The Forgotten Temple X Secret Research Facility I

The 'little' sister in question had bondages on her arm.. and sure enough, it was the priestess he had spared! This was both surprisingly embarrassing and guilt-ridden! The young prince had avoided her for this reason alone!

Despite appearances, he simply didn't know how to talk to her! Causing Vulpes having seen the battle between the two to then awkwardly smile and Vina adorably poked her blanket with an adorably confused expression.

"Little sisters must be best friends! But this isn't a good spot for hide and seek you know! Oh right! Little sister might not know the other little sister's name? She's little sister Dalaya! The others like to call her little sister Lady Dolly or Priestess Dolly!"

Vina adorably introduced causing the young prince to then adorably nod and unhide himself before then simply throwing on his veil.

Causing Vina to then adorably fix it for him all the while Vulpes helplessly nodded as well seeing this as indeed another.. to put simply another hell?

Causing him to then playfully calm down and to then simply accept it.

"I must ask.. did you know before or 'after' that he was indeed The First Prince of both The Elves and Temples of Selphine?"

"Oh and the fact that he was also indeed a Mid-Level Archmage much like yourself combined with that of two other classes? That of Master Assassin and Master Swordsmen? Or was it just an impulse decision? No matter! I'm glad to be working with you!"

"You'll be with us! His guidelines are that we are only able to interfere until he faces someone he can't defeat? At least those are mine? From what Lady Vina has stated they won't attack you? So you should be safe!"

Vulpes curiously teased causing Dolly to then simply look to him and back to the young prince and finally Vina all the while not saying a word as if she didn't even wanna talk about it?

Perhaps she was also embarrassed? Or perhaps she didn't care?

Causing her to then gently nod and the young prince to then nod as well before then kissing Vina's cheek causing her to then adorably smile.

All the while after the adorable antics had ended and he had checked on both dragons while apparently, Vina had asked that the other two not be revived? So they were still dead for the most part!

The young prince had wanted to revive them but he respected her decision towards the end?

And after being reassured by Lady Austine once more all three had soon taken the stairs to the basement of the temple which was sealed and unsealed resulting in several more vaults and rooms?

Until finally Vulpes found the secret teleportation magewreath resulting in shortly after the activation all three appearing at the entrance of The Secret Blight Research Ward?

However, unfortunately, the door had already been forced open through the inside and the once pristine halls were filled with blood, some sort of black goo, and dead husks while the lights had already begun to flicker with a faded light?

Causing Vulpes to then helplessly smile.

"It seems we've made it? Albeit it's far creepier then before and none of this was here after I left?"

Vulpes confessed causing the young prince to then nod before then taking the lead! Unfortunately, it didn't take long for him to be overwhelmed with blighted husks?

To be fair despite there being a small horde of them numbing to a modest thirty they were only Mid-Level Expert Swordsmen in comparison? However, in both numbers and speed, it was quite difficult to deal with!

Resulting in the young prince showing them what it meant to be a High-Level Master Swordsman! And resulting in after two minutes and without using magic he had soon killed fifteen while switching between that of his sword and dagger!

Until finally they were all dead and the young prince adorably exhaled while wiping away the blighted blood from his face and his armor while his veil cleaned itself strangely enough? Causing Vulpes to then nod with approval.

Especially after seeing him dual wielding his matching starlight silver sword and dagger!

Not only that but he was much faster than the husks themselves without the use of magic perhaps because he was both a swordsman and assassin with the combined ideal physique and body?

In truth, the young prince's body was both small, sleek, and weightless, especially thanks to his unique body and Selphie?

Be it relearning refined acrobatics, and simply moving the way he does it was enough to outperform and maneuver most which would include Dolly?

Having made it painfully obvious he didn't need magic to beat her and only needed it to exhaust her resulting in him using that tactic quite a bit?

However, for husks, he simply killed them without much consideration since again they were mindless blighted husks that didn't deserve such mercy?

For all intents and purposes, they were parasites that infected anyone with no discrimination be it, children or babies.

But what the young prince 'did' want was both their weapons and hearts! Especially after Vina had told him of their uses and value to artisans and unique ways of purifying them?

The only reason why these husks had them was because Vina had hoped they'd become legendary husks for whatever reason meaning they were entirely unique!

And If given to A Blight Queen or even a Vampire Progenitor they'd breakthrough with an ungodly speed! It was essentially a priceless unholy treasure! And the weapons themselves were artisan grade! So of course he'd take them!

Thinking of which he forgot to visit Lady Sephy again causing him to then adorably pout once more while Vulpes helplessly smiled at the sight of him cleanly removing the hearts.

After what felt like ten minutes had passed all three had soon moved on ignoring the already dead husks since their hearts were generally ruined over time with decay?

But what didn't was their weapons meaning he got another fifteen blighted swords!

However, the young prince had to run back after Jade reminded him of the many other uses for those ruined hearts! Causing Jade to then happily nod.

"Ruined Blight Hearts created by The Queen of Senex are even more valuable to the blight! Of course, they're much less effective since they're ruined but they're still treasures! Bestie knows best!"

Jade happily explained causing the young prince to then adorably nod before then moving forward! Unfortunately, the labs themselves were separate meaning the massive storage room was the one filled with cocoons as for the other four..

