his strangeness. He was always transparent in certain matters he helped Estelle with. Without his aid, Estelle''s progress would''ve been so much slower. As much as he hated to admit it, her current achievements would only be possible with the help of everyone she was indebted to. Without them, she was bound to fail. It never struck her how imbnced of a person she was. She was strong, yet weak. In face of the countless truths and lies spreading across the world''s horizon, she was powerless. With only her astounding power as a weapon, she wouldn''t fare that well. There were actually so many things she didn''t know. So many things that her colleagues knew due to their boundless experience. Estelle knew that she wasn''t entitled to every knowledge that existed outside of her viewpoints, but she truly desired to know more. She thought that since she was once an adult, that status would also work the same way inside this new world she was pushed into. She underestimated just to what extent a fantasy world could go to. Ultimately, fantasy was fantasy. Nothing would be certain. She had made a terrible mistake in thinking that she would be alright on her own. One of her questions were unlocked. She received an answer. In terms of being alone or together, she had to stay with people that could guide her until she could fly on her own. That was for certain. [How did I not realize it until now?] Estelle was baffled. It caught her off guard. Just how much did learn in a decade''s worth of living? Paying a trip to Eterna opened her eyes. In her eyes, knowledge was now ced at a very high standing in terms of power. She was in awe at the Ruler. At the same time, she was displeased at how things turned out to be. Estelle was in a bad mood over the revtion, but she decided to focus on her primary training. Trying to reach the goal, Estelle straightened up her posture as she calmed herself down. In order to achieve perfect focus, she had to stay calm and collected. Pushing away all the negative thoughts, Estelle controlled herself as she embodied the feeling of healing herself. Ultimately, thebination magic she created wasn''t a healing magic. The way they worked was different, but the concept was simr. Healing magic was different from regenerative magic. To ''heal'' wasn''t the same with ''regenerate''. When you heal someone, you are not speeding up their recovery rate, nor are you recing the wound with new elements. To heal was to alleviate the target''s unwell condition. Healing was mostly directed at sickness instead of injuries, whereas regenerative or recovery magic worked for general ailments as a whole. Regenerating an ailment meant that the problem was being repaired. Healing was different. The two terms were very closely rted to each other. Even their benefits and uses could freely interchange. Although people used to general term ''heal'' when speaking about curing without caring about the difference, Estelle was mindful of this discrepancy now that she was asked to ponder upon the connection between healing magic and her soul''s problems. "Healing.. huh," Estelle pouted as she fiddled around with her magic, wondering how she could maximize her progress. "Healing, healing, healing.." Estelle repeated the word so many times that she was starting to get sick of it. Healing her soul. To alleviate the cause. Restore the prime condition before the ailment''s coverage hit. How would she do that? To start off with a bang, Estelle began to churn out thebination magic element. She wanted to test out if she could just directly apply the element to her body. It was straightforward thinking. Before moving on toplex solutions, she decided to go and approach the matter from a narrow spectrum. Her speed was gradually increasing the more she mustered up the magic. In minutes, thebination magic was back on her palm. [Healing.] Estelle envisioned performing a self healing session on the nonexistent wound. On a deeper level, she cared and tended to her soul, hoping to recover her soul power that way. Like a warm ray of light, she cast herbination magic upon her limb. From there, she closed her eyes and tried to feel a difference. Estelle obviously knew how precious the soul digits were, and she wasn''t expecting direct improvements this early into her trials. As long as she was able to feel even the slightest bit of change, she would be satisfied. The Ruler had conveyed to her that she shouldn''t be too stressed. That the matter was hard to achieve and not meant to spedrun through. As apetitive person, Estelle was never satisfied with normal results and desired more. Part of her determination sourced from her wish to stand on top of others, as she always believed herself to be more superior than others. Perhaps that ego had now disappeared ever since people around her knocked some sense into her head. Reminded her that there was always a greater person beyond yourself. Thanks to that, she was able to prevent so many negative results. Estelle continued her application for minutes. The magic covered up her left arm, which was one of the main contributors to the element of nothingness inside her. Estelle wondered. If her limbs were restored, if her head was restored, then there wouldn''t be anymore elements of nothingness to use, wouldn''t there? Estelle relied on her own elements to muster up thebination magic. She drew nothingness out of herself, so if that same resource depleted, how would she fare from there? However, her current state was still full with nothingness. Her ''value'' of nothingness was currently higher than it should be. She had much resources to work with. She searched, and searched, but no results came up. She longed to feel a change. Any change would give her hope and instill the belief that there was still a chance for everything. And yet, her future looked bleak as she passed through the thirty minute mark in her experiment quickly. No results were spotted. Estelle started wondering if her way of approach was wrong. However, she was used to constant training and had lost her sense of time. One or two hours were now nothing in Estelle''s mind. Her mindset had been built in such a way that she was able to endure constant hours of concentration. Through her experience in Eterna, she felt her thoughts grow sharper than ever before. Her mental state was honed and sculpted until she managed to achieve her current state of calmness at any given moment. Continuing on pressing through the matter with the simplest approach she came up with, Estelle was both indignant and wishful. Somehow, she felt like her method of approach would work. Even though it was quite absurd. In face of such a troublesome matter, how could the solution be so easy? Even so, she persevered amidst her contrasting thoughts that told her to back off. Another thirty minutes passed without a single result. She didn''t pay much attention to it. As long as nothing failed, as long as there were no casualties, she was willing to continue down this path. One hour turned to two hours. Then three hours. And so on. Strangely, Estelle didn''t feel ufortable. She felt at ease even if she had been maintaining thebination magic for hours. It wasn''t unstable. At this point, Estelle didn''t know what to say. She started treating the experience as additional training for her mind and power. She felt stabler than any other moment she had spent inside Eterna. Just as she was spending more of her time catering to her limb, the change she had been so passionately waiting for appeared. In form of a tiny light that entered her being, warming her up for an instant. Estelle blinked, not sure how to react. It was a small reaction, but she felt it. Her heartbeat increased as she checked her soul power''s digits in a hurry. There, she found that her digit had increased by 1. "..Well, this worked?" Estelle made a smallugh. She didn''t expect it to work that smoothly. Her attempts in figuring out the solution to this matter was far easier than what she once envisioned. Her mental preparation was made useless, because she thought that she would have to face much failure before she seeded. Turns out, some matters only needed simple solutions. As long as she tried, there was light at the end of this gloomy tunnel. Estelle smirked as she was once more motivated. Her willpower burned like an undying me. Although it might die out from time to time, the me''s vitality would alwayse back soaring. Never would it be pulverized. Never would it disappear. Estelle was someone who hated losing no matter what the condition she was affiliated in anyway. Chapter 90: External Element Chapter 90: External Element Following her previous attempts, Estelle began to slowly heal her soul count. Now, she waspletely used to nonsensical time consuming processes. She could go through it without breaking a single sweat, aspared to her first few moments where she struggled. At this point, Estelle was practically a training machine. She never stopped her practice sessions because she was motivated after she saw her brilliant sess. She set the target to bring her soul count up to 40 before stopping to have a rest. With a defined goal, Estelle was able to focus much better, because she believed that it would be easily reached. Having certain stops and breaks was the key to continuous progression without being burnt out. Although Estelle was someone who could handle rigorous training over and over again, she did not want her memory of Eterna to consist of only boredom and strenuous mind exercises. Estelle began to think of her goals as part of a game. Whenever she reached a goal, she would feel the instant gratification and relief surge through her, and that kept her going. If her soul count was a cake, and it was consumed more than halfway, she was reversing the food back to its original state one slice at a time. It did not take a short period of time. It took days for her to finally be able to shorten the original hours of work for one single digit of soul count to a decent enough time. At first, it felt very vexing to have to go through so many stages just for one digit. However, Estelle fully believed in improvements. From the simr conditions she had experienced with the other targets, her time would always increase once she hit the bottlenecks. And whenever she broke those blockages that prevented her from going further, it was very satisfying. She began to imagine what would''ve happened if everything was handed to her on a silver tter. Without challenges, without stress, a fully smooth journey from zero to a hundred. In her imagination, that smooth journey was akin to someone like Arayle''s life. The Princess who was blessed with uncontroble benefits. However, Estelle did not feel like she was cheated, or that the whole fiasco was unfair. She would''ve never gotten these experiences that brought her to where she was right now, she would''ve never cultivated her sense and knowledge. Estelle implemented different methods of thebination magic''s cultivation at all times to give herself the maximum amount of benefits. These different variations of the original method yielded her with more results, which ultimately made her happy. She was able to passively cultivate her energies every passing second. No matter what activity she was doing, she could manage to tend to her training. With the variant''s help, she was able to progress even further and achieve bigger results. Estelle was satisfied with her advancements. In total, the time she spent would go up to over a month. She had been counting the days she stayed for, so her expressions were quite morphed when she noticed that she had gone over a month. A month ina would be distressing not only to her, but also the people around her. Her absence meant that her people had to deal with the disasters'' aftermath without her aid. Estelle knew well that she was an essential figure in her territory even if she wasn''t recognized widely. Not to mention, there was also the uncertain worry that new disasters might sprout when she was staying in the Eterna. She would not be able to do anything if that was the case. There was Heine and Minerva staying in reste''snds, but she wasn''t sure if those two could suffice in face of great danger like the previous two storms. Their opponent was Elias. Someone she couldn''t even handle. In terms of power, she was sure that she would win against Heine and Minerva. If so, then wouldn''t Elias be an impossible cmity to beat for them? Elias was still present and active. She didn''t know what went inside that man''s head. His ploys, schemes, the detestable man was hatred inducing. Luckily, the omniscient Ruler had eyes all over the realms. The being could freely peer into the world, although it would not be able toy its hands on the matters. The Ruler could ry any potential danger to Estelle, but none of them would be able to do anything. It just served as means to assure Estelle that everything was alright. The emotional constion meant huge for her. Today, her total recorded time spent in Eterna had reached one month and a week. As usual, Estelle would start of her day with a bang- training vigorously with her highest concentration strength. The more she concentrated, the more she could achieve. However, she also had to be mindful of the cost for concentrating. She would lose her soul digit if she failed to control everything perfectly. Concentrating was highly rted to the soul''s vibrations, and if she wasn''t careful, she could lose more than what she gained. This powerful session would kickstart the rest of her training. Her best record was one digit raised in two hours. Raising this number wasn''t easy, and she was perfectly aware of it. Thus, she withstood her slow work more. Even though it was slow, the process definitely worked. Her soul count was now resting at the ample number of 83, much to her liking. Estelle gleamed every time she saw the fantastic count. Another day passed. Her count rose again. The end was near. The more she approached 100, the more she wondered. After some experiments, she discovered that she wasn''t able to use the elements of nothingness from the Eterna itself. She had to extract it from herself. Now, she was facing this so called progress curve where her work was being hindered by theck of resources. At first, she had much room to work with, and although the time taken was still a bit long for the results she earned, it was definitely working. But now, not to mention 100, as she approached the 90 count, the nothingness within her was thinning out. And with it, her record breaking time slowly regressed to something much worse than the first time she started. Gloom covered Estelle. If this was the case, then wouldn''t she never be able to reach the 100 threshold? To put it into perspective, in the time Estelle used to heal back one soul digit, she would have to consume one soul digit and even more than that. She would not be able to earn. A stagnant state. "What must I do?" The soul meter that now had high numbers was nothing but depressing to the current Estelle. She looked at the count with sadness. She had just been back from her training session, where she managed to produce one digit. However, to her dismay, she lost one of her digits right after stopping the session. Her current bottleneck was ''87''. She was stuck in a continuous cycle of earning and losing the energy. She waited for the Ruler with much anticipation. She did not leave her training, however, as she continued to circte her magic. She kept up her spirits, but it was indeed diforting to have your progress be stilled like this. It only took one day for the Ruler to pay its next visit. Its previous visit was when Estelle was in her 60 digits. "You really are progressing fast. Good," The Rulerplimented, but Estelle couldn''t ept the being''s words wholeheartedly. The being saw Estelle''s high count, and then looked at Estelle''s low spirited expressions. Estelle''s chest felt pressed in regards to this matter, so she wasn''t able to be as cheerful as usual. "What? Are you stuck?" The Ruler asked. "Yes," Estelle readily replied. "I guessed so. You are not utilizing Eterna''s element at all, so you wouldn''t gain anything from this point on," "In that case, should I learn how to use Eterna''s element?" Estelle had prepared all her possible theories within the days she had been stuck. She was very wary to the environment she was put in after many incidents, so she didn''t try out this method previously as the Ruler never told her to do so. "No. Using Eterna''s element will only corrupt you further. It ispletely different from your own energy," "..Then?" Estelle epted the being''s statement. It made sense. However, if so, what should she use? Estelle let out a relieved sigh inside her heart, as she thought that she had dodged a dangerous bullet. If she was reckless and tried the method out without consulting the Ruler, what would''ve happened? "From what I see right now, you have an external helper in your process that you would be fine going on without," The Ruler gave a vague advice. "Remember, to the Creation Magic, there should be no limits," Estelle slipped into a trance after hearing the words. She had an unconscious habit of falling into a deep focus state where she wouldn''t be able to absorb unneeded external influences after being trained to concentrate for so long. Realizing that Estelle would be unresponsive from this point on, the Ruler decided to leave the vicinity. With those pieces of advices, Estelle marched on. At first, she was lost. She didn''t know how to interpret the Ruler''s message. She pondered on the issue for a long time. Creation Magic. A boundless element was what it was supposed to be. Yet, on Estelle''s hands, it wasn''t able to mature fully. Estelle racked her brains up to produce a great solution. After hard brainstorming, she came up with one. "Filling the nothingness with my [Creation]?" Estelle mumbled after much thoughts. Chapter 91: Goodbye Chapter 91: Goodbye Dispelling nothingness by creating an existence to fill the nks. "What an absurd idea. I like it," Chuckling, she manifested her Creation Magic in a joking manner. At first, she was joking. But as she observed the magic, she felt like her solution was right. Until now, she has been using her mana as a medium to connect herbination magic. She then wondered. If she no longer used the mana, and instead went ahead and used direct methods to approach the problem? Would it go through? She was told to discard all unnecessaryponents, and as far as her theory went, the mana was an unnecessary part. She had to rely on it the previous times, but going by the Ruler''s words, the being never specified the need to include mana in the party. If this truly was the solution, then the Ruler''s words would also make sense. An external helper. Wouldn''t that be the ''emulsifier'' she stationed for thebination magic process? [Perhaps I was the only one who added this ''emulsifier'' concept into the fray when I wasn''t supposed to..?] Estelle thought. The more she thought, the more likely it seemed to be. With her determination surging back into her psyche once more, she dedicated herself to moving into this new method of raising her soul digit. She didn''t immediately transfer to the alternative method. Slowly, she released the mana''srge influence from her procedure. Estelle was used to her past method, so switching was indeed quiteplicated. However, she was determined. Estelle continued the trials and errors, not minding how much time had past. She believed that she was on the right track, that the answer to finally passing the threshold she got blocked from was on the tip of her fingers. And she wasn''t wrong with her intuition and judgement. Within one day, there it was. An astounding result that cheered her up from all the time she wasted not gaining anything. She was already heavily familiar with the feeling of having to heal her elements of nothingness, so even with theck of mana, she only had to make the necessary adjustments for it to work. Thus, it only required one day at most. Estelle was finally able to see progress in her tracks. Her soul count was changing with this new method. However, because she did waste time and consideration to concoct a new method, her soul count had dropped by three. Estelle felt that the soul count was absurdly random with its increases and decreases in digits. Sometimes, Estelle would feel like she hadn''t wasted that much energy, and yet her soul count would drop heavier than when she felt exhausted. It was a wonder. What did the soul count depend on? The Ruler never told her the direct answer to that question. Estelle continued her work. This escape n would take shorter time than what she spent in the Underworld, but it felt much more taxing. Sighing, she slipped into focus once more, eliminating all outside interferences and shutting down her conflicting mind. From then on, it was just a matter of time. Estelle''s fight was finally nearing its end. She had the right methods, the right circumstances, and the right mindset. She just needed to put it to work, which she did for continuous days. Within a few days worth of training and cultivation, she was finally standing at the brink ofpletion. Ny nine digits of soul power. Estelle''s fingers trembled slightly as her hand grasped the device that she always relied on to tell her soul''s status. Somehow, a huge wave of emotions surged and hit her. She obviously did not want to leave as is. She wanted to make a proper farewell with the guide that has been helping her from the start. The Ruler. She waited, and waited for the being''s arrival while keeping up her soul count at 99. With this, Estelle would be able to go back into the Surface once she made her proper farewells with the Ruler. Not long after she reached 99 digits, the Ruler paid her a visit. This was the fateful moment Estelle had been waiting for. From the very first day of her arrival at the realm, she had gone through quite the fair share of unique experiences. Along with it, a particrly memorable huge dose of pain during her training. Thinking of it made her skin crawl as the mental imprints of that incident caught up to her. The two were basked in silence. The tranquility was soothing, yet rming. Normally, they would engage in a conversation easily. But for this time, neither of them could find it in themselves to form up words they could say to each other. Nheless, the farewell had to be done. The Ruler took the role of being the first speaker and started the conversation. Estelle was standing still in the pure white realm, docile and "I hope that you at least enjoyed parts of your stay. I had.. fun, I guess," "It was also quite fun for me. Although we couldn''t spend more time together, you are definitely someone I respect, and will continue to respect forever," Estelle replied, a warm smile permanently stered on her face. She didn''t know whether to be happy that she was going back, to cry because of the departure, to be angry over the sad fate she couldn''t release the Ruler from, or whatever she was feeling. Her emotions were stirred in such a way that her facial muscles twitched as she tried to express either one of the feelings. Estelle rubbed the tip of her nose, embarrassed at the sudden influx of emotions after the Ruler''s arrival. She knew that the Ruler had the power to read people''s minds in the Eterna, and no matter how hard she tried to mask her feelings, she couldn''t do it. "Aahh, this is really bad," Estelle''s eyes grew watery. "Just let it out, there''s no one else but you and me in this realm," The Ruler advised. "..That makes me even sadder. Damn it all!" Estelle cursed. Rubbing her eyes with gentle gestures, Estelle dried her tears before it could fall down. The Ruler''s words reminded her of the being''s loneliness and the gloomy fact that it was going to stay alone for who knows how long. Although Estelle was a bit creeped out by the Eterna, she wished to pay the being more visits in the future. She was highly interested in the realm and the Ruler who governed over it. "I will definitelye back. That''s a promise," Estelle resolutely said. As a response, the Ruler chuckled awkwardly. "Actually, if you do that, it hinders my work," The being said. "Though.. If it is you, there is indeed a surefire way on how you can freely visit this realm even without the idental fall," Estelle''s lips curved up at the being''s words. If she wasn''t mistaken, its words had something to do with her identity. The Ruler had told her about some parts, but most of it will be documented inside the data the being gave her. She grew even more excited to open the data and inspect it thoroughly once she reached home. ''Home''. When her thoughts glimpsed over that word, she was instantly taken back to the matter of her departure. Her home was in the Surface, not here. She had duties and responsibilities there. Just like how the Ruler had its own purpose for the Eterna. She couldn''t stay for long. "..I''m going now, I suppose," Estelle imparted the Ruler with a light smile. Her heart was all over the ce, her emotions perplexing, and her thoughts conflicting with each other. She was definitely going to miss Eterna even though it brought her quite the fair share of negative emotions. She got something out of it, valuable gifts that she was definitely going to utilize for the rest of her life. For the amount of sentiments she had build up towards the ce, it was quite hard to part from it. "Your data will be very helpful to me. Thank you very much," From the bottom of her heart, Estelle felt gratitude towards the Ruler, who had assisted her throughout her journey in the Eterna. She was going to remember the being. This ce. Everything. Forever, these memories will be marked as a ride to behold. Estelle expressed her final gratitude through making a deep bow towards the omnipresent being, her eyes gleaming with confidence the moment she lifted up her head. [It''s time for me to go now.] Estelle internally said to herself. If she stayed longer in the realm, she was afraid that she would have no courage to go back. She was certain that the fascinating Eterna and the Ruler would distract her from her original journey. Her goal was to return as fast as possible, and that was why she requested the data as a parting gift for her to read once she returned back to the Surface. Taking a deep breath in, Estelle started up her magic circuits and began the process of filling in thest gap of nothingness that resided within her. With this, her soul count will return to 100. With this, she would go back to the Surface. Farewell, oh Eterna. Chapter 92: Her Return Chapter 92: Her Return A ray of light brighter than the Eterna itself illuminated Estelle''s body, making her shine from inside out. Her magic was ready, and Estelle felt her soul count stagger. It was beginning to rise. Estelle''s heartbeat jumped. This was it. The moment she had been waiting for. The time she had spent, it was all worth it. The sense of euphoria andpletion Estelle felt during thisst few moments in Eterna exhrated her. "Goodbye," Estelle said, imparting the being with a final smile. Her eyes were somewhat clouded as her soul finally filled up to the brink. She took onest deep breath in the Eterna. Before she disappeared from the realm. "Goodbye.." The Ruler, who was left behind in Eterna, btedly mumbled. Estelle was now back in the Surface, and the Ruler was once again alone. The pure white realm was somehow more suffocating than it ever was. Perhaps it was because a living being had stepped inside since forever. Though, just like the first person who entered, the girl left. Because they had different fates, came from different realms, and had separate duties. The being sighed. "She.. really is that child. The Creator''s Creation," The Ruler glimpsed over where Estellest stood, still faintly feeling her Creation Magic in the vicinity. "I can somewhat understand why the Creator is willing to go to such great lengths just to preserve her remnants..." The Ruler contemted. From the very beginning, it had already discovered Estelle''s true identity. Not her life as Estelle reste, but her very own soul''s backstory. She was the first creation ever made by the Creator. The long lost Goddess of Creation. Her name was Estraea. To be exact, Estraea''s soul was older than itself. The Ruler and the Eterna were once beings that didn''t exist in the first universe''s creation. As a mean to bnce the ovepping universe, the Eterna was created. The realm for eternal slumber, the ce where those who lost their existence wereid to rest. Within the vastnds of Eterna, the Ruler was created to govern over it. Compared to itself, Estraea was an infamous creature. Those who had met her said that her beauty was phenomenal, her powers strong enough to vaporizerge oceans and destroy mountainous ranges in one snap, and her benevolent grace was overflowing with each action she took. The First Goddess bearing the power of Creation Magic. "I suppose it is fated. Her soul wouldn''t havested for long if she didn''t obtain the Constetion''s power in time," The Rulermented. The Constetion was not a concept that was created. It was a concept brought by the Sage, who was well aware of his duties and ns to unite the world. Unlike Estelle, the Sage knew what to do. He garnered enough power to be the Constetion''s leader, then went ahead and nurtured his strength by recruiting the right members of the group. It was because the Sage was also an anomaly. To the Ruler, everything was obvious, even more so when they entered Eterna''s influence. "..I''m counting this as a favor," The Ruler said. The words were directed at the Creator himself. The first living consciousness to appear. The one who built the multiple realms inside the wide universe and granted life to everything. The Creator of All, namely The Absolute. "Maybe I should get a physical body sometimes," The Ruler said, before slowly disappearing back into nothingness to do its duties. _____ "Miss, when will you wake up...?" A familiar voice entered Estelle''s ears. Due to her eyes getting temporarily blinded after being exposed to light for the first time in a while, Estelle was only able to see faint outlines of the person that said those words. A woman with braided hair wearing maid clothing. Her eyes were shaking as she took out a wet cloth from the basin filled by water. She twisted the cloth, draining it from the excess water. Due to her attention being taken by her chores, the maid did not notice that Estelle''s eyes were now starting to open, albeit slowly. "..Lydia," Estelle recognized the woman and called out her name. She was her personal maid, Lydia. Her thoughts began to clear up after the hectic trip in Eterna. All the emotions came rushing in. If Lydia was here, that would mean that she was finally back to her home. Her home. Right, she belonged to the Surface. Even so, she couldn''t shrug off the puffy feelings that resided inside her heart. She had grown to be quite attached to the Eterna. Estelle herself was surprised at how close she felt with the realm. It made her tired, but also rxed. She was able to focus on nothing but herself. No distractions and dilemmas that took her attention away from bonding with her own being. She feltplete in there, which led her to miss the peaceful surroundings aspared to the current one she was in. Estelle was back in her room. The room was peaceful, but the presence of living beings can be clearly felt. Lydia''s speech and actions, small animals living all around, the sounds of chirping birds, and all that. It brought her attention back to the world. That she could no longer be in solitary peace with herself, that she had to go back in action. So that she wouldn''t get left behind in the continuous turning of the world. "Miss..? Miss! Oh Lord, you are awake!" Hearing her name being called, Lydia eximed, shocked at Estelle''s awakening. Estelle felt lethargic as a result of being distant from her body for over a month. She had not moved except for some passive actions helped by her people, so her body was left feeling an underlying ache all over. Beginning with an arm stretch, she was helped by Lydia to regain mobility from her entire body. Supported by her regenerative magic and light exercise, Estelle was finally able to merge back with herself. "Lydia, could you fetch me an empty ss?" Estelle felt thirsty. Beside that, she also wanted to test something out. The gift she brought home from Eterna, she was curious to see how it would work out. "An empty ss, miss? No contents?" Lydia tilted her head, a bit confused. Estelle nodded, confirming the maid''s questioning. She wished to see if she could replicate the deeds she manage to perform in Eterna. If she wasn''t wrong, There was also the matter of the Ruler''s gift. The being gave her information, very valuable information. She hadn''t explored much yet, but it was stored inside her mind in the form of a ball of knowledge. Along with it, the Ruler had told her that there would also be a special gift. A gift that would open her seals with the right trigger. The being said that although it could help her solve this problem, it had to only provide little assistance. Or else, her ''world karma'' would detect an imbnce and a misfortune would fall upon her. A misfortune equivalent to the benefits she would receive upon opening the seals. Estelle couldn''t even bring herself to imagine how scary that would be. She had the authority and freedom to open it, but she didn''t wish to do so inside the Eterna. It was because she would certainly slip into deep focus, which in turn required her to stay there longer. She wished to go over the data in detail while simultaneously connecting back with the Surface to save time for herself. Estelle was able to multitask at an expert level, so she was prepared to do her duties while surveying the information. First, she wanted to test her new variant of the Creation Magic. From the sidelines, Lydia was concerned by how spaced out Estelle looked. The young miss had fallen into aa and couldn''t wake up for over a month, and yet she was back here now. Without any notifications, Estelle was up and moving again, which surprised her. She considered whether or not she should leave the young miss to call and notify the others. Especially the miss'' parents, who loved and treated her dearly. Because the young miss had just woken up, Lydia did not want to disturb her thoughts too much in fear of worsening her condition. She decided to follow the miss'' orders of getting an empty cup before anything, and not do additional inputs. Lydia was one of the very few people who knew just to what extent Estelle''s powers reached. As such, she knew that the young miss was definitely alright if she didn''t say otherwise. Lydia was confident in Estelle''s powers. After all, that same power saved her and many others multiple times. Lydia excused herself before leaving to get the empty ss like she was instructed. After receiving Estelle''s pardon, Lydia got out of the room. Estelle was left inside the room, wondering what to do first. "Let me see..." Taking in a breath of sharp air, she began to unravel the gifts the Ruler gave to her. Chapter 93: What She Must Do Chapter 93: What She Must Do [ess the data..] Estelle whispered, going inside her mind and detecting the gift. The Ruler had told her to unlock the gift using her magic. Apparently, when the gift came in contact with Estelle''s signature mana, it would react ordingly and open by itself. As such, Estelle redirected her mana and zed it over the gift. In just about a second after, the bundle of information opened and surged everywhere inside her mind, filling the space up and getting absorbed into her pool of knowledge. Estelle frowned at the sudden influx of memories. She hadn''t been warned of the severity of it, but sheter acknowledged that it had to be done since she had a lot to learn. For the first minute, she focused on arranging the information. After she had organized everything, she began to look at it. To be precise, look and ''hear'' it. The data the Ruler gave her was inclusive of the being''s own voice. It brought a sense of familiarity and fondness to Estelle, who interpreted the gift as a way for the Ruler to console her from their separation. The data''s imprint inside Estelle''s mind meant that she would be able to hear the being''s voice whenever she wished to do so. She closed her eyes as a smile appeared on her face. The Ruler''s voice was calming and soothing, as it reminded her of the Eterna. She digested the information. ____ World''s Karma -It''s a concept that revolves around people''s actions and their consequences. If you have high karma, luck wille to you. However, with great luck, the misfortune that tails behind you will be greater as well. This causes an infinite cycle that perpetually grows, creating challenges for one''s self. Your luck has been high from the very beginning, ever since you were born. You were blessed by the world, and this causes the world''s karma to act upon you. You might think that all those misfortunes that befell you were nned, but the world''s karma actually has something to do with it, although not entirely. You have to keep a steady bnce of this system. If you tilt it too far back, you will have to face harsh repercussions from your misfortunes. There is a way to bypass this. You need to obtain sufficient karma. As you may already know, you obtain karma from doing good deeds. For a lucky person of your caliber, you need to garner a lot of karma to sustain your fates. And this is where the Constetion partes in. ____ Constetion -The title ''Constetion'' was invented, not discovered. The Sage brought the concept up, because it is a necessary thing for him to have. It has nothing to do with the stars, but it borrows a simr concept. A Constetion is made up of several stars. Once they are arranged, they will form an outline or pattern. Now, we are not talking about star constetions. The Constetion here is the world. A pattern, an outline of the world made by several people who bond together to create a unified piece. Those who maintain this unity are called the Constetion members. Meanwhile, the Constetion leader is one who is approved by the world and is worthy of appointing the members. Of course, the members need to consent and pledge their duties to you. After you ascend to be the Constetion''s leader, you will be able to further increase your karma because you will act as a ''unifier''. A unifier of the world will naturally hold the people''s stability together. The Sage once instated aplete unity over the world, and as a result, he obtained the karma he needed. I need you to do the same. Your current karma bnce is not looking good, and it''s worrisome. I want you to release your seals and prove your worth to the world. Only then will you automatically be the Constetion''s leader and appoint those near you. The Fae King, the Crimson Witch, and the Arcana Witch. Once you appoint them, you will start your journey. _____ Duties -As you know, I can not assist you too much in fear of being discovered by the world''s karma. Every single being is equal in front of the system. I will not be able to protect you. As such, I will lead you to the answer, but you have to search it yourself. Your next checkpoint is to go to Duke Miller''s home. Then, present him with the ring you obtained from your father''s study. That contains a vital part of your ''worth''. _____ Note -I''m not able to provide you with all the information, but I''ve included everything that I think would be fine. As you progress, as your karma umtes, the other gifts will automatically unlock themselves. At those cases, my voice will ring as a notification. That concludes everything you need to know now. Myst gift is, of course, as I promised, to unlock your seals. I want you to head to Sylvania and face the Spirit Tree. There, you only need to utilize the samebination magic you learned in the Eterna. You might need some adjustments here and there, but you will get through it. Remember. You have the entire world''s blessing with you. May the Absolute''s light be with you. _____ The data ended there. Estelle was swept by the pure awe brought by the Ruler''s sudden voice. The fact that she was fond of the being could not be refuted. Within seconds, however, she recovered. Some questions were still left unanswered, but after looking at the ''World''s Karma'' section, Estelle felt like it made sense. Everything must have a bnce, and that included fortune. Estelle''s index finger pointed to her temples as she grumbled. "Ah, I thought it would be an instant fix. Turns out, I still need to utilize the method.. Wait, if I can use that method in the Surface, wouldn''t that mean.." Estelle mumbled weakly, ruffling her hair and tidying it back up afterwards. [The ''poison'' that corrupted Spirit Tree was actually elements of nothingness?] Estelle thought. It was a bit suspicious. Even if the Spirit Tree was endangered by the nothingness, how did it manage to be harmed this far? She suspected someone''s foul y here. Someone that wasn''t the Underworld''s person. The reason was specific and precise. The Underworld didn''t know the concept of nothingness. If they knew, Estelle would''ve linked the events together, but during her stay in the Underworld, even Yion and Arayle did not know what caused Spirit Tree to fall down. If someone knew, it''d be Kalis because he was the one who yed the role of the new Fae King, but he actually didn''t. Kalis was like a doll. A manipted marite, sadly. He might''ve assumed that he was working under Arayle''s orders, but something much moreplex lurked behind it. Was it another of Elias'' ns? But that would not suit the sequence of events. Because.. Estelle mused as she shook her head, trying to clear the conflicting theories away. Just as she was beginning to realize something wrong, Lydia came back to the room bringing an empty ss of water just like Estelle instructed her to. "Here is the cup, young miss," Lydia brought it over with a tray, setting the object down on the night stand and gently lifting the cup. "Thank you, Lydia," Estelle nodded, grabbing the cup with her two hands. Before anything, she was thirsty. She wanted to have a refreshing drink. Estelle focused her thoughts and tried reaching into the optimized Creation Magic. After a short while, she was able to grasp onto the magic and manipte it to her will. She condensed the thought of making the purest water possible. She added sprinkles of regenerative magic as additives. ording to the theory, this solvent shoulde to existence without much problems, and that its quality would be better than that of when she used Water Magic as the intermediary. As water poured into the cup, Estelle''s eyes shone. It filled up the medium and came close to spilling. Lydia jerked as her maid instincts kicked in, but Estelle gestured for her to stay still, to which she obeyed. Estelle scrutinized the water, going as far as to use her own scanning magic to test it. "..It really improved," Estelle''s eyes shook as she surveilled the clear ss of water inside her hands. "What is, miss?" Overhearing Estelle''s light speech, Lydia intercepted from the side. "Nothing," Estelle brought the cup up to her lips and drank the water. Indeed, she had done it. She felt clusters of many magic inside the body of water. Sipping the water, she instantly felt refreshed and couldn''t help but take a few more sips to quench her neverending thirst. This proved that her Creation Magic did transform. Because if it wasn''t for the new version, she would''ve not been able to make this. After drinking all the contents, Estelle set aside the ss and looked at Lydia. "How is father and mother?" Estelle asked. That was her primary concern in the Surface. If she was back in her manor''s room, she had to have met her parents on the way back. "The Duke was very angry when you returned unconscious. The Duchess looked particrly worried, and she consoled the Duke quite a lot. Because of young miss'' current social status, we couldn''t call up any doctors, but King- I mean, Lord Heine and the two Eire siblings checked up upon you many times," ".. I see. I guess I need to prepare a long exnation for father, then. How is the Dukedom''s conditions? And if you were informed, the people''s views upon the matter too, please," Estelle rubbed her be as she processed her next path. "Lord Heine and the Eire siblings has helped to form an alliance with the people in order to help everybody. The city was refurbished without much troubles thanks to the alliance," "That''s very reassuring. I wish to meet father, is he present in the manor? I need to talk to him about something," "That..." Lydia dragged off her speech, instilling worry into Estelle who immediately assumed that a fatality had approached. Chapter 94: Abrupt Attack Chapter 94: Abrupt Attack Estelle took a fearful gulp. Lylia''s countenance worried her. "What happened?!" Estelle questioned. "The Duke went out in search of a cure for young miss," Lylia answered. By the looks of her face, the ce n went to was not an easy location to scour through. "...Where?" Estelle frowned. n certainly sounded like a man that would do that for the sake of his beloved family, but Estelle found it hard to believe how he could leave the Dukedom when it was in such a dire state. "I''m not too sure as well. The Duke instructed for no one to ask nor look for him once he went on his journey," "That sounds like a stupid case," Estelle rebuked. "If I can''t recover by myself, there''s only the littlest chance of me surviving with external aid. Unless it''s an itempletely unheard of that can produce miracles," Estelle was confident in her power, even though she recognized that there were stronger figures than herself. However, those who had the power to oppose her did not remain in the Surface. If anything, they should be beyonders who invaded her realm. She was also knowledgeable in the arts of healing and regenerative abilities, and as such, she knew that her powers alone would single-handedly beat all the medicinal properties in herbs the world could provide. Lylia stayed silent, no longer replying to the girl she served. "How stupid. How utterly stupid. Who instilled such a dumb idea into his head?" "We are unsure. The Duke summoned us and "And you''re telling me that no one obstructed him? Not even my own mother?" Estelle questioned. Something clearly wasn''t adding up. n reste could be rash at times, but he wouldn''t do such a thing that would risk an entiremunity as a whole. His existence was not something the people of reste could go on without. At least not before a new head sprouted. Estelle''s eyes gleamed as she recalled the figure of her overprotective father. Everything was her fault. Her rash actions, her confidence in solving the matters with ease, which ultimatelynded her in the trip to Eterna. For her, she was able to tolerate it all. But even when she was in the Eterna, she always had a fear of this kind of thing happening. Outside from her, everybody else would view her condition as that of a strangea that was unable to be cured. She new how much everyone will be worried. "The Duke disappeared without notice right after he left from the assembly. As for the madam... I believe that the Duke did not inform her," Lylia bit her lips. As someone who frequently tended to She on top of Estelle''s daily chores, Lylia must''ve known. She must''ve known that She was kept in the dark while everything was happening. "What excuse did he give? Father wouldn''t part with mother before a long goodbye. If he truly disappeared just like that, there must be something that father told her," "We tried to pry into madam''s understanding of the Duke''s absence, and it seems like she thinks the Duke is on a subjugation event in the east," Lylia answered, her tone shaking. Estelle''s presence was also starting to be unraveled. Her overflowing emotions were harsh on the surroundings. Estelle was a child loved by the world. Before, she didn''t notice just how much change she brought, but now she was starting to see it. If she had rage and anger built up inside herself, then her environment would also deteriorate. The winds would shake As far as she recalled, this effect did not happen this severely in the past. Estelle restrained her emotions to prevent further damage. "Haah. Forget it. Please go back and do your chores like usual. I will find a way to restore everything back to normal. For now, do not inform anybody of my return," Estelle instructed. "What about miss'' body? Wouldn''t someonee into the room and find you missing?" Lylia was worried, but she trusted Estelle and her ns. In this sort of dire situation, Estelle was the only one they could depend on. Thus, Lylia wasn''t shaken at all when she heard Estelle''s words. The reste family wasn''t a patriarchic family, as their family morals were simply too good and harmonic for it to turn that way. n himself had repeatedly announced that he wouldn''t mind if Estelle became the Dukedom''s future head if she truly wished for the power. The entire Dukedom treated her as the informal heir apparent. Her words had enough authority to shake the ce. "I will create a lifelike doll. Remember, you must treat that doll as Estelle," "Understood, miss. I shall act ordingly," Lylia bowed and assisted Estelle in getting out of the bed. "Then, go forth and proceed like normal. Thank you for your help, Lylia," Estelle made a little wave at the departing maid, missing the feeling of being cared for by the lovable Lylia. "It is my duty to serve you," Lylia simply smiled before opening the door and leaving. Estelleid on her bed, zoning out. Her father''s disappearance was tooical, too nonsensical for it to be done by his own ord. But how? What caused him to run away? Something that could heal Estelle. What would it be if there was even something like that? Just as Estelle was deeply invested in her thoughts, an intruder broke into her home. Estelle''s eyes were immediately drawn to the window, from where the intruder came from. "...Heine," It was the fae she had known since birth. "I knew you''ve woken up," Heine got inside the room and dusted his clothes. "You know what, I''m not even going to question how convenient your arrival is, because there''s clearly something that you''ve been hiding from me," Estelle stated. "Family problems?" Heine asked, ignoring Estelle''s remarks. "Family problems indeed," Sighing, Estelle looked at the mirror as she observed her frail body that looked like it could copse the moment she got hit by a strong gust of wind. "The Duke.. was it? I know where he went to," Heine suddenly dropped the bomb just like that. Estelle turned around immediately. Albeit feeling shocked, she also couldn''t help but recall the times when Heine helped her every time she came across a blockage. When it was a couple years ago, she hadn''t suspected anything. However, she couldn''t ignore the clear discrepancy here. Heine was clearly something much more than the Fae King she used to know. She didn''t know when the change happened, but it happened. "Tell me. Tell me like you always do," Estelle said, facing Heine and looking at him straight in the eye. "At the same time, try telling me who you really are," Estelle tried to provoke the man slightly, but no aggravated response came. "No can''t do. I will tell you, but you have something much more important to do before that," Heine chuckled. "..What can be more important than saving the reste Dukedom''s pir?" Estelle narrowed her eyes. Going by Heine''s words, n reste''s disappearance was deemed as an insignificant thing despite his actual worth that psed over the entire Dukedom. [What is he ying at?] Estelle red at the fae, who still had a bright smile stered on his face. "You and your duties as the world''s beloved child. You do know that your body will be destroyed if you don''t be the Constetion''s leader, don''t you?" Heine said, raising the option up. Estelle''s brows furrowed. As she thought, Heine really had a strange grip onto every single matter. He even seemed to know what went on during hera. As if answering Estelle''s thoughts, he then began to say. "It''s ringly obvious who you are, and what your soul''s condition is," "..I suppose so. To obtain the world''s acknowledgement, right? Just like the Sage? I will. I will do that," Estelle shook her head in an attempt to dispel her suspicions for the time being. The current Heine was an important asset to her, someone she couldn''t progress without. Not to mention, the Ruler also pointed him out to be a potential Constetion member. Heine never wronged her. "..Yes. Just like him, the Sage," Heine turned his head to the side as he mumbled. "Even so, I can not shake off the matter of my father. My father.. the Duke is important for the territory''s longevity," Lylia had told her that the man already left for more than a week. A week without the head, without power. Estelle couldn''t let this slide. "No. You are more important. Don''t worry, I can assure you that he is safe," Heine debated. Estelle snorted. Heine was getting awfullycent with his actions. "On what basis am I supposed to entrust this matter upon you?" She chided the man. "On the basis that I am someone to be trusted. Estelle, just follow me. For peace''s sake," "I will not be at peace unless I retrieve father," "...I will not allow that, my dearest," Heine''s look was somehow creepy to Estelle''s eyes. Intimidating and dangerous. "HEINE! DON''T TEST MY PATIENCE!!" Estelle defended, getting into her stance. She felt unsafe even though it was Heine. "I must apologize for what''s about toe," Heine whispered. Estelle gritted her teeth, not knowing what to expect next. In the next second, Heine disappeared into the air. Then, she was overtaken by a powerful push from behind that subdued her, followed by a set of cors with chains that restricted her. The restraints sped around her limbs and attacked. She didn''t feel pain, as Heine was so skillful that she didn''t feel anything. "This is-" Estelle recognized the restraints. Chapter 95: Abduction Chapter 95: Abduction She couldn''t have mistaken the chain. It was just like the previous times she came in contact with the energy. She couldn''t have mistaken it, because it was something she spent years living with. The most detested thing she came across. The chains contained Arayle''s power. No, at this point, Estelle was unsure whether she could call it Arayle''s power anymore. So many mysteries, so many users that manipted this magic of Destruction. What was the Destruction Magic? Where did ite from, and why was she so affected by it? Why were people outside of Arayle able to use it? As far as she knew, Estelle was the only one who utilized Creation Magic. She had never came across another user, unlike the scenarios with Arayle that could be managed. Estelle felt frustrated. Powerless. Even though she had just came back from immediate danger. Even though she thought that she was finally free. She thought she became stronger aftering back. No, it wasn''t just a thought. She did get stronger. It was just that she was powerless against her nemesis. Estelle struggled, and struggled, but her mana wouldn''t coil up. Not only did Arayle''s magic bound her, there was also an anti-magic property that prevented her from utilizing her magic. Estelle realized the probable cause of this. Heine never wished for something bad to happen to Estelle. He stood between the very thin line of being Estelle''s greatest friend, while simultaneously being the catalyst to Estelle''s dilemmas. She began to think. She forced herself to think. Heine''s existence was too convenient. As if he purposely acted as a stimnt for Estelle''s growth. Heine never grew ordingly. His power would always be a step lower than Estelle, but this fact would then be overturned by his future actions whenever she got into trouble. Heine''s powers would mysteriously shoot up, allowing him to do things that he couldn''t previously. Everything seemed to be a massive game. In which she was the sole yer who was unaware of everything, where her events would be controlled. [How utterly dubious.] Estelle felt an undeniable itch sprout inside her heart, burdening her. After the chains, it didn''t end there. Estelle proceeded to try and get her way out of the restraints, but it was to no avail. She could see a sh of sadness and worry fly over Heine''s eyes. To that, she thought that the man was hypocritical. How could you act sad if you weren''t forced to do this? Why? Instead of just begging for forgiveness, Estelle would''ve looked at the man much more fondly if he decided to prove it with his own actions. But Heine didn''t stop, right? He didn''t. Estelle couldn''t find an eptable reason from which his actions would be justified. Didn''t Heine''s actions count as betrayal? Estelle hated those who betrayed her the most. Even to her closest colleagues, this rule applied. Heine would not be an exception. "Forgive me, dear," Heine repeated, wishing for forgiveness from the girl. Starting from the restraints, he began to branch out into immobilization methods. Soon, Estelle was not even able to move. Her speech was taken away, and she felt sleepy. There were so many things she didn''t know of. She was aware of that fact. However, when one of them was the fact that she has been living beside a dangerous person this whole time and not realizing anything before it was toote, it became much more painful. She should''ve known better, but she didn''t. "Oh, dear sister, it would''ve been better if you willingly participated in the n. Look at what I have to do now," Heine''s faint words entered Estelle''s ears. A trace of regretced the words. However, that didn''t matter right now. Heine mentioned a foreign title. [Sister? Heine has a sister?] Estelle thought. Although Heine viewed her as an unconscious person, that wasn''t the case at all. Through the training Estelle experienced, Estelle actually found a specific ability that she thought she had lost previously. The ability to think while still unconscious. That feature of hers was once again awakened when she cultivated for an entire month in the Eterna. The mental stress and duress had polished her mind to such a sharp point that she thought she was reverting back to being Reina, the emotionless, robotic human. But that wasn''t the case. Estelle was still Estelle,plete with her unique set of emotions. Even so, this feature had brought her to feel a sense of abnormality. [Why does it feel like... he means me by the title ''sister''?] Estelle thought. There was a sense of familiarity in that one moment Heine called her sister. But as far as she recalled, she did not have any siblings. Like a direct call from her soul, wanting to reach out to Estelle. [What is this feeling?] Estelle wondered. However, she didn''t have the chance to ponder upon the matter for longer. Her consciousness started to fade. Estelle felt a jolt of pain before she could process the information further. Her mind spun, and she lost touch with the external world as she fell into a stage ofpletea, possibly due to being overpowered by Heine''s maniacal power. [Curse you..] Estelle said before falling victim to the condition. "Forgive me," For the third time, Heine whispered. "Everything is for your sake. I wish to see you one more time.. Back to when we were-" Heine''s words were cut off by a barrage of coughing. From little coughs, it escted to a series of suffocation, trying to gasp for air. From then, Heine continued coughing to the point where he coughed blood out. "...I need to bear it," Heine wiped the red liquid from his mouth and looked at Estelle''s beautiful peerage. "For my sister... my Goddess," Heine caressed Estelle''s silver hair before treading to her be. He kneaded on the location, soothing the wrinkles formed on said space. "It''ll be over, this bottomless pit that has consumed all of us," Heine leaned on her head, enduring the pain that he himself had to face. Internally, he was also facing a crisis. The fact that his three lifetimes were unleashed and merged into one at the same time burdened his entire being. He no longer knew whether he was Heine, Yuuma, or the revered God Astarte. But they shared one goal, and that is to protect Estelle. To be precise, the soul behind Estelle. As such, they would go as far as to create the entire storyline. So that Astraea''s soul could be returned to before it was destroyed. The reasoning behind Estelle''s constant downfall was clear to him, but not to the actual person herself. Heine winced as he felt the horrendous pain hit him one more time. He struggled to breathe as he forcibly calmed himself down. His hands firmly gripped into Estelle''s bed railings. "A little more... a little more," Heine consoled himself. After wiping out a thinyer of sweat garnered from bearing the pain, Heine stood up, opened a space rift, and exited from the room. Of course, he didn''t do everything without much consideration and nning. His moves were always ones that came after many contemtions. He had ced a lifelike doll just like what Estelle envisioned and ced it on the bed. After eavesdropping on Estelle and Lylia''s conversation, he came to know that Estelle was nning to do so. That made everything easier for Heine, who obtained a convenient excuse and cover for his abduction. All Lylia would know when she entered the roomter is that Estelle had gone to fulfill her promise of fixing everything. No thoughts would be directed towards a kidnapping. ____ "MMH!" Estelle woke up feeling burning pain coursing through her entire body. The sheer pain made her wake up from utter shock. Estelle''s memories were still jumbled up, but she clearly recalled Heine attacking her for his ''purpose''. Estelle began to panic. Before she could struggle further, a voice entered her ears. "This is not the right way, young one," An elderly man''s voice spoke. Then, there was tapping against a table in a rhythmic pattern. "..It''s the only way. To salvage her existence.. you know that death is always tailing her, no matter what she does," [This voice is..] Estelle processed the audio. The one addressed as ''young one'' was Heine. She recognized the voice. The elderly man''s voice also sounded familiar, but she could only faintly recall who it belonged to. She had heard the voice before. [Who was it?] "I know. Ever since you granted me with that corrupted power, I knew," The man spoke. "It was your wish. Don''t forget about it. The reason you can ''stay'' with your dead daughter even to this day is me. You have a responsibility to repay the deed," [Corrupted power? Dead daughter? This story!] Estelle began to remember. She recalled someone that had simr circumstances. "Don''t call her dead!" The man refuted Heine''s speech. "Do not call her that. Ever," "Likewise, don''t forget to fulfill the initiation process, Spectre," Heine audibly sighed, as his steps drew nearer to where Estelle was confined in. "Her seals have to be broken now. In order for her to appoint the members, to appoint me," Heine continued speaking. [Spectre and my seals. Then, that voice is..!] Estelle widened her eyes as moaned in pain. With the current clues, Estelle figured out who Heine''s conversation partner was. Her senses were stolen. Her voice, her sight, it was ripped away from her. She could only depend on her hearing. Realization hit her. What Heine was about to do. What his desires were. As Heine slowly came closer to her body, Estelle further squirmed, trying to back away. Chapter 96: Heines Abnormality Chapter 96: Heine''s Abnormality "You are awake," Heine gave her a delighted grin, which amounted to nothing but a creepy approach to Estelle. She was beginning to feel scared of Heine. How did she not notice this man''s atrocity throughout the years? Was it because she took him for granted? Thought that it should be a given that she is helped by him? Estelle began regretting epting Heine''s help from the start. Indeed, a series of coincidences keep happening. She would always fall into trouble, and get out somehow. From the start, from the moment she entered Estelle''s body, was all of that predetermined. Estelle gnashed her teeth despite the restrictions on her that made her not be able to speak freely. Hatred incurred within her eyes. She was most afraid of her freedom being stripped away from her. "Oh, that look in your eyes, how pitiful of you," Heine kneeled down and stroked Estelle''s face with nothing but gentle touches. But to this simple gesture, Estelle felt an uncontroble disgust. This was a man she had been living for years with. Spending countless amounts of time. Helping each other. In fact, if she thought deeper, she would''ve found out that her knowledge of Heine was extremely shallow. She did not possess any personal info on the man. Instead, it was as if he was masked behind an indescribable shield. She hadn''t known much about this man. She only knew that he was the reigning Fae King and that he was summoned by the Spirit Tree to be her guide. But doubts sprouted inside her mind. She thought the rtionship they had was at least genuine. Were all of that false? When she approached the dying tree, when signs of purification emanated from her, when Heine cried because he saw hope for his kind in Estelle, were they all false?! Those tears, those sobs. His loyalty towards the spirit kind. His diligence and aptitude. Estelle, who was more than once overcame with sympathy couldn''t acknowledge everything. Which ones were real, and which ones were just faux sentiments? Estelle wanted to shout and scream at the man who was looking at Estelle with glee. "Don''t worry," Heine said, dragging his words. "You are going to seed. It''s your fate... your destiny," Estelle widened her eyes in disbelief. Somehow, she felt like the current Heine that kneeled in front of her wasn''t the same Heine she knew for years. It was a different entity. That day, she remembered clearly. Heine saying that there were no ''roles'' set for people, that fates were intangible, yet easy to be disrupted at the same time. That the slightest change would then lead to a greater change, creating aplex paradigm that perpetually evolved every passing second. That the world was a bundle of abnormal ''somethings'' that could not be exined by one''s mind. However, this Heine''s words contradicted that same statement. That Heine who had a vast mind and perspective on the world, where was he? Where was the man that cared and guided Estelle throughout her years, dispelling all unsolvable questions Estelle had? The man who always stood by her side while supporting her silently, where on Earth did he disappear into? Compared to the person before her, who had a sinister look to him, they seemed to bepletely different people that couldn''t be associated together. "Estelle, oh Estelle. Do you know how long it took for me to get to where I''m at? I had to work alone because I knew no one would support my cause. No one would understand. Not even you," Heine snapped his fingers in front of the restrained girl multiple times. With it, Estelle''s sight was returned. She could only see parts of Heine''s figure, because her vision was still a bit blurry. Heine did not wait for Estelle to react before he continued his speech. "But her," Heine sucked in a cold breath of air. "Only her would. My dearest sister, my beloved person," Heine''s tone sounded like a deranged person''sment. He had a mncholic look to him, from which it slowly degraded to something much more deluded. "I will never lose her again. Not to this measly world affairs. To that wretched man, who thinks that his ns would work, that everything would go back to normal just because he said so," Heine lifted Estelle''s chin up forcefully, making the girl face the ceiling. Estelle was confused. Who on Earth was Heine talking about? Heine''s sister, who was she? And how was she able to impact Heine to this extent? The unknown man that Heine mentioned. That caused Heine to lose his sister. What was the catalyst behind all this? The perpetrator that made Heine be pushed to this extent? Estelle couldn''tprehend it all. How was it possible? For Heine to keep up all these pretenses for years. Did Minerva and Yulia know about this too? Was every interaction Estelle had actually fake? Distrust that stemmed from despair slowly filled Estelle. Over a decade of memories. How could all of it be a mirage? Estelle was lost. Lost in the world''s ways. She knew that the world had many secrets, but one of the ces where secrets were most abundant was actually in her close quarters. Herself, and her surroundings. ces that she would''ve never thought to check in her early years. Clearly, her views on the world were being distorted with every passing second. "Let us start the initiation before everything is toote," Heine whispered lowly. His face was distorted, as if he was trying to hold back some sort of pain. Estelle got even more disturbed. What was it? This strange feeling that called out to her. She felt a different vibe and emotion stemming from her interactions with Heine. Estelle pinned her gaze on the man, whose expression became uglier with each blink of an eye. Was this really Heine she was facing? Her intuition told her that everything was a half truth. But what was the truth, and what was the lies. [Think, Estelle, think.] Estelle scrunched up her face in an attempt toplete her thoughts. When did it all start? When did the casualties spike, when Heine was absent and out of reach? When was he not in her scope of eyesight, and how would it connect to Heine changingpletely like this? Immediately, Estelle''s focus was brought to a certain point in life where she first faced a strange aura from Heine. If she recalled correctly, it was before Sylvania''s monarchy copsed. Before the Spirit Tree got corrupted and Kalis was put on the throne. Heine was busy, but she did not think much about it. If she really tried hard enough to remember, she would see the possibility of Heine averting his focus to his own ns. The hints Heine gave were little, but not zero. Estelle just epted everything Heine did because she recognized that the man had a separate life from her that needed to be respected. But behind her back, was this man actually a dangerous being who kept progressing on his own deranged path? Estelle sought to see the rtion between her and Heine. His sister and the man who was imed as the one who brought everything down. Estelle wanted answers. "I will give you the answers soon. Definitely," Heine scraped Estelle''s forehead with his thumbnail, drawing blood from the skin. Estelle winced at the sudden pain and wanted to shirk away, but the restraintsbined with Heine''s own applied force made it impossible for her to dodge. Heine''s nail was dipped in Estelle''s blood. With it, he drew a strange pattern around her be. With her senses, Estelle tried hard to imagine what Heine was creating, or rather, writing on her face. It must have something to do with the initiation. Estelle''s ring shone. The one she obtained in her father''s study, the one that would allow her to prove her own worth, ording to the Ruler. As expected, Heine really knew everything in regards to the Constetion. What did Heine seek by making her the leader earlier? For him to be appointed as the Constetion member? She would''ve appointed him nheless just solely based on his worth. Heine was more than worthy to ept the position as a former ruler and someone who Estelle was deeply indebted to. He also mentioned something about Estelle''s existence copsing, just like the Ruler. Then, if that was the case, Heine truly did not mean any harm towards Estelle. But why would he be so adamant about it? If he talked straight at Estelle, she would''ve tried hard to understand him. Heine''s actions must be propelled by some reason. Or else, why would he be so exasperated and hurried when even the Ruler did not tell her to be so panicked? Estelle was aware of the Ruler''s omniscient ability, and truly believed that so long as the Ruler did not strictly warn her, she was going to live on. Why? There were so many questions that floated around her mind and no answers to quench her confusion. But all of those thoughts were all collectively swept away as Heine continued his work on Estelle''s forehead, drawing blood from the wound that got erged and creating more inscriptions. With it, Estelle was able to feel her forehead heating up. Then, the same burning feeling spread out to Estelle''s fingers. It sourced from her ring. The ring she wasn''t able to detach. Estelle felt weak. Strength drained away from her body, making her powerless. Like always, the same pattern of copsing after struggles. Despite all the efforts she tried to be strong with, she was still weak. Chapter 97: To Be A Replacement Chapter 97: To Be A Recement A course of burning pain stretched out and filled her entire body, making her be consumed by pain. She retched out like a madman, wanting to erase the ufortable feeling she was submerged in. "Bear with it, my dear. Bear with it all... I don''t care what you look like in the end, I don''t care what you''ll end up as. As long as my sister.. my belovedes back to my side," Heine calmly said as he wiped the blood he used to draw on Estelle''s forehead with a clean cloth. Estelle couldn''t see herself, but there was currently a very prominent mark embellished on top of her skin. It was unsettling. It held a domineering aura to it, somehow. It was the motif of a crown that spread out like an elk''s horns. From the crown''s center, two lines were drawn on each side to resemble the crown''s handle. Around it were scriptures of a foreignnguage not known to man. It looked like scribbles, but it had an important meaning. Estelle gulped as she took in a deep breath of air to soothe herself even the slightest bit off of the pain she was feeling. Heine looked at her with a piercing gaze. It was as if he was no longer looking at the girl he guided for years. What did Heine see in her body? Estelle''s high perception dictated that Heine could not be seeing herself. He was not talking to Estelle reste, the Duke''s daughter. He saw something deeper. Behind Estelle''s peripheral outlook. Souls. Estelle''s attention was brought to souls. She was filled with a sense of anomality. Her soul was indeed special, but the only memory she retained was that of Reina. And in that life, she never had a sibling. Thus, Estelle refused to believe that Heine was seeing herself as the past life Estelle, Kirisaki Reina. What was it? Something beyond Estelle and Reina. Did she have another life? What did this body contain that enraptured Heine in such a deranged way, and who exactly was this sister Heine talked about? Memories. Estelle thought, perhaps there were memories she had forgotten. Memories that were sealed and cast away from her. The seals that were ced on her, did it have anything to do with the dilemma she was facing? Estelle couldn''t believe herself. Couldn''t believe what she was experiencing. Why should she be wronged for something that she wasn''t aware of? She was Estelle reste. She epted the part of herself that included Kirisaki Reina''s persona, but her lives had merged easily with the current of time that took her attention off of her past life. She wasn''t all that attached to her past life except for the hatred she carried to this world. The revenge she wanted to enact on Hikari. Aside from that, she was content in epting her new life as Estelle. "Sister really is too cruel.. For that mortal man, you actually threw me and the esteemed Absolute away. Your soul was shattered by a mortal because you revealed your weakness to them. How could you do that?" [The Absolute..] Estelle recalled the name. It was an entity the Ruler had mentioned. The Creator of all. The Ruler had only talked about the entity slightly, but she remembered that the Absolute was the highest being. The first Creator. Estelle wondered. Her shattered soul, the Absolute, and her experiences. It should all be rted in some way. Her covered past, the Ruler never mentioned something like that. He only told her that her seals would unleash an unknown her. From this point on, Estelle had an internal debate. If the ''unknown her'' the Ruler talked about was the same as Heine''s desired figure, then the shattered soul that Heine mentioned should also be her. Her soul was shattered in the past? The same soul she possessed right now? Was that the truth she longed to discover? Then, when she was still Kirisaki Reina, which soul did she have? The shattered and iplete soul, was that the same one? Was that the reason why she couldn''t be like others? Possessing no emotions and being much more exceptional than her peers, to the point of being a crazy individual? Estelle hated it. Hated the thought of everything. Hated that she had so many unsolved questions in the first ce, and yet new ones kept getting thrown at her. "Sister, wasn''t what you did to us far too cruel? Did you not think about us at all? You are that former world''s Creator, and yet you were betrayed by your own ''subjects''. Your world was destroyed by that person, you know? Don''t you feel hatred towards them? Bloodlust?" Heine was projecting his ''sister'' onto Estelle. His eyes did not even see Estelle for who she was. He saw his sister, who had her soul shattered. Estelle didn''t have those memories. Even if Heine''s sister was her past life, she still didn''t have the memories. And that was what led to further confusion. Unlike Heine, who leaned more towards her past life, Estelle was theplete opposite. She refused to ept that Heine''s ''sister'' was inside her. That ''she'' was a part of Estelle''s soul. Because it was something foreign, something unknown. It wasn''t a new statement that people feared the unknown. Anybody would have a hard time epting that sort of fate. Being told that you had an alternate persona hidden within yourself all this time, that never got detected even after so many years. Two lifetimes without realizing the truth. How ridiculous was this plot? How would someone voluntarilyprehend everything in one go? (A/N: Yeah, Estelle is right. How ridiculous is this plot I made? Am I drunk? Yes. Don''t worry beloved readers, it''s only going to get even more crazier from this point on because I love torturing everybody involved :))). ) "But sister is too kind, you wouldn''t think of such sinister plots. If so, let me be the one who worries about all those schemes. I will continuously support you.. For you are my one and only sister," Heine continued his rambling. Estelle controlled her breathing pattern as she felt the pain increase as time went. She couldn''t cast any magic, couldn''t speak, and her senses were deluded. Her breathing was messed up, as she struggled to get air into her lungs more often than not. At this point, Estelle was on the brink of fainting, but she persevered. Because she couldn''t faint here. If she fainted, that would truly be the end. She had to go through this, just to seek a chance. A loophole she can manipte to get out of this trouble. She was indeed supposed to see Duke Miller and present him with the ring, but Estelle was sure that this wasn''t the right way. The old man was standing on the sidelines and letting Heine do everything. Estelle was even more scared when she thought about what the old Duke would do. This was, ording to Heine, the ''initiation process''. What would the real deal be? Wouldn''t she just evaporate out of existence? Her years worth of struggling, would all of it go away? "Your memory will soon return.. I wonder if you will hate me. It''s all fine for me, sister. As long as I get to stand beside you and protect you for an eternity, I will be satisfied. But I wonder why you don''t understand it?" Heine''s expression was terrifying. Like a lunatic, Heine mumbled nonstop as he sprinkled an unknown substance on top of Estelle''s head. It was purple colored, and at a nce, it looked like nothing but simple dust particles. The moment those purplish dust particles touched Estelle''s wound and the blood spread from it, Estelle screamed. The loudest she ever belted out in her entire life. The dust brought out something within her that she never knew existed. The burn escted as she felt it not only affect her body, but also her soul. Estelle had a bad premonition. The previous time this happened, she was sent to the Eterna. And the Ruler had told her that only Value 0 entered Eterna. Even so, she was sent there. To recuperate her damaged soul. But what Heine was currently doing was harming her soul and reducing the soul count. The soul count that she had painstakingly raised back up to 100 in her stay over at Eterna. [Was he waiting for this the entire time? WAS THIS WHAT THE RULER MEANT BY A FATED ENCOUNTER?!!] Estelle was enraged. The Ruler knew everything, so the being couldn''t have missed Heine''s ns. The being must''ve known, but it couldn''t tell Estelle because it would be against the world''s rules. The fated encounter, was it about how she had to maximize her soul count before undergoing this horrendous process? But she doubted it. The process that the Ruler showed her should not be this extreme. That being would warn her or at least seek another way if that was the case. This was too crazy for her to handle. Her soul count was depleting at an unbelievable rate. It was nearing twenty digits in mere minutes, which was a line the Ruler told her not to cross if she wanted to continue her life. It was the ''safe'' line. Beyond this, she would definitely be dead. And by dead, she did not mean mortality on a physical level. Her soul would be deleted and she would be sent into the Eterna as a true Value 0. Estelle was convinced that Heine was trying to rece her. Chapter 98: The Guidance Chapter 98: The Guidance Somehow, she felt it. With Heine''s maniacal look,bined with Duke Miller''s apprehensive, but cooperative attitude. Estelle was somehow able to piece it out although not in a detailed way. Everything must have something to do with her soul and Heine''s ''sister''. Estelle felt her own self be in danger. At an existential level. She was afraid that she would be seeing the Ruler not as the Estelle the being knew her of, but as a true Value 0. Danger was approaching, but as her soul count depleted, she was slowly copsing from within. Her consciousness was about to fade as she felt dizzy all over. Just like always, she fell. After she had fallen unconscious, she entered a state of mirage, where she was trapped in a white space. Just from a nce, Estelle could tell that the ce wasn''t Eterna. During the one month stay she had in Eterna, she knew the little perks of the realm and wouldn''t mistake such a unique ce for another. Then, a voice came in and stirred her mind. It was an unfamiliar male voice that she had never heard. But somehow, she seemed to recognize bits and parts of it. -Estelle, wake up. My child, you can not fall into this trap. A fresh voice that came out of nowhere. Two simple sentences that took Estelle''s attention off of the pain she was facing for a slight moment. It caught her off guard, understandably. Estelle had already thought of herself as a dead man. She couldn''t fight back, especially when her magic was restricted and her horrendous nemesis joined the fray. In addition, the voice was somewhat recognizable. Like she had heard it before. And yet, her memory should''ve recorded it perfectly if that was the case. She couldn''t recall anybody who had the voice, so how? [..Huh?] Estelle, still encapsted in the unbelievable pain she went through, heard the voice sprout inside her mind and jolted in shock. She first questioned the identity of the speaker. The current her was like a wary small animal. She couldn''t distinguish between what was good and evil. She knew that a person could freely interchange in between, and that made it even harder. The people she dealt with could screw her over so badly, but at the same time could help her shoot up her progress by a mile. Just like that bastard lunatic Heine. Naturally, Estelle was suspicious due to the events she had gone through. Defensive and filled to the brim with worries. However, Estelle decided to see the matter further. For she had been hurt so many times, but at the same time recovered and healed just as many times. She waited for the speaker''s next sentence in agony. Her soul was hurting. Clearly, while she was trapped inside this wretched white space, Heine was wrecking things outside. Estelle gritted her teeth as she felt the burning pain tense her mirage body. The pain stretched out to this ce as well, leaving her no chance to rx. Thankfully, the pain itself was somewhat reduced from its original density when she is in this form. She sat down, crouching and wallowing over her fate. She had asked the question several times before, but she wanted to ask it again. What had she done to deserve all this? What was it that separated her from others, that made her not be able to live a normal life? Then, the voice spoke once more. -You must escape. The Heine before you is no longer sane, but there will be a way of saving him. What he is saying is correct, but he sees the truth in a distorted way. He was overwhelmed by his memories. [Memories.. what kind of memories made Heine plunge into this pit of madness?] Estelle frowned as covered her eyes, raking through her hair and even gripping it hard because of all the pain. Deep down, she still had trust for Heine. Sadly. The man had built such an amiable rtionship with her that she found it hard to believe that he would go down this wicked path. She was someone who looked at everything in a linear way. Thus, she found it hard to predict when someone would break free from this linear path. She found it hard to intercept the hidden ns that unfolded behind her. Because she was that type of person who had high intelligence, yet wasn''t sensitive to people''s underlying intentions. She was able to sense emotions, not intentions. One could freely mask their emotions when they are an expert at it. In that case, how would Estelle be able to tell what their purpose was? Distorted memories. Estelle, too, couldn''t just ept that excuse straight up. No matter what, Heine had left a traumatic imprint on her. She would not be able to face the man the same as before. There would always be the leftover sentiments and beliefs ced on him if she did manage to get out of this ordeal. A shadow would always be cast over her mind. Skepticism and constant fear of things she didn''t know. Estelle''s heart was starting to cken. She was no longer the same as before. No longer was she innocent and thought of the world in an idealistic way. She wanted to change her ways of thinking. Because it had hurt her far too much. The scariest thing was thinking about how she was trapped in endless harm''s way without even knowing about it. That she was akin to a livestock that was being cultivated to yield the results people wanted her to be. However, no matter what, she still wanted to keep some of her views in the same way, unchanging. -His past memories. You also have them. He is heavily affected by his first life''s memories to the point where he can''t separate the three lives he experienced. He received everything in one go.. which I can only think of one reason why that was made possible. They are all foolish. His memories underwent an alteration as a result of all those overloading information. Estelle heard the man speak and was slightly shocked, but soon recovered herself. Because the other news that has been ryed on to her were all much moreplicated and surprising. But it turns out that Heine was also a reincarnator? And he had three lives? That exined some of his knowledge, which Estelle had always thought to be strangely in tune with her own. Estelle hadn''t realized the man''s influence at that time, but Heine would normally chime in and add into Estelle''s ideas, matching her with the aspirations and works that seemed unfit for the world. At the very least, her ideas would be considered unrealistic, no? But Heine''s actions really did dictate a strange sense of familiarity. Not to mention, the matter with the Ancient Humans who presented him with a new set of technology. If Estelle was in Heine''s position, and saw people who brought in such bright innovations that were unheard of, she would definitely dig deeper, but Heine seemed to not pay that much attention to them. Or at least that was what she thought. Estelle''s mind spun. She didn''t know if any of her thoughts were correct at all. Heine''s existence was tooplex. The Heine she understood was only a small part of the man. The man was just as dangerous as Elias despite everything that she has ever learned about him. [What can I do for him?! Please, tell me.] Estelle wanted to fight for both herself and Heine. She had witnessed Heine''s underlying kindness and refused to believe that the Heine she knew a few years ago was now erased out of existence. There must be something only she can do. She was the main character in this scenario, since Heine''s dilemma involved her. She wanted to see which ones were right and wrong. Which ones were fake and which ones were not. Estelle felt time ticking as her soul experienced another burn. She swallowed her saliva as she copsed down to the ground, struggling to keep herself intact. -You can not revert him back to the person you know. At this point, it is better to erase his memories and restart his consciousness. This will be a temporary solution to the big matter. However, you must keep in mind that the current dominating persona is that of his first life as the God Astarte. -The matter about his sister, the mortal man that ruined everything, and the Absolute. Those memories came from his first life as God Astarte. The moment you let that child''s consciousness take over, you must expect heavy responsibilities and bacsh. You must be prepared for the consequences. It might be good, it might be bad. But this is the only way if you want to free the man. [Anything. Anything if it means that all these chaos would be subsided, if it means that Heine''s outrageousness will be calmed.] Estelle wanted to bet. It would be a risky bet. She wanted to see what Heine''s true colors were. From the beginning of this new dilemma, she had felt as if Heine was being internally hurt by something. If the source of his pain was the shing of souls within himself, then wouldn''t she be able to revert the man back to the past Heine that she looked up to? -Then, you can follow my instructions. I do not have much time, and so do you. We must carry on with haste. The being said that, and Estelle instantly perked up. She will do it. Chapter 99: Time For More Work Chapter 99: Time For More Work Estelle nodded as she calmed herself down. Her first reaction was to utilize the method she had used in the Eterna. To usebination magic and increase her soul count. However, she was hit hard by the cruel reality as her magic was actually still blocked inside the realm, and her element of nothingness wasn''t as prominent as it was in the Eterna. Eterna propelled the existence of nothingness because the realm itself was andfill of congruent elements that bound together. Now that she was out of that realm, with her current level of maniption, she wouldn''t be able to extricate the nothingness out of herself. She was at a loss. What other way would be there? Her soul was dying as they speak. She was worried to death. -Don''t do it that way. If you tried to increase it gradually like you did in the Eterna, you will just aggravate that child''s actions even more. He will be defensive and increase his work. The unknown''s being voice acted as a guide, making Estelle immediately stop her wishful thinking and wait for further instructions. Estelle bit her lips, acknowledging the unknown being''s statement. If you can''t persist through one way, then look for another. [Then, what should I do?] She asked for guidance. -I will lend you my power, use it to break off your seals. Estelle widened her eyes. To wield the unknown being''s power. What type of power would it be? Estelle already had an inkling on who she was talking to. Even if her primary guess was wrong, Estelle should be talking to an omniscient being of the Ruler''s level or even higher. To wield their kind''s power, Estelle pondered what it''d be like. However, she noticed something. [..Wouldn''t that be what Heine is trying to achieve? To break off my seals?] Heine was trying to cooperate with Duke Miller to perform a strange type of ceremony. She didn''t know what the specifics were, but if Heine is looking to borrow Duke Miller''s power, then there should be something that Duke Miller has, but Heine doesn''t. Estelle''s first guess was Duke Miller''s [Spectre]. ording to their conversation, Duke Miller should''ve borrowed assistance from Heine in the past, which he then demands payment by signing up to participate in this ceremony. -He is using the misaligned way. With that method, you will lose yourself. You will lose the memories of Kirisaki Reina and Estelle reste. Not only that, your first life''s memories will be restituted, but you won''t be aplete being. It''s all because of his method. Estelle was aghast. Then, her facial expression twisted and turned as she digested the being''s words. Her perception of herself was that of Reina and Estelle. To her, if those memories and personality were going to be erased, then it would be the same as erasing her entire self. Even though that wasn''t true. Estelle and Reina were two simr personalities because her same mind had gone through the two lives one after another without losing the memories. She was not only scared of discovering what Estelle''s first life''s experiences might be, but also that she would have to begin another long process of eptance because of their merging. -Luckily, you are not inplete danger yet. You still have a chance of overturning everything. It''s not toote. Estelle had a determined, fired up look as she circted her thoughts around. If she really had to merge with her first life, she wanted herself to have the authority to choose when it''ll happen, and how it''ll be done through. Not forcefully extracted like what Heine is envisioning. [If I might ask, before you lend me your power.. what was my name in the first life?] Estelle gulped and questioned in curiosity. -The Goddess of Creation, Estraea. With that simple reply, Estelle was able to enter another series of epiphany. The name Estraea seemed to resonate directly with her. It really seemed like there was a separate entity lying within her that created these unexinable feelings. The attraction she felt to the name was strong. Inside her mind, there seemed to be a cloud that covered her memories. The cloud prevented her from retrieving her experiences, but it still shouted out when the name Estraea was mentioned. Estraea must''ve been a very important name, seeing how big the reaction was. After the talk ended, the being began to drift off to the impending matters. -We have no time. I will exin to you what you need to do, but I won''t apany you for the journey. You will have to struggle by yourself, understood? [Understood.] Estelle replied with haste. -Remember your experience in the Eterna. I want you to replicate that, but use my magic in a huge burst. Only by doing that would you be able to restore your condition inrge amounts. Small changes won''t make it, so you have to do it in batches. Wait for the perfect moment to strike and increase your soul count in one go. -Once your seals are unlocked, you will be able to utilize some of your true Creation Magic. Your stay in Eterna is somewhat of a preparation for this moment. Thebination magic you learned, it is extremely simr to the one you are going to use right now. Instead of using abination of Creation Magic and nothingness, use the True Creation Magic and my magic instead. -Only, the soul you will be working with is extremely turbulent and uncontroble. When you entered Eterna, your soul was calm because of the supportive conditions you possessed. You had all the time to work. But this time, you won''t be able to do that. You will have to keep a steady mind all the time, or else you are going to get bacsh. The true Creation Magic can be your savior, but it can also be poison. The concept is simr. -Think of this time as a hardcore mode of the previous one. If you manage to seed, then not only are you going to unlock your seals and unleash your power, but you are also going to regain your memories. Be prepared for that. Do not fret, you are stronger than you think. -I believe in you, my child. [..Wait, are you-> Estelle was about to question this unknown being''s words. Because, if she went by his choice of words, then he should be the world''s Creator. The Absolute himself. He referred to Goddess Estraea and God Astarte as his children and talked about ''his magic''. A new magic outside of everything. Was this thest element? Or would there be another element that appears in the future? Estelle was thrown into another frenzy, as the being did not allow her to rest. The being disappeared after his speech ended. Their time was limited, and she now had to attend to her matters seriously. She was shielded with arge array of magic that spread throughout the ce, making the environment dense with the same energy that was slowly entering her. The being''s energy mixed with her own and got absorbed into her mana circuits, leading Estelle to gain back some control over her body due to being able to utilize magic. Estelle understood the severity of the situation and didn''t bother with the being''s identity any longer. What kind of being he was didn''t matter. Even if the being was a devil, at least Estelle would be granted with the chance to escape. Another fight for her life was about to start. Before Estelle could confront the unknown being on his true identity and more questions, Estelle was left alone. She was left with the magic the being gave her. The magic was hard to describe. It was akin to a soothing, smooth sailing stream of rich liquid. It traveled all over Estelle''s body and merged with herself. Particrly, the magic went towards her soul. Her soul was already being attacked by Heine''s influence. Whatever he did definitely impacted her soul and drained her. In contrast, the magic she received did the opposite. It enriched her soul and tried to recover it. s, it wasn''t able to stand alone. That was why the existence of her True Creation Magic was needed. Because the magic she was lent and the True Creation Magic Estraea used to possess went hand in hand and would create a unity that epassed everything. Estelle had received intel on where her sealsid within in previous asions. The remaining seals were spotted at two separate locations. One was inside her head, and the other was in the middle of her chest. Ultimately, this led Estelle to believe that whatever Heine was doing had something to do with the seal inside her head. Because that was where he targeted his moves at, and they all fully knew that there was a seal hidden within the ce. Estelle decided to unlock the seal inside her head first. Chapter 100: Will and Resolve Chapter 100: Will and Resolve [How do I do this?] Estelle wasn''t all that familiar with the ways. The True Creation Magic didn''tnd on her palms immediately, so Estelle guessed that itid behind one of the seals. Or perhaps both of them. Either way, the process the being talked about must be one that nears the ending. She was still at the start of the fight. How can she open the seals? Estelle was once again caught in an array of questions. She began to arrange the possibilities. Since the being did not directly instruct her, it must be something she could figure out on herself. She began to stack up on the ideas she could muster up. What did she know? Estelle began racking up her brain. She didn''t have much time, so she had to rush things. Though, she felt that her soul count was not decreasing as quickly as before. She suspected that it had something to do with her soul''s defensive mechanism. Below 20 digits was a dangerous stunt to pull off, so naturally her soul had to have some sort of protective measures. If not, it wouldn''t be a Goddess'' soul. Despite her dislike over the forced turn of events, Estelle was someone who was weak to facts. Since all the facts wereid in front of her, that she was a Goddess who had shattered her soul in the past, then she would externally ept the fact. Internally, however, she still wasn''t nning on weing the new personality without any prior discussion. Estelle desired change, but she was also scared of change. She recognized the existence that mayy within herself. What Estelle didn''t know was that she was by no means weak. Both literally and figuratively, she was a strong person. Possessing a strong power, albeit some hidden behind seals. To add to it, she had a strong mind and willpower. If it was just any random person that went through Estelle''s ordeals, surely they wouldn''t havee this far. The amount of pain and hectic situations she had been thrown into was astronomical. To bear all that and still continue forth without any changes would be impossible. Naturally, Estelle''s mind was slowly being revised each day. [If anything.. something I know and is in rtion to the seals.. It would be..?] Estelle had an idea, but she wasn''t sure. It was a magic possessed by one of her colleagues. Yulia Eire, the Witch of Arcana. [Yulia''s Arcana Magic.] Estelle thought. The power invested in her was immense. She felt like she was an all powerful being with nothing to fear. She began to fantasize. If she did wield this magic, could she actually perform the Arcana Magic? Arcana Magic was obtained through the action of Spirit Borrowing. Estelle wondered if she would be able to attract the spirits the same way Yulia did. She had desired to try and wield this power from years ago, when she failed to sessfully obtain the magic''s inner workings. However, Estelle felt as if the current her would be able to do it. She had a feeling, and she wanted to try and trust this feeling of hers. Because her prominent feeling told her that this was the answer and that she had to follow it. Estelle stood in the middle of the space, closing her eyes as she began to utilize the magic inside her. The only magic she was able to use was the being''s borrowed magic. It was a foreign element to her, but thankfully her body seemed to assimte with her body properly and in a fast rate. She was at least decent in wielding the element now. It was silky smooth inside her circuits, and not once did it encounter any blockage nor cause a bacsh to happen. Estelle took a deep breath in, and out. She had asked Yulia about how she was able to use the otherworldly spirits'' power one day. Yulia herself did not know the specifics, but she had described the process as wishing to be granted power. That she would then connect with her destined spirit, and the spirit would in turn help her. Estelle thought of the spirit she would connect with. What would it be like? The otherworldly spirits'' world, how was it? Was it simr to Estelle''s world? Or was it more aligned with the likes of Eterna, where it''d be empty? Sylvania was pretty, and the spirits that resided there were also beautiful. Would they be the same? Estelle wanted to meet the spirit badly. "O'' spirit.. If you can hear me and has the power the assist me through my troubles.. Please lend me a hand," Estelle said, wishing with all the energy she had. For a minute, nothing happened. Estelle began to be discouraged. The main motivator she had was that she was someone loved by the world, which granted her an outstanding affinity with Sylvania''s spirits. Estelle assumed that she would have a set amount of affinity with these otherworldly spirits as well, but it seemed like that wasn''t the case. Seemed. It only seemed that way. Soon, things began to materialize around Estelle. Oddly-shaped clusters of light that swirled around and bound together to form a bigger particle, which then bound once again to form a bigger cluster. They took turns circling her, sometimes dimming down and other times brightening up. Estelle felt like a little girl who was inside a fantasy story tale. With the beautiful sparkling particles floating around her, she felt euphoric in a strange way. The spirits'' light umted around her head and merged into onerge ball. It was then absorbed through her forehead, from which she began to feel pain coursing throughout her entire body. Feeling her soul''s continuous burning pse nonstop, she was forced to scrape away all of her remaining energy to cultivate the power that has been bestowed upon her. Her ultimate goal was to free herself off of the seals. Estelle instantly regretted her decision. She felt like she was going to go crazy any moment now. Batshit insane. The pain instantly escted as she struggled to survive. Her head was practically being split open by the sheer amount of pressure generated by the spirits'' magic. Estelle knew something, however. She needed to focus. Yulia was always focused when she performed her Arcana Magic. It wasn''t just the spirits'' work. Estelle also had to work. One thing was for sure. The magic was working. Because she felt her seals start to corrode. As if the starting piece has been put down, and the only thing needed now is to progress the seals until they fully dissolve. Estelle endured the ringing pain inside her head. She scrambled to get up, banging her palm against her head multiple times in an attempt to numb the pain. Although it didn''t decrease, Estelle could finally breathe in and out without suffocating. Her head felt like there were being hammered, likerge nails were shoved deep inside her dainty head every time she took in a deep breath. Regting her focus, Estelle began to try and control the spirits'' aid. She had to take charge of the crazy happenings. (A/N: I feel like I''m hurting Estelle too much T^T) She put all of her attention on her burning head, locating the seal and directing the spirits'' aid to the site of action. Estelle began turning in the necessary wheels to unlock the seals. Aided with the being''s borrowed magic, she began pursuing the seal''s intricate security. There was one thing Estelle noticed. The power she wielded was near omnipotent. Estelle could unlock the seals with just simple and forceful shimmies into the barricades. She broke through the joints that held the seal together. The magic she cast made her able to speedrun through the unlocking process. She repeatedly banged on her knees to bear the pain. Every time a joint was dislocated from the seal, she would experience a stinging pain that tortured her to no end. After a long struggle, her pain finally resided for a short minute. Estelle felt a switch inside her head flip. The seal, which had been restricting her own magic''s highest variant for all these years snapped. Like a chain which broke off and set free a huge wave of high pressure magic in form ofrge, tsunami like currents. Estelle was able to take a short breather. Just as she received the new magic, Estelle was relieved of all the pain. And yet, that obviously wouldn''t be the end. Right after, a different set of pain psed. If the pain just now was burning, the the pain right now was scorching. She felt likeva attacked her whole body. But it was especially aimed towards her soul. The unleashed True Creation Magic embarked throughout her entire body and pulsated everywhere. This time, Estelle was pushed to almost be knocked out. She hung on to keep a sane mind, as she knew that the process wouldn''t work without her controlling the entire thing. Estelle ruffled her hair, gasping inrge scales because of the scorching feelingbined with the turbulence that happened within her soul. She felt like she was going to break any moment now, and the only thing holding back that from happening was a strand of willpower that was slowly being thinned out as well. The True Creation Magic''s new addition made her pain worsen. It knocked at her soul like thorns piercing her flesh. Sharp pains at different levels of severity. Estelle held on. She was going to ovee this, no matter what. Once she got back to her body, she would definitelynd a solid punch onto those bastards that put her in this situation. Hatred was the fuel that served to move Estelle no matter how much she suffered. Because she was filled with injustice and wouldn''t let go without returning the favor. After all, she was the Viiness, wasn''t she? Chapter 101: Deathless Desire Chapter 101: Deathless Desire They say that bitter medicine worked the best. In this case, Estelle needed to take on the worst ever feeling to get past her life crisis. Estelle forced herself to remember that she was a respectable Viiness, and that this was just another life trial she had to ovee in order to sessfully tread on the path of a Viiness. The path was painted withva and decorated with poisonous thorns that harmed her every so often. She couldn''t help but crawl down to the floor and bang her chest repeatedly to control the chaos. To avert her attention to another source of pain- a rtively well known method to bear painful experiences. Yet, the ''true'' Creation Magic continued rampaging within her and wrecking everything. The being mentioned that the True Creation Magic shouldn''t have been wielded by the current Estelle. Estelle was the sole possessor of this magic in the past, but her current condition and vessel was far from enough to qualify for this magic. Estelle understood it all because the unknown being had specifically told her to beware, and yet she was still unwilling to lose. Because she believed that if there wasn''t a chance of her surviving, then the being wouldn''t have approached her and purposefully guided her. A farfetched guess. But she had to hold on to every single piece of hope if she wanted to get out of this ordeal alive. Estelle dug her nails into her skin as she crawled back up and crossed her legs, getting into a meditative position. She had confidence in her mind, and attempted to distract the pain entirely by going into deep focus. She imagined a still body of water. That body of water was her way of visualizing her soul''s current condition. She had to calm it down. Inside her mind, she repeated the phrase ''calm down'' a thousand times. To ease the burning pain, she suppressed the rampaging magic as much as possible and prevented it from touching the insides of her soul and disrupting the body of water''s flow. Sweat dripped off of Estelle like never before. Estelle bit her lips as hard as she could, feeling ufortable even after she went into a state of deep focus. [Calm down. Everything will be fine. I don''t need to worry. I am Estelle, and not yet Estraea.] The True Creation Magic was a major reminder that she served as the past Estraea''s continuation. However, she hadn''t assimted with the original persona yet. Whatever Estraea was, whether she was a Goddess or the first Creation did not matter to herself. In her mind, Estelle will forever be Estelle reste, a dweller of the Surface. She didn''t wish to reject Estraea''s partpletely, but her true self didn''t have to be dominated by Estraea''s presence. Estelle believed that she could take charge of the matter. As long as she continued persevering. Her current views were all ones that she liked. She had immense trust in herself. Because, if even she didn''t trust herself, who would? In terms of intimacy, Estelle had to say that she was the closest to herself. The best at understanding herself, more than anyone. Perhaps the mysteries that covered her were abundant, but that didn''t deter her from holding her ground and not faltering from pressure. The fate''s flow was cruel. There were so many times that she wished to give up because of all the painful experiences. But she alwayse out on top. Why wouldn''t this matter be the same as those times? Estelle was someone that hated to lose, but she was flexible on top of everything. Her confidence had been battered up to a bad state, but she would recover. Even if she did lose, she would only hate the fact that she lost and nothing more. She would simply stand back up and continue her journey. Estelle scrunched up her face as she breathed out harshly. Same process, over and over again. She recalled her experience in the Eterna. The process she had mastered and gotten better at through constant hammering of experiences. Those moments where she found solitude and peace. No one else was there, just her. Today, too, the situation was simr. Very simr. Estelle couldn''t believe that she would be put in this damned situation this early after the previous experience. It hadn''t even been one day yet. If she had known about this, she would''ve taken a longer rest at the Eterna. She kept her calm as she began culminating the initialization with the True Creation Magic. It''d be hard at the start, but surely she could control it. Estelle wondered. Before she left, her farewell with the Ruler was quite long. The omniscient, all-knowing Ruler, why did the being not warn her? Was it because it would wrong the world''s karma? Estelle didn''t think of herself as a Samaritan, but she felt like she had done quite the fair share of good deeds. The Ruler told her that the world''s karma scales ording to your worth and gifts. If you are talented, when you are blessed with many gifts, then naturally your requirements and standards would be raised ordingly. Estelle''s situation was like that. She was stuck in an endless cycle of spending her world''s karma in an attempt to save her life. To think of the forever tipping scale, it would be like raising her karma, getting into misfortune, and end up having to spend those karma points in order to save herself out of the peril. Then, due to her good luck after receiving her power, more bad luck woulde. Her karma will be spent. An unending cycle that needed to be ended. Estelle snorted as she felt like the ridiculous situation shouldn''t even exist in the first ce. She recuperated from the initial pain and began picking her pace up. She brought up her will to continue the stages, scaling the difficult staircase to her safety with great pains. You wouldn''t gain much if you didn''t take the necessary risks and pains. Her two newly gained magic intertwined with each other, mixing in smoothly. Estelle felt very lucky, because this waspletely unlike when she was in the Eterna. Estelle thought that she would have to withstand great ordeals in order to sessfully mix them, but the two elements were actuallying together on their own. A bright smileced with happiness appeared as Estelle was once again hopeful of her trials. Outside Estelle''s realm, Heine was beginning to sense that something was wrong. Because Estelle herself had ripped her seal apart, Heine received the same result outwards. But somehow, he felt like the reason the seal broke wasn''t the process he started up. "The process isn''t happening like I thought it would. Do you have any idea why this is happening?" Heine clicked his tongue, wondering if he had gotten something wrong. He obtained the method he was using right now from his memories. He was sure that this could work. Itprised of a couple stages, and the first ones were already done. He was ready to move on, but he couldn''t shake off the strange premonition he held. He just had to let this method seed and his sister would be returned back to him. They were separated for so long. He couldn''t wait to reunite with her any longer. But what on Earth was he feeling uneasy? What was happening. "I do not know. Since you didn''t obtain theplete information, maybe there was a slight discrepancy between the descriptions?" Duke Miller replied to the man. "..I suppose that could be true," Heine mumbled, still feeling off. There was an original n. One that differed from what he was about to do soon. It was intended to be a long and lengthy progress. At first, he hid his negative sentiments because Estelle was indeed quite the peculiar target to offend. She possessed the soul of a Goddess, albeit not aplete one. It had been destroyed in the past, and in order to recover it, they had to endure a rigorous process of finding the Goddess'' scattered remains for what might not work at all. To help with that, there was a n. It was a ridiculous n concocted by the very man who harmed Goddess Estraea and made her soul shatter. Everything was done for that man. The reason why they were all in this difficult predicament was also because of him and his actions. As Astarte, who was suddenly left by his sister out of nowhere, he had an unconditional hatred towards the man. But because everyone was partial to him, Astarte had to swallow his displeasure down. For the n''s sake. Because they promised that Estraea will return safely even if it would take a long time. But what did he see? Suffering. Everyone suffered because of the long wait. Because of the n to move Estraea to a mortal realm so that she could stabilize, she was hurt too. Because of the next stage that was to move ''Reina'' to the Surface, Estelle was hurt beyond belief. Countless pain stacking up to build herself to the point where she would be able to assimte with her former self. A slow progress that tormented him when he finally regained Astarte''s full memories and began to realize the truth. Heine didn''t exactly agree with his ns, but everyone supported