Arrival at the Grand Apostle Realm

"Why?!" Cyrus retorted in indignation. "For the past week, I have been doing exactly what you wanted, haven't I?"

Hearing that, Crystal felt a vein bulging up underneath her flawless skin.

"Do you think that I still don't know you well enough?" Crystal spoke with a smile on her face, but her tone was chilling to the bones. "How can those comprehensive book reviews be done by you? Since I am unable to stop you from receiving help while you are here in the clan, I have no choice but to send you to a place where you are unable to receive any help."

"I received help from others for those book reviews?!" Cyrus felt like he was going crazy. "Just how am I supposed to do so without being found out?!"

"That, only you will know best," Crystal spoke before shooting a cold glance at Grey. It was obvious that she was suspecting Grey of being an accomplice.

The death stare from Crystal jolted Grey wide awake. He subconsciously swallowed a mouthful of saliva before turning to Cyrus. "Hey brat, I don't know how you did it, but at least tell Lady Crystal that I am not the one who helped you cheat!"

Cyrus glared at Grey in disbelief.

What a traitor!

It is bad enough that you do not help to clear my name, but how can you only think about saving your own hide?

"All right, enough said." Crystal stepped to the side. "In any case, your father has agreed to this, so it is already decided. Xena, go ahead."

"But he always agrees to whatever you say! How is that fair?!" Cyrus exclaimed in disbelief. "As if I will just go as you wished!"

Even before completing his sentence, Cyrus had turned around and made a run for the door.

But at this moment, Xena made her move.

With just a slight wave of her hand, she conjured up a mysterious storm of energy that enveloped Cyrus in an instant, lifting him into the air.

"Wha-?" Cyrus called out in shock as he felt his feet leave the ground. "Let me down!"

He started flailing his arms and legs around, but to no avail. Suspended in mid-air, there was simply nothing he could do to resist.

"Well done, Xena." Crystal smiled in satisfaction. "From now on, until you return from the Grand Apostle Realm, I grant you full autonomy to act as you deem fit in all situations. You no longer need to heed Cyrus' orders."

"Understood, my Lady." Xena nodded before turning back to Cyrus.

With a slight pull of her hand, the twelve-year-old floated back towards the centre of the room, until he was hovering right above the hexagon platform in the room.

"Wait! Listen to me! I really didn't cheat!" Cyrus screamed in disbelief.

After getting Cyrus into position, Xena personally stepped onto the platform as well. Following which, she curtsied towards Crystal. "Are there any further instructions, my Lady?"

"Do we really have to go this far?" Grey remarked from the side, feeling slightly heart broken by how pitiful Cyrus looked. "How about reconsidering your decision, my Lady?"

Crystal turned around to face Grey, her beautiful countenance marked with a tinge of coldness, causing Grey to flinch instinctively.

"I don't wish to do this either. However, Cyrus is turning thirteen in a month's time, which means that he will need to start attending magic school. If I let him remain here, some wilful subordinates will definitely keep helping him out in the shadows, always letting him have the easy way out. This will only prevent him from realising his full potential." Crystal stated as she continued staring at Grey. "Or are you intending to take responsibility when that happens?"

Hearing those words, Grey could only sigh helplessly in response.

Take responsibility?

Who would ever be able to take responsibility for the crime of ruining the future of the successor of the Skyhelm Clan?

"But if any danger befalls Cyrus while he's away, it might take too long for us to rush to his side," Grey expressed his concern.

"That is exactly what I am trying to prevent. If anything happens, Cyrus needs to overcome it by himself." Crystal replied matter-of-factly. "And if it is something that is beyond him, Xena is always there."

"You would watch danger befall me without lifting a hand to help?!" Cyrus yelled. "Somebody save me! The demoness is going crazy again!"

Grey was speechless as he looked at the frantic kid.

Can't you just obediently apologise instead of trying to provoke her further?

As expected, Crystal immediately turned back towards Xena. "You can go now, Xena. Sorry for troubling you this time. Remain in contact and keep an eye on Cyrus."