The Blight Research Department was still very much sealed? Albeit someone had tried to break in but failed while Containment was overrun.

And the entirely separate lab-like armory was much worse since apparently, that's where they had experimented with blighted weaponry?

Viruses, cures, and so forth? Of course, these were sub-labs and The Blight Research Department was where much of the other research and successes were sent meaning all that was left was that was already experimented on?

And along with the still scattered seven legendary failed projects coupled with the mixture of nine hundred and seventy husks and other failed projects! Plus they could be anywhere! The living quarters, entertainment area, and so forth!

He just hoped a Vina didn't forget to mention Sacred Realms? Causing him after several moments of planning in the now cleared storage facility albeit no one was there except for the cocoons?

He had soon decided to take advantage of the fact that the husks and everything else had ignored her to look for the Legendary Realms and hand them his letter!

Causing her after staring at him for a full minute to then snatch the letters and leave.

Causing Vulpes to then helplessly look to the young prince having had thought the plan was quite risky since it relied on Vina's information along with the fact that Dolly seemed quite possibly annoyed telling by the way she snatched said letters?

While the young prince himself adorably looked at the cocoons? Causing poor Vulpes to then playfully sigh.

"Lady Dolly seemed quite.. upset? My apologies I couldn't tell with that veil blocking everything out? Thinking of which I'd suggest looking at the body language and attempting to.. I'm not quite sure how to say this?"

"Getting on better terms perhaps? Reconciling with each other maybe? In any case, I could give you some suggestions to do that if you'd like? It's best to always keep your squad mates happy enough that they wouldn't send.. let's say seven legendary realms your way?"

"Of course, this could be a rare case where that's simply how she is? Or perhaps even suffering from a trauma or a toxic environment for quite some time? All of which are speculations, I know, but figuring it out would give you much-needed experience for the future?"

Vulpes curiously explained surprising the young prince causing him to then hesitantly nod having felt guilty enough and thought ignoring such guilt would be for the best up until he realized his mind was filled with it!

So much so that he had forgotten the risks and sent her anyways! If something happens to her it'll be his fault!

Even if he trusted Vina's information it still wouldn't come without risks! Causing him after clearing his mind to then worriedly become teary.

"I-I did it again! I-If Dolly doesn't come back I'm going to save her! S-So big brother please tell Aurel how to make up with Dolly!"

The young prince tearily mumbled causing Vulpes to then reassuringly pat his head.

"I'm sorry Aurel I shouldn't have overwhelmed you like that? Especially since you have yet to recover after your previous trauma! I was being foolish and should have convinced you to delay such a mission until you've recovered!"

"It wasn't you who had failed, it was me.. I didn't even have the courage to finally change my name for heaven's sake! As for Lady Dolly, simply tell her how you feel? Something like that despite seeming childish at times is what many people simply overlook!"

"I believe that'll be enough! And if she doesn't return I'll help you look without alerting the entire facility if that helps?"

Vulpes helplessly reassured surprising the young prince before then tearily shaking his head and nodding, he needed to experience these things first so he wouldn't have to suffer the same in the future?

Such mistakes, experiences, and enlightenment were both precious and crucial!

Perhaps he'd be one more step closer to being more like his mommy and Noel if he manages to rectify and learn from these mistakes?

Causing Vulpes having seen this small improvement to then sigh with relief.

Fortunately enough it seems there was no longer a need for rescue since Lady Dolly had soon returned and with a Legendary Blight Queen that looked oddly identical to that of Ravinia herself.

Surprising him before then calming down and hugging Dolly!

Surprising both and the young prince to then adorably become even more tearier.

"I'm so sorry Priestess Dolly! B-Be it the Altar and now! I-I was so scared! An-And I didn't want to hurt Dolly at Altar bu-but I still hurt Dolly!"

"An-And Aurel sent you to deliver notes bu-but what if big sister Vina was wrong and Dolly got hurt?! It'll be Aurel's fault again.. the guilt hurts Aurel and It won't go away! It was all Aurel's fault!"

The young prince apologetically cried surprising everyone even more causing poor Dolly to then gently rub his back before then simply whispering into his ear surprising him and causing him to then nod while she wiped away his tears.

After the apologetic antics and the young prince calming down he soon looked to the strange copy of Ravinia who had apparently wanted to meet him personally causing her to then curiously examine him.

In truth, there was very little difference between the original Vania meaning she was in her Elf Form?

She wore what looked to be a bridge between that of a much armored Temple Guard kit infused with that of the blight and strange insignias and patterns?

Giving her a strangely gorgeous yet extremely dangerous despite only being that of a Low-Level Legendary Powerhouse? Causing her to then gently nod with a familiar smile.

"I'm Lady Vinia, it seems you've met the fragment Lady Vina and The Original Queen of Senex? Don't look shocked sister, I'm the pure concentration of the original? However unfortunately it seems I've become a Blight Queen? I'd imagine it was done intentionally?"

"A Queen of The Blight with The Abilities of that of The Queen of Senex despite sounding grand and impressive, actually does very little when you're dying? Apparently, I've been deemed a failure and despite attempting to breakthrough to save myself it's simply impossible now?"