him. Just because Estraea treasured him, just because Estraea''s soul onceid within that wretched man. Heine gritted his teeth as he felt Astarte''s rage take over his rationality and cloud his mind. He must do his duties. Everyone couldn''t do it, but he could. He could save his sister alone. Unlike the Absolute who until now was still restrained to the World Tree. Chapter 102: Desperate Sacrifice Chapter 102: Desperate Sacrifice The sphemous man. His name was Aleksei, a mortal man who met Estraea during her travels down to the world she had created. He was the catalyst of all. The one who set fire to the fuse that would eventually incur a chain of endless suffering for everybody involved. The mortal man was no longer there, as he had long be another deity that stood alongside the likes of the Absolute once the tragedies came to a standstill. He was never recognized for an official post, but he was there. The man who stood behind all the ns to recover his ''loved one''. Estraea''s former lover, and the one brought everything down. ____ Heine was strong. He was strong in the sense that he could move the world ordingly. To suit his will. Although he didn''t have absolute control, he was strong enough to bypass a lot of restrictions. And with it, he also hid his power and set it to not only grow exponentially, but also in a certain rate that would not trigger any strong suspicions. The reason Heine possessed so much control over the world was because his past self, God Astarte, helped make the world they were currently dwelling in. In addition, his soul wasplete, unlike Estelle''s. Thus, he was able to regain control of the world and abuse the mechanisms rted to it with miniscule repercussions assisted by his divine status. Heine was a madman. He didn''t know what he was doing most of the time, but he followed his natural instincts and beliefs. He was aware that his methods were not the best, but he kept pursuing it because he believed that it was right for him. Heine never trusted anybody wholeheartedly and kept proceeding while sealing off his own mind away from the world. It was crazy how he managed to keep himself intact, because during the first struggles he experienced, he had to go through them all without any help. Yes. Just like Estelle, naturally he had his own bacshes and challenges. There was no way Estelle became the only one who had to bear pain. Heine always strove to achieve nothing but the best result through the shortest way, even if it meant harming himself. Because he was crazy and blind. But to himself, he was sane. The sanest person ever. Because he was internally confused, but he wouldn''t know where his rights and wrongs were located at. And he continued on like that. Tumbling over again and again,ing back up, and harming himself even more. Just to chase his dream of reuniting with his sister and soothing the itching pain of loneliness and longing for the Goddess'' return. Heine'' gaze darkened as he felt his throat dry up from theck of care he gave himself. His body''s internals were all messed up, but he covered it with illusion magic. With every step and every breath, he was in pain. But it didn''t matter. Because ultimately, once his n seeds, he would have no further use for this body. He didn''t care about their mortal appearances. Once they returned to the upper realms, everything would fix itself. As such, his ns also concerned Estelle being harmed. Because he only prioritized her soul. The beautiful soul he admires and loves for an eternity. With such deranged thoughts, he made the ultimate decision to continue on with the process. He brushed off the ufortable feeling he was getting as recoil from Estelle''s soul. The turbulence inside the Goddess'' item was high. _____ In the upper nes, rested an androgynous man with white hair and empty eyes. His back leaned against a gigantic tree, and the realm around him was pure With each passing second, he felt like he was disappearing. Him, the highest being of all, also faced repercussions from the tragedies that psed thousands of years ago. -Haa.. He took in a deep breath, pinching his be with a weak force. No longer did he exude power and liveliness. He was slowly rotting away, slowly killing himself to save the woman he had once created. His heart was filled with regrets every single day. There were no asions where he didn''t feel a pang in his heart whenever he witnessed the girl being harmed. Even so, he couldn''t interfere. This time was special, however, as the God Astarte''s incarnation dared tomit such sphemous actions that would affect many. -The rest is up to you... Everybody is suffering, no one is left out of the game. What did we do that caused such a great effect? Where did we go wrong? The voice that helped Estelle, his identity was naturally, just as Estelle had suspected. It was the Absolute, the one and only highest being that stood above all. Even though his name was the Absolute, his power was now restricted. Because he had to pay a price for his reckless thoughts that contributed to the current problem. Their story was a painful one. Once, the world belonged to only one person. The entire universe was in his hands, the first life that existed. He, the Absolute, used to have no humanoid body. He was just a string of consciousness, like the Ruler. He coexisted along with the World Tree, Yggdrasil. The one and only center of the universe, the one that kept the cogs of fate running. After him, Estraea was created. The second life that came to be. He created Estraea to be his partner. An equal to himself, who had the entire universe to himself. It wasn''t only based on loneliness. He, too, recognized the need for there to be life if the universe wanted to progress. Goddess Estraea was the bane of his existence. Not long after she came alive, he felt like it was getting increasingly harder to revert back and go on without her presence. That Goddess would then eventually grow up and meet with a desire to create more life other than the few Gods they were able to bring up. A desire that he wished never came up. Because he was lenient, he let her do it. He adored her more than one would love another. It surpassed love, it was their literal existences that were tied together. They had a special connection, as they were the first lives to ever exist. Creating Gods was obviously much harder than creating most lives. Even him couldn''t do it at his will. Divinity required special requirements and intricate designs. Estraea could wield simr powers like him and create her own living beings, but she couldn''t create Gods. Only the Absolute had the power to bestow divinity upon a creation, and even then it wouldn''t be due to his efforts. They had to possess qualities suitable to be a deity. Yggdrasil, the World Tree also had to approve of the creation. Because ultimately, only the World Tree could birth out a new deity. In total, there were seven divine figures, including himself. The rest were only subsidiaries of the Gods. Estraea was his most perfect creation, the one he wholeheartedly poured his heart and soul into making. Within those seven Gods, however, existed one anomaly. Originally, he was a mortal. But through receiving Estelle''s soul during an event, he was able to acquire her power. He was the only one not born from Yggdrasil. Aleksei was his name. This name meant a lot to different people. One would consider him as an enemy, and another would treat him as the bestrade ever. He, too, would''ve looked upon him favorably if not for the things that happened. Things that caused them to fall apart like this, not reuniting even after more than a thousand years. Seeing Estelle''s suffering in the realm he isted her into, the Absolute leaned against the World Tree in sadness. Aleksei was a hard individual to discuss. The Absolute didn''t know whether he should hate the man, or in fact, keep the amiable rtionship he had with him on the basis that they were working together to rescue Estraea. But still, it couldn''t be refuted that he was the one to start it in the first ce. He let out one more defeated sigh. Above himid the eternal body of Goddess Estraea, his one and onlypanion at the beginning of the world''s creation. The body was preserved using his own powers, which drained him because of how unbnced the vessel''s state was. The pristine, beautiful visage of Goddess Estraea was bewitching to the eyes. And yet, he found it hard to look at her because of all the painful memories that he would be reminded of. -Estraea... Mumbling her name weakly, the Absolute went into deep sleep as he had exhausted a lot of power in trying to surpass the world''s restrictions and connect with Estelle''s mind. He was now just like everybody. A powerless being that had nothing but his shy titles due to the power he once wielded. But every good thing needed a sacrifice. And in order to rescue Estraea and prevent her from disappearingpletely, he had done the taboo. The most perfect creation was just as hard to manage as it was hard to create. The Goddess Estraea was someone that he desperately wanted to keep not just because of their memories together, but because of the longing he had. The embedded longing he felt for the deity. Their existences were connected, and losing her meant that it would be like losing a part of his own existence. He missed her. So bad that he had to restrain himself from doing inexplicable things. Chapter 103: Genesis Chapter 103: Genesis The Absolute Being. He was titled so because he truly ruled over the entire universe. Once, that is. Now, only the remnants of that said title existed. When the universe was still empty, nothing but nothingness existed. From within that same element, The Absolute Being was born from none. It existed before anything was formed. Nothing created it. It was connected to a tree holding all the Origin power. s, it was alone, because the tree didn''t have an alive consciousness. ''It'' didn''t have any physical figure. It didn''t have any gender, features, or anything. The Absolute Being was just a lone consciousness that had power over the whole world due to the Origin elements. It thought that it should get a physical body. That the decision would be better and much more convenient. After constant rounds of imaginative thinking, the Absolute was able to formte a body for itself. It was quite hard to imagine the vassal. Because the being had no basis or inspiration on how a vassal is supposed to look like. However, it was easy to create and make the wish into realization. Due to it possessing the [Origin] elements, the Absolute was able to create and manipte the entire universe to its liking. However, one thing had to be noted down. The Absolute Being wasn''t the universe''s owner. It was the universe''s strongest being that stood above all. The universe had no owner, as opposed to realms, which could be assigned an owner. The universe was endless. At first, the space was only a nk white canvas with the Origin tree carefully positioned in the middle. The space was endless, but nothing was there. Only the tree, which had no means ofmunication, and itself. It was dry and silent. On a whim, it utilized his powers to create things out if its imagination. It thought that the world shouldn''t be all white. It created the concept of colors in a blink. The concept was that, there had to be light in order for one to view colors. Upon being reflected by light, shades of color would appear. The universe was filled with nothingness. It was a nk white space, but it wasn''t light that shone into the space. Simrly, there was no darkness. The Absolute Being thought for a while and snapped its fingers. After experimentation, it was able to create to elements. Light and darkness. Two opposites. Spectrums of color soon appeared and painted the space. The colors were messy as they mixed and matched with each other. To handle the chaos, it separated the colors into a palette which it would then use as a guide in the future. It had sessfully created the first concept- Color. Then, it went on to assign specific terms to the world''sponents. It categorized itself, who now had a physical body, and the Origin Tree as ''solid''. The second concept- State of Matter. Although it had only thought of solid, one of theponents, it still counted as a great improvement. It then created four elements. Fire, Water, Wind, and Earth. The fire would be colored with spectrums of red. It created an Eternal me, which would never go out no matter what the situation was. It provided the fire with features of heat. Unknowingly, it had created a new concept- Temperature. Because it wanted to feel warmth, the setting of temperature was made. Next was water. Colored with spectrums of blue. The Absolute made a sphere of water float in the air. The new element could be manipted as one willed it. This would mark the addition to the second concept. The state of liquid. Yet, the Absolute who created everything out of order wouldn''t pay attention to the ranks. It went on. The third: wind. The Absolute assigned this element with the color green. Wind was unable to be seen. Yet, the Absolute twirled it and added high velocity to it. Instantly, the wind warped into a small tornado. Another concept was made- Velocity. But as always, the being continued on without recognizing these small differences between how the objects it created acted, because it was only interested in experimenting and creating what it wanted to. This element was also actually the third state of matter that was about toe- which was gas. Last element was earth, with the ''earthen'' color it created from a mix of red and green. It named the color yellow. ''Earth'' was shaped to be rubble that could pile up to a concrete rock. The third recognized concept- the being named the concept Elements. The Absolute found out that colors were very easy to be manipted. They could be mixed together in a certain amount to create so many different shades. It was distracted by this new discovery and yed with the colors a lot. Now, it had the knowledge and affinity with the colors. Now that the primary elements were done, it began to think. What should it create next? The being wanted to assign things to the powers. The magic particles that surrounded itself was ''mana''. A type of energy. Origin Magic, which was the magic only the Absolute wielded couldn''t be abused, so it prepared to have aplete set of various magic that would coexist in one go. It gave the previous four elements the temporary title of Magic, although it hadn''t been developed yet. Magic would have to be used in ordance with mana. Without mana, you wouldn''t be able to use magic. The fourth concept- Magic Theory. Then, it branched off to give itself an identity. It created a separate gender for himself. The concept of living things. It assigned itself the ''male'' gender, opposite to the ''female'' gender. ''It'' now became ''he''. However, a ''she'' didn''t exist yet. The being only had an inkling on what and who should be his counterpart. He then realized that both the Origin Tree and himself were solid, and yet separation between the space didn''t exist. If so, everything would be solid in theory. Yet, there was slight differences. With the previous knowledge of the four elements, he creatednd and water. It was in form of a brown, tnd. He built a stone out of the same element and mixed water. He sculpted thend from ''Earth'' and made a waterfall from ''Water''. Mixing it would create a muddy substance. The space wasn''t that silent anymore with the high ''Velocity'' water flowed down the waterfall. Along with the high velocity, a strong wind could be created. ''Gas''. (A/N: Everyone, your dearest author is only 15, she will eventually learn all the states of matter in the future but for now let''s y with only these three okayy?) He was satisfied by the progression of things. He even thought that he was quite a genius, not that there were anybody else topare his abilities to. He started creating sceneries, going ham with the authority he held. The whole space was his canvas. Hebined the three states of matter to create objects. Decorations to the world. To make it more vibrant and lively, it decided to sprinkle the world with great aesthetics and looks. He became invested in his creations. It was so fun. A form of excitement bubbled inside him even though he didn''t know how to describe the emotions. He assigned a set time flow. Building the world''s concepts one at a time. Seconds, minutes, hours, days, months, to years and beyond. The concept of Time was sessfully created. In a sense, he was the inventor of all. Building the universe with his own hands from the scratch, the ''canvas'' being the only thing gifted to him to start with. Just as he was the ultimate Creator. But remember, he wasn''t the universe''s owner. He was ultimately just a dweller who had more authority than his creations, but it wouldn''t make him the owner. He spent all his time creating things. Thousands of years being the only living thing surrounded by the infinite realm. Beautifulndscapes and different parts of the world. His world was endless. His canvas would always stretch out farther and further, giving him more space to work with. But ultimately, no matter how beautiful his creations were, he was still alone. Thousands of years of creating turned into millions. He was still alone. Nothing could disturb him, because he was the sole existence. One day, a vision came to him. He was in the middle of creating a garden. The garden would be filled by nts it named lilies. Lily was categorized as a flower, and those beautiful white petals were his favorite. It resembled the space''s first look. Pure and untainted. nk like his canvas. He wanted to spread color to the nt, but the pure sensation was exactly what made it special. Because within the colorful world, the flower would always stay upright and untouched. Suddenly, his mind went awry. He started imagining another lifeform that could move about just like him. A humanoid figure. But this time, he wanted to create life. Someone that would talk to him. He thought about the design. The lifeform should be a ''she'', in alignment with the gender concept he had thought of a while ago. Besides, the world was already running smoothly when he was thinking about this. He had the liberty to create the lifeform at this point. The world was lively, but it wasn''t truly alive. It was made out of purely inanimate objects. With this in mind, he began to think about how much sense it would make if the world hosted other lives. Determination rose up in his heart, the desire to create a ''life'' arising within his heart. Chapter 104: Estraeas Creation Chapter 104: Estraea''s Creation He first thought that the lifeform should be beautiful. Like the lily he liked. However, the end creation would still be a humanoid figure with no features. The lily was a reference, an influence to the end result. It was hard to imagine what he wanted because he had never created humanoid figures. Back then, evennguages didn''t exist. There wasn''t even a word to describe ''humanoid''. He just knew the gist of what he favored and wanted to create. He felt like the face was the hardest thing in the process. As the reference object was nothing but a flower, he couldn''t urately create features that would suit his viewpoint of a lily. He started crafting his creation with all his might. He was determined. More than ever, this creation received a special treatment from him because of how special it was. Even after countless brooding, he still felt like his result was a bit strange. Something was missing. Everything from head to toe was pure white because the object of reference, was, of course, the lily. He thought of a color that would channel his vision of the perfect creation. He would treasure this creation out of everything else he had made, because it was the epitome of what his desires were. He wanted to add color to the creation. The Absolute quite liked the color silver, so he gave the creation silver strands of hair akin to his own to the head areas. The hair, brows, eyshes. The creation''s eyes were still nk, so it was empty. The skin was deathly white. He then proceeded to give the creation golden irises and added a touch of rose and peach colors for the skin, retaining the milky white color but making it livelier. The creation was stark naked. He gave loose robes and wooden sandals to further pursue his aesthetic of a white lily. He then thought that the creation needed to be decorated further. He gave her two sets of jewelries. Earrings, and a small ring. The creation''s earlobes was pierced, and the earrings attached themselves. The ring went straight to her finger, spiralling around. Now, the creation was still lifeless. He could move it, but since this was his first time trying to create an animated object, he became confused on how he could grant movement abilities. Imagining a life. It was the hardest part. He had never met another life apart from himself. The nts he created were technically life, but it was mostly made out of his magic. Which meant that if not for his magic, those nts wouldn''t survive. If he died, his creation would all disappear. They weren''t true life. He thought back to the lily. A pure, untainted, and strong figure. The creation now had three descriptions attached. He thought back to the colors he gave the creation. Silver, and gold. They were elegant, beautiful, and majestic. Simrly, the creation was given those three descriptions. He thought of the jewelries. The earrings were crafted with an unbreakable material and hung the most beautiful diamond on its ends. The ring had a w, The creation was lifeless. It could be moved, but it couldn''t move by itself. The next part was the hardest part. Imagining a life. It had never met another life. It thought of the lily. It was pure, untainted, and strong. The creation was given three descriptions. It thought of the colors. Silver and golden. They were elegant, beautiful, and majestic. The creation was given another three descriptions. It thought of the jewelries. One was the most beautiful diamond, and the other was a spiral ring with engravings. One was astoundingly clear and captivating, and the other wasplicated and endlessly confusing. It created two powers to match the clear opposites. It took power from the Origin Tree and allocated it to the diamond earring. It created a pr opposite to the power, and named it Chaos. The Chaos was sent to the ring. Yet, the creation was still lifeless. He wanted to hear sounds. The first desire he culminated after so long. Another''s sound- a voice. He imagined a melodious tone that wouldce the creation''s words every single time she spoke up. However, even after adding in that criteria, no sound was made. The creation was lifeless as ever. He was confused. What differed this creation and the nts he had made? Weren''t they all lives even though they had stark differences? Why was the concept different? After racking his brains up, he attributed the failure to the creation''splexity. Because the features he gave it were tooplicated to all go smoothly. Sighing, the Absolute found no concrete clue on how he was supposed to create his wish. He desperately prayed for it to move. Constant hoping and wishing. Then, one idea passed his mind. If the nts existed thanks to his magic, the simplicity would be lower because he was the one who controlled everything. However, the criteria he imposed on this creation contradicted that fact. He imagined the creation to be a strong, independent one. Someone who was his equal. If so, then relying entirely on his magic would create a conflict for that matter. There has to be something keeping the body together. He thought. He mused on what he could use as a bncer. He then gave the creation a spherical ball of power. The energy was extremely simr to that of his Origin Magic. Since he wanted the creation to be his equal, then let a simr power be bound to it. The topic of Origin was closely rted to that of Creation and Destruction. The two sides of the same coin that were closely bound together, yet not at all close. Origin Magic built and held up the universe in ce. Without it, the universe would have no integrity. Thus, he bestowed upon the creation half of his power. The power of Creation nowid within the ball of energy and maintained aplete bnce. He called the ball: the ''core''. The body now moved. Life was beginning to sprout thanks to the energy he bestowed. He began assigning her the female gender, as she was his counterpart. And yet, that wasn''t the end. The creation''s personality was nowhere to be seen. It had listed all the ideals he had, but the creation was still not in tune with what he envisioned. He struggled for a while, wondering where it all went wrong. Then, he realized that although the body was perfect, the mind was not. The creation was not able to think on its own without minding the characteristic he gave her. Thus, he gave her a consciousness and attached it to her soul. A mind to think with and make decisions on her own. As soon as he did that, the creation moved about like no other. The space was usually quiet for most of the time, but this creation ran around with glee. "Aaaaa!" Because the creation did not know any formativenguage, the only thing it could muster up was delighted sounds that couldn''t beprehended. It ran around, spun in circles, and ended up entangling with the Absolute. The womantched onto him without restraint. A childlike entity that was the purest being. The epitome of perfection, and yet she alsocked the ability to put constraints on her own actions. That was the beginning of everything. The day ''Estraea'' graced the world with her existence. The start, from which he would grow to treasure her like he treasured himself, and attend to the lovely girl withoutints. The Goddess was carefree as heck. She favored freedom, which the Absolute willingly gave because it was a given. After some observations, the Absolute began to realize that deviant qualities that he hadn''t inserted for the creation began to appear. As such, her actions wouldn''t be predictable. In terms of emotional quality and creativity, the Goddess was a lot better than him. Her name, Estraea, meant ''justice, innocence, and purity''. It was his vision towards the woman. It was a name that he had came up with after some consideration over her position. She was a divine being, one that would eventually stand tall beside him and act ordingly to that status. Thus, her name was to embody that feeling. The three main quality that she contained in her name''s meaning, it would be dominant in her ways of thinking. However, since there were too many variations in her actions, he began to think if he made a mistake in granting her too mcuh freedom. The Absolute Being was dumbfounded. He started to rack his brains for this creation. After countless banters with himself, he finally made the ultimate decision to just watch over it. He would be there by her side anyway, preventing her from doing anything too harsh. Estraea would bring life to others even after the many lives were created. She was to be a carefree and unbothered person chained down by nothing for eternity. The Absolute had taken a short rest after the creation of Estraea because he had wanted to put his mind in ease and enjoy the ripe fruits of his hard work. Continuously creating for many years, he was bound to be exhausted. Only, this time he had Estraea by his side. His lovablepanion. He thoroughly enjoyed her presence, even though sometimes it brought him nothing but trouble. She would identally destroy mountains and evaporate rivers because of a finger slip. "Oops," was a sound she frequently uttered because of how clumsy she was. But him, the Absolute, was absolutely okay with it. Chapter 105: Sol Chapter 105: Sol Estraea was bubbly and would liven up the space. At first, he had a hard time matching her dynamics, but he thenter learned how to control and manage his ways safely. The Absolute lived with Estraea for thousands of years, just enjoying the universe to themselves and interacting with each other. Sometimes, they would create new inventions that would then be applied to the universe. Just like the Absolute, Estraea had the power to create because she was bestowed with the Creation Magic as her core. She was the sole wielder of the magic because it was very imbnced and would impact the universe severely if held by multiple people. It would stay that way even after many years passed. He couldn''t think of another person or being that would be more suitable in taking care of the power other than Estraea. Either way, it would be a great way to separate her identity from the others. She was his specialpanion. She particrly liked to create beautiful things, as she had a preference towards those that pleased her eyes. She happily spent her time designing things that would be implemented to the world. After a few years of brain consuming procedures, they also managed to formte anguage that they could use tomunicate with each other clearly. _____ One day, the Absolute called her name out to travel across the wide universe they had created. "Rae," He called. "Let''s go for some sightseeing?" Rae was a nickname, obviously taken out of the name Estraea. Although the name was pretty, Estraea was quite the mouthful to say out loud. A shortened nickname helped tremendously. Extending his hand, the Absolute waited for the Goddess in front of him to take the hand like usual, but that never happened. Estraea liked travelling a lot, so whenever they had ns to go ''sightsee'', which contained in depth exploration and touch ups on their creations, she would be very excited about it. However, on her face was now an unsatisfied pout that came out of nowhere. The Absolute raised his brow, confused as to what made her mood worsen like this. He gulped, silently preparing for what she was about to say. Did he unconsciously do something that triggered her? "Rae?" He called once more, trying to work his way around the matter carefully. ''Rae'' then raised her face to look at the Absolute and voiced out herint. It was a question that the Absolute had never expected and couldn''t answer right off the bat. "Why do I have a name, but you don''t?" Her voice turned sad as she pondered on what to call him. Tears started welling up. Confusion and dismay bloomed inside her eyes, staring right up at him in distress. At the gesture, the Absolute Being panicked. His creation was very emotionally unstable because of her purity. The astounding amount of purity he gave her made her incapable of hiding her intentions. As such, the moment she felt something, she wouldn''t be able to hide the emotions and would disy it right after. That was why she broke into tears out of a sudden without warning. The Absolute coughed, squatting down to face Estraea. He pursed his lips, finding her actions quite funny. Of course, he hid that sentiment. "No one was there to name me, Rae," The Absolute replied nonchntly. "Then, who named me?" Tilting her head, Estraea became even more confused. "Obviously.. it was me!" The Absolute proudly announced. The name Estraea was something he was heavily fond of. He liked everything about her because she was the realization of his ideals. "Then, then, who will name you?" "Hmm.. nobody, I suppose? Besides.. I don''t really need a name," The Absolute thought. "But that''s... that''s... why don''t you want to have a name?" "Rae, we are the only ones who possesses a consciousness. Our creations can''t think. Why did we name our creations? It''s because we want to identify and separate them from the rest. But I am one entity that will never be reproduced. I don''t need a name because I am distinguishable even without a name," "..You insulted me! Aren''t you saying that Rae isn''t distinguishable if it wasn''t for her name?! Bad, bad, bad!" Estraea pouted, turning her head and refusing to look at the Absolute. Estraea broke intorger sobs. She was now fully crying. The Absolute looked trouble as to how he could possibly pacify the Goddess. "...I didn''t mean it that way, Rae," The Absolute sighed lightly. "Why don''t you try naming me? I named you, and now you''ll name me," The Absolute offered. A name. To him, those things weren''t important at all. What mattered was what came from within. A name was ultimately just an address towards whoever you''re talking to. It didn''t affect him at all. Furthermore, being named by Estraea seemed to be the most suitable thing because of their statuses. After all, who else could give him a name if even his ''Rae'' couldn''t? "A nameeee? Waaaaah~!" Estraea was still bawling as she thought hard about what name she should give to the Absolute. "Sshhh, don''t cry, alright?" The Absolute tried to pacify the woman. "But, but.. it''s so sad that you don''t have a namee? You lived for longer than Rae did, but Rae got a name earlier than you, and, and, waaaah!" Estraea whimpered. "That''s why you are going to name me now. It''s not any different, Rae. I''ll be really happy if you name me. Won''t you calm down for me? My heart will ache if you continue to cry," After so many years of dealing with Estraea, naturally the Absolute was quite the expert in handling her. "...Okay," The cries quietened immediately after the Absoluteunched his threat. "But what should I name you?" "That.. I don''t know. I''ll leave it up to you, my Goddess," The Absolute snickered, backing off after making the Goddess calm down. For the rest of the day, the Goddess Estraea did not create anything. This was a rare urrence, because the Goddess usually couldn''t stand doing nothing and had to satisfy her boredom with all the actions she would perform. The Absolute did not bother her as he knew that she was focusing hard for his sake. Estraea treated her name as her beloved treasure. She wished for the Absolute to have a great name too, so she had to think about it a lot. One day passed with minimal interactions, which was a surprise since Estraea loved mingling with the Absolute. She loved the presence of another life. That day, the Goddess came looking for him with a special purpose. She had a wide smile stered on her face as she stared right at the Absolute''s figure. "Sol," Estraea said out of the blue. She had just arrived, and didn''t utter a single word after that. "Sol!" Once more, she reiterated. The Absolute then realized that she was calling him. He pointed his index finger at himself, trying to confirm whether she really meant him. "Am I Sol?" He asked. "Mhm," Estraea giggled. "Your name will be Sol... Because you''re the AbSOLute Being, right? A fitting name. Sol!" Estraea was very happy with the name she chose. She thought of herself as a creative being. She like the name Sol, it rolled off the tongue smoothly and had a double meaning. "That''s.. fine, I guess. Is there a meaning to it?" The Absolute Being, who now received the name ''Sol'' secretly wished that she had attached a definition for the name. He wanted to know what Estraea wished for or thought. "It means.. uh, it means...?" Estraea was taken aback. From just one nce, the Absolute was able to tell that she must''ve not thought about the meaning at all. He burst intoughter as he watched the girl slowly unfurl with chaos, not knowing what to do. "...Peace!" Estraea shouted out. In response, the Absolute blinked his eyes multiple times. "Peace?" He repeated. "Yes, peace! Peace for all of us. I wish for us two, and the future lives we are going to create to be peaceful. Won''t that be great?" Estraea giggled. Not a trace of her former anxiousness that sourced from herck of preparation was visible. She was now proudly stating her answer, as if she had prepared it for years. "Sol.. Sol! Sol!" Estraea started chanting his name. After being called multiple times, the Absolute snapped out of his thoughts. Peace. The meaning she gave her was so simple. How pure was she to think of peace of all things? After all, the world was only there for the two of them. What could possibly happen in the future? Unbeknownst to him, the Absolute was thinking from an idealistic point of view. His matter of reference in regards to lives were ones that had a personality akin to Estraea, even though they might not be exact. If everybody was like Estraea, then there truly wouldn''t be a need for peaceful wishes. Sadly, that wasn''t going to be the case, especially as the universe separated into its own individual realms. The individual realms would grow to have their own separate generators, and the entities that were granted a consciousness wouldn''t always use it for the greater good. They were in the earliest stages of the world''s development, so they wouldn''t know such a thing. And yet, the world continued turning, and turning, until it reached a point where everything was separated and there was even a destroyed realm. "Yes, yes. I''m here. Your Sol is here," However, for now, Sol would reflect his name''s meaning. Living in peace with his Creation Goddess. A peaceful life that would eventually be destroyed. Chapter 106: The Story of Two Chapter 106: The Story of Two They were sitting in a lily garden one night, and Estraea suddenly had a thought. She looked over to the Absolute, who was gazing at the starry night sky with gleaming eyes. Through these outings, they got the opportunity to fully immerse themselves in the world they painstakingly worked hard to create and enjoy the beautiful results. The Absolute was in a trance as he gazed at the lonely sky. "Hmm.. Rae just thought of another meaning for Sol''s name," Estraea mumbled, poking the Absolute''s arm to get his attention. "And what would that be?" Turning his head to face the Goddess, the Absolute tilted his head. "You''re like the Sun. The universe''s Sun. And Rae will be the Moon!" The Goddess'' excitement was contagious. All her emotions were always contagious and never did sessfully escape when this bundle of emotions use her ability to her advantage. "Did you know that the Sun and the Moon can''t stay in the same sky at the same time?" The Absolute chuckled, knowing that the Goddess must''ve forgotten about it. "Uh... Then, we can just make the Sun and the Moon exist at the same time..?" "That wouldn''t work. We created their positioning so that they would never appear at the same time, right?" Sol reminded. "..Still! We are friends because we both, uh, exist in the sky..? Something like that. Anyway, it''s a good thing, so don''t question Rae any further! Rae is ending this discussion!" "Whatever you like, Rae," Sol sighed. He knew that he could never win against the Goddess, who he had a soft spot for. Another day passed, and they continued on with their usual tasks. Estraea came back to the lily garden to sit with Sol. It was his favorite ce, and every time she wanted to look for him, there was a ny percent chance that he was there. She nced at the vast and endless space. Although she was happy staying with the Absolute, there were certainly sentiments that pushed her to want something more. A whole new world filled with not just them, but tons of others that would scatter inside the realm and create so many scenarios and chains of actions by themselves. Estraea didn''t know how to voice her thoughts. She worried that what she says would make the Absolute unhappy. Because ultimately, the decisionid within the Absolute''s hands. In terms of freedom and small decisions, the Absolute left everything to Estraea, but he was a responsible Ruler who knew what was right and wrong. If her wishes got too far, he wouldn''t acknowledge it. However, her desire still overcame her fears and made her utter a few sentences on the matter. "Sol, why is there no one else? Except for us two.. When the universe is this vast?" Estraea controlled her emotions carefully as she scrutinized the Absolute''s expressions, wanting to detect his reaction. If he responded negatively, she would back out in a sh. She would snap her finger, disappear into who-knows-where, and lose the Absolute until who-knows-when. Estraea was ready. Her middle finger and thumb were stuck together, waiting for her to make a finger snap that would act as a cue to propel her away from this lily garden. In response, the Absolute only hummed. "Why, you don''t like me anymore? You want others?" The Absolute stared into her eyes, making the Goddess'' cheeks redden from feeling flustered. "Not like that! Rae just had a thought.. Wouldn''t it be great if we could give life to many more entities? Rae feels like we should do that. We have the power to do it, but we are holding ourselves back. The world is ready.. no?" She pondered with a finger pressed against her plump lips. They had been going around creating the world and making it flourish, but they hadn''t made the denizens that would popte the space. "..That is true, but can you handle it?" The Absolute tried to look at the matter from the peripheral stages. The world would still be intact even if life was created, but it needed a concrete core that could hold everything together. "Rae believes that the two of us can do it," Estraea''s eyes were clear and pristine, without a single speck of negative intentions. In face of such an approach, there were little things that the Absolute could do. "..Well, it''s not like we can''t. In fact, I was thinking of making another world separate from this space. If we experiment here and there, wouldn''t we eventually seed in creating the perfect world?" Sol theorized. Estraea grew excited as her eyes sparkled with delight, wanting to hear more. "Then, let''s make it together!" Rae proposed happily. "Not that simple. We''re talking about an entirely separate realm here.. We can''t just let everything roam around as they please, and we can''t exactly create things the same way we did before," The Absolute stopped her before anything bad could happen. "Remember, Rae, we are going to be ying with not just one or two lives. We are ying with an entire world. It''s our duty to make sure everything goes right," "Rae understands. We were granted with the power.. So we should use it for good reasons! Rae promises that she won''t do anything bad," Rae stated with glee. The Absolute heaved a sigh of relief. Estraea was simple-minded, but she was also someone who kept her words. Since she promised, then she wouldn''t dare break it. "But, how are we going to do it?" "The World Tree.. Or should I say, the Tree of Origin," The Tree of Origin was as the name suggested- a tree that held the power of Origin. Origin- meaning the point or ce where something begins, arises, or is derived. Yggdrasil was its name. The Eternal Tree that contained the power that would be the source of everything. The Absolute was someone who wielded the power, but the one that produces the energy itself was the tree. It could be said that the true owner of the universe should be Yggdrasil. Everything sourced from that tree. "The Tree of Origin? Rae knows! What about it?" The Goddess asked again. "Its roots act as a stabilizer for the entire universe. Recently, I have discovered that so long as the roots branches properly, there is a chance that we can create another space or realm separate from this one. It will still be connected to the World Tree, but their stabilizer would be different," "..Let Rae simplify this. The roots, they can grow into another stabilizer that serves another realm, and that realm will stay connected with us, but they will be under the... whatever stabilizer they have?" "More or less, yes," The Absolute nodded as he approved her words. "Hmm... Rae gets it. Let''s do it!" Sure, they did it. With utter ease and perfection, at that. The Absolute made sure everything would go well. Before even creating anything, she taught Estraea to concoct a blueprint for the world. Starting from the locations, down to the races that would inhibit the ce. He taught the Goddess how to create generators that would ease their work in the future. They wouldn''t have to worry about every single entity. They could rely on the generator to give each corresponding creations their unique set of random characteristics. Estraea was put in charge of the world''s foundational core, whereas the Absolute worked on creating the world''sndscapes- something he was extremely good at. Estraea loved beautiful things. With her imagination, she managed to create a generator from a race she called ''Spirits''. They had humanoid features, but they would differ in size in ordance to the power they held. They had wings attached to their backs and would have cosmetic customization from the many arrays of colors that existed. The holding power of this new realm was the ''child'' of Yggdrasil, a mystical Tree that contained traces of Origin Magic as well. However, it was nowhere near the Origin Magic Yggdrasil possessed. The Tree was called the Spirit Tree. Estraea created a plotline, a history for the founding of the world. The first race to emerge would be the Spirits, who live in a lush forest that is rich with energy and mana because of their situational benefits- that their enclosures were near the Spirit Tree. Estraea thought about ways to maintain a connection between the two worlds. One that the denizens would be able to use withouting in contact with the upper realms directly. Estraea granted a status to the Spirits. From the weakest to the strongest, there would be a loose hierarchy. One that stood above all those would then be called the King. She granted the ''Spirit'' or ''Fae'' King power to connect with the Spirit Tree. It would be able to channel the Tree''s messages and receive intel. To be precise, the Spirits were unofficial guardians of the world because of their specialties. A thousand years passed. Building a world from scratch was naturally not easy. It wouldn''t take a short while. From building the world''s exterior outlook to the interior section, to the future progression and features of the world, the two worked hand in hand to muster up their best creations. Estraea ended up creating a total of five races. They were the Humans, Spirits, Dragons, Beastkin, andstly, Elves. She granted each of the races exclusive specialties and made their bodies all be based upon humanoid figures. She was most adept at creating humanoid shapes. She was satisfied looking at the prototypes. She imagined the bustling life that would soon grace thends the Absolute created. Chapter 107: Unclear Memories Chapter 107: Unclear Memories After another thousand years passed, they were finally ready tounch the world. They called the world: the Surface. Because it was the Surface where living things would walk on. The Surface was pretty when it was brand new. Everything was spectacr and a feast to the eyes. They first started putting the Spirits'' race generator down in the forest that wouldter be known as ''Sylvania''. The Spirits thrived in the environment they created. Being bundles of joy and happiness scattering around the forest and interacting with each other happily. Then, they started to ce the other races'' generators in locations they have designed them to. At first, it ran smoothly and didn''t encounter any blockage. However, it soon got out of control. The consciousness each individual had was bound to create a contrast. Some started to destroy each other, but the bountiful lifeing from the Spirits would cover it up, and the life would be abundant but not enough to restore it back to when it first startedunching. Estraea looked at the world that was slowly but surely unfurling into chaos and was thrown into a state of confusion. Why would this happen? She imagined a world that would be based on They forgot one thing. Or perhaps the Absolute forgot one essential thing that happened during Estraea''s creation that caused him to be stunned in the first few moments. That once creatures were given aplete consciousness, they would be independent and could deviate heavily from the data the creators gave them. This led to the birth of negative emotions such as hate, actions such as corruption, and scenes such as war. Realistically speaking, this was bound to happen. Estraea looked at the chaotic state with sadness clouding her eyes. She couldn''t bear to look at it any longer. She decided that there needed something to be done. And since no one else could urately convey her meaning and intentions, she would go down to the mortal realm, the Surface, by herself. She masked her divine power and entered the realm easily. She had the control over the realm because she created it. It allowed her to enter the realm through a slip. This would mark the beginning of her encounter with the man she would grow to love. Aleksei''s appearance in the mortal realm, along with another woman who loved him, Ophelia. The two main characters that yed the biggest hand in her downfall. In her soul''s shattered state that would lead up to all the events that happened right now in the ''new'' Surface. ____ Estelle woke up with tears in her eyes. She didn''t know what caused it. She was still inside the realm, but she noticed arge difference within her soul. Her originally endangered soul had nowe to stabilize itself to a point where she wouldn''t feel as much pain. She just knew that she recalled a lot of memories, and that somehow brought pain to her. Even though all the memories were happy ones. She finally recovered parts of her past life''s origins. She was a creation made by the Absolute himself, and that they were very closely rted. Another major thing was the voice that the Absolute possessed. After careful thinking, she discovered that the guidance she received was also done using that voice. Which meant that the Absolute had spoken to her, and yet did not reveal anything. Estelle focused on setting herself up for thest push that would get her out of the trapping realm. She was exasperated and could not bear to leave the space she was currently in. She focused on managing her powers, soothing the soul and making it flourish until it was filled up to the brim. Then she began corroding the seals around it the same way she did with the seal in her head. She was capable of unlocking the joints with ease. It was like her seals were meant to be broken this way at this point and time, and as such the process became a lot smoother. When she tried to decipher it in the past, it wouldn''t budge in the slightest. And yet, this time, it was even as if the seal was giving her the correct pathway to solving the seals. After minutes of fiddling, Estelle wiped sweat off of her forehead as she felt the seal finally unravelpletely. She had done the deed. [Alright... I got it.] Estelle felt the change happen in her body in an instant. This seal would supposedly unlock her qualifications, the ones that had been stored away all this time. She checked her status, and indeed, there it was. Five new titles. Four of them were simr titles that dered each race''s love towards her, whereas thest title was like a unifier. [Loved By The World]. Such a cheesy title was the key to obtaining her status as the Constetion Leader, and as such, was also the key of getting into a safe position. Her unstable soul would not have a chance to recover unless she garnered the things her guides told her to. Estelle readied herself up, feeling stronger than ever as she felt her consciousness return to her. She woke up in the Surface. Restraints were ced all over her, and she felt ufortable all over. Estelle couldn''t afford to waste more time, however, as she was immediately met with Heine''s piercing eyes. She had prepared herself for this moment. She knew that the moment she came back, Heine would be there watching over her. She had to thank her lucky stars that she managed to make it before Heine finished his own special ''operation''. She scanned the surroundings and saw that the old Duke Miller was nowhere in sight. There was only Heine. The man''s eyes were deluded, no longer did he contain the same mix of maturity and childishness he once had. The mischievous personality he had as a Fae that was involved in trickery. She, too, could no longer take Heine''s actions normally. He was someone who had wronged her far too many times. Up until now, she hadn''t realized it. But now that she did, she couldn''t face him the same way. There was a stigma that brought her fear every time she wanted to look in his eyes. Estelle hadn''t unlocked Astarte''s part of memories. She only had a faint idea about who Heine''s past life was. The God Astarte, someone who loved his sister wholeheartedly and went crazy after losing her. Death can be separated into many ways. For existences that died, and hadn''t reached Value 0 yet, they can be epted into the Cycle of Reincarnation and be born into another vassal. They wouldn''t recall their memories, but they would still exist within the universe. The death Goddess Estraea faced was nothing like that. Her soul was shattered, and that immediately put her as a Value 0. However, in ce of that, the Absolute did the unthinkable in order to not lose her. Her death was such a dishonorable one. No one could ept how the world lost the lovable figure that easily just because of a series of unfortunate events triggered by mere mortals. This wasn''t just anyone. It was the Goddess of Creation, Estraea. Someone who was meant to be loved by the whole universe. And yet, she was subjected to such sphemous actions that she wasn''t even able to enter the Cycle of Reincarnation and had to be preserved in another way. However, the fact that her life was taken away and is now being held up by a thin piece of string that bound her to the World Tree was still painful. It was painful for everybody. Now that Estelle had recovered parts of her memory, every time she tried to imagine the upper realms, her heart would ache with a stinging pain. It was a memory she did not recall, but a trauma was etched into her entire being. She only knew that the God Astarte was definitely hurting hard after her departure. She could understand how the man felt on a desperate person''s point of view, but all of that understanding flew away when she was the one being hurt. She was the one being put in pain in the name of ''salvation''. She couldn''t take it. She had to restrain herself with all her energy just to make sure she doesn''t lurch at the man and take her revenge right here and then. Because she knew that she wouldn''t be able to tolerate the fight. She still had to bid time until she managed to recover fully and gain enough power to take revenge. "Heine. Please, listen to me," Her eyes glistened as she begged. Heine was still taken aback, possibly from Estelle''s early awakening. Obviously, if they went ording to the true process, Estelle should''ve woken up a lotter. And yet, she was here right now. Estelle took in the tense situation and observed her chances. She thought about what she had learned about Heine. [There must be something I can use.] Estelle thought. In his first life, his name was Astarte. The non blood rted younger brother to the Goddess of Creation Estraea. Naturally, he was also a deity, and his powers over this world was not something that she could challenge right now. The Absolute himself had warned her of the matter. Heine''s mind wasn''t sane right now. It had been corrupted by the sheer influx of negative energy and couldn''t think straight. She knew that Goddess Estraea was this corrupted mind''s weakness. The mind that worked behind all the chaos that ensued right now was a being that loved Estraea to the max. Everything was done for the Goddess. If so, Estelle wanted to take advantage of that. Chapter 108: Internal Debate Chapter 108: Internal Debate Estelle finally realized what her mother and Lylia meant when they said she looked like the ''Moon Goddess'' the elven people had. It was because the Goddess they were talking about really was Goddess Estraea in her trips down to the mortal world. The Goddess, with her free spirit, liked to visit the world she had created. And with it, she would encounter sticky situations that needed her aid. Naturally the Goddess would happily extend her helping hand. After seeing the memories, too, she was able to confirm that her current appearance was indeed simr to Goddess Estraea''s. Estelle wanted to take a chance with this. If Heine was truly intoxicated with the Goddess, then she would just y out the role until she gains the upper hand. It was time to roley as the Goddess. "Astarte. My dear brother, please listen to me," Estelle pleaded, hoping that the trick would work. How else could she save herself from this predicament? Estelle saw Heine''s eyes visibly widen as his entire body trembled. He looked shocked and in disbelief even though his original ns were meant to give him this result. [Is it working?] Estelle worried. She maintained her appearance, trying to keep it as simr to the original Goddess as possible. The return of Estraea, the Goddess of Creation. Obviously, that wasn''t the case here. All that''s here was someone who managed to possess a hefty amount of memories, enough to create a script that paved her way. Estelle had a naturally simr appearance to Goddess Estraea. Added in with her seemingly ''recovered'' memories, Heine was led to believe that the miracle he had longed so hard for to happen had finally arrived. His heart was thumping wildly as his eyes scanned Estelle over and over again just to rify that she wasn''t just a figment of his imagination. "Big sister.. My big sister Rae.." Heine shakily went up to Estelle''s side and embraced her tightly. His speech was filled with stutters. He had wished for this moment to happen for so long. Now that it actually became reality, Heine was at a loss on what to do next. Indeed, he had sessfully obtained his sister back. Now, what should he do? However, he chose to savor the current moment above everything else. He wanted to take in all the rumbling emotions that overflowed after knowing that Estraea had came back to his side. "I missed you.. I missed you so much, please don''t leave me anymore.." Heine continued crying, sobbing here and there. He couldn''t form a concrete speech as he let out his pent up feelings in one go. In his arms, Estelle could do nothing but gentlyfort the man she was now confused about. She stroked his back and patted him in an attempt to calm down the man. However, internally, negative thoughts began to sprout. She wasn''t someone you could step over, apologize for, and ''everything will return to normal'' type of person. Estelle was now heavily considering her choices. What she could do from now on. For now, she had to y the role. But she also had to n out her next action. The first step to attaining sess: gaining Heine''s trust. No matter how hard it was. After a few minutes, Heine''s cries finally died down. It took a lot for him to gain control over his raging emotions, but he had set priorities. It was only because thousands of years was on the line. Now that his sister was back, there were many other duties he had to perform. He hadn''t expected the end result to be this peaceful. He was fully prepared to sacrifice both of them in case something bad happened. It didn''t matter to him as long as they would end up together in the end. Heine looked at Estelle''s innocent face with great delight. He found his sister''s figure ovepping with the girl. Like Goddess Estraea was really there. The original person. He stretched out his arm to caress her face, treating her like he would treat his beloved sister. However, in the next second, something awful attacked him from the inside. An unbearable pain started going mad inside his body. He hurriedly covered the painful parts in an attempt to console the ces, but the pain soon spread out to other ces. Soon, his entire body was in pain. "Urk!" Heine grunted, his arms rapidly covering his face and shying away from Estelle''s sight. There was on distinctive attribute that would appear every time the pain struck. And it was something Heine didn''t want to show Estelle. Never ever. Estelle was surprised by this sudden development. Did Heine have an underlying sickness she never knew of? It was convenient because she was ying the role of Goddess Estraea. In such a situation, the Goddess will definitely worry hard over her brother''s condition. Thus, Estelle grabbed the man''s arms and started asking him how was he doing. Her intentions were not at all pure and great. Although she did have a trace of sympathy and anguish over seeing her former colleague in pain like this, the sight would cause her to recall the time she spent inside Eterna and the space she was sent into just now. The pain she felt affected her even until now. She couldn''t fully care about Heine. Her mind was whispering to her, saying that Heine deserved the suffering he was facing right now because it was his consequence. Nheless, Estelle continued ''caring'' for her ''brother'', shouting Astarte''s name over and over again. A deranged question flew over her head. She wondered to what extent Heine could go for her. After all, she was currently the supposed Goddess Estraea that has been revived. Realistically speaking, a few discrepancies in her actions and habits would be left as not suspicious because of all the things they had been through. Everyone was twisted in their own ways. Estelle wondered. Should she y her cards right, wouldn''t she be able to manipte the man to her advantage? It was a likely probability considering how far the man went for a goal that didn''t even guarantee a perfect sess. After a couple minutes passed, Heine was back, but not yet to normal. His breath was unstable and you could see faint outlines of ck marks covering his face. It was ominous and unsettling. Not only on his face, the ck marks also stretched down to cover his body and particrly crowded over his neck area. Estelle observed the marks with great caution, a tinge of difort arising in her heart as she visibly saw the marks move. It wiggled and squirmed like snakes, giving a sense of feeling that it was alive, crawling inside Heine''s skin. She had the instinctive desire to touch the marks, to know what it was like. Without realizing, her fingertips hadnded on the marks and was stroking Heine''s skin. She noticed one thing. The marks followed her fingertips. They would swirl and spin around her fingers'' movements. And with every movement, Heine would subsequently scream and choke. The marks'' movements certainly brought pain to Heine. Estelle''s movements stopped. She had an internal debate on what she could do from now on. The pain Heine felt seemed lethal. He was now biting his lips to the pain where he bled. His eyes bulged as he rampaged around, trying to shrug Estelle''s hand away. However, Estelle refused to budge. She gulped a mouthful of saliva, nervousness covering her entire being. [Kill.] [Kill.] [Kill.] That it would be easy to take the man''s life now that she knew his conditions. That things were now in her favor. Her morals were struggling as she knew that three separate entities thatid inside Heine''s self was what caused him to feel anguish. His actions couldn''t be defended, but there was a heavy consideration over the matter. What if he could be reverted to his normal state? [Even so, kill.] [Kill him right now.] Dark thoughts covered her sense of justice. She wanted to throw away all sides of fairness as she felt like she had suffered far too much. Shouldn''t she receive amends? In the form of Heine''s life? Not to mention the pain he was in right now, she also gained a new form of power. The True Creation Magic. She felt like it was certainly going to gue his condition even further. And that brought her a sense of delirious thoughts. Her mouth was dry as she held back the enticing thoughts that was constantly provoking her to do the deed. [It''s going to be easy, why don''t I kill him?] [One more death count means nothing.] [Come on..] Estelle stabbed her fingers into her palm, digging into the skin and drawing blood out. Estelle forced herself to regte her breathing pattern in order to not make the irreversible mistake. [Would it really be a mistake?] [The only mistake here is this disgusting Fae that dares to harm you.] [Don''t you want revenge? This is your best chance at getting revenge.] There was a voice talking inside her head. She didn''t know why, but she felt like it wasn''t her. She wasn''t the one talking. Who was it? Who was constantly ringing dangerous phrases inside her mind? Get out. Get out and go away. Estelle wanted to voice out her disapproval, and yet she found it impossible to fight back. Like her body was being controlled by something else. No.. this shouldn''t be the ending. It shouldn''t end like this. She had to break through whatever was trying to delude her. Wake up. Chapter 109: Deceptions Chapter 109: Deceptions If Heine dies just like this, a huge part of the world, the secrets thatid within it everything will be buried in one go. Heine''s ns and the means he used to achieve those, Estelle still had to interrogate him on that matter. Estelle gritted her teeth as she withdrew her finger away from Heine''s neck, releasing the ck marks and letting it disperse to wherever they wanted to go. Instantly, she felt her mind clear up. She was shocked beyond normal. What was the suffocating feeling she had experienced? She just came in contact with the ck mark for a short while, surely it didn''t take over her mind in that period of time? Estelle shook her head as she felt all the negative thoughts clear up. Her reasoning and logical thinking came back. "I.." Estelle''s lips trembled as she thought about the dangerous ns she managed toe up with during the dazed session. It was like piles of negative energy was actively corrupting her mind and soul. She found it hard to get out of the trapping sensation. Sheid Heine to rest on a stable surface as she cleared her own mind up until she was sure that the dark thoughts went away. [..So that wasn''t me.] Estelle heaved a sigh of relief. During that time, she waspletely convinced that those thoughts were uttered by her own self. That she believed in what she had said. It was only now that Estelle learned that what Heine experienced was the price for his deeds. To trespass over the unthinkable. He was not afraid of death if it meant that Estraea would be salvaged. He was dealing with these dark thoughts all the time? Estelle had only touched over the ck mark for some seconds, whereas Heine hosted those marks inside him. How much worse could it be? Estelle had to admit, this kind of maniacal devotion was quite admirable. "Hein- Astarte," Estelle hurriedly corrected herself. Her current persona was that of Goddess Estraea. In order for her safety, she was willing to y this role. She now had memories of her past self, and although it wasn''t going to be an easy feat, she could manage to y the role well. She saw some scenes of Estraea directly taking action and could make an educated guess on what her habits were. She mused internally. It seemed like there was something inside Heine that caused him to harbor unpleasant thoughts. If she could extract and separate Heine''s thoughts, would anything change? Could he be herrade, or would he stay the person that Estelle has already marked him to be in her mind. Will he be able to redeem himself? More importantly, would she allow him to redeem himself? Estelle watched as Heine squirmed painfully, his eyes tightly shut and his expression crumpled. Estelle was all too familiar with the sensation of pain. She struggled to hold back the rage she piled up herself after knowing that Heine was the cause of her troubles. [Serves you right, jerk.] Negative thoughts still flew across her mind. Only, this time it was based on her natural feelings and not forced. The experience she felt after touching Heine''s marks werepletely out of the question. It was hundreds of times worse. Only by touching it, she felt like she had lost her way of thinking and was influenced by those bizarre things. What were the marks? How did theye up? Estelle''s gaze darkened as Heine went through another painful round. He had seizures and was on the verge of losing his mind. Estelle began to think. Did he experience events like this even when they were together? Was he silently enduring it all this time? If so, this time the pse seemed to be much more serious than the previous times. Heine couldn''t even get up. Estelle chose to observe the man a bit longer. She will learn about whatever she can learn, and the things she would do from there will have to depend on her final decision. The marks were still scattering about. With each minute, they started to get darker in color, approaching a pitch ck tone. Estelle wanted to puke whenever she saw the marks squiggle around. They were like blood vessels. Or perhaps, the correct description was worms. These disgusting worms were eating at Heine''s life from the insides. Estelle gagged as she watched the marks worsen. She froze in her steps, watching it all unfold. "Akh.. st-op. Stop it, stop it... Pleasepleaseplea- AHHHHHH!! STOP ITTTT!!!" Heine screamed for his life, coughing blood and other mysterious substances out of his mouth in one go. The contents of his bile were ckened blood, gooey clumps of unknown material, and ck sand. "What on Earth- Heine!" Estelle finally couldn''t take it anymore as she approached Heine, who was still vomiting out these unexinable things. "Astarte, get a hold of yourself!" Estelle knew that somehow, her actions had an effect at whatever was going on inside Heine. She wanted to examine him thoroughly, but did not know how. What was this? What kind of cursed thing did he do in order to get such a punishment? "I have to.. I have to do this, I can''t fall now- ugh," Heine mumbled weakly, wiping the mess from his mouth. "Yes, yes, you can''t fall now. Since you get it, hurry and focus at me!" Estelle eximed, turning Heine''s head to face her "Sis..ter," Heine broke into a sleazy smile. A childlike hue that covered him. "You must be disappointed in me," Heine giggled, still gagging over his conditions. Estelle saw the marks from all over his body sprint upwards and starting to gather at his neck. She then began to realize the identity of his vomit. It was these marks. They wanted to escape from Heine''s body. To do that, they had to be vomited out. No wonder they were all so concentrated at the neckline. It was because they were waiting. Estelle took a deep puff as she knew what Heine had to do if he wanted to stop hurting. "Have you gone through this before?" She calmly asked, straightening Heine''s back as she supported him. She had the power to restrain the marks, but she couldn''t act rash. The slightest bit of action hurt Heine tremendously. Even as an outsider, she could feel the agonizing pain he felt. "..I have," Heine replied in a hoarse voice. His throat was all parched and dry as a result of his vomit session. "And what did you do to resolve it?" "Vomit it all out... urk- Get away!" Heine pushed Estelle aside, covering his mouth as he continued gagging and choking over the vomit that fought to exit his body. The contents were simply too harmful to be anywhere near. When ced inside, they corrupted one''s mind and hurt them from inside. When ced outside, they had to be removed using barbaric methods of vomiting, which made the pain even worse. "Astarte. My brother. Are you willing to go through some pain?" "Of.. course. I already went through so much pain to recover you, what would a little bit more pain do?" Heine chuckled in defeat, as if mocking himself for his crazed actions. "Although.. the pain this time is a little bit unbelievable," He added. He kept turning his head away as impulses to belch out the ck marks'' contents rose up within him without stopping. It was in torture. "Then, can you remove these restraints on me?" Estelle''s eyes softened as she pointed at her restraints. Heine looked bewitched for a split second, but he immediately recovered his sense right after that. It seemed like he was deeply invested in his ns to the point where he could bear anything and everything. "Please. I need it to do something. Astarte, don''t you trust me?" Estelle tilted her head with a smile, trying to y it off as best as she could. However, instead of receiving the preferred reaction she was expecting, Heine snapped instead. "Ahh, you really piss me off," Heine said with a grave tone, shocking Estelle who immediately became wary. In the next second, Heine yanked her limbs and apprehended her with ease assisted by the restraints he had ced over her. Estelle moaned in pain as she felt Heine straddle her, causing a great deal of pain. She wasing in contact with the marks too this way, although not exactly in the prime spots. She could feel Heine''s rampaging emotions as she was made breathless by a blow delivered by Heine. "First of all, my sister never calls me Astarte. She calls me Arte. Second of all... well, there''s no second of all. Just that one thing is able to convince me that you''re not my sister," Heine looked at Estelle murderously as his hands stretched down to the girl''s neck, pinning her down. Heine chuckled in a mocking way. "Now tell me. What is it that you want? Revenge? My life? Or.. are you someone who wants to break my ns apart? Do you want to distance me from my sister? Huh?" "I wonder... which one is it?" Heine strengthened his chokehold as his eyes gleamed with a shade of red, as if he was possessed by an unsightly being. "Estelle reste. You''re simr to my sister. Really simr. But you''re not her. You''re not my sister, the one I''ve been looking for all this time!!" Heine raised his volume, making Estelle wince as she was in close quarters with him. She couldn''t speak because of the strong hold Heine had on her. Heine''s eyes were cold, but Estelle could see faint traces of pain on his shing expressions. Taking this as her chance, Estelle decided to make use of a loophole she found that could make her gain an advantage over the man. Her eyes glimmered with a set of negative emotions as shetched her arm onto Heine''s own. Chapter 110: Downpour of Emotions Chapter 110: Downpour of Emotions "I''ve never wanted to be the Goddess. Never. Who knows why I have her soul in me?" "What''s with all of you shitty bastards? Constantly putting me through pain just to achieve your goals. One is a mastermind who yed the role of a good kid while waiting for the perfect chance to strike, the other is a batshit crazy fucker that can''t seem to let people live peacefully. What the hell? Am I supposed to go through this and take everything in withoutining?" Estelle poured in her heart and soul into her speech. She was choking up while she said her words. She, too, wanted to antagonize people. Isn''t she the viiness? She should be the one making people hurt. Why is that she''s the one hurting? She disliked pain. She didn''t want to go through pain. If anything, what was the basis of all this mess? Why did it turn like this? She wasn''t even legal, yet she was exposed to so much betrayal and pain. Yes, within herid an adult''s soul, but that didn''t apply to this world. "Answer, you dumbass. How''s the pain? Isn''t it great? Don''t you feel good? No? Then why would you subject me to pain? Because I''m not you? Fucking bastard, do you want to die?" Estelle raged, tears slowly pooling in her eyes. How unfair. She was the one who went through all the pain. She wasn''t Estraea yet. Why do all of them only care for the Goddess? What was she? She was forcibly put into this awkward position, where was her say in this matter? It was disgusting. So disgusting that she wanted to give up over and over again every time she was tired of all the bullshit that gets hurled at her. But she didn''t do it. Because she didn''t want to give up entirely. She wanted to prove that her, the current Estelle reste, was also real. The current her hadn''t epted Estraea as a formal part of her. She only recognized Reina and Estelle. How could they not acknowledge her current life and keep brooding over the Goddess? "Make it make sense," Estelle sucked in a breath of dry air and subjected Heine to further torture. Somehow, his screams sounded gratifying. But why is it that her heart panged with a sharp pain every time he elicited a maddened scream? Why is it that she was also going crazy as Heine suffered? Estelle wanted to shut her mind off and be apathic. So that she wouldn''t be swayed by her emotions any longer. Yes.. theplete opposite of the sunny Goddess Estraea. She preferred being someone like Reina better. She would lose her emotions, but it would bring her much benefits, wouldn''t it? She wanted to voice out the injustice that she had been feeling for so long, and yet she couldn''t. She didn''t know who to me. Everyone was at fault. ording to the past, then her past life also had faults. This cursed cycle of events, she wanted to break it. Break everything. Erase everything. Reset it from the very start and recreate everything. Through doing that, she would be killing millions upon millions of lives, but the ending would be better, no? (A/N: Uh oh is Estelle Thanos'' daughter?) "I''ve been the one who was suffering even though I didn''t do anything wrong. Heine, I used to trust you. But I don''t know what polluted your head to the point where you went insane like this," Estelle''s tears dripped down to Heine''s body as she further inflicted pain to the man. She cried, and cried along with Heine''s melodious pained screams. With each sob, her hands traveled further and caused the marks on Heine''s body to disperse even further. "Can''t we just live separately? Can''t they just let Estraea go? Leave her and me alone? Can''t you forget your life as Astarte? I, too, want to focus on my life as Estelle. Nobody else. How great would that be? I would forget about Hikari without bothering to focus on revenge. I won''t be chased down by insane fuckers like you just to satisfy your purpose. I will actually gain freedom and independence. As Estelle reste, not Goddess Estraea''s incarnation," "Fuck. I feel so pent up. How in the hell..." Estelle ruffled her hair, tousling it as she nced at her status and back to the ring that wrapped itself around her ring finger. She couldn''t even bother holding the abundant amount of curses that floated in her head back. It was too stressful. This ring. During her shback, she had encountered it. The exact same ring. If she recalled correctly, in her memory shback, there was also a pair of earring granted to her. The jewelry''s whereabouts were unknown, but Estelle suspected that it had a great meaning, judging from the fact that it was given by the Absolute himself when she was first created. As long as she had this ring, she could be said to have not broken everything off with her past life''s ties. With the Goddess she once was in her previous life. Even so, there was something too convenient about all this. How could the ring be mysteriously ced in the Duke''s study? If it''s the Goddess'' ring, howe it was in the mortal realm- the Surface? Why was the initials ''SV'' present and what did it entail? The previous Duchess, what secrets did she hold? Estelle couldn''t help but want to investigate everything down to the smallest details. There were so many things Estelle wished she could ask. Even after growing this much, her line of fate was still controlled to a certain degree. At least, she was sure that if she didn''t proceed with what was scheduled for her, she would die. Estelle gritted her pain as she looked back at Heine, who was still suffering. The marks had now ckened up and racing to go upwards, wanting to be puked out. Heine whimpered, shaking his head as he felt the load pile up in his throat and not allowing any air to pass through. He had to vomit it. But the moment he vomited, it would not end prettily. Heine was already in so much pain after her internals were damaged because of the marks. More injuries than this and he wouldn''t be able to recover fully. Estelle calmly stood by the side. As much as she wanted to help him, she was quite the petty person. So be it. The man reaped what he sow. If only he didn''t try to do his own ns outside of the ''safe'' ones the Absolute and Goddess Estraea''s former lover nned to do, he wouldn''t be in this predicament, would he? Estelle wouldn''t have been hurt and betrayed so far, would she? Everything would end up in her recovering her true identity as Goddess Estraea. Although she still wasn''t convinced, she had to pull through for this time. There would be a day where she could get the perfect revenge, but it wasn''t now. Now, she had to focus on bettering and preparing herself for what''s toe. Estelle sighed, looking with an absent gaze to the scene happening outside the window. Despite being a Duke, Duke Miller didn''t actually have a wide area of territory. In fact, hisnd was smaller than most nobles. His Duke title came from being the predecessor of a devoted noble servant to thete,te King. Although he wasn''t all that influential, he was loyal in one of the major events in the kingdom''s instation. The Miller head at that time was very close with the King who reigned. They could be considered best friends. They met at the Royal Academy, where most noble humans went to pursue education and got along very well. They shared the same ideologies, too. Following this same path, the current Duke Augustine Miller met her father in a simr way. In the Royal Academy, in which they found out that they shared simr tendencies that led to them developing an amiable rtionship and good friendship. Estelle''s murderous intent spread to everybody because of her pent up thoughts in addition to the ck marks'' negative energy. She let out a desperate sigh as she yanked her hair to regain her calm even the slightest bit. She had to find out about more things. She was now in the Duke''s manor, a ce where she originally meant to go to. It was at this moment that she recognized the fact that she had parted with Lylia after telling her not to search for her once she disappeared. In this case, Heine really got lucky. Lylia wouldn''t notice anything strange since she did instruct her to not tell everyone. "Haah.. This is ridiculous," Estelle cupped her face dejectedly, wondering if she would ever go anywhere with her ns. Did she have to revise it? Perhaps she focused on too many things. Realistically speaking, she should set up a logical goal for herself. What was her current goal? In any case, her original line of ns were definitely done for. However, she did achieve her goals of unlocking the seals. That was great. Just as she was prepared to inspect the problem further, a voice came. "Who are you?!" A man''s voice interrupted. Estelle turned around, wondering who dares to disrupt her rage. However, once her eyesnded onto the man, she scrunched up her face. It was a familiar one. [He is..] Estelle recognized the man. "You''re... the Duke''s son, correct? The heir apparent," Estelle sized the man up, letting go of her bloodlust after she confirmed his identity. A murderous intent shed through her eyes as she put up a fake smile, ready to take on the intruder in her and Heine''s lovely reunion. Chapter 111: Any Excuse Helps Chapter 111: Any Excuse Helps "You are..?" The Duke''s son looked at the girl who was smiling with an angelic expression at him. Weirdly enough, he felt intimidated in a bizarre way. Estelle internally processed her next decision. She didn''t know a lot about the man before her, but she had learned a bit when she was trying to approach Duke Miller years ago. The heir apparent, Adrian Miller. To say the man was ipetent would not be right, to say that he''s not ipetent would also not be right. He was somewhere in between. Too normal and without any shy achievements. However, due to his natural friendly disposition, he was able to get a bit of traction in the socializing parts. Duke Miller was someone in the neutral in terms of nobility faction, but his son was shady. Adrian Miller could be said to be a crafty man. No one knew what his true intentions are. As far as the public news went, he was quite close to all three factions: the Royals, the Liberals, and the Neutrals. Which one did he prefer? No one knew the exact answer. His list of acquaintances stretched near and far. He was easy to get along with, but not a single person has been dered a ''close friend'' of this man in the society. He was a Duke''s son even if the Millers weren''t that active. The prestige and status were there, although it would still be up to the person themselves to prove their worth and gain respect from others. In this case, Adrian Miller was simply a man Estelle couldn''t rx around before she was able to certify that he means no harm. Estelle felt Adrian''s scrutinizing gaze pass through her body and around the room, as if trying to seek out a certain something that could incite suspicion. Estelle was confident in her y. Besides, Heine was knocked out cold. The only worry she had was if the man died all of a sudden because of the vomiting syndrome. Even though she disliked the man, Heine was useful to her. The Ruler also had told her to recruit him to be a Constetion member, which definitely had an underlying significant meaning. "Oh Lord, where are my manners? My sincere apologies. My name is Estelle reste, thedy of reste Dukedom," Estelle made a polite curtsy befitting of her status. She thenposed herself back up, watching as Adrian''s facial expression warped. She had expected this to happen when she revealed her identity. After all, ''Estelle reste'' was supposed to be a missing child that no one knew the whereabouts of. A phantom existence. "Estelle.. that Estelle? Surely you are joking. You can not be that child," Adrian shook his head, scolding himself internally for even considering that Estelle''s words were reality. "State your real identity now, or else," His tone hardened. Even if Estelle was a child, there were many things that a child raised to be monstrous could do. In response, Estelle only giggled in ce. From the very start, she had known that she would be the victor in this match. Adrian was nothing but a small intruder for someone of Estelle''s caliber. Estelle coughed as she put her index finger up against her lips. "Now, now, now. There are some secrets that are not meant to be spread. I''m certain that the wise future Duke is well aware of this fact," Estelle shed him with another sweet smile. Too sweet that it was sickening. Estelle calcted her movements as she wanted to secure the man from doing anything first. Her eyes were firmly locked at therge door behind Adrian, which was still half open. She had to close it before Adrian could take any measures. After that, she had to silence him to prevent him from alerting others. Estelle gave a light snicker beforepleting her n that would let her out of this awkward situation. She walked up to him slowly with aposed aura. "Please do not be wary of me. My intentions are simply to extract some.. confidential information from your esteemed father. After all, he is my grandfather''s close friend," Estelle chuckled lightly. "Well.. used to be," So far, Adrian did not pull back. His knowledge did tell him that the one he was talking to was indeed reste''sdy. It was just that he had a strange foreboding feeling that put him in difort. Right. First of all, Estelle shouldn''t even be here. "Step back. Don''t move," Adrian''s gaze darkened as he pulled out a sharp dagger out of his suit. He brandished the de towards Estelle''s way and threatened the young girl. Estelle immediately put her hands up. Her intention was to silence the man. Resisting would bring even more trouble. "I wonder what this is about? I''m-" Estelle''s words were cut off by the man, who increased his volume. "Don''t talk!" Adrian pointed the dagger at Estelle''s neck as they were now in close vicinity. "This room.. is not an openly disclosed room. Father wouldn''t invite you here. Your bullshit will have to stop right there!" He immediately went to strangle Estelle to prevent her from moving. "This ce is underground. It requires a key.. How on Earth did you get here? Answer!" Adrian interrogated Estelle. Indeed, Adrian miscalctedrgely. This manner of actions and amateurish behavior, he should be flustered right now. Estelle thought carefully. If this was indeed a sealed off room, then Adrian shouldn''t be here in the first ce. If anything, she expected the Duke toe here after hearing Heine''s scream. She made a couple deductions. Adrian is not in an amiable rtionship with his father and was suspicious of the things happening in this secret room. He''s here to investigate, and somehow found Estelle. Duke Miller is not here because he left Heine to do his own thing, only toe back whenever the fae called him down. As such, he wouldn''t be loitering around here. Even so, Adrian made a huge mistake. Estelle was by no means a normal person. By her standard, she couldn''t be considered that strong, but she was confident in taking down someone like Adrian. They were in close vicinity. If Estelle chose to attack right now, no one would realize because this was a secluded room. A sharp kick aimed backwards would do the job, no? [Perfect.] Estelle grinned viciously as she became braver. Since she had confirmed that the room''s location was underground, then she had the liberty to go bolder than ever. Estelle positioned herself in a way that would allow her to gain as much momentum as she could possiblye up with in this closebat confrontation. Estelle was determined to end it in one blow. But, where to attack? Estelle wasn''t all that proficient in closebat, and the force she could exert might not be enough at all considering that she was not in a position to enchant herself. She pursed her lips and decided her target swiftly. "I really am innocent, Sir," Estelle pleaded with a scared voice. "I don''t trust you," Adrian said, still putting the dagger against Estelle''s slim neck as he maneuvered around to see what was hidden inside the room. He yanked the girl by her arms, forcing her to follow him in his steps. Estelle frowned at the rough treatment, feeling herself lose her footing. She sighed internally as she had to find another chance to strike. It was still alright. She could manage it. In fact, if Adrian could stop in a less bothersome ce, it would be better. For example, somewhere near the corners. Estelle didn''t put up a resistance, only ying her role as an annoyed and haughty Duke''s daughter who was scared of whatever is happening to her. She was convincing enough. It was Adrian''s first time stepping into this foreign ce, and he couldn''t find anything amiss at first nce. However, he was sure that his father was hiding something huge behind his back. He really couldn''t bring himself to trust the old man. After not finding anything out of the ordinary, he clicked his tongue. He then looked at the girl he was dragging with his grip and realized. If Estelle could get down here, then there must be something she knew. Something she desired. Something that made her want to get inside this concealed room. "Right.. since you are here, you must know something. What is it? What the hell is that old freak hiding?!" Adrian shook Estelle''s shoulder, feeling frustrated at how things were turning out. He thought that he struck gold. That he figured out what he had to do. However, Estelle''s response was unlike what he had expected. "How would I know?! I was brought here by that man after I visited him years ago! Since then, I didn''t even have the chance to meet my family, not even once! I also want to know what he wants to do, for God''s sake!" Estelle shouted, breaking into tears naturally and sniffling. "Raised..? He has been raising you in this room all this time? What is he nning? No.. that can''t be," Adrian released his grip out of the sheer shock. He was, after all, just a rather maniptive person who hid his intentions. He wasn''t a thorough viin. Besides, he hadn''t discovered Heine''s existence even after searching. That was also quite a shame. In face of Estelle''s tears, he was stupefied for a moment and couldn''t help but release her. What a nice mistake. Estelle would dly exploit the situation to her favor, then. Chapter 112: Damsel in Distress Chapter 112: Damsel in Distress In this very moment, Estelle took her chance to enact what she had imagined inside her head. By a sharp swing of her leg, she would aim at his shin and fracture the bone. She was confident that she had enough strength. Hopefully. Unless the man had something to protect him from, she would be fine. Estelle had long concocted her n. Estelle kept crying and sobbing, making even Adrian at a loss on what to do. Her appearance was top notch even as a child and would draw pity from many if she was seen basked in sadness. She was an expert at ying this damned role. "Hey, I apologize. It''s just that you.. uh, you''re here at the wrong time. I''m sorry. You''re not the one at fault here," Adrian''s messy attempt at consoling Estelle made the little girl jump with joy inside her heart. This proved that the man was letting his guard down. That he cared for her. So be it. That care will be the downfall for him. The fact that he still prioritized his emotions and careless assumptions in a situation like this was enough proof for Estelle to deem him ipetent. But in this case, that ipetency was something Estelle had to be thankful for. One more push, and.. It''ll end. Estelle didn''t stop crying even as Adrian consoled her. "But what would his motive be..?" Adrian''s confused voice rang as he pondered on this subject, no longer minding Estelle as a threat. The girl had shown him enough vulnerability for him not to be on guard. Not much information was disclosed about Estelle, and the girl had yed it off as a case of kidnapping. There was only the reasoning part left. A dumb choice indeed. If he had thought about the clues more carefully, he would be able to discern that her descriptions didn''t exactly make sense. However, that was of no concern to Estelle. She was ready to make her attack. The bloodlust that she had concealed was let back out as she couldn''t help but let out a smallughter. Just as Adrian was about to turn around and see why the girl had made such a reaction, Estelle shocked him by executing her ns. Estelle kicked at his shin as hard as she could. A cracking noise could be heard. A sign of fracture. Right then and there, Estelle knew she had won. Hearing him scream and wince in pain. The shock that stemmed from Estelle''s unexpected power as a child. The fact that Estelle''s parents were protective and loving instead of ambitious was a plus for her. Thanks to that, she was able to not be renowned as a genius child. If she was born into a detestable family, she would certainly be used as a pawn. In that situation, she could only wish that Adrian did not know. However, in Estelle''s case, Adrian really hadn''t heard of Estelle''s monstrosity. The only thing he had heard of was that strange things happened inside the Dukedom, but that was quickly rified at the audience. Immediately, Adrian tried to squat down to check on his fracture along with some pained shrieks. However, Estelle beat him from getting to the wound as sheunched another kick that would sweep him off his feet. It was aimed at his ankle, hitting him right at the malleolus. Sadly, that part was protected by Adrian''s quite sturdy pants. Thus, the impact wasn''t as powerful. Even so, she was still able to make the man fall to the ground sideways, which allowed her more flexibility on her actions. She straddled the man and choked him at the neck, holding him down. Pressing at the right spots, Estelle waited as the man struggled to scream out his pain. The smooth air supply was cut off, and in minutes, he fell unconscious. Estelle was relieved as she finally confirmed that the man was indeed not conscious. She checked multiple times to satisfy her conscience. She got off the man and stood back up, walking towards the door to shut it close. She wouldn''t know if anybody besides the Duke and Heine had ess to the room. No risks could be taken. Estelle sighed. She went back to the ce where she hid Heine. The ce was actually very simple once you find out. Standing in front of a clean sofa, Estelle reached out her hand to touch the surface. Immediately, a cracking sound could be heard. Estelle had masked the man with an illusory type spell in haste. There he was, the Fae that sat down on the cushions limp. Luckily, Adrian hadn''t thought to touch the sofa since it was too normal. "It was a rash decision," Estelle grumbled. "He did seem like he could use magic.. but area scans are pretty high ss, so I doubted that he would perform it," And Adrian indeed didn''t do it. Giggling in victory, she looked at Heine''s sleeping face. Yes, he went to sleep. He was overwhelmed with the pain and passed out. Even so, pain could be seen on his face. "Well, if he did realize it, I would''ve brought him down anyway the moment he said we were underground," The situational benefits of being underground in a secretive ce, she was thrilled. Estelle nonchntly pinched Heine''s chin and lifted it upwards. Immediately, the effect Estelle had for the ck marks began to activate once more. The ck marks, that had slumbered for a few moments began to rampage once more. They swirled around, trying to gather around Estelle''s fingers. Estelle frowned at this disy. She was still confused as to what Heine had done. In the next second, Heine was immediately afflicted with the pain and began to scream as loud as he can. Estelle was thankful that the room was designed to be an underground chamber. Estelle suppressed Heine''s rampaging movements with ease as the man was too ovee with pain. Estelle had an internal dispute. "If he dies.." Estelle mumbled. "Well- if he dies, would he really die?" (A/N: Estelle, people die when they are killed.) Estelle thought this way because she recognized that both him and her were able to have more than two lifetimes. In this case, she was led to believe that their souls could enter the cycle of reincarnation with no problem at all. Or at the very least, someone was controlling their paths. Their destination kept ovepping, how could Estelle not be suspicious? Estelle began to work her way around Heine''s marks. Immediately, her primary suspicion was that the movements were caused by the Origin Magic the Absolute had bestowed upon her. But how could such a reactione to be? Using her recovered memories as a basis, she knew that the Origin Magic was something that belonged solely to the Absolute. To think that the being would gift her with the power was strange. There had to be something more. Whatever it is that Heine consumed or did. "..Bear with me," Estelle decided to take a risk. If she was truly able to have some effects on the man''s condition, then she was going to try out some things. First , she directed the ck marks to somewhere away from his throat solely because she didn''t want him to vomit it out. Instead, she wanted to test something out. Her intuition''s wild guess. If Origin Magic reacted to it, what would her True Creation Magic do? Would it have an adverse effect, or perhaps a positive effect. Estelle investigated the truth and quickly discovered the foreign element. "It''s Destruction Magic..!" Estelle eximed. No wonder she was also quite heavily affected. It was her nemesis. However, instead of being given pain in the same way she had felt during the previous encounters, the current pain only made her sick. The only thing that made her light up was the fact that her Creation Magic was indeed having a reaction for the case. Estelle began to focus one more time, slowly drawing out the ck marks to where she left before and carefully imbuing her True Creation Magic. Indeed, she felt an attraction between the two. Like they were mas trying to seek each other out. The attraction was much stronger then when she instinctively ted herself with Origin Magic at the start. It was like a superglue that didn''t wish for them separate. "It''s like Destruction Magic, but it''s a little bit different," Estellemented. This time, instead of harming her, it harmed Heine. At some point, Estelle was even forced to retreat because of the dangerous amount of stickiness she was feeling. She thought that she was about to get sucked by the other energy. This, however, didn''t deter Estellepletely. She was still willing to try further. Heine''s continuous agony made Estelle''s heart shake, but she had learned better. She told herself not to be swayed. She continued her progress. Trying to prod into the case slowly. She was like a scientist who keeps discovering new elements as her life progressed, which was further backed up by her high level of curiosity. After trying a few times, with Heine turned into a mess of sobs and tragic case, Estelle finally received a different reaction from what she had prior to this. It was abination. Like when she mixed the nothingness and her previous Creation Magic, it happened again. "What in the..?" Estelle couldn''t believe what she was feeling. The magic she managed to generate was precisely a lukewarm version of Origin Magic. It had fused with her own. Chapter 113: The Dukes Story Chapter 113: The Duke''s Story "Origin Magic... No, it''s extremely diluted. It wouldn''t be that," Estelle wondered. How could this happen? In the memories, she saw the Absolute wield the Origin Magic and that the being dposed that element into two: Creation and Destruction. Could it be, you can just mix the two corresponding elements and obtain Origin Magic? That wouldn''t make any sense. Origin Magic should only belong to the Absolute because of the characteristic it brought- the catastrophe it could yield when used in the wrong way. But now, in Estelle''s hands was a diluted version of said Origin Magic. Clearly, something was off. The Absolute wouldn''t let this happen, would he? Or perhaps, he was the one who made the change possible? If anything had to be noted down, it would be the Absolute''s clear favor for the Goddess Estraea. He treated her very kindly. "Even so... I don''t really have a purpose for this magic as of now," Estelle mumbled. Her current priority was to unlock her Constetion powers. And possibly, if she had to, appoint Heine as one of the members. Estelle sighed. She checked her status, making sure that once again, she had all the necessary ingredients to be the Constetion Leader. "The Ruler told me that I needed to seek Duke Miller with my ring, but my seals are actually finished right now. Doesn''t that mean.. I''m done here?" Estelle mumbled, twisting her hand in the air while she looked at the ring. The ring that the Absolute had created. "No, you are not," Duke Miller''s voice came from behind. Estelle was instantly alerted as she turned around with haste, noticing that Duke Miller was now inside the room without any notification. How did she not realize his arrival? Estelle immediately became on guard. Sure enough, Duke Miller''s power was the [Spectre]. "..What do you mean?" Estelle was in her fighting stance, ready to counter the Duke if it came to the point of confrontation. "Your work here isn''t done yet, there''s still some things you don''t know. Follow me to my study and I shall tell you. I''m not hostile," "Even if I knocked down your son?" Estelle pointed to the floor, where Adrian wasying down at. "..It''s his fault to begin with. Come, I don''t have much time," The Duke walked away slowly. "..." Estelle considered her options and chose to follow the Duke because of the sneaking suspicion behind her family''s history. Something that the Duke must know. Looking at Adrian and Heine''s sorry state, she quickly turned around and caught up with the Duke''s walking pace. Within minutes of walking , they soon reached the Duke''s study. Duke Augustine immediately went to the chair and sat down, whereas Estelle stood in front of the Duke''s table while scanning the surrounding area. It was a nicely kept, clean room that contained nothing but necessary items. Simple and minimalistic. As soon as the Duke sat down on the chair, he began talking. "As you might have already guessed, that ring belongs to Silvanna Virante. Your grandmother," Duke Miller sighed as he looked at the girl before him with mncholic eyes. Estelle''s ears immediately perked up, wishing to hear the story. Her grandmother''s surname, it was actually Virante? "You have gotten this far, and I suppose I am now allowed to say the truth. Although the way you approached things wasrgely different form what you''re supposed to do, you have indeed ''proven your worth''," "Silvanna Virante is- well, she used to be a royal princess from Alfheim, the Kingdom of Elves. She didn''t want to be constrained to her post and sought freedom. As such, she fled to Alynthi and disguised herself as a human adventurer," "To be precise, that ring is a royal heirloom that was supposed to be carried by the reigning Ruler. A statement... concrete proof that you are indeed the genuine Ruler," "If we are going by the tradition, that ring should now be in the hands of Shirley Virante, the current Elven Queen. And yet, on the day that Silvanna escaped, she was still the possessor of the ring. She was the strongest candidate for the throne, but she didn''t want it," "Silvanna carried the ring with her down to Alynthi, where she met your grandfather and got very close. They both didn''t know each other''s true identity. At that time, I was a thriving adventurer with your grandfather, although Richter didn''t necessarily want attention," Here, the Duke Miller made a small gesture. He chuckled with a hint of mockery and rubbed the tips of his fingers together. Estelle didn''t know if it was because of her grandfather''sck of desire for attention or for the Duke himself. Right after, Estelle received her answer. "I was someone who chased sess. The thrill of adventures. Even so, I ended up here, being a near powerless man," Although vague, Estelle could feel a huge regret piling behind the Duke''s back. "No one approved Silvanna and Richter''s marriage. I have to say, they were suitable for each other. More than love, the sentiment they shared was that of lifelongpanions. It was a surprise that they were able to develop such a thing after only meeting and interacting for months," So far, the story was still in line with what Estelle had learned. "But the thing was, luck wasn''t on their side. It was on whoever their enemies were," "..Enemies?" Estelle frowned. Going by the gist of things, this should be the part where the couple disappeared to never be found again. Everyone assumed that they eloped, but it seems like the truth begged to differ. "Yes, enemies," Duke Miller coughed. "The world really didn''t favor them. In fact, they were hated by life itself. Nothing worked well for them even though they were talented people with a high potential," "I myself do not know what happened. I do not know the specifics. I just know that there was a point in time where the coupled fled to Alfheim. No news were heard from them after they disappeared. Not even to me," Duke Miller said in a grave tone. "This is.. where the story ends. It''s a dead end. However, if you truly desire to find out deeper, then go to Alfheim and you should be able to seek more from your.. maternal grand aunt, I suppose," Estelle lowered her gaze hearing the title maternal grand aunt reach her ears. "In this case, am I royalty?" Estelle was curious. She should be. In fact, the clues pointed to her being the Moon Goddess Alfheim worshipped. Because in her past life, she was Estraea, and the Goddess elves spoke about should also be Estraea. "You are. And you actually have stronger Elven qualities than your father.. n. It''s meant to be, I suppose. Go to Alfheim through the portal in your father''s study. Richter once told me that the portal was used for Silvanna and Shirley''s secret meeting. Once you get there, Shirley will notice and realize who you are," Duke Miller exined before getting up from his chair with great efforts. Estelle processed the guidance given to her, nodding in agreement as what Duke Miller told her was essentially the same thing as what the Ruler said. "One more thing. Do you perhaps know where my father currently is?" Estelle still had worries about her father''s disappearance. She hadn''t checked on her mother She yet, but the long disappearance will definitely not end up well if left untreated. "I do not," Duke Miller replied. "I see.. That''s a shame," Estelle was distressed. It would be great if the answers were neatly presented to her in such a pressing time. After Duke Miller finished his lengthy speech, silence psed over the room. Then, the Duke spoke once more. "...Child," Duke Miller called out to Estelle, who tilted her head in confusion. "Yes?" Estelle responded. Duke Miller took a sharp breath in. "The meaning of sacrifice, you must grasp it for your future," A vague expression that made Estelle''s heart tingle with a hint of anxiety. Added on to Duke Miller''s grave tone, it made her overthink. What was the old man implying? Saying that after she asked about her father. Was he saying that Estelle had to sacrifice her paternal figure? "That is all," Duke Miller waved his hand, gesturing for the little girl to leave and do her own thing from now on. "I have said what I needed to say," "...Thank you very much," Although she was rather displeased, Estelle made a light bow and expressed her gratitude. Even so, she couldn''t shake off the ominous feeling she gained after hearing Duke Miller''s parting words. Estelle''s next destination would be her own father''s study. She desired to use a space rift. After bidding her farewells, she left and connected her rift to her father''s study. Entering the loop, Duke Miller was once again left alone. Stress could be seen vividly painted all over his face. "I have finished my duties.. could this count as my repentance? My old best friend.." Duke Miller looked up to the sky, watching as the grey clouds filled the atmosphere. Just as he was rxing, the door was opened with a great force. From the entrance came Adrian Miller''s limping figure due to his injured shin and ankle. Not to mention, the vivid choke marks around his neck added to the bizarre state. "Father! I have found out what you have been hiding inside that underground room! Estelle reste, the Duke''s daughter, you have been raising her for years, haven''t you?! Exin yourself!" Chapter 114: A Secret Message Chapter 114: A Secret Message Adrian was hot-headed, as he had been beaten by a young girl. When he woke up, Estelle was no longer there. Of course, he still remembered the girl''s brave attacks and the pain she brought. It was his first time being exposed to such a sharp pain, making him wonder where on Earth did the girl get her power from. He then immediately rushed to his father''s study to convict him of this matter, but he did not expect his father tough loudly instead. "HAHAHAH!! Me, raising that child? Good, good!" Duke Augustine held to his arm rest as he finished the rest of hisughing track. "W-why are youughing?! If this gets around, do you know what will happen? What the reste Duke will say once he gets back here?!" In Adrian''s mind, Duke n was just travelling for his business expense. He did not even know that the man was out to seek for a cure. His daughter''s cure. However, the Duke Augustine was different. Since he was in contact with Heine, he learned that the girl was in aa for a long time and that her father disappeared to search for a legendary item. Of course, Augustine did have an inkling on where the location was, but it wasn''t his position to say it to Estelle. He felt bad when the conversation was ongoing, but it had to be done. Some sacrifices were necessary for the world to run smoothly. Adrian gritted his teeth as he saw Duke Augustineugh like no other day. "What is it?! Why won''t you tell me anything? I''m the heir apparent of this family! I deserve to know, especially when we don''t know when you''ll suddenly pass out and die!" Adrian was agitated. It could be said that his aggression stemmed from his socialite lifestyle. He was deeply invested in his interactions with other nobles. At first, he got a head start because he was a heir apparent of the Millers, which would mean that he would be the head after Duke Augustine resigned. People flocked to him to build a connection with the future Duke. Adrian was able to fully use his status to unt about his worth. He thought that the Duke would give the position to him soon, because the old man was slowly deteriorating. However, this didn''t happen. He waited for years, and years. From his originally calm disposure, he was forced to take drastic measures because of his overthinking. He wanted to take control. Having apetitive spirit, it was obvious that Adrian got agitated because of thisplicated matter. The way people viewed him. The forever ''heir apparent'' status. All of that contributed to his dislike towards the old Duke and the Miller name. He was falling behindpared to his social entourage. Even though his status as the future Duke should''ve been a great catch, it started to lose meaning when the Duke Augustine did not show any intent to push Adrian to the spotlight. The social peerage he had managed to build, everything seemed to be crumbling with each passing second. And that infuriated him every time he thought about it. Duke Augustine was keeping the Miller family to himself, even though the menial matters were all slowly being handled by Adrian. He was frustrated. Understandably so. The past admiration that he got was no longer in sight. It was nowced with clear mockery over the fact that he couldn''t even gain his father''s trust. He wasbeled as an unfortunate being, despite his hard work. No longer did he love the family and his dad. He was irritated. Granted, he had a special background. But even so, after years of working, he expected the old Duke to resign. He was past his prime and could be considered a shameless man. Pushing the work to him, but not acknowledging him as the true Duke. Adrian had sought the perfect chance to bring Duke Augustine down, but could never find it. "This world is a bundle of misfortune. Luck is short-lived, and sess is fluctuating. I am old now, Adrian. You should know better than to pry into my personal matters. Should you do that, adopting another talented child and nurturing him into the head would be a usible option. It''s very easy to rece someone like you," The Duke''s frank announcement shocked Adrian. "Father..!" Adrian clenched his fists, ignoring the pain that he felt physically. The fire that burned inside his heart was far more painful. Duke Augustine looked at his ''son'' with tired eyes. Adrian Miller, the son he had adopted long ago, the one he perhaps made he mistake on. After a long stare off, Adrian left the room with hasty steps. Irritation was all over his movements. The room was soon quiet one more time as the old man was the only guy left. The Duke massaged his temples as he leaned back on his chair. A loud sigh. He thought that he was way over the age where he could bear this sort of thing happening. It was about time that Adrian started maturing, but somehow the son he adopted couldn''t let go of his twisted principles. He hated to admit it, but parts of it was his fault. Adrian was someone who he not only adopted, but was entrusted for by an old acquaintance. The selection of Adrian wasn''tpletely based on his pick. Thus, the first time they met, he didn''t feel any intimation with the young Adrian at that time. Added in to his depression over his painful losses, he couldn''t fully attend to Adrian as a paternal figure. "Where did this all go wrong?" Hemented. "I was just trying my hardest.. to achieve whatever I could," _____ Estelle reached her father''s study in no time due to the space rift. She was now standing in the middle of the familiar room, her eyes twirling around to spot anything amiss. She had just used magic to create the space rift. She hadn''t felt anything at first, but she was hit with a bacsh after some time. It was small, but noticeable. Taken aback, Estelle immediately quit using the magic. "As expected.. After being sealed, it''s a bit awkward to use," Estelle felt her magic easily dissipate. She wasn''t saying that she couldn''t use magic in the slightest, but she probably would want to wait longer until her magic stabilizes. However, the True Creation Magic she wielded did not apply to this factor. The magic could still be used without no worries at all. If she had to exin it, then she would attribute the phenomenon as the result of True Creation Magic having a higher standing and power than anything it stood above. Estelle looked around with curiosity. She had long discovered that the portal should be the room itself. It must''ve been designed to amodate her grandmother. Entering the Duke''s study wasn''t something you could easily do, and Duchess Silvanna''s outings could be hidden this way. She looked at the neat bookshelves and smiled looking at the variety of books. Her father was someone keen on reading, and the amount of books he read in his entire life were multiples of what an average person would. His taste was refined, and even Estelle had to admit that his literary level was superb. Then, she suddenly noticed a small protruding object from the bookshelves'' behind. The furniture weren''t taped to the wall, so there was a crevice behind and under the shelves. Estelle squatted down to reach for the object, wanting to look at it. She