A New Lead

Levi didn't notice Allen's presence as he was staring at the two tombstones engraved with the names of his beloved wife, Madison Moore, and daughter, Sharlene Montfort.

Madison was known as Allen's sister, while Levi was his uncle because he was one of Shun's distant relatives. It may sound like something is wrong with the relationship, but there is no blood-related Levi and Madison had.

Madison was the reincarnation of Allen's parents Shun and Cassandra's firstborn daughter from their past life three hundred years ago. And so, after Madison reincarnated in this lifetime, although they were not siblings by blood, they treated each other like actual brothers and sisters.

"Uncle Levi..."

Allen sees the man in a trance as if everything around him did not exist. He pitied his uncle watching him in that state. He was no longer the lively person in the past. Levi Montfort is completely changed after the family war.

Allen could not wholly relate to the feeling, but he could compare the pain of seeing his father constantly talking about his Mama Cassandra when they were alone.

What does it feel like to lose someone? Having this thought, Allen's mind drifted toward Violet. And before his heart could answer, Allen's head quickly dismissed the idea, ignoring his heartbreak after scolding himself.

'Forget it. You have no time for it, anyway.' It felt torture for Allen; then, sadness would spread throughout his chest, but the reality was harsh, so he could not afford to love at this moment.

"How do you do, Uncle Levi?" Allen coughed to get the middle-aged man's attention when there was no reply. "Uncle Levi, it's me, Allen."

Eventually, the middle-aged man seems to have woken up and got back to his senses.

"Allen?" Levi raised his head and cast a glance over his shoulder.

"It's me, Uncle. How do you do?" Allen has to repeat his question to open up a conversation with him. It was evident how the man was heartbroken even after almost two decades had passed that Madison and Sharlene had died tragically.

Levi blinked his eyes, which were still in a daze. It took him a bit more time to return to his senses.

"What are you doing here, Allen? Where is Charles? How about Edward? Did you see him? Why didn't they notify me ahead of time that you were coming? Those sons of mine…." Levi sighed with sadness exhibited in his eyes at the thought that he did not matter to his children anymore and that he was only a burden of a crazy old man. "I apologized, Allen."

"There is no need to apologize, Uncle. I am just dropping by, so I didn't announce my arrival."

"Oh. I'm happy you remember to visit me." Levi stood up on his feet and gave Allen a tight hug.

"I would love to visit as often as I could, Uncle. However, I want to find a solution to save Mama and bring her home."

Levi parted from Allen, and shock appeared on his face.

"Are you seriously saying that?" He opened his mouth to say something, but the words stuck on his tongue. All of a sudden, excitement erupted throughout his entire system. "What are you planning, Allen?"

Allen did not reply but became vigilant. He simply looked around while he scanned the area. He must be careful that the enemy's spy drones, as small as a mosquito or the tiniest insects, cannot enter the premises.

After he ran a scan, Allen found malicious software attempting to invade the security system in Montfort Chateau.

"Uncle Levi, there is someone who wants to infiltrate the security system of the chateau. Would you mind if I ran a thorough scan in Pete's Central System?"

"Hmm… I see. It looks like this place is not safe for chit-chat. Let's go inside then."

Allen followed Levi back to the chateau. He thought his uncle would take him to the study, but Levi brought him to the underground library.

"Please take a seat, Allen. Would you like some coffee?"

"That would be great, uncle. Thanks." Allen replied and took the couch, then sat down. He took out his computer and began diving into the chateau's central system, Pete the Butler. He ran a scan to find malicious malware entering the system.

"How is it, Allen?" After five minutes, Levi finished brewing a coffee and serving one to his nephew.

"I ran a diagnostic to Pete's network and found several malicious codes. Someone is keeping an eye on you, Uncle."

"Well…" Levi took the head chair and lounged comfortably while a cup was in his hand, inhaling the aroma of the coffee. He mumbled, "There's no surprise, and you know that person, of course."

The way his uncle spoke, Allen could sense resentment in his voice. Seeing the gloom in his facial expression, Allen suspects his uncle has actually not entirely lost his sanity but was pretending to be like one for a reason.

"Uncle Levi, what did you do this entire time? Why is Howard keenly monitoring all your movements? Is there something I should know?"

Levi raised his gaze and met his nephew's eyes. For a while, he pondered whether he would share his thoughts with Allen. After some time, he answered, "I am tracking down where the shamans were now."

"The shamans? Why are you looking for them? Are you planning to…"

"I want to locate where they are hiding. I know they were out there where Howard cannot find them."

"Then we are looking for the same people, Uncle Levi. I also need to locate them to answer my questions," said Allen.

"What do you want from them?" Curious, Levi queried his nephew.

Allen replied, "I am holding on to the hope that they can help me how to defeat Howard."

"Are you planning to take revenge on behalf of your sister and mother?"