"Understood, my Lady." Xena nodded.

"Wait! No!" Cyrus pleaded. "I don't want to go!"

But his pleas went unheeded.

Xena lifted her hands and started drawing in the air so quickly that her hands became a complete blur. A bright blue light shone from the tip of her fingers, its trail lingering in the air wherever her fingers had traced. In a matter of seconds, a complex emblem of blue light had formed before her, shining with an intense light reminiscent of a star.

As though resonating with this emblem of light, the hexagon platform started to emit a blue glow as well, one that was growing brighter by the second.

A storm of energy stirred up within the room, causing their clothes to flutter wildly in the wind.

Cyrus started to panic as he had a bad premonition about what was to come.

"Uncle Grey!" Cyrus cried out in desperation.

"Take care of yourself," Grey sighed for the umpteenth time today. "I will visit you when I get the chance."

His words caused Crystal to send him a cautionary glance, causing him to take a step back in deference.

"Farewell, my Lady." Xena gave her final curtsy.

"Farewell, Xena."

With that, the glow from the hexagon intensified into a blinding glare, enveloping the entire room in bright blue light.

Boom - !

The next instant, the room had returned to its original calmness.

The bright light was gone.

The storm of energy was gone.

And similarly, Cyrus and Xena were gone as well.

Now that things were settled, Crystal nonchalantly turned around and exited the room, leaving Grey who remained standing there motionlessly.

His gaze lingered on the hexagon platform where Cyrus and Xena had been just a moment ago, his heart full of worry.

Will that useless brat Cyrus really be able to survive without his help...?

***

Deep in the mountains, small animals gathered around a gentle stream, quenching their thirst in this moment of tranquility.

Birds chirped happily in the trees, singing of a harmonious melody.

Lush greeneries sheltered the land from the blazing sun above, regulating the heat into an ideal level of warmth.

This environment was pristine and untouched by the hands of men, nothing short of a true sanctuary.

Yet suddenly, the small animals simultaneously raised their heads in wariness, and the birds stopped singing.

All of them froze in place, trying their best to interpret signs of the danger that swiftly approached.

It was almost as though time had stopped for that very instant.

The next moment, a storm of energy started stirring in the air above the small stream, causing powerful gusts of wind to ravage the area.

Leaves rustled and trees swayed wildly.

Numerous cries of panic filled the air as the animals present turned tail and ran, desperately trying to flee from the scene.

Birds escaped into the air, unwilling to subject themselves to the brutal winds.

Bang - !

A crack appeared in mid air, slowly growing longer and longer, as though space itself was being torn asunder.

With the appearance of this space crack, the energy turbulence in the surroundings further intensified, and even the water within the small stream was sent flying in all directions, completely exposing the rocky bottom.

When the space crack finally grew wide enough, it was pushed apart in one swift motion, and a young lady floated out from the darkness within, carrying with her a struggling kid.

After they fully passed through the space crack and landed on the ground, the space crack closed up once again before slowly fading off into nothingness, as though it had never appeared.

Xena landed gracefully, stepping onto the lush grass without a sound. She immediately started to scan their surroundings, trying to figure out where they were at the moment.

Cyrus, on the other hand, was not in such a good state.

"Ugh!" Cyrus immediately fell to all fours and started to vomit.

He felt sick at the moment.

Not just a little sick, but extremely sick!

His head was spinning, and his nausea was overwhelming.

The journey had been so disorientating that his motion sickness acted up shortly after it began.

Unfortunately for him, there was no such thing as stopping for a moment to rest. And even if there was, it was unlikely that he would have been allowed to do so.

After all, he had fallen into the hands of an aide of the demoness!

Thus, Cyrus had been forced to continue on with the rest of the journey, his condition continuing to deteriorate as time passed.

Now that they had finally arrived, everything hit him all at once, reducing him to such a pitiful state.

Damn it!

Cyrus cursed in his heart.

This is probably the worst day of his life!