pulled it out gently, afraid of knocking anything down. The result was a golden frame that held a picture inside. It disyed Richter, Silvanna, and a young n all in one setting- the study she was standing in. Even after n took control, the room hadn''t been renovated much, so the setting was simr. "..This is?" Estelle scrutinized the picture, picking the object up and bringing it closer to her. She first thought that it was a normal picture that somehow got into the crevices, but after reminding herself of n''s personality, she chose to investigate further. After all, knowing her father, he wouldn''t have left this here. He would''ve noticed it a lot sooner, too. It was slightly unbing of him. Though, it might''ve just been a mishap on n''s side. After looking closer into it, she was able to detect something hidden within the picture, sealed behind the ss. She opened the ss case and rubbed the picture. Then, she was able to tear off a small chunk from the picture sheet. It peeled off smoothly, showing that the detachable piece was something nned and not a coincidence. Pulling it out, Estelle observed the slip and mused. A slip of paper. She began to think that something bigger was hidden. It was yellowish and had signs of aging. It must''ve been left there for a long time. Dust also polluted the surface, making Estelle have to brush the small particles off. She flipped it around. Then, tiny foreign letters caught her attention. It was hand written with red ink, and the color was still prominent even if the medium that contained it was aging. "Thisnguage.. what?" Estelle was confused. Estelle had the ability to discern every singlenguage that existed in the world, and perhaps even the universe. Thenguages that went out of her scope of concrete knowledge. She would be able to understand them, but it didn''t mean that she could teach them to another personnel. The system worked in mysterious ways. Thenguage the text was written in was something she had never encountered before. Not even the ancientnguage that she discovered previously. After focusing harder, however, she was able to extract the meaning between those two words. "Gardenia.. Sky," Estelle mumbled, repeating what the tranting operation that went on inside her head yielded. Chapter 115: Shirley Villarante Chapter 115: Shirley Virante "Gardenia Sky?" Estelle furrowed her brows. She repeated it a couple more times, but still couldn''t understand what the term entailed. After pondering for quite some time, she got stuck and finally decided to store the note in her space first. She would find out moreter, but her current priority was meeting her maternal grand aunt. She touched the floor and began thinking of her wish to go to Alfheim. Before the magic activated, however, she took onest look at the room she was in and suddenly missed her father. Even after being separated for so long, she had to go away one more time. Not meeting both of her parents because she had her duties. How great would it be if she was a normal child? Then, she would''ve been able to spend time with them every day. Live a normal noble child. At this very moment, Estelle''s thoughts were drawn back to the Duke''s words. The meaning of sacrifice. The Duke had told her to learn it. But for what? Who or what did she have to sacrifice? And for what reason? "...I want to be strong. Strong enough so that I won''t have to sacrifice anybody," Estelle made a resolution to herself. She was in a precarious position with less freedom than what she thought she had. Her choices were little, and all the events were guided. To this, Estelle wanted to grow. After thinking one more time, she felt like the way she phrased it was incorrect. Wanting was different from a factual statement. Just wishing wouldn''t get her anywhere. "I will be that strong," Estelle said. "I will do it," she corrected herself, saying encouraging words. A warm blue light magic then enveloped her as she felt the teleporting agent start to work. The destination was the Elves''nd, Alfheim. Estelle looked forward to the trip, but she was also a bit spooked out. Worried as to what might arrive next, and what future shall greet her. _____ Estelle regained her footing on a lush forest with splendid sights. It was a garden of sorts, with many kinds of flowers decorating the environment with their beautiful sparks of colors. A light, fleeting scent of lilies wafted through the air and entered her nose. The flower that dominated the garden the most was the white lily. Estelle took this chance to calm herself down and prepare for her encounter. However, before she was able to rx, a voice greeted her. "Ara," A woman''s voice entered Estelle''s ears. "I thought that my sister had somehow crawled back into this ce, but it turns out that..." "Her sessor came instead?" The woman chuckled. Her chuckles were like music to the ears. Adding into the vast garden space, a perpetual echo was made with each sound. Crisp effects of wooden sandals cking against the concrete pathing was slowly drawing closer and closer to Estelle''s current location. Her words implied that she was indeed the Elven Queen. Saying '' sister'' and ''sessor'', it could only be the sole person Estelle came to visit Alfheim for. Estelle couldn''t help but gulp her saliva as she prepared herself for the arrival of her ''maternal grand aunt'', who she didn''t expect would greet her this fast. Soon, the figure of said woman entered her line of sight. A blonde beauty with hair that stretched down to her waist, had braids in some ces, and was silky smooth. The strands seemed to dance against the air with every movement she made. Her bright aquamarine eyes glowered like nothing else. The rity that emanated from said irises were unfathomable. Estelle unconsciously stopped breathing for a short moment due to being taken aback by the beauty''s sudden appearance. This was her maternal grand aunt, the current Elven Queen Shirley. "Since you are here... You must already know who I am. Only, I''m not that familiar with you?" Shirley tilted her head. The Elven beauty had one hand ced snugly on her hip, and a foreversting smile stered on her face. She was d in loose white robes, and her main point of fashion were the golden jewelries that hung off her. The circlets, bracelets, nes, earrings, down to the smallest detail made on the dress. She was someone worthy of being called the Queen of Elves. For the Elven race, who were known for their appearances, the Queen must be a top notch beauty above all. And Shirley was indeed a top notch beauty. It was hard to imagine that Shirley was an existence akin to Heine: someone who had lived for hundreds of years and yet showed no signs of aging because of their powers. "My name is Estelle reste.. Silvanna Virante''s granddaughter," Estelle raised her hand up, showing the ring that was circling her ring finger tightly. Shirley''s eyes softened as she saw the ring. "Silvanna''s granddaughter. That would make you my grand niece, then. Pleasure to meet you, I am Alfheim''s current reigning Queen, Shirley Virante," Shirley put her right palm over her heart as a saluting gesture. Shirley''s beauty was intoxicating. A morous, shy type. If Estelle''s looks leaned more towards a calm, cool beauty, then Shirley was an ethereal being that captured others'' hearts with every move she made. Estelle performed the same gesture Shirley made, thinking that it was a way to greet others in Alfheim. "...Oh? You actually followed me?" Shirley giggled. "Is there something wrong...?" Estelle questioned, worrying that she had offended the other party. "The gesture is reserved for Royalty. It''s a policy that we Elven Royals do not bow to others. Be it our head, down to the whole body. We are destined to stand above many. Thus, the salute was created.. but," "I''m terribly sorry! I didn''t know," Estelle hurriedly apologized, realizing what she had just done. "Well... technically you are a royal. And the bloodline that runs through you is very strong. Splendid," Shirleyplimented. She walked a few steps forward to get near to Estelle. "Is that really the case? I''ve heard about it, but epting the fact is a bit hard," Estelle went from being a Duke''s daughter to suddenly a temporal Goddess and now an Elven royalty. Just how many titles and ranks must she have before the world is satisfied? "It''s going to be fine. You weren''t born into the society firsthand, so I doubt that anybody is going to force you to do your royal duties. I have children, too, so you won''t be held ountable unless you want it," Shirley extended her hand and ced it over Estelle''s head gently, rubbing the younger''s silky hair with a gentle countenance. "..Thank you for the understanding," Estelle replied back with a small smile, relieved that her maternal grand aunt was someone like Shirley. "Don''t mention it. Now that you''ve arrived in Alfheim, I should provide you with a well-deserved treatment. Wee to Alfheim, little Estelle," Shirley snapped her fingers. Instantly, two Elven beauties, one male and one female appeared out of nowhere. "They are my attendants. Twins," Shirley pped twice, signifying them to introduce themselves. They both stepped forward and kneeled to the ground as a form of respect. Before their arrival, Shirley had told them of Estelle''s identity. Since she was a royal, an influential one at that, they must give her the utmost level of respect. Of course, this was merely the appropriate attitude as royal attendants. It did not mean that they approved the girlpletely. After all, a royal appearing out of nowhere was quite the shocker. For more than five seconds, they stayed in the kneeling position. Then, they got up. "My name is Niki, and I will be attending to you for the rest of your stay in Alfheim," ''Niki'' was the female elf. She made a polite bow after getting up. Her face was stoic, and Estelle could faintly see that Niki was holding back a sense of dislike. The reason for that was unknown, but to think that the elven beauty would dislike her right off the bat was a bit unnerving. This was their first meeting. Yet, Estelle understood the fact that elves were seclusive creatures. Call them xenophobic all you want, but they have been raised with their own principles and believes that their views werepletely justifiable. "My name is Niel, and I too will be attending to you for the rest of your stay in Alfheim," The male elf was ''Niel''. Their names were simr, which was understandable since they were twins. Estelle sensed a rather prominent hate emerging from Niel. Internally, sheughed. It seemed like her stay in Alfheim wouldn''t just be all roses judging by the ''wee'' she got. She then decided to make a bold move out of curiosity. What would happen if she was to dere herself... a Virante? An outsider like her, confidently stating that she was a royalty and this twin siblings were to drop their hatred this instant. "Pleasure to meet you. I am Estelle Virante, your royal princess starting from now on," Chapter 116: Queens Anger Chapter 116: Queen''s Anger Upon hearing Estelle''s bold words, Shirley''s eyes widened ever so slightly, but she then calmed herself down and smirked. Neil and Niki did not think that Estelle would be that brave either. They were fully prepared to treat this ''royal'' with only nothing but the standard treatment. "So?" Estelle tilted her head, giving them a charming smile full of innocence, as if she hadn''t said somethingpletely absurd. "Great! Very great," Shirley pped continuously, moving forward to rub Estelle''s head one more time. She had just met this rtive of her, but the usually picky Queen had taken an interest in this girl''s decisions. "My dearest grandniece, can you live up to the Virante name? Are you prepared for it?" Shirley provoked, wanting to test just to what extent Estelle could go. And of course, her intentions and future ns. "Please do not fret, I''m not going to involve myself in the royal section. However, as far as good actions and deeds go, I will certainly fulfill them greatly. So that no one will be able to refute my ims," Estelle raised her head up to look at Shirley, not budging a single inch even in face of After reaching the entrance and earning the permission to enter, they stepped inside the pce. "That''s quite the bold im," Shirley narrowed her eyes. Even though she disyed a friendly attitude towards this grand niece of hers out of respect for her sister, the fact that she was an Elven royalty remained unchanged. There were some things she couldn''t budge upon, and Estelle''s statements were part of what she couldn''t afford to go easy on. "I have confidence in myself. Especially in regards to the Goddess'' power," Estelle replied, smiling in angelic manner. She had learned of the magic apparently only Royal Elves could wield, and it was awkwardly simr to her own Creation Magic. However,paring the two would be quite the sphemy. After all, Estelle''s magic, both the past and current Creation Magic were much stronger than what the Elves'' powers were depicted to be. "...Are you sure? Say any more than this and it''s going to turn dangerous. If you can''t prove yourself, then this is a crime punishable by death ording to ourws," Shirley was now quite enraged at Estelle. Even if Estelle did have the bloodline running through her, proiming that she was ''confident'' in her Goddess powers was an unwanted statement. Shirley also hated it when people insulted her Goddess. She was a devout believe of the Goddess ever since she saw the sacred statue they had inside the memorial temples back when she was a child. She even dreamed of bing a priestess just to serve the Goddess wholeheartedly at times. Only, her sister suddenly vanished and she had to step up to the throne. She couldn''t say that she held no grudges at her sister over the things that happened and the chaos she had to handle as the result of it. The only two offspring the previous Queen gave birth to was Silvanna and her. Of course, when Silvanna, who has been the most promising candidate for years suddenly went away, everything was thrown into jeopardy. At that time, she despised her sister for abandoning her duties and desecrating the Goddess'' will. Silvanna had stronger powers than her, and the fact that she just threw everything away was akin to mocking Shirley, who devoted her entire being to the Goddess and yet was still inherently weaker than Silvanna. Although, after the chaos subsided, she was able to ept the truth and even started meeting up with this sister of hers. Their sisterhood wasn''t all smooth, it was full of rocks. Silvanna felt pressured, she didn''t like the throne and the responsibility she had to bear if she took the ce. She repeatedly voiced out her difort, and yet nobody listened because everyone felt like what they forced upon the girl was the right thing to do. She ended up running away, and Shirley also started to realize why Silvanna hated it so much when she was put in Queen training. It was so suffocating. Yet, for the sake of her Moon Goddess, she had to be a great Queen. Lest the entire kingdom fall into a state of power absence. As people who believed in their ''religion'' so much, elves would be deterred if they didn''t receive appropriate responses and decisions from the Royals. They would start to doubt the legitimacy of the throne. There were many people who was a devout worshipper for the Moon Goddess, but there were also ones that hated the concept of it, wanting to destroy the ''annoying'' setting, as they described it. Thus, Shirley was the one to ovee all the trials that was pitted against her. To say that she hated this grandniece of hers would be too much of a stretch, but now that Estelle tried to steer off to where she shouldn''t be, Shirley was agitated. "Do not worry, my Queen. I know what I am doing," Estelle saluted Shirley, putting up her peerless facade that would fool any unsuspecting person. "...Very well," Shirley''s smile was nowhere to be seen now, but she had better things to do than to debate with the girl this instant. "I shall uphold you to those words. Remember them well, child," Shirley turned around, making her jewelries dangle and create sounds. Her every movement was filled with grace. She didn''t say any words of farewell. Shirley departed to wherever she was going to, one slow step at a time. Estelle''s eyes burned into Shirley''s figure, examining the Queen''s actions with a passionate gaze. She then went back to face Niki and Neil, whom she was also quite interested in. Looking at the two''s expressions, it was clear that Estelle''s statements displeased them. To them, who were trustworthy and devout believers of the Goddess themselves, Estelle was a treacherous person with ill intentions. Her remarks were too offensive. Even if Estelle was now actively proiming herself as a Royal, and that Elven Royals were supposed to be treated as direct vassals of the Moon Goddess, Niki and Neil couldn''t wholeheartedly do it. "I am well aware that I emerged out of nowhere, and that I have no right to make you two submit to me this instant," Estelle sped her hands together, cheerily announcing her feelings. "As such..." Estelle raised her index finger, pointing to the twins. "I shall grant you two the right to put me through your test," Niki and Neil looked at each other, each with a disgruntled expression that contained disbelief. They were confused as to what Estelle was trying to do. Estelle giggled seeing them. "Well? What do you say? This is a great chance for you two, no?" Estelle''s bright energy was the exact contrast of what the twins were feeling right now. Silence ensued as the two twins nced at each other. Both of them were calm, but the insides of their minds were vastly different. Estelle stood there, unbothered as to how things will unfold. She waited for the twins'' response. Neil was the first one to speak up. "..Until you have proven yourself as worthy, I will treat you as any other civilian elf," Neil said. His heart was unwilling, but the girl offered a question that was practically one hundred percent on their side. All the odds were on Estelle since she put herself in a vulnerable position. Something that was done out of nowhere. Neil frowned. Why did she require their approval? Did she have deeper ns? "Neil?!" Niki elbowed him from the side, wishing for him to stop getting carried away. Estelle''s words were merely distractions and served as means of incitement. Estelle kept provoking them in the right spots, and Niki became worried if there''d be a catch to this. Unlike her, Neil was rasher and trusted his sense of judgement. He had a strong intuition and wanted to seek more from Estelle, the outsider who trespassed into theirnds. "I shall ept those terms. However, since my grandaunt has instructed for you two to act as my attendants during my stay, I expect the duties to be fulfilled. Is there any other rule you want to add?" Estelle smiled. Being treated as a civilian would mean that the twins were in a higher position than her. They were royal attendants, and all royal workers were held at a high respect in Alfheim because of the royalties'' sacred identity. "You can not request or use Her Majesty''s aid," Neil nodded at Estelle''s words. He had been nning to do so anyway, despite his dislike towards the girl. He was someone who stuck to his duty. Neil ignored his sister''s pleas and continued listing his thoughts. "Next," "You are not allowed to say that you have the royal bloodline running through you," "Next?" "You are not allowed to refuse our challenges orin in any shape or form," "Next." Estelle let out a small chuckle. She approved the ims, noting them down inside her head. "...That would be it," Neil frowned, thinking that the rules he asserted were pretty tough to handle. Even so, Estelle was taking the matter in with no problems at all. Beside him, Niki was tugging at his robes, trying to gain his attention and knock some sense into this fraternal twin brother of hers. However, Estelle did not pay any heed to Niki''s struggles. Her goal was just to gain either one of the twins'' trust. Which member didn''t matter. After all, she noticed that the twins were extremely close and cooperative with each other. They worked in session to fulfill their duties. If one of them acknowledged her, the other would certainly follow suit in the long run, if not immediately. Estelle pped multiple times, still disying her smile without faltering. Chapter 117: Start Chapter 117: Start "Then, might I ask you to perform your attendant duties? Please take me to my abode. Our game shall start tomorrow. You may bother me at any time starting tomorrow, until I leave Alfheim," Estelle questioned. In response, Neil nodded. For this instance, he would go along with Estelle. He would test the waters. Find out more. Whether Estelle meant harm to the kingdom, his home and mothend, or whether she was a blessing that they were supposed to keep like a treasure just like the other royals. Either way, Estelle was a fully-fledged royal in identity. Because the criteria to be one was to be the ''descendant'' of the Moon Goddess'' bearer. To possess the powers she had granted to the kin. And Estelle did possess the power. They didn''t know how far it extended to, but just by being in her presence, they could feel it. As Elves who regrly worshipped the Goddess, the twins had an even more exclusive privilege. They were allowed to enter the inner court of the pce, something not all royal servants could do. The inner court was much more abundant in terms of the Goddess'' traces. The closer you got to the pce''s center, the more concentrated the Goddess'' power was. This was because in the inner court, a statue of the Goddess'' was put up. The area around the statue contained the most abundant aura. Only direct royals and those who had extraordinary achievements were able to get closer and enter the sealed ce. Of course, the current Estelle wouldn''t be able to get near. However, if she did manage to prove herself, then the room should be opened to her. Estelle was excited to see just how she would y this out to be. The trio started walking to their next destination, departing from the garden they were previously in. Estelle''s eyes scanned the surroundings as she walked on the path, enjoying the gentle breeze that hit her with every single step she took forward. She appreciated the view and scenes. "Your castle is pretty," Estelle praised, following behind her two attendants'' footsteps. "Of course. Unlike your country''s own castle, which is literally bathed in excessive and unnecessary gold, we take in the nature. It is what the Goddess had bestowed upon us. She gave us life, and we strive to protect thend to honor that favor," Neil harrumphed as he mocked Alynthi''s sense right in front of one of its citizens. Of course, Estelle herself wasn''t all that fond of Alynthi''s grandeur persona. Their true prowess wasrgely behind what they tried to convey to the world. Even so, everybody knew that Alynthi wasn''t all that majestic. It was a publicly untold secret. Niki did not say anything following Neil''s words, but hints of difort could be seen on her face, presumably because of Estelle''s problematic status. "Please rx around me, I personally am a neutral person. I do not yield to one side, I prefer aligning to my own views," Estelle assured. "I do not care if you insult Alynthi and their shitty King, because I also think that way," Somehow, hearing the girl''s frank words, Niki couldn''t help but tug her lips upwards. Even though the action was only miniscule, Estelle caught it. Their journey resumed. After walking around for quite some time, with Neil and Niki introducing some of the castle''s mainpartments, the trio reached where Estelle was supposed to be housed in. Elves, including the Queen herself liked nature the most Almost the entire pce had greenery covering the area. The air was very cool and fresh, making the trees and nts sway peacefully. Their structures were built out of stone and was unexpectedly sturdy. Their structural integrity was just as strong as ones made by the humans even if it didn''t look that practical. The aesthetics of the ce was exemry. Estelle entered her room. Just like the previous views she saw, the room had a simr feel as it was still inside the pce. It was covered in greens, not too little but not too excessive. There were detailed sculptures ce as decoration, shaped to different objects from normal pirs to magical creatures that were ced or hung around the room. They were lifelike and seemed like they could jump out any moment now to move freely. Estelle observed all the stuff and indeed found traces of sculpting everywhere. If these furniture pieces and decorations were sold in Alynthi, they would certainly yield a lot of money. The skill it took to make such an borate and intricate structure couldn''t have been small. Seeing Estelle be entranced with awe, the twins had a sense of pride. "Our countryfolks are talented in sculpting. We excel in manipting the winds, and it helps us to carve the details. All the architecture you see, none of it didn''t involve the use of wind in the process," Niki took the chance to exin and promote their culture. Excelling in the usage of wind. Alfheim''s exclusivity did not only amount to the Goddess'' powers but also the wind element. "Alfheim is also dubbed as the Country of the Winds, where the element coexists with our country as if its an entity. Something alive. It has been deeply ingrained in our culture that winds are to be treated with respect," Neil added. Estelle nodded at their words, stroking the beautiful pieces gently, appreciating even the smallest detail. They were all made with so much devotion, as if trying to impress the Gods themselves. "Can all elves sculpt?" Estelle asked. "They generally can sculpt until the intermediate level. However, experts and artisans who truly devote themselves to create and build sculptures are further dubbed as Royal Sculptors, in which they will be assigned with the task of creating supply for the castle''s needs. For example, the castle is built by thete Royal Sculptors and maintained by the current ones," Neil answered. "How many Royal Sculptors are there..?" Estelle raised a brow. To build such a beautiful castle, could it be done with a small team? "Back when the castle was built, there were ten of them. Now, there are only two left," Neil said. "Just ten.. to build this castle. Wow," Estelle gaped in amazement. "Royal Sculptors are out of the world. They are extremely hard toe by. They can not be measured by the standards of other people. They are ones who have mastered how tobine every single move of theirs with the wind and convey that into their medium," "Hmm," Humming in agreement, Estelle took a seat on the nearest chair, which was also sculpted by the Royal Sculptors. Immediately, she felt a difference. The chair made it feel like she was sitting on clouds or thin air. Even though it was made by stone, somehow it possessed qualities that couldn''t havee out of stones. "That is the Royal Sculptors'' ability," Neilmented. "To create and add their own desired characteristics into their creations. Magical, no?" "..This is borderline impossible to do," Estelle frowned. People''s first assumption would be that they cast enhancement magic over the production. However, unless they have a concrete form, casting said magic would require a tremendous amount of mana since it''d have to be separated from them for a long time and would be used on a regr basis. Of course, Estelle was exempted from this rule since she possessed Creation Magic that helped her gain the ability to freely create items. However, for Royal Sculptors, wouldn''t it mean that they directly possessed simr powers to that of the Moon Goddess''? Since they also had the ability to revamp things to what they originally wouldn''t possess, they would have to alter the object''s entire being to maintain the change. Estelle kept the information in mind as she continued asking about other matters. "What else do the elves specialize in?" "Other specialties like archery and high agility are also assisted by the winds. Our winds.. they are special," Neil lowered his gaze, deep in thought. Estelle kept her eyes on the man''s movements, wondering what was on his mind. He looked up once more to meet Estelle''s gaze. After a short while, they broke off the contact, but Estelle felt like the man had just realized something. "...Well then, I shall take a rest for the day. Good work, you two," Estelle gave a small smile as she waved politely. Since the twins were now allowed to treat the girl as a fellow civilian, they did not bow. They only gave a slight nod and left, leaving Estelle to fend for herself in the castle. "...I suppose I would have to start working from tomorrow onwards," She had given the twins much room to work with, particrly Neil. They would definitely be out to make it hard for her. Neil contained more enthusiasm. Sighing, Estelle was reminded that it was her who brought this upon herself. She expected her magic to fully recover by the next day, so she nned to rest. She got up the bed and slept. Chapter 118: The Challenge Chapter 118: The Challenge The next day, Estelle woke up to a knock on the door. The sun was shining brightly, and her eyes were tired as she rubbed them listlessly. She nced at the door. "Enter," Estelle said. Immediately, the door handle was twisted by a certain someone. The door''s opening then revealed two figures. Neil and Niki, the twins. They were working as her attendants, so naturally they would also wake her up. Although, Estelle''s mind immediately perked up to another matter aside from the attendant duties. Her mission, the challenge she dared Neil to give her. Looking at Neil''s gleaming expression, Estelle knew that he must''ve gotten a great idea that would screw her over badly. Sadly, Estelle was much more confident than Neil thought. She wouldn''t be distraught. "Good morning, you two," Estelle did light stretches as she got off the bed and went in front of the mirror to fix her appearance slightly. "Good morning," Neil answered. By his side, Niki''s expression was distorted quite badly, making Estelle wonder what Neil had in store for his ns. "..I''m guessing that you already have an idea on how to kick me out of this ce?" Estelle chuckled. "Precisely so. I am announcing your first... andst challenge," Neil had a smirk stered on his face. Confidence was beaming from his entire attitude. "Do tell," Estelle gestured for him to speak as she tiredly got up and put her hands on both hips, supporting her stance. "It''s a challenge that involves the Elven Winds," Neil said. [Ah, that''s why.] Estelle harrumphed internally. Yesterday, Neil''s expression had sparked when he was teaching her about the specialty of Elves when using the element wind. A specialty. Of course, to someone like Estelle, who was born a human and never interacted with this foreign element, it would be hard to achieve the same feats elves could. "The Elven Winds... They are our friend, our colleague, someone we work with for our entire life. If someone can''t use the wind the way we elves use it, it''s hard to say that they are an elf," "And of course, the surname Virante, which contains hundreds of years worth of Elven history can only be brought up by a fellow elf, lest it bes a sphemy," Neil continued dering, watching as Estelle heaved a sigh. He was certain that this fight would be won by him. Not minding Estelle''s reactions, Neil wanted to pan the fire even bigger. "And thus.. this brings us to our first challenge," Neil coughed, looking at Estelle right in the eye as he prepared to announce his decision. "Obtain the Winds'' approval. Make the Winds obey you the way they work with us elves," "Haah.. As expected," Estellemented. She specifically asked for data about the elves'' specialty because she knew that it would be very easy to exploit. Immediately after Neil introduced the specialties, Estelle had been considering the possible choices. "But that''s not it," Neil still had more things to say. Estellezily looked over to the man, wondering what else would he say. He then summoned a bow. It was quiterge, and had a mystical presence. It was simr to a crescent moon by the appearance. The gentle blue light that enveloped the bow, which had intricate details that mimicked vines. Other engravings to further beautify the weapon. Lastly, a bow string that seemed off. Estelle frowned. There was no bow string, yet there was one. The ce where the string was supposed to show up was empty. But Estelle could feel small hints of disruptions in the environment. It was very small. Almost unnoticeable. But Estelle could still sense the little bits. "The string.." Estelle mumbled out loud. Neil was just about to exin, but his movements were stopped. This time, Niki stepped forward, sighing with disappointment. "This is the [Moonlight Bow]. It''s a specialized type of bow that can only be crafted using the hands of a Royal Sculptor. To pair up with the bow, you need to learn a separate archery style... And of course, learn to associate with the Winds. You have to obtain a very high proficiency in both segments in order to even try," Niki exined, snatching the bow from Neil. She took her right hand into the air, making Estelle be able to see it clearly. Getting into a shooting stance, Niki was engrossed in her own thoughts and paid no heed to Neil''sints. Estelle''s eyes widened. It was a full-fledged bow, but it just had no string to pluck. Niki''s gaze was entirely focused and in tune with herself. "Neil, please," Niki asked her twin brother, her focus still steady. Realizing what Niki wanted to do, Neil nodded and used his own magic. He used Wind Magic to create a shield-like structure, cing ten of them in a row. After the cements were done, Niki furrowed her brows, concentrating even further. Then, light started gleaming brighter and brighter from the bow. A string appeared. It was a faintponent, but you could see it if you looked hard enough. A thin thread. Niki pulled on this thread, allowing the surrounding environment to warp around her. Wind burst around Niki, concentrating at the bow''s aiming tip. There was no arrow, but Niki released her hold on the mystical string. No string and no arrows. Estelle wondered just what they were trying to do. Instantly, a huge wave of wind swirled and pierced the ten shield Neil had made to hold off the arrow. The arrow prated through 8 of them with high intensity, tearing arge hole apart from the middle and breaking the entire thing. The velocity continued before stopping at the ninth, making a small bullet-like hole. The shields all collectively shattered into small fragments as their main core was destroyed. Strangely, the bow was still not visible. But Estelle had seen the power firsthand, she couldn''t have been mistaken on what she witnessed. A bizarre power that did not have a physical form, yet was able to bring out this much power. From where did such a thinge out from? Estelle brought her hands up and apuded. She recognized Niki''s strength, even though it wasn''t all that practical. Niki sighed once more, looking at Estelle as if saying that this should not be the time for her to apuse and admire her feat. After all, her twin brother expected the girl to perform a simr feat in just three days. Despite Niki''s worries, Estelle wasn''t all that anxious in front of the challenge she had to face. In fact, she was more intrigued than anything. The fact that she was slowly being exposed to all these secretive, hidden elements of the world made her learn that not everything was just textbook knowledge and theories. "..It''s not Wind, but it is Wind," Estelle muttered, holding the arrow tightly. "Does it stay? Or will it disappear sooner orter?" "It stays unless we want to throw it away," Niki dropped the bow, using her Wind Magic to bring all the destroyed pieces to one section and cleaning everything up. [Essentially, they created an object. It''s not elemental magic, but it is.] Estelle entered another paradoxical argument with herself. "This is the so called [Moonlight Archery]. A style that has been passed down through generations. I will give you three days. If you are truly worthy of being a Royal Elf, then you should be able to get used to the winds'' worth very soon. And of course.. the archery style," Neil confidently brought up the matter. Not even a slight glimpse of remorse could be seen on his face. "Can all elves do it? The archery?" Estelle questioned. "Of course not! The Royal Sculptors only awards these bows to the royal family members and high executives. They don''t make this in batch. Each of the instruments are carefully crafted to create the masterpiece that is the current version of the Moonlight Bow," Niki interjected. Estelle hummed in response, realizing that the story just got a lot more interesting. "If you fail, go back to Alynthi and never touch thends of Alfheim again," Neil red down at the girl who was disying an interested expression. "Neil-" From the side, Niki was trying to object. However, Neil put his hand up in the air, telling Niki to stop her efforts. Frustrated, Niki grumbled. He wouldn''t yield. This was one of the most basic quality of an elf. A character that they shared. Although, parts of his order also came from the prejudice he had formed from the few qualities Estelle had shown him. However, Niki felt like what Neil expected was too much. Even elves needed years to assimte with the winds after they are born into the world. What Neil told Estelle to do was essentially digging a bottomless pit for her to jump in by herself at the end of the three days time limit. Three days. That was such a short period. And Neil expected her to execute at least one strike of the [Moonlight Archery]. Estelle would not seed. Even though she didn''t necessarily like the girl, she was someone who hated injustice. And her brother was trying to enact injustice on Estelle. Seeing her brother''s determination, Niki knew that this was it for Estelle. She would be seeing the girl off in three days. It was a shame, but she had not forbidden him to order her to do this. If she knew better, if she knew that there was this feature to exploit, she would''ve prevented it from happening, but it was toote. The promises had been made. Thus, she decided to follow suit with her brother''s ns. If Estelle wasn''t even able to do this, then she shouldn''t dare to try and proim herself with the Virante surname. Chapter 119: Eccentric Chapter 119: entric Instead of bing gloomy and sad over her fate, Estelle was cheerful. Since she was told to learn the style, Estelle was able to obtain permission to get her hands on one of these mystical [Moonlight Bows]. It was a beautiful weapon. If you viewed it from a far distance, it truly just felt like a normal crescent moon-shaped structure. A figurative decoration and not a weapon that can cause heavy destruction. And yet, the power that Niki showed on the day of the demonstration won over all the other bows she had learned of. Indeed, the elves were the best in archery. Their pinnacle of perfection was universe''s away from the other countries. First of all, it was not a secret that the other countries did not look too fondly on the archery section except for certain situations. Humans put more effort into swordsmanship and such, spirits used elemental magic and short weapons, beastkin used their robust bodies to rip apart their enemies, the dragons used brute force and magic, and only the elves bothered to devote themselves to archery. Thanks to their devotion, they were able to sustain abative style that could rival other weapon users even inside a closebat environment. The elves could use their environment to their advantage and could rapidly shoot their bows, and hit their target with a high uracy rate even while moving around in high speed. Thus, it became a challenge for the other races to keep up with elves in battle. Elves were armed with bows and magic. They would then incorporate those factors into their battle''s environment and create a style that would throw off their opponents. Of course, not all elves used only bows and arrows. Those who preferred swords, spears, daggers, and magic did exist. But for most of the part, bows and arrows were a huge part of the elven culture. It was deeply ingrained within them to study and master archery. Estelle pondered on her situation. She was confused as to where she should start from. She knew archery and the basic moves, but she hadn''t really delved upon the art. Crossing her arms, she sat in front of the bow. She began touching the item, trailing her fingers over the instrument as she scrutinized every single inch of it, trying to get familiar with the item. A brainstorming session was always the path to getting a great solution for her. "If.. the bow was the medium, then where should I channel the magic from?" Her first question was raised. Figuring out how the bow worked was not easy. It was an abstract concept, since the bow and archery style itself was not meant to be used by a lot of people. Thus, naturally every approach would be different. The way onemunicated and worked alongside the winds. Estelle had never thought about the matter deeply, but she found out that the wind had special characteristics. The infinite details from the winds all across the world, how would it feel trying to align with each one of them? However, even after thinking for a long time, Estelle fell into a slump when she realized that she was getting nowhere. "Ahh, I really ought to get someone to help," Estelle muttered. "But who can I ask for assistance without breaking the rules Neil set?" Estelle was fully intending to follow through with the promises she had made. Thus, she couldn''t use her honorable titles, but she needed an expert to teach her the archery style. Of course, since Neil didn''t specify that she couldn''t ask for help at all, getting acquainted with another person should be of no problem if she could just get them to cooperate without revealing her identity. The specialized wind magic was of no huge problem for Estelle. She found out that the concept was eerily simr with her own vision of magic. It was to create, yet not a perfect version of creation. Create. Bringing something to existence from nothingness. However, in the winds'' case, it was more like giving form to the abstract energy. A lot of people could use the Wind element, but elves yed it differently. They were able to actually manipte the element to bring them all sorts of usable forms. Going by the concept, then Estelle could technically formte an incident that replicated the winds. Thebination magic she had learned in the Eterna, she felt extremely grateful that she went through that process now. She kepting across situations that needed thebination process. Although the result wouldn''t be the true elven kind of Elven Winds, she was able to produce a simr version to that using her own spin to the problem. As long as the style worked, her challenge should be considered as having a passing grade. That is, of course, by mixing in different sets of magic. Particrly, her super convenient True Creation Magic. Indeed, she received a huge boost in power after unlocking the element. She now attained a more concise and consistent result throughout her trials. Since she had rested for quite some time, her magic has basically cleared up from Heine''s previous restraints. She was reminded by Heine once more, imagining him waking up to her disappearance. She tortured him quite a lot, but Estelle thought that he deserved it. In fact, if not for the fact that she was rushing right now, she would''ve continued to harm him. "That said... This is day 1, and I''ve pretty much already figured out the entire concept between the Elven Winds. Isn''t that great for starters?" Estelle tried to be positive, thinking that her progress was already fast. "Elven Winds?" A foreign male voice entered. From behind her figure, Estelle detected an iing presence and instantly became on guard. "Why are you jumping like a guilty person? Could it be, I''ve caught a wrongdoer?" The man chuckled, showing his figure. He was a blonde elf d in white robes- a trend that seemed to be going around the Elvenmunity by the looks of it. The man looked like a deity with how aesthetically pleasing he looked. "Ah.. I have a task," Estelle answered. "No, wait, before that.. My name is Estelle reste, a half-elf," Since part of the rules said not to dere her royal identity, Estelle had to resort to using her surname back. Of course, in front of the twins and her own maternal grand aunt, she would have no qualms in using her Virante name. "..A half-elf?" The man frowned at her introduction. "Ah... yes," Estelle replied. Internally, she was wondering whether the man was the type of elf that frowned upon other species. From the first nce, he looked like a knowledgeable person, but who knew what was the truth? "I see.. A half-elf, huh? Then, how did youe to possess the Goddess'' powers? Surely you are not a royal?" The man suddenly asked. Estelle widened her eyes. How was the man able to sense her magic? In the first ce, Estelle was currently residing inside the elven castle, so naturally the people who wandered around would not bepletely normal. The castle was practically a sanctuary with how invested elves were in their religious beliefs. Looking at Estelle''s distraught expression, the man broke into a warm smile once again. "I am a former Royal Sculptor, so I know," The man answered. "Estelle reste, was it? The name reste.. Could it be the human noble family?" [A former Royal Sculptor.. I actually came across one.] Estelle thought. "..Yes. Could it be... you''re aware of us?" "To a certain extent, yes. When Princess Silvanna escaped, the castle''s insiders were thrown into jeopardy. Of course the reste name would be a memorable one. After all, the man who stole the Princess belonged to the reste household," The man said. "In fact, I was also one of the main yers who were assigned to the task of investigating Duke reste''s information," "The Duke you are talking about is my grandfather, whose whereabouts have been unknown since forever. Do you dislike me?" Estelle answered. She did not know why, but she felt at ease talking to the man. There was something about the man that drew her in. Unknowingly, she had indirectly revealed that she was a royal. She stated her reste name not expecting someone to actually know the name''s weight. However, the man did not mind. He didn''t bring the topic up. "No. I am just someone who wants to live on without troubles, I don''t have time to harbor enmity or anything of that sort. I was one of the few investigators on Princess Silvanna''s case.. But who do you think made it possible for her news to not be spread like wildfire?" Estelle frowned. Come to think of it, if her grandmother truly was a royal elf, then the matter should''ve been much bigger. However, she hadn''t even seen one bit of this incident written inside history books. Her grandmother''s true identity wasn''t even known to the public audience. It was weird. Chapter 120: Tutoring Chapter 120: Tutoring "Could it be..." Estelle began to realize the reality. The man broke into a cheeky smile as he made a peace sign with his hand. "Exactly. It was me. I covered everything up stealthily. Didn''t I do great?" The man smiled, gesturing for Estelle to follow him with a hand. Estelle gulped in confusion, wondering whether she should follow or hold back. Nothing can be too convenient. When it passes a certain level, the word ''coincidence'' bes meaningless. At that point, it would be more sensible to call it ploy rather than just a harmless coincidence. This time, Estelle was debating on whether the uncanny encounter was just a coincidence or the work of somebody else behind the scenes. For now, since Estelle had no ideas on how to approach the problem, she decided to let the man guide her. She was a straightforward person. She didn''t care about pretenses and the feeling of being ''below'' someone. If being taught by him could give her much benefits, then she didn''t mind lowering herself in order to reap the benefits. He was a former Royal Sculptor, a title that could not be obtained unless you possessed the exclusive skills meant for the position. Naturally, the man would possess knowledge befitting of the title too. Knowledge she wouldn''t be able to obtain in any other way. She was heavily interested in what the man could offer, although she did not want to admit it out loud. "..I''ll be in your care, then," Estelle bowed lightly before tagging along behind the man''s trail. "What do you want to know? I''ll tell you what I can, and what I can''t," The man walked up to a table and sat down on the bench next to it. He gestured for Estelle to sit down, which the girl did. Sitting on the opposite sides of each other,bined with the serene area from the surrounding space, Estelle felt very tranquil. She came here expecting a hectic situation, like the endless incidents and dilemmas she had faced before she went to Alfheim. However, somehow the country''s aura made her feel veryfortable, it did not mirror the scene of a foreign country at all. Estelle thought for quite some time before carefully raising her question up. "Could you tell me what you feel when you.. use the Moonlight Bow?" Estelle asked for starters. No matter how she tried to incorporate herbination magic into the bow, it wouldn''t enter. Estelle began to have doubts that the bow only epted the Elven Winds and not a simr version to it. The man was perplexed upon hearing Estelle''s question. It was because the feeling should be natural to those who could wield the Winds and had a strong grip on it. He himself was a natural talent right from the start, which allowed him to earn the title of a Royal Sculptor. Naturally, he had to ponder harder on how to not activate the bow rather than how to activate the bow. "What I feel like.. There isn''t a specific feel to it. You''re making it happen, the Moonlight Bow and how you wield is irrelevant," "...Irrelevant?" Estelle blinked as she didn''t feel that way at all. To her, the magic was much more easier to control, but there was a blockage that prevented her from using the Moonlight Bow like how Niki had demonstrated. It was because she had technically been learning the magic ever since she was born, and was just recently coached on how to utilize the process ofbining two separate magic. Compared to her previous attempts, in which her Creation Magic would not go along with the element of nothingness and Origin Magic without repeated tries, the Wind element was much easier tobine with. "Rather than using the Wind for the Bow, you are using the Bow for the Wind...? It''s hard for me to put it into words, but the feeling that you should grasp.. Shoulde naturally to you. Don''t force it," The man described. "But what if I can''t even use the Bow at all? The string won''t show up, the arrow is nowhere to be seen, what am I supposed to shoot?" The man widened his eyes upon hearing Estelle''s follow up question. "Ah.. the string," The man chuckled. "The string is even more simpler than trying toprehend the Winds if you''ve already seeded in controlling it," "I can''t do it, though," Estelle pouted, grumbling at her fate. "You''ve only tried for.. how much time? In truth, controlling the Winds is much harder. It''s hard to assimte yourself with the power. If you''ve seeded in summoning the Winds.." The man dragged out his speech. Estelle still looked dispirited, as she couldn''tprehend what she had to do fully. "Hmm, how about this? Try summoning the Winds. Maybe the problem is there?" The man proposed. Estelle nodded in return, agreeing to perform the action. She went through the procedure she formted and created her own version of the Winds. In seconds, her own ''Wind'' was summoned. The man observed with curious eyes. "This.. You didn''t learn it the Elven way, but it is still the Winds," hemented. "In theory, this should work, right?" Estelle questioned. "In theory, yes. I''ve never heard of anybody who has done it in a different way, though," The man answered. Estelle mused. Could it be that doing it this way was impossible after all? Then, she had to learn it the traditional way? "I''m not saying that this won''t work. In fact, in terms of power, yours is actually stronger and more potent than the Winds. It has a quality that I can''t describe, but it''s very desirable. I''m sure that you must find it easy to control even though you''ve just came across it, right?" The man asked. "That is indeed the case," Estelle nodded, confirming. "It''s a matter of high risk, high return at this point. Your power should have the potential to soar, but I''m not sure whether it''ll yield a result in the end. Seeing how you''ve managed to learn this.. peculiar power of yours, then learning the Elven way shouldn''t be too much of a problem," "It''s whether I want to take the safe option or the challenging option, huh?" Estelle contemted. She entered a branched path. Although she had gotten here pretty easily due to herprehension of the True Creation Magic and the simrity it had with the Winds, it couldn''t be refuted that the Winds might be the only power that can be used in cohesion with the Moonlight Bow. They were a traditional pair and were made to be that way. However, she too had an instinct that fully believed in her power as the Creation Magic and the Elven history had ties with each other. It was likely that the Winds itself were a subsidiary sessor of the power bestowed to the Elven Royals'' first generation. If that was the case, then theoretically Estelle''s approach would make more sense. "Were the bows specifically tailored to the Elven Winds when you made them?" Estelle asked. If the answer was yes, then she would rethink her choice. If no, then.. "No," The man answered. "The Moonlight Bow, like I said, is just a medium to channel the Winds into concrete power. In form of archery. There has never been a rule that stated you had to use it with the Elven Winds. However, no one has seeded in using another form of power to make the bow work," Estelle gritted her teeth and slowly rethought her ns. "Then, I want to take this chance. My own way. Do you believe that I''ll make it?" "Well, well.. Aren''t you a daredevil?" The man chuckled, picking up the bow. "Could you make an object for me to prate?" "Ah.. sure," Estelle readily agreed and began channeling up her magic to create a blockage for the arrow. It was in the form of a transparent shield made out of hardened material, which would provide a sufficient amount of defense. Within the next second, the man concentrated and aimed at the object Estelle created. His right hand spread apart. Up to this point, the string and arrows haven''t showed up yet. Then, the man performed a very simple gesture. He clenched his fist. A set of light blue string and arrows appeared, setting themselves in ce automatically. The man pulled on the string and released it after fixing his aim. The arrow went loose and shot through the defense barrier, making Estelle, who was standing nearby to prevent any ident react quickly. She created another object, this time being her signature spear. With that, she deflected the arrow and mad eit fall down to the ground once the momentum died out. Estelle''s hand was slightly shaking due to the force she had to suppress in such a short column of time. "That.. was stronger than I thought it would be," Estelle based her creation on the previous demonstration she had seen Niki do, but she hadn''t taken into ount that the man before her would be stronger than Niki. Much stronger. Estelle let out a hushed breath as sheposed herself. However, unbeknownst to her, the man was taken aback for apletely different reason than her. His eyes were firmly locked on the spear Estelle wielded, his expression showing that there was something wrong. Estelle noticed the man''s sudden silence and looked back up to see what had caused it. She was met with a distraught expression from the man. Tilting her head, she wondered what the man was thinking about with such a serious expression. Chapter 121: His Identity Chapter 121: His Identity "Earth to.. you?" Estelle wanted to call the man''s name, but realized that she had actually not asked him yet. "You.. that spear is?" The man snapped back into a clear state of mind. He frowned, looking at Estelle''s spear carefully. "Yes? What about it?" Estelle became even more confused. She took a look at her own spear and couldn''t find anything wrong with it. "Does that light up?" The man asked. After a few seconds, he realized that his question was too strange, so he changed his phrasing. "Can you imbue that with light magic? Or more like, do you imbue that spear?" "I do.. for certain strategies. Why?" Estelle acknowledged. Indeed, when she fought monsters for the first time, she had used the spear in session with Light Magic. She did not know why, but the element of Light seemed to be the most fitting at first nce. Not to mention, sheter found out that since the monsters were somewhat rted to ck Magic, they showed an adverse effect to the element of Light. It was from then that her signature moves with the spear became associated with Light automatically. "..No, nothing. It just reminded me of something.." The man shook his head. "Either way.. You saw how I did it, right? Did you find any differences from my technique with Niki''s?" "Hmm... Differences?" Estelle stopped to think about it. After a few stops, she came up with several anomalies she spotted. "It''s not really a difference, but I guess.. the power threshold is different, the way and sequence of you holding the bow is also different.. And.. how do I describe it? Your Winds are different," Estelle listed. "That''s the exact answer. You''veprehended it, but you can''t put it into action?" "...Well, I guess so," Estelle awkwardlyughed. It was like reading a recipe on how to bake aplicated cake and watching a professional do it, inparison to you actually trying to process yourself. There was a stark difference between theory and application. The theory itself was actually not that hard to understand for Estelle. "You will seed. Since you''ve noticed all those points, do you still want me to ''teach'' you how to wield the bow?" "No.." Estelle weakly replied. Since the way Niki and this man used the Moonlight Bow were different from each other, it proved that there was no set way of utilizing it, and even Estelle''s archery skills would suffice. She thought that she had to learn archery in a short time just to use the bow, but it seemed like that wasn''t the case. Now, her primary goal should be to just blindlymunicate and try to channel her magic. It was time for another round of trial and error. However, she had to admit, the man had superb archery skills. The countenance the man showed, the steady posture and preparation, all of it pointed to the man''s great power. If she had the opportunity to do it, she would dly apply herself to study under his tutge. Of course, that is if she did not manage to find a better teacher in the mean time. Then, as if reading Estelle''s mind, the man continued on speaking. "Though, if you''d like me to teach you what I think is the best way to wield the bow, you may," Estelle''s face brightened up at the offer. "Thank you very much!" she eximed. "It''s nothing big. Rather than that, do you have any other questions? If no, I think this is a suitable time for me to go. I have some business left behind in the castle, and that was why I came to visit," "Do you not visit the castle regrly?" "For starters, I am a ''former'' Royal Sculptor. I don''t work here anymore, and I usually live a calm life outside of the castle," "Ah.. then, teaching me would be an inconvenient thing to you," Estellemented. "Don''t worry, I''m a free person. I can afford to teach one little girl in addition to what I do everyday," The man giggled at Estelle''s apologetic expression. "You don''t need to be so reserved with me," Estelle pursed her lips, but she couldn''t hold back her desire to learn. "So? Do you have any questions?" The man asked one more time. "About the Moonlight Bow.. You said that the application is actually harder than trying toprehend the Winds. If so, then.. why-" "Are the shooting style not used by normal people but instead is restricted for the Royals and high-ranked people?" The man interjected, finishing her sentence. Estelle blinked a couple times before nodding. "Why?" she asked. "I once thought the same thing. Before I became a Royal Sculptor, the question shed through my mind. Surely, you must be thinking that since the power is not restricted to Royals, then someone could have the chance to spread the power," That was exactly what went through Estelle''s head. She eagerly nodded. "The answer is simple. To control the power that circtes in the country. To make the Royals hold more authority, don''t they need something to add into their prestige? Something that sets them apart from the rest? The Royal bloodline.. It''s a bitplicated, but let''s just say that the Moonlight Bow is restricted so that it''s an exclusive trait. Something umon," The man gave a meaningful smirk. "..Oh wow," Estelle reacted to the words, wincing at how tant the truth actually was. "But fret not. It''s not our job to bother about that, is it? The current pressing matter.. remember, you are stronger than you think you are. Don''t think too much about the special uses. You just need.. to do your best. I believe that would yield you results," "It''s easy to say that," Estelleined. The manughed seeing how Estellepletely ignored the facts he just spouted. "However, that little kid.. Haah," The man sighed. "What did you do to Neil in order for him to issue this kind of challenge?" "..This challenge, how bad is it?" "It''s something that would be documented into history if it did happen within three days. Even the current Queen took more than a year to fully grasp how to wield the bow. Neil himself took more than two years. And that''s already a record breaking time," "I''m really hated, am I?" Estelle chuckled. She was an outsider in the first ce, so she didn''t even have the right to get mad. "Rather than hate... I''d say that he doesn''t approve of you," "It''s basically the same thing to me," Estelle smiled depreciatingly. "If you don''t have anymore questions, then I must go," The man said, pulling out a pocket watch from his inner robes and checking the time disyed. Estelle was prepared to send him off, but she then remembered one question that she hadn''t asked. "Ah! By the way.. could I inquire your name?" Estelle carefully asked. The man might want to keep his anonymity, but Estelle couldn''t help but want to know. She was prepared to face rejection in case the man did not want to reveal it to her. However, despite her worries, the man only stopped for a few seconds before breaking into a smile. It was a crafty smile with a thousand words hidden behind them. Instantly, Estelle felt intimidated. "Aleksei. Aleksei Virante," He introduced himself, smirking victoriously. Right after saying that, he walked faster, turned around the corner, and disappeared. Estelle, who processed his speech and realized the weight of it was thrown into jeopardy. She was stunned in ce, but once her brain continued working, she realized the situation''s severity. The surname Virante. The surname that could only be used by Royals. He was a Royal Sculptor, but what prevented him from being a Royal Elf at the same time? No wonder he seemed to know so much details! He covered up Silvanna''s traces. Was it because he was one of her rtives? Was he close with Estelle''s grandmother? Estelle was confused, yet slightly excited by the flow of things. "...That was a Royal Elf," Estelle stood there in shock, feeling like she had been duped. "He''s a Royal Elf, which means.. is he my rtive? Aleksei.." She kept repeating his name, but even that couldn''t help her contain her mind. Although, there was also another matter that she was worried about. Even though he had revealed his identity, he promised to try and help Estelle. Would he really go back on his words? If he did go back on it, then Estelle would lose the potential helper she thought she had just gained. She didn''t want that. She wanted to chase after the man, but he was nowhere in sight. He escaped right after dropping the truth bomb. Pursing her lips, Estelle struggled to keep this matter to herself as she desired to know more about the man and his identity. And yet, she couldn''t afford to do that. For now. Estelle broke into chuckles as she shrugged, turning around and going the opposite way to tend to the Moonlight Bow once more. Although she did want Aleksei''s help, she also needed to work hard. "Aleksei," She repeated the name. "I was fooled! Ao!" Although she was stillining, she rushed to the bow with a smile. Chapter 122: In Regards to the Future Chapter 122: In Regards to the Future Aside from Estelle''s inner monologues, the man had his own thoughts about the girl as he proceeded to enter a room gracefully. It was a rather sizeable room that possessed simr tones to the ones that went along the rest of the castle. White base, golden ents, and greeneries as an additional attribute mixed into most of the items. There was a bed positioned on the middle of the room. Instead of looking like a normal bed, it was a circr, concave block that was protected by several sheets of curtains. "I''m here," Aleksei''s voice spoke out. His words were directed at the woman who wasying down on the circr bed. "..Did you actually go and visit the child?" A woman''s voice rang. It came from behind the sheer curtains spread around the room''s dedicated ce for the Queen. "Our grandniece," she added. It wasn''t the Queen''s bedroom, but no one other than the Queen and allowed individuals could enter this ce. Going by the context, naturally the person who slept down on the custom made bed''s identity should be clearer than day. Shirley Virante, the Elven Queen, was the speaker. In her hands were some documents that she had to oversee. But rather than those boring papers, there was something that she paid more attention to. Her younger brother, Aleksei''s arrival and the movements he made. She had mentioned Estelle''s existence when she arrived in Alfehim, and about the things she had said. In response to that, Aleksei only chuckled in amusement for a while, and then quickly departed after saying that he might take a look. At that time, Shirley didn''t pay much thought to his words since she was looking forward to the meeting she had, but she did not expect that Aleksei would actually go out and meet Estelle on his own ord. This brother of hers was extremely hard to guess. It was unknown what he had on his mind all the time. Even Shirley, after being acquainted with him ever since they were born, couldn''tprehend what he is thinking about. When they were young, Aleksei was a prime contender for the throne, but he ended up bing a Royal Sculptor without discussing about it with any other person. People suspected that the reason he made his efforts for the runaway princess Silvanna was because the woman was the only he talked to, the only one he feltfortable with. They were the opposites in term of personality. Silvanna was outgoing and wild, but still retained her iid grace as a princess. Meanwhile, Aleksei was calm andposed throughout all his days. Within the hundreds of years Shirley had lived through, she had never seen the man get agitated except for when he was a baby. People said that he was a coward. That he was tame because he was scared of the duties he had to perform if he became the King. However, Shirley begged to differ from that statement. Rather than being a coward, he leaned more towards a ''secretive'' person. Someone who never lets others into his ns. Aleksei gave his sister a gentle smile before taking a seat in a nearby chair. "Yeah, I did. She''s.. very interesting. In particr, her power is surprising. It''s..." "Extremely simr to our ancestor''s version, right?" Shirley finished off his sentence, throwing away the documents that her aides sent to her for approval. She stepped out of her circr bed, prying open the curtains anding out. Her eyes collided with Aleksei''s gaze, both observing each other. "..Yeah. And you do know what that means, right?" Aleksei asked. Shirley lowered her gaze. The topic scratched a confidential secret that has been kept shut from themon Elven people. "I know, but.." Shirley let out a gentle sigh as she began contemting. There was a fervent discussion around those who were aware of this matter. The Royal Elves'' bloodline. To begin with, what defined a Royal Elf? It was the ones who had special powers, ones who possessed ''the remnants of the Goddess'' gift to the Elven race''. The bloodline resided inside the Virante family, which has been passed down as the exclusive surname of the Royals for generations. However, what if the powers that granted them the special surname in the first ce was slowly slipping away from their grasps? The setback started to appear a few generations after the ''ancestors''. The Elven Royals'' powers had actually began to dilute and the distinction between them and the civilians were starting to decrease. However, the amount it was lowered by could not be felt. That was, for the first few generations. Because the dilution effect was so little, they did not bother changing the system and kept at it. Of course, questions were raised on whether the distinction between the Royals and the other civilians were actually supposed to be a thing. In the first ce, the Goddess only bestowed them with power and did not directly specify that the power wouldst for the generations toe. She also did not imply that the kin who received the divine power were favored by her. Like a strong gust of wind, the Goddess came and left. However, their ancestors thought differently and made this hierarchy of Royalties to separate them from the ones who did not grow to possess the Goddess'' traces of power. In the end, as the generations progressed, naturally the meaning of ''Elven Royals'' began to disappear. The civilians still regarded of them as beings that were likened with envoys of the Goddess. The truth was far from that, but it kept the country going. Now, as thetest generation of the Virante family, Shirley was positioned as the Queen. Her powers were stronger than the average civilian, but it was nowhere near the original ancestor''s bloodline. Moreover, strong Elven people that came from normal families also began to appear, causing a potential power imbnce to generate. For example, Royal Sculptors, who were basically builders for the whole Kingdom''s intricacies. They were also special people who were regarded highly by the people, but there was still a barrier between the respect those Sculptors earnedpared to the ones who bore the Virante name. The first trigger happened a while back, when a Royal Sculptor began raising up a debate on whether the Royals are truly meant to be different. Because he was strong, stronger than the Ruler of that time. One thing had to be noted about the Virante bloodline. It wasn''t constant. The power one held would always contain traces of the Goddess'' powers, but it did not mean that they would be insanely overpowered. In fact, when this one radical Sculptor brought the matter to light, the Ruler was actually a sickly person. He was the only viable sessor of his time, which made him vulnerable to preying folks like the Sculptor. The current situation was very shaky. One could say that the Royals were on the verge of being ''dethroned'' socially. Because, if there wasn''t the distinction that provoked the instation of the monarchy itself, what meaning would be left? Why couldn''t the people rise to destroy this barrier? This matter has gued the Elven Royals for quite some time, although they tried to keep it down. No matter how they tried to make it subside, though, there still would be people that wanted to incite havoc. Ones who would bring the topic up again and again to not let the matter die. Thankfully, the current generation still held their fights quite well. Shirley was an exceptional Queen who properly spread her name and reputation throughout thends and softly suppressed theints that might be brought up against her. However, this wouldn''t be the end of things. They were suppressing things, not ending them. Even Shirley couldn''t confidently say that she was strong. Because of the looming desperation that has beening for them ever since they were made to stand in the position for the Royals. She, too, had questions on whether the Royal seat was only meant for the Virantes, or should be spread to the other bloodlines as well. This sacred position they have been protecting for generations, what if everything was actually a deceptive scheme for the people they ruled over? What if the hierarchies should have never existed in the first ce? And besides that, another matter popped up to their attention. Estelle reste''s arrival, and the impact it brings upon the power discussion. The fact that she is a royal who possesses exemry power that rivals the ones depicted in the history books, the long forgotten ancestor''s legacy. "Is it possible that the bloodline was revived within that child?" Shirley softly spoke as her eyshes fluttered while gazing at Aleksei. Aleksei, in response, became silent. He, too, had pondered upon this matter, but the results were unclear. Estelle, being a neer to the Elvennds, exactly what kind of influence would she make? Chapter 123: A Queens Denial Chapter 123: A Queen''s Denial "Who knows?" Aleksei broke his silence, replying to the woman. "Only time will tell. It''s just the beginning, she just arrived," Inside his mind, he reyed the scene of his meeting with Estelle. At first nce, she was just a talented little girl, but something he picked up during their encounter ticked him off. He was starting to grow suspicions against the girl, but he hid it well inside. Shirley broke into a light round ofughter. "Indeed.. Only time will tell. If she is the key to solving our problems, then..." Shirley narrowed her eyes. "I might have to take some measures. If it''s to protect our country, I can do a lot of things," Her gaze conveyed that her intention was serious and devoid of any lies. "You little devil, what are you thinking about?" Aleksei came over and flicked Shirley''s forehead. "I''m not joking. If Estelle is what it takes to recover our family''s ancestry, then she must be with us at all costs. Don''t you think so as well? Why would we leave her with the humans, when they clearly don''t realize her worth?" Shirley questioned. Ever since she met Estelle, she already realized the gist of just how far her magic spread towards. The strength, the familiarity with the Elven Royals'' power, and her talent. Even if she wasn''t what they sought for the Royals'' revival, Estelle was a great asset. A desirable addition to their country. "Rather than just powerful, I''d say that Estelle''s peculiarity stems more towards how she managed to produce an element outside of the known ones," Aleksei debated. "It is strange.. The power she wields," "Is it not a Unique Magic?" Shirley asked. "I suppose not. Do you think it''s that simple? Considering her background, the news about her, and not to mention.. the fact that she is our sister''s granddaughter," Aleksei questioned back. "But n never received Silvanna''s gift. Not to mention, n, who is already half human, married another human. I was even skeptical at first before I met Estelle face to face. Even though our bloodline is resilient, after being diluted that much.. I startedt to wonder if the girl even possessed anything," "What prevents the gift from being lost? With Estelle''s arrival, could you really confidently say that she is not going to be the second Silvanna? You know how crazy she was," The tension was rising with each second. Their memories of their own sibling, Silvanna Virante arrived. Their reasons to support what she did and not obstruct her. In this grey world, how could they be so selfless as to support Silvanna without their own important ideas? "Do you think something is odd?" Shirley massaged her temples, thinking deeply. Aleksei smirked. "Who knows?" "The Goddess raised her hand up to the air, and with a single flick, summoned hundreds of spears covered in a dazzling lustre. Her spears, each containing the power of a battalion, rained down upon those who dared to antagonize the weakened Elves. From then on, it was a clean te. The situation was resolved in mere minutes, because as soon as the rain of spears ended, the battlefield was covered in a pool of crimson blood, with no survivors within the cruel enemies. The Goddess'' light fell upon the world as bright as the Sun, but gentle like the Moon. The skies were dark as the crusade happenedte in the night. Her graceful poise descended upon the ancestors, granting them a peculiar power that made them stronger. Hence, she waster titled the Moon Goddess and instated as the Elves'' protector, their deity and benefactor," Aleksei told the story every Elf was familiar with. The Moon Goddess whose name was unknown, and yet, her existence was so prevalent in the history. "..What are you trying to say?" Shirley looked at her brother with an odd gaze. "What if Estelle is not just a stronger version of our Ancestors, but rather the incarnation of the Goddess herself?" Aleksei proposed. Hearing that, Shirley finally broke down. "Stop your crude assumptions. She might look simr to our Almighty One, but that doesn''t act as a warranty for her identity.. How outrageous of you, Aleksei Virante!" Shirley red at the man. She was sensitive towards matters concerning the Goddess and what it entailed. Because it would ultimately concern her as the Elven Queen, whether directly or indirectly. She, as someone who has been raised as the ''recement'' of the original sessor that was Silvanna, who could confidently say that she does not feel any moments of grievance during her ruling time? Insulting the Goddess and the legacy triggered her quite a lot because of the meaning it held to her. The fact that over the course of her recing Silvanna and eventually rising up to the throne, she was repeatedly told that she would have no meaning if it wasn''t for the Goddess'' grace residing inside her. The fact that her position was not hers to begin with. It was frustrating. Even after ruling for so many years, after knowing that Silvanna Virante would note back to snatch her worth, it was still frustrating. The fact that her ministers and the court members all simultaneously knew the truth and who the original throne holder truly was. In response, Aleksei only shrugged. "I am simply telling what I extracted from my encounter with her. Don''t you think she is strange?" "Stop. Stop, you must be confused because you haven''t been keeping touch with the castle''s matters. Aleksei, I have my boundaries too. If you cross it, I will not hesitate to enact my own actions," Shirley banged on the nearby wall, creating a loud thump. Her hands were shaking as she struggled to calm herself down. "Big sister," Aleksei stretched out his hand and gently ced it over Shirley''s shoulder. Slowly, he drew nearer to Shirley. "There are a lot of things we are unaware of in this world. Me and you, we both know that," Aleksei said with a small voice, giving a meaningful smile to Shirley. "..Retreat. I do not wish to deal with you right now," Shirley turned around and started walking the opposite way from Aleksei. "There are many things.. Yes, too much to discover. But you know what, my dearest sister? The truth is not always appealing. It might be.. something that opposes your own beliefs. What if our truth-" "RETREAT!" Shirley shouted, casting her magic and letting out arge st of wind against Aleksei. Aleksei was slightly taken aback, but he quickly dodged and repelled the strike, dispelling it into nothingness. "There, there. It''s dangerous, my sister," Aleksei tidied up his clothes, which has been disrupted by the strong gust. "Aleksei, you brat, don''t test my patience," Shirley manifested her weapon, which was in the shape of a wind trident. She brandished it against Aleksei, absolutely prepared to attack. Aleksei chuckled. This time, he decided to rest his case and retreat. After all, his true purpose was just to instigate the ideas. The fact that Estelle''s identity was much moreplex than what was revealed to the public. If his sister still insists on being blind, then he would just fight on his own. To discover and unravel the truth. He left the room, leaving Shirley alone. Inside the area, Shirley clenched her fists in frustration. Her eyes were tightly locked onto the closed door. Aleksei carried a light minty scent with him, a fresh scent that would certainly be pleasant if not for the pretenses Shirley knew he always showed. She was irritated. The man got into close quarters with her, so she could faintly smell the minty residue fluttering about thanks to her strong sense of smell. "Fucking bastard," Shirley cursed, clearing herself of the dubious fragrance that would forever remind her of the man if left untouched. That man was her younger brother, Aleksei Virante. However, not once has she thought of him as her younger brother. Not once. Ever since she was introduced to him. Everything about him was unclear. Whether or not his intentions was to serve the country or pull it down to the deepest parts of Hell. She hated it. She hated dealing with snakes and lizards the most, after all. Alfheim, the Elven country. The country she sought to protect because she was instated as the Queen. The country that should''ve been her pride and joy, should''ve brought her happiness. But why was the truth theplete opposite? Until when did she have to bear the restraints of being the Elven Queen, the position that was slowly being bleached with duplicity? Because of their ancestors making up this hierarchy, she was praised and revered as the Esteemed Goddess'' kin. But soon, everyone would know. They would realize that it wasn''t the case at all. At that time, what must she do? What can she do? In this entire Kingdom, who on Earth was her ally? Leaning against the wall, shemented. Even though she had pent up stress brimming inside of her, she suppressed it. For she was the Elven Queen, Shirley Virante. Her position, no one could take it away from her. Chapter 124: Second Identity Chapter 124: Second Identity Shirleymented inside her room. She banged on the wooden frame of her furniture multiple times, frustrated at being incapable of shrugging off the ufortable feeling her conversation with Aleksei brought. "If.. If that girl''s wishes contradicts with mine.." Shirley whispered, her voice so faint and thin that no one other than her could hear. "What do I do?" She was stuck in a dilemma. She had a love hate rtionship with Alfheim, which tied her down to this damned position. At the same time, this very position brought her quite the fair share of joy. She couldn''t imagine a Shirley Virante who wasn''t the Elven Queen. She didn''t know when, but the title had became a part of her identity instead of it being the opposite. She was in a difficult position. "Estelle reste... Or, like she introduced herself with our surname- Estelle.. Virante," Shirley''s voice grew raspier as the itch in her heart grew stronger. Perhaps it was thanks to Aleksei''s means of incitement, but seeds of frustration was now nted inside her mind. "No matter what, I can''t forgive anybody who tries to take my position away. Not even my own grandniece, not even my brother, nobody," Shirley strengthened her will. This was her psyche. Her being. Her worth. Shirley Virante, the Elven Queen. That was how it should be. The ultimate position for her. Her title. She had to protect it at all costs. ______ "I failed again.." Estelle heaved a sigh of disappointment as she stretched her tired arms. She had been handling the bow for this past hour, but still couldn''t figure out how to operate it. Practice, upon more practice, the repetitive action couldn''t save her this time, unfortunately. She had explored all sides to the newbination magic she just came up with. She got more rxed as her familiarity with said element increased. And yet, it still didn''t allow her to utilize the Moonlight Bow as she should. She needed something more. The key to unlocking the process, what was it? Although it was frustrating to fail repeatedly even after trying so many pathways, Estelle knew that there had to be a concrete answer. She had the bloodline, the talent to manage her power, but shecked the understanding for said subject. In fact, if put into perspective, she was the very originator of the Elves'' power, with her former identity being that of their Moon Goddess. "Ah, I''m tired.." Estelleined, lowering her bow down to a nearby surface. "I should take a quick stroll, my mind is too clouded," She had the idea to travel around the castle. She hadn''t observed the details of the ce yet ever since arriving here because of the mission. She stood up and stored the Moonlight Bow she borrowed. Then, she walked away from her practice site and began sightseeing the ce. Just like before, she was hit with a cool and fresh breeze as she walked in the corridors. She was enamored with the architecture, how everything was put together. It brought her a newfound sense of respect towards the Royal Sculptors, who apparently had built this castle up with nothing but their small numbers as the workers. Just as she was strolling around mindlessly, a familiar figure entered her sight. "Estelle, you are here," Aleksei had just came back from tending to his ''business''. Of course, a part of him wanted to seek the girl as well. He had his own ns ining to the castle, and one of them was for Estelle. He smiled aftering across the silver-haired young girl. "How is your progress? You are so smart, could it be that you''ve figured it out in such a short time?" Aleksei giggled. "..Still can''t figure it out," Estelle said, feeling even more depressed after Aleksei reminded her of the sad fate. "Don''t worry too much. It''s good that you''re taking your mind off the challenge, you must remember to take breaks," Aleksei advised. In response, Estelle nodded her head. They started walking side by side, enjoying the sceneries and atmosphere together. "So? Do you have any questions or favor you need from me?" Aleksei asked. "Well.. I have a question, actually," "What is it?" Aleksei responded with patience. "Why is it the Wind?" Estelle raised her head up to face Aleksei, who raised a brow after hearing her words. "..Hm?" Tilting his head, Aleksei voiced out his confusion. "What do you mean?" "The Elven Winds. Why.. are the Elves so fixated on using the Wind and not the other elements? The Goddess.. what kind of power exactly did she grant to this kin? It shouldn''t be specifically the Wind element, right?" Estelle asked this because she realized that thebination process was not all that special, and it wasn''t catered to the Wind element since she used it previously with the element of nothingness and Origin Magic. The onlyponent that was retained was her Creation Magic. Thus, she came to wonder. If she triedbination magic, but switched up the additional element, shouldn''t she be able to produce a replica of the Elven signature power, but instead of the Winds, it was other elementals? "That''s a rather interesting question," Aleksei hummed, thinking about it. "I just came up with it after stumbling across the blockage. I''m using a power that isn''t the Elven Winds, but the result I got was simr, but stronger. In theory, I could use thisbination magic and pair it up with other elements. It doesn''t strictly have to be the Wind," Estelle exined her worry. "Hmm.. first reason would be.. Tradition, I suppose? With how suited our territory is to the Wind element, and the fact that we use bows, which require a hefty amount of mastery with the winds.. it just naturally bound together," "So, in theory, could the bow be used with something other than the Wind element?" This was the topic of her curiosity. If she could do it, then she wanted to try and use apletely different element, particrly the Light. It was because among all the elements and magic, she grew up using Light Magic the most thanks to the convenience it brought. Aleksei chuckled lowly. "...In fact, I think the Goddess disliked the Wind. The story goes about how she only descended upon our ancestor''s peril because they were overusing their Winds and it caught her eye," The man said. "Really?" From the story, the Goddess, which was allegedly her appeared to be quite the simple-minded person. How could that person be her spiritually? "Are you interested in learning the history? I could take you to the inner pce," Aleksei asked, seeing Estelle''s attentiveness towards his story. Estelle''s eyes gleamed with excitement as she though about the offer, but it soon receded as she realized a loophole in the n. "Ah, but Neil said that I''m not allowed to receive help using my status," Estelle said. If she truly went into the inner pce, it would be indirectly proiming that she had a high status since the inner locations were only essible for important people. As of now, Estelle''s identity has not been made public yet. "..Then we will just sneak in. Is that alright?" Aleksei proposed. To that, Estelle raised a brow, wondering if the man she was talking to was sane. "Sneak in.. to the inner pce? Are you sure?" Estelle confirmed, wanting to make sure that he was not joking. "I''m still technically the Royal Prince even though I don''t acknowledge the title, remember?" Aleksei gave a shady wink as he stood up and extended his hand towards Estelle. "So? What will be your choice?" "...I''ll go," Estelle smiled, but politely refused Aleksei''s offer in holding hands because it would attract unwanted attention and draw doubts upon her identity. "Shouldn''t I have an identity for when someone asks?" If they truly wanted to pursue this n, Estelle wanted to make sure that everything goes right. Aleksei nodded, thinking that her idea was reasonable. They both thought for several moments, silence psing over them. "Hmm.. You''ll be my.. disciple. Right. That would suffice," Aleksei sped her hands together. "From now on, you are the disciple I picked up in my cross country journey, and your name shall be Luna," "Luna? Why the sudden name?" It wasn''t like she did not like the name, it was just that the foreign name would have to take a bit of time for her to get used to. "Just because. Because of the Moon Goddess and all that, you know? Luna," Aleksei fortified his suggestion. "Fine, whatever. Luna it is. Your dearest student, Luna ster. How about that?" Estelle added to their ''lie''. "Luna ster.. huh," Aleksei noted down. "It sounds great," This was the start of Luna ster''s journey in Alfheim, hiding her true identity while cracking cases left and right. If only Estelle paid attention to each and every word Aleksei had said to her, then she would have found out that something did not match. Something was amiss, and yet she continued onward blissfully, unaware of everything that wasid behind her. Chapter 125: Heirieth Chapter 125: Heirieth Today was the second day since the challenge was imposed upon Estelle. She treaded along the corridors, hiding her features with illusion magic and d in a hood. Her hair was a shade of brown, her eyes green, and her features dulled down to not attract any attention. She was currently assuming the identity of Luna ster, and her destination was to meet her ''teacher'', Aleksei. He proposed to help her go through the learning process, and one of his suggestions was to visit the inner libraries in order to get a clearer story and context on the origins of Alfheim. Their meeting ce was in one of the hanging gardens inside the pce, which was somehowmon. It was aplex architecture that could be said to be exclusive to Alfheim. The reason being that the Royal Sculptors'' abilities are needed, and the environment itself needed to support the garden. A controlled amount of wind needed to exist around the garden in order for it to float and keep its bnce- hence, a hanging garden. Even though it was possible to make, not much of these gardens exist. Inside the pce, there were only three ces. Since Estelle was given a map of the castle to memorize, she was now pretty familiar with the ce and could navigate around without being lost thanks to her excellent memory. In mere minutes, her walking finally came to a halt. She had reached the location, and the conspicuous floating piece of rock was positioned above her. She used a gust of wind to propel herself upwards, getting to the garden''s tform with ease. There, she saw Aleksei''s elegant figure sitting by a table, in the middle of sipping a cup of tea. His gestured were refined and contained endless grace. The lighting and scenery made him look ethereal, like a divine being that had just descended upon the mortal realm. "I''m here.. Master," Estelle still felt quite awkward calling her that, but since they had to act out a perfect y, she dared not slip at any moment. Her voice alerted Aleksei. The man turned his head towards the girl''s way and nodded, acknowledging her arrival. "Good. Are we good to go now?" Aleksei asked, tying up his long hair in a ponytail and donning a silver robe. They weren''t at a haste, but saving time was always great. "Yes," Estelle nodded as she continued to walk further into the gardens. This was her second time stepping inside one. It turned out that the garden where she first arrived was actually also considered a hanging garden, but it was at arger scale. It was also exclusive to intimate members and figures, as the garden was locked and needed authorization in order to sessfully enter. The current hanging garden, however, had a different feel. Since it was clearly high above the ground, around several meters at that, you could see the vast castle from the peering balcony. Although Alfheim was described as arge forest that was very closely intertwined with the nature, the architecture that existed in this ce did not actually mirror her expectations. It was much more beautiful and modern-looking than she thought it''d be after being told that it was a forestry setting. "Then, let us depart now," Aleksei walked to the entrance, which also acted as the exit. One needed to use wind in order to get in and get out of the garden since there were no staircases or steps. Aleksei jumped off the tform, using his wind spell to safelynd on the ground. Following his actions, Estelle did the same thing and came tond beside the man. "The library you were talking about.. is the one not far from here, right?" Estelle asked. "Yes. That was why I suggested to meet in the Althea, since it was the most convenient out of all of them," ''Althea'' was the name of the garden they just stepped out of. The other two gardens were named ''Aurae'' and ''Anfalen''. The one she visited previously was ''Aurae'', which was the restricted garden Shirley frequently visits. It was not a secret that the Elven Queen adored the ce for unknown reasons, so she was able to get the information with ease just by browsing around. The two proceeded to walk towards their next destination, a library named ''Heirieth''. Heirieth was apparently a ce that contained thousands upon thousands of informative books. The rarity of said scriptures spread far frommon ones to exclusive, extremely rare pieces. If Estelle looked inside the library, she would certainly be able to find valuable pieces of information, whether it was rted to her mission or not. Thus, Estelle was looking forward to this excursion. After walking for minutes, they quickly arrived at the supposed library. From the first nce, it was a normal-looking building that had a dome-shaped roof. Although it was very wide, you wouldn''t think that there were thousands of books stored inside the ce. "You must be thinking, this is not asrge as I thought it would be, right?" Aleksei grinned. Estelle nodded, wondering what was the reason. "Well, the building was built with considerations to the space it could take. Although the Sculptors knew that with each passing year, new books would have to be added to this building, the space that they had to consume was limited. Thus..." "Spatial rooms, is it?" After observing deeper, Estelle was able to find out traces of magic mixed into the entire building. Standing out apart from all the mixtures of magical energy was the spatial elements. "Correct. A magician came forward and offered to create these spatial rooms, which solved the problem of room saving. The books are categorized and further assigned into their own smaller rooms, which not only saves unnecessary space but also makes searching easier," Aleksei exined further. At this rate, the title ''teacher'' that they used for their falsified identities would no longer just be a hoax. Estelle was learning a lot from the man, and possibly in the future as well. They both entered the ce, with Aleksei leading in front. Once they entered, Estelle gazed into the interior and saw neatly spaced shelves with books lined up on each segment, and doors spread out across the ce. The doors were where the spatial elements took effect, since the cement was right on the building''s walls. It would lead to nothing if they were just simple doors. "There you go. This is the ce," Aleksei announced. Estelle stepped inside, finding no other individual apart from her and the man. "How long do you think you''ll stay here?" "Umm.. Give me some time. I''ll be fine by myself, I might take a long time picking the books," Estelle mused, raising her head up to view the upper shelves. "Actually, can I use magic inside this ce? To elevate myself," "Light magic is fine. No offensive magic, though," Aleksei said. Nodding, Estelle gave a gesture of approval for Aleksei to safely depart. "I will wait in a private room then, have this," Aleksei handed out a conch seashell, with blue hues all over the surface. "This is amunication device. Speak into it and the message will be transmitted to me," "..I also have something like this, just in a different shape," Estelle pointed to her earring, which she used as amunication device. Only, both parties had to be active and willing to speak in order for it to activate. In other words, it was quite hard to achieve the perfectmunication line between two individuals. If one party did not know that the other party was trying to contact them, they would have no ways of being notified. This was why Estelle rendered it as a prototype- an unfinished product. She sought to improve it, but couldn''t do so perfectly. However, in Aleksei''s hand actuallyid an object that matched with her aspirations. Estelle took the conch away from his palm, observing it with great interest. "That''s all, I suppose. I will be going now, have fun inside the room!" Aleksei said, wishing his farewells and waving as he walked away. Estelle gave a small smile as she waved back, watching Aleksei''s figure disappear out of her sight. Estelle spent her sweet time inside the ce, admiring the selection of books and navigating inside the ce by herself, looking at the list of introductory pamphlets that she got from the entrance. The spatial rooms worked very simply. Since it was a close distance, bound room, the connection between the spaces were tight. It still required aplex magic to activate, though, which led Estelle to be curious on exactly who managed to formte the ce. After searching for a while, she had bagged several books that she regarded as quite desirable, which were allpiled up on one table. Then, she found one book that caught her eye. It was positioned on the higher shelves, so she would need the assistance of magic to get it. With the help of magic, she reached the book and pulled it out. Chapter 126: Void Witch Chapter 126: Void Witch It was a thick book that had a crimson cover, with strange golden engravings as the title. It was in anguage she did not understand, and her automatic tranting skill also did not pick it up immediately. Which meant that thenguage was something that she was heavily unfamiliar with. "This book is.." Estelle''s fingers zed over the surface. Something was peculiar about it. Not only the unidentifiablenguage, but also the overall feeling she got from the book. She tried to open it, but the pages wouldn''t pry apart. It was as if a strong glue bound them all together, but no matter how much force Estelle used, they wouldn''t separate. "Locked," A woman''s voice interrupted her effort. "That book is locked, you can''t open it through physical means," she added. Estelle raised her head to look at who the neer was. It was a tall woman who wore ck robes with golden embroidery patterns. On top of her head was arge witch hat. Her hair was messily braided to one side in the shade of teal green, and her eyes a sparkling azure color. She wore round sses and held a stack of books in her arms. "Ummm.. Who might you be?" Estelle tilted her head, looking at the woman with confusion. "I should be the one asking that.. but I guess it doesn''t matter too much, does it?" The woman put down the stack of books she brought on the table surface and put her palm over her chest. "My name is Frey Agatha, the.. I guess you could say that I''m this ce''s librarian," she introduced herself. "Which is why, I have to ask about your identity. I''m sure that you don''t mind telling me, hm?" By saying that, she was also directly insinuating that if Estelle, the ''uninvited visitor'' was not guilty, then she should have no hesitation in introducing herself. "Frey Agatha.. It''s very nice to meet you, my name is Luna ster," Estelle bowed slightly as a form of courtesy, confidently telling the woman her false identity without batting an eye. Frey observed Estelle with sharp eyes, before pursing her lips ever so slightly. "Might I ask why you are here? I remember faces quite easily, and you don''t seem to ring a bell inside my head.." Frey scrutinized her, scanning up and down as she thought deeply. "This room is not supposed to be one you can enter without authorization, since it does contain restricted content like the very book you are holding right now. Could I have it back first for the moment?" The woman extended her hand, wanting to receive the piece of literature. Since the woman was indeed the authoritative and rightful observer of this ce, Estelle decided to give in since it was the logical and right thing to do. "I am here under the tutge of Aleksei Virante.. my teacher," Estelle said, carefully asserting Aleksei''s name. "..Haa?" Frey made a shocked expression. Seeing that, Estelle stayed silent, but she was wondering if Frey did not buy her exnation and was prepared to take out her conch in order to call Aleksei here once and for all. However, instead ofshing out and doubting Estelle''s words, Frey surprisingly took everything calmly. "That kid abducted a child out of nowhere? What is he thinking.." Frey frowned as she put both of her hands on her hip. "Whatever. I will believe you, because that kid is so unpredictable that I wouldn''t even doubt it if you said that you are his illegitimate daughter," Estelle blinked repeatedly at the woman''s words. "You will believe me? This fast?" Estelle couldn''t understand why. For such an exclusive ce, shouldn''t the security be tighter? "It''s not groundless trust. I''m keen to people''s magic, and that kid''s magic is easy to distinguish apart from the rest. I can feel traces of his magic on you, particrly.. you''ve received amunication conch from him, right?" Frey said. "I did," Estelle pulled out the conch from her pocket, the very one she was ready to take out as proof. Indeed, it made sense. Aleksei''s magic was marked on the object and would be detectable. However, Estelle was also keen to magic disruptions. If the woman in front of her used detection magic in such a close distance, Estelle would have picked it up normally. Why couldn''t she feel Frey''s magic probing around? Did her senses dull down because she wasn''t wary enough? Estelle frowned, but Frey did not address the matter any longer as she directed the topic to another piece. "So... now that I know how you got here, what were you looking for anyway? It''s rare that Alex takes a liking on someone apart from himself. He''s not really one to socialize around, you know?" Frey giggled, her curiosity spiking up. "You are in close terms with my teacher?" Estelle was surprised. In order to be a ce like Heirieth''s librarian, one indeed needed to have some sort of qualifications, but to think that she actually knew Aleksei personally was quite amusing. "Close terms.. huh? More like, I was his teacher. So in a sense, you would be my disciple''s disciple," Frey extended her hand to ce it on top of Estelle''s head, which was still covered by the ck hood Aleksei had provided her with. To Estelle, Aleksei seemed like someone who preferred studying by himself, finding out the secrets of the world through his own viewpoint. Aleksei had preferences on each action he took and was very clear about his likes and dislikes. She couldn''t imagine the man studying in a rigid situation with concrete data served in front of him. The other shocking thing was how Frey even got to be the man''s teacher. She had inquired about Aleksei''s past and found out that he lived secluded from the pce''s matters even when he was a child. No one could force him to do anything, and he utilized his privileges to learn about the world in his own pace and method. In the end, he became a respected Royal Sculptor anyway, although he was discharged from his position for unknown reasons. Estelle deduced that it was due to his own will, but who knew what the truth was? "Who are you exactly..?" Estelle was feeling slightly strange. "Like I said, my name is Frey Agatha. Does that name not ring a bell? I thought I was still in a majority of you young folks'' books. You must''ve missed a lot of history sses then," Frey questioned. Estelle''s brows furrowed as she digested Frey''s words. She was an outsider, so she hadn''t heard of her name. Was Frey actually a significant figure known to the masses in Alfheim? If so, why hadn''t she heard of her name at all? If she was that famous, then she should''ve caught the news. At least a bit of it. "I am not a pure-blooded Elf, nor was I raised in Alfheim. I haven''t lived here at all, and it hasn''t even been a week since I got here. My teacher brought me to this country, but I''m still unfamiliar with the intricate information," Estelle responded, exining her past whereabouts which was in line with her character''s backstory. Frey stilled for a few moments. "Ao? If that is the case.. Hmm, my name would not suffice for identification. Then, how about this? I am also known as the.. what was it? They named me the ''Void Witch'' or something.. But I suppose that my identity has faded into history at this point," Shrugging, Frey reintroduced herself. It was then that Estelle realized that she indeed knew a figure who supposedly was titled the ''Void Witch''. She was a rather infamous figure across the world, although the public history books did not dwell upon her story that much. "Void Witch.. wasn''t her name Shana? Shanatos.. right? I thought that she ended up spending herst breath on the battlefield.. On that day," Estelle was not sure on how she should approach talking about this matter. On one side, she was taken aback because the history that she had learned about told Frey''s story in a different way, that is if the ''Void Witch'' Frey talked about was the same identity as the one Estelle knew. Frey Agatha. Shanatos, the Void Witch whose name once rang throughout the world along with her colleagues. Estelle noticed that Frey was being silent. Her head was lowered, and she looked particrly down as she rubbed her temples. Estelle wondered if she had rubbed the woman in the wrong way by speaking about her past. Frey once again sighed before swiping her hand in the air, looking over to Estelle. "Again, what are you looking for? I will help you," With just one nce, Estelle was able to understand that Frey wanted her to drop the matter and go forth to another one. It seemed like she was quite ufortable wielding her worldwide nickname. Which was understandable, considering what the title entailed and what it meant for the world''s past development. Chapter 127: Shanatos Chapter 127: Shanatos The ''Void Witch'', Shanatos. What did that name mean? It was a title catered specially to a woman who never revealed her physical appearance to the world, but continued making her presence be known for years to no end before she finally subsided. Her primary signature look was that of a ck robe that covered her entire body, even her face. People did not even get the chance to see her hair color during her active years. Not a single information about her was spread around. Her race was unknown, where she came out of, where she was born, her nationality, her family, nothing was exposed about her even though she grew to be quite the existential figure. Her name was etched in history, but few actually spoke about her in great honor. It was because her actions were too unpredictable. Some were good, some were not. Thus, people who had a linear mindset would pick out her bad side rather than the good and not appreciate her as much. On the topic of her name, no one actually managed to confirm her identity, so naturally her real name might not even be circted around the links of history. However, the name Shanatos itself was obtained from one of her earliest encounters with the people. She had helped a vige and saved them from a disaster on one of her trivial journeys. Saved it from a dangerous creature that locked them inside the small area and freed them without demanding payment. The vige were all thankful at her, but also quite intimidated because of how their savior presented herself. At that time, they still did not know that she was a Witch and only thought of her as a powerful magician. She did not say anything, but instead raised her finger and twirled the tip around, forming letters with her movement. ''Shanatos'' was apparently the word she wrote, the one that got epted with a general consensus as her name. Estelle recalled that the people who were on the scene specifically described her handwriting as quite cryptic, but did not pay any mind to it because the story did not rte to her at all. She just learned it because it was a part of history. They saw the letters and deciphered it on the spot as ''Shanatos''. However, now that Estelle came to learn that the Witch Shanatos was actually an Elf named Frey Agatha, she started to doubt whether the name held truth or not. [..Could it be, they misread the letters?] she theorized. It was possible. The book Estelle picked up, the one Frey described as ''secretive'' contained unintelligible characters to her. Perhaps, that was Alfheim''snguage? Not the one regrly used, but a lesser known one? Ancient scriptures? The story of Shanatos was strange. Shanatos was not kind, not saintly, but she was not a bad figure as well. She was neutral- someone who did as she pleased. She came and went, bringing a taste of the Void to the world and disappearing immediately. No one knew what her motivation was. Where she was headed to. Her goal. They just knew that she held freedom in her actions and did not bother interfering with personal matters. Shanatos'' deeds were never done for public attention. She wasn''tpletely white in her actions. She did some unspeakable things, too, but no one could fault her for it since her identity wasn''t recorded anyway. Many wanted her as an ally, so they tried bribing and enticing her with sweet offers. And yet, she turned her head away from all those and disappeared. Shanatos was one of the most mysterious figures to ever grace the world. When she disappeared out of nowhere and failed to resound her name anymore, everybody thought that she was dead. However, wasn''t the real deal was currently standing right in front of Estelle? Estelle did not think that Frey would be the type of person to lie. She also expressed it nonchntly, as if the title was not a big deal to her and was even a nuisance. An unwanted glory. She truly believed that the woman before her was the Void Witch Shanatos, who covered her entire body from head to toe and never revealed anything. However, how did no news of thise out? Did Frey live a double life, one as the Elven Frey Agatha and the other as the Void Witch? Why did she suddenly disappear? Was it because she had aplished her goal and had no more reasons to continue? Internally sighing, Estelle resolved to look into this matter deeper if she had the chance to. However, she currently had no time to bother about other people''s stories as she was still battling against the countdown for her challenge. "I was looking for books that mentioned the Moon Goddess.. Particrly ones that would also dwell on Alfheim''s first generation and their origins," Estelle said, expressing her wishes. "Hmm.. so, history is it?" Frey thought deeply. "You''re not in the wrong section, but your focus is slightly nted. I saw a stack of books down the aisle, are those yours?" "If you''re talking about the seven books I ced on the table, then yes," Estelle nodded. Frey then broke into smallughters. "I nced over them, I think you are on the verge of being misled," she said. Estelle furrowed her brows, asking Frey what she meant. "Don''t you know how easy it is to ''identally falsify'' historical incidents?" Then, Estelle''s mind clicked. Frey was insinuating that the books she picked were not genuine. However, Estelle also knew that history books could be nted from the truth in the first ce. The books that were written by each country''s writers would respectively be different due to their point of views and favoritism on a specific side. She was prepared for this slight difference and just wanted to get a feel on how things were. Naturally, each country would want their own their own nation to prosper and flourish, more than the otherpetitors. In the modern world, this became harder to do because of the ease of ess to specific incidents, in which factual information are already ced everywhere and would be hard to falsify. Inserting false information would only lead to unwanted controversy that might harm yourself. "..I know, but shouldn''t they be at least a bit truthful? I just want to know about the Goddess, I don''t care about politics and the reigning monarchs after the incident happened," "To be honest, the Goddess'' tale is one of the most retrospective thing, more biased than the history incidents. At that time, no one actually had sufficient knowledge to pour their experiences into books. They just told the story through words, their only way ofmunication. The Elven race has been here since forever, you see?" Frey chuckled. Estelle nodded, understanding that the first generation was indeed not as knowledgeable as the now blossoming Alfheim. "As such, the Goddess'' tale... Haa, let''s just say that no one knows the actual truth. Perhaps, the ''reality'' that we have been learning about might all be a lie. We only have specific clues that were told down by the first generation, but what prevents them from lying to their sessors in the first ce? What prevents each generation to continue lying more and more, until written text was explored and learned?" Estelle pursed her lips, agreeing with Frey. She couldn''t help but wonder what she had to do now that her methodical approach was proven not possible. She hoped to get clues on how the actual incident went by. "Then... what should I do? Is there no ''correct'' scriptures?" "There is none if you''re looking through the books," Frey confidently said. Feeling dejected, Estelle lowered her head and sighed. Her time was spent in vain today. "However, it is not like I can''t help you. I have a way around this, if you want. To think that you''re the kid''s disciple, but he did not tell you anything about this.. how mischievous of him. You should''ve known better what kind of person he is," Estelle''s eyes brightened up, raising her head to look at Frey and patiently waiting for her to continue speaking. But before that, she had one question. "Why are you helping me this much, when I am just a stranger you''ve met for less than an hour?" Frey blinked repeatedly, at a loss on how to respond. "Well.. let''s just say that it is because you are someone who caught the attention of Alex. Both of us are actually quite simr, we share the same sentiments. Although.. that''s not the only reason," Frey gave Estelle a wink, insinuating that there was something deeper. "I-is that so?" "Anyway, I will bring down some scrolls that will help you. They are not words, but more like pictures and scribbles. Although there were no texts from the first generation, there were interpretations. Depicted sceneries. Rather than reading those books that have been polluted by the writers'' own interpretations, these would help you more," Frey smiled. "Thank you so much!" Estelle happily responded. Chapter 128: Teach Me? Chapter 128: Teach Me? "Here they are," In Frey''s handsid multiple scrolls which were stained with brown colors, which brought attention to the object''s age. "These all are... the artifacts made by the first generation?" Estelle scrutinized them with great interest. "Mhm," Frey hummed in agreement. "Although... Trying to decipher them might make you even more confused, rather than helping you," Frey warned. Estelle awkwardlyughed, picking up the scrolls and bringing them to a nearby table. She had the ability to be immersed- engrossed in reading the text and would not be able to snap out of her thoughts unless she finished the entire book and solved any questions she came up with. She was quite confident in her detective and interpretative skills and was willing to bet on them. In her hands was an ancient scripture that she would not be able to get her hands on otherwise. She rubbed her hands together and started delving into the scripture, tracing the diluted elements and trying her best to make sense of it. But before she was able to focus, she was reminded of another thing. She came here for another reason. She was set to not only find out about the Goddess, but also the Moonlight Bow''s origins. How it became the style the people knew today. Frey was still around, walking through the aisles and storing the books Estelle picked out before and putting them back in their respective positions. Estelle stood up, leaving her chair and approaching Frey once more. The woman noticed Estelle''s return and tilted her head, wondering if Estelle was here toin about her not being able to understand anything about the scripture she gave her. "Was the artifact too much after all? My apologies, I just handed it because it hold the most integrity in terms of factual information," Frey giggled. "No, I haven''t even started. I was just reminded of another thing I wanted to search for, and I wanted to ask your rmendation on the matter," Estelle rubbed her fingers together. "Oh? Do tell," Frey looked with curious eyes, storing thest book in her tow into the shelf where it belonged. "Actually.. Are there books written about the Moonlight Bow?" Estelle inquired. Frey stilled for a couple seconds. "...Hmmm? The Moonlight Bow, huh? Did someone tell you to learn the style?" Frey disyed a clear smirk that made Estelle wonder if the woman knew something. Her eyes were always piercing and seemed like she was aware of everything- those she was told and those she wasn''t. "Yes," Estelle nodded in acknowledgement. "Books about the Moonlight Bow, is it? It''s not like there isn''t anything, but what kind of specific thing are you looking for? The story behind the bow? Exnation behind the usage of it? It''s historical appearances?" "I was tasked to learn it in a short time, so anything that will deepen my knowledge on the matter would be great," Estelle said. "If that is the case, then I will look for some books. However.. I am quite curious, why are you learning to use the bow?" Estelle was reminded that the specific Moonlight Bow and the archery style was reserved to the royals and important people. She was nothing but a normal girl who currently did not possess any status. Even if she was Aleksei''s disciple, she should not be allowed to casually learn the style. "Don''t make such a rigid face. I am not doubting you, it''s just a simple, light-hearted question from me to you," Frey joked. "Ah.. it''s for a challenge. Someone came up to me and doubted my.. identity. In exchange for epting my arrival here, the person told me to prove my worth by learning on how to use the Moonlight Bow," Estelle vaguely described. "Hmm.. Is that so?" Frey giggled. From her gaze, Estelle knew that the woman did notpletely believe her story. It was a half truth, half lie statement. "Actually, I can just teach you how to use the bow.. probably," she said. "You could use it too?" Estelle''s mouth gaped. She knew that Frey must be a powerful person, but the Moonlight Bow was actually quite exclusive. Even if you were absurdly powerful, you also needed the status to back up your worth. For example, Neil and Niki were not the strongest Elves ever, but they were the Queen''s trusted aides and attendants. "Of course I can.. or do you think that I am not important enough to wield the bow?" Frey teased. "It''s not that.." Estelle shook her head, retreating backwards. Frey broke into smallughter as she patted Estelle''s shoulder and lightly rubbed it, as if telling her to rx. "I was the one who taught Alex on how to use the Bow. You will find our styles very simr, since he was so dead set on copying me back then," Frey smiled, making the mood ease up so that Estelle could drop her tension. Estelle was naturally very wary of all the urrences around this country because she had little to no knowledge about it. All of her prior knowledge was obtained through literature, but those could easily be bent. Lies mixed into bits of truth, creating a misleading discrepancy with reality. "Alek- I mean, master copied you?" Estelle made a shocked expression. "Well, first of all, you don''t have to.. Hm, I guess it''s up to you," Frey wanted to speak about something, but she stepped down. Estelle tilted her head, wondering what Frey had wanted to say. "To say that Alex copied me would be too far of a stretch, but it could be said that way. When he was my disciple..." Frey''s lips formed an upward curve, followed by her eyes which also arched. "I gave him a challenge to replicate my shooting style, and he truly went on the matter step by step, down to the littlest thing like breathing. It was quite cute. He was a little child at that time, so he was much purer, much more innocent. Not to mention when he cutely asked me to take him in as a disciple, and, and.. Ah, I have spoken too much. Pardon my mistake," Estelle was in a loss as she could not bring herself to imagine the ethereal being that is Aleksei, which stood bright like a divine persona acting cute. Not to mention, begging Frey to ept him. The contrast made her even more curious about the past Frey and Aleksei shared. "...Ah, don''t tell me, did he impose the same challenge on you?" Frey asked, not minding her previouspse of words. "No.. but I did get the challenge to shoot the Moonlight Bow from another person," Frey brought her hand up to her chin and crossed her arms, entering a thinking position. She fell into deep thought, as her eyes became hazy when she analyzed the situation. "Who would do that? Let me guess.. probably Neil?" "..It was Neil, but how?" Estelle widened her eyes, wondering how Frey managed to find out. Their matters were kept tightly shut as all of them were tasked to keep it under secret until Estelle passed the challenges. None of them particrly seemed like a loose-mouthed person, and she knew that she did not tell the specific person who ordered her to anybody, so how did she find out amongst all the Moonlight Bow user? Not to mention, Neil''s name was not all that famous as well. In the pce, he was regarded quite high because of his association with the Queen, but not exactly because of a super high prowess. "The only one who would impose such a challenge to you, whose ''worth'' hasn''t been proven yet would naturally be Neil. It just sounds so like him!" Frey giggled in a happy mood. "Is that so?" Estelle raised a brow, wondering if Neil was really that predictable. "He is super predictable. When you first meet him, he will show up as someone who is hard to get along with, but once you learn about him.. he''s a pudding. Of course, not literally," "Pudding.. him?" Estelle furrowed her brows, finding the twoparisons strange. "We have been distracted for far too long. Let us get back to the main topic, shall we? I can provide you with books that might or might not assist you, but if I were you, then I would not linger around the books and would jump straight into practice. Drag me or Alex with you so that we can bully you with spartan methods. Doesn''t that sound great?" Frey nonchntly spoke, but the contents of her words were not as pretty as the smile she stered on her face. "I just wanted to get a deeper insight, not just physically. My magic is a bit peculiar. I am not using the orthodox method, but instead a simr one to it," Estelle shook her head. Frey blinked repeatedly, but she soon formed another grin. "And what is this.. non orthodox method?" "I need to know before I evaluate my potential student, you see?" she added. Chapter 129: Solution? Chapter 129: Solution? "It''s a simr concept with the original magic," Estelle twirled her finger in the air, preparing to use her magic. But before that, she remembered. "Ah, am I allowed to use my magic here?" "Mhm, just wait a second.." Frey rubbed her thumb, index, and middle finger together repeatedly. In seconds, magic circles appeared in the air and decorated the area. "There you go," Letting out a small breath, Frey brought her hands together and pped. "It should be safe now," "I basically froze the.. things. You can do it now, nothing will happen," Frey chuckled. Estelle nodded, continuing with formting her process after her doubts had been confirmed. She showed her own variant of the Elven Winds, which made Frey''s eyes sparkle and gleam with a mysterious glint. "Hmm... care to tell me how you got to this stage?" Frey asked. "The magic that helped form thisbination is.. my own special magic. I already knew a simr technique to the Elven Winds, so I thought to apply it to my own element. In fact, if you were to ask me to make a simr configuration with other basic elements like fire or water.. it would be possible," Estelle answered. "That is very interesting," Frey smirked. "So this is why that kid sent you here, huh.." she whispered at a low enough volume for Estelle to not be able to hear clearly. "Hm? What was that? I couldn''t hear it well," Estelle tilted her head. "No, nothing. Continue on, what do you want to ask?" "Master told me that in theory, this application should work because there was no definitive aspect to the original Moonlight Bow''s creation. Everything was done loosely, and nothing specified that we must use the Elven Winds that is known to the masses," Estelle began her question. "I have problems with connecting mybination magic with the bow, I couldn''t make the string nor the arrow appear. I wonder what did I do wrong? I want to check my fundamentals. Whether the problem is my magic or the way I work around it," "I can''t judge that without seeing it in action, but.. let me see what I can do for you right now. When is the due date for your challenge?" "...Tomorrow," Estelle replied grimly. "Huh? That''s a bit worrying," Frey''s gaze turned serious as she began thinking deeply. "Alright, reading here won''t help you. This ce has a spare space, let''s go there and practice immediately," Frey clutched her hands together as she spoke. "Ehh.. practice?" Estelle became dumbfounded. Her sole reason ofing here was to deepen her knowledge because she got stuck with her progress. However, her mind told her to just follow Frey. She was undeniably an expert and should be able to provide insight on her matter. "Yes, I need to see it for myself," Frey grinned. "If that is the case.. then, let''s go," Estelle sighed. "I still want to keep the scriptures though, may I reserve them for another time?" "Of course, of course! Now, let us hurry," Frey said. "To my.. somewhat secretive ce," ______ They began embarking on their path. After they passed through a couple corridors, their lengthy walk led them to a door. "Is this another space? Just like the other rooms?" Estelle asked, curious. She still hadn''t managed to find out how exactly Frey managed the spatial rooms, but after learning that she was the Void Witch Shanatos'' real identity, it seemed possible. "Yep. I call it the ''I want to feel the energy of going outside without actually going outside'' room. Basically, I replicated the outside environment and pasted it into this room, making it somewhat of my relief space," Frey scrambled inside her pocket for a key, which she found in seconds after her search began. Estelle raised a brow at the nickname Frey provided, but did not dwell on the matter further. "There it is," she held the key tightly and stuck it into the keyhole. Twisting it, she managed to open the locked door and revealed a stunning sight. It was a flower field. Dazzling sunlight. Beautiful view. "This is.." Estelle looked around with a gaped mouth, shock catching her off guard. "Spectacr, isn''t it? I spent a lot of time on this ce. Anyway, rather than just admiring the view, let us get straight down to the practice session," Frey took out a Moonlight Bow of her own out of nowhere. It had fine details that were different from the one Neil provided her with. "Should I just shoot anywhere?