"Let's say it was one of many reasons that I listed down." Allen looked at his uncle with a solemn facial expression, and Levi could not fathom the depth of its meaning.

He pondered whether to share his real purpose and why he was also looking for the shamans. In the back of his head, he thought maybe it was best if his Uncle Levi did not know his plans so that his life would not be in danger. However, Allen also needed as much help as he could get from everyone who wanted to bring Howard down.

"Uncle Levi, I want to know if someone possessed the same ability as Madison and Aunt Isabella."

"What are you trying to do, Allen, and you wanted to investigate this stuff?"

"I need someone who could open another timeline. I heard from dad that there is another timeline that possibly had a different course of the future," Allen replied.

Levi looked at Allen with such emotion. Suddenly, memories of the past flash before his eyes. It was those times he traveled time with his wife.

"I wished I could help you, Allen."

Allen pursed his lips into a warm smile. He senses the sincerity in his uncle's voice, and he understands the man is still suffering loneliness and pain.

"It's alright, Uncle. But what information I yearn to know if the shamans knew anyone who could perform the ritual since..."

Allen did not finish his sentence. Levi formed a small smile on his lips as he understood what Allen was about to say. Madison is no longer with them. She can perform the ritual along with Isabella and Cassandra.

But now that the three of them are gone...

"What are you trying to do, Allen? Are you going to reset the time like they once did before?"

Allen nodded his head and hid nothing. "I am Uncle Levi. To figure out how to kill Howard, I will reset it. I kept investigating, but my men could not get near him."

"Allen, please be careful. He is not an easy opponent. He is powerful and could cheat death so effortlessly. Unless…" Levi trailed his words, causing Allen to die in curiosity. He was sure that his uncle was keeping so much knowledge about this world. But in the passing years, he remained silent and showed the world how he mourned after his wife and daughter died.

"What do you know, Uncle?"

asked Allen, his eyes never left his uncle.

Levi lowered his head and stared at the hot liquid in his cup. After a moment of silence, he opened his mouth and said, "I am looking for the shamans so that I may know who hid the fragments of the blade after Howard destroyed it."

Hearing this, Allen has a complicated feeling about it. "The blade? Is it the same blade that wounded papa during the fight?"

"Yes. It was also the same blade that killed Madison and sealed your mother to another dimension." Levi said regretfully. Every time he remembered what happened that day, it felt like someone had slashed his heart again.

Seeing the pain drawn on his uncle's face, Allen swears that he'll succeed in his objectives and avenge Madison, and everyone dies because of Howard.

"Uncle Levi, can this blade also be able to harm Howard?"

he asked after a moment of contemplation.

"It cannot only harm him," Levi explained. "It can also kill him if the blade contains the sorcerer's power."

"Sorcerer who? Do we have one in this world? As I heard from Uncle Derek, they were extinct a thousand years ago." Allen suddenly was delighted that a possibility might be the key to the solution he was seeking.

Levi answered, "That is true, but hearsays that a few living with a hidden identity among us. Unfortunately, they lost their magic, so the shamans mostly could not distinguish them. But who knows? Maybe we actually interact with them on a daily, normal basis. Or it's a truth that they were hiding from civilization, especially from that man."

"And you have high hopes that they still have the power. Am I right, Uncle Levi?"

"If that man survives throughout these years. The possibility that the lineage continues. I am searching to find one because even if we found the fragments of the blade, only the sorcerer's power can rebuild the sword."

Allen fell silent and contemplated. Now he has new information on how to defeat Howard and the possibility that he could open the dimension where his mother sealed away. This is a new lead!

"To find information about the sorcerers, we should locate where the shamans were hiding. I think I know where to start from here on, Uncle Levi." Allen got up from the couch and bid farewell.

"Allen, wait…" Levi got up and strode toward his table. From his drawer, he took a piece of a black button with a golden owl carved in the middle. "I hope this little information can help you. I am still gathering as much as I can. But Howard is keen on monitoring us, so we have to limit our movements."

"I understand, Uncle Levi. Thank you so much!" Allen hugged his uncle like he was a precious gem, giving him the hope he had now.

"Be careful, Allen. I will let you know if I collect new information."

"You too, Uncle. Don't worry. I already requested Randy to update Pete's central system. We will amplify Pete's sensor to detect even the tiniest spy drone camera flying over to the entire chateau premises."

"Thank you, Allen."

Levi patted his nephew's back.

"Small thing, Uncle Levi."

That evening, Allen flew back to Mainland City with the hope he carried in his heart. Allen's plane was about to land. His gaze swept toward the dazzling lights from the central city buildings, which never appealed to him even how blinding the scenery was.

'That woman was far more beautiful than those fake stars.' He mumbled as he could not stop thinking about Violet. And when his eyes caught a glimpse of the Queen's Real Estate, Allen softened his gaze, staring at the mansion that belonged to his family.

"Just a little more time, Mama."