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"Until the Alliance team met with them because the family were the guardians of the Crystal from Illitium. I was in the team. We spent months in their homeland and eventually I got to know her."

"She is that person who is eager to endeavor through the bitter end. Despite being locked up, the family still takes good care of her. They grow her as an independent warrior, so that she could live on her own when the time comes."

"The team recruited her due to her having Aspect of Ordo. Like yours, it was truly a valuable asset. The family agreed and so, from time to time, we got close to each other."

"... *intentionally breathes heavily* …."

"And she, well. We–as a team–stick together through almost anything."

"Then you grew feelings towards her, right?"

Ruvian didn't move his lips. But he nodded.

"Aw, lovey-dovey. So, you're saying she and I looked alike?"

Ervian answered in a heartbeat, "almost. Minus your personality."

"Heh, darn you."

Ruvian stood up straight and spoke, his tone growing increasingly bitter. "That was until the battle in the Nethereal took place."

Adelle quickly noticed that Ruvian had been acting somber. "She … didn't survive?"

"Yes, that moment was in front of my very own eyes. We're terribly cornered, and she sacrificed herself for us. I couldn't help it but blame myself …."

She started to see why Ruvian always bothered about her life. "I'm sorry for your loss."

Adelle continued, "but if you don't mind me asking this, I know what your aim is by talking about this. Do you think that she would regret her decision?"

"I …."

Ruvian froze at the moment. He remembered the last moment he saw her. It was her smile, driven to the death door of bottomless abyss together bringing down the monstrous nightmare with her.

"I-i couldn't really tell …."

"If I were her. Well, I would never regret it. That's why she chose to sacrifice herself in the first place. Isn't it?"

Ruvian didn't react to that. He hasn't given some thought about it. "Maybe, you are right."

Deep down, that moment still left an engraved scar on his heart.

"With all that being said. No need for you to get involved with me any further. Hope you now understand, Adelle."

Ruvian then turned his back on her and walked away.

"What the? Hey! YOU COWARD!!!"

Ruvian deaf to the insult. He couldn't care less. 'Why would a dead person now care about bravery ….'

Adelle could barely stand, unabling her to catch up to him. "Ugh, how ungrateful."

It may still not be too late for her to come back to the cottage. However, she had determined that her plan had to work. No matter what.

'Alright then. Time to put my tracking skills to use.'

From his Sensus, Ruvian knew Adelle was still helpless due to Diluvism after effect. 'Finally things could be settled.'

He couldn't tell what time it was, since his vision was unable to reach into the sun. But, he knew for sure that the temperature was rising.

'... guess that, I might want to stroll a bit until I see something interesting.'

Actually, it was just his reason for not being able to tell where the east and south were.

****

Later on, when the sun ray was at its hottest in the Barren Hill, Lefazio woke up.

He admitted that he was sleeping like a log. Which is also a strange occurrence to him.

"I have never slept 'till noon like this." He looked above through the small glass of the ceiling window. Then, he quickly dashed to the main room.

Adelle was nowhere to be found. Then, after learning the truth, he used his Sensus to scan around the house.

Lefazio found out that the storage room was left unlocked, he knew something was not right. He rushed back to his room.

"It's gone, the Crystal …."

Observing around, he made sure that Adelle left with all her belongings, that she also helped Ruvian escape, and worst of all, leaving a jar of sedative agent, the uncommon Red Ear mushrooms. Something he didn't recount from his possession.

'Foolish girl. This is beyond what I had imagined.'

Despite the urgent situation, he couldn't resist a sudden urge to stretch out his body. Only as far as his age permits. He had a clear conscience that nothing much can be done about it.

'But that was a quality sleep, I might be keeping this.'

Later, after checking most of the things. Lefazio's prepared a letter that soon he would have it sent by a messenger pigeon that was happily chirping about on top of his cottage.

The bird flew high, leaving the sandy hills below. The sunlight was thin, blocked by heavy clouds that were about to pour down its content.