~ Let''s see..." Frey began to calm down, letting the Winds envelop her as the string and arrow appeared out of thin air. Theponents ced themselves in their respective positions. Frey only needed to shoot. Her posture was steady as she aimed towards a nearby tree. It had a rtively thin trunk, and because the space also had extra elements like fabricated wind currents, shooting an arrow here would pose a challenge for those who were not talented enough. Of course, Frey was much more than just a talent. She shot with confidence, hitting the trunk with ease. The winds that surrounded her gradually dropped and dissolved back. "That is how you do it. How was it? I''m pretty, right?" Frey boasted. "I have always prided myself in shooting beautifully," "Ahh... haha," Estelle let out an awkwardugh. "Now, it''s your turn," Frey handed her the bow. With strings of nervousness spreading across her heart, Estelle held the bow and entered a shooting posture. Her target? The trunk that Frey had hit prior to her turn. She conjured her magic and made the winds brew around her. This was the stage she got to on her previous tries. Ifpared with Frey''s demonstration, the next stage should be an easy and smooth sailing one. The arrow and string would appear, sealing the deal with the only thing left to do being to shoot. However, the twoponents did not appear even after Estelle focused as hard as she could, brewing her magic as much as she could. Sighing, Estelle dropped the bow in shame. "That is how it goes," Estelle spoke up. Meanwhile, Frey, who was watching by the sidelines had a different set of expression jotted down on her face. Frey grew silent, making Estelle wonder and gulp her saliva in fear. Could it be that she was a lost case? That she would not be able toplete the challenge after all? Was she too confident in stating her will? However, Frey then spoke up and voiced her thoughts, which put Estelle at a deeper level of confusion. "This.. is not a matter of your fundamentals or the way you wield the bow. I''m afraid that you.. you''re not able to use the bow because of a different reason," Frey theorized. "What does that mean..?" Estelle asked carefully. "To be short..." Frey took in a deep breath. "I think the bow is not strong enough to contain the power you channeled," Frey grimaced. "This is the first time I came across such a case. You should be familiar with your own power, so you would naturally know that you are much stronger than the average basis," Frey added. Estelle nodded. She was indeed quite confident in her own skills, although she did not regard herself as a ''strong'' person yet due to theparisons she came across during her life story. "Hmm.. if you have gotten an exnation about the bow before, then you must know that the bow is meant to be an additional instrument. An instrument to channel your power. To materialize it. If we put it as an example for you, then it would be the same as overloading the instrument with power, and thus ruining the magic circuit within the instrument. Naturally, you would get no result," Frey summarized. "I see..." Estelle took in Frey''s input. "If so, what could I do to fix this problem?" "I would love to say that it is easy, but it''s honestly a matter of suppression at this point. Because your power is too strong, and there is not enough time to make another Moonlight Bow on the spot, our best solution is to suppress your magic," "Please continue on," Estelle became curious. "Haah.. you would not be able to use the bow like others do. We have to make your own version. Your own way," Frey pursed her lips. "Give me a few moments to think. Until I figure something out.. You should just experiment with your magic and see if you can suppress it by yourself," Estelle nodded, agreeing with the woman''s suggestion. They both separated to go on with their respective duties. After a few minutes, an idea sprouted inside Frey''s mind. While Estelle was deeply engrossed in her own practice andmenting because she still couldn''t do the deed no matter how hard she tried to ''suppress'' her magic, Frey got up from her sitting position and approached Estelle excitedly. "That''s it! I got it! Little child, your problem will be solved!" Frey exim in an ecstatic manner. Chapter 130: Path to Completion Chapter 130: Path to Completion "Really? What is it?" Estelle asked in excitement. Frey calmed her emotions down as she began to exin. "Haah. Let us put it this way. Since using the bow as an instrument would not work for you.. Then we can just turn it around. Use your magic as the instrument, and the bow as your power. Work your way around that thing. Make it so that you are using the bow, and not your magic," Frey brought up her suggestion. Estelle frowned as she tried to make sense of Frey''s words. "...Like distracting myself from my magic?" she interpreted the Witch''s speech. "Precisely. Otherwise, you will spend too much thought on your magic, which will lead to a negative impact. Of course, that is if we are talking about using the bow. If it is about normal usage, your magic is preferable. Straight to the point and without any unnecessary elements," After her worries were confirmed, Estelle now had a different question. "So.. it''s really not because of my magic? And it''s not a negative impact?" Estelle blinked repeatedly, questioning the Witch. "Did Alex not tell you? Ehh, he became so mean~ He must be jealous of you," Frey giggled. "Of course not. Not a single negative quality is brought up by your magic. It''s just that we have to make a few amodations for your style," she added. "That is.. a huge relief," Estelle sighed. She thought that she was a lost cause and was prepared to return to Alynthi and possibly fail her path. "In fact, you might have already found out about this, but our magic is simr to the Goddess. We are trying to follow her ways, and not the opposite. If I had to say something..." Frey grinned, making Estelle tilt her head in confusion. "It would be that you and the Goddess is very simr. I don''t know what exactly causes it. If we take this fact into ount, the thing I just told you to do.. it''s akin to the Goddess'' analogy. The way you are trying to perform the style.. Is misaligned. It''s not that you are trying to be something else, it''s that you are already this ''something else''. It can easily be fixed, you don''t have any problems with your fundamentals," Frey talked in such a philosophical manner that Estelle found it hard to keep up with her meaning. "I.. see," Estelle awkwardly agreed to whatever Frey spouted to avoid any more confusion. "That aside, why don''t you try applying the method right here and now? Perhaps you might even make instant progress?" Frey suggested. "I will do that," Estelle heaved a long sigh, preparing herself for the challenge. She channeled her magic, but she let it flow naturally inside her. She did not focus too much on the subject. Before, she tried her hardest to put her focus on her magic as to maximize its effects. Who would have thought that the thing she was supposed to do was the exact opposite? She felt the wind brew around her, but she did not have any intentions on paying heed to the change. Her mind was solely focused on the Moonlight Bow and its elements. She let her stream of thoughts calm down, and let the magic roam freely. Not controlling it, not trying to focus on it, but instead, rxing and visualizing the bow inside her head. Then, it happened. She felt a tug on her bow. Her hold was disrupted by an object. A thin object. Unfortunately, it disappeared immediately. However, that did not prevent Estelle from panicking because she had never achieved this much progress. In her previous tries, not even once did she manage to make anything appear out of the bow. But this time, she achieved a little sess. A small victory. "I think I felt it. It was unstable, but I felt something," Estelle broke into arge smile. "It was the string, right? Did you see it? The string? Did it pop up for you too?" Sparks of happiness bloomed inside her heart as she expressed her emotions. "Of course, of course. I saw it clearly. You seeded, although not until the end. Now, since you have gotten the feeling down, do you think you could take it by yourself from now on?" Frey asked. "En. I think I should be fine. Thank you so much for your input," Estelle was very happy with the result she got. The actual answer was so simple, but when she thought about it, Estelle knew that she would not have figured it out on her own when the due date for the challenge was tomorrow. She would have still stayed stuck reading indoors, with little to no progress. Failure. She was about to be a failure, but Frey pulled her up from that. "Words can''t express how thankful I am. If it wasn''t for your interval, I would''ve not gotten to this point," Estelle bowed politely. However, instead of responding to her statement, Frey was in her own little world. Her mind was in a different ce. She spaced out and gazed to the sky. "Even so.. I genuinely think that.." Frey grumbled. "Hm?" Confused, Estelle wondered what Frey was thinking about that she disyed such an annoyed expression. "The fact that Alex, the kid, did not tell you that reading won''t do you any justice meant that he purposely set you up. That damned rascal, he knew that I was hiding inside this ce all along! He obviously wanted you to meet me on your own. This unwanted visit, I will make him pay for it one day," Frey ranted in a grumpy manner. Estelle furrowed her brows. She began to raise doubts within her heart. Was that truly the case? Was Aleksei''s intentions by bringing her here not to let her read, but instead to let Frey teach her in his stead? Before she dwelled further on those doubts, she apologized. "Ah.. did I trouble you, perhaps? I am really sorry," Estelle remembered that Frey was passing by and did not directly approach her. Estelle was the one to approach the woman with her missions. Frey did not have to help her, but she deliberately spent her time to be Estelle''s aid and think for her. Even though she was technically in the position of Aleksei''s student right now, it still did not feelpletely right. Frey widened her eyes. "No, no, no. It is not your fault, sweet child. Do not fret. Alex will pay for everything, alright? You are the victim anyway," Frey assured her. "But still..." Estelle mumbled. "It''s fine, don''t worry about it. Since we have gotten what we wanted.. let us get out of this space for now, shall we?" Frey said. Estelle nodded in agreement, following closely behind Frey. She took onest nce at the astounding space and stepped out of the room. Outside, her gaze was suddenly met with Aleksei''s warm ones. Shocked, Estelle furrowed her brows, confirming that it was really Aleksei. The man was right there, in his full glory. After disappearing to who knows where, he came back all of a sudden. And somehow, he waited outside the space for Estelle and Frey toe back. Didn''t that mean that he knew all along? That all of this would happen? That she would enter the space with Frey? "You.. Alek- I mean.. master," She almost slipped again because she saw him so near. She forgot that Frey was still standing right beside her for a moment. She had slipped twice in front of Frey. There was no way she wouldn''t be suspicious. "Ahh.. I am really tired of this act, you know? Sweet child, you don''t have to continue this.. master-student y in front of me. I can see right through your devise," Frey pointed at the two of them with ring eyes. "That..." Estelle pursed her lips, in a loss on what to do. "I am really curious though.. what is your true identity?" Frey gave her a meaningful smirk as her fingers trailed around Estelle''s chin. "I don''t doubt that Aleksei took you in as his disciple. But, there is no way that Alex will pick up a random child and put them under his influence.. You are a very special child, aren''t you?" "Teacher, quit with the jokes. She has important things to do, right? Surely you gave her the answer right away. After all, you would not be willing to spin and twist around the answer meaninglessly," Aleksei cut her off and dragged Estelle behind him. Hearing Aleksei address Frey was still a bit shocking, even though Estelle had learned of their rtionship prior to this reveal. She still could not bring herself to imagine the scene that Frey mentioned before. That Aleksei actually came up to her and personally asked her to be his teacher. "Ao? You are actually being protective over the girl," Freyughed, making Aleksei''s expression sour even more. Chapter 131: Suspicious? Chapter 131: Suspicious? "That actually just makes me even more curious~ Even though I''m still keeping my manners and not peeking into her status.. Well, I doubt that peeking would tell me everything, though," Frey sighed. Estelle twirled her finger as she averted her gaze and pretended not to know anything. "Teacher," Aleksei called in a strict voice. His face hardened, indicating his seriousness regarding this matter. "I got it, I got it. I went out of the line. I won''t tease her anymore," Frey waved, telling Aleksei to drop his overly serious attitude. "You''re really no fun, you know that?" "At least I''m a decent person who knows his morals," Aleksei retorted, snatching Estelle to his side and pulling her backwards. Estelle jolted from the sudden jerk, but quickly found her bnce and looked up to Aleksei. "Alright, I won''t tease her anymore. I will wait until you two sneaky people reveal everything to me personally! My beloved student, how could you be so rough with your teacher~" Freyined, acting coy. "Teacher, we are leaving now. We wille back if we need anything else," Aleksei ignored Frey''s endless rant as he turned around and gestured for Estelle to follow him. And what did Estelle choose to do? Of course, it was to follow Aleksei as his ''filial student''. Definitely not in order to escape Frey. Frey, who was left behind, stomped her feet on the ground multiple times as she berated the pair of master-student who readily left the scene. Once they had gone far enough, Aleksei stopped in the middle of the road. Estelle, who had been following closely behind the man faced his tired expression. Aleksei was usually quite calm and could be considered as having a sunny disposition, it was her first time seeing him this gloomy. "Say, is it okay to treat her that roughly? Isn''t she your teacher?" Estelle questioned. The man acted quite disrespectful, which was a shocker to Estelle since she did not expect Aleksei to be able to say and do those things. Aleksei looked at her with lifeless eyes, making Estelle instinctively take a step backwards. "W-what is with that look of yours?" Estelle became apprehensive. [Did I say something wrong?] She thought internally. "She''s my teacher, indeed. But have you see how she purposely acts? Especially around me?" Aleksei rubbed his temples. It was Estelle''s first time seeing Aleksei have a troubled face. Of course, she had just arrived in Alfheim and only met the man for a short while. "I saw.. what about it?" Estelle did not manage to find anything strange. Aleksei sighed even more, sping his hands together as he panned his head towards the sky. "Now, imagine an old woman, a really really old woman, who should have been turned into a fossil long ago acting like my teacher towards you, what would you do?" "..I would retreat," The visual imagery was quite shocking. "There you have it. I''m not good at facing my teacher. If I could go back to the time before I asked her to mentor me... well- never mind, forget it," Aleksei was about to say something, but he immediately stopped himself. Estelle looked at the man''s behavior and deemed that something deeper was loming behind the two''s rtionship, but decided to not pry into it. "Who is Frey anyway?" she asked. Aleksei thought for a short moment before answering. "Who is Frey? That''s a difficult question to answer. She has many names. She never liked to tie herself down to anything, so practically every country has been helped by her. She doesn''t even proim herself as an Elf. She introduces herself as Frey Agatha, but that is not even her real name," "Do you perhaps know her real name?" Estelle asked carefully. Aleksei and Frey clearly had a deep history, but she did not know if it was a sensitive matter. Everyone has goals, and methods they choose to approach those goals. Whatever Frey''s intentions are to hide her identity, she must have one. "...No one knows. Not even me, not even after I''ve spent countless years knowing her," He looked quite vexed as he said that. Estelle pursed her lips, nodding slowly as she thought about Frey''s seemingly secretive identity. "Hey... I have a question," Estelle fiddled with her fingers, unsure on how to imply the matter. However, before she was even able to bring the matter up, Aleksei spoke up first. "About what? My teacher?" he asked. "En. You.. must have.. ah, forget it. It''s probably just in my head," Estelle shrugged, dropping the matter. Like he read her mind, Alekseiughed. "Did you think that I brought you here just to read books?" Aleksei smirked, bringing the conversation up once more. Estelle looked up to the man with confused eyes. "..So, was my meeting with Frey on purpose?" It was a question she had been meaning to ask. Aleksei broke into a string of low chuckles as he ced his hand over his hip and continued speaking. "What do you think? Will the famous librarian, the one who brought up Heirieth in the first ce show up in a random aisle out of nowhere? With no purpose at all, when the library doesn''t have any soul in it?" "Ah, you and your teacher-" Estelle showed a displeased expression, which was responded by the man with a silly smile. "I''m leaving now, it''s up to you to decide what truly happened," Aleksei waved at the girl and began disappearing into somewhere. "En, take care," Estelle waved back. After Aleksei''s figure disappeared, she took out a pocket watch and lowered her gaze. "I should probably go back," She already knew the map of the pce, so she would have no problem getting back there. Unbeknownst to her, however, there was a pair of eyes that tailed her movement from a faraway ce, observing and scrutinizing her every movement. ______ "YOU DUMB FUCKER- I swear to God, I''ve told you not to do this so many times! Look at what happened now?!" The ringing sound of a p echoed throughout the sizeable room. In the middle of said room, two figures could be seen. One had crimson zing hair. Her facial expressions were distorted. Her hand stayed in the air after pping the other person. The one who had just been pped possessed emerald green hair. He stayed unmoving even after receiving the hit, not talking or responding any sort of way. "Talk. Where is she right now? Where the hell is that girl?" "..Probably Alfheim. To unlock her bloodline on her own," The man finally spoke up. His brows were creased as he broke free from the woman''s grasps and stood up. The two people''s identities were of course, Minerva and Heine. Minerva had inklings about Heine and his master n, but she would''ve never expected that he would be so daring as to do it in such a straightforward way. She knew that something was not right. That he was changing right before her. In a visible pace. It did not happen in mere seconds, but Minerva, who had known the man for who knows how long, trusted him and his judgement. Who knew that the crazy bastard failed to contain himself? The Fae King that she shared a long history with? She was fuming. Estelle was a significant presence, one that should not be disturbed too much. For she was the World''s one and only. She clenched her fists, letting her nails dig into her skin and causing it to draw blood. "We''re going to Alfheim. I will bring Yulia with me," Minerva scowled, striding away from the room with hasty steps. "I didn''t expect that you would be this crazy. You are disgusting. I don''t know what to do with you, really," Before shepletely went out, she stopped. Her breath was still unstable. She did not turn her head around. She was afraid that she would not be able to suppress her actions anymore if she saw the man''s face one more time. "You.. damned Fae. I''m disappointed in you. Thoroughly," she said in a dejected tone. A trace of sadness shed through her face, but she quickly hid it and proceeded to walk to fetch Yulia, shutting the door loudly and creating a thundering sound. Heine stayed inside the room, still in a trance as he longingly looked at the room''s ceilings. "...I knew I was wrong from the start, and I was fully prepared to take everything on by myself. Bring back the princess, bring everything back to its rightful state," Heine mumbled before snapping his fingers. Several figures d in ck clothes appeared and kneeled down in Heine''s presence. Heine let out a long breath as he averted his gaze to the windows, from where the wide blue sky could be viewed. "Even if I seeded, everything is not going to be the same. Nothing can fix this cursed web of fate," Heine muttered to himself. He raised his head to look at his loyal shadows. "We will make a move. It is time to announce our presence. To Alfheim we go," Heine announced. "Understood," Everyone responded in harmony, with a low enough volume to not catch any attention. Chapter 132: Victorious Chapter 132: Victorious Today, Estelle went to train as usual. It was the third day. The final day for the challenge to bepleted. If Estelle could not prove her abilities by the end of this day, then consider her return ticket to Alynthi booked. Naturally, there was a lingering tense atmosphere looming around the silver-haired girl practicing in the field with a tall man looking at her from behind. In her hands was the Moonlight Bow. She let out a long breath before closing her eyes and pulling on the bow. Soon, as she concentrated her powers, the string and arrow of the bow appeared. However, in a split second, it disappeared once more and destroyed her calm trance. "...Again?" Estelle said, brooding in disappointment. "Estelle, you were too rash," Aleksei brought her a bottle of water, which Estelle gratefully drank. She massaged her sore shoulders, and looked up to the sunny sky. It was still the morning. But time passed quickly. She hadn''t seen any results from when she got to this point with Frey''s guidance yesterday. She had been testing out her progress repeatedly without a break, but the state of her string and arrows were too unstable. The ''rash'' action Aleksei talked about was when she pulled the string too fast. It was a reflex, since she couldn''t help but be desperate after failing more than a hundred times in just trying to shoot it. Several hours had already passed. Half of the day was soon about to be drained just like that. Naturally, she would be slowly more and more devastated as time went. However, even if she wasn''t rash, theponents would disappear. She became confused. What was it that shecked? Her focus was put solely on the bow, and her magic flowed naturally as if she was breathing air. Why didn''t it stay until she could shoot the arrows? "Take a short rest. You''ve gotten this far, it''s not impossible. Cool your mind down and think logically," Aleksei advised. He stopped for a moment and added. "Regarding this point.. Neither me or my teacher can help you anymore. It''s up to you now, the ways have been revealed, and it''s only a matter of how you continue this y," Estelle sighed. She understood that what Aleksei said contained the truth. However, she still couldn''t help the burning frustration inside of her that made her want to throw the bow away. "I know," Estelle replied. "It''s up to me," After a short five minutes break, she stood back up from their resting table and went back to the bow. Once more, she got into her shooting position. [Be calm.] [Like breathing.] [A smooth flow.] [Circte the magic circuits, let it roam freely.] [Focus on the bow.] [No disturbance.] Every time she tried, she always stopped at the veryst step before she could achieve harmony with the bow and shoot the physical arrow. This time.. It was the same. She did not seed. However, due to her overwhelmingly concentrated mindset, Estelle was able to discover a strange sensation this time. This was the closest she had gotten to the ''final step'', and it made her pick up a bizarre feeling. [It''s not my magic. It''s not my ways. It''s not my mind.] Estelle crossed off the possible conclusions. [Then...] Estelle came upon one choice. Her magic circuits. Everything was set up perfectly. However, if she had to describe the strange sensation, it would be like a blockage that choked up her output, thus making her result unstable. If that was the case, then the magic circuit was likely to be the main problem of this. Estelle couldn''t help but check on her magic circuits to see if anything was wrong with it. Soon, she realized. "Ah!" She had discovered something. She held on to her chest, as she withstood the stinging pain that psed over her. There was no way she would mistake this sensation. "These are.. the remnants of-" Estelle widened her eyes in realization. All these years, she had encountered several situations that made her be exposed to her natural archenemy. The [Destruction Magic]. Remnants of her exposure had stayed inside the circuits, guing it. Even now, it had came to haunt her. "...Aleksei, do you know how to purge yourself of a strange element?" Estelle clicked her tongue in annoyance. "What.. kind of question is that?" Aleksei frowned. "Purging? Like purification?" "Basically, I have had an ident that caused harmful elements to be stored inside of my body in the past. I''m afraid that.. it polluted my magic circuits although only by a slight part. But if I had to point out one usible reason on why my magic is unstable, then it might be that," Estelle exined briefly. "..Purification, huh? If it is just a foreign element, I might know a temporary solution, but it is painful. It''s a forced method. And your time wouldn''t be that long before everything reverts back to normal and.. brings the consequences," Aleksei replied. "So.. if you are notpletely sure that this circuit blockage is the cause of your problems, then don''t do it. It will just shorten your time, since you will copse right after that blockage rampages inside you. A rejecting contrast," Estelle thought deeply. "How long is the time I can maintain my condition for?" "I''d say.. three hours," Aleksei replied. "Deal," Estelle was desperate. "..Once again, are you sure?" Aleksei asked her. "I''m sure of this. A hundred percent," Estelle looked at the man straight in the eyes. Aleksei shut his eyes, sighing. "Haah. I will do it, but be prepared. It is a dangerous process," "..I can withstand it," At this point, Estelle could brag about being a pain connoisseur. Aleksei''s method was very simple. She just had toy down as he performed his purification process, which consisted of him pitting his index and middle finger together, then gently pressing it against Estelle''s chest. That position allowed him to maneuver his way around Estelle''s circuit and pull out the impurities that resided inside Estelle''s body. Scorching fire spread throughout her body, but it wasn''t as painful as the most devastating sensation she felt. She bore through the arduous minutes, and came out with her body having been ''purified''. She felt lighter than usual, but that was not the important thing. Her heartbeat increased as she rushed to the bow. Once more, she tried. This time, not only her desperation, but also fear stayed inside her heart. Fear that the solution she came up with might not even be the answer to her problems. "..Did I just?" Estelle''s mouth was gaping from the amount of shock she felt. It wasn''t particrly a controlled shot, but she had managed to master this abstract archery style. The fact that the string and arrow showed up for her. The fact that she managed to shoot them without the arrow''s remnants disappearing. The fact that an arrow was currently stabbed on the ground. Although she did not hit the target, the arrow was the sole proof that she had seeded. "..I guess you did. Congrattions, child," Aleksei gave a warm smile,ing over to Estelle and patting her on the head. "I want to tell Neil right now. I want to see how he reacts once he sees my moves!" Estelle announced enthusiastically. "Alright, alright. But before that, why don''t you try once more? To confirm that it''s really working," "I''ll try once, twice, thrice, and even four times if that''s what it takes to win this God forsaken challenge," Estelle huffed, picking up the bow once more and preparing to shoot another arrow. After shooting three consecutive shots, with her uracy getting better each time, Estelle gave a victorious smile and a peace sign to Aleksei. "Will this be counted as my victory now?" Estelle smirked. "Yes, yes. Now, you''re going to look for Neil, right? I will go with you," "Ao? Why, do you have some business with him?" Estelle tilted her head. "No, I just want to see my disciple beat that kid''s challenge," Aleksei replied. "..How mean," Estelle chided as she stored the Moonlight Bow away and drank fresh water to revitalize her tired body. "Right, do you know where Neil is at?" Estelle asked. Aleksei stopped momentarily, then shook his head. "I don''t think so, but he would probably be somewhere around the Queen. Aside from his attendant duties to you, he still has his regr duties to my sister," "Hmm... so, if I were to find him, I would also be meeting with my grandaunt?" Estelle scrunched up her face as she thought. "Why? Is there something up with my sister?" Aleksei raised a brow. "I have a feeling that she isn''t really fond of me, but I guess that is understandable," Estelle said, lowering her head as she recalled Shirley''s reaction to her actions. It was their first meeting, and Estelle might''vepletely ruined her own first impression. Chapter 133: Trust Chapter 133: Trust "My sister.. isn''t fond of you? What did you do?" Aleksei questioned. Estelle shrugged at the mention of it, and her imagination reverted back to that day. "Nothing much. Her expression changed once I mentioned the Goddess in front of her. I also proimed myself with the Virante surname," Estelle answered. "..Although, if you think about it, that is not a small matter," "...Hmm," Aleksei hummed, nodding his head in understanding. "I admit, it was partly just to incite the three of them. To.. somewhat ce my position down. I might''ve acted too rashly. I should apologizeter on before anything gets too out of hand," Estelle pursed her lips. "That would be great. My sister is usually calm, but the Goddess is a sensitive topic. The Goddess.. is everything to her," Aleksei warned. "I didn''t know that because it was my first meeting with her. I will be more careful next time.." "Now, to Neil, right? I will contact my sister and ask for Neil''s whereabouts, you can just rest for a short moment before we depart," Acknowledging the man''s intentions, Estelle went to separate from the man and sat down by a table. She looked up to the blue sky decorated with clouds, making up a beautiful scenery. "..I really made it," Estelle mumbled slowly. To be honest, she had doubted herself when everything seemed to not be working. The three day agreement. She was too confident and ended up being stressed out over the matter. Seeding and confirming her victory took off such arge weight off of her chest that she could finally smile in rxation, without the thought of failure impending inside her mind. She couldn''t resist the outburst of happiness inside herself as she grinned widely, banging on the table consecutively to express that feeling. "I feel so great," she held her cheeks, repeating the phrase over and over again. As she enjoyed basking in the sunlight while celebrating her victory, a figure stepped into the vicinity. Estelle''s senses picked up the neer and instantly became wary. "..Is someone there?" she asked. Since the ce was not essible to many, Estelle didn''t immediately be hostile. If anything, she did not have the full right to be hostile since the ce wasn''t hers. It couldn''t be Aleksei, because the figure''s aura felt different. It felt more like.. someone she knew for a long time. "Estelle!" A familiar voice called out her name, exposing the owner''s location due to the sound. She turned her head to the voice''s direction and widened her eyes after confirming the attitude of said person. Then, she instantly frowned. "...Minerva?" Estelle gaped in shock. "Minerva.. Is that you?" However, instead of being happy, her first assumptions were to be suspicious and on guard. Minerva Eire. A closepanion to Heine, who hurt her time and time again. The main source of her problems as of now. Why would the Crimson Witch be here without notice? In Alfheim, inside the pce, which is supposed to be considered a high security ce? The bizarre incidents had scarred her morality. Her innocence, which was originally catered to by a rtively peaceful and easy life was rapidly deteriorating. The challenges and terrors she had to face, the devastating reveals of things that happened behind her back. [Minerva.. is not safe until proven otherwise.] Estelle learned this lesson. Even Heine, who she regarded as one of the most important people in her life grew to betray her in such a horrendous way. What prevented Minerva from doing something simr? Estelle knew that their rtionship was never fully sincere. In every interaction they had, Minerva always held one constant negative emotion. It was fear. Fear towards what? Estelle. Something in Estelle. Who knew how much Minerva knew? What actions she took because of her knowledge? [Minerva is still not safe.] She reminded herself again. One of her closestpanions. One of the people the Ruler told her to appoint as a Constetion. The topic of ''Constetions'' was slowly bing a joke to her. One of the candidates the Ruler offered up was Heine. And what did he be? A monster, a danger to Estelle''s journey. The man wanted to seek something from within her. Something harmful, something that could strip her away from herself. Naturally, Estelle was suspicious. "Yeah, it''s me," Minerva gave a yful smile to Estelle, approaching the girl step by step. Estelle gulped down a mouthful of saliva. She analyzed Minerva''s every gesture, trying to figure out her intentions for being here. "..What are you here for?" she questioned. "I came here with my sister. The entire Elven Kingdom, including the Royals, have debts towards my sister. She made huge contributions to the establishment of this ce''s security.. and she''s also an important figure considering her status," "Ah.. right. I forgot. Yulia put up the barriers around here, right?" Estelle kept up the conversation, hiding her negative emotions away as she settled down. [It is still too early to judge.] [But it''s never too early to be guarded.] "En. Different sets of protection. Several for the pce, and more for the entire country. It took her years toplete her job. I still remember herining about it while drinking until she couldn''t talk straight to me," Minerva''s gaze softened as she spoke about her past. "So.. where is Yulia?" Estelle probed. She was afraid that as she was speaking with Minerva, another operation was simultaneously happening. A wicked n that would push her down the cliff. She felt threatened. "Mmm... Sister Yulia.. She went to meet the Queen," Minerva dered, making Estelle be taken aback once more. "..Meeting the Queen? Shirley? My grandaunt?" Estelle questioned. "That easily..?" "She has the right to do that. The Yulia you know might not be the best version of her, but she is actually quite the great expert if you dig deeper," Minerva giggled. "But.. you said grandaunt. So it''s confirmed that you''re.." "Technically the Princess of Alfheim, yes," Estelle informed. "Silvanna... My grandmother, Silvanna Virante was a runaway princess," "Hmm... it got obvious as time went, but to hear the truth straight up still brings the shock value," Minervamented. "You too, what were you doing here?" "I was practicing for a challenge I epted. It''s for my settlement in Alfheim, to prove my worth and my ability to wield the Virante surname," "Are you nning on changing your surname? reste?" "Of course not. It''s just for Alfheim. It is beneficial for me," "I see... Well, that makes sense," They started to engage in small talks, with Estelle narrating what had happened to her during the days she was here in the country. However, as they continued to chat, Estelle noticed one strange thing about their conversation and Minerva''s behavior. She was avoiding topics about the situation in Alfheim, and talked of nobody other than her and Yulia''s condition. Ignoring one personpletely. One person that made her suspicious of Minerva right now. As if the man did not exist in Minerva''s memory. [What a joke.] The fact that she avoided the topic made Estelle even more frustrated rather than relieved. As her mood started to drop, Estelle began to lose trust in Minerva. She truly believed that the woman was here for a double-sided reason that might not be good for her. "..Estelle," Minerva spoke up softly, bringing Estelle''s attention to her. Her tone changed. If before, she was sunny and lively, this time she called Estelle''s name with a grave tone, which made Estelle perk up. [Is she finally going to address the matter?] Heine. That man had a strange rtionship with Minerva. It was hard to describe. Friends was too little, family was too much, loved one was too out of the world. They were ''partners''. And would the two of them not know of the atrocity anothermitted? Especially when Heine seemed to be so prepared about his ns? His craziness, which must have spiked up during the time she was away, chained down to some decrepit space where she struggled endlessly? "Hm?" the girl tilted her head, waiting for Minerva to continue. She wanted to hear. What Minerva could offer up. "I don''t know how to say this," Minerva sped her hands and rubbed her fingers together. "But..." Estelle became irked. The way Minerva acted so careful and delicate was more insulting than anything to her. "Just tell it straight, don''t drag things longer," Estelle scolded the woman. "You might not like this news,"Minerva warned. "..Haah. I told you to just tell it straight. Judging by the tone and timing, since you''ve said this, then you must''ve gotten to know what happened between me and Heine," Estelle red at the crimson-haired beauty with piercing eyes. Minerva lowered her gaze, staring at the table as she sighed. "I learned of it," "..I learned of it?" Estelle repeated. "I learned of it? Is that all you are going to say?" Estelle broke into a broken fit ofughter. Chapter 134: The Blurry Truth Chapter 134: The Blurry Truth Ridiculous. This situation was so ridiculous to Estelle. Exactly what did she owe the world? Why did she have to put up with all these pretenses, all these conditions, everything that made up the being named Estelle reste? Her background, the tasks she had to fulfill- ones that if she refused to execute, would threaten her livelihood. There were so many things that she wanted toin about. Sometimes, she envied normal people. Because of their normality? No. Because in truth, they had a different set of freedom. Not like her. One could say that a powerful and important person would definitely garner a lot of freedom. There was truth in that saying. But there was another continuation. If you are strong.. then you have responsibilities to follow. Those things, they are just the same as restrictions, chains that bounds you down to your inescapable fate. Fate. That word made Estelle puke. She felt sick. What fate? Why did she have to follow her fate if all that was in there for her, waiting patiently for her was suffering and even more suffering? Gone were the days that she could truly be ''free''. Until when did she have to endure? Until she toured the whole world and solved her duties? And then what? More duties because she has reached the ''pinnacle''? More responsibilities? How could you expect someone to withstand all the heavy responsibilities without rest? She would be broken before that. "I... I didn''t want it to happen," Minerva huffed, her eyebrows forming a crease as she spoke. Estelle was on the very edge of her heart tipping towards the negative side. But she suppressed it. Because she knew that if she was the one who broke out in anger, it would be her loss. Her victory that she had maintained until now, her hard work, wouldn''t it be meaningless? That was the truth of Estelle''s psyche. Scared and frustrated at her own fate, yet epting of it because she wanted to see it until the end. People would always have conflicts brewing inside their minds. Whether it was over small matters, or life turning subjects. Estelle, who has always pushed through the raging currents that went against her wishes never gave up. But the thought of giving up was always silentlyying in the corner of her mind, waiting for the right time to jump out. To take over her body and decisions. "Then, what the hell do you want? Or.. do you expect me to believe that you knew nothing of Heine''s ns? Couldn''t stop him, couldn''t tell anything to him before he did it?" Estelleughed, scorning Minerva whose attitude was growing to be more and more submissive as seconds passed. [It''s alright.] Estelle assured herself. [I''m not the one in the wrong here.] [Don''t let your emotions control you too much.] "It''s not that," Minerva gritted her teeth. "It''s really not that, Estelle," "It''s not that, it''s not that. What an easy phrase to say. I''m really curious, whose side are you on? Hm?" Estelle asked calmly with a charming smile on her face, as if the situation wasn''t tense at all. As if nothing had happened, and Estelle held no negative emotions towards any of these. "Could you just spit out what you want to say without saying useless stuff? I''m quite busy.. you see," "And.. oh, with matters of myself, of course. Unlike some group of people who like to care about others'' matters more than their own. Aren''t they foolish?" Estelle giggled. "Estelle, listen.." Minerva fiddled with her fingers as her breathing got heavier. Estelle tapped on the table''s surface. "Can''t you see that I''m listening? You see, others say that.. I''m quite a splendid child. Kind, and polite, won''t you say? I wouldn''t dare do such an improper thing like ignoring a certain Lady Witch''s words," Estelle waved her hand in the air. She couldn''t understand it. At this rate, one would take a look at the scene and form their own interpretations. With how Minerva was acting, wouldn''t she be painted as the viin? When she was actually the sane one, the one who did not even do anything in particr? Her actions were always a result of defense. Never once did she attack on her own motive''s basis. It was always either because she was cornered and had no other choices but to retaliate, or because she was asked to perform a certain thing for another of her ''acquaintance''. It clicked inside her head. [Oh.] [So this is what they meant by I''m the viiness?] [I just have to take everything, swallow anything hurled at me down.] [Because I''m meant to do that.] [Is that right?] Estelle''s mind was running wilder and wilder as time passed. Luckily, a savior soon came to extend his hand to her. A man walking with a refined posture, approaching the table with silent steps. Estelle''s head turned towards the man''s way, followed by Minerva. "...Aleksei," Estelle called out to the man, who waved lightly as a greeting. Aleksei reached Estelle''s table and raised a brow. "May I ask.. who might this be?" The man''s gazended on Minerva, who immediately looked away. "Ahh.. she''s," Estelle chuckled. "Someone irrelevant, someone who likes to drag things out much longer than what its supposed to be," "Estelle, you also have to consider-" Minerva stood up, her long hair fluttering in the wind as she replied to Estelle''s words. When her gaze met with Estelle''s emotionless ones, Minerva found herself at a loss on what to do. "What did you say just now? I couldn''t hear it," Estelle asked with arge smile, releasing a hint of pressure. At this moment, she was already quite pissed. The farther Minerva tried to poke her, the worse she felt. By the side, Aleksei seemed to have caught on quickly. His gaze towards Minerva changed, as if wanting to dig deep into the woman''s identity and intentions. "I..." Minerva mumbled. "Aleksei, you''vee back, which means.. You tracked Neil down?" Estelle decided to not pay her mind to Minerva anymore and move straight to their ongoing business. Her challenge was still in effect, despite Minerva''s sudden visit. "Ah, right. I''ve gotten the intel, Neil is indeed around my sister right now. They are doing official duties," Aleksei responded. "Then, shall we go now? I was slowed by an unexpected intervention, but we can proceed freely now," Estelle stood up, asking Aleksei as she began to walk away. "I suppose so. I will lead the way," Aleksei followed suit, surpassing Estelle''s location with hastened steps. The only person left behind was Minerva, who had her fists curled up into a ball and clenched. Words could not express the blizzard of emotions she was undergoing right now. Taking a sharp breath, she activated her spiritual connection with her sister Yulia. On the other side, Yulia quickly picked up the signal and received Minerva''s input. "Sister, our target may be way too deep," Minerva''s eyes started to water up. "Estelle is most probably gone," "...Really? We came toote?" Yulia''s nervous voice spoke up. "I''m sorry," Leaving that short phrase, Minerva cut off the connection and sat back down, entering a contemtion session. She took her mind off the busy world and closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation of nature. But that did not let her forget about what she had done, and what she couldn''t fix. "I''m sorry," she repeated. "I''m really sorry," Tears started to drip off Minerva''s eyes. She covered them, sobbing in a small voice. Regret washed all over her. Her sins. How it impacted others. What she told people and what she did not tell. Estelle might have thought that Heine was the biggest wrongdoer because of the scenes exposed to her. But the truth might not be that way. The hidden truth might be much more disappointing once it has all been revealed. _________ Estelle and Aleksei walked peacefully along the corridors, headed towards the Queen''s Chambers. Shirley preferred to perform her duties there, so she would normally gather around the necessary officials to finish the matters in the chamber''s dedicated room. Today, too, she was reportedly there with her attendants. Aleksei looked at Estelle, who seemed to be so deep in her thoughts that she was walking without looking at the road carefully. Her mind was not intact right now. Aleksei decided to start a conversation. "Estelle, don''t forget. The purification.. may disappear. And once it does, you will face harsh pain, akin to that of your body being ripped apart because of the rebound," he warned beforehand. Hearing his words enter her ears, Estelle looked up at the man. "..En, I understand. Instead, could you look for a permanent method for me?" Estelle asked. "You don''t necessarily need to find one at all costs. But if you did find one, then please do inform me," "Alright. I will try my hardest to find a suitable method," Aleksei smiled. "But what is the identity of.. the element that invaded you? I seem to not be familiar with it," Chapter 135: A Drunken Lady Chapter 135: A Drunken Lady "It is called the [Destruction Magic]," Because of their several interactions that happened recently, Estelle felt like she could share this type of information with Aleksei. Either way, it wouldn''t hurt her. "Destruction?" Aleksei furrowed his brows as he hadn''t heard of the thing at all. "Yes. It''s an unknown element. It''splicated, but basically.. I have to purge that element out of my body, or else I will keep having rejective effects," Estelle sighed, loathing the experiences she had been through in the past that led her to this state. "Ah.. I see," Aleksei nodded slowly, acknowledging Estelle''s dilemmas. "Then, how much do you know about this magic?" "Not much, but I''ve encountered it directly for.. quite some times," Estelle waved her hand in the air. "It''s not recorded in any books," Estelle added. Actually, she had read some books that documented the Underworld Royals'' ''special powers'', but she didn''t find any substantial information that could turn the tables. For example, a weakness to the magic. But if Estelle though rationally, she found it to be obvious that the weakness wasn''t going to be disyed. If people tried to use it in the wrong way, exactly what would happen? Thinking of the Underworld, Estelle began to wonder how much stronger Arayle has gotten. The time flow was different in there. However, Estelle also knew that time did not exactly boost one''s progress in a straightforward manner. Guidance was essential. Without proper guidance, she would also get stuck and would have to ponder upon her dilemma for a long time. Knowing that, and how Arayle was supposedly the strongest person in the Underworld, Estelle doubted that she got a lot stronger from when shest saw the girl. Being the strongest was great and all, but your progress would be extremely stumped because you have to trespass into another realm of strength by yourself. Because there are no written knowledge or passed down ones about a level stronger than yourself, you have to be the one to create it. Although, to Estelle, Elias seemed a lot stronger. And craftier. The two despicable people, excluding Kalis and Yion who did not do that much of a lethal ploy. "Hmm," Aleksei hummed meaningfully as he returned his gaze to the road. They continued their walk, sometimes engaging in small talk and Aleksei offering up his support for Estelle''s victory against Neil. Within no longer than five minutes, they were already standing in front of the Queen''s chambers, which was their destination. "Well.. shall we enter now?" Aleksei asked. "Yes, please," Estelle nodded. Walking up a staircase, they arrived to the room Shirley was currently in. The two got in through security checks with ease because of Aleksei''s irrefutable position. Although he was not an active official in the kingdom, he had to be respected to a high degree because of his achievements and aplishments. Two guards were standing in front of therge door that barricaded Shirley''s room. The guards eyes Aleksei, noticing his status as the Queen''s sibling. "Hello there. I am here to see my sister," Aleksei exined to the room''s guards. The guards'' face looked quite troubled by Aleksei''s request, but upon receiving a strict gaze from the man, they quickly nodded and gave way to the two people. "Please be wary. The Queen is not on her best state right now," One of the guards spoke up, bowing his head as he and the other guard held the door handle, preparing to open it. Aleksei and Estelle looked at each other, raising a brow at the guard''s warning. "Announcing the arrival of Prince Aleksei!" The guards simultaneously spoke in harmony, their volume loud enough to ring through the entire corridor. The door was pried apart, and they got to walk in, intruding on Shirley''s space. Shirley entered their sights. She was d in loose satin robes, with a wine ss in hand as sheid against her working table in an unspeakable position. "...Ao," Shirleyzily looked at the two, grabbing her wine bottle at hand and pouring more liquid into the ss. She confidently drunk the liquid, which emanated a pungent smell. Swallowing it down her throat, she faced the two neers. "Sister, I thought that you were doing your official duties. What is with you right now?" Aleksei chuckled as he approached Shirley, supporting her from copsing when she tried to reach out to them. "I just felt like drinking... You of all people should know that.. everything is so stressful nowadays," Shirleyined. "Haah, forget it. What do you two want?" Despite being tipsy, Shirley was able to keep a straight mind and converse properly. "We are here to seek Neil out. Where might he be?" Estelle took the opportunity to ask. "Neil is... outside..? I think. You know whaaat? I will call him for you.. it''s a favor from me," Shirley yawned carelessly as she stretched and got off her bed. She went straight to the windows and opened them. "Hehe," Shirley giggled, cing her hands on the window frame as she took a deep breath. "NEILLLLLL!!!!!!" She shouted in a shrill voice, causing Aleksei and Estelle, who were standing nearby to close their ears in order to prevent excessive damage. Shirley shouted three times more before turning her head around and smiling at the two. Estelle blinked repeatedly at the Queen''s unexpected attitude. "There... I called him for you guys. He shoulde... I, want to sleep now.." Shirley staggered off to her bed once more. "I did you two a favorrrr, soo? Aleksei.. do my papers, or else???" Shirley wanted to point at Aleksei, but unfortunately being drunk ruined her aim, so she pointed at nothing but thin air. "Or else what, sister?" Aleksei suppressed hisughter. It had been a while since she saw Shirley being this dead drunk. It was quite a funny sight, no matter how many times he had seen it. Every time was just like the first time, shocking and interesting. "Or else.. I will, I will.. steal your stuff," Shirley grinned dazedly. "Ao, that is a crime, sister," Alekseiid Shirley down gently on her bed, arranging her in the right posture before tucking in the sheer nkets. "I.. don''t care," Shirley pouted before losing consciousness, defeated by her dizzy state. Aleksei sat on the bed, looking at Estelle who was unsure on how to react to the matter. "That''s how it is," Aleksei finallyughed after Shirley was confirmed to be dead asleep. "..I didn''t expect that kind of side from the Queen," Estelle shrugged awkwardly. "...Her work has been multiplying recently. New problems arose at the borders with people who are trying to start conflict. One of the secluded vige near the dividing line was attacked and burned down to ashes, and the reconciliation for that is pretty troublesome. The attackersunched threats and took over that specific area, and there are some hostages held by them too," "Hm? Why haven''t I heard of this?" Estelle tilted her head. "Shouldn''t this be a big deal?" Since she was loitering around the pce, Estelle expected to have learned of this kind of messy news. "It''s precisely because it''s a big deal.. the public news were suppressed. We are trying to keep it under the table, but.. that doesn''t prevent some sneaky groups of people to purposefully spread this disaster around," Aleksei''s gaze turned cold as he remembered ''those people''. "Those who aren''t exactly in favor of the government, no matter what reason they have," he added. "Why would it be suppressed though? Isn''t publicity important to increase their wariness?" "The problem isn''t the matter being exposed to the public, it''s how good we solve it," Aleksei sighed. "How fast, efficient, and tidy we tie up the matter will be seen by the mass. And considering how much trust is put into the Royal Pce, we have to perform without mistakes. It''s a risky project. Suppressing it will at least give us some extra time to solve this dilemma and make proper actions tobat it," This was when Estelle started to see differences between the monarchy held by Alynthi and Alfheim, and how it differed more from the descriptions inside books. In Alynthi, even if the King made mistakes, no one could shake the throne without an entire revolution because he was the rightful ruler and democracy wasn''t necessarily implemented. However, in Alfheim, people''s trust depended a lot on their beliefs in the Royals'' supremacy. If the Royals failed to fulfill the expectations, naturally the people''s faith would decrease and result in a mess. With this kind of national security breach, the ''insecurity'' that would bloom inside the people''s hearts could threaten a lot of things, endangering the structure they have built over the generations. She pursed her lips as she thought about her previous nations, and even wondered what the other nations'' situation would be. How well they were doing in terms of development. Unlike Earth, this world wasn''t necessarily tight in terms of internationalmunications. They were mostly private about their matters. Chapter 136: The Test Chapter 136: The Test Estelle pursed her lips, humming as she observed the room''s interiors. It was her first time entering this particr room. "Then? What does the papers have to do with it? Are they any preparations going to this matter?" she stared at the scattered papers on the table. "The papers are mostly about joint actions we are trying to form, or about the people who has been sent a request for forming a cooperation with. This concerns the nation''s resources and benefits, so Shirley has to overlook them too," Aleksei exined. "As for the preparations... We are trying our hardest, but keeping it undercover is honestly a tough work to do," Estelle slowly nodded, taking in the information Aleksei gave her. "Well, who am I to proudly proim it as ''we''? I am not exactly included in this dilemma," Aleksei chuckled. "Aren''t you going to be helping in one way or another in the end? Might as well count it right now. Where''s the Neil, by the way?" They have been talking continuously, but the man had not showed up yet even though his loyalty was off the charts. If the Queen had sent for him in such a brazen way, shouldn''t he be here in a sh? However, they had to take into ount that Neil could be busy with other matters and did not hear the Queen''s shouts. In a few seconds, that thought was destroyed. An intruder arrived. "I''m here," Neil suddenly entered through the windows, jumping inside and looking around the room with monkey-like movements. He spotted the passed out Shirley and sighed. "As I expected.. the Queen is drunk again," Neil rubbed his temples, approaching Shirley''s working table and tidying up the things on the surface. Immediately, they were able to notice that Neil was alone. Which was strange, considering how he is usually always stuck with his twin sister. "Ao, where is your sister?" Estelle took the opportunity to ask. Neil sent a cold look towards her way, before turning his attention back onto Shirley. "Just wait," he said in a low volume. "Wait for me, you little brat! How could you do such an improper act like jumping into the Queen''s windows?!" A panicked voice that came from the lower floors entered their ears. Right after that, another figure entered, but this time it was through the door. Lo and behold, it was the very twin sister Estelle was asking about just a few moments ago. An angry Niki could be seen huffing and puffing. Her cheeks were red, as her chest moved up and down heavily after a deadly sprint she made to catch up with Neil. "Sister, I told you that the Queen was sleeping. Please be quiet," Neil frowned, acting as if he did not do anything wrong and Niki was just being unreasonable. "You- brat!" Niki pointed at Neil. She then remembered that Shirley was unconscious and immediately lowered her volume as to not disturb the esteemed figure. "Here we go again, you are being so noisy in the Queen''s presence. Either way, didn''t Her Highness herself tell us that we are allowed to do this?" Neil argued. "But still!!" Niki stomped her steps all the way to Neil''s side. She decided to drop the case as it wasn''t as impactful as the other cases. "So? Since the Queen called for me.. there must be a reason for that. Can I assume that the reason rtes to the two of you.. particrly the silver-haired girl?" Neil turned his head to look at the pair, scrutinizing them with a piercing gaze. Neil had aplicated view towards Aleksei. On one side, he was the Prince, his master''s younger brother, and someone he had to respect in terms of literal status. However, even he could tell that the Queen also did notpletely trust him. The crafty man with never ending plots lying inside his mind. Now that he seemed to have decided to help Estelle, Neil began to suspect a strange plot brewing. A scheme for unknown targets. He did not think that Estelle broke any of the rules. In fact, Aleksei was such an outrageous and unpredictable man that one would never be sure of categorizing a probability of actions to him. "Oh right... I forgot, this is thest day of our challenge. What are you here for.. Let me guess, you couldn''t do it and want to change the challenge? By no means am I-" "I finished the challenge properly, thank you very much. Now, if you could kindly step outside with me for a few moments so I can show you my results, that would be greatly appreciated," Estelle cut the man''s words off, crossing her arms and smiling widely. "..going to do that," Neil finished off his sentence, but it took him a couple seconds to fully digest what Estelle had told him. "You finished the challenge? Are you sure? Using the Moonlight Bow in three days. That was the challenge, alright? Did you get it mixed up with another thing?" Neilunched his barrage of questions as not a single part of him trusted Estelle''s words. Three days. How outrageous was that? Even the most masterful person to evere out of the Elven heritage wouldn''t be able to do it in one month aftering in contact with the Bow, let alone three days. "I didn''t mix it up.. thanks to my talented teachers and of course.. my own hard work, I finished it. I am thankful that you are aware of how outrageous your challenge was, to the point where you yourself can''t believe that I finished it. It was meant to be an impossible challenge from the start... Well, for someone that wasn''t me, that is," Estelle boasted, taking pride at how fast Neil''s facial expressions were changing with her every word. The man was in disbelief. "Or, do you perhaps want to suspect that I cheated now that my work was beyond your expectations? Feel free to do so, because I will be having a fun time proving you wrong one more time," Estelle chuckled. Neil''s face was exactly what she had been visualizing when she was engaged in her continuous training that seemed bottomless to the point where she wanted to throw everything away. Consecutive failures with no progress hurts your mentality, and Estelle faced the brunt of this effect in full force when she was training. The hard work paid off, since she was now able to get back at Neil. "..There isn''t a way to fake wielding the Moonlight Bow. Unless I see it with my own eyes," Neil red at Estelle. "I still won''t believe it, but I''ll y along with you to see just how you are going to get behind this challenge," "Alright! It''s my pleasure to show you as the rightful winner," Estelle grinned. The group of four then descended downstairs after calling another servant to keep an eye on Shirley and take care of her in case anything happened while they were away. They arrived at the open garden, where Estelle immediately took out her Moonlight Bow and went into a shooting posture. With Estelle''s confidence practically emanating from every single inch of her body, Neil began to frown. If the girl did not have a proven result to back her up, she would not be this confident. What assured her? Surely, there was no way she actuallypleted the challenge, right? Of course, Neil was about to be proven wrong in just a minute. "First of all, you never specified that the magic I had to wield was the Elven Winds, so I am going to take advantage of that and add in my own little spice," Estelle took a deep breath as she channeled herbination magic. "Second of all, although there is a different method in wielding the bow apart from what I''m going to use, I found out that this way is the most.. amodating of all. You also didn''t specify about the methods, so once again.. I am going to take full advantage of this," Estelle drew the bow, feeling the magic surge around her. She controlled everything well. Made herself rx, and her circuits loosen up to allow the flow of magic into the bow. It was only after a few seconds that the translucent string appeared, with a simr looking arrowtched onto the weapon. She drew the bow with confidence. With all thepartments in ce, she just had to shoot it, and it would seal the deal about her challenge with Neil. The end of her troubles, and possibly the start of a new one as Neil still had the authority to issue more challenges onto her. She wasn''t afraid, however, she was actually expectant. Because she believed that through surpassing this ''seemingly impossible'' challenge, it proved that she just had to work her way around the matters and find the right path to follow. That there would always be an answer. She released the string with full force, letting the arrow unleash a strong gust of wind as it traveled at a high speed and momentum before finally stabbing itself on a tree trunk. Estelle''s victory had been dered. Chapter 137: Finale Chapter 137: Finale "..There you have it," Estelle lowered the bow, turning her head to face Neil, whose splendid expression brought the utmost joy to her. Neil and Niki had different reactions. Within seconds, Niki had made slow ps and elbowed Neil with a wide grin on her face. Neil took a longer time to digest what happened in front of him. With his qualifications, he couldn''t have mistaken the scene. Estelle didplete the challenge, although she made several alterations to the original way. Neil crossed his arms and frowned, thinking deeply. After a few moments, he finally gave in. "...Alright, you have made it," Although Neil still had aplicated expression due to him not wanting to believe what he was seeing right, now, Neil was a rtively upright person who stays true to his words. If he didn''t specify something enough, and his n to kick Estelle out of the country was ruined because of that, then Neil would still acknowledge the results as valid. Because he was the one who stated the rules, and Estelle was just there to follow. If Estelle found a loophole around his rules, then that would be his fault. "Aren''t you curious?" Estelle grinned. "What do you mean?" Neil raised a brow at the girl''s cheeky expression. "Ao, I thought that you would be skeptical or something, aren''t you curious on how Ipleted the challenge?" "At the end, you are just shooting the Moonlight Bow, which is something that all of us present right now can do. Skepticism.. No, I will not do that. I believe in what I see, and you have indeed shot the Moonlight Bow without wronging the conditions I gave for you. In short, you passed, there is nothing more or less," Neil listed his judgements down. Hearing that, Estelle blinked repeatedly beforeing to a grumpy expression. "I thought I would be seeing a lot more.. colorful reactions, but I guess I was wrong," Estelle pouted. She had been waiting to flip around the tables and corner Neil, but who would''ve thought that Neil actually took everything with an open heart? "This isn''t the end. Since you think that you''re so great, then please await more challenges in the near future.. Just like how you told me to," Neil''s lips curved upwards with a challenging smirk. "Hmm... I will be waiting, then," Estelle chided. "Now, please excuse me as I still have my duties to attend to," Neil made a light nod with his head before turning around and walking away without waiting for any responses. "Ah, wait! You can''t just go away like that?!" Niki wanted to catch up with her brother, but turned back and went to approach the pair. "I will follow after him, alright?" Niki said to the pair. After saying that, however, the woman approached Estelle closer and gave a wide smile. "Well, I certainly did not expect you to seed, but congrattions anyway. Neil is.. aplicated person, but he is pretty nice once he epts you. Your feat may not have won him in one go, but his views towards you definitely increased with this challenge," "What about you? Do you approve of me?" Estelle chuckled. "Well.. It would be a stretch to say that I fully approve of you, but let us just say that you are no longer that much of an eyesore. You have proven your capabilities and talent, that''s more than enough to me," Niki waved her hand. Within the twins, Niki was unexpectedly the one who gave in easier. Perhaps it had something to do with her less rigid perception of her work and the world, but Niki was willing to somewhat ept Estelle''s existence now. "Then.. that''s a relief," Estelle said. "Relief? You shouldn''t be relieved for something like this. Neil won''t..mit untruthful injustices, but he can be bitter. Since you have became the victor this time, that guy will raise his bars. Expect a harder challenge by tomorrow. If there is nothing more to say, then I will leave right now, okay? Goodbye, you two!" Niki walked away in high spirits. She had once thought that Estelle would be gone for good with this challenge, and she also berated Neil for quite some time as a result. However, who would''ve thought that Estelle actually passed, with flying colors at that? She could not wait to tease Neil about this matter. The two were soon the only people remaining in the area. "And.. cut. That''s the end of it. I must thank you for the help, I wouldn''t have made it. Especially with the purification," Estelle came to a realization that she actually did not possess any forms of purification. If it wasn''t for Aleksei and his methods, she still would''ve failed even with Frey''s help from that time. "It was nothing much," Aleksei shrugged the matter off. "More than that, you should be careful and take care of your body. Prepare for the bacsh, because it''s not going to go away before long," "...Yeah. I will rest for today. Neil will probablye and haunt me with more challenges tomorrow, hecks the chill to do otherwise," Estelle sighed. "If.. If Ie across more trouble, then would you still be helping me?" "Well.. that depends on the matter. I am a very flexible person, you see? Everything will depend on what I feel like doing at that certain moment," Aleksei gave neither a yes or no answer. Estelle pursed her lips, thinking on whether she should form a tighter rtionship with the man before her. Something was up about him. His whole persona screamed ''I am far moreplex than what I look like''. It made Estelle want to dig up everything about him. Investigate him. Not right now, though. "Haah, then so be it. Once again, thank you very much!" Estelle made a polite bow before raising her head up again to look at Aleksei. "I''ll be going back to my room now," "Alright, take care," Aleksei said, nodding in agreement. "You too," Estelle replied before leaving towards her room. _______ As Estelle was walking back to her room, she passed through a few corridors. Unluckily, she came across someone who she was too tired to be dealing with right now. Yulia Eire, another Witch that was once someone she greatly admired and had fun spending time with. But with her recent discoveries and the turn of events, how could she bring herself to trust them further? From the beginning, there was something that Estelle immediately realized after she met with Minerva for the first time in Alfheim that made her be aware of their knowledge behind her back. The fact that Minerva wasn''t even surprised after seeing Estelle in Alfheim, even after knowing that she had passed out and was in an unstable state. Again, not once did she discuss Estelle''s past matters in the conversation they held. Not a question of worry, but instead avoidance of the matter. Wasn''t that just an obvious clue on how the sisters actually knew what was going on? Right now, that sentiment repeated. Yulia Eire was standing there with aplicated expression, stopped in her tracks and unable to move forward. Estelle, however, continued to walk further. Once she had gotten to a close distance with Yulia, Estelle halted. "...Yulia," she called out. "What brings you here?" Her expression was by no means a happy one. If she wanted to continue being gullible, believing that everything was fine and well, then she could''ve definitely yed all of this off like nothing happened. But she did not want to do that. "What''s with that expression you''re making?" Yulia tilted her head. "Are you not happy to see me?" "I don''t know, maybe it has something to do with people I have trusted for so many years haunting me with a betrayal?" "...See, about that matter-" "I''m tired right now, can we talk at another time?" Estelle was not ready for a confrontation, especially one that would involve her emotions. She hated to admit it, but she had grown far too close to her colleagues. With the sudden destruction of trust, making everything that she had gone through seem like a big, fat lie, Estelle was extremely shaken up. "Estelle..." Yulia called out, but the girl did not stay in ce any longer as she started to walk away, continuing her journey back to her abode. Estelle reached her room in a few minutes, and entered it with a tired spirit. She directly went for the bed, falling on the soft surface and entering a deep thinking session. "I don''t like this tension, too," Estelle mumbled. "But I can''t afford to have my trust broken again," How many times had she reminded herself to not be deeply involved with someone else? How many times did she have to be brought down before she learned for good? How many mistakes will it take? Painful memories, and an ufortable past piling up behind her back, when will she learn to stop making the mountain bigger? Estelle sighed, closing her eyes to rest for the day. Chapter 138: Dressing Up Chapter 138: Dressing Up The next morning, Estelle was woken up by a loud sound. It came from the door. She struggled to open her eyes, but she vaguely saw two familiar figures standing by the door. It was the twin attendants. "Good morning," Neil came in with arge smile stered on his face, going straight to the windows and opening the curtains in one wide movement. Estelle was still huddled up in her bed, but Niki came to the clutch and sessfully dragged her out of the bed. Still half awake, Estelle grumbled in frustration. The feeling of being woken up in the morning was always unpleasant. However, Estelle''s attention was brought to Neil''s face. The man had a longsting grin from the moment he stepped in until now, when he stood in front of her. Immediately, Estelle knew that the second challenge would be issued to her. After all, what else would case that man to have such a bright smile in the presence of the one and only Estelle reste, someone he was trying to kick out of Alfheim? Estelle rubbed her eyes, still feeling lethargic as she had just woken up. "Ngh.. Good morning, you two," Estelle greeted, covering her mouth as she yawned. "You should know what I am about to do, correct?" Neil teased. "Unfortunately, yes. I should have ced a limit on how many challenges you could issue, but I didn''t.. so basically, am I at your mercy as long as I''m in Alfheim? That sucks, but have fun with it while you can," Estelle replied in a straightforward manner, stating everything she thought. Neil broke into a chuckle as he nodded. "Actually, my fun isn''t going to be made right now, it will be there in a bit," "In a bit?" Estelle tilted her head. "Well then, get up and ready yourself.. I will announce the next challenge in your breakfast session. Niki, help her dress up," Neil said, gesturing to his twin sister. "Ao? What? Dress up.. Is there a special asion today?"Estelle became even more confused. Although Niki usually also handle her appearance, she did nothing more than just preparing her clothes and tidying her look up. But if Neil specifically said to be dressed up, then it entailed to something moreplex. "Who knows? You will found out either way, so just go along with my words," Neil shrugged. "I will leave Niki with you. She will handle all the attendant duties.. Now excuse me as I go to take care of another business," After saying that, the man proceeded to leave the room, closing the door behind him. The two, Estelle and Niki, were left alone. Estelle blinked repeatedly as she still failed to process what had just happened. "Haa.. The thing he is nning, what is it? Is the castle holding a party or something?" Estelle asked, casting refreshing water magic over herself. It was the way she took baths. Unless she explicitly wanted to enjoy the feeling of bathing, she usually used water spells to cleanse herself. Niki immediately took out the items she had prepared prior to her entrance. She made Estelle sit down on the dressing table after telling her to get into the outfit she chose. Estelleplied with her attendant''s words. "Party.. Close, but not exact," Niki hummed as shebed through Estelle''s silky hair. "Do you want to experiment with your hair? It has been a long time since I did someone''s hairstyle," she asked. "..Hm?" Estelle raised a brow. "Do whatever you need, whatever you think suits me. It''s an event I need to dress up for.. I don''t know much about fashion, so I will trust your styling," Estelle wasn''t someone who was keen on dressing up to the max, she preferredfortable clothing that suited the world''s style, but had her own modifications to it. As long as her outfit and styling looked presentable, she believed that her fabulous genes would carry the n anyway. "Alright, then," Niki rolled up her sleeves as she began to separate Estelle''s hair, prepared to create a beautiful style out of the locks. "..Well, I did say to dress me up, but this is.." Estelle turned around, looking at her reflection in the mirror. Estelle''s outfit theme was all white, which was a color scheme she liked. She wore a slightly puffy long sleeved white dress with a leather harness, matching leather high boots, with the outfit having delicate and detailed engravings thatpleted the set. Her hair was let down, but some of the strands were braided and put up together to be tied in the back. Her hair was made to be slightly wavy, and captured the image of a fairy very well with her exotic signature silver color and striking golden eyes. "I look beautiful," Estelle said, not feeling shameful at all with her bold im. It was a fact. "..Actually, I didn''t do much. You already look ethereal as a child. God, what would happen when you turn into an adult?" "You are exaggerating way too much, thank my parents for giving me these looks if you really want to appreciate it," Estelle humphed. She twirled around to look at her appearance and found herself to be satisfied with the styling. "Good job, though, I like this look," she gave apliment to the woman. "Of course, the very few chances where I get to style Her Highness'' looks were my favorite. I''m quite experienced in this area, do you believe me?" "After seeing your product.. I will believe you," Estelle giggled. "Now.. back to business. Exactly when is the event Neil talked about?" "Hmm... we can go there in a few minutes. Wait a second, I will check with my brother once more," Niki began to walk away, preparing to start amunication line. Leaving the woman to her own business, Estelle sat back on the bed and fiddled with her fingers, her feeling weighing heavily on her heart. She was still affected with yesterday''s meeting with Yulia Eire. She ran away because she did not know what to do. The pain that Aleksei talked about, the one that came after her purification was actually not that severe considering her pain tolerance levels. It made Estelleugh depreciatingly when she woke up from her sleep feeling the ''scorching pain'' that was promised. Actually, it just felt like she was exposed to a terribly hot day, standing under the sunlight with no protection at all. It wasn''t up to the level of the other pains she had experienced before. The pain caused her status to be imbnced for quite a while, but once she got used to the difort, Estelle was even able to go back to her slumber. Now that her senses were clear, and she was rxed, she began to wonder if her choice to run away was the right thing to do. What if Yulia wanted to convey something different, something she did not know of? What if she was wrongfully used? Sadly, inside Estelle''s mind, she had fully made up her views on the influential trio. The trio were very close, even before Estelle entered this world. To be frank, it could be said that Estelle was quite lucky to have met those three as if they were destined. However, now that she had started to discover more about the world, and her fates, she started to wonder if all of these ''coincidental'' meetings were nned from the start. She was scared to face it. She did not want to know the truth she wasn''t ready to ept. As she was thinking round and round inside her head, Niki walked back to her side. She carried news that she had received through themunication. "Ao, it seems like they are ready on the other part," Niki said. "If you want, we could go there right now," Estelle stared at Niki for a few moments, thinking about her choice. "Let''s go right now. I don''t have anything to do," Since her challenge waspleted, she did not have any schedule. "Well then, follow me!" Niki excitedly went towards the door, escorting Estelle. They began to walk side by side, passing through some corridors and chambers. The ce they stopped at? A chamber she had been to before. The Queen''s Chamber. "..I''m meeting my grandaunt today?" Estelle raised a brow. "Her Highness will be there, but it''s not only her," Niki put a finger up to her lips as she gestured for Estelle to follow as she entered the building. The guards instantly recognized Niki, so they were let in without much consideration. They went upstairs, and stopped in front of a room. From inside, small chatters could be heard. Niki opened the door, revealing their arrival and making the people''s heads turn to the opened door. Estelle''s eyes instantly went towards the table where everyone was crowded around. "Good morning.. Your Highnesses Shirley and Aleksei, Frey, and..?" Estelle pursed her lips as she greeted the people there. One person was unrecognizable. Chapter 139: The Second Trial Chapter 139: The Second Trial Shirley, Aleksei, Frey, and another person she wasn''t familiar with was sitting down on a round table, with Neil standing by their side. One chair was empty. The chair assigned to her. From just a nce, she could tell that the conference was filled with important people, especially considering the area they were in right now. With all of their eyes set on Estelle, Shirley was the first one to break the impending silence. "..Come here and sit down," Shirley said. Estelle did as she said and walked towards the chair, sitting down with ease. Shirley raised her cup of tea, sipping the liquid as she stared at Estelle. "Have you been doing well?" Despite her inner monologues, Estelle was still her grandniece. Shirley did not n to bepletely ignorant of the girl, but it couldn''t be refuted that she was a little bit unweing to her due to the impressions she had been making. "I am doing well. I havepleted Neil''s first challenge.. Although there will be more toe," Estelle said. "Right.. I was told about that yesterday. It was an impossible feat toplete.. huh? I must praise you for surviving the unreasonable guy. For the reason on why you are here.. No, the reason why Neil decided to organize this little party, if I might take a daring guess, then it would be because of you too, hm?" Shirley put back her cup back on top of the saucer, gently cing her hands on top of the table. "I suppose so," Estelle nodded, her eyes darting towards Neil. "Although, I haven''t figured out why he designed this meeting for us," Being mentioned, Neil presented himself with a bright smile, as he brought forward tes filled with desserts and small meals. "Before I announce it, why don''t we have breakfast first? I''m sure it will help digest the discussion.." With Neil''s words, Estelle grew increasingly confused over what he wanted to say. The tension that he kept going. Shrugging it off temporarily, Estelle and the rest properly ate the meals served to them and had small talks in between. However, within it all, the unknown person that had not been introduced to Estelle never spoke a word. It made Estelle uneasy, especially since the person had this strange atmosphere to them that made Estelle not want to approach. After they finished their meals, Neil and Niki cleaned the table up and came back in a jiffy. Then, Neil brought back a wooden file with papers stored inside. "Your Highness, it is time for the daily report," Neil announced. Shirley''s eyes grew sharper as she stared at Neil, who smiled widely in return. Shirley was already beginning to get the gist of what Neil wanted to say. "Indeed it is. Carry on," Shirleyid back on her chair, closing her eyes as she perked up to listen to the man''s words. "Very well," Neil ced the file gently on the table, gesturing for Shirley to take a look inside. Shirley cracked her knuckles before opening the file and scanning the contents. She immediately concluded what Neil wanted to suggest. Neil began to exin his report. "The northern district is the main source of our troubles nowadays. Mdy must already know the weight of all the work that has been piling up in order to solve this matter smoothly.. and yet, it hasn''t worked up until now as the chaos is still raging and the opponent won''t give in," "We have tried many ways, one of them being bargaining. However, the amount they asked was far too much, so we originally wanted to solve with force, but once a fight breaks out, then the chaos would spread even further to the rest of Alfheim," He sucked in a sharp breath before continuing. "Mdy, don''t you think the chaos in the northern district have been going on for too long?" Shirley''s index finger tapped on the table in a stable rhythm as she leaned her head onto her palm. "Neil, what do you suggest for this problem?" "Mdy, this might be hard to ept, but why don''t we use the assistance of your grandniece?" Neil said. Shirley''s eyes narrowed. She let out a sigh. "I knew that you wanted to do this once you said that you were doing the daily report. It''s unlike you to reveal your work to other people," "And the answer is..?" Neil questioned. "No. It''s a no for me," Shirley said. "Neil, you of all people should know how risky the extent of this problem is. It''s not just rooted withing those intruders, but the source of the problem also concerns the people that opposes me. Any moveing from me would be judged. I am in a tight position, and I can''t afford to make any mistakes," Shirley had been stressed with all the events that piled up. "If you think that trusting a little girl on this issue is enough, then I suggest that you take a day off because you clearly aren''t thinking with a right mind," Shirley scoffed. "But that is not all, mdy," Neil continued. Shirley looked at the man with tired eyes. "What else do you have up your sleeves? To begin with, why do you dislike Estelle so much?" "No, mdy. It is not out of dislike. I am just doing what she told me to do- to test her on her abilities. I am not doing anything out of the bounds, right?" "Haah. Just tell me what else you have on your mind," Shirley relented. Neil''s eyes darted towards the trio that sat on the other chairs apart from Estelle. Aleksei, Frey, and another person cloaked in a ck hood and a mask with golden embellishments on it. "It''s not going to be just Young Lady Estelle alone that''s going to the north. I will also request the assistance of three other people... The ones that are here right now," The aforementioned trio did not seemed shocked or taken aback, so Estelle quickly guessed that they have been briefed about this prior to the meeting. On the contrary, Shirley''s reaction seemed like she was hearing this news for the first time. "Mdy, I suggest that we send this team there," "...Indeed, I would''ve ced those folks in the end," Shirley responded. "Mdy, didn''t your grandniece perform an impossible miracle just yesterday? Don''t you think she would be able to perform another one? Why not let the girl go?" Shirley sighed upon hearing Neil''s relentless prodding. "...Neil, you know me well. I trust you, but I dislike failures," To Neil, who has been apanying Shirley for so many years, he knew that Shirley''s words meant that his n was approved and he was given the permission to carry on with it. "Please be assured, Your Highness," Neil bowed. "A failure will never be presented to you," "Wait, wait, wait. Wait a moment," Estelle raised her hand and cut off Neil and Shirley''s continuous back and forth speech. "Are you objecting to this challenge? I thought you wouldn''t have the right to do so, it is something we have agreed upon," Neil taunted. "No, it''s not about whether or not I''m taking up the challenge. I''m talking about the team members. Aleksei and Frey, alright. But you haven''t told me who the third person is..?" Estelle stared at the person d in ck. They had not spoken a single word, nor did they make any moves. Estelle had been wary of the person all along, and now that the news of them being set on a n to go together was set, Estelle couldn''t help but raise the question up. "Ao? That person is.. they requested to have their identity be kept secret for the time being. They will reveal themselves to you once they are ready," Neil replied. "You are telling me to finish this mission with a person I don''t even know, have never worked with, and you want there to be no failures?" Estelle raised her brow. "Are you not confident in taking this challenge up?" Neil smirked. "I am confident. I just need to know who on Earth is this important person," Estelle pointed at the ck-clothed person. "You do not need to be concerned about me. I will perform my duties well," The person finally spoke up, but the voice that came out of them was strange and altered. "A voice changer, huh?" Estelle scoffed. "Alright, keep your identity secret, I guess. Is this all you''ve wanted to tell me? I will be leaving now if that is the case," "That is indeed all.. but," Neil halted, making Estelle purse her lips. "But?" "The trip to the northern district has been nned. The date of your departure is... today, in about two hours," Neil said. "Haa?" Estelle frowned, sighing at Neil''s outrageous approaches. "Fine, you win! It was my fault for allowing you to make it hard for me," She crossed her arms, feeling wronged. "Don''t hold this against me in the future, alright?" Neil chuckled as he concluded the meeting. Chapter 140: My Baby! Chapter 140: My Baby! "..I''m not someone who likes to hold grudges, but if you keep being unreasonable.. Don''t me me!" Estelle turned her head away, pouting. How could someone announce that a sudden trip was going to be held two hours from now, without any preparations whatsoever? "Don''t worry too much, I made sure to take care of everything that''s necessary," Neil assured with a gentle smile. Inside, he was probably gloating over how he got this victory against Estelle. Ever since he was beaten yesterday, he kept his calm but was secretly plotting things on how to get back at the girl. Luckily, this dilemma was there. Not only would Estelle be troubled, she would also be away from the castle, and the problem that was continuously eating away at their brains was going to be resolved. Estelle grumbled, but she still epted. "Then, Niki will guide you to the preparations I have made for you. You can set off now, but the maximum extended schedule is two hours form now, alright~" Neil happily waved goodbye at the leaving group, closing the door shut behind him. Immediately, his Queen beckoned for him toe over. "What is it, Your Highness?" Neil asked. "Neil.. you know that the border dilemma has a high chance of.. having a deeper scheme behind the perpetrators. Not only are we in a difficult position, but there is also the chance of triggering more problems if we poke at the wrong nest. Are you sure that we can leave it to only four people, when elite soldiers actually failed to do something significant?" Shirley raised her questions. Neil shed a confident smile as he spoke back. "Fret not, mdy. The Young Lady Estelle, His Highness Aleksei, the infamous Frey Agaths, and the other one.. do you know who that is?" "Isn''t that the one who previously requested an audience with me?" "..Yes. That person''s identity, you must already know well about it. And their capabilities, too," "Well.. of course I know quite a lot about my old friend. It''s a shame that.. a lot happened, though," Shirley narrowed her eyes as she stared outside the window with a gentle gaze. "It is indeed a shame, mdy," Neil nodded. ______ Outside, the group was already heading towards a separate ce. They had no qualms with departing right now, because everything had already been taken care of by the time they arrived at the breakfast session. Thus, with just a few word exchanges back and forth, the group was ready to go forth on their journey through riding carriages and acquiring their needs from the resources the attendants provided. They got onboard and bade farewell towards Niki, who did not apany them any further. The carriage was self driven, so they were all able to huddle inside the carriage. It was quite awkward as none of them wanted to start a conversation. There was constant silence, and the atmosphere was strange. Luckily, Aleksei took charge mid-way and started a talk. "You must be stressed?" Aleksei asked, addressing Estelle. "Are you starting to dislike Neil after all this?" "Haa.. It''s not like I have any problems against Neil. He is not that bad of a person.. technically. It''s just me, right?" Estelle replied. "He picks a fight with anybody he doesn''t like, he gets extra crafty with his ways too," "Aren''t you the same?" Estelle asked. "...? The same?" Aleksei raised a brow. "Crafty.. and a mastermind. Am I wrong?" That was the sensation Estelle got from the man. Aleksei burst into small chuckles. "It''s up to each person''s perspective. I think I''m not that bad, but that''s out of my own views," Estelle internally snorted once she heard that. Her mood was not the best right now, so she chose not to dwell with the worldly matters any second longer. Rtionships and all that were soplicated that it made her want to shut her brain right off. "Whatever. I am going to sleep, wake me up when we get there," Estelle said. However, the moment she tried to lean against the carriage door, they passed through arge rock. The carriage shook and made Estelle bump her head against the surface. She winced as she held her head in pain. "Damn..." She forgot about the horrors of carriages. That was why she refused to get inside carriages and even preferred travelling by foot if she couldn''t use her space rift. Then, Estelle was suddenly reminded of the great creation she made back when her life was still stable, before all the chaos ensued one by one. The masterful turtle ship! "AHHH!!" Estelle suddenly shouted on top of her lungs, shocking Aleksei and the mysterious ck clothed person. "What? Did something happen?" Aleksei''s expression darkened as he looked left and right, searching for threats. "I forgot about my baby.." "Hah? Baby? What in the world are you talking about.. You are ten-years-old, correct?" "About to turn eleven.. but that''s not the point! My baby, the one I dedicated hours upon hours of time on!!" Estelle cried. "Hours.. upon hours? This.. is your baby an object?" "Don''t call my baby an object! It is the greatest creation I have ever made... The turtle ship. My beloved!" Estelle spared no more moments of waiting as she immediately pulled out the portable turtle ship out of her spatial inventory. Since the ship could increase and decrease its size, the ''beloved turtle'' was now being caressed by Estelle. From an outsider''s standpoint, one would only assume that the turtle was only a sculpture. But Estelle knew the extent of her invention and how far it went for the caliber of her world''s current technology advancements. She hadn''t gotten much chances to use it, but now that she was travelling, she felt like it was the perfect time. "Hey, you guys, do you mind if we.. change our method of transport..?" "From what you''ve been doing.. is the method of transport that turtle? Your baby?" "Yep!" Estelle answered with excitement brimming in her expressions. "Are you sure..?" "I am! Why, do you not trust my turtle?" "...It''s not like I don''t trust it, but at least let me see how it works first before deciding..?" "Fine!" Estelle got off their carriage and began mobilizing her creation. The turtle soon grew to life as it expanded in size. Luckily, they were currently in a secluded area and nobody else tagged along for their journey, so nobody could see Estelle bringing out this monstrous turtle. Estelle hurriedly activated the turtle''s invisibility effect and stepped inside the cabin. There, she experienced a wave of nostalgia as she could recall all the items she had designed for this specific creation. "What..." "A flying ship. Trust me, I''ve rode this before from my house to Sylvania. It ispletely safe!" Estelle pouted, gesturing for the other two to pick up their paces and follow her. "The horses can follow too, I have a separatepartment for storage," "Then.. allow me to intrude," Aleksei got up the ship in an agile manner andnded safely. The mysterious person hesitated longer, but they too got onboard. Estelle''s eyes darted to the person, wondering what it would take for them to finally reveal their identity to Estelle. Estelle deduced that Aleksei was probably already aware of their identity, but chose to not bring it up in their journey. With confidence, Estelle quickly got familiar once again with the ways on how to operate her own ship. She operated the system and made it take off into the sky. The turtle ship was very stable. Within no time, they were already sailing smoothly and with a high speed. Even Aleksei and the other guy was surprised over how well made Estelle''s creation was. "...This is pleasantly surprising," Alekseimented. "Right~ I am a genius for making this. I have tomend the me of that time~" Estelle enjoyed the breezy air as she chatted happily. Finally, her creation could be used once more. "Of that time.. which means, you made this ship when you were..?" Aleksei raised a brow. "A few years back. When did I start exactly, I wonder? I just thought that transportation would be a necessity. I think.. in total, it took me one month to figure out how to build this thing up," Estelle replied. "One month, to make all this? Ha, you are really a little monster," Alekseiughed depreciatingly. "Why would you even be amazed at the Royal Sculptors anymore? You are probably better than most of them," "Oh? Are you allowed to say that?" Estelle raised a brow. Aleksei''s statement, wasn''t it a rude one considering that he was also once a Royal Sculptor? "Slowly, but surely.. the Royal Sculptor is starting to be just an honorary title like the Royals. Everything has been built, and nothing massive has been released out of the Sculptors'' hands. How long will they be able to keep their prestige on for?" Aleksei questioned. Chapter 141: Purpose Chapter 141: Purpose "Hmm... I guess that''s a problem I don''t know about yet," Estelle yawned, remembering that she was about to sleep before she boarded the ship. "And.. I don''t really want to brood over it that much right now," "This ship.. I can make it go really fast, but I want to take a little nap. I will set it to a moderately fast speed," Estelle said, receiving a nod from the other two in turn. Estelle then soon rxed and fell asleep within no time. As time passed, fifteen minutes went in a blink of an eye, and they sessfully arrived at the supposed ce. Estelle was woken up by the two. She looked from the turtle''s transparent shell, and frowned upon seeing some of the worrisome ces. "This is the damage prevention you have been talking about? That fire... and the one over there," Although it wasn''t as noticeable if you didn''t look it from the perspective of where they were right now, clearly the problem wasn''t contained at all. "It has been going on for more than a day. Our stationed magicians couldn''t put it out, and the elite soldiers are all stationed far from the borders. Thus.. our first task is probably to put the dangerous disasters out first. Let''snd there, Estelle," Aleksei summarized. Estelle nodded in agreement, driving her turtle and aiming it at a safe ce where they cannd near the site. Once they got out the ship, they were immediately greeted with a stench. It was the stench of rotten flesh, burning objects, and a mixture of other displeasing smells. Trails of blood could be seen dispersed sporadically on objects. "I really don''t have a good feeling about all this.." Estelle took a deep sigh as she managed to prevent herself from feeling sick. She cast magic over herself to help ease her feelings. Just the greeting that weed them was already this unsettling. They walked through the lush forest. Theynded in the outskirts of the disaster, but they were now approaching the dangerous points. The nervousness over what awaited them rose. A few steps turned out to be all that it took for them to be reminded of what they were against. Right then and there, the group met the first casualty on the scene. The victim was already dead, but the condition he died in was extremely gruesome. His body was mutted into two pieces, with his guts spilling out of his abdominal area and bugs crowding around the horrid corpse. His legs burnt to a crisp, and his bones could be seen protruding out of the skin. Estelle immediately covered her mouth because she felt her stomach churn. Although she wasn''t as sensitive to deaths anymore, terrorizing scenes like this still affected her massively. She turned her head away, wanting to forget about the sight that was now imprinted inside her pitiful mind. "..I will take the initiative to give him a proper rest. Cremation is the best form of respect we can offer him if he''s already in this state," Frey walked towards the dead man, crouching as she raised her right hand and formed a blue fireball. She swiped her hand above the man''s entire body, and he then became engulfed in said fire. His body burned at a fast rate, and with Frey''s maintenance and care, his corpse was soon amounting to nothing but the ashes. Frey umted the ashes to one spot, then used her Wind Magic to blow the particles away and into the air. To tell the truth, she was also not ustomed to seeing this kind of wretched body, but she had seen it before. The cruelties people can do. The savages that were threatening her homend, she would make sure that they suffered under the same conditions they put their victims through. They acted inhumane, and went on a rampage inside another''snd. Brute outsiders. Precisely because of people like them, tensions between countries existed. Because people like them caused havoc and riots within another''s territory, one would build a sense of reluctance and prejudice when initiating with another race. Not to mention, there was also the very thing that made Alfheim just as seclusive as Sylvania, the country of the Spirits. They were once wronged by the hands of imbeciles, which were a collection of various races that brought terror into their space. Frey thoughtfully sped her hands and offered a prayer to the fallen man before standing back up. She was also there when major tragedies happened. When it happened, sheughed cynically. Because they were promised Unity. Unity between the countries, with Elysium being the center of it all. That they would all have an amiable rtionship and not the wars that ensued out of nowhere, implicating all the countries whether they were willing or not. What Unity? Clearly, the best case of scenario was when they all lived and minded their own business without mingling with each other. Alfheim was able to thrive even without the interference of others because they were self producing and fulfilled their needs without having to borrow another country''s assets. The rest of the group followed Frey''s example and offered up a prayer. They then swallowed the incident down and did not mention it anymore as they proceeded to walk forward, going towards the disaster''s main sites. The group worked together to conclude the imminent disasters. The fires, the stray bandits and criminals, the tragic leftover corpses that were all left behind in bad states, they had seen it all and cleaned everything up. By this point, whoever was orchestrating this entire ruckus should already be aware of their arrival, but something was not right. The enemies they had faced, none of them were really exceptional. To cause such a huge chaos, just bandits and lower criminals wouldn''t have been enough. They suspected that a higher authoritative being was behind it as a mastermind, they just had to locate where this special enemy was. They cleaned the scene rather easily, but it did take time since they were thorough and careful with their deeds. As they were going through the forest and performing their duties, time naturally passed. "Let''s take a short rest here," Aleksei leaned against a tree trunk and said nothing more. He immediately crouched down and satfortably. "We don''t have a due date for this job, I think rushing won''t do us anything good," The others were more or less thinking the same thing except for Estelle, who still wanted to go forth. She wasn''t tired. "...You three can have a rest. I think I''m going to go peek deeper into the forests.." Estelle said, receiving sounds of agreement. She turned around and left after marking the ce the group was resting at. "If you are done with your rest,e and find me. I will leave traces for you to follow," "En, take care. Give us alerts if something happens," Frey said, warning the girl. Even if Estelle was powerful, there were many situations that would put her at a disadvantage, the most prominent ones being traps she can''t fight back from. Estelle nodded, her expression serious as she knew that they were not ying around. The enemy they were facing were possibly just a lure to make them lower their guards down and think that the perpetrators weren''t all that mighty, but that should not be the case. If it was, then the problem would''ve been solved much earlier than this. Estelle left the group and scoured inside the forest, climbing up a tree and looking over the area. "Let''s see..." Estelle stood on a tree branch, her steps light as she jumped from one tree to another while scanning the area. She took care of messy scenes, sweeping it up and noting down things. It was as if the lower ss enemies were building up a staircase, stages to the final boss. Like they were purposefully scattered that way and made to stand in their respective areas. If not, the alerts that theirrades had died should''ve reached them through some sort ofmunication method, but they didn''t pay any heed to that. Estelle thought about this matter with suspicions looming over her thoughts. What would their motives be? Clearly, if it was to demand something from Alfheim, they would be more aggressive. But instead of doing that, they did nothing but ask for a ridiculous amount of money and keep the disaster to the specified areas, as if gatekeeping over them. It was like they were trying to lure the attention to this area on purpose without really trying to cause any damage or gain anything. Estelle was able to clear the area with ease, but she stopped after feeling a strange atmosphere. She squatted and halted her movements, sensing the entity that was now entering her senses. [This one is different.] She thought internally. There was another entity, several levels higher than what she had faced. This one was enough to make Estelle''s wariness skyrocket. However, that wasn''t all. One turned to two. Then three, four, five, and so on. Chapter 142: Attackers Chapter 142: Attackers Without noticing, Estelle was now surrounded by these people who she wasn''t sure about. But she knew that they were definitely strong. Stronger than the previous ones. The total number she could detect amounted to nine. She wasn''t sure if there was more lurking somewhere she didn''t pick up yet. She did not want to activate her magic yet in order to not alert the ''opponent''. She gulped a mouthful of saliva before calming herself down, rationally considering her choices. [What do I do in this situation?] she asked herself. First of all, she hadn''t directly confirmed whether the surrounding people were hostile to her or not, but she was almostpletely sure that they were judging from the contexts. They were in a deep forest, where anything could happen and it would have a high chance of not being found out. Estelle took a deep breath and carefully prepared her magical abilities, getting into a fighting stance. Seconds passed. Not a single move was made. Estelle stayed in her position, and the opponent also did the same. The girl was waiting for them to make the first move. To confirm that they really were enemies that she needed to defeat. The moment her decision was confirmed, Estelle would go all out and spare nothing whilst also keeping the secret alive. It was a waiting game. The group of pursuers also seemed to be waiting Estelle''s first move. Escaping would be too far of a theory as Estelle was already circled. Estelle just readied herself and waited. Then, it came. The first move was made by her pursuers. One man lunged high up in the air, wielding a sharp de and hacking it downwards, wanting to hit Estelle. Estelle scornfully smirked as she dodged the de and instantaneously made a mana ball. Closebat was not her strong suit, but she had little area to work with. She could very easily be overpowered. If moving around the ground was not possible, then to the sky it was. Estelle cast flight magic on herself, making a high jump and shooting down a magic bullet at the first enemy that attacked her. It was a direct hit because everything was executed consecutively within a short period of time. The man felt burning pain spread through his entire body as he screamed loudly in pain, squirming around until he could not move anymore. Estelle''s eyes hardened as she watched another death ur in front of her sights. She steeled her heart, telling herself that more deaths was bound to happen. Whether it was now, or the near future. They were at fault for attacking her. If they were prepared to attack, then they should also be prepared to be attacked. [That volume.. Considering how far we are in the forest, I think the group should be able to hear it if they were alert enough.] Estelle deduced. She thought of her entourage''s lineup. They were all powerful people, but was it really necessary to get them involved? [Which means that there is a chance for them toe here.] Estelle sighed. Estelle debated with herself, whether or not she wanted to involve the group in this matter. Judging by how the men performed, it seemed like the target was herself rather than the group. Not only was it an instinctive guess, it was also based on the fact that they were so careful with their movements. As if it was all nned. For her? In Alfheim? She was also shocked. How could her pursuers be here? Her true identity, that of a Duke''s daughter, was already fading to nothing ever since her news was dered as missing. Although it was all a farce to begin with, the people believed in that statement and grieved. "That''s one," Estelle counted, lowering her hand down and lurching upwards to get the higher ground. She cracked her knuckles as she manifested her second bullet, pointing at a certain spot and shooting it. She had mapped out all eight of the remaining men''s positions, and it was very easy for her to shoot from this standpoint. That was, if her enemies were as simple as the monsters she once fought. Since they were skilled, naturally they also had powers of flight. Two approached her to get a closer distance, anotherunched an attack at her. Their tactics were very concise, yet effective. To surround their enemy and leave no chances of movement to be made. Estelle repelled the thrown attack, but the two figures who wanted to pin her down alsounched attacks and left her with no chance to breathe. Estelle had to release a defense mechanism in order to protect herself from one side, but the figures quickly intertwined with each other tounch attacks left and right. With the distance they got to, Estelle was forced to retreat even higher and get away from the pursuers. They started to chase. Estelle clicked her tongue. They were all skilled, and the first enemy just seemed to be a tester for her powers. Like they were trying to gauge how far Estelle''s powers were. The ck-clothed men followed closely behind her movements, throwing small weapons like enchanted daggers towards her way. Estelle dodged them all skillfully and twirled around before executing her own attacks. She could not afford to just defend and run away. If she made one blunder, it would be the end of it all. She would be entrapped in an unwanted cycle of defense and being a passive fighter. That would serve her no purpose. She focused on one man each time, as she did not want them to survive and get their vitality back. Estelle noticed that the men were very trained and skilled, their resilience were also superb. Estelle shot the men one by one using her magic. She fired barrages of magic attacks at once, all aimed at each part of their bodies. "Two," Estelle watched as another man fell down to the ground. There were seven left. From her original estimation of nine people, it seemed like the guess was correct as she did not feel the presence of another one that went undetected. Estelle cast her magic once more. In order to not make the scene too shy and alert the masses, she kept it to just her magic bullets, which could be mass produced and would give out less damage if she aimed right. Of course, her aim was impable as she traced the men''s movements and trailed their steps. One more man was downed. Then, another. With Estelle''s agile steps, the men were only capable of catching up to a distance where they could throw weapons to her, but they could no longer get to a distance for closebat- her weakness. "Agh!" A man groaned as he got hit by the bullet. One hit would then be followed by two more, three, four, and so on. Basically, once they were hit and fell back, it was the perfect chance to take care of them in one go. Within no time, all nine enemies were eradicated. Estelle stood still in the air before lowering her stature down after confirming that the active chase had stopped. Her escape was actually made around the specific forest area where they started in the beginning, she didn''t stretch farther than that. "Too bad.. Unlike someone, you don''t have enough preparation to fight me yet," Estelle maintained her flight as she regted her breathing. Even after realizing that her physical abilitiescked in many parts, she hadn''t gotten the chance to improve on it deeply yet. Her constitution was not the best. She was reminded of those who had sessfully put her through agony, ones that were fullypetent in terms of nning and ying a game of waiting. However, the trouble did not end there. Estelle celebrated too quickly, she said her words too fast. The ck-clothed men were clearly unconscious before, but something started to change the moment Estelle wanted to return to her group and report the incident. They docked their head and twisted their bodies to get up once more. That wasn''t it, they also managed to immediately continue their onught of attacks. "..?!" Estelle widened her eyes, her mouth gaped in shock as the previously ''dead'' warriors came back alive and startedunching attacks back at her. "I see.. I was wrong to think that the only preparation made was this silly farce," Estelle wiped the thinyer of sweat that formed on her forehead as she jumped down once again, prepared to take down the group of enemies once more. "Of course, that would not be the case, would it?" Estelle wanted to see how borate this plot waspared to the previous ones she had faced. She cast defense magic over herself. Previously, shecked the time and leisure to do so while keeping her focus up on the men''s attacks, but now she fully blessed her whole body with enchantments and defensive properties in order to pay for herck of physical quality. Chapter 143: Hideous Chapter 143: Hideous Although, she was still fragile. She would not be able to withstand arge st of attack. "Fine! Come on, I will fight you as long as you want," Estelle was confident in her stamina and magic abilities. She just had to not get hit. Or else, something terrible could happen. Estelle took in a deep, long breath before leaping over her enemies andunching several attacks. The men, although they acted slightly sluggish after their awakening, all managed to dodge. Instead of their abilities being decreased, Estelle felt like they were powered up instead. By the unknown perpetrator, or anything that could exin this bizarre phenomena. Since they were all covered in ck, Estelle was unable to see their actual conditions. After being harmed by Estelle''s magic, they should all have severe injuries, but Estelle found no blood dripping from their bodies. This was strange. The men did not utter any words. They just had one goal, and that was to attack. It seemed like their minds were already gone, as they moved very strangely. Even having the ability to move was surprising since Estelle was sure that she had decimated her enemies although not that brutally. Estelle attacked, and most of it were dodged. However, ones that hit also did not affect them severely. They kept getting up and fighting back without rest. "Do I have to turn you all into ashes before you stop fighting back?" Estelle bit her lips, careful with her magic as she might just worsen the damages to nature if she was not considerate enough. "Then, so be it," She cast restraining magic over the enemies, but they were like rabid dogs. They fought back and wanted to break free. Luckily, Estelle''s magic was more than enough to overpower them, and they could no longer attack this time after being tied up. "Now.." Estelle gulped as she created a spear with thetest version of her Creation Magic and imbued it with mes in order to burn her enemies without causing too much coteral damage. Estelle brought her ming spears up to the air by raising her hand up, aimed them perfectly at the men''s torsos, andunched the attacks without thinking much. She left one man alone, one that she was prepared to investigate. However, she was also not too bothered with this investigation. She did not have a clear clue on what this whole farce was, and whether it was directly connected to her purposes or not. Therefore, she was able to separate her mind from being too desperate. It was not her top priority to salvage and interrogate her enemies, but instead, it was to defeat them and getting back on the track to safelypleting her indefinite mission. The men burned, but they uttered no sound. Previously, they still elicited groans when they were harmed, but none of that was present this time. Estelle frowned, confirming that something had truly been done mid battle after she had taken them down. What could be the cause? Her curiosity spiked up as she turned her head around, her eyesnding on a restrained figure. Estelle approached the sole person she left alive with careful movements. Slowly, she used the tip of her spears- one that was not in mes and sliced the person''s clothing apart. The sight that greeted her was shocking. Estelle immediately backed away. The person had no skin that was left without marks. Every inch of his skin was ckened, with stitches and weird patches of discolored skin being strewn all over his body. Injuries that did not heal properly turned necrotic, some were oozing with pus, and the stench it emitted was very simr to the one Estelle smelled once she reached the forest- rotten corpses. The smell of death. "...This is disgusting," Estelle held back the urge to look away as she once again got closer after making sure that she was well protected. She wanted to see more. To see just what kind of atrocity was done on this specimen. Her movements slowly trailed around the person''s body, opening the entire outfit up. The rotting, disfigured body was tightly hidden behind the ck gauzes that seemed to also contain magic. It was hard to believe that up until being taken down by Estelle the first time, they were real people who had a clear stream of consciousness and could still fight superbly. The ck gauzes must have acted as a container that somehow could hide this monstrous creature behind its wrappings. Estelle carefully tore and stored the outfit away in her space after quarantining it, wanting to keep it for future studies. His face was worse. His mouth was already sewn together, his nose had traces of surgeries on it, his eyelids were closed and rotting- meaning that he had been fighting without his eyesight the entire time. His facial skin was by no means better than the rest of his body. It was just as bad, if not worse. How could this person still be alive? The art of necromancy? There was something wrong with that theory. Before Estelle ''killed'' them, she was sure that they still had their own personal mindset, no matter what had been done to alter those minds. At the very least, it was their genuine minds and not whatever came after it. Once they were ''killed'', they began to rise up, and that was when they started acting weird. As if they were undeads. Zombies. What better words were there to describe them? They became undying warriors who knew nothing but to fight for this unknown purpose. To hunt Estelle? But why? Because she was the Duke''s Daughter? Because she was secretly Alfheim''s princess? Because she was Estelle reste, and someone knew how special she was? Although she hated to admit it, whoever was behind this strategy was definitely talented in their field. It was not an honorable act, but being sessful in this proved that they possessed great power that was unfortunately put into this research. Estelle huffed before setting herst spear on mes, stabbing it onto the now naked body. Hisrades had already been turned into ashes at this point, and he was the only one left behind. Estelle sped her hands together and offered up a prayer for whoever he was, for he had to withstand such a terrible fate and ending to his life. "Even so.. there are actually many powerful people whose names I came to learn only after meeting them directly," An example would be Frey Agatha. If not for their meeting, she would have never known that the Void Witch was still very much alive, and was actually not named what they thought was her name all this time. Aleksei was also a hidden contender. Every nation held their own secrets, and their own powerhouses. It became apparent to her that these things could only be found out once she had interacted with them and confirmed their prowess by herself. Right now, she was very curious about who on Earth managed to concoct these men''s inner mechanism. She picked up her pace and started flying back towards her group, anxious to let them know what was up. To her surprise, Frey was already mid way through seeking her out. Estelle met the Witch on her journey back to reuniting with the group. She did guess that the group would hear her fight, but she did not think that they would actually pursue since the screams they would hear was of her opponents and not Estelle. Since the group knew her prowess, she had came to the conclusion that they would leave it to her. "...What happened? We heard several screams, but they were all scattered sporadically.. Did you take care of them?" she asked. "I did, but there is something much more significant that we need to talk about," With a serious gaze, Estelle stared at Frey. Frey understood the severity of the situation. Although she was very curious about what Estelle found out, she held herself back and regrouped with Aleksei and the mysterious person. The two members were actually still near their resting space, as Frey was the only one tasked to actually chase Estelle''s position down. Estelle spared no time as she began exining what had happened. "Take a look at this," Estelle took out the cloth that she picked up from the men. "These are remnants of the men I fought. They were not normal soldiers, nor are these cloth normal," Estelle exined. "The bodies they hid behind these cloths are decorated by endless marks and injuries, not a single spot of them was devoid of filth. Even while bearing those, and after having received my attacks, they were ''revived''. They fell unconscious, but within seconds, they got back up and started attacking again. I ended up burning all of them before everything could end," Aleksei handled the strange cloth with scrutinizing eyes. "It feels ominous," "Wait until you see the actual condition of the men.. It is a sight that you would want to erase out of your memories," Estelle snorted. "Give that to me," The mysterious person spoke up, extending their hand forward. Chapter 144: Order Chapter 144: Order "..Here you go. Do you have any ideas on what this is?" Estelle gave the item to the person cautiously. The person rummaged the item, raising their free hand into the air and casting magic circles over the item. A strong, radiant purple light shed and gleamed around the item. "Not particrly. But I might have a clue that can lead to the discovery of who made this thing," They stated. Estelle raised a brow, wondering how that was possible. The person sighed, handing the cloth back to Estelle as they crossed their arms and spoke. "It is a group that I... No, we have been tailing recently," Before Estelle was able to get more exnation on those words, Frey interjected the conversation. "You are really a member from that institution, right? Howe you guys are getting involved with the world''s selective issues? I thought it went against your Association''s policy," Frey questioned. The mysterious person slowly turned their head towards Frey''s direction and cast a fast ice ball towards her way. [Ice?] Estelle marked down the element disyed by this unknown figure. The attack was of course, dispelled by Frey. "What was that for?!" Frey brushed off her hands, which was slightly hurt due to the person''s sudden attack. She had to react fast and couldn''t deflect it fully without getting injured a bit. Although, she immediately recovered herself right after. "...Was there a need to state that? Furthermore, am I not helping you Elves in solving this case right now? Isn''t that a form of involvement as well?" The person raised their volume. "Well, we did not ask you to do so. You were the one who came here and readily epted the offer Neil made for formality. You are tagging along with us, not the opposite," Frey rebutted. "If you are not sincere in this, then just back out now. Losing you in this trip isn''t too much of a big deal for us. Right, you two?" Turning her head around to Aleksei and Estelle, she tilted her head and asked. Estelle did not know the identity of the person yet, so she couldn''t offer up a fair judgement, but judging from the situation, it seemed like the mysterious person and Frey had quite the rtionship. She also mentioned Elysium and the keyword: Association. Estelle spun her head around to recall what might the two words imply and narrowed the selection down to one notorious organization that was by no means transparent to the public. Elysium''s Order. It was an organization that wasposed of talented, influential people that ruled over thends of Elysium. Because Elysium''s ruling system depended highly on freedom, instead of being true Rulers, the members of this association were akin to judges. Overseers. They would look over thends and cater to the problems. ept and educate talented people for future purposes. They also epted people from all over the world, but the members'' reasonings would always be separated into two. Ones that wanted to be a ''permanent member'', meaning that they were to stay in Elysium and act as one of the judges for the country. Ones that wanted to be an ''honorary member'', meaning that they would be free to leave Elysium and go back to their respective countries, but they would still have duties attached to the Order and connections with the institution. No one except for their direct members could fully exin what went on behind the doors of this Association. They had many buildings, but their ultimate direction was one, that is the Order situated in the center point of Elysium, neighboring with the famous Elysium Academy. To tell the truth, one could be an honorary member of the Order and they could pass through a random street with no one recognizing their connections to the infamous institution. Thus, this made Estelle suspect that Frey and Aleksei might possibly be the Order''s member. It was possible. Both were powerful figures that studied with their respective fields, and yet no one could pinpoint where they culminated their talents at. Both were acquaintances with each other and with this mysterious person. If the answer was that they were members trained at this Association, then it would make sense. "I am not tagging along. I have a duty for the Order. It is an issue that we have been actively discussing within our ranks. A world rank threat, a possible breach for all countries," The person stated. "The fact that I came to Alfheim was not only for sightseeing. If you haven''t noticed yet, then I must say that you have dulled down, Frey Agatha. There is clearly something wrong with your country.. Well, not only your country, but the entire world," Estelle was shocked by the amount of words the mysterious person spoke. Before, they were silent for most of the time. "But you hold a position in the Order''s Major Board. That''s more than enough reason for you to not mingle with the world too much, isn''t it? Does it have to be you? Couldn''t the other minority memberse, since you are busy with Elysium''s matters?" Frey''s words sounded provocative. "I was pushed to the position by that person. You were almost forced on a seat too, who are you to talk? Never mind all that, there is still someone who does not know my identity right here," The personined. "If you keep talking about personal matters, then I am going to get mad soon," "Frey," Aleksei called out to the Witch with a stern voice, indicating that he was warning her. "...I got it, I know. I just don''t like this person at all," Frey sighed. They had aplicated rtionship. They were once close friends at the institute, back when they were young and still pursuing education. However, Frey had done what the other person considered as an ''unforgivable act''. Their friendship broke down and they separated into their own paths. Frey went to Alfheim, whereas the other had to stay in Elysium as the primary board''s major seat holder. "I am here to collect information, and confirm some things. The threat I mentioned is still not shared within the minor seat holders, hence why I said ''our ranks'' and not the Association itself. It is definitely not something that should be handled by the minority members," "Still, why does it have to be you?" Frey fought back. "I did nothing wrong. I am innocent, hence why I can interact with you smoothly. I am not at fault, but you are the one who has some lingering debts with me," Estelle began to fantasize about what exactly went on between these two figures. They were clearly acquaintances back in the days, before they settled in their respective positions. They had to have been close, or at least shared a rivalry bond. Then, what happened? Debts? Faults? Was there something that triggered the discord between them? "Shit, I really can''t stand you," Frey ruffled her hair. "If you know something, then hurry and spill it out. Rather than bickering, let''s just go and solve this damned problem and go back to the capital," "...So be it. However, it must be noted that you were the one who started it in the first ce," The person sighed. "That aside, I will repeat my hypothesis. I suspect that this material, this discovery came from the group that we have been trying to catch. Their names are unknown, but we have attached the name ''Noir'' to them. The descriptions Estelle ryed seemed to have matched with one of our findings on the group," "In actuality, its hard to say that they are one group. Although this hasn''t been confirmed yet, it is suspected that ''Noir'' has a sibling group, which we have decided to name ''Lune''. Like their names, they are pr opposites, yet their actions seemed to be headed the same way, and that is basically causing chaos over the whole world. As I said before, the minor seat holders and honorary positions haven''t been notified yet, but us at the main chairs have been talking about this for quite some time," They exined. "I suspect that this deed was not done by casual trespassers.. But instead, it was the work of ''Noir''," The person stated. "So, to te-" Arge shing sound psed. It was a powerful attackunched out of nowhere, and again, Estelle did not feel the attack''s presence up until it was visible to her eye. It was fast, vigorous, and nearly undetectable if it wasn''t for their polished eyes. It was aimed at the group as a whole, but concentrated around Frey''s side. The one to defend that right away was the mysterious person, who was now a few steps away from them, with their hand in the air and purple magic circles surrounding her. The attack was contained within that split second. Estelle blinked, her adrenaline spiking up as her body instinctively wanted to reach out when her reaction time activated. And yet, this mysterious person beat her to it. Chapter 145: Liviera Skye Chapter 145: Liviera Skye "What did you say about losing me isn''t a big deal again?" With a scorning tone, the personughed. "If it wasn''t for me.. would a simr case to the incident from that day repeat once more?" In the midst of all that, Estelle let out a short, relieved breath as nothing severe happened and none of them were hit hard by the attack. "..Urk," Frey disyed an ufortable expression as she averted her gaze. "This doesn''t count. I was careless," Rubbing the sides of her arms, she said. The surprise attack triggered another change. The mysterious person''s features were exposed bit by bit as the ck cloth that covered them vanished, dispersing into fragments. "Still so careless.. as ever. Frey Agatha, how much do I have to remind you that you are going to suffer from this trait of yours badly one day?" The person''s voice began to shift as well, returning back to their true voice and revealing their identity. "You never change," she added. Striking violet colored strands of hair that stretched down to her waist and a matching pair of ring blood red eyes. The woman''s appearance was stunning, a beauty that one would find difficult to look straight at. One that would make you want to avert your gaze away due to shyness, and yet could not pull your eyes off from. "Tch! What do you have to say about yourself? You damned vampire, you have never changed from the very first day we met!" "What vampire? So unscientific. There are no vampires in this world," The violet haired person replied. "In addition, the day our first encounter urred was when I was already a spectacr figure. I was calm andposed, unlike you. Frey Agatha, you were wild and unbridled, unbing of the Association''s status," "Association''s status, I don''t need such a thing. It disgusts me," Frey replied. "I joined the Association without knowing the real truth behind its inner workings. How could I be willing toply? Tell me, vampire," Estelle looked at the two with puzzled eyes, then focused her gaze onto the direction from which the attack came from. Clearly, they were being attacked right now, howe they could afford to ignore the dire situation and continue arguing? Estelle met Aleksei''s gaze and knew that both of them shared the same thoughts. "You two, instead of bickering right now, don''t we all have to clean up this ce first?" With a menacing look, Aleksei approached the two women and towered over them due to his great height. Frey and the mysterious person was not that tall, so inparison to Aleksei, who was practically a giant, they looked small. "This woman started it first!" Frey clenched her fists as she made a wronged expression and pointed at the violet haireddy. "Teacher.. No... Frey. Agatha. If you don''t quit acting like that, I will personally send you off to our enemies. I''ll wrap you up in a cute present box with ribbons and deliver it to them with sparkles and confetti," Aleksei threatened with a kind smile. "Ah, ah! I get it, I get it, get away from me!" Freyined. "Tch, youngsters these days have no respect for their esteemed teachers.." Frey regted her breath as she calmed down. She then turned to look at the violet haireddy and raised her head up smugly. "Oi, vampire, do you want to bet who gets to end the life of this sneaky bastard first?" Frey challenged. Thedy did not respond, but instead brushed off some dust that got on her clothing now that her ck cloak was dispersed. "Scared?" Frey instigated, giving a mocking smile to the woman. After a few seconds, a sigh was heard from the violetdy. "It would be my pleasure to win over you once again," "Don''t be cocky, you are being too overconfident. Aleksei, Estelle, you two stay here. As a form of payback for our bickering, we will take this coward down," Frey nced at the pair who was standing side by side and left no chance for them to reply before taking her attention off of the two. "Change that ''we'' to ''she'' and it will finally hold some truth," Thedy spoke. "This kind of small fry who can''t even fight without using surprise attacks won''t even withstand a single blow," "Whatever! We will see the end result. The chase starts in three seconds. 1.. 2..." Frey counted up. "3!" She raised her voice, simultaneously jumping upwards into the sky and headed towards her enemy. The violet haireddy also did the same. Although she started out a secondter, she was much more agile than Frey. In the end, she caught up to the Witch and went deeper inside the forest. Estelle and Aleksei, who were told to stay put looked at each other and let out a sigh. "Since I have seen her appearance now, can I at least know who that was? The violet haired ''vampire''?" Aleksei looked at her withplicated eyes before he rubbed his temples with a tired gaze. "Haah.. I am not from my teacher''s era, we have arge age gap. But I have heard the notoriety those two created. She and my teacher is the epitome of dumb and dumber. No one knows what truly urred between them to the point where they have thisrge, unnecessary, and unending feud. Some say that it was because one betrayed the other, but there are many theories. Both of them are people who don''t actively partake in socializing, so they have little acquaintances. Strangely, despite their fights, they don''t avoid interacting with each other, but instead only have this tense rivalry and poisonous rtionship. However.." Aleksei began to tell the story, yet stopped. "However?" Estelle was curious, so she inquired further. "These two are practically the perfect duo in terms of work," Aleksei let out a gentle sigh. As if everything was timed, and Estelle was watching a y where Aleksei was the narrator, Frey and the violet haireddy was back with an immobilized person in tow. Proving their ''exceptional teamwork''. Both of them held one limb of the person, carrying half of the weight each. They simultaneously dropped the body down to the ground and distanced themselves from each other right after. "I think that was my victory," The violet haireddy said. "What?! It was clearly mine! Thest blow was from me, the one who took him out in the end was me! You just attacked him after he was already unconscious, that doesn''t count!" Frey rebutted with frustration. "But the fatal attack was from me, the immobilizing effect was also from me. Frey Agatha, you should know that the one who makes a greater contribution is considered the victor by our Association''s rules," "Pei, what ''our'' Association''s rules? You are the only one who has to abide with that cursed institution, count me out of it," "...Frey Agatha, you are still an honorary member. In addition, whose fault do you think it was that I have to stick around with this endless parade of rules and "..Then run away! Just throw those curses into the void and run! Get your freedom, vampire," Frey''s tone changed. Her gaze softened as she looked at the violetdy. "I''m not irresponsible like you. Frey Agatha, even after so many years, it pains me to know that you have not matured at all," "Frey Agatha, Frey Agatha, for how long are you going to keep calling me that again and again?! You.. Liviera Skye, I''m afraid that my name will be tarnished if you don''t stop saying it," "It has been tarnished. Ever since you started doing stupid things and quit thinking logically, ever since your power ruined your mindset and turned you back into an uncouth child," ''Liviera'' furrowed her brows after hearing her own name be spoken out loud when there was someone who was not informed of her identity. However, she quickly calmed herself down after epting that Estelle, the girl was not a simple person. Using her abilities and connections, she was able to find out roughly about who Estelle was. She was the newest addition to the Royal Elven family, a long lost princess and the current Queen''s grandniece. Liviera also quickly recognized the girl, because the Association had been keeping an eye and collecting news about this apparent monster silently. Although they hadn''t put much attention on her, she was once discussed in several asions due to the turbulence she had caused. Although, once the news of her apparent death was passed everywhere, the Association did not track her down since she was not that much of a big deal. Now that the genuine Estelle reste was right before her, and showed astounding power unlikely of her age and origins, Liviera had garnered some interest on the girl. "You, right there. Come over," Liviera beckoned for Estelle to approach her, which the girl did without much thought. Chapter 146: A Hidden Past Chapter 146: A Hidden Past Estelle was curious about Liviera too, and what the long history between her and the famous Void Witch was. "Now that you have learned about my identity due to Frey Agatha''s stupidity, how should we tolerate this situation? Estelle reste from Alynthi?" Liviera stated Estelle''s identity with confidence. Listening to her own status being mentioned, Estelle flinched internally out of reflex, but soon found it logical for Liviera to be able to get that information due to her special status. As a member of a family with a high nobility rank, in addition to standing out for their entric qualities that separated them from the other families, Estelle was definitely not an insignificant person. "Livi, she''s not in the wrong," Aleksei butted in, addressing the woman with the nickname ''Livi'', which showed that the pair was also quite close. "I know, I am not going to hold it against her. I am just curious.. about this girl," Liviera chuckled lowly as she examined Estelle withplex eyes. Estelle felt difort after being stared at like that and her eyes flickered. "Haah, Frey Agatha, you are really my death star," Livierained. "I can''t even begin to count how many strings of bad luck you''ve brought me over the past years we have been acquainted. It''s quite the special trait in itself, to be able to attract so many misfortunes. Did you know how much trouble you made, that eventually also implicated me?" "The same goes for me, you vampire!" Frey said. "Wh The two were like fire and water, both would not mix and would not back down to each other. However, once they found their perfect bnce, these two opposite personalities were actually able to coincide and perform spectacrly. "There''s nothing I could do at this point apart from hical procedures, which is definitely not the logical solution in this case. I will just let you be, but be mindful," Liviera ignored Frey''s remark and warned Estelle vaguely. Estelle nodded, promising to not spill this entire encounter''s details to herself. Then, it was time to discuss their mission once again. "Now then, about ''Noir'' and ''Lune''. Now that I have battled one of the perpetrators directly, I can confirm that the opponent does hold a simr vibe to ''Noir''. We can assume that Noir ys a role in this case, which rtes to my job.. so excuse me as I contact the headquarters to deliver this message for a moment," Liviera walked away from the crowd and went deep inside the forest. The ones left behind stood still for a couple second before one spoke. Estelle crossed her arms once she confirmed that Liviera was nowhere in sight. "Hn, I thought that she would be much more angrier at me, but theck of reaction is quite surprising," Estelle mused. "Well, she''s not the type to freak out over small things. Although you now know her identity, what can you do with it? It''s not like you can exploit it or something. The reason why she got revealed was.. urk, it was my fault, and that vampire isn''t unreasonable. She would not me it on you since you are innocent," Frey defended the case unconsciously, which showed that she knew the violetdy''s perks. "Actually.. I am curious about some things," Estelle scratched the sides of her head as she pondered upon the matter. "About me and the vampire? Ask, ask all you want. I will get to decide whether I answer it or not, though," Frey nonchntly replied. Estelle stared at Frey with confused eyes. "The timeline doesn''t match... or am I missing something?" "Huh? What?" Frey furrowed her brows, not getting Estelle''s meaning. "The timeline of.. everything. The story of the Void Witch, the Elysium Order.. Teaching Aleksei, and everything that happened in between," Estelle said, voicing out her confusion. "..Hmm, I get it now, you must be wondering about... that matter," Frey said, not answering anything but gesturing for Estelle to continue her words. "En. Well, I thought that the Elysium Order was founded around the same time as the Void Witch''s active period. Then, howe.. ording to your words, the Institution was already established? Then, you went to create the spatial library, I learned that it was also in this range of time.. Come to think of it, the matter with tutoring Aleksei should also still be within this vague scope.. so, what exactly did you do?" Estelle tilted her head. Frey seemed to be everywhere. Estelle did not even know how old the woman was, but just going by the Void Witch''s appearance, she should easily be several hundred years old. She did so much things at once at different ces, times, and asions. The Elysium Order did not exist since the beginning of Elysium''s creation, it was actually a separate organization that climbed up the ranks of authority after much improvements and efforts to prove their worth towards the people. The timeline was skewed. "Well, I did travel everywhere a lot," Frey said. "About the Order.. I was actually not a student, but I did meet that vampire.. Liviera Skye as a disciple ranked person. In truth, I was one of the people who gathered to form the Order because there was some chaotic urrences that psed over Elysium. To control those situation easier, the Order was formed. And the students that were taught by the institution is set to be peace keepers in Elysium, which then stretched to other countries as well. Around this time, I frequently went out as the Void Witch. Since I also passed Alfheim from time to time, this was when I began to build up the spatial library and taught Aleksei on the side," she narrated the events. "You seem to be very busy," Estelle wondered how the woman performed like that all day. "But then, why are you not sitting in a main seat if you are one of the founders?" Estelle thought it was strange. "..Because of some incidents, I dipped out of the n and took the seat of an honorary member," Frey replied. "And am I allowed to inquire about these incidents..?" Estelle cautiously prodded. "It''s better for you to not know. It''s all in the past anyway, it''s not relevant," Frey reluctantly looked away. "..Then we will drop this topic," Estelle casually relented. It wasn''t something significant anyway. It was much more important to keep the rtionship with Frey Agatha intact. Within minutes, Liviera came back. They could finally resume their journey. "Now that we have reached this point, and so much people were taken down by us, they would definitely be alerted. It wouldn''t be strange if we are currently being tracked, being waited for to reach a point where we are vulnerable. Thus, in order to ensure safety, each of us should cover a side while we walk," Liviera said. "I will walk in the front, Aleksei to the left, Estelle to the right, and you, Frey Agatha, go to the back," she instructed. "Hey, why am I on the back?!" Frey protested. "The back is at risk of a lot of dangers. It is a corner I would not leave to a person whose capabilities I don''t trust. What are you displeased with, Frey Agatha? Do you think you can''t live up to my expectations of you?" "Ha.. hah?! What are you talking about, aren''t you just trying to minimize my contributions by taking the front charge?" Noticeably, Frey was quite flustered by Liviera''s words. "The positions are actually because of our abilities'' suitability, I am more confident in opening up the path before us than you. Frey Agatha, knowing you, you will probably make another mishap and ruin some things. Besides, I will protect the front, while you protect the back. Haven''t we done this tactic ever since the light of dawn? Did you forget already?" Liviera argued. Even though their words seemed thorny, the meaning that was entrusted were not that bad. "..Is it just me or these two seem to have more than just a baseless rivalry?" Estelle nudged Aleksei with her elbow, steering out of the two, who were currently fighting with ferocious attitudes. However, the atmosphere between them seemed a bit off. Their words also conveyed that they did not despise each other and even held quite the good sentiments. Their fights were not a result of bad intent, but instead a back and forth ry of storytelling dialogues. The more Estelle listened, the more they seemed to expose the far rtionship cast between these two. "Don''t even think about it. You may discuss that in a ce without them, but they will rage if you say it in front of them," Aleksei silently whispered. This cat and dog rtionship, Estelle really was puzzled by the showcase, but epted without much thought. Estelle nodded slowly, starting to figure and piece out the matter that happened between this two entric people by the clues she was given. Chapter 147: Discovered Chapter 147: Discovered "Start walking now," Liviera clicked her tongue, going on her own and leading the path. The other three quickly followed into the formation Liviera mentioned. They began walking and searching the forest with great caution, meeting several pesky rats on their way to the center of this Northern area. Their kill count was snugly sitting on sixteen bodies after ten minutes of walking. Since they have came so far, they sat down and had a short rest. The enemies were pretty much the same, very stealthy, and they had a ''second life''. Once killed, they would then undergo this strange process of being revived, although their essence wouldn''t be the same. Only once they arepletely obliterated would they stop moving. Thus, the way the group cleaned them up was also the same. Attacks came from various direction, so the formation Liviera made truly came in handy. They could focus on their own side, repel the attacks, and group up efficiently once the enemies were spotted. The strange thing was their enemies'' power. Although none of them could beat any of the group members, understandably, they were all elite warriors that were worth quite a lot. If they applied in a battalion, they would certainly earn quite the high rank with their proficiency. One also wouldn''t recklessly scatter these folks without much thought. This led the group to specte just how massive Noir was. To be able to afford throwing these kind of soldiers, which were fodders to them but poison to many. "I have a sneaking suspicion that this entire thing is a set up, but we still need to clean up anyway," Liviera spoke up, drinking clear water from her bottle. "A set up for what?" Aleksei frowned. "A bigger n... Whether it is in Alfheim, or the entire world. They don''t seem to be satisfied after causing a havoc in Alynthi. I''m sure that the Duke''s daughter have heard of it somehow? I''m quite curious on where you ''disappeared'' to. I assume that the entire thing was a cover up, but after that.. unfortunately, we did not track your actions. Who knew that you would be here someday, meeting me in such a way," Liviera said. "Wait, Alynthi? Noir caused a havoc in Alynthi, you say? This group, could it be that they have a connection with the mutating monsters? Where the monsters got infected with ck Magic and possessed.. strange evolutions?" "..Indeed, we have discovered those traits. Those are.. perhaps the work of Noir, but could also be the work of another organization under Noir. Since their discoveries were so groundbreaking, it suits the characteristic of Noir. They are quite the strange organization. They are able to continuously pump out so much great inventions and new sides to everything," Liviera confirmed. "However, the biggest scheme they are pulling on Alynthi is surrounding the Royal family. It is about the King''s newest offspring, haven''t you heard of it?" Liviera added. "Newest offspring.. I seem to recall that, yeah," Estelle slowly nodded, recalling that one visit she paid to Duke Miller, where he told her that there was a ruckus about this. Minerva also added to that story, but Estelle was not that keen on news. Most of the knowledge she possessed belonged to her ''former colleagues'' since they had an extensive reach of deep information. "The third prince, Allen, born from a Count''s daughter, Adina Irving. At first, it was just a simple case of the King having a mistress. If that was all, then it would be great. However.. Adina turned out to be quite the troublesome figure. We have concluded that she is rted to Noir and their ns.. and the child the King is currently fixated upon is definitely holding something," Liviera said. "..Is it okay to tell all these to us?" Estelle questioned, hearing dark secrets being spilled out like nothing. "What, it''s not that big of a news. Strange rumors have already begun to surround the King, and the country is certainly falling apart with how he is coping with the changes. Sooner orter.. we don''t know yet, but Noir might be nning for something bigger. Bigger than just cing Adina Irving and Allen Riefenstahl," "Is the third prince receiving a lot of favor from that King?" Estelle asked. "He is, to the point where everybody thinks that the King has gone mad. Allen Riefenstahl turned five recently, and he was directly granted the title of Crown Prince. Who knows what tricks they used, but that braindead King was definitely turned even stupider," Liviera answered. Estelle shed back to when she entered an audience with the King. The King was simply a mediocre Ruler and person as a whole, with how he struggled to contain even the slightest twinge of emotions. Thinking back to it, she shook her head and felt distressed over the useless King. "Now then.. shall we end our rest here?" Frey stood up, stretching her body. "The chatting time is over!" she dered. The group agreed, standing up consecutively and getting back to the formation they used. It was very imprable, with all sides covered to the extreme degree. "Even so, this is going to take forever. We also have to consider the fact that.. these enemies might flee to a farther area. If that is the case, then this search will be rendered quite useless since they can just mobilize and switch up the positions within the forest," Aleksei brought up his concern. They were all aware of this fact, but no one could really formte a credible solution better than this manual searching. That was, excluding Estelle and her ideas. "Ah.. I can probably use a long range radar to cover the entire forest, but I need time," Estelle raised her hand, drawing the attention of the rest. "...The entire forest, you say?" Liviera furrowed her brows. Even to her, who held a major standing in the Elysium Order, hearing such a thing was too much of a shocker. "En, I can afford to do that," Estelle readily replied. All of them could use radar sensory magic, but there was one negative character that made them unusable in this situation. Radar magic took a lot of focus, and could only be done with a high level of attention towards the thing they sought. In a fight, maintaining a radar and moving about was impractical because they would be charged with a drawback. Not to mention, the range they could cover would heavily depend on the caster''s ability, and it was hard to maintain an effective radar sensory without a really capable person in charge. Thus, Estelle''s statement was quite shocking. "And after that, what? You lose all of your mana and is deemed unable to fight? It''s not worth it. It''s better to just go through the entire thing. Mana depletion can bring you a lot of risks, and your mana pool itself might even copse or deteriorate. We wouldn''t want to think about that," Liviera refused Estelle''s suggestion straight away. Estelle pursed her lips, as she knew that she had an infinite supply of mana. However, these three did not know that in detail. Aleksei must''ve known that she had an abnormallyrge supply due to her repeatedly training nonstop in front of him, but thinking that one''s mana was infinite would be too far of a stretch. "I can manage, it''s not an impossible thing. I will still be able to fight. My fighting style doesn''t require me to wield much mana anyway," Estelle casually lied. "..Come to think of it, what''s your magic again? Wind? I remember that you used Fire, too," Liviera questioned. "Uhh.. it''s," Estelle hesitated, quickly forming up another lie inside her brain. "Wind and Fire, yeah. I can also use some Unique Magic," "Hmm.. Is that so," Liviera hummed. "Then so be it. If you are confident, then do it. You will save us a lot of time and effort," Estelle heaved a sigh, thinking that she had sessfully escaped. "But.." Liviera dragged out her words. "I thought I saw you operate Water Magic inside the turtle ship," "When you cleaned the ce and yourself... It was Water Magic, right?" "And the Earth element, too, since I felt your manaing from the turtle ship''s body. Which meant that you probably fortified it with Earth Magic, even if the core materials aren''t purely Earth based. There are several shields and defenses that covered that thing, and I even sensed the Arcana Witch''s traces on the sigils. Did Yulia Eire help you?" Liviera calmly stated. Her deductions and observations were all correct. [Why.. did I meet such a person?] Estelle sweated bullets internally, not expecting her every move to be watched. She forgot that she was traveling in a group, and that one of them could potentially scrutinize her. She wasn''t careful enough. She fiddled with her fingers, anxious and nervous. After a lot of consideration, where Liviera''s stares kept poking at her conscience, Estelle finally relented. Chapter 148: Lost Connection Chapter 148: Lost Connection "Alright, I will tell you, but please.. keep this a secret as best as you can, in exchange for keeping you identity a secret on my part too," Estelle puffed her cheeks, feeling cheated. If Liviera knew, then why did she keep asking? Wasn''t this a set up from the start?! Just to make her confess on her own. Liviera smirked, giving the OK sign for Estelle''s offer. Estelle let out a sigh, calming herself down beforeposing an answer. "Basically, I can use every magic known to man, including all four elements and the Unique Magic ranges. I can also use one specific type of magic that I''m not able to disclose, but.. I''m sure that all of you will understand my wish," Estelle spoke up. To be honest, this fact being revealed was not too much of a big deal for her. It was not a bad quality to have. Besides, the three in front of her were all capable people that should know the meaning of respect and propriety. This particr information about her will spark a lot of controversy and poprity surrounding Estelle and her identity. At that point, more troublesome matters might sprout up. "..If I made you ufortable, then my apologies. I just wanted to probe around a little bit, you see," Liviera chuckled, trying to make the lingering atmosphere a bit merrier after Estelle''s words made things slightly awkward. "Mhm, I totally understand," Estelle gave a bright smile, keeping this amiable rtionship intact. "Anyway, please start your radar up, we will provide cover. Nothing will harm you during the time you concentrate," Liviera pped twice, turning everybody''s attention back to the imminent mission. "Ah, I actually don''t need to focus that much, but protection will be dly appreciated," Estelle began channeling her pure mana and starting up the radar set up, dispelling Liviera''s worries. She had roughly estimated the forest''s total area, so she inwardly calcted the zone she needed to cast the radar on with its sufficient ingredients. Preparing them all at the same time, she took a deep breath as she felt warmth spread throughout her entire body and surge through the forest, sweeping each inch of the area andcing it with Estelle''s overflowing mana. She should be perfectly okay even after the radar has been set up. Her golden mana caused the others to feel changes within themselves, being affected and stimted by Estelle''s discharge. "This density.. it''s really crazy," Livieramented,ughing in astonishment as she set up protective magic over the girl. Setting up arge scale radar like this, their enemies was bound to find out about their positions sooner orter. To counter that, they will clean up whoever tried to move using Estelle''s radar. It was truly the best n. "..Right? I have watched her wield magic in front of me before, but it wasn''t as potent as this. To think that this cane out of a mere human.." Frey added. "Teacher, Livi, you two have amunication shell, right? Let''s set up a temporary channel. I will stay here and protect Estelle, while you two go out there and move ording to my instructions," Aleksei proposed to hurry things up. Even though Estelle closed her eyes, she was still able to hear the full conversation the group had, but she did not speak in order to fully focus on her matters. She gave a silent nod as an indicator that she was set on the n Aleksei suggested. It would be easier and much more efficient. Liviera and Frey also thought about simr methods. Upon being presented with this division, they readily agreed. This wasn''t the first time they had worked together, albeit their rtionship being a bit rocky and them constantly pitting against each other. "..Alright. I have a map of this forest, with codes marked on top of specifdmarks. I memorized everything on that, so you can give me directions using those codes," Liviera handed a scroll to Aleksei, who opened it and carefully looked at the specifications and nodded. This time, Estelle opened her eyes for a slight moment in order to peek at the map. She had a perfect memorization skill, so the map was deeply ingrained inside her brain in mere seconds. She then closed her eyes once more and went back to covering the entire forest in her presence. Immediately, just by spreading her mana, she already felt several disturbing presences that contained a simr vibe to them. Estelle discerned them as their enemies and marked their position inside her head using the codes Liviera provided. "I memorized it, I will ry the codes to Alekseiter," Estelle said, receiving the nod from the other three. The three then began chaining up their shells while Estelle went back to setting up her radar. "Test, can you hear?" Aleksei sessfully built a connection between their shells, a simple and temporary spell. "It''s working," Liviera confirmed. "Mine is also working," Frey attested. After checking with each other, the n could finally beunched. Liviera and Frey set off to the forest depths, whereas Aleksei stayed beside Estelle and paid attention to her every movements. After tracking down the two women''s location, Estelle began assigning the nearest target checkpoints and carving the most efficient pathway. "B2, a bit to the west. Three people in the area," Estelle notified the group after her radar stabilized a bit. She sat down on the ground, rxing as she felt her body be connected with the entirety of the forest. Alekseimunicated Estelle''s orders to the Livi and Frey, who executed the enemies hanging around Estelle''s mentioned areas. After feeling the death of those three disturbing energies, Estelle went to spot another group of enemy nearby. "C1, a bit north. Two people," Aleksei then contacted the two women, and they went to do their jobs. "B3, center. One person," "F4, west. Four people," "E2, east.." "G6..." One by one, the spots Estelle discovered were cleaned up by Livi and Frey. Due to Estelle''s sensitive radar, she was able to feel fluctuations of these two''s magic in action. She truly felt that they were suitable to work with each other, just as Aleksei said. Theyplemented each other well. Now, they were down to thest block on the map that had people crowding around it. "Last. G1, center, seven people," Estelle conveyed. This specific G corner had more people. This was the highest density they encountered. The two women on the other side received the order and moved to execute said words. And yet, this time, it was a bit different. Understandably, since there were more enemies to face, they would have to struggle further. But knowing their abilities, they should''ve gotten back to them. Because Liviera and Frey entered the block, the live count increased from seven to nine. There was one concerning thing. Even after minutes, the count still stayed at nine. Meaning, both sides haven''t taken down the other yet. Just then, the count decreased to seven. "...Aleksei, check with Frey and Livi. I don''t feel their fluctuations," After several rounds, Estelle had gotten familiar with the two''s signature moves and mana characteristics. If the one beaten down was the enemies, then the two''s mana should have fluctuated. However, that did not happen, and yet the count still went down to seven from nine. This meant that there was a high chance that the ones who got beaten down were Liviera and Frey. If so, then it would be dangerous. Seven people. The number she announced several minutes prior to their mana''s disappearance. What if all seven were still alive, and Liviera and Frey was both taken down without any casualties from the enemies? A Void Witch, and a high ranking Elysium Order''s seat holder. Those two figures, being beaten down in a secluded area like this? Estelle remembered the group Liviera mentioned. Noir. If these enemies belonged to Noir, then how strong could the core developers of the organization be? Estelle calmed herself down, bringing up the possibility that they might''ve retreated for a short moment before jumping in back into the fight because their enemies were seven people. That they might''ve taken down two people already, and the number seven contained the two of them and five enemies. Estelle didn''t spread out her radar to the extremities, so she was only able to feel presences. She couldn''t see anything that was happening. However, the feeling she received from this particr block were all the enemies'' signature characteristic, not Frey and Livi''s. The ufortable feeling that she kept receiving whenever her radar swept through an enemy target. Two individuals also weren''t detected in the other blocks, confirming that all the remaining individuals should be enclosed within the G1 block. This made worry sprout inside of Estelle. She still had to be in focus, so she left themunication with Aleksei. She slowly focused her radar abilities, cornering it to the G1 block. Chapter 149: Comeback Chapter 149: Comeback She retracted her mana from the other blocks and tried to gather it all around G1, wanting to pry into this particr area and get a grasp of what they were trying to face. However, instead of receiving a response, her attempt was nullified and she felt a sharp pain course through her body as she hurriedly retracted her magic altogether, giving up on trying to sneak. Facing the bacsh, she quickly assisted herself and recovered. "Did something happen?" Estelle questioned, sensing Aleksei''s change in his temperament. He too must have encountered a rock in the otherwise smooth path. "Did they say anything? I can''t feel their presence," "It''s hard to tell. Those two might''ve gotten into trouble," Aleksei clicked his tongue, constantly calling into the shell but receiving no response in return. "But who could oppose and subdue them this quickly? Surely they are not on the same level as our previous enemies? Both Frey and Liviera were the same case, unable to be detected ormunicated with. "Damn it.. do we go there right now?" Estelle slowly opened her eyes, diverting her focus from the radars to facing Aleksei with knitted brows. The two''s disappearance meant a lot. Not only would it be a huge loss if they were lost, but it would also signify their enemies'' absurd power. Noir? The organization that Liviera warned them about? Were they this strong, that they are able to take on the ''unbeatable duo'' of two supreme figures? "I think that is the best solution. G1 center area, was it? I will rush there right now, please follow after me once you retract your spells," Aleksei nodded as he began to rush towards the area that Estelle specified. Within seconds, Aleksei''s figure was nowhere to be seen. Estelle then stood up from her sitting position, hurriedly chasing after Aleksei''s tracks the moment she was done with erasing all her magic. During her run, her expression was not pacified in the slightest. Somehow, she felt unconfident. Like she was a small animal waiting for therge predator toe and munch on her. This was strange, since she never felt this kind of restricting feeling. Not even when she faced against Arayle or Elias. "..I don''t have a good feeling about this," Estelle muttered as she sped through the forest area. "I really don''t, but I hope.. it''s just my imagination," [Something feels off, terribly off.] Estelle racked her brains to think about what parts werecking in this big mystery. At first, she wasn''t suspicious of anything since this was Alfheim. A country with little to no connections with her, and all the people whom she met were newly introduced people. Nothing tied her down. But now, she felt like something was amiss. A strangling feeling. This feeling, she actually had felt it once before. When she was made helpless by one of her mortal enemies. [Heine?] Estelle suddenly had an epiphany. The colleague that she once treasured. That day, when she realized that she had been betrayed since the very beginning, she became lost, helpless, and experienced a sensationparable to what she had right now. The unknown enemy. Estelle''s emotions fluctuated. Right, the magic that flowed through this forest held a simr tinge with that man''s magic. But the simrity was too little, and the chance that Heine was even here, considering the time line and preparation this particr havoc had been going for, did not match. Estelle''s breathing pattern went astray as fear crept up inside her heart. The incident with Heine was the worst that she had gone through, it was the one that left the biggest mark on her soul. It shook her both physically and mentally. The chance was low, but not zero. Estelle had doubts. What exactly was Heine''s objective if he was the culprit? She remembered that both Minerva and Yulia were currently in thends of Alfheim. The pair of siblings that were close with the hateful Heine. The ones who were introduced to her from that same hateful person. Estelle silently cursed inside her heart. [People who could contend against the likes of Liviera and Frey...] Estelle bit her thumb as she was nearing the supposed location, only seconds away from peering into the battlefield. Then, she was stopped. She felt the sickening feeling increase tenfold and not stopping there, but instead still continuing on climbing up the parameters. Her stomach twisted and turned as she came to a halt, standing alone in the middle of the lush forest. An eerie presence began to grace her surroundings. A living being intruded her area. Carrying a confident smirk on his face, his eyesced with adoration and madness. Estelle gnashed her teeth and clenched her fists until her nails dug into her skin, breaking the barrier apart and drawing blood. She felt no pain, because the man now only meters away from her was much more painful to see. "..Indeed, if there can be people who had the ability to beat those two, then who else would it be aside from you?" Estelle spat out, her gaze filled with scorn and hatred. Freshughter, sounding crisp like ringing bells came to live. "I will take that as apliment. That would mean that you think highly of me, right?" The man chuckled. He was not trying to conceal their identity in the slightest bit. His prized emerald characteristic was clearly disyed, gently carried by the wind. If there were people who could beat those two, it should be Heine. If there were people who could bypass her radar, Heine fits into that criteria too. If there were people who had a motive to track and hunt her down, wouldn''t Heine be the closest answer to the entire riddle? Heine, Heine, Heine. The wretched man that plotted against her all these years, that same Heine, was currently once again in front of her, his intentions unknown. "I must''ve been crazy. During all our years of being acquainted, howe I''ve never noticed that you were this much of a hindrance?" Estelleughed darkly, creating a spear and casting all sorts of enhancements over herself. She couldn''t hold back the surge of emotions that rushed out after her eyes fell upon his familiar figure. She clenched her chest tightly with her free hand, restraining her sanity and keeping her calm. Her bloodlust, the need to take revenge, everything spiked up. Her breath was shaky as Heine approached her with slow steps, with a serene smile stered on his face. Like always. The man who always knew the answer to everything. He would always show up with vital information whenever she was stuck, could it be that he had known all along? Before she even started to crack down on the mystery, did he already possess all the answers.. because he was the one who concocted the entire n in the first ce? Laughable. Trulyughable. This twisted riddle, she was entirely captured within it. She thought that she was clever, that she was slowly figuring out the world, that she was going through the process one by one and would piece out the giant puzzle one day. She thought that her colleagues, due to their massive support and power were the ones she was lucky to find, a blessing granted to her out of nowhere. But the truth was different. It wasn''t just out of nowhere. Indeed, too much of a series of lucky coincidences couldn''t happen. It turns out that instead of being another puzzle solver like her, one that assisted and lent a hand to her, Heine was actually the one who made the puzzle itself. While she was a gullible person that yed into his hands, dancing on top of his palm without realizing it until it was toote. "Heine, tell me. ''Noir'', this bizarre organization, was it done by your hands?" Estelle questioned. "The monsters, our meetings, the things I went through.. everything! Heine, was it your doing all along?" "..What are you talking about, I wonder?" Heine Estelle brandished her weapon, prepared to retaliate against the man using her utmost power. Instead of reacting in a hostile way, Heine continued his ''kind'' act. "Give it up, Estelle. The current you won''t be able to beat me.. you will only hurt yourself. I wouldn''t like that very much, you know? You are still my big sister after all.. Despite being hated this much, I am willing to suffer under the injustice. Am I not the best younger brother?" Heine said with a happy tone. "If you are the best younger brother that ever existed, then I would go around the world and burn every single younger brother, dere them as sphemers, and not let any of them live. Heine, I would not dare acknowledge a younger brother like you. I''m afraid that if I turn my back around for just one second, you would already have an entire stack of plots ready to be used against me," Estelle mocked. Heine''s gaze darkened and the smile on his lips disappeared. Chapter 150: Words of Pity Chapter 150: Words of Pity "Sister, I really do not wish to hurt you. Everything I''m doing is to rescue you from this detached world. We can go back to our Creator, to the Highest Realms. Your divinity is still intact. The Absolute is preserving you, but there''s not much time left before his powers run out. Trying to keep this realm in itself was already too much of a stretch. We trespassed so many rules, so manyws, did countless sphemy to the Tree of Origin. We also... created a monstrous being to assist us," Heine said, his eyes starting to glisten with tears as his arms stretched tond on Estelle''s shoulder. However, instead of inciting pity, Estelle became further enraged. Heine''s expression and his gestures, wasn''t it just proiming himself as a victim, and her as the willful, unreasonable figure? A selfish person who had everything nned out for her, but she refused to go through with their ns? Going by the words, it really seemed like everybody was sacrificing themselves for her sake. But, s, how could she react to this entire maddening drama with a clear mind? Could she really be med? She was forced to go through several traumatic events when her mind was still trying to develop. Even though her thinking already matured, she had only gained the concept of emotions once she got into this world. She had little to no experience in understanding these emotions from the start, only relying on the knowledge she had acquired in her previous life as Reina. She was just as afraid as a child whenever things happened, but her sensible, robotic, adult ways of thinking managed to bnce it out. Even so, each pretenses were memorable. That was why, when Heine was revealed to be a betrayer, her heart practically shattered. She bore the incident with an eleven years old''s mind. "Don''t touch me," Estelle immediately swatted Heine''s hands away. Albeit her overflowing hatred, Heine''s expressions were making her ufortable. "You disgust me. I only have one little brother, and that is Noah reste," she mentioned the younger child. "Sister, we are all tired. If we drag the ns out too long, everything will copse. By then, you will truly disappear into the void. When you used extreme magic, didn''t you feel tired? When you did harsh physical activities, didn''t you feel strained even after cing enhancements over your body? That''s because your true essence is still bound to the Origin Tree, nurtured by the Absolute and your... past lover. Right, that man misses you every second. Don''t you want to reunite with him? Return to the past, where everything was stable? I was sent her to retrieve you, to guide you through the ns. Indeed, I used wrong tactics to draw you in. I admit my mistakes, I was confused and shouldn''t have done that to you. But at this point, if you don''t start toply, you will.. end badly," "I don''t have a loved one! Heine.. no, Astarte, your sister is not here. I am Estelle reste, and I don''t know who the hell Estraea is," Estelle gritted her teeth as she backed away. "If you are just here to guilt trip me, then you havee to the wrong ce. Right, I am cruel. I am evil. I am a viiness. So what if your sacrifice will go to waste? I don''t have emotional attachment to you all. I don''t haveplete memories of myself as Estraea, I never went through her experiences. I wouldn''t understand your struggles. I really wouldn''t be able to," Estelle spat out. "Sister..." Heine longingly called out before letting out a long sigh. "Sister, what do you wish for? As long as you are willing to hear me out, to follow with the ns, I swear that I won''t use underhanded methods on you anymore," [It''s already toote.] Estelle said internally, pain streaking through her facial expressions. Heine had done too much. She couldn''t bring herself to trust him anymore, the fear that loomed behind her was too much to handle. Even looking at Heine right now didn''t sit well with her, it made her recall all the contrasting memories she had of the man. The good and the bad. Really, people tend to view the bad with a magnifying ss, whereas the good- not so much. "Listen to me. I only want you to disappear from here. From my sight. I''m not asking you to perish, I just want to erase everything that we might have ever had in the past. I am willing to restart my life on my own, and the reason I am here in Alfheim is precisely because I want to go back to the path I am supposed to follow. To regain everything on my own. I don''t like you forcing everything to happen, I also have my own wishes. My own pace. Heine, you have been unreasonable from the very start, do you really think I could bring myself to trust you again? If you really want to fulfill my wish, then disappear," Estelle pleaded as her eyes began to redden, tears about to spill from the pair of eyes. "That will not be possible," Heine said with a difficult expression. Estelleughed cynically. Of course it wouldn''t be possible. It would go against his needs, so it wasn''t possible. Isn''t that right? "Fine, ah. If that''s not possible, then tell me. Tell me what I need to do, tell me what happened in the past, throw some sensible facts at me. Make me understand why you are doing this," Estelle was tired of feeling like she finally knew something, only to find that everything was orchestrated and she actually knew nothing significant. She was tired of receiving these small clues and being treated like a fool in their eyes. It must have been so fun to see her struggle like this only to realize her stupidity, right? She was so stupid. So powerless, even with the gifts she had, ones that she thought were powerful. In front of Liviera, Frey, Aleksei, or anybody of that sort, she could still be considered a monster. Someone too strong for the world. But she wasn''t the only one. The ones she had to face where much more resourceful than her. Estelle''s pair of eyes looked straight into Heine''s. Heine was much taller than her, so she had to stretch her head a lot in order to face him. Even though she was scared of the man, even though her neck was strained, she didn''t falter and kept her eyes on the man, refusing to give up. "...I don''t want to hurt you," Heine said. "You have already hurt me the moment your betrayal was revealed. If you don''t want to make it worse, then stay true to those words. Honestly, I don''t believe that you can avoid hurting me worse. Even being in your presence worsens everything. Heine, do you know how much stress and trauma you''ve caused me? Is that what a little brother should do? Especially when you im to be so devoted to me. Do you know how much I despise you?" Estelle steeled her tone and used her index finger to point at Heine, drilling it into Heine''s skin. "The past, is it so hard to tell?" Pain or not, she was willing to listen. It was stories from the past. She honestly no longer wanted to dig at her past. The more she dug, the more tragedy she encountered. Everything was caused by her special identity. If she could, she wanted to erase everything. Settle down with her family and forget everything that happened. Even losing her powers would be a cheap price to trade for that oue. "...Very well. First of all, I should start with one of the main culprits that are currently in this world, near us," Heine gulped down a mouthful of saliva, preparing to tell the full story. He was torn between his negative side and his positive side. He no longer had control over his two contrasting attitudes, but both of them shared the same trait, that was fondness to the original Goddess of Creation, Estraea. There were many yers in this farce. Be it him, the Absolute, her past lover, their enemy, and many others that came to existence in order to help set the game running. "Aleksei Virante, the one who you followed just now," Heine announced the first character he was about to tell. "..Aleksei?" Estelle raised a brow. "How would Aleksei be.." "Do you remember your- No, Goddess Estraea''s past lover? His name?" Heine asked, knowing that she must''ve gained some memories of her as a deity at this point. After all, he was one of the ones who designed the plot. "The past lover.. If I remember correctly, his name was.." Estelle''s brows knitted as she came to remember one name. "Aleksei," the name was spat out from both Estelle and Heine''s mouth at the same time. Chapter 151: Heines Story Chapter 151: Heine''s Story Her supposed past lover bore the same name as Aleksei Virante, a man she met aftering to Alfheim, but she didn''t think much of it. It was only a repeated name, and the name Aleksei wasn''t exactly rare. It was a great name, and contained a rather favorable meaning: Defender. "Sister, you might have not noticed anything off because your memories about him are still trapped.. he, too, isn''t aware of the things he is meant to do," Heine proimed. "By that, you mean..?" Estelle frowned heavily, getting even more confused with each sentence that came out of Heine''s mouth. "The Aleksei that you have been traveling with recently is a fragment of your past lover, but he is confused. His divine soul was iplete, because he got it from you. Compared to him, I have aplete divine soul because I am a true deity.. Although that doesn''t exempt me from getting repercussions as well. Traveling down here from the upper realms, even as a deity is harsh. It takes a toll on our souls because this cecks divine power, so our souls don''t necessarily bade well here. You have been conditioned by the previous world, and your divinity lies elsewhere, so even if you contain the strongest deity''s soul, you are fine. However, he is much different from us. His repercussions came in the form of memory loss, and his thoughts were also wired differently due to the shock his soul received when he came down here," Heine continued his speech on and on, making Estelle dizzy at his endless stream of words. Estelle stretched her palm in front of her, acting as a gesture for Heine to pause. "...Stop. Exin to me in an orderly manner, don''t just say these statements out of nowhere. Exin from the start, what happened from your point of view. Of course, whether or not I will truly believe in them will have to depend on myself," Estelle warned, halting the man''s speech. "I could buy your story, but... Haah, exin first, I''ll decideter," "Alright, sister," Heine gave a troubled smile as he thought that the girl was finally giving him a chance. "First of all, stop calling me sister. I am still unwilling to recognize Estraea as the current me," Estelle said, stopping him before his speech even started. "Then.. Estelle," Heine looked dejected as he said his words. He was forbidden from his right to address Estelle as his older sister even though he fully knew that the Goddessid within her. "Wait, no. Before you start, there''s one more thing.. did you harm Liviera and Frey?" Estelle looked at the man with piercing eyes, scrutinizing his every gesture. "No. They were knocked unconscious by my underlings, but I have made sure that they wouldn''t be harmed. My purpose was to draw you here, sister- I mean, Estelle. I have no enmity with them as of now," Heine exined. "Knocked out.. huh," Estelle heaved a sigh of relief. However, Heine''s words actually contained a frightening fact. The fact that the enemies they faced were probably from ''Noir'', and Heine dering that he really was Noir''s leader. However, this fact wasn''t as important as recalling her iplete past. Back when she was trapped inside the space, she only had the chance to glimpse into the beginning of everything''s creation in a summary form. The ending was also rapidly brushed upon, with her only receiving vague information that didn''t shine a bright light into the truth. Now that she was presented with a willing Heine to tell her theplete story, she was willing to listen. She knew that Heine had a soft spot for her because she was the vessel for his beloved sister. That way, Estelle knew that she could try to make use of this fact and y it around to her benefits. "Then, start now," Estelle manifested a chair, sitting downfortably and crossing both her arms and legs. Her eyes stared at up at Heine, who was left standing awkwardly as he began to tell the stories. "After you recalled your memory.. what was thest clear memory you retained?" Heine asked, wanting to get a handle of where he should start from. "The world''s creation. And the Surface''s creation. After that, everything was glimpsed over, I don''t have a clear understanding of it," "..Oh. Then, I will start after the Surface''s development," Heine nodded. "To tel you the truth, the Surface in question is not the current world we are standing in right now, even if they bear the same name and look extremely simr. This.. is a difficult matter that we have managed to nurture. The real Surface.. the original pieceys in a ce you''ve visited before. Now, it is nothing but a barren wastnd," Estelle thought for a moment. Her eyes widened when she finally came across a candidate that suited the conditions. There was another realm that had the exact same geographical position as this realm. She spent years inside that realm, so she would be familiar with it. It was Arayle''s domain, the Underworld. "Don''t tell me.. the Underworld?" Estelle''s mouth gaped in shock. "Yes. The Surface that you remember, it is what the Underworld looked like when it was first created. The current Surface is just an exact replica of that ce, they are different realms and dimensions. This is where you have the first misconception, and why you wouldn''t be able to finish your journey on your own. Your story.. about the Elven people''s Moon Goddess, it actually happened inside the Underworld, tons of years earlier. The stories in this world.. like I said, they are replicated from the original realm, so the current Alfheim''s Moon Goddess isn''t you, but holds a simrity with you. The imntations were created using your divine fragment, so your traces is left here," "You were supposed to travel around this world with the characters we have prepared for you. The yers that would aid you. Each country holds different purposes, but ultimately, this entire realm was created for you," "That was why, Aleksei was put into an Elven body. Your past lover, he was supposed to be one of the aids to set up for your arrival. But when we first nned to go down to this realm, we didn''t notice that it was an iplete realm. Thus, even if we sessfully went through, negative things would happen to us. We wouldn''t be the exact same state as we were in the upper realms. As for me, I only lost my awareness up until you arrived to the world. Before that, I was truly Heine, who lived as a Fae King. Only after I was called by the Spirit Tree multiple times and seen some things connect did I catch on to who I am. This is why.. your assumption that I nned everything down to our first meeting is false, Estelle," Heine put up a saddened expression as he continued. "The current Aleksei Virante holds no memory of his divinity. However, he too must''ve realized that he is different. That he holds a connection with Alfheim''s signature energy. It is precisely because.. fragments of your divinity will obviously resonate with Alfheim, which is the nation directly connected with you," "I didn''t understand anything about the upper realm at first. I lived for hundreds of years as Astarte, so when his memories were introduced to me, it happened in dreams. The revtions were made bit by bit, and with every session, I felt like I was losing my mind," "Then, I began to see the world from Astarte''s point of view. It was a gradual change, so I struggled a lot. Between the two personalities.. no, three lifetimes. I was sent down to aid your life as Kirisaki Reina. I existed as Yuuma," Estelle''s eyes flickered with astonishment as she took a deep breath in topose herself. Her breath was shaky as he remembered the man''s constant aid from the very start. "Continue," she said. "We created two realms tounch this project, to rescue you and put you back together. Into your preserved divine body thatys beside the Absolute right now, chained to the Origin Tree. One of them was this world, which you now know as the Surface, and the other was your past world, Kirisaki Reina''s world. They were both created to sustain you. To put it into simple terms, Reina was your emergency vessel as your soul was too weak to handle even the slightest bit of magic energy. Through living as Reina, your soul began to stabilize and could finally pass on to Estelle, your second vessel. Right now, your state is meant to recover your true worth, as a Goddess of Creation," "But several things went wrong. It went outside of our calctions. As Reina, you were plotted on by Hikari. As Estelle, you encountered trials that weren''t supposed to happen," Heine''s expression twisted as he spoke. Chapter 152: Ophelia Chapter 152: Ophelia "As the ns grew awry, several characters that we have instilled into this n began to deviate from the original script we created. About this... the characters that emerged from the Underworld are the ones who had it the hardest." Heine drew in a sharp breath before continuing. "...Including Arayle and Elias? Their predecessors? How long has these.. ns been going around for?" Estelle questioned. "Including those two, yes. The ns have been going on for thousands of years. Only, I regained my memorieste into the game," Heine answered. "Before being transferred into Heine, I rested in the upper realms as Astarte, and watched over the ns being nurtured very carefully... Even though the end result still came up to be rather disappointing," He gave a dispirited smile as he continued his story. "The Underworld is very unstable, the negative energy around it is abundant and there is practically no life over there except for the people who upy the space. That realm used to be like the Surface we are in right now.. stable and without the excessive negativity. However, there was a great havoc that urred in that realm which thwarted its bncepletely and left it unable to recover ''life''. In the first ce, the one who destroyed the Underworld.. is your past lover, who went berserk after he received your powers. He didn''t fight himself, however. The one he fought was the one who hurt you," Heine clenched his fists until blood was drawn from his skin, expressing his anger at the absurdity of the situation. He had to take several deep breaths before he could calm himself down. With a trembling voice, he continued to speak. "It was actually a straightforward story... that got mixed into unfortunate events. Due to the Absolute creating you as an innocent and naive soul, you stayed like that even until you met Aleksei and fell in love with him. You were very fixated on the man, and he also bore good intentions towards you. Your innocence made you gullible and easy to manipte despite your huge powers. If you two were the only ones involved in this story, then it wouldn''t turn out to be this bad, but the problem is Aleksei''s femalepanion.. whose name was Ophelia," [Ophelia.. the name sounds familiar.] Estelle rubbed the sides of her head as she started to feel like a locked memory was unsealing itself. Aleksei, Ophelia, and her. She felt a pang inside her heart, and her heartbeat rate increased. Sadness ovepped with anger, and the rush of emotions made Estelle clutch her chest in order to suppress the pain. "Ophelia... was his childhood friend and someone who everyone and their families regarded as Aleksei''s future partner. Their fates have been intertwined together ever since birth, and they were expected to spend the rest of their lives together since they demonstrated closeness and favored one another. But instead of it proceeding smoothly, your existence came to light and drew Aleksei in farther than Ophelia could ever. You arrived to their town as a savior. You had used your power to dispel a disaster that was about to destroy the town, and you were hailed as a benefactor," "You got acquainted with the man named Aleksei.. and from that point on, you changed. You quickly had feelings for the man. Before, you visited the mortal realms once in a while, onlying down to check what was going on and asionally lending your help. You visited variousnds, not just one. But after meeting Aleksei, you kept visiting his town again and again, just in order to see him. You helped the town tons of times, and practically became an informal member of themunity. Everybody liked you, and saw how close you were with Aleksei. Ophelia''s presence started to fade. Before, she was the most beautiful flower of the town, the one everybody admired..." "But who couldpete with you? You are a Goddess, one that was personally crafted by the Absolute. You were dazzling, sparkling, and overflowing with your divine aura. Of course everybody''s attention would shift to you. Aleksei was one of the victims, he also loved you very much. Only.. what happened to Ophelia, the one whose existence was slowly being cast aside and reced by this new person?" Heine scowled. Estelle pursed her lips, feeling like this memory was embedded somewhere within her head. It was locked behind more seals, ones that she couldn''t unlock just yet. "Ophelia wasn''t just jealous of you two''s rtionship, she also coveted your power. At first, she thought that you were human, but after various encounters, she slowly started to figure out that you were different. The breaking point came when you revealed it to Aleksei himself.. your true identity. Since it came from your mouth, Ophelia began to plot against you, wondering how she could take you down," Heine''s eyes narrowed as he felt disgusted by the series of events that psed. The vixen that ruined everything, the world he wished didn''t get created so that everything wouldn''t have happened. That his big sister would still be living happily in the upper realms and not here in the mortal realms. He was also struggling. Conveying these story made him unlock the feelings that he had restrained to keep his sanity. This was traumatic for everybody involved, no one was unaffected. "Of course, taking down a Goddess of Creation isn''t something that could be done just by saying it," Heine said. "No matter how frustrated Ophelia was, she could only writhe in anger as you kept your safety intact, as she had little to no power that could go against you because she was nothing but a normal human," "However, she had one stark difference for you, and that made her the perfect vessel for ''Chaos''," [Chaos?] Estelle''s eyes began to stung. The name seemed to be heavily familiar with her, as she felt a deep fear instilled within herself. Her heart trembled as she listened. "If the Origin Magic were separated, you would get two sides: Creation and Destruction. The two factors that made up the Origin of everything. You received the ultimate power of Creation.. and do you know who got the power of Destruction?" Estelle closed her eyes, as the topic of Destruction brought up by Heine didn''t actually just result in a painful pang in heart anymore, but rather extended as far as to give her a headache. She sped her head between her hands as she tried shrugging the pain off. Heine looked at Estelle''s condition, his eyes brimming with emotions before he continued as the girl didn''t give him any signs to stop. "The Absolute never actually released the soul that held the power. The reason being.. Destruction was too unstable, and it could very easily incite unwanted scenarios. The soul wasn''t bnced, and if the Absolute was to put it into a vessel, they would go berserk in little time. Going berserk would mean that the power could go awry. Destruction was a power that did as the name suggested: destroying things. If not controlled, then the soul would make the owner go on a rampage and break everything in sight," "Thus, the Absolute chained the soul down until he could finally restrain it within a vessel one day. The soul was named ''Chaos'', embodying its properties and characteristics. However, it was here that the Absolute made a wrong judgement: that was to not eradicate the stray soul right then and there," "Chaos liked negative emotions, the more negativity it gathered, the better the soul burned. You were constantly beside Ophelia, and carried the energy of the upper realms with you. Through that, those around you were also starting to be affected, and the town you regrly visited became infused with some of your powers. Your power was too abundant, so the mortal realms couldn''t process it properly and became the catalyst for the great disaster," "In the upper realms, Chaos slowly nned out an escape. It didn''t have a consciousness, but it was motivated to roam free and enter a vessel, just like a demon. It gathered power whilst simultaneously acting like nothing off was happening, but it was always waiting for the perfect chance to strike. When it could finally break free from its shackles and get its vessel," "The vessel it chose was precisely Ophelia, the woman who held the most negative emotions andid inside the town you were in. The town had weaker dimensional barriers due to it being constantly applied with the upper realm''s energy, the one you brought down. Thus, the Chaos'' target when it got the chance to break free was precisely that town," "That soul sessfully entered Ophelia. And that was when all hell broke loose. Creation and Destruction were supposed to be bnced, but unlike Chaos, youcked the motivation to fight and harm others. You were just like an innocent child who didn''t have any negative motives, whereas Chaos always strove to destroy and fed off its actions," Chapter 153: A Temporary Truce Chapter 153: A Temporary Truce "Naturally, you lost against a surprise attack. Something unexpected, something that came out of nowhere. From your perspective, you couldn''t see why Ophelia wanted to hurt you, you didn''t understand her feelings," Heine''s eyshes trembled as he sighed, as the next uing part was the hardest to ept for him. "As a result.. You were killed by Ophelia with the aid of Chaos'' power. At first, it was just your physical body. If that was the case, then you should''ve had the chance to return to the higher realms and receive a new body, because your soul would still be preserved. However, Ophelia desired more than just the death of your physical body. She learned of your divine identity, and through manipting the powers of Destruction, she damaged the very essence of your soul. This was what caused your soul to be so destroyed that you couldn''t return as the Goddess Estraea," "However, divinity cannot be destroyed. It can be separated, transferred, or charged with impurities, but it would never be destroyed. Could you guess where your divinity went? You were actually quite crafty, and who knew what you were thinking when you made this decision.. Sometimes, I wonder if the man himself had asked you to do this," Heineughed depreciatingly, his eyes hooded and fuzzy. "If that wasn''t the case, how could you actually think this far?" "..What did I do?" Estelle already had inklings on what she did, but she needed to hear it from Heine. "You purposely created a system that would propel your divine gift to enter Aleksei once you perished. This decision couldn''t have been made on a whim, since it required aplex process. No one predicted that this could happen. No one thought that you would be capable of doing this. That time, did you sense that Ophelia was going to kill you? Or vaguely discern that a great danger was approaching? Whatever it was, it saved you.. It saved you, but it broke down your essence, the very thing that made up the Goddess Estraea in the first ce," "Aleksei received your powers, but it wasn''t all of it. It was as if he was a vessel for you, and you were going to rise back from the dead to collect the remnants of your divinity from him. You were iplete, and the parts we managed to retrieve were only half of your essence. The other halfid within Aleksei, so he was epted into the higher realms although all of us were grieving. The man was practically the indirect cause of everything, how could we bear to receive his attendance with a smiling face? We were furious, but we kept it down since he held your essence within him!" "That time, with the powers of Chaos infused in her body, Ophelia couldn''t even restrain herself from destroying even more things, causing a great havoc to ur inside the world. This made everything be imbnced.. and sending it off to its eventual demise," "Everyone was enraged when the story was revealed. But the first thing they did was take the soul of Chaos back to the upper realms. Killing Ophelia was very easy, but her soul had actually managed to fuse with Chaos through unspeakable means. They became one. The Absolute Being chained the soul one more time, this time under a higher supervision," "The world? They were heading straight to downfall, and no one even tried to conserve it anymore because of how great thesting impact had been. It would''ve been pointless to try and salvage it, because not even life will sprout inside that hellhole," "The Creation and Destruction are actually two sides of the same coin, but they heavily affect each other. They influence each other. If they were mixed as they should, they form the ultimate magic, Origin Magic. This energy is only held by the Absolute, and obtaining it is not as simple as justbining the twoponents. Ifbined wrongly, then it would fail and create a greater destruction than what each element can make up on their own," Heine looked upwards, finally meeting Estelle in the eye as the story was nearing its end. "The battle within Ophelia and Aleksei, assisted by the upper realms'' support, ended up in Aleksei''s win. But it also tarnished the realm''s essence and left it unrepairable. The Chaos was strong, it was much more ominous and domineering than the Creation essence. In theory, Creation should be stronger than Destruction. However, in this case, it was a challenge on who could overpower the other more. Ophelia bore the soul of Chaos directly, and in addition to Destruction''s damaging quality, the half-assed Creation essence Aleksei received from you couldn''t evenpete," "Thus, the Underworld started to form, with Destruction being itsrgest influence. This did not mean that everyone down there would wield the power of Destruction, but it meant that once a Ruler that possessed this ominous power stepped up to the throne and governed over the world, that would be the only case where the realm could survive. Thus, the Underworld''s Rulers have always been ones that could bear the power of Destruction," "About the n we wanted to charge through, I''m sure that you are already somewhat familiar with it. Creating the various realms, creating ''Reina'' and ''Estelle'', in order to sessfully heal your condition and draw out your powers bit by bit, supporting you slowly. The deviant schemes that urred were out of our ns, but we had to somehow patch it up. And as a result.. Since you entered the body of Estelle reste far too early, our ns diverted a lot, and our preparations began to falter. My soul and Aleksei''s entered the bodies we are in right now, and the game had to start," "As a result, our souls weren''t ready to take the damage and ended up.. distorting our true sense. However, I am starting to recover my sanity.. I am now going to follow the original n without any deviations. What happened back then.. was the product of my confused soul. I was blinded. I know I was wrong.. But could you find it inside your heart to forgive me?" Heine was practically begging, lines of tears dropping from his eyes as he wanted to approach Estelle badly, but knew that he shouldn''t overstep his bounds. Estelle''s breathing got heavier as her heart palpitated faster. Her mind was spinning around like crazy, and the unsealed memories seemed to want to break free out of the locks forcefully, creating a painful migraine for her to suffer under. She grabbed her head and clenched it tight, but the pain wouldn''t dispel. "..This isn''t the time to ask for forgiveness. The matter of repentance is another thing. The true problem is that I will never be able to forget what you have done to me, be it because of the deviating lines or not. Unless you are able to revert the time and redo your actions, what can I do?" Estelle said with a gloomy smile. She hated pain. Pain like the one she was experiencing right now. Why did she have to suffer all the time? Couldn''t she just stop? All of this deity bullshit, why did it have to matter to her? It wasn''t that she didn''t want to forgive the man. In fact, from all the stories she had gathered, Astarte was a good child that followed her with a gentle smile. His eyes would always be filled to the brim with admiration for her, and he cared and loved for Estraea the most. Estelle knew that the original n should''ve been much more safer and smoother, creating a perfect path with just some obstacles for her to get back up into her Goddess state. However, everything has gone out of the ce now. It was far toote to revert to the supposed state, but she also knew that Heine was a key yer in this n. Without him, without Minerva or Yulia, without the Constetion figures that she was supposed to gather about, she couldn''t proceed. With a heavy heart, she stood up from her chair and walked towards Heine, whose eyes burned with a hopeful light. Estelle stopped in front of Heine, looking at the man with a pair of exhausted eyes. "I''m not going to forgive you.. for now. I can''t speak for the future Estelle. Maybe something will change, maybe nothing will. We don''t know yet. However, I know one thing for sure. Even for all that you have done, I still have to work with you if I want to see the end of all this chaos. It''s the n you crafted for me, you must know how important your presence is. There''s no way of clearing this game you''ve set up unless you are involved. So..." Estelle let out a tired sigh, stretching her hand forward to offer up a handshake. "I''m not that unreasonable as to refuse to work with someone I despise just if my life is on the line," Chapter 154: The Peak Chapter 154: The Peak The gift of reconciliation. It was something precious given to people''s hearts. Some problems might not be reconciled forever until the end of the world, but Estelle found it within herself to give in into the conditions presented to her and think logically. She chose to look at the bigger picture, seeing Heine as not just the perpetrator and cause of her suffering from a while back, but also saw his efforts. Wasn''t this whole thing happening because he, as Goddess Estraea''s younger brother wanted to orchestrate a grand n to escort her back to the upper realms? The main focus was her, and all the incidents happened because she fell in love with Aleksei, who in turn triggered the wheel of Chaos. Chaos destroyed the past Surface and turned it into the Underworld, which in turn must''ve affected their own sentiments as well. Being the ones that actually ruined their realms, it wouldn''t be a surprise if the reason Arayle hated her was not because she was a fragment of the Chaos'' soul''s essence, but actually because she was the reason why their home was destroyed. Heine epted Estelle''s handshake, but with it, he also broke down in tears. This time, he was bawling, not just having streams of tears fall down and wetting his face. Heine pulled Estelle into a hug, crying on her shoulder. Estelle was taken aback, but knew that Heine also needed some sce andfort in order to recover from all the distress he had been charging through. Both parties were stressed, and both needed a moment of silence in order to retrace their steps and gain back a clear mind. Multiple times, Estelle had been saved by Heine''s hand. This time, she would discard all of her hatred temporarily and focus on her goals. Estelle''s hand awkwardly stretched down to pat Heine on the back, ruffling his hair and offering upfort. "I''m sorry, Estelle. I''m really sorry for everything," Heine cried as he held Estelle in his embrace, hugging her tight and pacifying both of their feelings. "I''m sorry..." This was all started by none other than theirmon enemy, the Chaos. Even though Heine had done wrong in the past, their paths were still going to cross in the end, and Estelle needed Heine''s help to pass the unbeatable trials. Chaos was their goal. Taking down that damned thing, the one that resulted in all of this stressing matters. The culprit was Ophelia in the story, but Ophelia only served as a fuel to the real enemy: Chaos. Estelle was finally let go by Heine''s grip minutes after he finished crying his heart out, and she let out a gentle sigh of relief as she continued to ask Heine about the things she couldn''t find the answer to. "...Then, if the Ruler''s are the ones most affected by Chaos, who in the hell is Elias?" Estelle questioned. The mysterious man who was just as equally powerful as them, maybe even stronger than their current stages. Heine''s full power was still unknown to her, but Elias definitely held back a lot of secrets, ones that Estelle wanted to find out with all her might. Heine took a deep breath in to restrain his emotions. He was still choked up, but he coughed to clear his throat and continue the discussion. "Elias is.. another anomaly in the ns. He is truly a denizen of the Underworld, someone who managed to crawl out of that depressing hellhole and cause havoc in the current Surface. He wasn''t someone who we put in a specific character position, he has no purpose for us. But.. there is indeed a connection with him. Since you know the Noir, then you must already know Lichte as well. Simply put, Elias is the current leader of Lichte," Heine proimed. Hearing the shocking news, Estelle''s mouth gaped in shock. "Haa? How can that be? I thought Noir and Lichte were one entity..?" "In a way, they are. However, we work in different ways. We don''t cooperate like how a group is supposed to, it is more like.. knowing of each other''s existences and acknowledging them as a non hostile entity. Basically, we signed a peace treaty.. one that might break anytime," Heine said. "Wait a minute.. you- cooperated with Elias?" Estelle furrowed her brows, backing away from Heine, who started to panic and deny the connection. "It''s not me who bridged the two entities. It was my proxy, someone who takes care of Noir in my ce. The.. organizations merging were only a way to solidify a good rtionship, so that our ns don''t sh in the future. Coincidentally, our organizations'' name were simr, so people thought that we were really together from the start," "..Still, I don''t get how Elias is possible to even exist. I mean, isn''t Arayle there? Elias could use Destruction Magic in ways moreplex than Arayle.. and he isn''t even a direct descendant," Estelle tilted her head as she asked. "I.. am not certain about this yet, but Elias could be the holder of.. Chaos'' essence. If not, he wouldn''t be able to produce Destruction Magic on his own and use it in such a proficient manner. Like you have suspected a while ago, Lichte were the ones who made the monsters mutate, they were the ones who conducted experiments in Alynthi. I formed Noir a while after I regained my senses, and our movements'' pace have only started to increase in the recent times. The ones whomitted all those atrocities in those years were Elias'' doing," "..This is a mess, Heine. How did it get to this stage?" Chaos, Origin, Creation, all of this were making her dizzy. With each clue she got, the puzzle she needed to solve seemed to just get evenrger andrger, making her wonder if it was ever going to be solved, or is she going to meet her doom first. Being a Goddess. She was also confused in this aspect. What would being a Goddess do her good in? She didn''t want to wield the divinity if all it brought were trouble for her. After experiencing so much hectic stuff, she was tired, physically and mentally. The only reason she refused to back down right now was because of her silly willpower that told her to keep going. Because she was already this far in, falling right now would do nothing good. "Who knows. All that we have to do now.. is patch up thisrge wound with the best of our abilities. What have been done can''t be reverted, there is no method to turn back time. We can only try to fix everything that urred, minimize the damages, and continue on with that burden," Heine said with a determined look. "We can solve this, Estelle. We definitely can," he assured. Estelle''s heart shook. Just a moment ago, she was feeling insecure one more time over her identity and her desires. But then, Heine came in and swooped the floor with his motivating words. Sheughed internally, thinking that the timing was perfect. Right. She needed the motivation, because this wasn''t the end of her journey. Continue on for one more chapter, one more volume of her life, open a new story path for her to follow. Even if it meant more suffering and pain for all of them. The world''s origins had been uncovered for now, the next thing to do was to actually get back to being a Goddess. Although Estelle herself didn''t know why she had to regain her divinity, it was her ''supposed'' fate. Perhaps, once she fully merged with the identity named Estraea thatid within her, she would be able to open her heart and mind, just to see the ending. The final revtion. Power meant freedom. And once she became a full-fledged Goddess, got back all of her power, she would be significantly stronger than her of the past. She gained so much experience with struggles, disasters, and emotionally grew stronger. When time came to it, she would be able to fare better than she did back then. [I thought that I would just be a simple Viiness, all I needed to do was oppose the Hero.] [But it seemed like that wasn''t the case.] [Because the world has far bigger ns for me.] [One that I might not even get toplete at all.] [But I know one thing.] [I want to try and see the end with my own eyes.] [I want to see how high I can reach.] [I want to know.. if there is even an end.] [The peak.] [An ending.] [I''ll persevere. One more second, minute, hour, day, week, month, year.] [If that is what it takes to let me see the end of all this chaos and touch the peak, then I''ll just continue forth.] [Until I can''t prolong my journey.] [Until my visa ends in this stupid world and I get thwarted back to where I am supposed to end up back then, going down to take a nap in the afterlife and not doing some reincarnated person type of bullshit.] [Until then.. I will strive forward.] [To discover more, to grow stronger, and to someday beat all of the adversities, challenges, trials, anything that stands on my path.] [One day, if I get to see the peak, then I hope it would be worth it.] Chapter 155: Becoming Her Chapter 155: Bing Her Estelle sighed after wrapping up her thoughts. Pursing her lips, her attention came back onto the matter of those she brought here. Heine was really crafty, she was almost certain that his intention to start a fight here was really just to lure her out. He was someone who can afford doing such a thing. She looked at him with tired eyes. "Tell me one more thing. This entire.. fiasco, was it you that nned it? Is it really just to draw me out? You could''ve used.. another method, not something like this," Estelle frowned. This chaotic situation brought great damages for the country, which caused them to panic and send special individuals like her and the rest to such a secluded ce. "This time.. it''s notpletely my wrongdoings. It''s Lichte. Like I said, I use a proxy in my organization, I am this proxy''s boss, but I don''t implicate myself in every single one of their activities," Heine defended himself as they started to walk in a slow, rxed pace. "So.. Lichte is the one who has stuff to do here?" Estelle tilted her head, imagining Eliasmanding this absurd organization. "Mhm, you could say it like that. Lichte''s organization is.. much more closed off than Noir. I don''t even know the full structure of their team, who their prized members are, who is in charge.. but it seems like they have something to do here. The ck clothed men.. if you see someone who possesses undead qualities like that, there''s a high chance that Elias seeks something near them. If you think you don''t want to leak your position, then don''t fight them unless necessary," "Elias.. that man is batshit crazy. I don''t know what triggered a reaction effect in his brain that he was transformed into such aplicated mastermind, but it must have something to deal with us as well.. judging by how he hunted you down in the past. Anyway, all I know is he is trying to create something bad... something new to the world. Just like the mutated monster you brought to my country in the past. I have tried to analyze it multiple times, but I still couldn''t find out how he managed to corrupt the monster in such a way. It was so potent, so terrifying, and yet the monster didn''t copse of all the disgusting energy," Heine''s expression warped as he recalled his studies in the past, which didn''t yield any substantial answers as to how Elias was able to create his deeds. If they wanted to know, they either had to acquire it from Elias himself or the ones who manufactured these bizarre creatures. "But you said that you.. positioned your men to take care of my acquaintances. What about that?" "I brought my men here, what''s wrong? I can