After a considerable amount of time, the messenger pigeon finally found its intended recipient, a bird keeper hired directly by Lefazio. Startled upon seeing the message attached to the pigeon's leg, the birdkeeper swiftly descended from the tower.

In a neighborhood filled with elvish houses, each neatly spaced between trees, the birdkeeper navigated his way toward a human dwelling. He knocked on the door with a sense of urgency.

"Rosch! Rosch!"

Later, a woman greeted him. "Good afternoon, Sir. What errand do you have with my husband? He is still currently out shopping—Oh wait, there he is."

Speak of the devil. Without delay, the bird keeper then passed the message.

"Rosch, to the cottage, now. Adelle is missing." Rosch read the letter that was undeniably to the point. "That does sound urgent."

"Then I shall take my leave, Sir. Have a good day." The bird keeper then bid his farewell along with his brown hat.

"Yeah, thank you."

"Hubby, you'll be going, again?" Pouted his wife.

"Y-yes. I should be going now. I'm sorry. I'll make it up, promise."

"Hmp! Then get your ass over there." She turned and slammed the door.

He could only laugh awkwardly. Later, Rosch quickly focuses his Vis of Vea.

This time, he only needs a short amount of time to accumulate enough Vis. Unlike the last trip he and Lefazio made to Troya. That distance is worth three weeks of horse riding.

After a snap of bright flash, Rosch warped through space and arrived at the target location he based on his memory. He remembered from the start all the way through the end point.

He found himself on the porch of the cottage. He quickly jumped to the door due to the pouring rain.

On the inside, Lefazio was waiting for him by the couch, enjoying a hot cup of tea and the warm glow of a small luminescent gemstone candle. As Rosch entered, Lefazio glanced at him, noting that Rosch had brought some bread snacks as well.

"Ah, It's been a while I haven't visited. How do you do, Professor? With Adelle's gone, I bet no one is cooking and doing chores around here. Well, I knew some would be suited."

"We can think about that later. Something else must have to be done. Have a seat."

"Okay. Fill me in."

Lefazio explained every single thing he knew about all of this mess. The latter information had Rosch gasping in pale face.

"So … we have a Necrolyte roaming about on earth …. And we couldn't let the world–ehm, the Alliance–have their nose on this."

"That's the worst possibility and about right. Safe to say that the Necrolyte within the boy's body is currently dormant. I've done all kinds of provocation methods that seemed to work in the past during the war. Yet, Ruvian's didn't show any red flags."

"I see. So what are we gonna do? Capture him?"

"Indeed, I almost succeeded, until Adelle got in the way."

"Ah right. That girl. That's not very gratuitous of her. After all you've given to her."

"With that. I'm planning to meet with Arkan."

"A-arkan …" Rosch gulped, he knows where this will lead to with him summoned here. That would be a prolonged trip and his wife would be—Ah nevermind.

"Yes, I want the preparation to begin tonight. I assume you have nothing holding you back?" Lefazio sipped his tea.

"Well, there is …."

"Speak."

"Can my wife come along?"

"Wouldn't be a problem as long as you two are staying out of trouble."

Rosch made a happy chuckle. Two birds with one stone.

Wrapped up the case. Lefazio and Rosch proceeded to return to Rumabel in a blink of an eye. The professor decided to stay there in the meantime.

As for the preparation, Rosch had to be ready and told his wife. This is going to be an intercontinental teleportation. He has done this before.

He will need three days straight to accumulate the massive amount of Vis to reach the kingdom of Venelutio, where the third Grandmagus resided. The land that was covered by snow.

Lefazio, using his Inanis, summoned his most prized weapon, nicknamed the Rudiplex Apextum. Its rod is made of grayish thaumium alloy which superbly resonates with Venevisium.

Any Vis that flowed through it wouldn't be lost on the way. Helping shape the energy more smoothly and effectively. It topped with the highest grade of gemstone which act as extension of Venevisium pool.

He handed it to Rosch. That man in his twenties then focuses his Vis of Vea and starts channeling it into the staff that sit upon a pedestal.

'I wonder how Arkan would react, as he is Adelle's master. Haha, that young man tends to be short-tempered.'