freely use my authority to somewhat tweak Lichte''s ns. I met Elias multiple times in the past when we were seeking the same resource or needs, and we came to a peaceful ending. They don''t mind if I mingle with them," Heine huffed. "Besides, the merging happened because what we searched for was the same thing. If not for that, we wouldn''t have coborated. The merging makes it easier for us to move around the world so that we won''t butt into each other''s ns," "..And what is your purpose?" Estelle asked with a curious facial expression. Heine stilled for a moment before judging that it was fine to tell Estelle, especially with the knowledge that the girl was going to be angered if he held the information for a longer time. "I''m going to build connections all over the world to solidify your stability. One day, you are going to have to.. somewhat be a Ruler of the united world as the Constetion Leader. For that, you need assurance and support from all the countries. Count me as a diplomatic servant of yours. Right now, I have control over Sylvania and Alynthi, and I''m halfway done through Alfheim. Then, I will do Eliredien next because of Gazelle''s influence. After that.. Vaitral and Elysium, the two hardest ces to slide my influence in," Heine exined. "I see.. Well, I can''t meddle into your matters outside my boundaries. I don''t want to be too intrusive," Estelle backed away. SHe instinctively felt that Heine was still hiding something, but she was also pacified by the fact that Heine seemed to have calmed down in terms of his mind''s peace. Before, Heine disyed a lot more erratic and uncontrolled actions before the main showdown went up. That period of time seemed to be the time he was most heavily affected by his condition, but it seemed to have soothed down now. Estelle let out a sigh of relief as she couldn''t imagine herself having to encounter another pinch like thest time Heine sent her into. "First of all, let me go and meet my acquaintances. Aleksei should already be there long ago, your story was too long. Do you think your subordinates could restrain him, or will he beat them down?" Estelle asked. "I think.. I will bet on my subordinates. I was the one who trained them, I believe that they are sufficient to take on three people," Heineughed. "Unless they have a trump card that I''m not aware of," "I''ll bet on my acquaintances! Liviera and Frey apparently work well together despite their rocky rtionship, won''t they be able to find some way out?" Estelle rebutted. "What are we betting on?" "Our lives... just kidding. We''ll bet on.. let''s see, one drop of water. That''s already me being very generous," Estelle propssed. "..I don''t want to lose anything, I don''t think I have any personal belongings anyway," "Ao, what''s with that?" "...Forget about it! No bets! Let''s go then," Estelle said after Heine let out light chuckles. Their pace sped up, but something unexpected happened before they were even able to reach the site they mentioned earlier. Estelle fainted. Out of nowhere. Heine didn''t do anything, and he knew it, so he widened his eyes and reacted fast enough to catch the girl before she could hit the ground. Estelle was still conscious moments before she truly lost her awareness, so thest thing she saw was of Heine''s panicked and exasperated face, calling her name repeatedly but getting no answer in return. Due to this, Estelle was further able to fortify her acknowledgement of Heine''s subtle change in attitude and actions. His expressions were all genuine, and he seemed like he didn''t know a speck of what happened to Estelle. This made her trust in him increase, but she felt herself be taken away by the darkness. Her vision dimmed, and finally died down seconds after. Estelle didn''t go to sleep. She was still awake. She felt herself being awake, but at the same time, it was as if she couldn''t do anything. Couldn''t wake up, couldn''t sleep, couldn''t use any of her senses. It was vexing. In seconds, this was changed. Her senses started to return. Estelle retaliated against this strange condition she was put in. She woke up to a strange sight. The space she was in, basked in pure bright light, started to change the moment she opened her eyes. Colors started to rush into the world, making up the objects and an individual who had a bright smile on his face. It took her seconds to assimte with her current state. She looked down and found that she wasn''t herself. No, that was wrong. She was herself. She was in the body of the Goddess of Creation, Estraea. Whose soulid peacefully inside her body. Estelle gained her movement back, and she repeatedly looked at her appearance being reflected against the body of water she was standing near to. The boy beside her, who realized that she was zoning out, began to form a slight frown on his face. "Rae!" A young boy''s voice rang. "Rae, are you alright? You seem unwell. Do you want me to bring you to the Absolute? It must be because you visited the mortal realm a lot recently.. Didn''t the Absolute tell you that something bad might happen if you''re not careful enough?" The boy rambled on and on with worry. Estelle, stuck in Estraea''s body, was confused. Even so, she instinctively knew what was up. This was one of her past memories. When she was Estraea. The difference was, this time she was directly put into Estraea''s body and lived as her, whereas previously, she just stood by as the memories rolled. Watching the things happen before her. "Arte... Astarte," Estelle responded after thinking. Her brows knitted as there was something she couldn''t fathom going on in the present. The younger and child-like God tilted his head. His sister was a very carefree person and would rarely knit her brows. Estelle recalled the boy''s face, it was all familiar to her. Even though this was her first time being injected into Estraea''s body, everything already felt familiar. Close to her heart. Chapter 156: Meeting Him Chapter 156: Meeting Him Estelle shut her eyes as she recounted thest memory she had. She was supposed to be with Heine, then she abruptly fainted without any provocation. She didn''t believe that Heine was the perpetrator because of his reaction to her fall, but who could it be? Astarte kept observing his elder sister, frowning when Estelle didn''t answer his calls. "Rae? Rae!" He kept calling again and again until Estelle finally snapped out of her trance. [I should y along for now.] She decided. It would be weird if she didn''t react at all, it would be out of ce. "Astarte.. What was I doing?" Estelle''s voice was shaky as she addressed the younger male. "Hm? What''s wrong with you, older sister? Why do you seem so down? Are you tired? You don''t usually call me Astarte either.." Astarte tugged on her loose robes, his face showing concern. "Rae, I think you really should go back to the Absolute," "No... I just think.. I forgot something?" Estelle diffused the matter, but her ears perked up at the mention of the Absolute. She had encountered the being before, when she was trapped in a dilemma. The being helped her and even revealed important memories. She wanted to try and seek the being out. Although she still wasn''t sure what kind of state she was put in right now, she believed that if anything, that impregnable being would have an answer to her doubts. He was, after all, the one and only Absolute. "If you forgot about it wouldn''t it be unimportant?" Astarte was confused. It wasn''t like his older sister to act this way, down and zoning out without a purpose. Normally, he woulde across a woman who got excited at the mention of basically just anything. From the simplest things to marvelous sights.. or things that incited a spark of interest within her. Recently, her fixation was on the mortal world, which had brought changes to the Goddess. "Unimportant.. huh," Estelleughed , wondering if anything she had to brood over for this long could be unimportant. She felt like something was missing from her current state. She felt veryfortable as Estraea, but things were off. [Could it be, the missing part of my divinity that they spoke about? But if this is a rey of the past, then it shouldn''t affect me this way. It should just be a rey and not a mirror of my current self, right?] Estelle frowned as she thought. "Sister? You''re zoning out again! Ao, if you keep acting like this, then I''m going to get very worried," Astarte pouted, waving his hand in front of Estelle''s face. "Astarte.. No, Arte, could you take me to the Absolute? I think I really need to stay with him for now," Estelle asked. "Alright, I''ll bring you to him. Watch out, sister," Astarte gently took her hand and gripped it with his own, pulling her towards a specific direction. On their way there, Estelle constantly tried to manipte her powers. She was always curious to what extent the original Goddess'' prowess would be. She felt very liberated in this body, much more than her previous vessel. It only took them some simple steps to pass through a barrier that separated the higher realms with the Absolute''s personal space. Astarte stopped, letting go of Estelle''s hands. "Sister, you know that the Absolute only permits you to get in there, so I will have to part with you right now. Go in and have him check up on you to tell if anything serious is happening," Divine beings did not get sick unless severe damage implicated them, but even so, it wouldn''t be the same as the ailments mortals faced. It would just be exhaustion or mental damage, but never a sickness. If a high Goddess like Estraea wasn''t feeling well, there was a very high chance that it could be something much more serious. Astarte worried for his elder sister as he waved the Goddess goodbye, stepping out of the barrier and leaving her alone. Estelle pursed her lips after the younger left and faced the gate she was supposed to enter through. Slowly, she walked towards it and entered the other realm. There, she saw a figure whose beauty couldn''t be described with mere words. Estelle immediately knew that this was the Absolute, the one she sought for. He had an androgynous look, and with every small movement he made, his features would sparkle as if there was a constant background effectced over him. This was the first time Estelle was actually stunned by someone''s beauty to the point where she forgot to take a breath. Before, in her previous life, she used to make fun of these overreactions made up in stories, but now that she was actually facing that sort of situation, she felt taken aback. The figure slowly turned towards her as he noticed the intrusion. "Rae? What brings you here... Well, I suppose I shouldn''t bother with those words," His voice rang clear and concise, bringing a wash of familiar feeling to Estelle once more. "..By that, you mean?" Estelle halted her steps. "Rae.. or should I say, Estelle reste? Come here and sit down with me, let us have a little chat," The Absolute beckoned for her toe near him, his eyes twinkling with great interest. He had a gentle smile stered on his face, but it made Estelle be weirded out. His facecked colorful emotions, as if it was stiff all over. His actions were turned to look insincere. Even though he had a smile, he still looked cold and unapproachable. From the memories she saw that day, the Goddess Estraea and this being were closely acquainted and acted chummy, but it felt different to directly be in Estraea''s perspective. Although Estelle was still stuck in her trance, she obediently followed the man''s words and came to sit down beside him. "So.. Since you are here, then you must''ve learned a lot of things..." The Absolute stretched his hand to smooth out Estelle''s hair, making her shirk away from his touch. The Absolute stopped his hand, hovering over the woman''s head for a couple seconds before retracting it. He knew that the Goddess'' sentiments would be all wiped out, but to experience her rejecting even the smallest bits of his touch like this felt quite striking to him. "..How can I be here in this state? Is this a rey or my past, or an illusion?" Estelle asked. "I suppose you could say that it''s an illusion created by your fragmented memories. I can only enter your consciousness, I can''t do anything much now that.. I''m bound to the choices I made, the risks I took. I linked myself with you ahead of time to prepare for this kind of situation.. I guess I really miss you," The Absolute frankly stated. "Did Heine have any hand on this?" "No. I just wanted to take you here, to let you experience what you used to go through. You saw Astarte on your way here, didn''t you? Since the one who told you those new information was probably Heine.. I thought that you should see that kid too. Although.. the main purpose really was just to bring you here, to meet me in person," The Absolute said. Estelle felt awkward being so close to the man. She knew that in the past, this being was the one who created her, the one who built her up. She didn''t know how to react because she felt so out of touch. "What do you think about Heine? Are you still mad at him?" The Absolute asked. "I just have some unresolved sentiments for him," Estelle sighed. "Come to think of it, thest time I spoke with you.. It was because of Heine''s actions, right? I know that I have to cooperate with him in the end, so I resolved to try and rebuild our rtionship... But I don''t think I can bring myself to trust him anymore unless my memories get wiped out or something," "That kid will feel so hurt seeing you act indifferent to him.. If not for the fact that you only look extremely simr to Estraea, and not exact.. and that Astarte''s consciousness hasn''t gained full control over Heine yet, that kid would probably cry," "Heine.. I heard that he felt pained after Astarte mixed in with him. How harsh was it? I don''t know how much you could tell me, but I don''t think Heine told me everything.. did he?" Estelle was curious about this matter too. She didn''t know the full extent of what Heine faced. Even if she did know, it still didn''t justify his actions. Perhaps, she would feel a bit sorry, but that was it. "Slowly, slowly. This time, we can hang out for a bit longer since your soul has stabilized quite a lot," The Absolute calmed her down. Estelle pursed her lips, waiting for the answer. Chapter 157: Danger to the Universe Chapter 157: Danger to the Universe The Absolute giggled, revealing his pearly white teeth as he stared at Estelle''s expectant look. "Aren''t you curious? How you got here," The Absolute chuckled. "And don''t worry, it really wasn''t that child who nned your arrival to this ce. He did cause it indirectly, though. By telling his stories, you felt your head hurt terribly, right? That was a reaction that I imnted in order to drag you here one day once you are ready," "Your memory has locks on it. By this point, you should already be familiar with that fact. However, do you know what you could do in order to remove those locks? It is actually very simple," The Absolute brought a finger up to his lips as he asked. "...By triggering mentions of those memories?" Estelle guessed. "Correct! Very smart. As expected of the Goddess I created. Unless you want to choose the barbaric way of picking your memories'' locks, then yes, the safe method is to listen to your memories. You will gradually unlock those memories the more you get exposed to specific parts you can''t recall. For example, because Heine mentioned your past with that child Aleksei and their ns, you got transported here. On your way here, Astarte mentioned that you are acting strange because you keep going down to the mortal world, did he not? In other words, you got transported before your downfall, but after you got acquainted with Aleksei- the memories Heine described to you," The Absolute exined. Estelle thought about it and nodded. Her head tingled with each information she heard from Heine. She thought that it was an adverse reaction, a negative one because she wasn''t supposed to unlock her locks through Heine. However, it turned out to be the correct and safe way of achieving her goals. "Well.. that aside.. you bringing me here, what purpose do you have for me?" Estelle knew that this being couldn''t have just brought her here without any significant reasons. Doing something as unexpectable andplex as this, and considering the Absolute''s apparent weakening state, it should be taxing for him to perform these tasks. "To show you this," The Absolute replied, his gaze turning serious as he turned his head to look at a certain tree. Estelle turned to look at the grand tree. She once saw this in her past memories. Years and years of the Absolute building the world around this particr tree, up until her desired apanion and built the Creation Goddess Estraea. The tree was majestic,rge, and some of its roots even climbed out of the ''ground'' and slithered everywhere. It had golden leaves, fluttering about and giving a bright sparkle to the white space. She remembered that in her memories, this space had already been decorated with various objects andndscapes. However, it was all gone. All that was left was what they started with: a white space, a nk canvas for them to work with. She wanted to question that matter, but the Absolute began his speech once more. "If Astarte is your.. sibling, then this tree is technically my sibling. The Tree of Origin, Mother of All Life, The Yggdrasil, whatever you want to call it. Heine was so attached to the miniature Origin Tree of the Surface.. right? You could say that I am the same way. Although this cute tree can''t actually move, talk, or do anything, it releases a veryfortable hue for me. I feel soothed when I am around it, do you feel the same?" The Absolute asked. Estelle raised a brow at the being, confused as to how she should react. "..I suppose so. I''m not sure, I don''t really feel anything," she said. "You used to tell me that you loved this tree because it stayed with me before you came into existence. You were even kowtowing to it," The Absolute smirked. Estelle pursed her lips as that memory did not exist inside her head. "What do you want to say?" "So, I have a question for you. A hypothesis. If this tree is what keeps the entire universe intact, what would happen if it starts to deteriorate and could possibly fall apart in the near future?" The Absolutecked emotions, but this time, Estelle felt like she could discern his thoughts. He had a sad smile. A nostalgic look, as if he longed for something that was gone. A pained and distressed look, as if what he had now was about to disappear. Estelle was stunned as she found no suitable words to reply with. This hypothesis,bined with the look he wore, couldn''t have just been a coincidence. The Absolute wouldn''t joke about these kinds of things, would he? [Is the universe about to fall apart?] she thought. The information she unlocked all pointed to the Absolute starting to lose his power, but Estelle would have never guessed that the degree was this severe. Not just the destruction of a specific realm, like how the Underworld came to be. It was the entire universe. That meant, everything starting from the Surface, the Underworld, this ce, down to Reina''s realm would be gone. With it, its denizens would be wiped out as well. It was a terrifying thought. But it was possible. In the first ce, the universe was heavily reliant and centered on the Absolute and Yggdrasil''s powers. If Yggdrasil was the all powerful tree, then the realms would be its branches. If the tree died, the realms would die as well since the branches would fall down to the ground and eventually be dispersed. "The realms would.. be gone," Estelle answered carefully, observing the Absolute''s expressions. "..Correct. And, what if I tell you that this hypothesis is already on its way to proving itself in reality?" The Absolute lost his smile, he couldn''t hold it back any longer. He grasped Estelle''s hands in his as he spoke. "Estelle... No, Rae, you have to hurry. Once youe back, after you defeat your trials, there are duties for you to take care of back here. If you don''t, then the universe could be counted as destroyed. It''s only a matter of time.. and we don''t have that much time left," Being dropped with this kind of heavy information, Estelle frowned. Her heartbeat sped up as she opened and closed her mouth without spitting any words. The Absolute let go of her hand after a few seconds. "I have set a time limit for your stay here, but a couple of days should be possible. If you want to, you could stay here with me. If you want to explore this world and experience your memories firsthand, then that would be fine too," The Absolute said, suddenly switching the topic around and not mentioning the news anymore. Presented with the choice, Estelle saw the second option as a way to refresh her mind and digest the information properly. "..I want to go down to the mortal world. I want to see just where this all started.. Who made this all happen," Estelle had aplicated expression to her as she stood up and prepared to leave from the room. "I wille backter, or if there is something I want to inquire about," she added. The atmosphere was just too tense and vexing for her. Knowing that the world will fall apart, and whether or not the destruction seeds depends on her. This was a scary responsibility that she wouldn''t even imagine having. "Then, I will stay here.. as always. I will dly offer you my help if it''s within my rights to do so," With that, Estelle stepped out of the Absolute''s personal space, leaving the being alone. She was caught in a trance. There was somebody who sensed her return, and that particr somebody came to approach her. It was Astarte, the lively Goddess who loved his older sister. "Sister, you are back! What did the Absolute say? You look worse than before you went inside.. Did he say anything bad?" Astarte worried. "No.. that shouldn''t be the case. The Absolute dotes and cares for you more than anyone else," Estelle let out a gentle sigh as she patted the younger God''s head. "I just.. have some troublesome matters lying inside my head. Not even the Absolute could fix this problem as it concerns no one else but myself. Don''t worry, Arte. Come, let''s go down to the mortal world. I wish to visit..." "The mortal world? You.. are going to see that guy again? Sister, you know that you..." Astarte bit his lips as his face changed colors at Estelle''s deration. "En? I know, I know, I am just going to pay a casual visit," Estelle answered fast. To tell the truth, she didn''t know what Astarte was talking about at all. What was it? The fact that she was exposed to danger down there? Then, could Astarte have known from the first ce, but just failed to report it to the naive Goddess Estraea, failed to protect her from the mortal danger? Chapter 158: Fighting Fate Chapter 158: Fighting Fate "I''m going to what?" Estelle asked, tilting her head as she questioned. Astarte was hesitant as he stepped backwards, away from his older sister. Revealing an awkward smile, he spoke up. "Sister, I don''t think I will go down to the mortal realm with you today. I just remembered that I have things to do here. Please take care and don''t let yourself be harmed in any sort of way. Remember, sister. Their realm is separate from ours, and we can''t interfere too much.. or else their fates are going to be ruined altogether. Surely, you do not want to be the cause of that, do you?" [He is hiding something.] The original Goddess'' personality before it got matured by the course of things was naive, so naturally in a situation like this, the Goddess would actually ept Astarte''s response as a natural one and let it slide. However, Estelle began to sense a strange discrepancy between this younger God and the actions that were told to her. [Please, don''t let him be a traitor in this timeline as well.] Estelle hoped that the younger God was truly like the stories, genuinely caring and loving for the Goddess. If not, she would have to renew all of her understanding of the word ''love''. She hoped that the matter was just something that would be best for Estraea to not know. Something terrible that could be resolved behind her back, and that the God Astarte was not the key perpetrator here. "En, I don''t want to!" Although Estelle was suspicious, she still yed the role of ''Estraea'' in order to mask her true identity. "Then.. I''m leaving now, alright? Take care. I will remind you once more.. that you mustn''t do outrageous things, you mustn''t fight the world''s fates," Astarte heaved a sigh. Truthfully, if he could, he would just tell this older sister of his to not go into the mortal world. Because there would always be a heavy risk to her actions, one that would be irreversible if she made a mistake. However, he knew that the Goddess would not concede to him no matter how much he tried to persuade her. Because she was made to be that way. The Absolute wanted her to be the epitome of freedom, the embodiment of the term ''carefree''. She had every right to do so. Astarte''s words caused Estelle to frown internally. [Fighting the world''s fates?] Estelle held this phrase and repeatedly scrutinized it inside her mind, searching for the meaning. While she was deep in thought, Astarte waved goodbye to her and left the vicinity quickly. Inside the vast space, only Estelle was left. The world''s fate. What was the world''s fate? ording to her understanding of the phrase, it was the sequence of cause and effects that happened inside a certain world. Inside the string of events, there would be fates for each and every denizen of said realm, creating arge paradox where one misalignment could cause the change for thousands of others. The world''s fate was not permanent, it was something that could be ''changed''. However, one must be mindful that when this change urs, the ones affected will not only be a select few individuals, but a lot more than that. For example, if a simple sryman who was destined to work like that for the rest of his life suddenly ''changed'' his fate and built a hugepany that reached the pinnacle of the business world, then not only his life, but many others that would be epted into this new buddingpany would be affected. Originally, these people were supposed to work for other entities because thispany wouldn''t exist if not for this ''change''. Of course, there was a difference between natural change and forced change. Natural change was unprepared for and unintentional, whereas forced ones were the opposite. As a Goddess, Estraea was able to tweak this fate andmit forced changes by quite the generous amount. Thus, her actions such as protecting or blessing certain races were judged as eptable by this world''s fate. Her existence was just that huge. Her actions were ''forced changes'', because she was not supposed to exist within the realm, she was an outsider who held a high authority, thus being immune to the world''s fate''s eyes. However, what if she wanted to fight against this string? Fighting and tweaking were very different. A Goddess'' fate. Even as a Goddess, she also had her own fate. Was her fate to die under the hands of Ophelia? Resulting in the others desperately trying to save her, ending up in ''fighting'' their own fates, which was to lose the esteemed Goddess? If so, then the very existence of ''Estelle reste'' and ''Kirisaki Reina'' were the byproducts of fighting this fate. It wasn''t even just one person, but several people who joined in this maddening n. Was that how it all started? The sequence of destruction that escaped to the new Surface. The one that caused the suffering of many powerful individuals. The one that even affected the Absolute, who was supposed to be this imprable being. Holding the power of Origin couldn''t even shield him from destruction. Who could do such a thing? Who could offer a trade for the being''s unmatchable power in order to salvage her? There was only one lingering answer that Estelle had formed. It was the tree the Absolute spoke about back in his space. The Tree of Origin, Yggdrasil. If anything, this tree would be the ultimate form of the world''s fate. The mother of all life, it would also hold the realms together and bnced. [I think.. I have to inquire more about this treeter.] She noted the task down, but her current priority was to go and look at the ones who were the main figures in Goddess Estraea''s downfall. She wanted to stay somewhat positive for the time being. But she knew. She was clearly missing something. What was it? About her fates? The ones she repelled? What was she supposed to do? Be a viiness. That was the fate she learned of back when she first jumped into this world. [...Viiness. I have never asked about this matter to the Absolute, have I? Perhaps.. it''s time for me to ask about this.] Estelle let out a loud sigh as another thing caught her eyes. The intricate ring that snugly fit on her slender fingers shone with a golden light. Estelle''s mind was baffled once again. This was the ring that she retrieved back in the Surface. The one that was supposedly passed down for the Elven Royals. It was here with her. As the Goddess'' Estraea''s possession. Howe she never noticed that such a light came out of the ring? No... it wasn''t that she forgot. The ring she possessed, the light emitted was blue. She began to look for signs of other essories. She found another one, but it was of another type. The ring was paired with a matching earring. Estraea touched her left ear. The long, dangling earring was there. What was its purpose? Who gave it to her? Naturally, it should be the Absolute. However, would he really bestow such things to her just because of aesthetics? It couldn''t be. She saw the exact ring in the Surface, so something important must be behind this pair of jewelries. Stressed out, Estelle was frustrated by the amount of new things she is encountering. Her mind had to constantly work to process all of them, to find out the secrets. While thinking about all of this, her hands were actively operating the gate to the mortal realm. It was locked, and would only be opened when there is someone like Estelle or Astarte, who had the necessary authority. Using her lingering memories, Estelle let her body begin the process. Her body showed signs of practiced actions, proving that she had indeed done this process way too many times for her own good. By the time she wrapped her thoughts and organized them up, the pinkish, psychedelic gate had already opened sessfully. The gate that connected the higher realms to the other dimensions. By passing through this, she would fall down into the mortal realm and see exactly who ended up causing the world to fall apart and letting her soul break into pieces. Without thinking much, Estelle stepped into the gate. She felt a light tingling sensation as she crossed the dimensions and opened her eyes to another environment. The sight that greeted her once she passed was nothing unfamiliar. She arrived at one of the barrennds in the middle of nowhere. She faintly remembered that she would always use this ce as the connector, because no one would be here and it was strangelypatible with the dimension breaking gate. Even though the gate was created here multiple times, it didn''t affect the bnce of this area at all. She was here. In thete Surface, one that would crumble down and be the infamous Underworld in the near future. Chapter 159: The Town Chapter 159: The Town "...This isn''t unfamiliar at all," Estelle rubbed her temples. "Because.. this ce is Intemerata," she took in a sharp breath as she surveilled the surroundings. She had been here before, even as Estelle reste. They weren''t joking when they said that the Underworld used to be the exact same as the current Surface. This ce was the exact duplicate of the Intemerata she knew. The ins that belonged to nobody, the space that spread throughout the entire world and ssified as thend withoutws. All thend outside of the six known nations'' borders, that was Intemerata. It was one of the first things she learned when she came to the world, due to Heine assisting her in building up her knowledge about the world. "Let''s see.. If I am in Intemerata, and the map mirrors the Surface.. Then I would have to go to Alynthi if I wanted to seek Aleksei and Ophelia, right?" Estelle calmed herself down from the excitement she was feeling underneath her nervousness. She was thrown into an unfamiliar space, but this time she was strong enough to eclipse the others at any given moment. That was, at least until the chaos begun. But since the chaos hadn''t started yet, Estelle felt freedom in every single cell of her body. She was a Goddess who possessed great powers who currently had no equal in the mortal realm. There was no Underworld, there was no Elias or Arayle. She could traverse through the world without having to put up with any bullshit because she had her own freedom. She stretched her body out, letting her residual memory take over her movements and slowly drift through her desired location: Aleksei''s town. Aleksei. The man who the past Goddess apparently fell in love with to the point of blindness, she was really curious on what this man actually has. He was said to be just a normal young man from a normal town. Why was Estraea attracted to him? Good looks? She spent countless years apanied by the Absolute and God Astarte, she refused to believe that this man could eclipse those two''s beauty. No matter how handsome he was, the two aforementioned men were divine beings that couldn''t be affected by environmental impacts, so their looks were wless. In this day and age, living in such a secluded town like this and being a young man, Aleksei obviously needed to follow a training regimen to contribute to hismunity. His appearance wouldn''t win. Personality? Again, the two men she spent time with in the higher realms literally burned their lives to death just to fight fate for her. What else did Estraea need? Was she tricked? For such a gullible and naive Goddess, what prevented her from being tricked into falling in love with this man called Aleksei? Sweet words were easy to say, especially if it was done by an experienced yer. What if Aleksei was a yer? Her thoughts were still quite jumbled, but her body moved about at a high speed. Soon, she had reached the destination in just a few minutes. Throughout the journey, she had seen the world''sndscape and confirmed that it was really simr to the Surface. However, subtle differences would be there. Be it the architecture, the building cements, or cultural marks, some of them differed. It was a given since the two realms werepletely separate from each other, but just made to be extremely simr and directed through a set of conditions to perpetuate the same sequence of events. However, these changes could not be the exact replica of each other because there were so much probabilities that one simple event could have. Like her thoughts about the world''s fate''s progression recently, the ces had their own strings of fates no matter how hard they tried to tweak the scenarios. Estelle was brought to a town gate, where two guards were standing by in a rigid manner. They were not very well equipped, and their weapons were nothing but sharp spears that were made out of wood and had steel des attached to it. It wasn''t the most sturdy material ever. The two guards quickly recognized Estelle upon her arrival. This wasn''t the first time she randomly came forward to their gates and demanded entry. Even though she was an outsider, the Goddess Estraea had been a huge help to them many times, so naturally she was let in without any discussion or obstruction. "Miss Rae, are you here to seek out Sei again?" One of the guards asked with a warm smile. There was a faintyer of blush on the young man''s cheeks. It was clear that he had some sort of good feelings towards the Goddess, and there was even traces of adoration as he spoke. "Yes, I am! Sei.. is he inside the town?" Estelle tilted her head and slipped back a friendly smile, asking about the man''s whereabouts. "He should be with the town chief. I heard that he was called into the office earlier. Miss Rae, the chief will be happy to see you again. He treats you more favorably than he does towards his daughter, you could storm his office right away without asking!" The other guard responded with vigor. Estelle chuckled at the two men''s great attitudes towards her and let out a gentle sigh. "Surely you are joking. Even if that was true, I wouldn''t storm in! It would simply be impolite! Since he is in the town.. Then, I will go in now, alright? Please take care guarding the town. The people must be very grateful towards you since you protect them," Estelle stepped forward, waving goodbyes as she walked further into the town, disappearing from the guards'' sights. The guards still waved enthusiastically even after Estelle stopped looking at them. The two faced each other and let out muted screams as they began to converse. "Miss Rae is truly so breathtaking.. How could such a person exist? She''s beautiful, pretty, has a great attitude.. Ahh, that little kid Sei is so lucky! If I were him, I would''ve courted Miss Rae already! Every time shees here, she would always look for him. What more cues does he need before he starts asking her out! I''m feeling frustrated for Miss Rae!" "I mean, from what I can see.. Sei is also interested in Miss Rae. Well- who wouldn''t, right?" "Yeah.. but Sei''s situation is a little bit tricky. The town chief''s daughter... Miss Ophelia. If Miss Rae didn''te here, I think those two are the destined couple, but.." The guard sighed. "Miss Ophelia is truly pitiful," "Even Miss Ophelia can''t really contend against Miss Rae, can she.." "Right, who could? Not to mention this town, even if we are talking about the entire world, it would be hard to find someone who could hold a candle against Miss Rae. It''s such a shame, those two have been together since they were practically toddlers! Miss Ophelia showed signs of willingness in being paired up with Sei too.. But Sei, this kid, he has absurd luck but is denser than everything," The guard spoke out bluntly. "But I suppose, being that dense was what made him have a chance with Miss Rae. If that couple was already together, Miss Rae wouldn''t be so fond of Sei," "Ahhh! Alright, alright! No more gossips, it''s not our business anyway! You know, if we get caught, they will reprimand us again. I don''t want to go through the punishment!" The guard finally fixed his posture and started guarding with a serious face again. "To tell the truth, guarding this gate is really meaningless. Our townspeople seldom go in and out of the town, and strangers who pass through are traveling merchants or suppliers. There are no tourists, not even adventurers since this area is not suited for hunting. A town like this, who would attack it anyway? Really, the town chief is too paranoid!" Sighing, the other guard also began to follow suit, agreeing with the other''s words. Still inside the town, Estelle hadn''t actually moved forward to the chief''s office like the guards had suggested. She used her extensive listening skills to overhear the guards'' conversations and discerned their admiration and pity towards the ongoing scandal. Estraea, which was her position right now, was an outsider. Yet, she got treated better than anybody else, understandably. With her assets and contributions, the town chief would naturally be in favor of her and try to tie her down to the town. If he was sessful, then the town will be helped in all segments. Estraea''s skills were high in numbers, and if they were able to get such a person on their side, it could be counted as their umtion of seven generations'' worth of luck. About Ophelia, Estelle finally learned that she was the town chief''s daughter. Going by the guards words, it seemed like the only reason why Ophelia wasn''t fond of the perfect Goddess was not only because Aleksei was being taken away from her. Chapter 160: Tension Chapter 160: Tension With an intrigued expression, and Ophelia''s situation in mind, Estelle finally picked up her pace and arrived at the town''s management center. She entered the building, nodding and greeting at some of the people in sight with a gentle smile before reaching a specific room clearly marked as the chief''s office. She knocked at the wooden door, announcing her presence with a cough. "Excuse me, town chief," she said. The room was previously silent, but in mere seconds, it was no longer the same. "That voice.. Is that Rae?! Oh, dear, Rae! You havee here again!" A loud voice erupted from within the room. Rumbling footsteps followed right after. The door knob turned and the door opened, revealing the familiar figure of this town''s leader. The man''s expression quickly brightened up after his eyes fell onto the Goddess Estraea''s signature appearance. "It really is Rae. Come in,e in! Ophelia! Serve some tea for us two!" He gently held Estelle''s hand and pulled her into the room, leading her to the seats. The town chief had a warm personality, and looked like a gentle elderly man. Estelle''s ears perked up when she heard Ophelia''s name being mentioned. She immediately searched for the woman''s presence, but couldn''t find her anywhere. Although, she did hear a slight muffled sound of agreement from a distance, which she assumed to be Ophelia''s voice. Estelle sat down on the soft chair and looked around. "Good morning, chief. I came here to look for Sei, is he not here?" The only person inside the room aside from her was this weing chief. "Oh, getting straight to the point, are you? Every time, you always mention Sei''s name! Hahahah! That kid sure is lucky," The chief, whose name was Oswaldughed boisterously. "He will probablye back very soon. I sent him away to do some chores earlier, the people in the town hall needed help with the festival''s preparations," "Festival.. for what?" "To celebrate a yearly custom in our town. It''s unrted to any cultural symbols, we just adopted this trend a while ago and kept it going. We typically have feasts, party around, but the most significant event is.. therge bonfire that is going to be raised in the middle of the town. We will all circle the me and dance, sing, whatever it is to have fun," Oswald exined. "Is that so.. When is the festival?" "Actually, you came at the perfect time! The festival will be held tomorrow. If you''re free, why don''t you stay in our town tonight, perhaps you could join the festival tomorrow? It will be fun, I promise!" The chief enthusiastically said. "I will have to consider that offer very carefully," Estelle replied. She didn''t know how much time she had in this strange space she was in, but she wanted to make sure that her time is well spent. After confirming her targets, she nned to go and sightsee around the world to pick up the differences and perhaps spot significant information she could use in the future. "Sei will be attending, you know? Come on, thest time we wanted to celebrate your contribution, you refused and ditched us. This festival can count as the recement for that now that you''re here!" "Ahh.. but I might have urgent matters pop up suddenly. I will decide whether or not I would join right before the party, there is no need for you all to prepare for my stay. Ie and go like always, you see?" "I''ve asked this many times, but do you really not want to just settle in here? Rather than going off anding back here repeatedly.. The town''s people would be fine with you building a home here, you know? We will ept you. No, that''s not right. We have already epted you. You just have to say the word and a couple of voluntary workers will definitely pop up!" "..No. I also have my own home.. People who need me to be there, and people I need to be with," Estelle ambiguously answered. "I-Is that so," The chief coughed awkwardly. "My apologies for always asking this, but I really wish you stayed here. You have been such a great help, and-" Right then, the door to the office opened and revealed a pretty young woman who had an exquisite appearance. She brought a tray that fit two cups of hot tea. The woman gracefully walked to the table and ced the cups down. While she was doing that, Estelle kept staring at the woman, trying to imprint the image of her appearance inside her head. Ophelia. This was the one who brought her doom, Ophelia. The one who caused all the chaos to start, and would embody the soul of Chaos in the future. Ophelia bowed down when she ced the cups. Sensing Estelle''s intensive stare, she turned around to look at her. Their eyes met, and Ophelia immediately averted her gaze away to the cups. "It''s nice to see you again, Ophelia," Estelle tried her luck, prodding on the woman''s matter to see how she would react to her. "..It''s nice to see you too, Rae," Ophelia shed a bright smile, as if nothing was wrong. She tidied up the tray and stood there. There was this strange tension within them, even without any signs of difort surfacing out. "I heard about the festival. Are you going to attend it too, Ophelia?" Estelle asked as she took a sip of the tea Ophelia brewed, not worrying at all since she knew that her body was much more powerful than it was back in the previous realm. She wouldn''t even be bothered by potent poison, and Ophelia herself should know this face. There would be no way she tried to do something funny to her drink. Ophelia''s eyes twinkled with pride as she answered. "Of course. I am going to perform thest dance. It is going to be the highlight of the night, so I am very nervous about it.. I have practiced a lot, but what if I make mistakes?" "Don''t worry, daughter. You will be spectacr!" Oswald cheered, receiving a thankful grin from the beautiful daughter of his. "Oh? A dance? Are you going to perform alone, or is there a partner who will apany you?" Estelle asked. "..With Aleksei. I will perform the dance with Aleksei since we have been chosen to be the party''s main couple.. so we will have to dance together," Ophelia answered, showing a meaningful smile as she chuckled lightly. "Is that so.. a dance, huh? I would love to see that. You''re making me want to go to the festival!" Estelle replied with vigor. "Your presence will be greatly appreciated. But.. since you came herest minute, I''m not sure if you will be able to find a dancing partner.. Everyone is already paired up," "Oh, that is of no worry. I could dance by myself, I used to love dancing! My style might be different from your pte, but everyone who saw my performance praised me, you know?" "That is a certainty. Rae is very beautiful, when she saved this town, I almost thought that she was Goddess descending from the skies! At that time, you wore white robes and fluttered downwards, eclipsing the sun for a few seconds, letting your weapons re, and the enemies instantly-" "Father, you are being too chatty in front of the person herself. Won''t she be embarrassed if you''re like this?" Ophelia interjected, ending the chief''s unending ramble. "Oh, my bad, my bad. I got carried away. Anyway, Rae, you should definitely join if you could!" Oswald said once more. He really was a huge fan of this mystical youngdy, no amount of praise was enough for him to channel his feelings. It was almost to the point of worship. "Yes, I will do so. Now then.. Where did you say Sei was sent to? I''m thinking of surprising him with my arrival.. so it would be better if I just went there and approached him when he''s busy. If I waited too long, I think the entire town will be notified of my arrival already. I greeted quite a lot of people on my way here, you see?" Estelle giggled. "Oh, right! That would certainly be true. Then.. go off to the town hall! He''s there right now," Oswald directed. "Thank you, chief. I will definitely be back again," Estelle politely nodded as she said her farewells and began to head towards the town hall to seek Aleksei, the other main character that she wanted to research. Upon arriving at the town hall, everyone was busy and loitering about. Estelle went ahead and approached a randomdy who brought arge basket filled with apples. "Umm.." Estelle called out hesitantly as she didn''t know who this woman''s identity was. The woman turned around, saw the Goddess, and broke into a wide smile. "Rae! You are here!" The woman said. Chapter 161: A Bold Request Chapter 161: A Bold Request "Miss Rae, looking for Sei? Sei is right there, he''s currently chopping wood for the bonfire.. You have visited the chief, so I''m sure that he told you about the festival, right?" The woman said. "Yes, he did. Thank you for the directions!" Estelle answered, waving goodbye from the person and approaching the ce she pointed. She saw a familiar back and headed towards the man in question. She poked his back with her index finger, notifying the man of her arrival. The man reacted a second after, slowly turning his head around and catching Estelle''s figure in his sights. His eyes widened with delight as he dropped all of his previous work and faced Estelle. Estelle''s eyes secretly observed the man as she smiled at him brightly. "...Rae? Is that really you?" Aleksei was a youthful man with features that could only be described as gorgeous. This man evoked quite the fair share of emotions within her as she came forward to stand in front of the man and tilt her head. "Yep. I came here to visit, I was coincidentally passing by. Are you surprised?" Estelle grinned. "In a pleasant way, yes." Aleksei extended his arms to embrace Estelle gently, bringing quite the shock to the woman for his bold moves. They weren''t officially a couple yet, but considering the original Goddess'' carefree and naive attitude, she was indeed someone who would like skinship and even initiate it herself. "I missed you, Rae. It''s great that you returned," Aleksei caressed her hair,bing his fingers through the strands. Not being used to the hug, Estelle could only awkwardly stand in silence as Aleksei slowly removed his arms and held her hands. "Are you not busy? If that''s the case, then.. there''s a festival tomorrow. It''s going to be such a grand feast. If you joined.. Then it would be the best case scenario!" he offered. "Hmm.. I''m not sure yet, to be honest. I will decide tomorrow. I''ve answered in the same way towards the chief as well. Like always.. urgent matters might sprout!" Estelle answered. "You met the chief before me? How disappointing, I expected to be the one you see first!" "How is that possible? I didn''t know where you were, and the first people I met were the two guards standing by the gate who let me into the town. Then, I went to the chief''s office to ask for your whereabouts and met him and Ophelia. On the way here, I met a couple more people. If you want to be the first one I see whenever I visit, then just go be a town guard and stay there all day," Estelle replied without restraint. "Umm.. that makes sense.. but still," Aleksei pursed his lips. "Wait here a bit, alright? I will finish my work and we can get out of this ce.. have fun around town or something. Or would you like to help me with the work to speed it up?" "If there''s anything I can help with, then I will dly help!" Estelle rolled up her sleeves as she moved forward to face Aleksei''s working table, cooperating with him for the next several minutes for the festival''s preparation. After they finished, they tidied up the ce and came out. The first thing they heard was the loud shout of a young man and hurried footsteps drawing near to their position. Both turned their head to look at the voice''s owner and located who he was. "Miss Rae! And.. Sei," He huffed his breath, struggling slightly after running with such a high energy consumption rate. He greeted the two and waited untl he could finally catch his breath. "What brings you here?" Estelle asked. "Do you need something from me?" The man nodded lightly, standing up straight after recovering his condition. "Apparently, the chief is going to hold a gathering for you. Have you eaten, Miss Rae?" The man asked, eyeing Aleksei who stood beside her. "The chief told me to hurry here before you leave the ce and run off with Sei. Luckily, I heeded his words and ran all the way here. Or else.. you were going to run away, right?!" The man teased. "We were just going to walk around town! And no, I haven''t eaten yet. Ao, even though I told the chief not to give me such a grand treatment, he still did it anyway!" Estelleined. "Hahah, it couldn''t be helped. The chief is just like that," The manughed. "If so, then could youe to the office? We''ll go and have this feast," "Hmm.. alright!" Estelle nodded and followed behind the young man who started to lead their way. Once they came back to the office, they saw both the town chief and Ophelia standing by the door. The chief had both his hands ced on his hips as his eyes brightened once Rae entered his sights. "Ooh! Rae! You''re finally back with the kid. How about it? The gathering? DO you agree to join? If you do, I will tell the people toe right this very moment!" He announced. "Calm down, chief. I have decided that.." Estelle purposely dragged her words. "I will attend!" The chiefughed loudly, shouting all over the ce for the gathering to be prepared. In just a matter of minutes, a lot of preparation had been done and quite the amount of people gathered. Estelle was seated at the main seat along with the chief and Sei. The food started to be dished out and everyone began to dine in, creating a jolly atmosphere. After the short dining ended, Sei kept looking at Estelle with hesitant eyes. Pondering for multiple times, he finally made his mind up and coughed out loud, attracting the nearby people''s attentions. "Actually.. I have been meaning to say something. Rae.. will you be my dance partner for the festival if you could make it to the event?" Aleksei sped her hands in his, looking into her eyes with a hopeful gaze. Estelle''s lips curved upwards as things were certainly going somewhere unpleasant. Ophelia stood by the side, with an expressionless face. It was unknown what she was thinking about, but it couldn''t have been a positive sentiment. Public embarrassment was severe. Envy. Jealousy. Hatred. They were very easy to invoke. All of it would quickly pile up into a mountain, weighing heavily inside her heart. "Ao, if I can make it, then I will take up on the offer. But.. weren''t you supposed to perform the final dance with Ophelia? What about all the stuff you guys have prepared? Won''t it all go to waste?" Estelle asked innocently. Aleksei pursed his lips and humphed. "Rae, I know how well you can dance. I''ve seen it before, and the image hasn''t disappeared from my mind yet until this day. When the timees, you could just dance whatever you want while I cater to you. We have a great chemistry, don''t you think?" Aleksei gently smiled, patting the other on the head. Ophelia''s expression was starting to worsen with every new word Aleksei spouted that showed his favor and closeness towards the woman. It was as if he waspletely disregarding her position, and that her preparation was futile all along. The dance had been so hyped up within themunity, but all it took was a simple visit from Estelle right before the festival started to ruin all of the ns. Her fists were starting to clench and her mind went into disarray. "...En. Then, I will make sure to perform well if I doe," Estelle agreed. "But what about Ophelia? Who would she dance with?" her eyes went to the woman. "Don''t worry. I will find another man. It''s not like Aleksei is the only man in this town, is he?" Ophelia readily answered, her expression not showing any traces of unwillingness. "Ao, but you said that the others have already paired up, and that there were no more unmatched people. Did you lie to me?" Estelle kept prodding, trying to test the waters out. "I didn''t lie, there really isn''t an unmatched partner. It just so turns out that the amount of people who will participate checks out perfectly into pairs. Since you''vee here all of a sudden.. then as a great host, I have to amodate a bit. I will have to look for a partner from outside this town or visitors, I suppose. It wouldn''t be that hard," Ophelia said. Her words lightly implied that Estelle''s arrival was causing havoc at the originally tidy n, but Estelle ignored that meaning and treaded forward. "Then, I must take you two up on this offer. Thank you for hosting today''s meal, chief. I will be leaving for the time being, to sort some things out. I originally came here because I was working near the area, so I have to go back to my work if I want to make it for tomorrow''s festival," Estelle said, dropping the matter. "Big sister Rae is so hardworking!" A childish voice rang out. Chapter 162: Innocence Chapter 162: Innocence Those seemingly innocent words attracted the attendee''s attention. A child in braids then came forward holding a flower crownprised of several colorful flowers. It was intricate, and the child was very proud in presenting the work in her hands. "Big sister Rae, May built this for you when she heard that you''re back here. Please try it on!" The child was named May, and her small hands pushed the crown forward as her eyes twinkled with happiness. Clear admiration was present in every ounce of her actions. "Aww, this is so sweet. You didn''t have to do this!" Estelle responded in delight, taking the flower crown and cing it snugly on her hair. "I''m very happy with the present, May," "I respect big sister Rae the most! Before, my role model was big sister Ophelia, but now it''s you!" May jumped into Estelle''s embrace, hugging her tight. "You are so cool and pretty and strong and, and, uhh.. in conclusion, big sister Rae is May''s idol!" The crowdughed simultaneously, but they also stole nces at Ophelia''s face, wanting to see how she would react. There had been two consecutive incidences that happened today involvingparisons of the two, in which both ended up with Ophelia''s loss. If anyone was in Ophelia''s position, they would have been upset. Yet, Ophelia only showed an understanding smile, not letting her facade crumble in the slightest. Estelle slowly carried May up and stood from her seat, walking up to her mother and transferring the child to her rightful care. "Big sister has to go do her responsibilities now. May will also grow up to be a responsible adult, right?" Estelle poked the child''s nose. "With the flower crown May gave big sister, she will definitely go through a power up and solve her work in an instant! Thank you so much, May," "Of course~" May made a wide grin as she giggled around. "May learned to make the flower crowns from May''s mother! May will make it for big sister anytime she wants, just say what colors and arrangements you want!" "That''s a really generous offer you have there, little child," Estelle chuckled before patting May on the head onest time and turning around towards the door. "Then, everyone, I will leave now. Truly, thank you for weing me this warmly every time Ie and visit. About the festival, although I still have no definite answer, it would be my pleasure to join you all!" Estelle nodded at the townspeople and walked out of the house after receiving their replies. When she arrived outside and stopped to stretch her body for a bit, footsteps resounded behind her. Because she was out of focus, she hadn''t listened to the sounds around her. A pair of hands hugged her gently from behind, making her shocked and taken aback. Her instincts to retaliate quickly activated, but it was dispelled once she identified the man who did the act. It was Aleksei. Upon seeing Estelle''s flustered expression, he broke into a grin and spoke up. "Rae, take care as always. You can be clumsy, so you have to be careful!" Aleksei said with a serious expression. "Ao! Just look at me, even if I''m clumsy, who dares to offend me?" Estelle joked, earning a lenient sigh from the man. She rxed knowing that this man was apparently someone who had sacrificed and tried everything for the sake of preserving her. With it, she was reminded of Aleksei Virante, the man who bore the same name as him and was proposed to be the probable incarnation of the man standing right before her right now. A sudden bad thought crossed her mind. Aleksei clearly held secrets, and his mind couldn''t possibly be normal with the traits he was showing. There was something much deeper that she didn''t know. Albeit she hadn''t found out yet, with such a being of Aleksei''s caliber, it couldn''t have been a simple thing. Estelle''s eyes on the man heated up, wondering if this man was truly innocent. The line between innocent and guilty was so quickly evaporated once they "I''m being serious. Recently, this area.. has been feeling slightly strange. As if something bad is going to happen. Although nothing has be reality yet.. it still makes me feel a bit unsettled. You know how sensitive I am. I think that.." "Ah, ah. Don''t worry too much about me, worry about yourself and the townspeople. They are much more vulnerable than I am," "En? Ophelia is just my childhood friend, I''d say that she''s one of the closest people in my life. Almost like a.. sister of sorts. The chief is also like a family to me.. They were so weing towards me, just like they did to you," Aleksei''s expression melted into warmth as he said. "I thought that I have told this story before?" "Yeah, I just wanted to.. ask," "Oh.. are you feeling bothered because me and Ophelia were supposed to dance as the main couple? That.. was a decision made due to everyone''s votes. I had no say in it, I was just going with the flow," Aleksei said, defending his case. Even though he was terribly dense, he could somewhat perceive what people epted as a negative or positive asion, and how it pertained to one''s emotions. He tried to think in reverse, if Estelle was the one set to be dancing with a man that wasn''t him. He found out that he would feel diforted, so he wanted to appease Estelle by dispelling the doubts that sprouted. Even though he was capable of thinking like this, he still didn''t know that they were basically close enough to be more than a couple. Yet, he never came to realize his feelings ording to the story that was given to her. Estelle came to wonder what made him realize that he was in love with the strange Goddess that suddenly graced hisnd. Was it a shocking discovery? Was it because she saved the ce one more time, piling up more gratitude on their side? Was it because.. There was one thing that bothered Estelle. Even though Estraea was naive, she should at least know not to reveal her identity as a Goddess. However, as the story goes, Aleksei came to know this face. Even Ophelia learnedter on. How did thise to be? Why was the Goddesspelled to reveal her identity? Did they figure it out on their own? Based on her knowledge, the basis of a deity was not that prominent in the current timeline. Because no one had actually known or seen a deity. The Elvenmunity instated the Goddess Estraea as a deity because of their beliefs and wants, their gratitude that was expressed through worship. However, what made this simple man know? Or perhaps, he is not as simple as he looks? "I.. have to go now, alright? You take care too. When Ie back, I want to see you alive. I want to see everyone alive. Can you do that for me?" "I''m not as strong as you, but I''m rtively strong. Don''t worry while you''re out there.. I will protect them.. and their smiles," Aleksei said confidently. "Besides, haven''t you told me some tricks? I''ve been helped quite a lot by those," [ssic male protagonist line, check.] Estelle internally rolled her eyes. Was she inside a novel? A fictional media? Well, her story ispletely outrageous, her background is shit, and her fate is so gloomy that she wondered if she was even ever going to reach the great sides that was the pinnacle of her glory. After thinking, she decided that it was time to finally leave for good. So much stalling had happened. "See you soon, Sei," Estelle bid him goodbye, taking off into the air and leaving the ce, increasing in altitude. "See you too, Rae!" As Estelle flew up high, the man increased his voice''s volume, afraid that the woman wouldn''t hear him. He waved hard, watching as the woman''s figure slowly turned around and focused on the road she flew to, to the point of disappearing from his sights. He lowered his hands and stilled for a couple seconds, before huffing a breath anding back inside the house. Estelle, on the other hand, was approaching the forest. The one that Aleksei had told her about, the one that supposedly started to change and became more dangerous. She flew from above and scanned the area, utilizing her abundant resources to her own advantage. Making use of the Goddess'' powers was so convenient that she was afraid that she would struggle once this trip ended. "I don''t see much stuff... What was he talking about?" Estelle wanted to check the area out precisely because people like Aleksei typically had a strong sixth sense, the ability to feel an uing threat. She was focused on trying to spot what could''ve sparked the destruction. To try and simte the events. Chapter 163: Testing Methods Chapter 163: Testing Methods She lunged down into the forest, gently descending to the ground and calming her mind to focus on the scanning process. Then, this time, within a couple of tries, she found out about one peculiar thing that might be the reason for Aleksei''s worrying words. His sensed might have proven to be true, after all. It wasn''t a mistake. Gulping a mouthful of saliva, Estelle took this matter up as her next challenge. She gradually approached it to confirm exactly what was this thing, and why it made up such an unsettling presence. It was a diforting ball of energy. It didn''t have a form, but it seemed to start spreading all over the forest. It was hard to detect. Before, when she scanned over the area, it didn''t get picked up precisely because this energy''s form was so subtle. However, once you located it, you would find it hard to even take your mind off of the energy ball. The energy concentrated further and further into a secluded part of the forest, somewhere that she knew no one would ever think of going to if it was under normal conditions. [Is this actually the Chaos'' sprout? No.. it shouldn''t have escaped from the higher realms yet going by the timeline. If so, how can this be here? It''s clearly.. a spawn that carries the same hue with the Destruction Magic.] If Destruction Magic was essentially the element Chaos abided by, then what was this energy? An alternate version of the Destruction Magic? Estelle knew that the destruction had started somewhere long after this, because ording to her broken memories, the past Goddess Estraea did not even visit the town until a monthter because she was stuck up in the higher realms with the Absolute because of some forgotten matters. "I''m really sick of this element.. I wish I could do something to fight back, to destroy this. Building an immunity would also be.. great," Estelle said, covering her mouth to prevent her from getting sick even further. Even as the Goddess Estraea''s body, she still had adverse effects towards this sinister thing. It was as if the energy was solely built to gue her path, hinder her very being. She stepped backwards, as she gathered her pure mana to try and dissolve this thing. In the past, the Goddess might have missed this particr element and let it grow out until it became a threat for her and her existence, in addition to a highly probable scheme that reeled her in. Estelle than figured out a way to properly channel her magic in the same way that this unsettling energy was forming with, and fired it to the innermost core of the energy''s concentrated parts. This created ripples over the surrounding area, almost shaking the entire ce up and creating tremors. The earth shook, trembling as the energy collision created such an apparent destructive ability that even Estelle was forced to step backwards in order to get out of the harm''s way. "...So I can actually destroy it.. No, I''d say that this is only minimizing the scale of the energy, but it didn''tpletely destroy the element," Estelle analyzed the results and was pleasantly happy with it as she finally started to see differences, like an overturn in her original perception of her magic being inferior in front of this sinister energy. Her archenemy. Sure enough, the energy grew back, bouncing into existence as if Estelle''s attack never happened at all. Like a punching bag. It came back, being as annoying as ever. Estelle began her trial and error session, trying to replicate the same thing she performed just now. The trial''s results were more or less the same, which made her quite disappointed. Estelle brought her hand up to her lips as she carefully thought about what to do next. There were several things that she picked up. Several things that she hoped to expand on further and figure out a bigger answer. First, it wasn''t like her energy was weaker than the other. It was just so that the nature of the two magic contradicted each other as said by Heine when he exined. Second, there was almost like a rupture for her to take control of in the energy ball. Previously, she had learned that her magic could be very stable and had a stream of tranquility to it even as she was spawning high intensity magic. On the other hand, the Chaos'' magic was doomed to always stay unstable, disruptive, and hard to control. It was for the exact same reason that this magic tended to negatively affect those who were exposed too much to it. Third, ''affecting'' it wasn''t impossible, but it could only be done using her signature magic, the Creation Magic. She cautiously tried prodding the ball of energy using other elements and it turned out to be futile. However, only when she used the Creation Magic was she able to do some changes to the energy. This proved that there should be a way to solve this problem, she just hadn''t found out about it yet. "If I could figure out a way to.. seal this power or encapste it to the point where it doesn''t harm me anymore.. then it would be perfect for resisting it," Estelle grinned. Knowing that she was currently blessed with her abundant, extensive powers and that this wasn''t aplete reality, Estelle was much more confident in being brave and daring in her experiments. Even though she would still have to feel the ufortable feeling, she wanted to try this out. She knew that she was strong, just not that strong to regain her worth and ovee all her challenges by herself yet. In order to be stronger, she had to follow the path of painful duties, which included facing this particr sinister energy. She started to work her way up, teetering over the ckish energy and applying all sorts of methods to see which ones had effects and which ones didn''t work at all. Through doing this, she had toe close to the energy ball and naturally received the negative brunt of it. In the end, after her experiments, she was left with some choices, and most of them did not directly destroyed the energy, but instead could weaken it in a specific way and change the destructive nature bit by bit, whether it was through corrosion or forceful contact. The first one was the energy ball method, which fired the same concentration as the one the ball of energy had. This made the opposing energy minimized, but the element still stayed intact. This meant that the energy still affected her quite a lot, but the area the energy psed over would decrease. The second method wascing the energy ball with a sheet of her signature magic that would wrap the opposing energy up. This actually started to corrode the Chaos'' magic and began to weaken the energy. This weakening made the energy more tolerable for Estelle to interact with, which left her to wonder if building a tolerance level towards the magic was indeed possible. The third one was the mostplicated one that worked, but also the one that had the most effects. She tried to gobble the other''s magic up, overpowering it. However, it wasn''t done with brute force, but rather like prating into the energy and trying to rece it with her own. With the right amount of concentration and amount, she was able to somewhat both weaken and minimize the energy ball. It was like mixing two strange liquids together. They didn''t mix, and always fought with each other to seek the one that could overpower the other and take charge. In this case, because the Chaos energy was immobile and didn''t respond to her energy approaches except for bouncing back whenever she damaged it, Estelle was able to find out the suitable grasp of energy she should apply just by roughly guessing with her choices and experiments. Combining the several methods could be possible. She began theorizing over all sorts of things, but the one main factor that she noticed was that the energy would always keeping back after some time. She hadn''t discovered a method that could eradicate the energypletely, not to mention that this wasn''t the purest Chaos energy, but rather was just an alternate version of what she faced back in the Surface. She was further and further drawn into this mystical experiment and couldn''t help but delved herself deeper every time. There were so many options to try out, so much choices to pick from. She happily went ahead and applied her magic continuously. However, there was one thing that she failed to note down. If before, her appearance in the Elven country and simple power exchange granted the race powers simr to hers for several generations, then what would happen to this forest that had been imbued by her magic times and times again? Chapter 164: Enjoyment Chapter 164: Enjoyment Ending her experiment on a positive note, Estelle looked up to the sky and realized that quite a lot of time had passed. The sky was already began to darken, as the previously clear scheme became shaded with colors of orange, signifying the setting sun''s time period. She brushed the thinyer of sweat off of her forehead as she sat down, leaning her back against a sturdy tree. "I want to hurry and return.. with the innovations I''ve made in this time," Estelle said. Although, there was still blobs of uncertainty surrounding her heart as the methods she learned here might not apply over there. However, the world was so terribly realistic that she couldn''t help but feel that she was truly Goddess Estraea and not someone who had an alternate life in the Surface. Deciding that it was the perfect time to quit today''s worth of work, Estelle rose up to the sky and left the forest areas. She flew above the widends, some decorated with natural resources and the others packed with civilization. She mapped the area and documented the differences she found inside her head, circling the world with her high speed and stopping at certain ces to gain more experience. It was funny to her. Thanks to her privilege to be rxed, and her absurd powers, she was able to visit the entire world in just one round. In this realm, she had already visited all the nations in one day, whereas in the previous realm, she hadn''t done so. After finishing her tour, Estelle concluded her data gathering session and rested for the day. She created a bed in the middle of nowhere, making sure that no one would be able to see her frequent antics. Once she made sure that she wouldn''t be disturbed, she closed her eyes and slept the night away. In a few hours, she was awake. It was still dawn, but she immediately got up and stretched her entire body. Taking arge gust of breath, she moaned in pleasure as she prepared herself for the day. Her mind had been rested, and her impending needs were relieved, so it was time to... train more! "Now then... A new day means more training, I suppose?" Estelle stood in front of the energy ball, which had grown to be more potent than the previous day she had visited the location. Even though she managed to suppress it yesterday, the ball still ended uping back, which led to her frustration. However, this frustration was turned into more motivation to get her job done and actually make her way through cracking the correct method''s application. Her research was further more improved, and she felt like she discovered something new every time she passed a certain bottleneck. Documenting everything into her own note, she was absorbed in her own world as she didn''t even realize how much time had been spent during her maniacal designs. As her powers couldn''t run out, she maximized this attribute by going through a long process of trial and error without resting in the slightest. She only rested her mind within the training, but her powers still kept going since she was able to cast the magic without too much attention being put into the spell. When she saw the skies turn orange and almost reddish, she knew that it signified another uing event that she wished to follow. "...This would be the perfect time to go back and join the festival," Estellemented, looking at the town not far from the forest she was currently in. "Do I attend? I think I''m fine with stopping here, and I can honestlyst days without sleep," she whispered, thinking carefully. Not only in this body, but she could also go on without sleep in her previous body. This whole trip was supposed to be like a small vacation for her exhausted mind, but she ended up tiring herself on every single chance she had. Deciding that it would be a better idea to go and participate, Estelle started to make her way out of the forest and entered through the town gates. There were nobody guarding the area since every single town member would be invited into the party. The crowds were already bustling inside the town''s center, with vivid decorations and items being put around, disyed out in the open. The people were dressed well as they mingled with each other and had fun. As she approached from behind, Estelle overheard one of the people saying that ''it was a shame how Rae couldn''t attend this party because she was busy'', and knew that it was the perfect chance to jump in. "I''m here, you know?" Estelle chuckled. Her voice was very distinguishable from the others. It carried much more sweetness and charm within it. Furthermore, this voice suddenly entered the conversation without warning, so the bystander''s heads were all turned to her way. They caught Estelle''s figure in their eyes and began to rejoice. "Rae! You decided to attend! Finally! We were just about to think that you wouldn''t attend.. Turns out, you dide," Aleksei was the first one to approach Estelle and hold her hands, his eyes filled to the brim with warmth as he spoke. Soon, the others began to crowd around Estelle too and asked her various questions. "Ao! We just talked about you, and you showed up!" "How was your trip?" "Were you safe?" "Knowing you, the matter must me of high importance, right?" "You''re so powerful, the problem must already be solved by now," "What was it about?" "Big sister, please tell me about your travels!" "Big sister, big sister, please have this!" A barrage of questions wereunched almost at the same time, making Estelle back away from the crowd''s enthusiasm, not used to being huddled up like this. Most of the concerned questions were from the elderly, whereas the excited questions were from children who also began to tug at her clothes with their small hands. Aleksei noticed her ufortable gestures and shielded the woman from the others, signalling with his eyes that Estelle should not be treated like this. It worked, and the endless loud chatters stopped. Aleksei turned to look at Estelle, who was still flustered. "Sorry about that. Especially the kids. They like to hear exciting stories, you see? Adventures.. and all of that. You''ve never really stayed here for long other than just casually visiting by.. they''ve wanted to hear your tales from long ago," "No, it''s fine. I find it cute," Estelleughed, petting some of the children''s heads. "Big sister will tell you next time, but we are all here to enjoy the festival, right? Come, why don''t you show big sister around the feast? Big sister is starved!" The kids readily replied, shouting in agreement. They held Estelle''s sleeves as they walked towards the tables, with Estelle trailing behind them, careful as to not trip and fall down. The festival progressed with the addition of Estelle. Within her arrival, Estelle actually caught a slight glimpse of Ophelia, who looked at her figure as if she was an extremely irksome being. Paying no heed to that, Estelle participated in the festival without worries. Next, came the dance event. Everyone was geared up for the dance. Aleksei and Estelle reunited amidst the crowd, and faced each other. "Would you have this dance with me, mdy?" Aleksei''s smooth voice rang, asking the other straightforwardly. With a smile, Estelle took his hand and immediately cast magic on them. They were about to perform what would be the most memorable showcase for their entire lives. Estelle was still d in loose robes, and she made use of that by performing spins, twists, and turns that entuated her beauty. Aleksei, who was also affected by the magic felt like his footsteps were as light as feathers, and that he was able to fly with the woman who held his hands as they danced freely across the sky. Estelle cast sparkles all over them. The scene was very dazzling, and the people who saw it from below immediately shouted words of cheering. It was a magical sight to behold, the couple just having their fun and entertaining the town at the same time. The night was merry, and they ended up partying until the night passed and the new day came. Estelle and Aleksei had already went down on the ground long ago, and they were huffing and puffing when they finally stopped their continuous movements. Praises and gratitude were showered all over, and the couple almost had no chance to take a breather as the crows got too excited. By this time, all the kids already fell asleep. They were brought by their respective parents and taken care in their own homes. The adults still scattered about, and they had more specific events following the previous ones, that weren''t the most appropriate things to be shown to children. The atmosphere started to recede. Just as Estelle was about to say her parting words, Aleksei approached her with a troubled face. "...I sense something strange. The bad feeling is back," Aleksei suddenly said. Chapter 165: Ominous Eye Chapter 165: Ominous Eye Raising an eyebrow at the man, Estelle questioned what his words were all about. "...Is there something wrong?" Aleksei approached Estelle and gripped her hand. "I don''t know if this makes sense or not, but I''ve always had a.. special ability to sense an iing trouble? I guess you could say it like that," he exined. "The sensations I feel towards the danger will worsen ordingly to the danger''s severity," Estelle knew not to make light of Aleksei''s words because of his previous bad feeling that had manifested in the form of the grim energy ball situated in the forest. Now that he had a much worse expression painted on his face, how different would it be from what she had just experienced? "...You are saying that you feel really bad right now, which means that a huge danger is approaching?" Estelle asked. The man nodded with a grave face. With each passing second, his face paled more and more, making Estelle worry with both the man''s condition and the danger''s identity. "Something in the forest. It''sing. It''s.. moving really fast to this town. It- It must''ve been the thing I told you about before. This.. feeling makes me sick. Rae.. I think something dangerous is inside there." Aleksei clenched his hands. Suddenly, he fell down to his knees and covered his mouth. His stomach churned and he was almost about to vomit, but he restrained it. He choked several times, banging on the ground to bear it. "What.. on Earth?" Estelle hurriedly supported the man. Before, about the sinister energy ball, Aleksei only showed frowns of distaste. That energy ball was not that potent, but it was still quite dangerous for a normal persons'' caliber. Considering the severity of the reactions, how bad was this iing disaster going to be? "Sei! Aleksei, get a grip!" she shouted at the man who was now scratching at the ground to endure some sort of indecipherable pain. Due to the screaming, the townspeople also began to take notice of the condition Aleksei was in and came to investigate, asking questions towards the couple. "Is he alright? Why did he suddenly copse?" "I don''t know.. but something bad may happen very soon, so it''s best that you all take cover. Be prepared for the worst," Estelle warned, not wanting to take light of the situation. The townspeople were all very confused and distraught, hesitant whether they were supposed to follow the instructions or not. They had doubts, thinking that it might just be a false rm and they would be worried for nothing. But the one warning them made it hard for them to disobey. This was Estelle, or more specifically known as the mysterious, omnipotent girl ''Rae''. She wasn''t someone who would give false rm triggers. Not to mention, the couple''s state was far from ideal right now, making them think that something really was about to happen. Sure enough, just as they rushed to follow the instructions, the so called ''danger'' predicted by Aleksei arrived just in time. It all began with a thundering sound from the skies. It was arge belching sound. "Oh shit." Estelle cursed, covering her mouth as she looked up to the sky, where she saw a disgusting creature pop up and begin to spew out ck, gooey matters. "That thing is.." she was uncertain. It was an eyeball. It wasn''t attached to anything, but it had veins covering its surface all over. ck, purplish veins that seemed to move about and vibrate from time to time. The eyeball moved, looking down at the town. Estelle couldn''t tell what it was thinking about, but she knew that this was the danger Aleksei mentioned. Which meant that the creature would be dangerous. Which was bad, obviously. Her danger sensors spiked up as she raised her arms up high and began channeling her mana, preparing for arge sized coverage for whatever the creature was about to do. As if responding to her actions, the creature began to turn around, tumbling in the sky for some seconds before stopping. Then, it''s bottom area began to rip. From the ripping part, goo began to spurt out in high amounts, scattering all about. Immediately, she cast defensive spells with her umted mana and aimed it towards the iing barrage. Due to the goo having high momentum and velocity, Estelle''s barrier casting speed was not enough to cover the whole city. The disaster was processed by her mind way toote, and damages began to ur as Estelle looked around the city with worry. The method of casting magic was inefficient in some ways as it required mana to travel from her bank to whatever she was trying to pitch in reality. This caused Estelle to not be able to keep up with the attacks, because the monster seemed to be shooting these things as if it was a part of its own body that was integrated into him and not a magical attack. It was akin to a natural ability. Of a monstrous creature like this caliber. Effects of the goo also began to show itself to Estelle. The ces that she didn''t manage to cover began to melt down and rot. The ground became pitch ck, the buildings practically dissolved into liquid in mere seconds. The town was already half asleep at this time, and the adults who began to discover the changes panicked. Screams resounded throughout the entire town. Those who were notified previously reacted much faster as they already heard Estelle''s instructions. They went inside the buildings to shout and alert everybody of the danger. And worst of all, the barrage of that corrosive goo was stilling down from the eyeball creature. The situation could only escte and worsen if this continues. Estelle cursed, as she threw away all of her previous careful actions and rose up to the sky. She wielded the full capacity of her magic and startedshing protections towards the town. Stacks of barriers were made. However, once the goo came in actual contact with these surfaces, oneyer of the barrier would disperse. It was that potent and poisonous. She had to stop the continuous attacks somehow. Estelle had to keep stacking up her barriers. After recognizing this phenomenon, she immediately drew a conclusion on what this attacker was. Or at the very least, what it''s powers were. It was the Destruction Magic, something she had loathed for so long and tried so hard to ovee. That was why her barriers melted. Because it was the Destruction Magic. "Again.. Destruction Magic," Estelle sighed, rolling up her sleeves and gearing up for battle. "Alright.. Let''s do this, shall we?" Estelle grinned in the air as she felt her blood pressure rise from the tension. Her heartbeat was pumping in an extremely fast rate as she flew with an inhumane speed, charging towards the eyeball. She created a golden staff and wielded it as her weapon, aiming to stab at the eyeball. Naturally, the opponent avoided. They began to engage in aerial shes. The eyeball had an incision on the bottom of its body, and it was from that exact hole that the gooey liquid started toe out from. From that same hole, it drew out a long tongue. It was as if the tongue had a life of its own. It was bending at strange degrees, ones that disobeyed the structural integrities of a normal tongue. With that organ, it began tosh back at Estelle. Not only was the tongue moving at a high speed, but it also scattered more goo from its skin''s surface. If the tongue hit her, Estelle herself wasn''t sure whether or not she would be able to keep calm. It was direct contact with this filthy element. How would she deal with the damages? Whilst recing the barriers and fighting the creature at the same time, Estelle started to rack her brains up on what methods she could utilize to deal with this disgusting creature. The first thoughts that came to her mind were the ones she had just researched earlier, but none of it would sessfully ''kill'' this creature. However, she still opted to try out those methods as it could minimize the damage dealt. She began to create balls containing the purest energy form of Creation Magic, and shot them towards the creature. She had the capability to create several of this potent energy at the same time due to her intact divinity, which she didn''t have in the Surface. She didn''t want toe down to this kind of showcase, as it was sure to draw in the attention every single person who could even catch a glimpse of it no matter how far away they were located at. Not to mention the nature of Estelle''s magic, which would saturate the environment and leave a mark on it for the rest of eternity. At the same time, she realized something wed in her way of thinking. Chapter 166: The Real Trouble Chapter 166: The Real Trouble This wasn''t the real world. The things that happened here wouldn''t mirror the actual condition. [Don''t worry, this is an artificial world.] Estelle assured herself. She was used to caring for the consequences of her actions. She had forgotten that this was actually just a simtion to reproduce the experience she had gone through in the past. Sheughed internally. It turns out that her worries weren''t needed at all. She was able to go ballistic, full force, with no lingering consequences. Estelleughed, almost in a maniacal way. She no longer looked at the monster as a dangerous creature, but rather something that could be used to her own advantage. Something to acquire experience and knowledge from. A test subject. It was very fitting for the creature to appear right now, it supported her purpose. "Come, I will use you as my test subject, then," Estelle''s eyes glimmered with determination as she began to cast a whole lot of her energy balls. Combined with it, she tried to figure out the suitable measurements she could use to weaken the enemy the same way she had came up with when she handled the immobile energy back then. However, it was much more harder to find the pattern this time. It was because the creature was too bizarre and she couldn''t inspect its nature by a whole lot. She could only take a wild guess with her instincts and draw conclusions she thought were usible and test it out directly. She didn''t know yet, but this type of testing actually began to improve her ways of wielding the magic and built up the familiarity she had. This would severely impact her performance back in the Surface, but she didn''t know that yet for the time being. Using all of her machinations and capabilities, she attacked the creature and went into a battle frenzy, fighting without a single care of the people down below. They were indeed people, but they were a simtion made for her. Even if they disappeared or died, nothing would really change. She immersed herself in battle. Dodging, attacking, and defending at the same time. The world below was practically in ruins by the time she looked once. Those who stayed inside the town would all probably be dead right now since she took her time off defending thend and focusing on fighting this creature. The fight was going well, and it seemed like she had the upper hand. However, this sentiment was soon to be changed. As she dodged one poisonous attack by a hair''s breadth, she suddenly felt an ominous presence lurking around. "RAE! BE CAREFUL!" Right then and there, a loud shout resounded from below her, making her jolt and instinctively dodge from her previous position. Indeed, the warning proved to be useful as the very next second, a shadowed attack came to fruition in that exact spot. It consumed the area around the ce. "TO YOUR LEFT!" Another shout came. Hearing those words, and knowing that it was because of the previous shout that she was able to evade in time, Estelle hurriedly went to the right side. She dodged another phantom attack, which was just as frightening as the previous one. She rose up high to the sky, flying above the creature and constantly getting behind its body so she could manipte a blind spot. She took a breather to process the two attacks she had just evaded from. "What.. attacks I can''t see?" Estelle frowned. If that was the case, then it would be much harder for her to continue fighting this creature. She looked down below and saw Aleksei with a concerned face. She immediately understood the severity of his power and how necessary it was in her current situation. The ominous presence that shed upon her mind when the first attack was about to hit was felt strongly by the man. The second attack was also detected by him, whereas it went unnoticed by her. Clicking her tongue, Estelle realized that this damned thing couldn''t be a test subject anymore. However, with the phantom attacks, none of it actually went under her radar. They could only be reported by Aleksei. Was Aleksei''s power this strong? How could it be? She looked down again and noticed another thing that was off. Aleksei was still alive. Right. Why was Aleksei alive? The entire town had been burnt down to a crisp. Dissolved. It was a horrendous sight. Ophelia''s corpse was clearly there. So.. why is this man alive? Estelle couldn''t bid more time on that thought as she hurriedly lunged down to the ground and talked with Aleksei. "Aleksei,e up to the sky with me. I need your help. Are you ready?" Estelle asked. Aleksei was a bit nervous, but he nodded as hetched on to Estelle and was brought up to the sky. Estelle cast magic on the man so he could fly on his own, and the man showed strange tendencies. He wasn''t phased by his new ability and could freely manipte it like he had been an expert flyer for years. Someone who was flying for the first time couldn''t have had these sort of reactions. Estelle''s resting suspicion began to surface more and more as the man kept surprising her with abilities that shouldn''t be held by someone who was just a normal human, unless he was given some sort of additional power. With Aleksei''s help, Estelle was actually able to fight better. The battle from there was smooth sailing. The fight ended, and it resulted in to Estelle and Aleksei''s victory, but she still couldn''t shake off how the suspicions in her mind were starting toe true and proved itself over and over again. She looked at Aleksei with aplicated expression, dropping the man on a safernd. Why was this so convenient? Again, what was this ufortable feeling? "Aleksei.. Listen, I have something I need to do, and you can''t follow me. I trust that you will be able to survive even if I leave you here. Am I right?" Estelle asked. Her heartbeat was jumping up, and she couldn''t wait to leave this man right this very second. It was because of a thing she realized. The attacks that were made by that creature really couldn''t be detected by her. The creature made more of those types of attackster on, and she could only rely on Aleksei for those. In this timeline, Ophelia was dead. Aleksei was still alive.. and the ominous presence she felt in that fight still stayed intact even after everything ended. Why was that? Because.. the presence she sensed was Aleksei? She had to go back to the Absolute. To find answers. Irritated, she didn''t even wait for Aleksei to reply to her words before she flew up high, leaving the man in the wasted, barrennds all alone. She didn''t look back at all. She went back to the higher realms and arrived at the Absolute''s ce, her breath strewn all over and disorganized. The being was there. Sitting in his usual ce. "You came back?" The Absolute questioned with a gentle smile, weing the woman. "..Indeed, I came back. I think there''s a lot of exnation that you need to do," Estelle stated. "Did you finish gathering up the questions you want to ask? Come here and sit down with me, I will answer them as best as I could. Although.. judging from your current state, I think I know what your first question is going to be," The Absolute spoke with a hint of amusement. Estelle became irked with the being''s attitude, which made him seem like he knew everything, but just hid it from her and watched as she believed in false information and ims. "Right.. so tell me, why does it feel like Aleksei himself is the embodiment of Chaos and not Ophelia?" Estelle asked with a pained face. The man that swore to love her. The memories they had spent together. Were they all fake? There was something that made the suspicions rise in the first ce. A trigger, you could say. A trigger to her memories. When she killed that creature, a burst of memories and emotions surged up. In that short time span, she had received the brunt of something much worse than physical pain. It was emotional pain, one that she would''ve never thought was possible. It wasparable to nothing. The anguish, sadness, stress, all of it piled up and attacked her at the same time the moment her memories were triggered in a strange way. It didn''t reveal everything, but it seemed to have revealed a pivotal thing. Something about Aleksei, the man she apparently loved. He caused something. Something that made the past Goddess Estraea break down. It wasn''t necessarily Ophelia. There was no way the soul of Chaos could''ve been brought down from the upper realm that easily, right? Not even Ophelia''s negative emotions. It wasn''t that simple. Chapter 167: Chaos and Creation Chapter 167: Chaos and Creation There had to be a reason for the soul to have found out a ce to escape from. And the vassal for it wasn''t Ophelia. It was someone else, ording to the Goddess Estraea''s torn up memories. Aleksei. The human boy. The reason for her heartbreak was not just because they had to be separated, that she had to die. There was something else, something she wasn''t clear about. Chaos. The boy''s arrival into her life and how it impacted her until the end. Chasing her until the Surface, appearing in front of her as yet another positive variable. But who knew what was hidden behind all of these? Surely, if anybody had the opportunity to find out, it would be the one most closely rted to all of these matters. The Absolute Being. ''How was Chaos and Aleksei rted to each other?'' This was a question that she wanted to ask the most out of all the other ones she hadpiled. The most agonizing, painful question for her, who had resonated with the original Goddess Estraea''s soul even more during these recent times. The Absolute''s expression didn''t change. He remained stoic, and patiently gestured for the agitated Estelle toe around and sit beside him in the deteriorating realm. His aura seemed to have changed. Whether it was for the better or otherwise, she didn''t exactly know which it was. Estelle just approached the being as she was told with cautious steps, afraid of what more secrets that she didn''t know. Shocking secrets that ruined the plot she knew, everything she was aware of. As if everything was a lie, and she would never be able to find out the truth unless it was directly told to her or experienced. Biting her lips, she showed a wronged expression as she waited for the man to answer. The being had to have an answer. Or else, he wouldn''t be this calm, as if he had been waiting for Estelle to ask this question from long ago and was just trying to bid the time. Suddenly, the Absolute broke into a series ofughter, which made Estelle jolt as she didn''t expect the being to suddenly do that. "How much of your memories were revealed? Ahh, really, this wasn''t supposed to happen this early. You still had quite a lot of agenda left before you got to this stage." The Absolute stated ambiguously. "..Agenda?" Estelle asked cautiously. "What is that? My tasks? Is this a story to you? Am I just a character with a plot attached to me, with a role, character setting and everything set up for it to go how you want it? Was that why I was created in the first ce? To go through these three worlds, only to realize that... I''ve been tricked right from the start?" Estelle became emotional. There was a suspicion she had about the Absolute being, too. One that hurt her even more considering the memories she had received. The hypothesis she made about the things that had been going around behind her back. The Absolute did not respond once more, making the atmosphere escte and became tenser. "I only know that Aleksei is hiding something. And that he is connected to the Chaos in one way or another, and the vassal for the Chaos wasn''t Ophelia. I only know that the past me loved that man so much, but I ended up.. I don''t know where to begin to describe my feelings. It''s as if he tore a hole in my heart. Ripped it apart," Estelle said, tears starting to well up in the corner of her eyes as she began to recall the emotions she felt. "Aleksei isn''t just a simple human being, right? There is something about him. There is something.. terrifying behind him, but I can''t help but feel attracted. What the hell is this sensation?" Estelle clenched fists. She clearly hadn''t merged with Goddess Estraea''s personapletely, but upon her first direct meeting with Aleksei, she was already feeling something strange budding within her very soul, not just her heart. The Absolute not wanting to confront and answer her question when she was already disying her doubts on an open scale, wasn''t this just confirming her doubts? She never knew that it would be this painful. She never knew that this kind of emotional pain was even possible in the slightest. Who was Aleksei? Who was the Absolute, Astarte, and all of the people she thought she ''knew''? What were they hiding from her? The Absolute stood up, stretching his body as he went over to the tree and rested his head against it. With tired eyes, he looked at Estelle and smiled. He raised his hand and snapped his fingers. Immediately, the environment changed. Within seconds, the tree, which had been brimming with vitality withered down and was reduced to a miniature size. Beside it were countless glowing seeds that cluttered up the floor. Estelle was taken aback by this disy and shook her head. Her previous memory of this ce was so dazzling. She remembered creating and decorating objects to hone this higher realm, their home, even further. But now, all that was left was this dying tree that was once omnipotent. Equals with the Absolute. The Absolute observed her expression andughed out loud, but Estelle was still too deep in her trance to even bother about the Absolute any longer. "Do you see? My sweet Estraea, do you see all this? This is the real state of the higher realms right now. Because you all have gone away, the Underworld is corrupted, the divine bnce is disrupted, and most importantly, the Origin tree itself is dying. How am I supposed to live, I wonder? Do you think that if things really went with along with the memories you recovered, things would be this bad? No. It wouldn''t, right?" The Absolute asked. His hands grabbed onto Estelle and he started shaking the girl''s figure in an erratic manner, madness showing up on his usually calmposure. "There is no way that Ophelia was the reason for everything. She was just a ceholder we instated in order to keep you sane. In order to keep you alive. Because.. the truth was so ridiculous for you to ept that there would be no way you could proceed," "Then, what do you think was the true cause?" The Absoluteunched questions back at the woman, who was stuttering as the hellish scene took the words out of her mind and left her speechless. Estelle pursed her lips, her eyes shaking as she started to speak. "If Aleksei is Chaos, and that that nature brings trouble, then my soul.. The Creation''s soul. There must be something up about it as well, right? Something evil. Something that brought trouble just like Chaos," "Correct. How brilliant is it? Two sides of the same coin. Divided from the Origin, came up Chaos and Creation. These two souls, one was put into a vassal and the other wasn''t. Why do you think is this?" "Because.. because Creation is much more dangerous than Chaos," Estelle spoke without even thinking. Her mind replied on its own, as if the answer had beenying deep within her mind all along, just waiting for the perfect trigger to swoop the mess up. "That boy... Aleksei is far from human, far from an existence. Chaos. He is something that shouldn''t exist. The culmination of everything wrong with the world. An absurd anomaly that was dered to be destroyed, but somehow escaped to the Surface anyway. That is Chaos. Since that first happened, we already knew that the world wouldn''tst forever. That one day, the catastrophe was going to fall no matter how hard we try to prevent it. Then, what did you do? We warned you that day. Before you went inside the realm. We warned you, Rae." "Did you see Astarte''s restrained expression before you went into the mortal realm today? Why do you think he had such an expression? Why did that happen?" The Absolute asked. "It''s because you and Aleksei are the most disgusting pair I have ever encountered. You two are practically balls of cmity. If you two met each other, then the world could only start to shatter," "It was all my mistake. Creating you, and creating Chaos. I separated the Origin into two parts because it would bring bnce to the world, but I forgot one thing.. Those two elements, even after they were separated, they would have an insane amount of attraction to each other. An instinctual leveled reaction. You two would act like mas, and upon meeting, cmity would descend. Tell me, if things were already fated to be this way, how should I try to fight it? When you two keep making and rousing trouble, and would create dissonance no matter where you went to?" "Even if you two were separated into different dimensions, your fates would somehow find a way to reunite you two and bring cmity. How am I supposed to retain the clusters of life?" "Chaos is obsessed with you, but you are much more.. worse. You are not only obsessed with Chaos, you are truly something else." Chapter 168: Origin Goddess Chapter 168: Origin Goddess "..What the hell do you mean by that?" Estelle asked, her nails digging into her skin as she felt frustrated and cornered by the flow of things. The Absolute came to aplete silence one more time before continuing. The dramatic pauses were the bane of Estelle''s existence. She hated it so much. The being hesitating this much made her much more anxious than what she''s supposed to be. "How should I say this? I also don''t know everything, Rae. I just know that you two are a cursed pair that is not meant to be together, and that fighting the world''s fate.. is impossible to maintain," The Absolute said, smiling depreciatingly. "However, I do know that your existence is much moreplex than the Chaos." "The Chaos'' motivation is simple, it is simply to destroy creations. It can''t create things. However, Creation practically holds both power to create and to destroy. On one simple nce, it looks like your power is stable, but when you really look at it closely, it only takes one extra move from you to destroy an ecosystem. Did you know what caused that eyeball creature to pop up?" The Absolute asked, tilting his head at the agitated child. "The forest.. became saturated with my magic, right? When I practiced fighting against that element, I... used a lot of Creation Magic," Estelle slowly answered. She had been paying attention to every single detail she experienced in this realm because of her heightened wariness. When the eyeball appeared, her incentive was not only to fight the creature and use it as a probable test subject, but also finding out what caused it. It only took her a couple rounds of thinking to find out that she was the anomaly in this incident. She practiced her magic against that energy ball when it was supposed to be left alone to grow out in the original scenario. Thus, she naturally came to the conclusion that she must''ve been an agent of change. However, she also didn''t think that her impact would be that great. It was only one ce in the middle of nowhere. One small town. In this kind of olden day settings, the destruction of one or two settlements would bemented for, but it wouldn''t be such a huge event that it would shake the entire world. She also managed to discover several unexpected things, such as Aleksei''s real identity and unknown purpose. There was no way Aleksei didn''t know anything, right? "So you were aware, after all." The Absolute snickered. "Yes.. the eyeball spawning was the result of your actions. Are you starting to see the point?" "But.. what does it have to do with anything? If I recall correctly.. Inside the memories I possess, I didn''t do anything that would cost the world such a high price," "You are meant to create, but your creation will bring forth destruction in the end as well. It might or might not be idental, but the damage will be done. This damage will continue to stay there forever because your divinity is too pure, too potent, too strong. As a result, you saw how Alfheim became in the current Surface. They once bore slight bits of the power of Creation, and now that they''re losing it, they''re bing confused as to how to regain their stability. They have to keep it under wraps because they knew that exposing the information would trigger a much bigger stimulus in effect." "You are the Absolute being. If we had to name one being as the owner of this entire universe, it would be you and the Origin Tree. But you''re telling me that you can''t figure out what you have created on your own? You can''t control it?" Estelle chided, finding it ridiculous that the world was torn apart so strangely, and the pir of power was also falling down uncontrobly. "In fact, I really can''t. I can only create and destroy things with my Origin power, but I can''t control the natural flow of events. That works around the world''s own incentive, operating the flow of fate. Aleksei''s existence itself will bring cmity upon the world. It''s because he is a rendition of what shouldn''t be possible. The world.. the tree that gives life to the world will certainly try to remove him in order to restore bnce. To erase the abnormal condition. On the other hand, you are favored by the world because your power doesn''t directly cause harm, but rather causes damage as a result of the idental timing andpositioning. Thus, it won''t render you as an obstacle and won''t try to remove you," The Absolute said. "Then... What am I supposed to be? What are my memories? Why am I.. Why did it have to be me? If the memories you imnted for me were nothing but ceholders, then what is my original identity? Not as your prized creation, but for something else. right?" Estelle questioned, her mind in pain after receiving all of these uncalled blows. She came here to seek answers, but was she going toe back with more questions than answers once again? "You are a test subject. To be precise, someone who was created to contain the soul of Creation, who is supposed to coexist with the soul of Chaos. However, I don''t know what went wrong in the process. You two developed extreme tendencies and would always either try to fight each other to gain control and be the only living partiture of the Origin, or be intensely attracted to each other. You have always thought that what you felt when you were with him.. was love. But it wasn''t. It was just a natural instinct budding from you two''s identity and background. The fact that you two are the seeds of Chaos and Creation, theponents that made up the Origin." "The ideal situation would be the removal of these maddening attributes, and coexisting together in peace. However, that simply isn''t possible with you two. I have tried many times, experimenting over and over again, but the result would always be the same. It''s impossible. Thus.. I came up with another result," The Absolute began to smirk, his intentions unknown. "What... is that result?" Estelle asked, her nervousness spiking up. She had a bad feeling towards it. "It''s another pathway that will bring us better results. It will cover up all the imbnce, all the destruction and damages, and practically reverse everything to the way it should have been in the first ce. It would be the perfect n. The perfect.. viiness," The Absolute finally touched on the topic of a viiness by himself. The role she was given. To think about it, who gave her the role? Who told her that she was supposed to be the viiness? Wasn''t it the Absolute himself? Then, in regards to this question, he should have a proper answer. She had been meaning to ask about this prior to her arrival here, but the being actually beat her to it. It didn''t matter, since Estelle''s curiosity wouldn''t be able to be satiated. "Tell me about it," Estelle said. "My power simply isn''t going toe back, no matter what is done to me. I''m done for. I probably don''t have much time left, and keeping your divine vassal alive in the higher realms isn''t making the situation any better. Keeping the n intact also is worsening my state. However, I believe that.. you can make it. You can make it up until you climb up the stairs to your Creation power, ovee Chaos, and create Origin one more time. Then, you can sessfully rece me and.. Be not only the Goddess of Creation, but instead.. of the Origin," Estelle instantly uttered a sound of astonishment. In truth, she had wielded the power of Origin before. These provocations, were they all part of a ploy to make her the sessor to this entire Origin heritage? Because she woulde to bear the power in the future, the Absolute didn''t have any qualms in directing this omnipotent power towards her? "You''re telling me to rece you in the future?" Estelle became even more shocked. This was the biggest shock factor, the biggest reveal that she has had. The Absolute was telling her to rise up and eventually rece him as the Absolute. Restore that bnce with the newfound powerhouse. How was she supposed to react to that? "Yes. And in order to do that, spending time in the Surface, going through the manuals, and.. bing the viiness is necessary," The Absolute dered. It still didn''t make sense for Estelle. It was all too confusing. Tooplex, tooplicated. Why did she have such a heavy responsibility in the first ce? To be the Goddess of Origin and recing the Absolute himself. It sounded way too absurd, but judging by the conditions they were in right now, perhaps that was truly the correct path to take. How was the viiness connected to all of this? Chapter 169: Sacrifice Chapter 169: Sacrifice The viiness. It was supposed to be a rather easy term to decipher, that she was supposed to do bad stuff and terrorize others with her power. However, she wasn''t even granted the chance to that. Rather, she was apparently destined to save the entire world by bing the Goddess of Origin and wielding the power that is currently held by the Absolute. Rather than a viiness, wasn''t she just going to be the best person ever? Saving the world as a whole, what could beat that sort of feat? Who could do that? "Why am I called a viiness?" Estelle questioned. Her eyes were unfocused as she slowly felt like her consciousness began to dissipate. She frowned at this reaction because she had thought that the Absolute would change up the time flow in this realm, which would give her more time to work with. Why did she suddenly feel unstable? "I don''t have much left that I can tell you, and I don''t think that you will have any more benefits in staying there, so I will just tell you a couple things from here on," The Absolute spoke as he turned his back against Estelle and walked to the withered tree, squatting in front of it and beginning to caress the surface. "Why are you categorized as a viiness, you say? The answer is quite simple, it is because you are destined to have more sins than you have your good deeds. You are destined to bring cmity as part of your world''s fate, but at the same time, you will also gain the ability to save the world. However, those sins will tip you over the line of an evil being," The Absolute said. "When that dayes, when it is time to save the world, all of the negativity will fall upon you. Essentially, you will be a sacrifice that is needed for the world to operate. If you don''t do the sacrifice, then the world will truly perish," Estelle grew silent, unable to react at all at the being''s words. A sacrifice? Her? That was what she was going to end up doing? If so, what was she working so hard for? Why did she have to struggle if everything will be useless in the end? If the fate she was going to end up with was that disgusting? Sensing Estelle''s disagreement, the Absolute came to the rescue and continued his preaching. "You know why I am telling this? Because I know you, and I know that you would deliberately sacrifice yourself to make the scenario we envisioned the truth. You will end up sacrificing yourself for the sake of others. You won''t even know what you sacrificed, and what you will be when the timees. That is, so to say, the fate you will have to bear," The Absolute looked on with a pained voice. Estelle couldn''t ept his words inside her heart, but at the same time, she didn''t refute it either. "What else can you tell me?" She knew that the being was about to eject her after telling her a couple more things. There must''ve been something that she did that caused the original n of staying longer to be disrupted. Perhaps it was because she caused torge of a change in the Surface. "The only clue left I have for you is the answer.. No, I should say that it''s the guide for your other question. You must also want to ask why you have the exact same ring as Goddess Estraea in the Surface and what it means for you. And.. What significance does it have? Essentially, it is something that is connected to your true purpose and works as a pair. You must have already became familiar with your earring. I won''t tell you the details, but I will tell you that the other part of the jewelry set is somewhere inside Vaitral, and it is being housed by a strong slumbering ancient dragon. This dragon is called Ymir and is rather well known by Vaitral''s dragons, so when you finally have the chance to look there, you will definitely find the dragon in no time considering your power and resources. He holds the Goddess'' earring, the one you will have to link with your ring. As for whether or not you would obtain the jewelry from the dragon.. That''s apletely different story," The Absolute said before waving his hand in the air and making strange gestures. These gestures were what was required to open the gates to the other dimension, one that would send Estelle back to her real world. Upon passing through this spatial membrane, she would return to the Surface and resume her journey. Estelle was strangely affected by the Absolute''s words, which sounded terrible while spouting nonsensical things about her. If she had became strong enough to dominate the entire world, why would she sacrifice herself? Above all, she valued her life and purpose. She gained emotional capabilities, but that didn''t mean that she would be that heavily influenced by her emotional stability that she would go as far as to deem everything she had worked hard for nullified. She thought that it would certainly be a false prediction. As she believed that the things the Absolute said was impossible. "As of now, the ring you''re wearing in the Surface is iplete. It can''t hold any significant meaning without being beside its counterpart, the earring. I reckon that... once you''ve found the earring, or for other matters that you will manage to trigger during your journey, we will have the chance to meet again. Until then, it''s time for you to return back," Estelle was apprehensive as she was reluctant to go out of this strange, yet epting realm. However, knowing that there was no other way for her, she went inside the spatial membrane without sparing any more words to the Absolute. From then, she was sent back to the Surface, and was "Heine," Estelle woke up to seeing Heine''s face. Behind him, there were several others. The rest of her colleagues. One of them being Aleksei Virante himself, the man that is said to be the incarnation of the Aleksei in her past. And by that, it would also mean that the man was the current embodiment of Chaos. However, she didn''t feel any sort of adverse reaction towards him. How could it be that she couldn''t sense any element of Chaos from inside Aleksei? Was there something wrong that blocked her reaction? Or was she not sensitive enough to the pure Chaos'' soul? Her eyes scrutinized Aleksei. Her passionate gaze must''ve been picked up by the older man, but she didn''t care. She was way to affected by the new information she had learned and had trouble connecting it to her real life. "Are you awake? How are you feeling?" Heine hurriedly nursed Estelle, supporting her as she got up from the ground and was given fresh water to drink. Estelle took the drink and gulped it all down before taking in a deep sigh and looking at Heine. "Heine, I.." she spoke slowly as she began to clear up her mind. "You suddenly fainted after.. I ryed the information to you. I don''t know what happened, but I immediately brought you here and waited until you woke up. It took you approximately thirty minutes to wake up, but now you''re awake.. How are you feeling?" Heine asked, stating all the things that he knew. "I.. probably just had a tired body. Before running into you, I had been fighting some men with the people over there," Estelle got up with the help of Heine and walked towards her colleagues, who suddenly pulled her to the back and shielded her from Heine''s presence. Estelle raised an eyebrow at this movement. "What are you doing?" she asked. "Stand back, Estelle. You don''t know what this man is nning. You know, I don''t trust him at all, especially being someone who hailed from Sylvania.. Who knows what his purposes areing into ournd and in this particr area. Going by the context, isn''t it strange how he appeared here, where the disasters sprouted from?" Estelle knew that there was hostility between the Elven race and practically every other race, but she didn''t expect it to be this severe as she was weed rather well except for the likes of Neil. "Moreover, I think it''s terribly convenient that these men that captured us released their hold right after you came here, Spirit King.. or should I say, former Spirit King?" Frey pointed her staff at the green-haired fae, her suspicions rising through the roof as she drew her conclusion on this matter. She had waited until Estelle was awake before she took action because she ced higher importance on Estelle''s condition and she didn''t want to make wrong assumptions, but upon looking at Estelle''s somewhat awkward reactions, she was led to believe that her assumption was correct. Chapter 170: Suspicions Chapter 170: Suspicions "Speak. I don''t think that you are just casually taking a vacation, am I right? Someone of your caliber.. I don''t think you would just sumb to your position being taken away, or did I think wrong?" Frey pointed her questions at the fae, who just shrugged and shook his head and let out a sigh. "You see... Whether you believe it or not, I really didn''t mean to purposelye here. I''m here because of a separate reason.. in Alfheim. I''m here to retrieve something. If I really did have big ns, why would I linger around here instead of working on my ns? I would''ve just left Estelle unconscious, and if I wanted to harm her, it would be even more easier. With her vulnerable state.. she would''ve been long gone in a sh," Heine reasoned with the woman, who in turn squinted her eyes and red at him. Frey gritted her teeth and was starting to be physically hostile. "..Now, now. That''s not the primary matter here, is it? Just take it as I fainted because of exhaustion, nothing less, and nothing more. Can we proceed now? We have cleared all of the enemies except for the ones who fled.. is that correct? Then, our next target should be to eradicate the disaster properly and make sure it won''t sprout out again, and not just bickering with each other like this," Estelle appeased both sides who were starting to fight and separated them before anything worse could happen. The matter was quickly deescted, but Frey still refused to drop her charges and kept mumbling words of suspicion towards Heine''s way. Then, a familiar man came to approach Estelle, who was rubbing her temples in distress as Heine kept his passive aggressive attitude as he dealt with Frey''s remarks. It was Aleksei. "...Aleksei," Estelle called out, feeling slightly apprehensive towards the man because of the new information she learned. How should she act around him now that she possessed that knowledge? A frightening knowledge that struck her deep. Caught her in an intense dilemma. The two people''s names were the exact same, which made it worse for her. Her memories ovepped between the man and the one inside her memories. And her suspicions came to light. "Estelle, how about you? What do you think about Heine''s intentions? Surely, he can''t be innocent, right? I don''t want to use him, but it is right that we should worry and be careful," Aleksei brought up his doubts. Estelle sighed. This man was also trying to find faults in Heine. Heine did have his own purposes, but it wasn''t something meant to hurt Estelle this time. Within seconds, Frey had suddenly became aggressive once again and went to attack Heine. This was when Estelle created an iron ball and threw it towards Frey''s way. Naturally, her intent was not to actually cause harm, but to frighten the woman. "..Let''s move on from this topic, shall we? Can we do that? Our priority is the disaster. After that, we will return to the royal castle. Is this clear? I don''t care who is involved in this expedition as long as it''s going to be finished. Be it Heine, a literal devil, or some random overpowered viger. That is, as long as we return back and report without any casualties," Estelle hardened her tone, making an angered expression as shemanded. She was frustrated with their dilly dallying especially because she felt a great amount of pressure after meeting the Absolute and being told more clues. Her next destination after acquiring her needs in Alfheim was Vaitral. Her mind was set on it. Them bickering like this made her feel burdened. The rest fell into silence, noticing the child''s clear seriousness and that she was tired with all the bullshit. They too knew that they were starting to growx and put their mindset back to work. They grouped up, forming the same formation they traveled in before and started clearing up the area until there were no longer any trouble. Once that was done, they stood in the center of the area, which was the worst affected part of it all. The vicinity was all clear, but Estelle still wanted to make sure for the final time before they left for good back to the castle. Estelle sat down, putting up her extensive radar one more time and trying to detect any abnormal things from the area. The process took a couple minutes, and the result ended up as negative. There were nothing at all. "Estelle, how was it?" Frey asked, her facial expression a bit strained as she sensed the child''s unpleasant mood. She felt slightly apprehensive because she was the one who mainly caused Estelle''s anger. But still, she couldn''t help but put her suspicions on Heine. "I didn''t pick up anything, so we should be fine. I ran a check through the entire ce and found nothing," Estelle replied, getting up from her meditative position and facing the others. "Then, we can leave now?" Frey heaved a sigh of relief as they were finally able to go home. "I really want to go back home, this trip has been tiring," "I won''t leave. I want to investigate something a bit deeper," Liviera objected to her im. She had arrived here with a purpose apart from diffusing the situation, so she wouldn''t being back with them to the royal pce. After she was done with her own investigation, she nned to return back to Elysium and report her results. "I also won''t leave," Heine interjected, asserting his own objection. Like, Liviera, he had came here for a purpose. Only, his one was a bit different. It was the truth that Heine came here to seek Estelle, but it wasn''t only to do that. Heine had a n to brew and concoct. "So it''s just going to be me, Frey, and Aleksei? Take care, you two. We will leave right now," Estelle felt a bit hurried, so she immediately grouped the two of them on her side and wanted to return. Liviera and Heine both agreed to the statement. Thus, the group separated into two. One left the vicinity, while the other stayed in the area. Heine had things to n for, so he immediately walked away from Liviera upon seeing Estelle board her turtle ship with the others. However, before he was able to do that, a powerful ice attack wasunched towards his way. "Halt," Liviera called out, stopping the man''s departure and making him turn around with a gentle smile and ask what was up with her. "Yes? Instead of using such a.. destructive method, you could''ve just called out to me, you know?" Heine said, brushing his clothes that had been blown away by the strong attack and gotten slightly disheveled. Liviera snorted at his words. She took out her own staff and aimed at him. "You know, I also had the same thoughts as Frey.. but unlike her, I thought deeper and didn''t want to base an usation just solely based on instincts, feelings, or anything like that. However.. I really am interested in you, what secrets do you have, and how you are rted to Noir. "..Hmm, so you are suspicious of me, correct?" Heine asked, an amused smile blooming on his face. He did act suspicious, so he wasn''t all that surprised with the woman''s approach. "Yes. And that is why, I will have to detain you right here and now under the name of Elysium''s Order, with the highest suspicionof you being the perpetrator and initiator of the chaos in Alfheim," Liviera stated in a professional way, her hair flowing about in the air as a strong gust of wind brushed through them. Heine chuckled, thinking that the woman was quite foolish. Or was it simply just underestimation? Did she think that he could be detained by the likes of her? Wrong. However, as much as he wanted to y along, he had another purpose, and one of them was being Estelle''s guide. In truth, this role of his was much more vast than he first thought when he hadn''t regained his memories of being Astarte yet. It meant that he would be the one that led Estelle''s actions in such a way that it would form the ideal path that would bring her to greatness, to the destination that they all had. This was what it meant for him being a guide, not just simply being a teacher. He worked hard on his role, and that was why Estelle was able to meet coincidences left and right during her journey although not all of them were part of his work. If he missed just one step, then the flow of things could be ruined. He didn''t want this to happen, so he sought to end the matter right here. He couldn''t afford to be ruined just because of a random suspicion being ced onto him. So, what to do with Liviera? Chapter 171: Purpose Chapter 171: Purpose Whilst Liviera and Heine was having a standoff, Estelle had already flown over half of their required distance using the ship''s highest setting in speed. They were set for the royal castle, to which they would reach in just about several minutes. Looking over the grandnd from above, Estelle thought deeply about her situation. After getting her recognition in Alfheim, she would go to Vaitral. However, one thing that she remembered bugged her. And that was the arrival of Minerva Eire in Alfheim, along with Heine. Why would they chase her if not for forceful measures? What had changed during the time that she unlocked parts of her memories? While she was thinking about that, the ship kept going and soon entered the premises of the royal castle, from which they jumped out and went into the Queen Shirley''s chamber and was allowed entry upon sight. It hadn''t been long since theirst visit, and the guards keeping the ce safe were already informed that this group of people went to the disaster sight to work on the trouble. However, howe they returned so fast? Although they raised a brow at this fact, they still let the three people in without obstruction. They went to Shirley''s work room, where she was allegedly in. Notifying the royal guard, they came inside and saw the Queen sitting by a table and working on her documents. Her eyes darted over to the intruding group. Acknowledging their presences, she stopped her writing movements and turned her full attention at the group. "We are back," Estelle announced their presence and stepped inside the room, the other two following closely behind her. "Oh? You guys.. left with four, but came back with three. Where is thest person?" Shirley''s eyes swept through the group''s figures and raised a brow at one missing person. "If I remember correctly, that person was.." "Liviera, hm? She separated from us purposely. In the first ce, her intention was not just to help Alfheim with this matter, but rather to resolve her own problem. So.. she went and wanted to do her own thing, while we came back here and left her on the site," Frey replied to the question. Shirley let out a light chuckle, nodding lightly and epting the exnation. "Since you are calling her by her real name directly, then Estelle must''ve gotten to know her personally. That''s good. Now,e and sit down right here. Report to me about your findings in that ce," Shirley snapped her fingers, and within seconds, the two personal attendants Neil and Niki appeared. They brought chairs with them and went to prepare for the three people''s seats because the confidential matters wouldn''t only consist of several sentences'' worth of information. "How was the trip? Tell me about it. Did you have a lot of trouble?" The three sat down and were served beverages as they moved from Liviera''s work table to another spare wide table. "Well.. First of all, Liviera''s involvement in this matter wasn''t just a fluke. Her arrival was based on the fact that the Order had suspicions on this incident being caused by Noir, and once we arrived there and confirmed our enemies.. Liviera said that it should really be done by the anonymous organization Noir. Apparently, her Order has been trying to garner more information about this group, but they repeatedly failed to find concrete clues except for the fact that they are in indirect cohorts with another organization named Lichte." Frey started exining. "The reports we received were about bandits destroying the area and property around it, but in truth, the enemies we met that circted the area weren''t the bandits. There were some small bandits here and there, but they seemed to be plunderers looking to take a bite out of this destruction and not the real culprit. The enemies we met.. Estelle, you exin from now on. You were the one who discovered them," Having been passed the baton to exin, Estelle nodded. "Yes.. When I went off from the group for a while, I was surrounded by men in ck that all had expert skills. I fought them and defeated them, but the fight unexpectedly did not end there. Instead, the fallen enemies began to get up and showed signs of being manipted out of their will to fight. Their bodies were being pushed to the limits, and they no longer cared about being afflicted with injuries or anything of that sort. Every time they were attacked, they just kept getting back up. In the end, we had to resort to burning them until they were reduced to nothing but ashes before we were able to dere that the fight was over," Estelle exined, recalling the events of that time. "...That''s eerie. And by your words, you mean to say that this incident, and the men you encountered were all caused by this organization you call.. Noir?" Shirley asked, forming a deep frown. "It should be so. Have you ever heard of this organization? If it rings any bells, then we might be able to seek some deeper information," Aleksei interjected. "I personally.. have heard of some things about it, but not in detail. An organization I encountered in the recent past might have been the Noir Liviera spoke about, but I didn''t recognize it when I interacted with them," he added. "There is no way that they decided to attack that specific are without having a motive. Having something they need, or in line with their purpose. Have you searched the location deeply? And what did you find?" Shirley let out a long breath as she continued giving out questions. "First of all, I used arge scaled radar, stretching across the entirety of the forest to locate each enemy down. Aleksei and me gave coordinates to the enemies'' locations while Liviera and Frey worked to take these enemies down. However, when it got to thest batch of enemies, the two were detained and the connection was lost. We rushed there, and in the middle of the travel, I copsed down out of nowhere. When I woke up, Heine was taking care of me and Liviera and Frey waspletely safe. I''m actually also curious about this part. During the period of time where the connection was lost, what happened to you two?" Estelle turned to Frey and questioned. When she woke up, everything had been fixed to normal as if nothing had ever happened. "We were.. detained, sort of. It''s hard to understand why, but they didn''t actually hurt us. It was as if they were just luring time out for unknown reasons. In the end, seconds before Aleksei arrived followed by your unconscious figure and Heine, these guys left," Frey recounted. "Heine? Heine as in, the former Fae King Heine?" Shirley tilted her head as her eyes widened with interest with the mention of the man''s name. "Yes, it is that Heine. As for the reason why he is here, he said that he had separate purposes in Alfheim but he isn''t connected to the disaster. Whether or not this confession is correct.. I personally think it''s not, but I can''t prove it otherwise. He also opted to stay back, so we left those two in the area," "...Exactly what are they nning to do?" Shirley contemted. "Haa.. Noir, was it? I will have to investigate on this matter further. Neil, Niki, try your hardest to dig up information. We cannot let ournds be tainted by an outsider''s force just like that," The two siblings nodded and noted her request down. "Who knows what they are up to? All I know is that within the men, only the ones that detained us got away whereas the rest were properly eradicated. After the incident, Estelle ran a thorough check up one more time but didn''t find anything, not even a single anomaly," Frey sighed, wondering why this matter turned out to be so strange. "..Alright. Then, on to the next subject. This is regarding Estelle. My grandniece, what did youe here for? Obviously, it wouldn''t be just to see me, right? A mystical identity like yours.. I don''t think you would just coincidentally visit by to seek familial rtions," Shirley''s eyes twinkled with amusement as she turned her head towards Estelle and questioned. Estelle gulped a mouthful of saliva upon being faced with that question. Of course, the only reason she came here was to meet Shirley, but her purpose was something behind that. "I.. wanted to step inside the ce where the Moon Goddess'' magic is supposedly most concentrated at. Only direct elven royals could go there, right? Thus, I wanted to prove my identity and took up Neil''s challenges. Will that be possible in the first ce?" Estelle inquired, nervous about the uing answer. Whether it was allowed or not, she was meant to go there. It was her task. To progress further in her journey, there was no other way but to ''prove her worth'' using something in that particr ce. She didn''t know what it was, and she wanted to find out. Chapter 172: Permission Chapter 172: Permission "..The ce where the Goddess'' magic is most concentrated at.. you must mean the Sanctuary, right?" Niki hummed as she thought carefully. There was indeed such a ce, located in the deepest part of Alfheim''s castle. "I don''t know what you guys call it, but I know that it contains the densest energy," Estelle replied. That was the instructions she received, the first step to proving her worth. "Then, what you are looking for is called the Sanctuary. About allowing you to go in... Hmm, I can''t say that I fully agree, but there are nothing that prevents you from going in if you are truly a Royal. Because.. that ce, for non-royals, will be akin to people burning themselves to death. It''s just torturing yourself," Shirley confirmed Niki''s words, cing her chin on top of her handzily and speaking. "What.. do you mean by that?" It was Estelle''s first time hearing this fact. Death to non Royals? "We don''t know why, too, but when outsiderse in contact with the Sanctuary''s core, they suddenly experience a feeling like they''re being engulfed in mes, and it won''t go away until they flee the areapletely. At first, there were also people who wanted to step inside the ce, you know? But they all failed after they slipped by and entered. They thought that there would be countless treasures piled up inside, but I think they are stupid. Why would we hide our treasures in a Sanctuary, a ce to be filled with holy energy and is to be respected?" Shirleyined. "Anyway, they practically all became severely traumatized by the event and never thought about going back in anymore. Ever since the rumor spread, it created a buzz and made those who were previously brave enough to attempt a theft be unwilling to do so," Shirley continued. "It''s a good thing if you look at it from another perspective. We don''t actually need guards stationed there, since no one would even dare to try checking it out. It''s just for formality and respect," "Which means.. this effect only happens within the secluded Sanctuary but not the entire area surrounding it?" Estelle concluded. Since there were guards positioned around it, then it should be so. Or else, the guards would also be affected. "Yes. The effect only if youe in contact with the core. Except for that, you are safe. Hence.. the only thing that holds you back from rushing there right now would be... this guy beside me, I suppose?" Shirley turned her head to the side and looked at Neil, who had a troubled expression as he was mentioned. It was because Neil hadn''t acknowledged Estelle yet. In fact, Shirley did not care much about Neil''s acknowledgement, but because they had formed a promise, then she wanted to respect it. It didn''t concern her or put her at a disadvantage and it also brought some forms of amusement and entertainment. "I have made the ultimate decision to ept her identity, Your Highness," Neil nodded as he shut his eyes tight, refusing to look at Estelle. His brows were knitted as he said that. Estelle made a dumbfounded expression as she didn''t expect Neil''s challenges to only consist of twopartments. She thought that there would be much more, since the man clearly showed his spite towards her. Unexpectedly, he ended it off in two trials. "..Might I ask why? Did I do something terribly right that you can''t help but ept me, or else it would be wrong?" Although she knew that asking could possibly get herself in more trouble as the man could supply more challenges, she couldn''t resist her curiosity. "Nothing much. I just thought that it''s a good time to stop, since you have clearly proved that you are a Royal ever since you sessfully knocked down the Moonlight Bow challenge and demonstrated powers simr to what the ancestors have wielded," Neil answered. Estelle nodded lightly and hummed, still not believing that the man would leave her be just like this. Even so, she decided to take his exnation and carry on further with her request. "So does that mean that I can enter the Sanctuary freely now?" Estelle asked. "Technically, yes. You can enter it as long as you tell me beforehand. However.. you do know that by wanting to ess the Sanctuary, you would be revealing your identity as the Royal to the public eye? There is no way that your visit will be left unnoticed. The Sanctuary is that relevant of a ce," Shirley reminded. Previously, Estelle had insinuated that she did not want unnecessary exposure about her true identity and just wanted to fulfill her purpose, nor did she want any actual ties with her bloodline and Alfheim. "Well.. At this point, I don''t mind. Once I finish my business in Alfheim, I n to flee over to Vaitral to connect my next journey," Estelle said, shrugging and scratching her head. "I have duties to do over there, so after I check the Sanctuary out, I will just stay for a short while before departing. Is this not allowed still?" "I must say, I''m pretty curious in what business you have inside the Sanctuary. Surely you are not just desiring to sightsee, right? The Sanctuary.. It is a mystical ce. Hard to understand, hard to decipher. It can''t be expressed through words, you just have to feel the atmosphere it brings when you step in there.. as a Royal," Shirley emphasized. It meant that if she was not a Royal, then there would only be adverse effects and ufortable feelings, but otherwise, you would feel this special aura. "..I will choose to not answer. It''s a private matter, something I just want to face by myself. I don''t think that you could be of any help either way, and I can only assure you that I will not do any harm to Alfheim in any sort of way," Estelle narrowed her eyes as she spoke, watching Shirley''s reaction carefully. "Is that enough warranty? I can even make an oath following your country''s procedure if you need me to. I am sure that I won''t cause harm," If she was to cause any harm, then she would''ve been warned about it. "..Then, so be it. I won''t be that vile to force you to open up. Since you have said that it is a personal business, then it should be so. You have mentioned your desire to go there, and I as the rightful Queen of Alfheim shall permit your appeal," Shirley carelessly replied, waving her hands as if telling Estelle to go forth to her destination. "To make it easier for you, take Neil over there," Shirley said, stamping something onto a piece of paper and handing it her attendant, who looked at the object and widened his eyes ever so slightly. Upon closer inspection, Estelle realized that it was the Queen''s seal, something that would not be given lightly over just a simple asion like this. She wondered if this was Shirley''s way of forcefully instating her grandniece''s position to clear off any lingering doubts that might surround her once the sighting got out. Having Neil attend to her matters was one thing, but showing this imperial seal would have a muchrger impact. Estelle reste''s name and mysterious identity would surely be a hot topic. She came out of nowhere and directly became recognized as a member of the Royal family. Knowing that the current Queen had no King and child, thus leaving no chances for an offspring to be made, the origins of Estelle would surely be questioned. The royal family of Alfheim was exclusive to people who bore the entric powers of the Moon Goddess'' gift. Even if Estelle was adopted, no one would im her as a Royal if she did not possess these powers. Her legality will be put into question. However, this matter would also be sessfully revolted once she stepped into the Sanctuary, as it had already been well known that only those who possessed the ''gift'' could bypass the Sanctuary''s effect ande out safely. Estelle nodded, connecting all the path lines inside her head and epting Shirley''s presents with a grateful smile. She then faced Neil, who gave her a formal smile and helped her stand up from the chair. She then proceeded to give onest look to the rest of the people in the room before leaving with Neil and heading towards the Sanctuary. Once they were outside, Estelle and Neil did not engage in any conversation at all. "I have been curious about this, but do you perhaps hate an outsider like me?" Estelle suddenlyunched the question, making Neil jolt in surprise slightly, but quickly regaining hisposure right after. He stopped his walk and turned to look at Estelle. "Do you think I hate you?" "Well.. by the sounds of your attitude towards me.. I would think so, is that wrong?" Estelle asked back. Her eyes flickered with curiosity as she waited for his answer. Chapter 173: Olsen Chapter 173: Olsen "You are.. not wrong, but there is a reason for it," Neil replied to Estelle''s answer, his face a bit strained as he spoke. "A reason? Tell me more," Estelle was curious. Elves were indeed depicted as a hostile species, but Neil was on a different level. Considering his loyalty towards Shirley, it shouldn''t be that he hated the Royals. He was diligent and faithful towards his job, and executed his duties with the utmost strength. "I just hate outsiders, no matter where they came from, what their purpose is, or whatever their desires are. Whether they want good or bad to Alfheim. I suppose that when I first met you, your powers were the perfect proof for you status as the Princess, but the fact that you have been an outsider for all these years and suddenly came back here just doesn''t sit right with me," Neil tried to reason, but that was not the thing Estelle was trying to search for. "If you arefortable with sharing, why do you hate outsiders so much?" Estelle tried to pry on further as it really caught her attention. "Because they are filthy, and unsuitable of stepping inside this Holynd. They have been tainted by the rotten world and is not eptable by the purity of Alfheim, they will do nothing but leave bad effects. Of course I won''t let them be," "..By that, are you meaning to say that Alfheim is devoid of crimes? That is incredibly wrong, no?" Estelle raised a brow and asked. "You can''t be that illogical as to say that a whole nation doesn''t have any criminals. Sure, there will be some heinous criminals in every country, but can you really involve the entire ce and hold them ountable for one person''s worth of crimes? What if an outsider hates Alfheim just because one criminal did something horrific?" "I would have no qualms with that as the outsider''s thoughts are of no concerns to me," "I want to ask you. If you have a history of being wronged by multiple parties, all being outsiders, while your own race is the only one that treats you good and way better than what you have survived through, won''t your perspective on these outsiders change? Plunderers, murderers, assaulters, everything. I have seen everything," "Elves can be rogues too. I don''t agree with your way of thinking, but I guess it''s your choice to keep such a small-minded outlook on life. One day, I hope that you can change that mindset, but I doubt that it would be easy considering how you were even able to spout all of that without batting an eysh," Estelle chided as she stood in front of the Sanctuary''s chamber, where guards were stationed at. Estelle and Heine ended their conversation and stepped forward, facing the guards in a closer distance. The guards'' eyes were piercing as they looked at Estelle, scanning her from top to bottom. "What might your purpose be, young girl, and... the Queen''s attendant? If I recall correctly, I have seen you walking with Prince Aleksei before. Your name was.." "Forget about that name. I have actually been keeping my real identity undercover to suit myself to this country," Estelle decided to go all out in exposing herself. The first trial would be these two guards. "My real name is Estelle Virante, your country''s newly announced Princess. I have brought with me the imperial seal of my grandaunt, Shirley," Estelle took the paper that Neil carried with him, the proof of the Queen''s influence and support that was ced onto her. The guards raised a brow as they looked at each other. One of them stretched a hand, asking to have a closer look at the seal. Of course, imperial seals would not be as simple as a normal working seal. It was imbued with a high ranking magic that wouldn''t be able to be replicated unless it was worked on by the Queen''s signature magic. There would be traces of Shirley''s magic on the seal, something that all the royal servants have been made aware and familiar of. The guards sensed the Queen''s magic and nodded. He couldn''t mistake it, because Shirley possessed a unique mana trace in addition to her royal powers. He scrutinized Estelle''s figure and sighed. "I was also quite surprised when the Prince brought home a random girl out of nowhere and dered her as his student. Turns out, it wasn''t the case at all. It all makes more sense now, actually," He made a light chuckle as he returned the paper and let out a gentle sigh. "I, Olsen, pay my respects to you, Your Highness," He was the guard who first took a look at the royal stamp, bowing his head down, and refusing to raise his head unless Estelle acknowledged his gesture and asked him to. Unlike Neil, this particr guy seemed to have an unconditional trust towards the monarchy. Upon seeing the royal stamp, he immediately showed obedience and acted towards Estelle how he would another royal. A very dedicated worker who did not mind the small things in between. Estelle had not even shown a speck of her power to this particr guy, and yet he was already able to treat her with far more respect than what Neil had shown her. Unconsciously, she looked over to Neil, who met her gaze and raised a brow as if asking what she was trying to imply. Estelle retracted her gaze and put her focus back on the guard. There were two guards, one of them was Olsen, and the other unknown soldier was still baffled and flustered, making frantic movements all the time. Unlike Olsen, he did not bow his head and just nodded lightly towards Estelle. This was the regr way someone would act when exposed to this situation. Filled with doubts. However, this young man bursting with vitality named Olsen was different. He was very straightforward and had no problem epting the new existence that was dropped in front of him. Although Estelle had been addressed to as a member of the Royal family in the past, it was very hard to ept that she was now not only a royal in name, but a real bloodline member. She possessed Royal blood. "...Look up. I wish to have a word with you," Estelle maintained a graceful act, something that she was excellent at doing as part of her much needed appeal to the public. She had quite the imposing presence, making her really burst with the aura of a royalty. Olsen obeyed her words and looked up. "How may I help you, Your Highness?" he asked. "I have notified the Queen before I came here, but my purpose in being here.. I am sure that you must already know what your job implies," Estelle said, implying the thing he was protecting. "You wish to enter the Sanctuary, Your Highness?" Olsen immediately digested Estelle''s words and questioned. "That is correct. Do you have any objections?" "Surely not. Since you have obtained Her Highness the Queen''s permission, with the ultimate proof being this seal, then we do not have any incentive to prevent you from going in further," Olsen said. The other guard had a restricted expression, his brows knitted as he watched this colleague of his just taking decisions into his own hands. "..Olsen, was it? You are an interesting fellow. Are you a knight?" Estelle asked. There were usually two types of guards stationed as the Royal''s servants. One of them was the Knight faction, and the other would be the Pdin section. Judging by Olsen''s clothes, he seemed to be a knight. "Yes, I am a royal knight working under the First Division," Olsen replied aptly. The First Division was like its name, the highest ranked Knight order. Working in that division would not only require a strong power, but also sufficient background and recognition. Olsen being able to be a part of that division meant that he was truly spectacr. "I shall remember your name for the future," Estelle shed him with a gentle smile as Olsen stepped to the side and opened the gate for Estelle to enter further. The other guard looked quite troubled, as he hadn''t even gotten the choice to introduce himself. Before, he was a bit reluctant and suspicious at Estelle because of the way she randomly appeared, but after watching their interactions, Estelle seemed to be the real deal. If so, then he had just missed the chance to make a great impression on this princess. However, before he was able to interject and appeal for himself, Estelle had already entered the Sanctuary and closed the door behind her. He ended up looking with quite a hostile and ufortable gaze towards Olsen, this strange knight , but remembered that Neil was still in the vicinity as he was relieved of his duties towards Shirley for the time being and was asked to apany Estelle. The man would be waiting for her until her desires were finished. He did not say anything, but his eyes also fell down onto Olsen, who did not react and just stood back rigidly as a guard. Chapter 174: Elven History Chapter 174: Elven History Inside the Sanctuary, Estelle was faced with a gigantic statue that emanated a warm light from its body. It was the statue of a beautiful woman that reminded her of nobody else but herself as Goddess Estraea. Even the clothing were simr. She held a long spear, akin to the one Estelle would create whenever she utilized her Creation Magic. Entranced by the statue, Estelle fell into deep thought. Just then, a voice entered the vicinity. A familiar voice that caught her attention immediately, snapping her out of the trance. "Distracted?" It was Shirley''s voice,ing from the side. The woman appeared from apartment hidden behind the statue, which caused Estelle to jolt slightly due to the element of surprise. Estelle did not expect Shirley to be here at all, so she frowned. "..I thought you wouldn''t being here? Do you not have any work to do ?" Estelle tilted her head, confused as to why the elder was there. "If you were going toe here anyway, why didn''t you tell me?" Shirley stopped her motions, looking at Estelle with amused eyes. "Can''t I be here whenever I want? As the Queen, it is my privilege to do so," she said, longingly looking at the statue of the Goddess. Estelle took the reasoning and thought that it made sense. She began to approach the statue further, stretching her hand out to reach and touch the interesting monument. Shirley did not stop her from doing so and just silently watched as Estelle''s hand came in contact with the statue, and began to stroke said object slowly. Estelle could feel a warm and radiant aura channeling itself into her body, and instantly felt like she was being invaded. She jerked her hand away and looked at her palm, which had just touched the statue. It was now radiating with a glow, making her taken aback. She inspected her condition and found nothing wrong with it, only that her magic had slightly been triggered. Shirley, who had been watching on as Estelle fiddled around widened her eyes upon seeing Estelle''s glow, and couldn''t find the right words tomunicate. "You... that," "Huh? Wait, I also don''t know what is happening. Is this something bad?" Estelle was a bit flustered, as she shook her hand to try and disperse the effect away. Shirley knitted her brows, approaching Estelle and taking the child''s hand into her own. "This is quite strange, to say the least. This has never happened before," "I.. really don''t know what this is. I was just trying to fulfill the- wait, maybe this is the purpose I was searching for?" Estelle suddenly realized that this strange reaction could be the potential result she wanted to achieve. "What purpose are you talking about in the first ce?" Shirley questioned, raising a brow at the child''s increasingly frantic actions. "It''s.. really something I can''t tell you, but it has something to do with this ce''s aura.. Maybe I just have to touch the statue?" Estelle herself was still trying to figure out the true way that she needed to go through in order to recover her worth. She was a bit cautious since Shirley was there. She debated whether or not to just wait until the Ruler had left or just proceed with her actions. While she was debating, Shirley had gotten closer to where she was standing. "Do you want to know how this ce came to be? I recall that when you were trying to figure out how to use the Moonlight Bow, you searched for books about the creation of this country. Don''t you think hearing it directly from me would be a better option?" "..If you don''t mind, then please do tell," Estelle replied. "Let''s see.. Where will I start from, I wonder?" Shirley put a finger against her lips, thinking about the lessons she had learned andpiled inside her head. "This statue is obviously the imagery of the Moon Goddess ording to the first generation of power, right? The Moon Goddess has never shown up physically aside from the time she saved our ancestors. To a being as powerful as her, she probably saved us on a whim. But to us... It was a rather special moment that we cherished until all of these generations had been created. Don''t you think it''s quite a strange thing? Us elves.. the first generation was originally weak. We had lower reproductive rate than the other races, only second to dragons. However, unlike dragons who possessed strength, we had nothing. We were powerless without both quality nor quantity. That day, our ancestors thought it was going to be the end of them. They couldn''t find a ce to settle because it would always be found in a matter of time. Living nomadically had a higher survival rate. Even so, it was still dangerous. One day, the monsters cornered our ancestors. A battle was evoked. Our ancestors struggled to gain dominance, but was inevitably killed. In the end, only a few people were left. Overflowing with despair, they had practically given up on everything, The few''s hopes were almost extinguished. The group consisted of 4 elderly, 3 men, and 4 women. What would be the chances of surviving? With the lineup being that crooked and the enemies consisting of tens of monsters. Only two out of the eleven had an unbending courage. They were an engaged couple. Us elves didn''t havew against consummation before marriage at that time. So.. The woman was actually carrying a baby. Everyone said they were foolish. Struggling would only get them killed more cruelly. However, they didn''t want to surrender to fate. Thus, they fought. Even if their knees were trembling, even if their arms had no strength. And then, on the brink of death, the Goddess showed. She had silver hair, golden eyes, and wore loose white robes. Her hair fluttered with the wind as she snapped her fingers and hundreds of golden spears appeared, stabbing the assaulting monsters and annihting them. She then lightly spoke something like; "Child, I''ve seen your great courage and you''ve amused me. As a reward, I shall bestow you power. Thrive and live on, that baby of yours shall marry a human to create the ''seed''," Her slender fingers lightly touched the baby girl''s forehead which emitted a golden light... And that same baby became a Queen. She married a human, as the Goddess said. It wasn''t a loveless marriage, though. She truly loved the other. Like a prophecy. It was as if the woman was destined to meet her fated partner in the humans'' race, and thus fulfilling the Goddess'' words at the same time. Upon marrying the said human, the low reproductive rate suddenly disappeared and they had 7 children. Of course, this did not happen for the rest of eternity. The reproduction rate and the quality of the offspring was boosted, but it didn''tst for every single member of the family. However, the family tree still grew... and me, my sister, and my brother were there as thetest generation. Why am I exining all of this to you... It is precisely because the power that baby was given is passed down through generations. That''s why, the elves treat the royals like deities themselves. Because the royalties does have the Goddess'' powers, although iparable to the true source. You could be said to be one of those babies, even though the power got diluted when Silvanna married that human male and created.. n, was it? n reste, your father, was investigated by me when he first came to life. He did not possess any inherited power, so I thought that it was just sheer bad luck, or that Silvanna had taken some strange precautions to prevent n from bing an inheritor as well. But then, you received the same powers that only Elven Royals would have. I suppose n was a carrier. And because I am also one of the current inheritors, I can sense that... You hold true strength. And your power is unlike others... and unlike mine. It resembles the original Moon Goddess''," The Queen ended her speech with an intriguing smile. "...If I do hold the Goddess'' power, what are you going to do?" Estelle asked, growing a bit wary with their current condition. She had already confirmed that part of her identity, and Estraea was really technically her. The divine power that once graced this ce was also emted from her essence, although it was just a falsified simtion created to be identical with her experiences. "Make you our country''s Queen..." Shirley slowly spoke, as if trying to see what Estelle''s reaction would be. Estelle disyed an unpleasant expression. "...Or not!" Shirleyughed. "To be fair, I''m more curious about your existence rather than anything. Honestly, I quite like this Queenly position, you know? There''s no way I''d be willing to give it up to a girl that is as young as you. What would I do if you bring this country straight down to its downfall?" Shirley chuckled. Chapter 175: Telling the Truth Chapter 175: Telling the Truth "...Is being a Queen that great?" Estelle asked. To her, being the Ruler of an entire country was too much of a hassle as she would be restricted by a ton of responsibilities. The features that came with it weren''t as appealing as freedom to her. Shirley mused, thinking of the question as she huffed her breath. "Well- It has its own up and downs, of course. There is no perfect position, and to me.. being the Queen is a pretty suitable status, something that I can bear and live with. That''s all I can say. Anyway, back to the problem... About your condition," "Do you know something about it?" Estelle''s hearing perked up, waiting to hear what Shirley had to say. "To say that I know what it is would be too much of a stretch. I might have an idea, but I''m not certain yet because it''s really.. something that you wouldn''t think is possible," Shirley said. "What is it?" "I think... your powers resonated with the statue because your inherited the Goddess'' powers much more than what our past generations absorbed. The reason for this being that your power''s description is extremely simr to the one existing inside the traditional tales.. the records of our country. The light seeping out of your palm, that was a gesture that the Moon Goddess once did when she came to bestow her power. Those who were in her surroundings immediately got boosted, and the power you wielded seemed awfully simr to this tale," Shirley said, her brows knitted as she spoke. "But.. this doesn''t make sense. Even after the powers got bestowed into our ancestors, they couldn''t radiate the glow in the same way as the Goddess. And yet, you.." Shirley bit her lips, her eyes trembling and her heart starting to beat fast. The fact that Estelle could be much more special that anything they have had in the past cast fear into her heart. The fear of her worth being taken away. Shirley eyed Estelle warily, trying her best as to not notify the child of her reaction. This reaction, however, was caught by Estelle. The Queen acted fond towards her, but she always seemed restrained. As if she was hiding something, her true feelings and such. Estelle pursed her lips, wondering how she should approach this matter to get Shirley on her sidepletely. "You are telling me that I have done something that only the Goddess could do, right? Then, what will happen to me?" Estelle tried to y it off from an innocent standpoint, acting rxed even as Shirley took a step backwards out of instincts. "I.. wonder. I wonder what would happen," Shirley replied, a strained smile appearing on her face. Right then, something unthinkable happened to her brain. She received a stimulus. It was simr to the feeling she felt when she touched the statue. Only, this time, that same light travelled to her head and began stirring something up. She discerned the intrusion and found out that there was a list of instructions ced on this new piece of information. With shocked eyes, Estelle read the entire thing and instantly, her mind fell into a frenzy. The instructions told her to tell Shirley about her identity as the Goddess. Estelle tried to make sense into this instruction that she did not even know where it came from, and could only resort to analyzing the situation one more time. Shirley would be reluctant to help her with her current status as nothing but the Duke''s daughter. However, if she was told about her true identity, then Shirley, who was deeply fond of her deity would definitely assist her unconditionally. It would be beneficial for her. After countless rounds of debating back and forth internally, Estelle finally made up her mind and decided to follow through with the instruction. This time, the instruction that was ryed to her directly conveyed what she needed to do. In the Sanctuary, there was a light blue ball of energy that she could take and merge into herself. This energy would then awaken something inside her and prove her ''worth''. She was not that clear on this matter, but she more or less knew what she had to proceed with. "..What if I tell you that I am actually your Goddess?" Estelle was unsure on how to word it the best way possible. Shirley''s face instantly warped. It was as if she felt offended. She gritted her teeth. "Estelle, even if you are my grandniece, I won''t allow you to say such sphemous things. Retract that statement you just made," "No, I won''t. Do you think I would lie about this kind of thing. Aren''t you suspicious as well? From where did a being like me appear, and what purpose I have to this Sanctuary? Wasn''t that why you tried to tail me here, to catch me in the act?" Estelle questioned. Shirley found it hard to refute the child as that was exactly what she was nning to do. To try and bait the child''s intentions. She took in a deep breath and looked at the child straight in the eye. "Prove it," Shirley was still pissed as hell, but she calmed herself down and tried to be patient. If this child lied, which she was almost certain of, then she would not hesitate to directly prosecute the child without leaving a chance for her toe back. "My magic is versatile.. But if you''d like to see what your ancestors saw.. then," Estelle created hundreds of golden spears, like the legends depicted. All the spears rose up, and the room was instantly filled with a divine glow. Estelle''s power had been steadily increasing ever since she had gone through the training inside her mind. It polished her strength, and she could feel it herself. Thisrge scaled disy should have originally taxed her mind a bit, but due to her improved condition, Estelle was able to possess more control and be rxed. "This... wow," Shirley couldn''t believe what she was seeing. Her eyes twinkled with respect and admiration, and her mouth instantly gaped as Estelle spun the spears around and suppressed them into onerge spear that she held within her hand. "Is that close enough? That is probably it," Estelle scratched her head. Her showcase was only based on the stories she had heard, she hadn''t seen the actual thing with her own eyes. "I... I don''t know. But even if it''s not exact, a show of this level is.. How would you even beat this?" Shirley was dumbfounded. No matter how much she hated to admit it, it was the truth that the girl had an amazing power. It wasn''t just shy spears that were meant for entertainment, Shirley could feel the massive strength behind all of those individual spears. It sent a chill down her back when she imagined all of these spears falling down to the ground in a war situation. How devastating would it be for the enemy? "...Well, it''s not like there hasn''t been people that fought me and won. Some maniacs did trap me. But.. I''m getting stronger too, day by day. One day, I want to have to enemies that can contend with me. Only then will I be satisfied," Estelle said, her eyes hooded as she thought about her ambition. She drew back all of her power and stored it. "That''s it for the show. You must be wondering.. Why I told you about my identity out of my own ord?" "..Why? Do I have something that I can do for you?" Shirley was expectant as she faced Estelle. Now that she knew that the girl was basically the incarnation of the Moon Goddess she revered, she was slightly nervous. "Yes, and that has something to do with my purpose in this world. I have tasks that I need to fulfill, and one of the checkpoints is located in this ce. It is.. in a form of a blue ball of energy. Are you familiar with it?" "..!" Shirley took in a sharp breath as she rapidly blinked. "Y.. yes, I know something like that, but.." "But?" Estelle wasn''t going to be unreasonable. She had to obtain it either way, but there was a high chance of this particr energy being fundamental to the country. However, since the instructions that popped up inside her head did say that she was destined to obtain it, then there should be something that she could do. She waited as Shirley repeatedly sighed, as if the matter was something burdening to her. "That ball of energy is a heritage from the first generation. It is.. the Goddess'' culmination of power that got trapped inside one of our magic pirs. It didn''t disperse because it was so dense, and instead became a ball.. Like a pearl sized object. I have seen it before when I first became Queen," Due to Estelle''s identity, Shirley could freely speak up and say the truth. Chapter 176: Replacement Chapter 176: Recement She already had an idea of why Estelle was so confused about everything even though she imed to be the Goddess'' incarnation, and the familiarity she felt with this girl along with the impossible showcase of power she held was enough to convince her. The ball of energy was originally hers, and there should be no qualms in her wanting to get it back, but she was hesitant. Hesitant that once the pill was taken away, then there would be no more traces of the Goddess'' magic in their country. The energy that had been depleting gradually, wouldn''t taking the pill out just make everything copse? Doomed. They were doomed if that happens for real. They were already struggling to keep their dignity up after all of these chaotic stretches. As the Queen of said country, she hesitated before telling the other party what she knew. However, after debating with herself for multiple times, she then proceeded to speak up. "So.. this particr ball of energy really can be taken out, but I''m not sure whether it would cause negative effects for my country yet, so I don''t know what to do yet," Shirley stated her reason firsthand before finally starting to approach the statue one more time. This time, she rose to the air and flew towards the back of the statue. She stretched her arm and began to operate the mechanism that worked inside the statue. To tell the truth, the statue could be said as a contained for this particr ball of energy. Although the entire isted ce was reeking in the Goddess'' energy, the ball was the most potent, so it was ced directly inside the statue. Shirley took this thing out and presented it to Estelle. It was a glowing small sized marble. "This is it?" Estelle looked at the shiny ball within her palm and observed it with wonder. Without a closer inspection, it looked like nothing more than just a blue pearl and not anything special. However, when she tried to appraise it using her magic, she felt a dense amount of energy suddenly surge forward. This was definitely the item she was looking for. The next step was tobine this with her ring. This would restore the original state of the ring, that was the bluish color she saw in the imaginative realm. The instructions were further deepened. It told her to tell Shirley that she was able to replenish the magic thatid behind this stone once she had recovered the ring since it would restore parts of her divinity back. Not only that, since the magic had been deteriorating for long, opting for this change would actually cause the energy ball to be even stronger than the one they had just stored inside the statue right now. Naturally, recing the marble with a stronger one would allow the statue to thrive with a deeper energy. Hence, it would be beneficial for Shirley too. "Shirley, I know that you are worried about the country''s wellbeing, but I wonder if you have forgotten that I am the one who made the marble in the first ce? Naturally.. won''t I be able to rece it? Only the time effect will be lost, but if I reced it right now, then the amount of power will only grow stronger," This tempting offer made Shirley''s conscience stagger. She licked her lips and tried to regain her sense. "How... would I know that it would be replenished? In the first ce, if you could make another one, then shouldn''t you be able to make one of these balles by yourself without taking it from the one inside the statue?" Shirley concluded. "About that, I had encountered a strange disaster that rendered by divinity be sullied. Thus, I couldn''t properly administer my divine power.. But once I integrate that divine energy into myself, then I will be able to operate it once more. It will act as a trigger to my power," Estelle said. Her exnation was not actually lies. It was made using the instructions she had received. She followed it closely. Shirley was still hesitant, but upon receiving Estelle''s response, she thought that the girl could really be speaking the truth. Thus, she did allow Estelle to execute her merging process in the end. Estelle sat down in a meditative position and started manifesting her mana and opening up her magic circuits to allow this foreign energy. Before, when a foreign element entered her, it had two possible conclusions. It will either riot and cause her harm or blend it with her smoothly to the point of achieving extreme sess. She wondered which one of the two it would be. After properly taking the energy in, she discovered that it was thetter. Perhaps because it was once a part of herself too, the energy became one with her core and strengthened her immensely. Estelle could finally feel traces of the divine power linger inside her, although it was still a bit unstable. Estelle repeatedly controlled her magic to gain more understanding of it. Some of the abstract ns were already depicted inside the instructions, so Estelle was able to venture a bit further before having to discover the rest by herself. Since she already had experience withing in contact with a foreign element and integrating it with herself, the process went on rather smoothly. In the end, the entire fiasco took nothing more than half an hour. Shirley waited beside the child with patience. Not only was she anxious to what the oue would be, she was also curious on how Estelle''s process worked. She was also able to faintly detect the child''s changing progress with each stage she went through and appreciated it. Then, it was time to replicate the original ball of energy. She had already noted the criteria that the ball had before absorbing it into herself, so she was rather familiar with what she had to make. "So... let me see here?" Estelle burst into a wide smile as she began to create a condensed ball of energy to rece the statue''s original one. "This should do the trick... right?" Estelle handed it over to Shirley, and the woman began to look at it. Her heartbeat was speeding up as she was nervous. "This.. this is!" Shirley let out sounds of astonishment as she felt the overflowing power that emanated from the new marble. It was much more than the original one. Not because the current Estelle was stronger than the past Goddess, but because the magic was renewed and felt much for distinguishable. "Thank you so much. With this.. with this, perhaps the lineage would be continued," Tears started dropping down the beautiful elf''s face, and she fell down to her knees, not minding about any grace of dignity. It was bound to happen. She was always so pressured to retain this depressing lineage. What seemed like despair suddenly turned around and began to be positive, why wouldn''t she cry out of desperation? "Thank you so much... thank you so much..." Shirley kept repeating, Estelle looked at Shirley, who shed tears of joy and began to feel bits of sympathy. The elven royal lineage started because in the past, she made a casual whimt hat ultimately ended up making up such aplex concept and structure. Then, they had to suffer because the power started to deteriorate because the original Goddess really did not n to imbue them with magic whatsoever. This happened because she didn''t think far enough back then. Silently, Estelle began to stretch her hand and ced it on top of Shirley''s head, which was bowed down out of gratitude towards Estelle. The woman felt the touch, but she did not retract her head away and let the child continue her work. She even anticipated what she was about to receive since the child seemed to be concentrating on forming something. In a few moments, a warm stream of energy poured in from Estelle''s palms down to Shirley''s head, beginning to spread throughout her entire body as well. It touched her core, and she felt it getting stronger. "I can''t give you too much of my power as it would only make things worse from now on. This blessing.. Shouldn''t disappear. Although I gave you a moderate amount of divine power, the original effect actually happened because you guys stayed to near with the battle scene and eventually got the effect as well and not because the magic deteriorated with time. I originally did not n to bless you all. That is a misunderstanding that could be said to be partly my fault, and since things have progressed to this far of a scale, I can''t exactly tell you to end the farce. Thus, to make up for my past mistake and the things you had to go through because of it, carry on with Virante''s name." Estelle said. "This power won''t disappear, and I made it to be particrly extra shy so that the people you lead would gain trust," Chapter 177: First Constellation Chapter 177: First Constetion "I see.. Thank you very much," Shirley calmed down and started to pick herself back up after taking several deep breaths. She locked eyes with Estelle. This very girl was the one that she was originally quite hostile to because she felt threatened. In the end, didn''t she almostmit a heinous crime against the very person she admired? Although she was also quite vexed since she was one of the bloodline''s holder- making her suffer through rigorous practices just because of the blood she had, she did love the Goddess. They talked back and forth, with Shirleyunching simple questions around how this power should and should not be used. Estelle honestly couldn''t care less with how Shirley was willing to abuse the energy because she only ryed a small portion of divinity enough to keep the esteemed Virante name alive. "I... I can''t say anything else besides words of thanks," Shirley stuttered after receiving the guidance from Estelle.. The country was once again saved by this mysterious presence. In the stories, no one was actually able to speak in such close distance with the Goddess, but she of all people go the honor to do it. "Also.. I am sorry, my Lord. Previously, I have thought about wrong sentiments towards you because I felt scared for my position," Shirley was honest with herself as she did not want to hide anything from Estelle any longer. She also addressed the child as ''my Lord''. She got down on her knees, showing her utmost respect. It was as if Shirley''s entire personality had been changed. She went from a vignt person who kept a kind facade on the outside to an extremely sincere woman who kept begging for forgiveness left and right. Although Estelle was somewhat ufortable with this exposure, she couldn''t help but admit that it did feel somewhat satisfying. The fact that the lofty queen finally stopped acting like that. She was d that she made the ultimate decision to reveal everything to Shirley. "...Of course I understand. I am an outsider who suddenly popped out of nowhere and dered bold ims. I apologize, I deemed it necessary to stir some things up. It definitely isn''tpletely your fault in thinking that I was an eyesore," Estelle acknowledged, telling Shirley to hurry up and rise back up. Shirley did so, but she couldn''t stop apologizing and bowing to this child who was more than a head shorter than her. After a few minutes, Shirley finally began to stop her antics. "Uh.. If you don''t mind sharing, exactly where are you going to go after this?" Shirley asked, drying off thest bits of the tears that spilled down from her eyes. Estelle thought for a moment. "...Vaitral, I suppose. The next step to my awakening is Vaitral," Estelle answered as her gaze hardened and turned more serious. "What is this awakening you speak of?" Shirley was extremely curious about the matters of the Goddess, but she also felt like she would be trespassing too much into her idol''s matters. "Ah! I did not mean to ask. I apologize, you can just ignore the question..." Shirley immediately retracted the question back, covering her mouth and keeping her words inside herself. Estelle chuckled as she began to find Shirley''s jittery acts as a rather cute thing. "Don''t worry about small matters like that, alright? I am willing to tell you," Estelle consoled the other party, who was feeling embarrassed of her impulsive decision tounch the question. Shirley nodded, a bashful look present on her gorgeous face. Estelle wondered how a person could change this much. Before, she didn''t know what it waspletely, but she was sure that Shirley was hiding something unpleasant behind her mind about her. Now that all of it had cleared up, Shirley was basically a different person altogether, and all of the impressions she had formed before disappeared into nothingness. "Basically, to put it into simpler terms, my powers have been taken away and I have to do consecutive tasks toplete them back up. One of them is the matter of gathering vassals to secure my unstable power. This.. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it before, but it''s about the Constetion. The twelve candidates to protecting the world''s peace." Estelle exined. Shirley''s eyes widened in shock after she heard the phrase The Constetion be spoken out. "Yes, I''m aware of that concept. Are you saying that...?" Because of Shirley''s newfound respect to Estelle, she spoke in a quite courteous manner. Too courteous for Estelle''s own liking. "Mhm. I am apparently the Constetion Leader," Estelle had no qualms and telling her all of this because the instructions that she conveniently received allowed her to share stories with Shirley, and that this matter was actually not something that needed to be kept secret. In fact, it would be for the best if she could gain Shirley''s support since she was indeed the Ruler of Alfheim, which was one of the countries she was trying to unite with peace. Shirley went silent for a whole minute. Estelle did not interrupt the flow of the atmosphere as Shirley seemed to be thinking about something rather important. Then, the Queen suddenly began to spoke again. "That... It might be a bit too impolite for me to say this, but... Could I possibly be one of the Constetion members?" Shirley asked with a small voice. "..Hm?" Estelle tilted her head, wondering if she had heard wrongly. She did expect for her to perhaps offer up a talented individual that would be willing to take the position up from her country, but she didn''t expect that the Queen herself would be wanting the position. "Is it impossible after all..? Right, there is no way that I would be epted into someone as great as you''s entourage.. Haa, this is quite saddening, but I have to ept it," Shirley lowered her gaze. She took Estelle''s sound of shock as aplete rejection somehow. [No, it''s more like I should be the one asking that question. The Constetion members are supposed to be people who are just strong and influential, enough to keep the reins on the world.. but not exactly to the point of being a country''s Ruler, right?] Estelle debated inside her mind. "It''s not like it''s impossible, but... Are you sure?" Estelle shrugged. She wasn''t unwilling to ept Shirley, because the woman would certainly be a massive help in this uniting the world farce. The ruler of said country, especially one that is loved and revered by the public was a strong ally that she obviously wished to gain the trust of. "Yes! It would be my greatest joy to be able to help you in your duties, my Lord." Shirley proudly stated, sping her hands and smiling with delight. "Then, I shall appoint you as the representative from Alfheim.. Wait a minute, I actually don''t know if I''m even able to perform the ceremony now. I have the divine power, and gaining it should.. in theory, fulfill the criteria," Estelle thought for a second, checking her own conditions. Divinity was inside her. It should be possible. Electing a member. It was a strange thing to think about. Was it really time to start appointing members? Shirley was such a good candidate taht she couldn''t believe her luck. She would be a convincing public figure, and she could perfectly maintain the reins on Alfheim with the deeply rooted custom ingrained in the Alfheim citizens'' mind. It was out of her predictions that this woman would be so devoted to the Goddess she served that she was willing to lower herself to such a point. [Whoever is the first member doesn''t matter, right?] Estelle asked herself. After hesitating for a couple seconds, she decided that it shouldn''t matter and coughed to clear her throat up. She ransacked her mind to prepare for this ceremony. "Shirley Virante, on the basis that I am the Constetion Leader, and with the power bestowed in me, I dere you as the first member of the Constetion Order. As the representative of the country Alfheim, may you fulfill your duties with great honor and achieverge results along with the uing governors," Estelle tried her hardest to make up a convincing speech. Shirley looked at Estelle with literal stars in her eyes, voicing out her worship. "Will you ept?" Estelle asked, although the answer was as clear as day. "Certainly, my Goddess," Shirley''s eyes beamed with happiness as she replied. And this very reply seemed to act as a literal trigger for an immense light to start showering their two bodies. The election of the first member seemed to hold a much more significant impact than what she thought in the first ce. Looking at their two bodies, who were now connected by a warm blue light and some more stray bullets of light scattered around them. It was a very pleasing sight to behold. Shirley Virante, the Queen of Alfheim, the first member of the World''s Constetion Order. Chapter 178: Selection Chapter 178: Selection "This light is... Woah," Estelle herself couldn''t help but gape in awe as she watched the twinkling lights enshroud both of them, only diminishing by a little amount after a minute had passed. They were practically glowing like lightsticks. As if each balls of light were alive and had a mind of its own, they also began to scatter all across the room. Shirley looked left and right, worried if she had done anything wrong for this type of grand reaction to sprout out. "Is... Is this supposed to happen? It''s a great feeling, but is this bad?" Shirley questioned. "Shirley, you are the Constetion''s first member. That''s why I was surprised with the reaction it gave. I have never seen it before either," Estelle calmed down the older woman and giggled. "Is that so... Wait, I am the- what did you say?! I am the first one?? I, I do not deserve that great of a title! How could such a thing... Oh my goodness," Shirley covered her mouth up in shock. "Don''t freak out like that. I don''t think who the first member is will matter. All that''s important is whether or not you arepetent and willing to serve, and I think you have both of those qualities. I expect a lot from you, my dearest Queen," Being called in such an endearing tone made Shirley flush up. She nodded, feeling extremely giddy as she had just received this great achievement. To her, who was practically raised and brainwashed to love the Moon Goddess, Estelle was basically someone she could lower her head to no matter what the asion was. "Of course, I will aplish my duties. Your orders are absolute to me, Leader," Shirley gave a royal salute to Estelle. "Thank you for agreeing. You will be of great help to me," Estelle nodded. "Now then... Since I''ve proven that I can start recruiting members, I actually need to speed the process up.. to garner twelve people''s agreement. With that and the Vaitral''s jewelry piece, I will finally be able to rest easy," Those were the remaining goals that she had in mind right now. The rest were only smaller details that she could chase in the future when she became stronger. As of now, she was still stuck in this particr dilemma. Who to recruit? "Who do you have in mind for the next candidate, my Goddess?" Shirley asked, curious as to exactly who was going to be her fellow coworker. "There is one confirmed candidate. He''s someone you know. Heine. The former Spirit King. I''m sure you are already aware of his arrival in Alfheim? Although I can''t say for sure what his true intentions are.. he is very deeply connected with me, and he will certainly be one of the Constetion''s members. It''s inevitable," "Then.. when you met him in the forest, was he tailing you?" Shirley''s gaze turned cold as bloodlust started to surge from her entire body. "And.. his addition to the members being certain, why is that so?" "No, no. I don''t think that he tailed me. I think that he has something to do in Alfheim. I don''t know whether it''s a good thing or not, but he holds me in a great importance. I believe that if I tell him not to create chaos, he will act appropriately," Estelle sighed. She doubted that Heine would fully listen to her, but now that she was starting to gain her position, she thought that it was possible to control the unruly man. Especially after he is bound to her by the Constetions''w. Estelle thought back to the Ruler, who she spent a lot of time with. The being told her that Heine was a necessity to her progress no matter whether she liked it or not, and she also understood this thing. "About the certainty, it''s because Heine is an essential figure that I can''t afford to lose for my progress. He is also someone who knows about my past as the Goddess, because he is.. I''m sorry, I can''t tell you further than this," Estelle said. Although the instructions did tell her that telling Shirley about the confidential matters wouldn''t be too much of a big deal, she hesitated on conveying Heine''s infomation. Then, the other candidates would be Minerva and Yulia. Considering all that has happened, it would be normal if they were part of the Order, the members she was destined to recruit. They were strong and had influence over the world with their connections. Including Shirley, she would have four immediate members under her. Eight more to go. She imagined the world''s map inside her head and began to assign the current member candidates to each country, mapping out thecking ones. There were already one from Sylvania''s descent, one from Alfheim''s descent, her being from Alynthi, and the Eire sisters being a free-willed pair. Naturally, some countries would have more members than the others, but in the end, each country would have to be represented by a member. There was a clear limit given to her. Twelve people. She had to consider the next following candidates carefully as to not make a mistake she couldn''t revert back from. "Shirley, if I were to pick another candidate from Alfheim, who would it be?" Estelle asked. Since there were only six countries, then if it were to be divided equally, Estelle could afford two representative from a country. Exceptions like Minerva and Yulia, who weren''t tied down to any country could hinder her calctions. "I suppose... My brother, Aleksei, or Frey Agatha, the Witch," Shirley answered after weighing her options. Those two did fill the qualifications. "Although I don''t think they would want to join. They love their freedom, and Frey has clearly stated that she hated organizations. I suppose it derived from her experience in the Elysium Order, but... All in all, there''s a low chance of her agreeing to it. Let alone taking care of the entire world, my retainers even had to beg her to put up the spatial magic around the country. She''s hard to work with, and everything depends on what she wills," "Then, what about your assistants?" Estelle questioned. She was particrly quite interested to some individuals that stood out to her eyes as of the current moment. Aleksei and Frey were a given, since their prominence was as clear as day. Next, it would Niki and Neil, who proved to be useful time and time again. They had high efficiency, but they werecking as of now. "Neil and Niki, my Goddess? Do they qualify for the criteria?" "As of now, I reckon not. But can''t they develop from now on? That would still count. Right, Shirley, do you feel any sort of difference after you became a member?" "Hmm.. I can''t tell yet. Maybe something will happen as time passes, but as for now.. there''s not much I can say. I suppose.. I feel a bit strengthened. As if my body is adjusting to something. Your divinity, my Goddess?" "..First of all, could you stop addressing me as a Goddess? I will allow it if we are isted away from the others, but I worry that conversations in public could be overheard. To be safe, just don''t call me that, okay?" Estelle requested, to which the Queen replied with tact and agreed. "About the change, I would appreciate it if you could report to me every single time you feel a shift within yourself. I am still not aware of anyplications being a Constetion member would yield, and I myself am constantly trying to figure out more about it. I am sorry that you are currently somewhat in an experimental position," Estelle admitted her shoring, to which the Queen rapidly shook her hands and denied the girl''s apologies. They got out of the Sanctuary quickly after that. The room hadn''t cleared itself up from the blinding lights even after many long minutes had passed. The abundant mana that scattered all around the room was clear to see. Estelle walked alongside Shirley, who maintained her original attitude back and made it seem like nothing had happened inside the Sanctuary. Since the room waspletely shut and did not let anything leak, the guards did not know what had happened. Then, as they walked through the corridor, a beautiful, familiar figure was caught in the corner of her eyes. Minerva Eire, the Crimson Witch, and one of her potential member candidate. "Ah, Estelle..." Minerva''s voice was weak as she greeted the girl with a longing face that waspletely unlike the bubbly ad lively character Estelle was familiar with when she thought of the name Minerva Eire. "...Minerva," Estelle called out. The redhead nodded as a reply, but did not speak any further. The tension was definitely there, the awkward atmosphere that clouded up their visions. "It''s good to see you. I have something that I want to tell you," "That... Can I not go?" Minerva was ufortable, and although she felt hesitant in voicing out herints, she still did so in the end. "We need to talk. Come with me," Estelle said, approaching the older woman and walking past her without checking if the woman would follow her or not. The child knew that considering Minerva''s stance on matters and her usual personality, she would definitely follow even without further persuasion. The left behind Shirley was somewhat taken aback by Estelle''s sudden change and sensed that something was not right, but she did not want to interfere with Estelle''s matters. As such, she parted ways with those two and left for the opposite direction. Chapter 179: Second Shot Chapter 179: Second Shot Estelle did not look back in the slightest, she just kept marching to a ce that she herself did not know. She wanted to be isted with the woman behind her. Minerva followed her just as she predicted, but she could tell that the woman was starting to feel ufortable by the whole situation. It was easy to misunderstand Estelle''s intentions as wanting to call Minerva out for a beating or violence. Unfortunately, revenge wasn''t her agenda for today. She wanted to seek a cooperation. Once they got to a secluded ce, Estelle turned around and stopped walking. Minerva also halted in her ce. She had been keeping her distance as they walked all the way here. They were separated by quite the far distance. Rising a brow at this disparity, Estelle began to take a few steps forward and approached Minerva, closing the space between them. "..Hey, why don''t you say something. You called me out like this, I thought you didn''t want to see me at all," Minerva awkwardly shrugged as she found it extremely hard to deal with Estelle considering the previous matters. She averted her gaze, not wanting to look at Estelle any longer. Estelle smiled gently. The charm and charisma she carried was definitely exemry, and she chuckled as she began to speak. "I have regained the ability to be the Constetion Leader, and I will be henceforth going on a journey to collect the twelve members from now on. My priority is to obviously fulfill my goals, and I think that you would be a great ally to have. You will be suitable for one of the Constetions'' positions. What are your thoughts on this matter?" Minerva''s brows knitted, and she looked in horror as her heart trembled. "...Are you seriously asking me this? After saying that I was a traitor, showing hostility, and ignoring me on multiple asions? I know that I was partly wrong at some point, but you can''t be this unreasonable, Estelle. You can''t just jump around the parties like that as you want. One day you want to be left alone, another day you want to stick with me. Do you think that''s fair to me? No. You are incredibly selfish, and I don''t want to y your game," Minervashed out, voicing out her frustrations. The feelings of discontentment had been piling up inside her for a long time already. She was just a bystander when Heine executed his ns. She did not know whose side to pick, so she chose to stay neutral. However, this neutrality was seen by Estelle as a bad thing. The child purposely scolded her and distanced herself away, but now she wanted to act as if all of that did not happen and recruit her into the Constetion? Back then, she was extremely positive in regards to this recruiting fiasco, and she did not deny it when Estelle said that she was going to be one of the members. But now, she felt conflicted. She was wronged by Estelle. The child was selfish enough to lose all trust in her. Perhaps being a bystander and not saying anything was also a mistake on her part, but she was just as close to Heine as she was to Estelle, if not much more. "Ha. Selfish? Maybe. But if selfishness is what it takes for me to achieve my goals without being fucked up by people who I trusted wholly, then so be it. I will be as selfish as I can be, so selfish that you wouldn''t be able to stand me. Even so, aren''t there still people like Shirley who follows me on their own ord?" Estelleughed out loud, as if Minerva just told her the best joke of the year. "Well, I won''t let every single member be people like Shirley. But my point still stands," "I am not forcing you to join. I think that you would be a suitable member, and that''s why I came to recruit you. If you think that I am incorrect, or that you are unwilling to follow me on my quest, then you can freely leave as you wish," Estelle said as she looked at Minerva with patience. Her smile was so angelic that you would think that she was the purest flower ever. "What''s with this.. This is unfair. What about my sister? Heine? Have you contacted them yet?" Minerva''s focus shifted from left to right as she felt extremely confused as tow hat her choice should be. It was supposed to be an obvious choice back then. Back when they were still scouring about to look for ways to regain Estelle''s power. It was certain that she was going to join. But now, in face of the changed child, she felt discouraged. "I haven''t met them, and you were the first one I encountered right after unlocking the power. I used the first ticket on the Elven Queen Shirley," Estelle told the crimson haired woman. "Wha- you just randomly selected her out of nowhere??! Where did it happen- don''t tell me, it was just now? Inside the Sanctuary?? Estelle reste, you really are..." Minerva sighed in distress. It wasn''t like there was any special attachments or rewards to the members'' numbers, but the order they were recruited in were the code names the Constetions used tomunicate by. They assigned each of themselves a number which went along with the order, and a name that suited their power. For example, the Sage, being the Constetion Leader, was number Zero and had the Constetion name Sage. "Not out of nowhere. I bestowed divinity upon her, and she now knows about myplicated past. I''m sure that you''ve already figured it out by now, but I was the basis of the Moon Goddess in the first ce, so she became extremely loyal to me when I convinced her of my identity," "I feel bad for saying this, but Shirley underwent severe brainwashing ever since she was a child and made to sit in the position of the Ruler. She wouldn''t betray me since her beliefs are that of ''The Moon Goddess is the omnipotent source of life that I need to follow''," To glimpse over it and conclude Alfheim''s religion in a short manner, it would be that of a cult. A cult following the Moon Goddess blindly even though the deity stopped giving them any proof of her power and existence since long ago. It was an unreasonable faith, but the people still kept their trust intact. "..I also know that fact," Minerva nodded, agreeing even if it was a dark truth. She had been close to Alfheim''s side a long time ago, when she was helping her sister sort some things out inside the country in order to gain favor. Then, she was able to meet Shirley, who was receiving her education. The brainwashing system that Alfheim royalties were exposed to was very hard to get out of. People like Estelle''s grandmother Silvanna, who couldn''t take it anymore, would run away. But to those who couldn''t muster enough willpower would have to be chained there. "That isn''t exactly relevant to our case right now, though. All that matters is your decision. What do you think you want to do? Follow me, or perhaps even oppose me in the future?" Estelle asked, not minding the fact that the woman had an internal turbulence. Minerva stayed still for a few moments, her body tense and her fists clenched hard. She was debating what to do. Weighing out the choices that were presented to her. "I will.. Urgh," Even though Minerva was somewhat unwilling due to the negative setbacks she had received from Estelle time to time again, she couldn''t deny that she did want to be affiliated with the Constetion. More importantly, knowing the fact that her most important people in her life were going to join in the end did not help with her will to refuse either. Taking several deep breaths in and out, she finally made up her decision. The child in front of her was frightening. She had already harbored this feeling ever since she first met her, and that same sentiment started to disperse due to their increasingly close bond. Unfortunately,a ll of it crumbled down when Estelle started to scrutinize her with hostile eyes. "Haa, I will join you, I will just join! I will take that damned second position, for God''s sake," Minerva rubbed her temples, wondering if the choice she made was a bad one that she would regret in the future. She knew that Estelle and Heine both had strange pasts that she couldn''t put her hands on at all. However, she and her sister Yulia were only strong people who did not have suchplexities at all. There was a clear difference. Estelle had a goal that she was dead set onpleting, whereas she was just trying to steer her life in her own way and try to lead it into the best way possible. Chapter 180: Collect Them All Chapter 180: Collect Them All Estelle smirked as she obtained the older woman''s permission. She gestured for the other to lower her head down so that Estelle could bestow the title to her with the same ceremony she had tried out on Shirley recently. "Are you ready?" Estelle asked. The woman in question took a deep breath before nodding and showing determination inside her eyes. Although her heart still had some effects of wavering thoughts, she tried to stay calm and receive this particr title and the blessing that shoulde with it. "I''m ready," Minerva verbally said. In a sense, bing one of the Constetion''s members could also be said to be the same as bing a Goddess'' apostle because of the person Estelle was and their duties. "Minerva.. Eire, the Crimson Witch. Right here and now, using the basis that I am the Constetion Leader, and with the power bestowed in me, I offer you as the second member of the Constetion Order. As someone who is bound by nothing, but still manages to fulfill the requirements to a sufficient degree, may you fulfill your duties with great honor and achieverge results along with the uing governors," Estelle used the same basis as the one she used for Shirley''s election for her speech, only having to change a few major details here and there. "Do you agree to ept this invite?" "I shall gratefully ept," Minerva nodded, and closed her eyes as she waited for Estelle''s next move, which would dere her as the next member officially. The same bright light that urred with Shirley began to form this time around too, and Estelle''s divine power poured into Minerva. It trickled down her body, and it felt quite stinging in some ces. After a few moments, the effect receded and she raised her head up. Instantly, she felt things change within herself. To the point where she was shocked as well. "This.. this is the effect of getting contracted? I am feeling so strange," Minerva took in a deep breath. Estelle raised a brow at Minerva''s statement. "Change? Right away? I thought that the change should happen with time. Shirley did not feel anything right off the bat. Howe you..." Estelle questioned. "Hm? Maybe it was thanks to the speed of adapting.. Or something like that. Your divine power is foreign to Shirley, but like before, I have encountered it in the past a lot, haven''t I? Perhaps that''s the cause. Shirley''s body might take more time to adjust to the new intrusion, but my body will be somewhat more used to it," Minerva hypothesized. "That could be correct. How do you feel? What type of change is it?" Estelle asked. "Like my senses were all sharpened at once. It feels like I have rity in every single atom of my body. It feels great, but a bit too overpowering in my opinion," Minerva answered. "Hmm... That''s a bit too vague. Tell me if there is any specific change in the future. I still have to figure out the effects of my power on other people. In theory, without the Constetion elections, I could still pour my divinity into other people that I don''t n to turn into a member, right?" Estelle''s curiosity spiked as she wondered. "...Haah, I really shouldn''t be saying this, but I think you should be more careful in electing the other members in the future. You never know what they are going to be.." "And are you saying that you, Heine, and Yulia are safe because you three spent a lot of time with me in the past? Even though Heine ended up betraying me a couple times if you really calcte the events?" Estelleughed, paying no heed to Minerva''s warning. To her, her own instincts and feeling currently were much more trustworthy than those three. She saw something within Shirley, and knew that the older woman would be of great help to her if she stayed as brainwashed as she is right now. No one could be fully trusted in her eyes. As much as Shirley was heavily infatuated with her, there was no telling when her sentiments would break down and making the Elven Queen turn her back against Estelle. She didn''t want to be ''betrayed'' anymore. If she was aware of the things the betrayer was plotting to do, was it still a betrayal at that point? "Where is Yulia? I will elect her too, so tell her toe to me if you see her," Estelle tidied up her clothes, which had been roughed up in some ces due to the wind gust that was produced from the election. "Will Yulia agree, though?" Minerva wondered about this matter. Even though they are close, Yulia was still a hard person to pull. She was someone who loathed groups and crowding, and Estelle''s entourage should be no exception as well. Unless Estelle was able to prepare a reward that is enticing enough for Yulia to join on her own ord, Minerva found it hard to believe that Yulia would agree upon being asked. "I don''t think that she will y along with this farce. There is no substantial benefit, and Yulia will find it hard toe into terms if nothing is of great value to her," Minerva understood her sister''s intake on the world very well. After all, she was her sister that had spent over hundreds of years with her. However, Minerva''s assumption would soon be proved false. "Who said that I won''t agree?" All of a sudden, Yulia''s signature charismatic voice rang out from the direction behind Minerva, making the crimson haired beauty turn around in surprise. "...Sister!" Minerva eximed as the blonde woman approached where they were standing and stopped before Estelle. "Hi, new Constetion Leader," Yulia waved cheekily. "..Hi?" Estelle replied. "Heine has already told me everything that happened to you and your current knowledge base. He asked me toe here to receive your blessing," Yulia quickly stated, making Estelle a lot confused. "Which means.. Heine perfectly knew what I was going to do right after reaching the Alfheim castle, and.. Wait, that doesn''t make much sense. How did Heine contact you? Doesn''t that mean he''s right around here?" "Heine visited and quickly left. He''s being very stealthy, but I don''t think he means any harm this time around. It''s more like.. He''s the one being pressured. His facial expression was ugly when I saw him," Yulia reported, shrugging carelessly. "Then? What are you going to do? You are thinking of recruiting me, right? I suppose Heine understood my personality, so to save me the trouble, he already created the offer for your sake. I have agreed to this thing," "That.. will save a lot of time. I will have to thank Heer on. How did he convince you in the first ce?" "I will keep that a secret between me and him. What am I supposed to do? Kneel down before you?" "Hey, learn a thing or two about dignity!" Minerva interjected from the side, trying to prevent Yulia from actually kneeling down without any warning. "...For the thing Heine offered me, I can afford to lose my dignity. It can''t be eaten, and I practically have no use for it. Better be thrown away or used like this," Yulia said with a straight face, as she conveyed the utmost seriousness with her attitude and actions. "You.. really, I''m starting to be so curious that I could die. What did Heine give you?" "It''s... something that you will probably see in the future. For now, you don''t need to know," After the bickering, they began to proceed to the main course- the actual election. Since Yulia was willing, Estelle repeated the same speech format for her and quickly ushered divine power into the older woman, making her be the third member of the Constetion. The same light effects came to y and Estelle finished up the loose ends on her powers, retracting everything back. She heaved a long sigh before pursing her lips, knowing that something was not quite right. "Wait.. if Heine came here, why didn''t he just ask me to elect him right away? He must know that I want him on my side," Estelle was dead set on this decision. Heine was that good of an ally, and that scary of an enemy. She knew that the man was fixated on her past identity, and nned to use that to her own advantage. "I don''t know too. I was just confronted with the offer. It took him about fifteen minutes to convince me, and then he rushed out of the castle after saying a short goodbye," "...I see. Then I will chase after him, I suppose," Her matters in the castle were about to end, and she got a lot of good experiences out of it along with knowledge and such. She thought that she had received a lucky deal and was content. She was alright with leaving. Chapter 181: Mystery Chapter 181: Mystery "Chase after him? As in, you are going to track him down? How would you do that? Not even I was able to tell where he was when you disappeared. He kept popping up and going away, what a confusing stealthy man," Yuliamented. "I will find out somehow. Don''t worry too much, just focus on your own things. Since you two are here in Alfheim, there must be something that you want to aplish, right? Have fun," "Anyway, since you two have just been contracted, things should change within yourself. Be sure to document it, alright? I will meet back up with Shirley and prepare for my departure from Alfheim," Estelle said, bidding her goodbyes to the pair of siblings. The two also did the same. After she was gone from their sights, however, Minerva looked at Yulia with a piercing gaze. "Until when are you going to lie to her? Forever? Are you bringing all of the secrets to your grave?" she asked with a harsh tone. In turn, Yulia also dropped her good expressions as she rolled her eyes, speaking as if Minerva was a bothersome existence who she wished to remove. "Don''t joke around with me. You also still have some lies you haven''t cleared up with her yet. One day, she will learn all of it. It''s just not time yet." "Not time, not time. You keep saying that, but you know that the time isn''t determined beforehand. It just takes any of us courage to say everything straight to Estelle, and all of it would crumble down," Minerva gritted her teeth as she restrained the vexed feelings she was collecting. "If she finds out on herself instead of us telling her straight away, she is going to kill us and hate us forever. I don''t know how this makes sense to any of you. If you know that she is the _______, then why not just tell it? It would make everything easier, and the journey she has to go through will yield her the same result in the end. There''s just no point of making up all these farces if our goals can be aplished in a much shorter way," "And how does that affect us? Remember, Minerva. We can''t afford to lose out as well. I am just doing what is best for all of us. For Heine, that shitty boss. As much as I hate him, we can''t deny that he is strong and is able to provide us with resources that nobody else would be capable of getting. This is perfect work for me. If you think that you are not up to it, just tell it straight away and dere that you''re quitting," Yulia tantly said. "Unlike them, we aren''t direct yers to the story. We are supposed to just be bystanders, but Heine recruited us into the game, and that is why we are here now. We are not picky, are we? We can just follow his orders and receive the bountiful gifts," After saying that, Yulia left the ce without saying anything else. Minerva was left alone in the corridor, feeling a huge sense of loss ovepping inside her heart and mind. Her sister had been starting to change ever since Heine made her do stuff that wasn''t even disclosed to her. Naturally, she also had her own missions and rewards as part of the n. However, Yulia changed so much that Minerva feared for their bond. Minerva was quite a scaredy cat despite the strong personality that she maintained on a usual basis. It was very easy to get her to fear someone. And to the people she trusted, she found out that things weren''t all like how it seemed on the surface. The years she spent huddling with herrades. The memories. All of it turned out to be a joke. Minerva took a sigh, remembering about Estelle''s painful journey. It was very unlucky for the girl to have been burdened with the duty of shouldering all the responsibility that came with her identity and such. She felt bad, but Yulia''s words had some truth. From the beginning, when Heine recruited her, she epted because she thought that things wouldn''t get this bad. A dumb mistake on her part. It was no longer something that she could recover from once Estelle realizes the full puzzle she was captured in. By then, everything would already be unstable and chaotic. _________ By Estelle''s side, she headed towards where she knew Shirley was. Her study. The woman mentioned that she would be returning there before they parted wayspletely. Opening the door to the room, Estelle entered and saw Shirley diligently working on her documents. Her sharp eyes swept through the words that were printed on the papers, and her hands were moving about. She noticed Estelle''s arrival and looked upwards. Instantly, a happy expression bloomed on her face. "Good day, my- Estelle!" Shirley almost slipped and addressed her as a Goddess, but she quickly corrected herself. Estelle sat down on a nearby chair and spoke. "Shirley, I am about to leave Alfheim. I will trust you to cover for my matters once I have left. I don''t mind using any method as long as the matter doesn''t get perpetually bigger," Estelle said as she faced Shirley, whose face started to cramp up upon hearing her words. "Ahh.. right. You have to leave. I will.. prepare a lot of things before you go," Shirley''s happiness instantly warped into sadness as she sighed. "Don''t worry, I still have my space rifts, remember? I can visit you as long as I will it. I''ll make sure to check up on your state from time to time. Don''t make such a disappointed face, alright?" Estelle assured the older woman, chuckling as she spoke. "Y-yes, that''s right! Then, I shall call my attendants to prepare for your departure. Neil! Niki!" Shirley called. The two attendants dropped down from who knows where and asked Shirley what her orders were, to which Shirley listed some things that Estelle was roughly able to understand. Shirley wanted to grant Estelle some faux identity and valuable items so that she would be safe from now on. Estelle had been going around saying that her name was Estelle reste. If the girl truly wanted to stay safe from the ones who targeted her, then having a real false identity would be ideal. Now, she was not Aleksei''s disciple. She was Eirlys, a half elf, half human who was thrown out of her town for not meeting the living conditions there. The two attendants made up a usible backstory, a heartwrenching one. "I suppose that you will be okay with using your true identity in Vaitral, but the same can''t be said in other countries. Vaitral''s dwellers aren''t much of a busybody. The others, however, have a chance of knowing a Duke of your father''s caliber. Alynthi may not be known for the best reputation ever, but your father is quite peculiar. He is well known to be an upright man. I am sure that you already know about this. He stands out from the rest, and is really capable. Good enough to be called as my sister''s son," Shirley told the child with a mncholic look to her face. Silvanna Virante was probably dead and already buried somewhere, same with Richter. However, it still couldn''t help her shake off the hate and lvoe rtionship Shirley had with her. So many years had passed, but she still couldn''t forget that the sole reason why she was here sitting on the throne today was because her older sister chose to disappear and live a life of freedom. Thanks to that, she was also able to meet Estelle and even be her apostle. Shirley thought that she ought to voice out somepliments because she was finally able to get rid of some of her troubles in one go just due to Estelle''s arrival. "The documents I will forge for you will help in many cases. Use them as you like. These have been approved directly by the royal Alfheim seal, so they would have a hard time trying to disprove this fake identity''s integrity," Shirley said, stamping on a piece of paper before handing it to Neil, who stored it for himself for future uses. "You will have to wait one more day, I suppose. But it will definitely aid you a ton, Estelle nodded, agreeing with Shirley''s suggestions. "Ah right, do you know a knight named Olsen? He was stationed by the Sanctuary''s door yesterday," Estelle remembered about the man she thought was promising that day. He was quite memorable. "Olsen...? There shouldn''t be someone named Olsen.. What are you talking about?" Shirley was confused. "Hm? He told me that he was from the First Order. Isn''t he a reputable knight if that was the case?" "No, that''s exactly the strange part of it. I should know everybody who is on rotation guarding the Sanctuary. Who on Earth is Olsen? I know no such name," Shirley tilted her head as she felt extremely confused. "Also, I made sure to clear the people in front of the Sanctuary before you even entered. There shouldn''t be guards at that specific time. I already entered through a specific pathway and realized that since you were going toe anyway, it would be more efficient to clear them up. I told them to disperse. How did you meet any guards?" Shirley asked, starting to be suspicious of the looming matter. Estelle, too, thought that something was wrong. Chapter 182: All Over Chapter 182: All Over "..Wait, wait, wait. So... The two guys I met.. One of them was pretty rude and distrustful of my identity, while the other quickly epted me and gave respect. I was nning tomend the respectful knight, but.. Who the hell did I talk to if there was no guards stationed there? A ghost? No, that can''t be right, that''s not sensible at all," Estelle quickly fired up her list of thoughts. Shirley had her hand positioned by her chin as she thought deeply. "..Perhaps, an infiltrator that is here to spy on our matters?" Shirley gasped as she came to the dangerous conclusion. Estelle''s brow raised as she heard Shirley''s words. "That could be it, but this is the Queen''s chamber we''re speaking of. Not only are there many guards, there are also barriers erected here, right? If they really were infiltrators.. They would have to possess great skill to even bypass the security system in the first ce, not to mention getting to the Sanctuary," Estelle retorted. "You are right. Infiltrating Alfheim''s castle is notorious to be known as a hard challenge, and I doubt that anyone would attempt it," "I''m getting an extremely bad feeling, you know? If those guards truly acted just to y along to my existence, then... Haa, this doesn''t make any sense," Estelle''s head spun around with conclusions. She was unable to determine the right answer. She memorized the two guards'' faces because of her strong memory, but that wouldn''t really prove to be a great help anyway since they had no clue on where to start. They conversed for a couple more minutes, distraught by the new gripping situation they had just unravelled. Out of nowhere, this mystery was dug up. It was way too unexpected. "Haa.. since they haven''t made a move yet, then we can''t do anything but stay vignt and make sure that nothing will be breached. Especially the Sanctuary area. It shouldn''t be a coincidence that they were there," Shirley rubbed her temples as she began to sip her cup of tea, which had been turned rather cold since she drank it in a slow pace. Estelle too decided to give up the matter since there were too little leads to work on, and there was nothing like a surveince camera that they could peer into. "Alright. One more thing to update you on, I have sessfully taken in Minerva and Yulia into the Constetion, but we can''t find Heine anywhere. That might be something you want to touch up upon. Thest sighting was in the forests, but apparently he had visited the Castle too," Estelle warned. "He''s acting rather suspicious, and his intentions are unknown. It''s best if we keep our senses high," "Of course I will. Entrust Alfheim to me. As the Constetion member hailing from Alfheim, I will make sure that my duties are fulfilled to the utmost limits, and that nothing shall pass through my radars," Shirley epted the warning with an open heart. "Thank you. It''s reassuring," Estelle chuckled, looking at how serious Shirley was. "Then, I will go and take a walk. Can the documents be done in a day? I''d like to finish up my conquest as soon as possible," Estelle said, standing up from her seat and heading towards the door. "I think one day would be enough to register you in the database. Pleasee backter," Shirley smiled as she sent the girl off. Estelle walked away from the study and went into the gardens, where she saw Aleksei standing and looking at the sky with nk eyes. "Aleksei, you are here," Estelle called out to the man, who was zoning out. After thinking for a long time, Estelle was finally able to set aside her differences with Aleksei. She possessed her past memory, but the current Aleksei should be a confused soul who knew not much about the truth. He was on the same boat she was a few years back. Thus, she was at least able to separate her loathing mindset for the time being. Only after Estelle had called him several times did he respond and turn his head towards Estelle. "Yes? What''s the matter? Is there something I can help you with?" It was an instant response, like he had been programmed to say that. "I am going out of this country tomorrow. Do you have anything to say to me? Let''s go meet Frey, I also want to properly say goodbye to her. You have been taking care of me a lot ever since I came here.. I want to thank you for that," Estelle scratched her face as she said. "En, I see. Then, let''s go and meet Frey, shall we?" Aleksei had a tired smile stered on his face as he turned around and let Estelle follow behind him. He quickly epted Estelle''s request without bothering much, which showed that he clearly had something in his mind that caused him to act this way. Estelle wondered what had gotten into the usually quite spirited man, but she did not question much about it as she just followed him without a word. It must be an important matter, but it wasn''t her business to meddle in his affairs. They walked side by side towards their destination. When they arrived at Frey''s usual resting ce, which was the library, they entered without a single thought and called her out. The witch came out from the backpartment as she tilted her head, wondering why she had been called. "Umm.. So, I will be leaving Alfheim and going to Vaitral, so I wanted to say thank you for helping me all this time. Also, to say my parting words," Estelle said. "Ehh, you''re leaving tomorrow?? That''s super soon! Why is that? Is there something that made you feel unwell here? I will personally remove pests for you, alright? You''re a really interesting person!" Frey immediately voiced out herints, her enthusiasm making Estelle back away a few steps. "No.. I just have more things to do in the rest of the world. Didn''t Ie here because of a mission? I''ve finished that mission, so I can''t stay here for long. I still have things to do. Alfheim is a nice ce, so if I one day get the chance to pick where to settle down, I suppose I will build a house around here," Estelle truly enjoyed Alfheim''s atmosphere. It was calming and rather peaceful. "Is that so... Then, it can''t be helped. I wish you a safe travel. You came here to say goodbye, right? Why don''t we travel together for thest time?" Frey proposed, to which Estelle nodded. Since it would be theirst outing for a long time, it wasn''t too bad of an idea. Although the time she spent here was short, she had already became ustomed to the people in the castle. "Right, I also wanted to ask you two if you wanted to join me as a Constetion member, but I suppose you two will decline.. right?" Estelle asked, a bit hesitant as she spoke. Shirley had already told her that the two would have a low chance of wanting to join. In the first ce, since Shirley was already here, and Yulia had connections to the elvenmunity, recruiting another member from this country seemed to be overkill. "Aleksei and Frey both hadplicated expressions when they were asked with this question. They both seemed to want to apologize. "Ah.. Don''t worry. Shirley already told me that you two will probably reject, so I didn''t have a high expectation. I just wanted to ask for formality," Estelle waved her hands frantically, worried that she would make the two troubled. "..I''m grateful that you understand. I am really not someone who is suited to joining organizations in the first ce. If you have something that I could help with, I would dly do it, alright? Don''t worry," "The same goes for me," Aleksei interjected from the side. Estelle nodded, taking in their input before spending the rest of the day with them. She wanted to get the most out of her experience in Alfheim, so their time was spent doing productive things rather than rxing. The day ended as she returned to her room and took a rest. The next day, she was woken up with a bright sunlight and received her documents, which marked her avability to leave the country. She stayed until lunch time, when the people who knew Estelle''s true identity and some others gathered up to send Estelle off. The princess of Alfheim who was going to abandon her title right after recovering her worth to handle said honor. She was Estelle reste, but she now also had a new name. Written in her forged documents was the name Eirlys. "Then, I''m off, alright?" Estelle lightly bowed her head as she rode up her turtle ship and watched as they waved at her, saying goodbye. Estelle activated her ship and flew away, soaring high into the skies. Her journey in Alfheim was finally over. Chapter 183: Approaching Vaitral Chapter 183: Approaching Vaitral After the abrupt ending that she went through, Estelle immediately set her ship on autopilot as she began to venture across the skies, crossing the borders stealthily while masking her existence and making her way towards Vaitral, the draconic country. ording to the estimations, it would take Estelle a full day to reach the other country using the highest setting on the turtle ship''s speed. She also had to consider blockages and inconveniences like turbulence, but Estelle mad3e sure to equip the ship with features that could resist instability from all causes. She had a lot of thoughts in mind, but the most dominating one was Heine. If she was right, then the man must''ve already predicted that she would unlock her powers right about now. Previously, he was the one who got the most excited about being contracted as one of the Constetions'' members, so why was he dipping out now, leaving no traces to be seen? Estelle originally nned to search for him, but she realized that if Heine wanted to hide, then she could probably do nothing but wait until hees to her. The current her wasn''t strong enough to ovee Heine''s brains. Heine might not have the same innate potential as her, but he knew so much more than her. Undiscovered information, secretive tactics, all of it would topple Estelle down. Thus, she decided to rescind that thought and continue forth on her next travel. Her goal was an earring. She did not know the details of it yet, but it was supposed to be discoverable even without instructions. The Absolute mentioned a strong dragon. So famous that she would be able to locate the dragon even without any information on their name. This dragon would hold the second half of Estelle''s jewellery set, which would elevate her powers even further upon activation. She wondered if she would have a special reaction to the object she sought. On her map, she traced the ces she was going to visit. She didn''t know the identity of the dragon yet, but when she had asked Frey the previous night, she gave her four possible great dragons that could be what she wanted to look for. First, the Eternal Fire Dragon Eneiryn. Second, the Immovable Ice Dragon Evalir. Third, the tinum Sword Dragon Ehrendil. Last but not least came the fourth, the Sacred White Dragon Ephylth, who was known to be the strongest of all four. She had marked the three dragons'' locations, but ording to Frey, thest great dragon, Ephylth was nowhere to be found for a long time. No one knew what had happened to her, but the records say that her life force is still intact- indicating that she was still alive somewhere. Those four dragons lived in separate territories. Although they epted the quartet group and did not deny each other''s powers, they weren''t exactly fond of each other. The quartet title acted more like a guarantor. Like a very fragile peace treaty, it made the dragons be bound to this specific role and prohibited them from behaving too recklessly with their powers. If not, then each dragon with their own special power would be able to destroy the country from its insides. These four dragons were also the territorial rulers of their ownnds. The four sections that separated Vaitral into different terrains. Apparently, Ephylth herself was the one who suggested this idea and made it happen. The four sections'' characteristics were aligned with each dragon''s powers. Eneiryn''snds tended to be hotter, and there were active volcanoes scattered everywhere. The same went for Evalir, who stayed in the cold and desertednds. Ehrendil and Ephylth''snds were not so muchpletely dependent on their ruler''s ability. Instead, they had more open climates and could embrace the four seasons, whereas for the other twonds, they only had one climate to stick with. Each section was also named after their respective patron dragon. Vaitral was located the farthest from the other countries. It was positioned in the upper left corner of the continent''s map, and it was known to have harsh climates that a normal human being wouldn''t be able to survive in. Its terrains were rocky, and only a select few tribes of draconic men decided to use their humanoid form and live in settlements. The others preferred to keep their dragon form and live inside caves or in the depths of mountains, so naturally there would be a lot of untouchednd. To put it into perspective, Vaitral was possibly one of the cleanest country since the dragons did not have much interest in piging mother nature. There was a stereotype of dragons constantly taking and hoarding treasures, but that trait was restricted to those who regrly went out of the country and some other outliers. Other than that, the dragons were mostly civil creatures, but they did have a certain tendency to dislike those weaker than them. With these primary information at hand, Estelle was currently heading towards her first selection, thends of Ehrendil. She thought that the dragon would be the easiest one to deal with if she wanted to get used to Vaitral''snds. After that, she would slowly make her way into othernds, and end in Ephylth. The reason for this being the White Dragon''s disapppearance, which would render her mission impossible to do. "Dragons seem like interesting creatures," Unlike the other races, dragons and beastmen had different species mingling inside their entire poption, and each species had their own lifestyles and characteristics. That was why, in terms of diversity, Vaitral and Eliredien''s rate surpassed the other three countries by a mile. Of course, since Elysium was built specifically for diversity, it was the only one who coulde in terms with those two. Nevertheless, Estelle wanted to have somewhat proper knowledge before jumping into Vaitral straight away. Yesterday, after she went to bid Frey goodbye, she had looked up books about Vaitral. She also wanted to copy the entire library''s contents to study on ater time, but Frey told her that each important book was encrypted in a special procedure that would take even the highest royal some time to unlock because of its sensitive content. If Estelle wanted to transcript the book, it wouldn''t be able to seed using magic. Considering the time span, Estelle decided to choose some interesting books that she wasn''t able to ess that very moment so that Frey could transcript them for Estelle in her free time. Since Estelle did have the status of a royal- a highly discussed hot topic in the elven country right now, Frey did not object to her request and ensured her that it would be under progress very soon. Entrusting that job onto the Witch, she began going over what she was able to gain from her study trip. First, Frey was truly an absolute maniac at magic. There was certainly no doubt in her abilities and her position. Although Frey was somewhat reluctant to speak truthfully at first, Frey had conveyed to her that others tended to say that what she said doesn''t make sense. They would never be on the same page when thinking, so she naturally also grew tired of talking about her work. However, Estelle was able to process Frey''s meaning to the greatest heights, taking in the important information and extracting the theories from it. Frey found Estelle''s existence to be somewhat of a breath of fresh air, and not only did she share what her knowledge contained of, Estelle also began to open up about her own discoveries and theories. Both of them were magic maniacs. Aleksei was theplete opposite of them since he hated learning theories and just preferred putting things into practice straight away, but he sat through the entire session and apanied the twodies as they spoke to each other with great vigor. Thus, Estelle was able to gain a lot of knowledge in regards to magic applications and new innovations- something that she had sought for since long ago. Frey was the genius mage she was looking for. She was able to expand on the usage of normal magic, something Estelle deemed as impractical, and expand it into a muchrger division of ideas. She was truly someone blessed with a godsent intelligence. Although she hadn''t seen every single person on this world yet, she was sure that Frey was one of the strongest in terms of magic theory. Much more than the Eire sisters. Minerva had the capability to grow stronger in the future, because her ability was able to be upgraded with just mere research. As of now, however, Frey was the best contributor to her magic learning journey. Estelle reached Ehrendil the next day, sessfully getting out of the ship and reaching the rockynds. From a distance, she was immediately able to see a dragon flying high in the sky, marking the truth of her arrival in the draconic country. Chapter 184: Vaitrals Inn Chapter 184: Vaitral''s Inn It was a red dragon who had sharp, spiky wings. The creature let out a loud roar as it flew out of Estelle''s sight. This was her first time seeing a dragon like this, and Estelle was quite surprised by how grand it looked even though it was supposed to be just amon creature. She heard that typically, the skies were rarely covered in dragons. The stronger dragons preferred staying in their seclusive habitats and did not mingle with those who weren''t rted to them directly. This dragon''s flight was akin to a greeting for Estelle. A reminder that she was now in Vaitral, about to look for her item and aplish the mission. "...I''m here," Estelle took a deep breath as she stretched her body out, letting a sound in pleasure as she speedily walked into one of the settlements. She had chosen this ce after much consideration with Frey, who told her that this was a bit friendlier than the other ces in terms of hospitality to outsiders. She was headed towards an inn, where she would be staying during her travels in Ehrendil. As described in the stories, Ehrendil was extremely rocky and had a desert like climate. In daytime, the heat emanated would be enough to cook an egg on the road, while in night time, water could freeze outside. Estelle only needed a few minutes of walking in order to reach the inn she was supposed to stay in. Sheposed herself before stepping into the building, convincing herself that whatever she''s going to see behind this door is normal. "Excuse me.." Estelle lightly spoke as she twisted the door nob and entered. She could feel a slight tinge of magical power scan over her figure as she entered. She assumed that it must be a sensory feature to check on who entered, but she doubted that the magical power would prate her identity and expose her in the first ce, so she didn''t resist the checking and let it through. Since she had also masked part of her status during her way here, the status that is shown to the magic''s owner should be a rtively strong person, but not to the point of Estelle''s true power. However, she realized that Vaitral''s culture was really different. In Alfheim, checking up on someone''s status without permission was offensive and basically was an initiator to a fight. However, in a country like Vaitral where power was above all, checking on someone''s power was almost necessary to determine their positioning in society. The weak would be on the lowest caste, while the strong stood on top of those who couldn''t oppose them. Estelle narrowed her eyes, thinking that her decreased status should be enough to fool their eyes and make them consider Estelle as a proper equal. it was possible to lower your status numbers, but impossible to increase it without having the actual power. You couldn''t create something that did not exist. If your numbers were low, then you could only lower it even more, but not increase it. Not even by a single point. Inside, she was able to spot nobody. There was a table in the shape of a semicircle positioned in the middle of the room, next to a staircase. The aesthetic was wooden furniture, and she was able to get a faint scent of freshly cooked stew waft throughout the room and pleasure her sense of smell. There was no one attending to the table, so she went and stood by the nearest wall, looking left and right. The interior was actually not that different from the typical inn she would be able to find in Alfheim. Of course, it wasn''t that strange if you think about it. Inns were made for people to stay in and befortable in it. Of course, the necessities that will be provided to the guests weren''t all that different from each country. "Ara, who is this? A new guest?" A woman with with horns sticking out of her head came from behind the counter andnded her gaze on Estelle''s figure. "Yes. My name is Eirlys, and here are my documents. Could you sign me up for an empty room? One person, please." Estelle instructed, approaching the counter and handing over the forged documents Shirley made for her. The woman dly epted the item and looked over it, humming as she raised a brow. She identified the information and looked up at Estelle multiple times. "Eirlys.. with nost name. This is Alfheim''s documents, correct? You.. don''t look like an Elf. Are you sure that this is your documents...?" The woman questioned. "Yes. If you are not aware of the system we use in Alfheim, there will be an authentication seal ced on the documents. Using magic, you can identify the owner.. Besides, when I entered this ce, wasn''t there a detection magic ced on the door? You should be able to see my status with it, no? Then, you could check if my name matches the one you see... right?" The woman seemed to be intrigued upon hearing that Estelle mentioned the detection system. She then went ahead and looked over the documents one more time. "Ahh.. If I recall correctly.. The seal you are talking about, isn''t this is a feature granted to high ranked citizens, though? Am I wrong? Especially considering that your race is stated as Human... Esteemed Guest- Well, who am I to pry in further? I will drop the matter. My apologies, my words got a little too out of hand," The woman immediately corrected herself after realizing that she was being too intrusive. "..You are right. It''s a littleplicated, but I have connections there. Let''s just take it as that. As long as my identity is confirmed, I think Vaitral''s policy shouldn''t contradict my existence in any sort of way, right? Unless your inn has a special rule that I''m not aware of, that is," Estelle tilted her head as she asked. " Well then, I have no other reasons to suspect you, so I will give you a room. Please wait a minute, I will sign your arrival into the database. You should take a seat first," The woman finally concluded. "Ah.. this is actually my first timeing into Vaitral, do you think there is someone who could help me with maneuvering around the area? I''m afraid that I still don''t know much about this ce," "Well.. I don''t think there will be someone who wants to take on the job unless you pay them heftily. People whoe here are usually experts in travelling, they aren''t here to sightsee, but rather to fill a duty. Vaitral isn''t exactly the best ce to have a vacation, you see? A lot of people have the misconception that we are domineering and scary, but that only applies to aggressive dragons. Dragons may have aggressive traits depending on their faction and upbringing, but you usually wouldn''t see them in organized ces like this area. It''s good that you havee here. If you went to the outskirts, you might''ve encountered far worse creatures," The woman said. "That was also the reason why I chose this area from the other ones. Because I heard pretty tame things about it. Do you have a rmendation of where I can pay someone to be a guide?" Estelle asked, taking out money from her spatial system and handing it to the woman. She had seen the pricelist for the staying time right aftering in here and looking around, so she already knew how much she needed to pay. Alfheim Castle had some of Vaitral''s currency in hand, so Estelle was given some from Shirley. Although she did not possess that much yet, she was at least able to rent a room for several nights. She refused Shirley''s proposal to take a lot more because she did not want to stand out from the start. Having a lot of money or treasures would only attract unnecessary attention onto her. Considering that she was going to stay in Vaitral for quite some time, she wanted to actually try to live properly and not just do casual visits. Her mission this time would require her to do extensive searching, and she never knew how long that would take. Along with it, she also wanted to look for the next member of the Constetion so that she would have a representative hailing from Alfheim. "Hmm.. I suggest a shop by the name Tertia. It''s run by one of my acquaintances, and they also offer some odd job services. From hunting, information gathering, and all of that. I think you would find what you want there?" The woman answered. "Tertia? Could I get the directions?" "Of course. By the way, my name is Alyssa. If you go to that store, the shopkeeper should acknowledge you if you mention my name. Do you have a map of this area?" Alyssa questioned. Estelle nodded and handed over her map, to which Alyssa reacted by tracing her finger from one ce and dragging it to the other. Her finger''s trail created a faint magical light. Chapter 185: Technology Chapter 185: Technology Alyssa''s fingers pointed at one ce. "This is where we are right now, and this is Tertia. There should be a sign that says Tertia in front of the shop, but.. can you read Vaitral''snguage?" Alyssa questioned. It was then that Estelle realized that the two of them were currently speaking in Alynthi''s nationalnguage. For someone like Alyssa, how was it possible that she could master thenguage this well to the point where she wasn''t able to tell that the woman was not speaking her nativenguage? She was used to understanding every singlenguage in existence because of her special identity, but would a simple inn keeper just naturally learn Alynthi''snguage like that? "Judging by the looks of your face, you must be curious on how we weremunicating in yournguage, right? If you looked closer, you would find that that isn''t the case. I''m speaking in my ownnguage, but the words that is transmitted to you will be in your ownnguage. It''s because of this trantor. It does have a slight dy in the action, but it''s less than one second, so it could be said that this thing is able to make me fluent in anynguage registered in it," Alyssa pointed to the earring that was clipped onto her right ear. It had a small reddish diamond stuck to the clip. "..There''s something like that? I haven''t heard of it," Estelle was a little confused, but she got the general concept. The earring that Alyssa had on her ears would automatically intercept whatever her speech partner was saying and trante it into her ownnguage. ording to the settings, the user would even be able tomunicate in the opponent''snguage. It was a really convenient, yet hard to pull off concept that made Estelle wonder how it was possible to tread upon the manynguages that existed in the world that easily. "Yes. It''s a new invention created by one of the Schr Dragons in ournds. It hasn''t been spread throughout the world all that much, so it is natural that you haven''t heard. It only covers the mainnguages of all the countries for the time being, but they are working on expanding thework. Apparently, the reason this was made inn the first ce was tomunicate with monsters and such, but until now, they weren''t able to seed. The monsters''nguage is far too cryptic and unpredictable, it doesn''t have a pattern." Alyssa was gentle as she began looking for the key to Estelle''s room in the shelves below her table. "Are you sure that you can tell me about it? If your country hasn''t spread the knowledge out yet.. Could it be possible that they don''t want it to be known?" Estelle tilted her head, a bit worried. Alyssa widened her eyes in shock for a short minute before breaking intoughter. "That can''t be, that can''t be. Why would they hide it? It''s a great chance to gain an achievement, and it''s not a weapon in the first ce. Sure, it would be helpful in many cases, but dragons don''t really care about.. what do you humans like to do again? Monopolizing the trade of an important item?" Alyssa giggled. "That''s.. I don''t think that if this kind of thing was developed by Alynthi, it would be spread to the people. I think they would''ve kept it within the people of high ranks... Anyway, I am indeed able to read, write, and speak Vaitral''snguage. I have equipped myself with the necessary knowledge beforeing here," Estelle sighed, thinking back to hernd''s deceptive nobles. "Ahah! Good, good. Indeed, it might be so. Anyway, here are your keys. We use gems around here. This one is the key to your room, and this one is to your storage area in the back. The gems have to be inserted with your magical power to activate. When you reach your room, there will be a lock to the door. You insert your power in the devices, and it will be temporarily bound to you for the rest of the time you choose to stay here. Your payment has been inputed to the System, so when your time runs out, the devices will automatically close itself down. You won''t be able to use the services anymore," Alyssa handed her some gems, which Estelle observed with curious eyes. She hummed as the gems glimmered when light shone upon them. She stored them inside her spatial storage. "...Your ce sure has a high technology system," Estelle was a little dumbfounded by how this simple inn she decided to visit actually had all of this stuff going around. The payment was also not all that high, which led her to be even more confused. Back in Alynthi, the inns she knew only used physical keys, nothing that was imbued with magical energy or anything of that sort. The security could be breached much easier. Estelle sighed, knowing that it was an extremely good experience toe out here and travel around the world. This would allow her to learn more, such as discovering these pieces of technology. "Thank you for the assistance. I will leave my items ande backter on.. Is dinner included in the payment?" Estelle questioned. She nned to go to Tertia and look for a temporary job to sustain her. Behind the scenes, she could earn money through other ways, but she wanted to have a cover on the outside. "Dinner isn''t included in the room payment, and you have to pay each time you get your food. Us dragonkin prefer stronger food, however. You might find our cooking a bit harsh to your tongue. Are you still willing to order some food? I will leave a tab to the kitchen if you want to," Alyssa said, advising the girl. "Yes, I would like to order some dishes," Estelle responded. Alyssa nodded and wrote a simple note using her fingertip. She only had to lightly swipe her finger, and magical words starting glowing up and printing themselves on the paper. Since this was a country that was filled with dragons, she thought that their technology wouldn''t be so advanced because dragons were described as rogue creatures that prized their freedom and strength above all. She thought that technology wouldn''t be of much concern to the kin, but what she was seeing firsthand suggested otherwise. She thought that Vaitral''s culture might be far more advanced than what She had heard of the Schr Dragons before. They were dragons that invested themselves in studies rather than power. They were much more intelligence than other dragons, but they weren''t too fondly looked at because of how the Vaitral hierarchy system worked. It preferred the strong rather than the smart. Topare it against another thing with a simr concept, it would be that of the Royal Sculptors from Alfheim. The difference was that these Schr Dragons amounted to more than those exclusive Sculptors in numbers. Estelle took this difference in situation with a serious mind, since she was set to be the Constetion Leader. She thought that observing the nations would not only gather her information about what she was supposed to do, but also allow her to be able to makeparisons between what was good to apply or not. Unlike Alynthi, Vaitral seemed to want their innovations to be spread. This was a good sign. Estelle went upstairs to observe her room. It was not too different from the typical inn room, but she was able to tell that the furniture and items that were ced inside were mixed with high technology, making her very intrigued. If a simple inn was able to possess these types of objects, then what would it be like in the innermost circle of powerful dragons? Wouldn''t it be equivalent to none? From there, she began to exit the inn, passing Alyssa once more on the way out. She traced the map that Alyssa gave instructions to, walking down the street. She passed a couple humanoid dragons on the way, capturing their figures inside her mind. Vaitral seemed like a fun ce to live in, especially after seeing how advanced its cultures were. Of course, it wouldn''t be the same across the entire country, she knew that Vaitral was greatly different within the four corners of itsnds, and would have to be adorned with special preparation to live in. As of now, she happily arrived in front of Tertia, the shop Alyssa rmended. It looked like a normal store. Since Estelle could read Vaital''snguage with ease, she confirmed her destination by looking at therge sign hung on the building. There was a purplish magic stone stuck in front of the door, which Estelle recognized to hold a simr type of detection magic as the one she saw inside Alyssa''s inn. Since Alyssa had rmended it, she had some sort of expectations towards the ce. She knocked on the door, gently twisting the door knob to enter this store. Chapter 186: Tertia Chapter 186: Tertia "Good day.. Is there anybody here?" Estelle looked around the store, which carried a very mystical andforting feeling. It was hard to describe, but it was like the store itself was magical. She entered the store and stood in front of the table. Like in the inn, there was no one guarding the ce. It made Estelle think that this was the culture in Vaitral, to only show up once a customer has arrived. She called out multiple times, and her voice finally summoned a sleepy creature from the back area. She wore loose sleeping wear as she yawned and walked towards the table before putting her hands on top of it. Her height was short. She had a childlike physique. She climbed up a tall chair to be able to rise above the counter. Her appearance was very beautiful and appealing. Her hair was a ghastly white color, and her captivating doll eyes had long eyshes strewn over them, fluttering with her every blink. The shopkeeper blinked multiple times before she hummed while looking at Estelle. She gestured as if to tell Estelle to spit whatever her purpose oning here was. Estelle gulped a mouthful of saliva before she spoke up. Some of her apprehension on visiting Vaitral still remained even after meeting Alyssa, who was kind to a neer like her. "My name is Eirlys. I was sent here by Alyssa.. Are you connected with her? She told me that you should sell what I am looking for." Estelle introduced herself and questioned. The other party nodded slowly, thinking as they broke into a smile. "Alyssa, huh? Which Alyssa? Alyssa from the inn? Since you are an outsider, it should be that Alyssa, right?" she questioned with a smirk, earning a nod from Estelle who confirmed her words. "And? What do you need from my store?" "Someone to guide me. I heard that this store serves odd jobs as well. I will be touring Vaitral as a whole, so I need someone who can guide me around this area. If possible, this person should be able to apany me for months, and is aware of other areas in this country as well. Of course, I will pay a hefty sum for the service and provide amodations. Is that possible?" Estelle voiced out her needs. The shopkeeper stretched her body, letting out a sound of pleasure as she yawned once more, making Estelle quite sleepy as well just by looking at the girl. "Hmm.. Your desires are quite specific, and the criteria.. is pretty harsh, I must say. To say that it''s impossible would be too far of a stretch. I do know someone that fulfills your criteria, but he''s a very.. entric guy. A bit troublesome, if I have to add. Whether or not he epts your offer will depend entirely on him, so I could organize a meeting between you two, and you guys could talk it out. How does that sound?" The shopkeeper said. "You know that in Vaitral, no one really does that type of job, right? Here, even by living to the utmost freedom, you will still be able to live a plentiful life without much troubles. For outsiders, this could be weird, but Vaitral is actually quite the utopia if you think about it," "...Perfect. I will take up your offer. I am free all the time. My work starts when I can finally get my guide. Until then, please contact me by all means through the inn. If I left the ce to sightsee, then you can just leave a message for me and I will reach you as soon as I am back," Estelle replied, agreeing to the woman''s offer. She took in her words, that implied that Vaitral was a great ce. And she agreed with that sentiment so far. "Is there anything else I can help you with? I would be d to provide other services.. To name a few, curses, information gathering, ve buying, cooking, and all that..." The shopkeeper watched as a frown began to form over Estelle''s face over some of the things she had mentioned. She broke intoughter. "I''m so sorry, your expression just seemed to be quite.. colorful. Fret not, we''re not that uncivilized. Even though I do provide those types of services from time to time, I don''t ept every order. I choose them selectively, and I will be the primary judge to whether or not they are suitable for me to pick," Estelle scratched the side of her head. "Can I know more about the guide candidate? I want to get basic information about him," Estelle asked. "Here. His name will be Theo. He came from Eneiryn as a contracted ve, but he was released when he was.. five years old, I suppose? His master died, so he is now working indirectly under me. He is quite young, but very knowledgeable about Vaitral''s matters. He also has a lot of travel experience, so he will definitely be perfect for a long journey. He could also do basic support tasks like gathering materials, dissecting, et cetera, so he is quite well sought for people who came to Vaitral to work like you. He doesn''t take all jobs, however, so you might have to negotiate a bit with him. Especially considering that your travel will be a long one. I don''t think he will be very fond of that. If he refuses you hard, then you can juste back here and I will suggest you another person. However, in terms ofpetency, he is indeed the best," She casually advertised. "...Theo, hm? Please arrange a meeting schedule for me to meet him anytime," Estelle memorized the name inside her head. "Thank you for your patronage, kind customer. I also forgot to introduce myself, but I am Tertia. I named the shop after myself. Pleasee back again if you have other inquiries, I would be d to serve such an interesting person like you. Take care on your way back home, traveller," Tertia revealed her name, waving lightly as Estelle nodded and turned around to leave after hearing the woman''s speech. Estelle left the store, but Tertia''s eyes never left the door where she came out from. Aplex smirk was formed on her face as she sighed. Her slender hand stretched out to pick up a golden bell that was ced on the table. "How foolish and naive. To think that.. the girl has finally came to this ce. I suppose it''s time. Right.. Heine?" Tertia giggled as she shook the bell, creating a loud ringing chime that was melodious and pleasant to hear. "Haa, something interesting finally popped up after so many years.. What a great thing to celebrate for!" she pulled out a wine bottle from below here table, took out the cork and chugged it down fast. Outside the store, Estelle was walking down the street after leaving Tertia and was prepared to sightsee around the area. She saw a red haired boy be surrounded by a group ofrge men who were all shouting words that she perceived as curses and insults. Those strong phrases were hurled against the boy, but he did not retaliate and just let them do whatever they want. Then, from verbal abuse, things started to escte as time went on. One of the men stretched his hand towards the boy, wanting tond a powerful fist on him. Seeing this, Estelle couldn''t sit still and shouted loudly to gain their attention. "You bastards, what on Earth are you trying to do?!" Estelle screamed. The humanoid dragonkins'' heads turned towards her way, making dissatisfied expressions as they scanned Estelle up from head to toe. "Mind your own business if you don''t want to get hurt, little kid! Ahahahahh!" He spoke lines that were typical of a cheap viin, aggravating Estelle even more. "Come here. I thought that in Vaitral, strength mattered the most? If so, then if I beat you all at the same time, promise to leave the boy alone. Your act of ganging up on him is by no means a respectable thing," Estelle stated herments, opposing the group as she created a light spear that she was prepared to fight with. At first, the group of people were quite hesitant because of how confident Estelle was behaving, but in the end, they still epted the duel confrontation. "Come, I will beat you all down to the ground so that you know not to harm a child like that no more," Estelle coldly spoke. Although she was not that saintly, she had a softer spot for little children. Not in an illegal or problematic way, but because she believes that those children deserved to be spared of violence of harmful acts. Most children who were put in those situations were not at all bad in their true heart, but their situational conditions forced them to be cornered to such a vulnerable ce, which made Estelle quite enraged when she thought about it. Chapter 187: The Little Child Chapter 187: The Little Child The group of people began to smirk looking at Estelle''s physique. Estelle originally thought that this country seem However, upon closer inspection, she actually found out that the men might not even be part of dragonkin at all. They seemed to be foreigners that settled in Vaitral. They bullied this kid who looked weak without remorse, and that made Estelle quite disturbed and ufortable. She clicked her tongue as she drew closer to them with a menacing expression. "Why on Earth is this happening? I will give you one chance to exin, and that will decide your fate," Estelle lowered her spear. She regained her rationality as she was just about to harm this group of men without knowing the clear situation. "What the hell are you talking about? This is Vaitral, so strength rules, right? We brothers came here because the convenient rule is perfect for us! Do you get it? Perfect! In Alynthi, we were treated like bad guys and were unable to obtain our freedom, but in here.. Our strength and crimes doesn''t get obstructed! As long as we are able to not provoke those stronger than us and choose our enemies wisely, we will be spared of any punishment! Isn''t that the best?" A man defended their case like it was something normal to desire criminal activities being pardoned. "Right! This kid is weaker than us, so naturally he has to bow down to our strength! Such is thew here, you stupid idiot!" "Hahah! Do you see now, kid? The one who is helping you will be a little sister just like you? Why don''t use brothers take care of her first, then we will capture her as well? You two can y together well~" One men had a filthy expression on his face, showing obscenity in his eyes. Estelle''s face wrinkled in disgust as she raised her spear after hearing their dialogue. "You dare hurt a defenseless child, so you must be prepared for a stronger entity to beat you down as well. If you lots lose against me, then you may not call it a crime, but instead a retribution of your own wrongdoings. Let''s fight," Estelle emanated a particrly majestic glow that made the men hesitate for a split second before gaining back their courage andunching their attacks. Estelle stayed calm as she faced the first two men that approached her. There were a total of six men, and the remaining four stayed holding the little kid back so that he wouldn''t run away. They believed that two people would be all it took to subdue Estelle. Unfortunately, they were clearly wrong for underestimating Estelle like that. Estelle was irked, so she did not have any qualms in hurting them. They weren''t innocent, so she could have her way. With her weapon, she deflected one of the men until his body was sent flying. The other guy was visibly shocked, but the sheer adrenaline made it impossible for him to turn back. He was in denial, even though he had just seen hisrade be thrown back like that. He thought that the other was ying a shitty joke and making fun of the child, which was clearly not the case with how that guy was already unconscious,ying on the ground with an uncertain fate. Estelle was faced with the other''s frontal attack. He did seem to possess a fair share of strength, and did have skill just by looking at his stance and posture. However,pared to Estelle, who had an infinite amount of potential, what was a little bit of skill or power? Naturally, when his de struck down against Estelle''s spear, he was immediately thrown away, hitting a building and falling down face front, creating arge banging sound. The crook elicited a pained grunt this time before falling unconscious just like the previous challenger. The four men were left slightly dumbfounded, and the clear denial showed up in their faces. Not only them, the little kid in their hands were also shocked when Estelle disyed such great power with her small physique. He gulped a mouthful of saliva as he stared at Estelle with curious eyes. "Why? Are you scared now? Don''t worry, I will y with all of you until I am.. satisfied," Estelle showed a twisted smile as she pointed her spear towards the group. "She- she''s bad news! Run away, we don''t need this kid anymore! Take him if you want!" One of the men shouted, leaving the party and running towards the opposite direction Estelle was standing from right now. Estelle sighed, deciding to not chase for the time being. She let the men run away quite far, before deciding to make a surprise to them. She created illusory clones of herself, and allowed her consciousness to travel to those illusions. Her main body stayed in ce, but her illusions appeared before the runaway crooks and gave them a scare. "Those who kneel on the ground right this very moment will be given lesser punishment~ Unless you want to be given the same treatment like those two, who tried to fight," Estelle did not want to use excessive violence. Even though she was in Vaitral, and the area she was in right now was not too densely popted, she still did not want a lot of people to bear witness to her actions. She was a neer who was looking for a living temporarily. Although these guys were crooks, they seemed to be closely rted with each other with how they called each other as brothers. Link and connections were important in a society. If she disrupted one part in a connection chain, then she would be considered a disturbing entity to the others in their group too. Just like these men, who seemed to be lesser crooks. She knew that Vaitral was also quite diverse, and that it obviously would not be a surprise if a gangster group had formed here. The four men ended up choosing peace over more violence and kneeled down swiftly in front of the illusion Estelle. Naturally, Estelle did not spare them just like this. She let a wisp of harmless mes travel to their clothes and burn the fabric down to a crisp, but this piece of special me would not char their skin. Instead, they were left until they had no more clothes except for their underwear before Estelle stopped the me from spreading. In front of Estelle''s powerful magic, the guys were obviously powerless and unable to resist. After Estelle annoyed them a few times more, she decided to let them off. Since Estelle gave them quite the bit of an experience, she was sure that they wouldn''t be able to act as prudent as they were right now in the future. THey would definitely learn a thing or two before starting up this kind of troublesome shit again. She retracted her consciousness back from her clone and looked for the child that she left behind to chase the men. However, the little kid turned out to have ran away while Estelle was cleaning the men up. She did not notice his vague actions, so she looked on with interest left and right. Out of curiosity, sheunched a detection skill over the nearby area, making sure that it wouldn''t trigger anybody''s senses. She found out that the boy had already travelled down the road and headed towards the way she originally came from. The reason she was curious was because even though she was distracted in her clone and did not put as much guard up, a little kid''s flimsy footwork should be picked up by her with ease. But not only did this kid pass through her senses, but he also already ran away to such a long distance in a short time. It was a pretty impressive feat for the kid, who looked weak in her eyes. Estelle did not pursue the chase and continued to make her way back to Alyssa''s inn. This time, her journey was peaceful and without any disruptive idents happening in between, so she arrived back to her room in no time. She had dinner, and tasted the first Vaitral dishes she had in her life. The next day, she was contacted by Tertia, who told her that the person she rmended to be her guide agreed to the meeting, and that he was free right now. Tertia asked her if she was also free, and Estelle replied with a positive answer. She rushed to Tertia''s store to meet the candidate, and she was feeling quite expectant about the event. When she arrived there, she only saw Tertia and not the child. After seeing Estelle arrive, Tertia''s eyes sparked and turned to the back, from where she called out a child. The child obediently stepped out and peeked from behind Tertia''s body. "Meet Theo. He is the guide candidate I mentioned for you the other day," Tertia introduced, making Estelle''s eyes widen at the boy''s familiar figure. Chapter 188: More Trouble Chapter 188: More Trouble The boy had strong features. It was as if his entire body embodied the element of fire. He had fiery red spiky hair and a glimmering pair of vermillion eyes. His stature was not that big, considering the fact that Tertia had told her that Theo was nine years old. Dragonkin was known to have arger build on average than the other races with the exception of beastkin, but Theo was even smaller than she was at his age. This boy was the same one she had saved back in her way home yesterday. The child who was cornered by six trash men, the ones she cleaned up and left discarded on the street in embarrassing postures. The one who ran away from her before she was even able to ask more questions about the situation. Estelle''s eyes widened in surprise as the boy had somehow found herself in this type of situation. "He''s Theo?" Estelle questioned, not hiding the shock that was present in her face. "He..." The boy also looked at her with apprehension, averting his gaze away. Tertia formed a small frown as she tilted her head, making a confused sound. "Do you know him, Eirlys?" she asked. "You too, since when did you learn to get along with someone else other than me, hm?" She looked towards Theo''s way as she nudged him in the shoulder. "Well- it''s not like I know him, but I did meet him yesterday... What a coincidence," Estelle wanted to speak about the troubling situation that unfolded yesterday more, but Theo had desperately shook his head left and right, telling Estelle to stop talking this very instant. Estelle did not know what to do, but she stopped borating and coughed to clear her throat. Although the incident was pretty major in her point of view, the boy seemed to really fear Tertia learning about it. She decided to put it off forter and ask him once Tertia was away, and talk about business today. "Hello.. My name is Eirlys, the one who will be your employer if you choose to ept my offer. I have heard about your skills, Theo. I desire help for my journey, and it''s going to take a long time.. For such an arduous and stretched out journey, I need help to get me moving around the country easily. Are you willing to lend me your special knowledge, Theo?" Estelle offered formally with a clear speech. Theo crossed his hands, shaking his head in discontent. "Absolutely not. I take jobs that have a maximum time span of one week. That''s the highest capacity I will take. I have things to do beside Tertia, so I can''t just leave her for a long time without feeling worried. If you are looking for someone who can spend a lot of time travelling around, then I am definitely not the one who suits your purpose," Theo resolutely dered. Estelle pursed her lips, a little troubled. "Ao, are you worried about me? If you are, then don''t. I will be alright by myself. It''s your choice, but I don''t want to be the reason you are holding yourself back. I talked with Eirlys, and she seems to be a responsible partner. Not to mention, she is willing to pay and was rmended by Alyssa. I don''t see how things could go wrong with this," Tertia interjected. "But- I don''t want to! I won''t go! It''s up to me, right?" "Well, I can always not let you into my store, if that is alright with you," Tertia replied. "No! Why would that be fair? I can be a customer here!" Theo grabbed onto Tertia''s arm, tugging on her with a bit of force. Tertia pulled the younger''s hands off of her. "I can always kick out customers I don''t want to serve. As for the reason why it is fair.. Because I am the owner of this shop, which is clearly named after myself in the first ce. I don''t want to let you in. It''s my store, so it''s up to me, right? Theo, this is a good chance for you to leave me. Ever since I became like this, you have been dragging yourself down just to match my footsteps, but you are so young. I have already aged a lot, I don''t mind being stuck in my current position. I am satisfied. But I don''t want to see you like this. You have potential, but I am your biggest distractor. If you are going to pretend like you don''t know anything about your wrongdoings behind my back, then I am forcefully going to push you away from now on," Tertia scolded with a stern voice, making Theo''s expression warp into a terrified one. "Ter- Tertia! This..." Theo was baffled as his eyes shook in disbelief over what the woman just said. Finally, the boy clicked his tongue and ran out of the store, leaving the two worried over his wellbeing. "I may have been a bit too harsh, but it was necessary. Theo is a nice boy, and I can''t keep making him hang around me for an eternity. Haah... Eirlys, he will definitelye back, he won''t leave for a long time. He can''t bear to. You can try to negotiate with him on ater schedule, but today''s meeting has to be called off for now. My apologies," Tertia rubbed her temples as she left towards the back of the store and disappeared out of Estelle''s sight. Estelle was slightly hesitant on what to do, but she got out of the store and saw that Theo was nowhere to be found in either direction of the street. She had a bad feeling about the little boy''s escape and sought to look for him before her negative feelings coulde true. She jumped up to a tall building and began building her radar web. The child was agile and speedy, as shown from their encounter before. The child disappeared within no time. It was unknown on whether or not it was the child''s skill, and whether it was simply a runaway skill or perhaps a concealment spell. Either way, Estelle struggled to catch him on the radar, but she soon found movements in her radar that seemed to match Theo''s steps. Only, the spot was surrounded by other living entities. One, two, three, four.. there were a lot. More than ten people gathered around this same spot, where she felt Theo''s faint presence appear at. Estelle hurriedly rushed to the spot and looked below where she stood at with piercing eyes. If her bad feelings were correct, then Theo was in trouble. And those feelings proved to be correct, as she saw Theo be surrounded by fifteen adult men who seemed to be threatening and using violence with the child. Estelle was instantly enraged. Previously, she had guessed that the men she had defeated hadpanions scattered all throughout this area, and that revenge had a high chance of happening. However, she didn''t think that those guys would be seeking the payback this early on. She saw that Theo already had a new bruise formed on his face, and blood was spilling out from the corners of his mouth. Estelle was furious. She jumped down the building andnded on top of one of the men, her eyes sweeping through the crowd with a killing intent as they backed away. The impact created from Estelle''s fall made the man she crushed instantly turn dizzy and fall down to the ground. Estelle got off said man and turned to look at the other fourteen humans who were trying to cause trouble. Within them, there was one familiar face that she had seen yesterday pursuing Theo as well. Upon seeing Estelle''s arrival, this man seemed to react very badly, scooting behind the other member as he tried to hide himself. Of course, it was futile as Estelle had already caught him in her sight. Estelle gritted her teeth as she summoned her spear, putting Theo behind her as she protected the little child and pointed her weapon at the crowd. "You bastards, haven''t you learned from yesterday? What would it take you to not bother this child anymore? You better stop, or else.. I won''t just let you off with embarrassment this time," Estelle red with a menacing aura. The rest of the men weren''t told about yesterday''s incident because the six men all collectively decided to not tell anybody about their experience. It was simply too embarrassing to tell, and they were sure to be mocked if the news got out. Hence, only one person made a terrified sound when Estelle spoke, making the others frown at the one man. "Hey, what the hell are you talking about?? Little girl, are you sleepy? Coming out here on your own volition, you must desire to be roughed up by big brothers, right~ Don''t worry, us big brothers will take care of you to the utmost level," One of the men had a lewd expression as he uttered the disgusting phrases. Chapter 189: Cure Chapter 189: Cure As if their actions weren''t already repulsive enough for Estelle to handle, the group of guysughed out loud, mocking the two children who in their eyes were much weaker than them. That might be true for Theo, the dragon boy, but Estelle was different from him. "Stop talking, you are wasting the world''s oxygen. I need not hear your silly voices," Estelle began charging at the group. This time, she was prepared to instill proper physical punishments since the shame treatmentst time clearly did not work as she wished it would. Estelle''s spear hurriedly swept through the crowd. With each swing, three men would find themselves be thrown back by an absurd amount of force that almost made them copse right on the spot. Within time, all of the men were cleared out, and the two children were left unharmed except for the jab Theo received before Estelle cam to the rescue. The men were obviously surprised and terrified by the little girl''s showcase, but they couldn''t run away as the fear crept up to their hearts and their bodies refused to cooperate with their escape. They desperately tried to get as far as possible from Estelle, but there was little they can do. With a finger snap, Estelle cast a magic to entangle them in one sh, wrapping them up into a cramped ball inside thes. They struggled to get out, but the magic was way beyond what they could resist. Estelle stored her spear away and began approaching them. "I wonder when will people like you learn. I''m really curious, who is behind you guys? This is Vaitral, but why are there a thriving organization like yours, derived from Alynthi? You disgusting lowlifes, threatening a child just solely based on the basis that they are weaker than you. If someone stronger than you arrives, then your demise should be a given, right? Because the strong rules over the weak," Estelle spoke, a glorious aura surrounding her. "Haa.. Really, you lots are- Hm. You too, Theo. You ran away and immediately encountered something like this. What would you do if I wasn''t here? Bear the beating and fear that your life could be taken today? Are you really satisfied with that oue? Not having the ability to fight back even though you desire to?" Theo did not want to meet Estelle''s gaze as he turned his back on the elder. However, unlike thest time, the child did not run away this time. Estelle sighed and patted the child''s head. "Don''t brood over today''s incident. I will make sure that I give them proper punishment. It seems like.. This shitty organization needs a cleanup desperately, so I will gratefully do the job for them," Estelle healed Theo''s new wound, restoring his condition back to perfectly normal. His eyes brightened up when Estelle''s warm mana touched his skin and soothed the stinging pain. His eyes finally stared into Estelle''s, trying to figure out who was this person and why she helped him twice when nobody had helped him on the previous asions. He gritted his fists, a bit frustrated at what he had to face. "Wait a bit, alright? Don''t run away when I''m not looking. You might''ve gotten awayst time, but it won''t happen this time. Capische?" Estelle asked, making sure that the boy truly meant what he meant when he nodded his head slowly. After confirming, Estelle''s attention went back to the group of guys who pissed her off. She was not someone who was fond of torture, but it didn''t mean that she would be absolutely unwilling to use it. If the situation required for it to happen, then she would have no qualms in doing it. Estelle did not use graphic methods, but rather unorthodox ways to force the identity of their gathering to Estelle. It turned out that there was a group of people who banded together to form a guild like structure called Ark. Ark was their leader''s name, and he was a man from Alynthi who was kicked out of the country when he used to do crimes. Because he always got out of the prison cells he was kept in, he ended up being banned altogether from the country because he wouldn''t stop doing his maniacal deeds. Upon hearing that Vaitral''s policy would benefit him, he rushed to this draconic country and managed to gather up people who roughly had the same fates and beliefs as him, and most importantly, were willing to serve under his cause. This group of people was thenter called Ark, and terrorizing weak people like what they did today was not that abnormal. This was also why the boy Theo seemed like he was used to the treatment, because it has indeed been happening throughout the years. After Estelle ran out of use from the people tied up, she released them, but not before giving them a severe handicap by breaking their bones and such. She also manifested illusion magic to the group,so that they would feel like someone was beating them up even though there was nobody there. The issue was resolved in a short time, and Estelle turned around to pursue her matter with Theo. The men were released, and although most of them were about to copse, one or two were still conscious and could go back and gather their friendster on. Deciding that she still needed to un to conceal her identity, she signalled for Theo to follow her. They turned around corners after corners before finally arriving at a safe ce. "Hello, Theo. Are you alright? I saw that you seemed to not want me to tell Tertia about what you have been experiencing, so I stopped, but I can''t help but want to seek an answer on why that has to be done. If you simply told Tertia, I''m sure that she could do something about this situation, no?" "...Just don''t! Tertia.. she has a lot more things to do rather than care for me. I can''t drag her down, I definitely can''t do that. I can''t do it any more than what I have inconvenienced her for.. I am a sinner. I am guilty. Thanks to me, Tertia was also dragged down. I am bad luck," Theo stated without pausing. Theo pursed his lips. In his mind, this girl in front of him was unmistakably the savior that had saved him twice, but that fact made him even more hesitant to bond with her. There was a special reason for it, one that gued his heart and increased his heavy burden day by day. "Tertia.. she''s blind," Theo said. "...Tertia is blind? She.. doesn''t seem like it," Estelle gasped as she lowered her volume. Theo also put his index finger up to his lips, gesturing for Estelle to shut her mouth up. "..She is blind, but she was not born with the condition. The reason she became blind is... me. Which is why, I can''t leave her along for a long time, I want to take care of her and take responsibility for my own actions that made her fall into an ident. "Tertia is a great person, and she''s strong. But herck of vision made her condition deteriorate day by day, her body is rotting with each passing second. To counter this, I have something that I need to obtain. Which is why I''m looking for a lot of money. If you are willing to pay me the absurd amount of money to help me, then I will undoubtedly follow you and try to assist you with the knowledge I have. But if not.. then I would have to decline the offer you made earlier.. About me travelling with you. That is impossible as long as Tertia won''t follow us with the journey. I don''t want her to struggle while living on her own," "To me, Tertia is doing fine, though? It seems like you are the only one who is coping with the aftermath of those events, not her. "It''s a hard choice for me. Tertia must know that I am worried about her, so she''s hiding everything. She must also know that I am looking for her cure, the cure that would cost me my everything no matter how much I earn from now on. I know that it''s a mindless goal, but I want to be able to buy this material one day and restore Tertia''s sight to her. That''s it. About other money, I don''t care. As long as I get to pay her back.. I will be satisfied," Theo concluded. "..If you''re willing to share, could you tell how Tertia became blind? Also, I couldn''t tell that her eyesight was gone. She acted just like everybody else, and functioned just as well. Her sight did not seem to bother her. Let me hear about this further, perhaps I might have the ability to heal Tertia. If Tertia is healed, does that mean that you have no qualms in following me in my journey?" Estelle rapidly asked. Chapter 190: His Story Chapter 190: His Story Theo showed a reluctant expression, but a part of him wished to tell his story to the girl who was staring at him fervently right now. After much consideration, he finally decided to spill the beans. "It happened when I provoked a.. stronger dragon, one that was much more powerful than me and Tertiabined. I was supposed to receive the retribution.. the dragon attacked me, but Tertia shielded me from the venomous attack and the dragon''s chaotic element ended up infusing with her core. She was unable to fully repulse the influence it brought, so her condition ended up worsening with time, and blindness.. happened. She always tried to make it seem like she was unfazed even right after the incident urred, but I know! I have been paying close attention to her all this time, so I know," Tears threatened to spill out of Theo''s eyes as his eyes shook. "Tertia has always hidden her pain. When I am not looking, she cringes in pain behind my back. When I am not around her, she encounters a lot of idents because of herck of sight. Even though she now manages using her artificial senses, which was supported by magic, it''s still not enough. Her body is deteriorating day by day, and with time.. It won''t only be her eyes that are stolen from her, but her entire body.. her life," Theo raised his volume, showing his frustration. Estelle, however, tilted her head as she thought about the condition that Theo presented to her. She had once learned about this phenomenon. It was when you were overwhelmed by a stronger element that it had the potential to personally enter you and damage your core, trying to overpower it as a whole. This reaction would cause your core to be unstable, and if one was unable to fight it off sessfully, then their health would deteriorate. Hearing Theo''s exnation, this condition seemed to be it. It was called core poisoning, and it was a rathermon case that happened throughout the entire world. The catalyst could be as simple as getting hit by an opponent who had the opposite type of element from what you possessed. However, each cases would have a different severity. As for Tertia, the case seemed to be extremely bad, to the point where her life was at stake. Her core was that imbnced. "..I see, core poisoning, hm?" Estelle narrowed her eyes as she thought. She had an idea pop up inside her mind that was in rtion with the condition. If she recalled correctly, the first time she encountered a poisoning inside the core was when she was first born into the world. Her maid was inflicted with lots of ck magic and couldn''t be salvaged. However, if this was put into theory, then as long as Tertia''s condition did not involve ck Magic.. It was possible to cure her using her power. Her power was the power of Creation, a stable and neutral element as introduced by the Absolute. It was also perfected a little bit more recently after she obtained the essence for her ring. Core poisoning happened when one''s core was unstable. If her power was added into the spectrum, and overpowered the other invasive element to the point of purging it out of her system, then it should be possible to gain the peace one more time. Thus, if she wanted to bet on this chance, then she could. The only problem was whether Theo was willing to take the chances or not. It did not have a certain sess rate. The thing that Theo was looking for probably ensured him a safe recovery, but Estelle was unable to provide this. In this case, Tertia would be akin to an experimental patient to her. Estelle looked on to the boy, who had wariness spark inside his eyes as he watched Estelle''s expression changing with her thoughts. He was scared of what Estelle wished to say. Over the few encounters with her, she knew that she was considerably strong and had some liberty with her powers, although he hadn''t seen the utmost depth of it yet. "It''s not like I can''t do it. But I can''t promise you that she will be safe, nor can I promise you that her life will be preserved. Haa... What about this? We can travel together and seek for someone who has the same condition as Tertia. I will try to experiment my ability on them. Of course, they have to be willing parties, or else I won''t operate on them. I have morals, you see," Estelle ced her hands on her hips. Theo''s eyes brightened up, and dimmed once more when Estelle said that she was unable to promise anything. Of course, for a case as severe as this, the recovery method needed to have a high risk as well. After Estelle mentioned the travelling part, however, he was quite shaken up. Indeed, although Estelle''s proposal seemed alright to him, he still couldn''t bear to leave Tertia. At the same time, bringing Tertia around would be a disaster as she would be extremely troubled. To tell the truth, since the deterioration happened all around her body, it wasn''t just her sight that was stolen, but the other senses also began to dull. If she was repeatedly thrown into a foreign environment, how would she handle it? Her powers were also weakened, and it left Tertia wishing for nothing more than to settle down at the store. Theo couldn''t ept that the older woman had to have this sorry fate just because of him. Although he didn''t directly hurt her, the cause of it all was when hemitted the action that caused the dragon to be triggered. Theo''s heart unfurled with time, and he finally made a decision at the end of it. It was just a wishful thinking on his part when he desired to obtain the legendary cure that he once learned of. Even the strongest dragons wouldn''t be able to obtain it with ease. The numbers were limited, and it was extremely hard to take care of and process. With the amount of money he was earning right now, Tertia would die first before he was even able to gather a quarter of the materials he needed to prepare for the trade. He hated to admit this fact that he was running away and stalling time each time he did not want to take on arge job. He wanted to stay beside Tertia because he was alreadyfortable in this state, and changing it would bring jeopardy to the routine that he was used to. Something needed to change. If he wanted to save Tertia, or even increase the chances of helping her, then he needed to take real, concrete actions. Not just his feelings poured into words, but actions that would propel him to be stronger and better. He made the decision, and that was to ept Estelle''s offer for the greater good. "I''m in. Will you still pay me? I can ept Tertia''s recovery as a payment. Hell, I will even yield all of my savings to you if you can treat her," Theo said with determination. Estelle widened her eyes and broke intoughter. "Of course I will still pay with your currency for the time being, I don''t have the ability to assure you about Tertia''s condition yet. I have confidence in my power, but I''m not entirely knowledgeable in treating core poisoning, I just have a general idea of what I have to do to cure it," Estelle said. "Then.. How much are you willing to pay for my service?" Theo was ecstatic as the girl told him that he would still receive sry. Although he did not care if it meant that Tertia would be saved, the woman did have some financial troubles from time to time because of theck of customers that wanted what she could provide. She had some connections here and there because of her rather special past. Tertia used to be quite the powerful dragon, so she naturally met and became acquainted with various other people. Not to mention, when Theo was let go by the dragon in the end, it was because the dangerous dragon recognized Tertia''s identity and decided that it was enough punishment for the woman to have taken it for his sake. The dragon also told him that he was very blessed to have such a woman as his protector, and that he would be doomed if it wasn''t for her strength. He was let go, but for what price? If Theo were to be the one receiving the blow, he would''ve been gone into ashes by now. Luckily, Tertia had enough force to resist the attack and dispelled some of the most poisonous parts. However, some of the elements had already seeped in too deep into her body and couldn''t be removed with normal means and bodily reactions. Chapter 191: Exchange Chapter 191: Exchange This case was a bitplicated to handle. however, as of now, since she couldn''t find any means to proof that she was indeed capable of performing the deed, Estelle wanted to seek a willing patient that would agree to her operation. She was sure that if there was someone out there who was less capable of getting treatment, much less than Theo and Tertia, then they would be easier to convince. Although this was a backhanded statement that wasn''t too pleasing from a moral standpoint, this was Estelle''s firstrge exploration in Vaitral. She saw that Theo was indeed a smart child, and had an instinct that he was hiding something behind all his words. When he talked about the dragon that caused Tertia harm, he made a lot of pauses that led Estelle to believe that the matter was not as simple as Theo offending this dragon just through simple means. Estelle understood that she had little to lose in Vaitral as an outsider, considering that the country''sw were not strict in the slightest and was in fact lenient to the strong. Knowing this, she was prepared to bring Theo with her and search for the willing patient. This could also be considered as a trial for her, and a learning subject. Treating someone with a poisoned core was not a case that you would encounter everyday, but it was rathermon. Learning how to treat it would certainly bring her benefits in the future when the timees to y. Estelle made a huge sigh of distress, making Theo shrink back, as if he was afraid that the promises Estelle had made to him would all be nulled now that the girl realized that it was a near impossible case. However, instead of saying that she couldn''t do it, the girl gave him assurance. "I will try my hardest to cure your sister. I will see what I can do right now. I might not be able to alleviate her condition all at once, but I think I will be capable of soothing down the worst cases," Estelle said, patting the child on the head as she smiled. Theo looked dumbfounded as the words Estelle gave were theplete opposite of what he thought the girl would say to him. "About your sry, I''m thinking that this much will be your pay for... hmm, three days or so? I have enough to hire you for a week, but I n to make more money to sustain the time. Don''t worry, you may leave right away if you find that I am unable to pay you sufficiently. I am not someone who will cheat money like that," Estelle said, taking out a bag of money and giving it to the little child. "I also have some valuables that you may be interested in, but.. those will be revealedter on, alright?" Estelle awkwardly smiled. In terms of gems and expensive objects, down to pieces that can''t be attached to a price, she had a lot of themying around in her storage. For example, the mana potion that she used to create was sure to reach a heavenly price if she did try to sell them. Although it was just a prototype and not a perfect item yet, it was still enough to bring shock into the world over how priceless it was. She was confident in her financial stability, which was why she didn''t take out as much money from the Alfheim''s storage. Theo was still dazed. The money that Estelle gave to him was an astronomical number thatpletely surpassed his pay from the previous customers by a mile. If it was Estelle that employed him like this all the time, then he might really be able to buy the wondrous item he had heard of, the one that he sought to be Tertia''s cure. Granted, Estelle''s view on money might be a little skewed. She did not know how much Vaitral''s currency were worth exactlypared to other measurements, so to her, this was a rather generous pay- but not too much. It just meant that Estelle valued the child''s service that much that she was willing to pay this amount. Theo tried to shove the bag back to Estelle with shaky hands, saying that he couldn''t ept it. The amount was too much for him to handle. Not to mention, he did not need the money anymore now that the promising girl was actually trying to cure his sister. Even if he had the money, trying to get to a seller that would provide him with the item in the first ce would probably be impossible. "I.. I shouldn''t ept this. You are about to go on a journey, so finance will be a hard thing for you to handle. I won''t use the money anyway.. the item I need is actually too far out of my reach, I just set it as my dream to gain hope.. If you wanted me to be honest," Theo confessed, making Estelle raise a brow. "You''ve repeatedly mentioned this wondrous item, but what is it actually? Aplete cure to core poisoning.. If such a thing existed, I''m pretty sure that it would be recorded somewhere. I have read a lot of medical books, but I still don''t think that I''ve heard of such a thing before," Estelle said, questioning Theo''s knowledge. "It''s actually a secretive material that only exists within Vaitral''s deepest regions. The strongest dragons guard these materials, and it is called the White Ruby. Ruby is known to be reddish in color, but these gems.. They have a pulsating whitish hue inside of them, and taking this material in will cause your body to grow stronger and even increase your core purity.. It''s normal that someone from the outside doesn''t know this. Even Vaitral''s citizens normally don''t know anything about this item, the only reason I know is because.. the very dragon that hurt Tertia told me that if I wanted to have the solution to her condition, then I would have to somedaye and bring him sufficient exchange material for the White Ruby," "And the exchange material is money?" Estelle frowned. For such a miraculous item, she doubted that those strong dragons would even try to sell it in the first ce. No money could rece a thing like increase Core Purity. Core Purity can literally double your current strength if you enhanced it right, like when Minerva first tried her mana potion and found out that her power elevated. The gem seemed to be a permanent fix to increasing the purity. Then, why would the dragons even try to sell it? Wouldn''t they just use it for themselves? Unless there was a limit in the usage, and that they resorted to sell it for correct trades that would further increase their influence and power. All in all, Estelle did not think that the exchange that the dragon was talking about was money. It should be something else, something more significant and had enough power to make the dragon desire it. Theo hesitated, but then shook his head. "No, he never specified that it would be money. I just assumed so.. Doesn''t everybody want money? For such a precious item, what else can I give except for money in exchange for it?" Theo answered. Estelle was not convinced. For a person like her, who has always been blessed with the power to gain privileges like money earning abilities, she never found mary gains to be that special of a thing. Rather than money, she always focused herself on more abstract stuff that interested her. Money was a secondary priority. Although it sounded condescending for her to say that, she really did think so. Once you have too much money, the excessive amount will be pointless. She wondered. If the timees where she had too much power, much more than anybody else that lived on the world, what would it be like? Would the power be pointless as well, since she no longer had a goal to go to? For now, there were still people who were stronger than her, but not in the true potential. She was the one who had the greatest potential from all, so she wouldter surpass those enemies she deemed as stronger once she treaded on the right path. The question was, once she beat that goal, what would be the next target? What did she need to reach next? A sudden question popped up inside her mind, making her feel a bit dazed. She quickly shook her head left and right, knowing that it wasn''t time to think about such things as her journey would still be a long way from now. Another matter caught her attention. Theo mentioned that only the strongest dragons sold this thing, or at least put it up for offers, where they would choose an offer that they agreed with and were willing to trade the item. Then, didn''t it mean that the one who hurt Tertia, the one Theo offended was actually Ehrendil, the strongest dragon of thisnd? Chapter 192: Offer Chapter 192: Offer Estelle had wished to visit the strongest dragon in the first ce because she had a mission to fulfill. It seemed like it coincided with Theo''s affairs, making her even more fired up to finish this case. Theo seemed to have a rather special rtionship with therge dragon. Such a powerful entity was connected to this seemingly weak boy in front of her. She deduced that the boy had a special identity. If not, how would he be able to connect with the dragon? "Well- anyway, it''s better if we returned to Tertia''s side. She must be super worried, you know? You ran away just like that... Even if you do that often, it is not an excuse. You shouldn''t make others worry like that, Theo," Estelle lectured, sighing as she turned around towards the direction they both came from, which was where Tertia''s shop was located. "This is just a curious question.. But do those crooks not know where Tertia lives? Howe they haven''t knocked on Tertia''s door and caused havoc there as well?" "It''s not that they don''t know, it''s that Tertia hides and protects herself well. When the goons want to try and do something to her, she would always certainly be invisible to their eyes, making them confused at what happened. One second, they could see the woman''s figure. The other second, the figure would disappear, making them think that Tertia''s real identity was actually a ghost, someone who wasn''t from the mortal world. Naturally, they only dared to pick on me. On this specific matter... Actually, Tertia must''ve already known what I go through day by day, but she is just wanting me to fend for myself. Probably," Theo said, lowering his head. "I.. see. Well, it''s good that she knows how to protect herself. For you, when will you get stronger? If you don''t start and polish your strengths, won''t you keep falling and falling?" Estelle questioned. "I.. genuinely want to get stronger. I just don''t know how, and the fact that I am.. you know, I am weak not just in physical strength, but in mind too. I don''t know where to start, and my mind makes me think that I shouldn''t try.. It''s fear. I am scared of those who are more powerful than me. I am... weak like that." Theo said, mumbling as he proimed his weaknesses. Estelle sighed, not knowing how to break it down to the young child. From her perspective, she had secretly checked the child''s status and found out that he actually had a high core purity. Enough to be a grand magician. Although he was physicallycking, since he was still a dragonkin, if only he came forward and trained his physique then he had a high chance of improving at a rapid state in that segment too. The only thing holding him back was his mentality. "Theo, if I said that I am willing to teach you, to ask you to get stronger, then will you ept the offer?" Estelle questioned, tilting her head as she extended her hand with solemn eyes. Theo stilled in his ce, staring at Estelle''s hand as he looked left and right, uncertainly clearly shing inside his eyes. Estelle had done this particr motion way too many times. Extending her hand to someone who was weak and needed pushing to grow stronger than they are right now. Wanting to make others stronger. Of course, they wouldn''t be stronger than her. But she believed that collective strength was important, and that one should strive to better the lives of others as well when they stood in an all powerful position. It was up to each person''s views, but Estelle wanted the world to progress as well. One could argue that the world has wronged her many times, so she should just abandon it and leave it be. However, especially after knowing that she was a literal Goddess, how could she bear to do that? Cultivating talented people, who she saw potential in like Theo, Sierra, and the others were the way to achieve sess within the whole world. Thinking about Sierra, she knew that the girl must be full of hatred to her since she once told her that she would tutor the child until she got stronger. All that she left with Sierra were her research materials up until she disappeared. Since she did ''disappear'' to Alynthi''s people, instead of feeling hatred, Sierra should actually be feeling worried for her. From Estelle''s point of view, the child''s hatred towards her should have considerably lessened after she pushed the girl to the right direction. The gifts that she gave before she disappearedpletely was also a big part of it. The research material that she gave to the girl were not simple, and it was aption of the greatest knowledges to ever exist in the world as of now. That was the file that was created after many hours of work with her and the talented entourage that she possessed, supporting her ims and beliefs while attaching their own proofs to it. Sierra was a smart child, as she was a Witch as well. She had special powers. Although she hadn''t explored it that far yet, she was sure to be able to find out more about Estelle when the timees. Sierra''s power concerned predictions and surveince to a certain degree. When she begins to use that power in the right way, then she should be able to figure out Estelle''s whereabouts and what she was trying to achieve. When that timees, Estelle was curious as to what the child would do. Would she seek for Estelle and chase her down? Or would she seethe in anger as she discovered that all her worries were for naught and that Estelle was actually voluntarily running from Alynthi to go to other ces? There would definitely be a day that Sierra was able to be a respectable researcher like herself and achieve great things. After having seen her potential, she was sure of it. Besides, she wasn''t the only one who had disappeared in the reste Dukedom. n reste, the Duke also went missing. For her. To search for a miracle cure for her disappeared state. Her only hope was that when someone finally discovers that Estelle had been swapped out, they would ring the news after some time and make n hear those breaking statements. If he heard them, then he would definitely return to the Dukedom if he was still safe and sound. She had actually employed those who she trusted to look for n, but there was no news. She knew that Heine was also one of those people, but she was uncertain whether or not he would actually report information back to her if he did find something out. Although she did love her father, she chose to prioritize her own needs right now. Life. She needed life, and apaprently her life will be hard to sustain if she did not fulfill her missions and defeat her enemies straight away. Estelle was a difficult person. She was kind, but heartless at the same. Weak, but strong. So many contradictions existed inside the child, making her a veryplicated person to decipher. Theo grumbled. This was a hard choice to him, and he couldn''t help but want to run away when put in a position like this, which brought him pressure. "I.. will have to consider this for some time. Will you be willing to make the same offer if I came to ask you another time?" Theo questioned. "Well, of course. You are wee to bring forth your answer for as long as I am in Vaitral. I will tutor and assist you as best as I can, formte a method that would make you stronger, far stronger than you are right now. Don''t you want to see an improved version of yourself? A Theo that stands over the influence of many others, being able to go head to head with other powerful figures?" Estelle enticed with persuasive words. "That.. means.. if therees a day when you have to leave Vaitral, you will stop teaching me?" Theo picked up Estelle''s meaning and asked. "We don''t know yet. I do have to travel throughout the entire world, so I can''t promise you that I will be teaching you for a long time. However, if you did go under my teaching, I will try my hardest to help you. It''s a win win situation for you, nothing more," Estelle replied. Theo nodded, feeling like the only one that was losing was Estelle, whereas he waspletely in an advantageous position. There was no reason to refuse the offer that was thrown to him all of a sudden. "Then.. I think my answer will be a positive one. I don''t know yet, though! I will.. think a lot more," Theo said as he walked with Estelle back to Tertia''s store. However, when they arrived back at the store, something unexpected happened. Chapter 193: A Heartfelt Letter Chapter 193: A Heartfelt Letter They arrived at the store, opened the door, and couldn''t find a certain person''s presence. Tertia was not there. There were no longer any signs of the teal-haired beauty in the store, and it made Theo''s jaw drop down in shock. He ransacked the entire ce up frantically, wanting to see if there was any traces of her. See if she was actually at the back, upstairs, or wherever she was. There were none. Except for one, that was located on the counter''s shelf where Tertia used to guard at. There was an opened shelf. Theo remembered this segment very well. It was thepartment that the woman would never allow him to open. Never. Although he was riddled with curiosity at first, after passing through it multiple times, he no longer paid any attention to it and understood that Tertia also had things that she wanted to keep a secret from Theo. Thus, the child never brought the shelf''s content into question, but now that it was opened, it was like an uncanny invitation that Theo was scared to ept. "...Tertia.. She must have gone for a walk.. or went to buy something, right?" Theo''s voice began to shake as he spoke. Tertia never exited her store, she did everything inside the ce and had the supplies be sent to her store instead of getting them from outside. Perhaps, she wanted to change this routine and went away. Perhaps, she wanted to do that. Perhaps. Theo wanted to believe in that statement, but his intuition told him that the truth was otherwise. Obviously, he was shaken inside, but he slowly approached the shelf and looked inside. There was a letter written neatly in Tertia''s signature handwriting, and a pendulum that had a lock built in it. There was no key attached to the gift, so the pendulum was naturally unable to be opened. By this time, Theo was almost sure that the woman that he wanted to cure had actually gone away without him on purpose. What other chances could be there? Unless this was all a stupid joke that was terribly unfunny to him, there were no other ways to exin this scenario. He regretted it. He was the one who ran away from the ce. He was the one who left Tertia at the store. He should''ve guessed it. It was impossible to do so, of course. There was no way that he could''ve known that Tertia nned this all along and even predicted Estelle''s arrival years before she actually did. But he was desperately trying to seek a remedy for the heartache that he was feeling right now. The effects of being abandoned. He was abandoned by Tertia. This was almost a certain fact by now. Tears started to well up in his eyes as he unfurled the letter signed with Tertia''s signature and a short line that said ''To Theo and the Constetion''s Leader'' Estelle saw the handwriting, which was written in Vaitral''snguage but was still able to be understood by her. Upon seeing the title Constetion''s Leader pop up, she immediately narrowed her eyes and began to focus. She hovered above Theo, wanting to get a closer look at the contents. His lips were already crumpled up, his expression ugly as his eyes scanned through the lines of text. [Dear Theo, Hello. It feels awkward writing this. Currently, I have sent you on an ordeal to fetch me some food, but I''m actually not hungry. I wanted to write this letter, so I purposely sent you on a long journey, to a far enough restaurant that will make time for me.. to write this letter. I don''t know where to start, to be honest. This will be a bit messy. I also lost my vision, so my handwriting might be a bit askew? Pardon me, I am trying my best with my senses. Let''s see... By the time you are looking at this letter, it should mean that I have departed from this ce and will no longer be with you. Beside you, there should be a woman that will apany you for a rather long journey. I want you to release yourself from your ties, your chains, things that have been holding you back and preventing you from growing up smoothly. I know that you are the best. Do not be afraid or be surprised that I have predicted this oue. I am writing this letter way before the time that I will have to disappeares. I know that you seek to heal me. I know that the woman beside you will offer you strength and the power to sometime in the future, heal me from my condition. But I do not seek for healing. I do not seek for more life. I want to let fate y for itself, roll the future for me and execute what is best for all of us. Fate might not yield the best result that we wanted, but I strongly believe that they contain truth and should not be excessively changed. Fate. Yes, fate is a really strange thing. Our fates are bound, Theo. Just like you and the person beside you. Your fates are also bound. The world is made up of so many conflicting fates, but somehow they could coexist and run smoothly without copsing. Theo, do you know why Ehrendil spared you because of me? It is because I am his old friend. So when I shielded you, it was actually because I spited his dumb analogy. He is supposed to be a wise ruler, but he somehow bes stupid when ites to his family. Not only him, I also used to be a friend of his mate. A close friend. Your mother. She was a great person, someone I respected. I used to travel with her across our beautiful country and there is so much that exists in Vaitral apart from our small shop, the one we will be residing in for the next few years toe, until the fated woman that will lead you to strengthes. Theo, son of Ehrendil, I want you to think straight. I want you to travel not only across Ehrendil, not only Vaitral, but the entire world. The world is vast, and my small shop does not deserve to contain and restrict you, deprive you of all the opportunities you could reach if you just wanted to slightly move away from the memories of me, Tertia. Treat me as a past. You are a good kid, and I want you to keep your morals. Your kindness. You are very kind and trust other people easily. Those qualities might make you trip in the future and encounter bad luck, but that doesn''t mean that you should throw them away. Did you know? Because I was still close with your mother up until she passed away, I actually had several chances to take care of you as a baby. Way before we met again as a young child that was your fiery runaway self. Wanting to get out of your father''s grasp because he is indeed a stupid parent that couldn''t discern between right and wrong, even if he is supposed to be a wise great dragon. You, Theo, are very simr to your mother. You are weak, but inside, you possess a great and strong soul. But unlike your mother, who was bound to die because of her constitution and the choices she went through with Ehrendil, you have the talent to grow stronger. You possess Ehrendil''s essence of life and power. You can grow. That time, when your mother died, your father might have med you. But that isn''t true. He knows that your mother was bound to die some day near. It was just a matter of time. But he didn''t want to believe that, and he ended upshing on you, ming her death on your sorry self. You have been suppressed for far too long. Your fate is that of a great dragon. One that may seed Ehrendil in the future if you do fulfill all your trials and grow out. Spread your wings, Theo. Carry your burdens, and don''t give up. All that I can say is, take care of this pendulum and use it as a way to reminisce about me if you wish to do so. When I disappear, I will open up this shelf, and you shall discover the items. Take them with you and go forth in your journey. Perhaps, if I still live on after this, you may discover me again if you could decipher the secrets behind the pendulum before my life ends. I will be waiting for that day toe, even if the chances are bleak. If fate wills for it, then it will happen. From your beloved shopkeeper, Tertia. ] Those were the contents of the letter. A genuine letter filled by genuine messages from a genuine shopkeeper named Tertia. Silence ensued, with the two of them who had just read the contents not being able to utter a single word. Chapter 194: Questioning Alyssa Chapter 194: Questioning Alyssa By the end of the text, Theo was crying hard, but he immediately shoved the letter away from his teardrop''s falling line in order to not ruin the writing that was spilled into it. He no longer cared about his appearance and just wallowed in sadness as he crouched down, the pendulum that was bestowed to him clutched tightly inside his grip. Theo wailed in sadness, whereas Estelle was caught in a flurry of emotions. Going by the letter and Tertia''s timely escape, she should be the fated woman. Not to mention, Tertia did mention the Constetion''s Leader, which was one of the identities that she assumed as Estelle reste. However, how did the woman predict all of this? How was it possible that Tertia knew that she woulde here one day, and even knew that she was going to offer strength to her? Was it a hope? A mindless prediction, a wish? The woman, who dered herself as a ''shopkeeper'', was extremely confident in her writing, as if she was stating nothing but facts. Other than that, there was also the matter about Theo''s status. The great dragon, Ehrendil''s son. Was that Theo? Tertia, on the other hand, was the friend of both Ehrendil and his mate. How could she be a simple shopkeeper? By the letter, it seemed like Theo met up with Tertia not as a child and his father''s friend, but as strangers. However, they still managed to be close. But what made Estelle wonder was the intention Tertia approached Theo with. If she fully knew who Theo was, then could she really say that their rtionship was based on genuineness and does not have any underlying motives? Estelle kept her silence and let Theo bask in his moment, knowing that the boy had to be given time to process and ept everything. Nevertheless, the quest Tertia gave to him in the parting words was for him to follow Estelle after he read it and acknowledged her disappearance. Thus, it was unlikely that Theo would refuse at this stage. Not only did Tertia personally tell him to do it, he also no longer had a home to go back to, no longer did he have Tertia to take care of. Of course, the perfect solution was to follow Estelle and start a new chapter in his life. That was, if Theo stepped out of his shell by even one simple push forward. Everything had been set up for him. The encouragement, his own status, Estelle''s arrival, all that was left was for the little boy to actually march onwards and gain strength as told by the uncanny shopkeeper. Tertia. The teal haired beauty that ran a simple store. By no means would she be a normal person. By no means. Estelle thought about Alyssa, the one who rmended this store to her in the first ce. She wondered if Alyssa was also in this problem. Thus, as Theo remained still and unable to respond to Estelle''s calls, she ended up having to write a letter specifying that she would be heading back towards her inn first to handle some matters, and that he was free to visit her after he regained his consciousness and got better. After looking back at the shocked child onest time, Estelle finally turned around and got out of the store and started walking back to her inn. She opened the door to Alyssa''s inn, which triggered the chime of a clear resonating bell. Inside, Alyssa was still behind the counter, humming a beautiful song as if she had no knowledge about the things that happened to Tertia and Theo. Estelle dragged a chair and positioned it near the counter, so that she could hold a conversation with Alyssa. Alyssa noticed her arrival and behavior, raising a brow subtly at the actions. The woman observed Estelle''s expression for a few seconds before striking up a conversation with her since Estelle did not say anything despite getting closer. "What happened? You look particrly unwell. Could I help you with something? You are a neer in Vaitral, so you must''ve encountered an unfamiliar thing that shocked you, or something simr to that, perhaps? Don''t worry, you will get used to the living conditions here if you really set your mind to it. I will fetch you a beverage, you can share your story to me," Alyssa was a rather talkative and friendly person, and she uttered words of worry and constion in the speed of a bullet. To this, Estelle''s response was still a bit dazed, so she let the older woman go back behind the counter and fetch her a warm drink, which turned out to be a mug filled to the brim with hot chocte. "Here, have some. I brew really good hot chocte. Everyone loves it, I assure you. Drink it and calm down, you really don''t seem like yourself," Alyssa leaned against the table, her bright eyes staring at Estelle in confusion. Although they had only met for a couple days, Alyssa had a special talent in socializing and could make anyone feel like they were already acquainted for years in a short time span. Estelle did sip the drink, and she found the warm liquid to be soothing. Taking a deep breath, she began to speak. "You.. why did you rmend me to seek Tertia? What do you know about her?" she asked. Her mind wished for the woman to know something about Tertia, and that reason was why she was led to this fate. "..Tertia? What, did you encounter something bad from her? Tertia, hmm? She is.. a store owner. She never gets out of her own store, but she regrly orders food from my pantry. That''s how I got to know her, and she also told me stories of her own life. Although I can''t say that I am extremely close to her, I do worry and feel sympathy for her. If you came here bearing that strange face, then I reckon that you had been told about her story, right? Were you discouraged? This is Vaitral, and naturally thews that are enforced here would be a bit.. no, a lot different from what you know in the past. That''s why not a lot of people encourage you to visit Vaitral, because the truth is that the strong rules the world here. They could randomly attack a woman like that and get out scot free. Imagine, having your entire life stripped off of you, your colorful senses deluded, and ryed with a curse that would continuously harm you. If I was her, I would also be in despair," Judging by her words, it seemed like Alyssa wasn''t told about the attacker''s identity and the duo''s status. If she was, then she should''ve specified the characters. "Can you tell me more about the Great Dragons?" Estelle questioned. "Hm? Why are you asking out of a sudden? Curiosity? Well, I will tell you. First.. Thisnd''s protector, Ehrendil. HIs color is greyish. Grey with ents of vermillion and yellow. Ehrendil is thergest out of the four great dragons, and he is also the strongest in defence. That is why, ournd is known to be the safe zone, because Ehrendil is hovering over it. However, recently, the great dragon hasn''t shown himself. Next, Eneiryn. Like his element, he is like a fiery volcano. Parts of his body is actually covered in hardenedva, and his body temperature is known to be very hot, that if he descended upon a grassynd, the nts would catch on fire and spread his wrath everywhere. Then, there''s Evalir. Evalir''s color also aligns with her element. Her scales are icy blue, and her eyes are sapphire. Her eyes are renowned to be one of the most beautiful pair in the entire country, and it is said that one look into her eyes could petrify you solely because of its beauty. Her temperament, however, is a replica of her ice cold power. Ones that could speak to her are little, and she likes seclusion the most out of the quartet. She lives in an ice pce and likes to stay in her humanoid form rather than her draconic form. Lastly.. Ephylth. The Great White Dragon. Just by her name, you should already know what color she is. Obviously, her scales are white. However, it is said that the golden ents that she possesses on her body are made out of the hardest material to ever exist in the world. It is scattered around her body sporadically, but her horns are also made out of this golden material, and a lot of people have confirmed that these pair of horns are impregnable. Once, the great dragon destroyed and entire gigantic boulder that was set to hit Vaitral using her horns to shatter it, and then relocated the shattered fragments using her power with the aid of the other great dragons. This was one of the most devastating disaster to ever happen to Vaitral, and a lot ofnds were destroyed as a result of it. " Chapter 195: Decision Chapter 195: Decision "What else do you want to know? I think I have spoken too much. How did we go from talking about Tertia into speaking about the great dragons? Tell me, why were you feeling down? Did something happen that rubbed you off in the wrong way? I will try to help you as best as I could," Alyssa spoke as she gently smiled. Estelle pursed her lips, a bit uncertain as she spoke. "It would be great if she just rubbed me off in the wrong way, as you said, but.. Tertia disappeared. Like, she is not joking, she even left a farewell letter back in her store, and everything had been closed down and tidied up like no one ever lived there in the first ce. Cold and dreary. It makes me.. unsettled, and also, the child she takes care of is obviously freaking out," Estelle spoke, voicing out her concerns. "Tertia.. disappeared? Look here, although I''m not able to be considered close with her, I do know that Tertia wouldn''t possibly abandon Theo. The child you are speaking about, it is Theo, right? He would be absolutely devastated. Are you sure that Tertia isn''t just pulling a prank on you two? Well- although she doesn''t look like someone who wants to y pranks on people, surely there might just be a misunderstanding that urred between you all?" Alyssa questioned. "Like I said, everything was well prepared. That time, we only left her alone for less than an hour. When we came back, everything was magically cleaned up and left emptied out, like no one ever lived there at all. There were no signs of life, no nothing. You might find it hard to believe, but.. we also want it to be fake. A false rm, a staged scenario. Unfortunately, it''s not," Estelle retorted. "..I''m deeply sorry, but I am really not qualified to speak about this matter. You might have came to me because I was the one who introduced you to Terita, but it was just because I knows she does work in that field and I trust her enough to take care of your request. It wasn''t based on deep friendship or anything like that. Truly, I am not able to help you in this matter," Alyssa bowed her head. Estelle shook her hands, telling Alyssa to raise her head frantically as it wasn''t her fault. She just came here to ask for any leads that might have been left with the woman in front of her. It did not seem like so, but it also did not mean that Alyssa was at the wrong. "It''s alright. Tertia seemed to have set everything up for the little boy, and we just have to trust that he will manage. Theo has been limated to the harsh ways of the world ever since he was little, right? I believe that he will do just fine without Tertia by his side, or perhaps even better," Estelle said. Alyssa nodded her head, still feeling a bit impacted over the shopkeeper''s sudden disappearance. "But.. her disappearance is not because of force, right? It was out of her own volition? It''s a bit crude, but you might want to dig into her personal matters.. For example, find out what she had been doing for the past few days? If she really nned to runaway at any given time, then she should have left traces somewhere. Look for that, maybe?" "Yeah. At the same time, I also feel like I shouldn''t look for her. It ispletely up to Theo, but surely she has reasons for disappearing and it won''t just be done on a whim.. That kind of thing, shouldn''t we respect her wishes and desires?" Estelle questioned back. "That is true, but we are talking about a child. What will happen to Theo? He relies on Tertia a lot for not only as his parental figure, but also a provider for his emotional stability. This kind of thing.. If Tertia was removed from Theo''s equation of life, what would happen to him?" Alyssa sighed. "Living along isn''t necessarily a bad thing. Fending for themselves, there are a lot of people who have to do that on a daily basis just because they weren''t as lucky as to find somehow who they could coexist with. Just like Theo depended on Tertia, Tertia also depended on Theo for certain matters, right? The fact that she wanted to break the bnce, disrupt the equation, perhaps she thought that it was time to revert everything," "Haa.. I understand. It alles down to Theo. To tell the truth, I am not that close with that boy, but I do worry about him in this scenario. You seem to have gotten closer to him more than I have during the time since I first met him. You are very quick, aren''t you? This might be a presumptuous request since you are just a traveller who dawned to thisnd, but if you could, please take care of Theo as much as you are capable of doing," Alyssa spoke as she smiled in a gentle manner. "Yes, of course. Thank you for speaking with me about this matter and voicing your input. I will go back to my room to sort some stuff out, after that.. I will try to seek Theo once again. I left him because I know that he needed some space in order to recover himself, so I will return," Estelle nodded lightly, taking off from her seat and heading towards the staircase, in which her room was lcoated in the second floor. Alyssa looked at the child''s back with aplicated pair of eyes, as she thought about the sudden change. Especially when Estelle suddenly asked her to reveal information about the great dragons. Surely, why would that be a random question spouted out of nowhere when they were discussing a serious topic like Tertia''s disappearance? Alyssa found this situation to be a bit odd. She was smart and quick to pick up on things, and she began to find how there would be a corrtion in all of this. Sighing repeatedly, she told herself to not worry about others as much and focus on her work. She went back to tally her earnings and sorted out her services, wanting to forget about the situation she just learned with haste. Estelle arrived in her room and closed the door behind her, leaning as she closed her eyes for a few seconds and knitted her eyebrows. Out of nowhere, a daunting situation like this delivered itself to her doorsteps. She felt like she wanted to run so that she wouldn''t have to face this kind of trouble. At the same time, her conscience did not allow her to abandon the matter. Although it might dy her progress a bit, the end result was still the same as she would still be travelling around the draconic country with a guide that turned out to be one of the Great Dragons of Vaitral''s child. Wasn''t that a great coincidence? But if she did want to implore on this matter further, it meant that she was going to be tying herself with familial matters of another person. That kind of thing, she did not wish for it. After debating back and forth with herself a few times, she finally decided to pack her bags and settle the matter of her departure. No matter what, she finally made her decision. She was going to meet Theo one more time, and take him with her. Of course, that was if the boy steeled his heart just enough so that he would let the girl drag him around the world. Estelle finished packing up, and by the time she did, it was already night time. In the end, she decided to leave the inn tomorrow morning. Sheid down on the bed and slept the night away. The following morning, she readied herself up and threw all of her items into the storage system, walking downstairs and greeting Alyssa a good morning. "Alyssa, today will be myst day. Here, a tip for your great service. I truly appreciated your help, please take care of yourself and your business. Good luck!" Estelle happily smiled, handing back the magical keys that were given to her when she first came here. The magic that she inputed was removed, and returned to Alyssa''s drawer. As an innkeeper, Alyssa naturally had no right to not let Estelle leave, so she only sent a cautious look as she spoke. "What about the words you spoke yesterday? Theo? What will he.." "Don''t worry. I will lend him help. I was due to leave the inn anyway, it''s not because I''m running away," Estelle assured the other party as she signed off the attendance list, marking herst day on this inn. "..If so, then that''s great. Thank you for staying here, Eirlys. If you have the chance sometime in the future, pleasee back and visit me, I will gratefully serve you just as great, if not better," Alyssa promised. Chapter 196: Nevertheless. Chapter 196: Nevertheless. "Yes. I will do that. Alyssa, please take care of yourself. Our encounter has been pleasant." Estelle smiled before leaving the building and going out to find Theo. She couldn''t spot him with her bare eyes, so she resorted to using magic to find his location. After detecting his presence, she immediately rushed to the ce. Theo was sitting by a small hill, looking out to the bright sky with zed eyes that held an indescribable feeling to them. Deep in thought, the boy who was supposed to be alert did not even notice that she was approaching him. "Theo." Estelle called out to him. "...Eirlys." Theo finally addressed Estelle''s arrival. Estelle''s eyes drooped as she heard the name. She sat down next to the younger boy and hummed. "Call me Estelle when we are alone. Since you are bing my disciple, I thought that you should know at least this much. Your teacher has already known this fact from back when she introduced you to me, you know?" Estelle chuckled. "Just don''t get too used to calling me that. I won''t forgive you if you said my name out loud in public. Better yet, just call me teacher." "Estelle? That''s your real name?" Theo questioned. "Yep. I originated from Alfheim, from my beloved family.. Then, I had to leave because I had a purpose to fulfill. I travelled to Sylvania, then to Alfheim.. The documents that I now present to everyone are made in Alfheim. I got the Queen to give me the stamp of approval for this fraud. And now, I am here. In Vaitral. Aren''t I great?" Estelleughed heartily. "..Are you sure you are fine with telling me this? I am just a little boy who you coincidentally met in a foreign country.. Don''t you think that I can betray you in a single go?" "Oh, my dear. Am I supposed to be scared that you are going to reveal me? I want to think otherwise. I have a lot of secrets, ones that you might not get to hear for the rest of your lives. This matter of my identity is just something trivial, something that was created to make my journey easier. Besides, am I not doing this to make us closer? If we, as a master and disciple aren''t close, how are we supposed to proceed in the future?" "T-then, suit yourself. Can I ask a question?" "Ask away." "Why did you run from Alynthi? What happened there for you to go in such a long journey? Your purpose.. You said that you had a beloved family in Alynthi. Why didn''t you stay with them?" Theo was curious. Because this was his first time having to make a huge decision for himself. Tertia''s protection was taken away from him, it was like his home had been snatched. He was clueless and torn between what he could do. "Oh, that''s one of the secrets that you would have to reveal. Only time will tell. Perhaps, if one day, you are able to match up to me and be my equal, then you can ask me one more time. But for now.. I''m way stronger than you are, so I will gratefully take the liberty to not answer your question." Theo did not object and kept his silence. "...How are you feeling? I saw that you were dozing out." Estelle asked, initiating the conversation once more. "Hah. Were you worried about me? Was that why you revealed.." Theo showed a wronged expression as if he didn''t agree with what Estelle just did. "Well, yes and no. I did n to tell you about my identity one day, but seeing you so not in focus made me want to take your attention and ce it elsewhere. Especially if you''re thinking about a painful thing." "Did you have painful experiences?" "Wow! Getting straight to the direct parts. Painful experiences, hm? I have a plethora of them. If it wasn''t because of my will and strength.. Oh, I guess luck yed a good part as well. If it weren''t for those, I would''ve died a thousand times over. A nasty death. I literally bent over my back just toe here and live on." Estelle burst intoughter as she reminisced her own fate. "So much.. Then, were you able to recover from them?" "No. I would say no. I thought that I would never fall into traps again, but then fate decides to fuck me over one more time, and a second, third, and fourth time. At this point, I know that I should just stay alone. But fate won''t even let me do that, it requires me to select teammates that I have to fight with. Which means that I would be creating an opening for whoever betrays me in the future. This kind of shitty thing, how am I supposed to recover from them?" "I see.. I don''t really get it, but it seems serious." Theo mumbled, burying his head into his knees again. "It is serious, it is painful. But such is the way of life. Who am I to disobey? I do n to fight my fate one day, but for now.. I''m not in a position to do that. One day. My goal is clear, and I am going to run for it." "You.. sure are brave. Or should I say, you seem to not be bothered by anything." "Ha, is that right? I always get scared over many things. Betrayal, pain, anguish, whatever it is, I do feel scared. I do cower. But I just slide them off, try to push forward because I know that if I just hide, nothing will change. Isn''t that right.. Theo?" "..!" Theo now finally realized why Estelle was speaking in this manner, and what her intentions were. She was aiming to make Theo think about his feelings and what he should do in the future. His head was swirling with the thoughts to quit. Even though he was offered with this golden chance of staying with Estelle and not giving up. It wasn''t easy, he felt like a baby bird who was left along by the mama bird. Clueless, helpless, in tears. What did Tertia think when she did such a thing? How could she bear to do this? It was nonsensical in his own brain, but he would never get a chance to glimpse directly into Tertia''s brain. Thus, he could only stare off into the unknown, contemting his worth and what he did in order to deserve being abandoned. He couldn''t find a good reason. Then, Estelle suddenly came, swooped in, and told him stories about herself. It was probably just a careless attempt to cheer him up and more importantly, make him consider. Make him fight. It was hard to believe that the young girl who was sitting next to him right now was someone who had undergone the harsh trials and tribtions like the ones she vaguely spoke about. She also had a beloved family, something that Theo never had. Her eyes were mystical, they held so much secrets but seemed so clear and transparent. She sounded like she had a mountain of experience behind her back even though she was just a teen. "..I think I get it now. You are not brave, you are just desperate." "Apply that to your own situation. Do you think you are desperate enough to seek Tertia out? Do you want to see her? Do you want to ask her your questions? Those things, you can''t achieve them unless you face your past and be desperate. Just like me. You are right, I am the most desperate person ever. I''m desperate because I know I have been wronged. Because I want to prove to them that they did wrong. That this kind of thing shouldn''t have happened. It''s not revenge, but for my own self justification." Estelle spoke. "It''s a bullshit excuse, a sad one. But if this kind of thing is what works for me, then I will dly take it. My options aren''t much." Estelle ended her speech. "Yeah. I know." Theo answered without much thought. "I won''t ever get to see her unless I work to death. You know, talking with you feels like I''m talking to an adult.. and not a human child." It was widely known that Alynthi was like the easy mode for living in the world. Although Elysium could be equated to the perfect utopia, Alynthi did provide survival for most people. You did not need to fight, and could just live on if you were at least a peasant. Those who had the worst conditions were the exception, but Estelle did not seem like someone from the lower caste at all. "...Then? What''s your answer? I think that it''s almost time for us to train." Estelle giggled, not minding thement. "Thank you, teacher." Theo did not directly answer her question, but he stood up and turned around. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!