Click.
Diablo was the one to open the door and enter first, with me entering second and Ferora third.
It was a normal room, with white carpet to protect the feet from the cold stone underneath, a mirror, cupboard, drawers, make-up kits etc…
And in the middle of it, on a swaying chair, a frail and thin woman, with pale pink hair, sat, swaying back and forth slowly.
I noticed in my peripheral vision that the room had suddenly darkened, with the woman's swaying coming to a halt.
I also noticed that, Ferora, who was so rude to Rose to the point that I felt sympathetic towards her, had a complex expression on his face seeing the woman, his wife.
"That is… Vidella Avarise, my wife." He said, his tone bittersweet.
Diablo nodded as he tried to communicate with her, but received nothing sort of a response from her side.
In the end, he stepped back. "We knew her mental state was bad, but not this bad," he clicked his tongue, the room turning slightly darker once again as the two shadows of a female teenager and an old man returned.
"Any luck finding her?" I asked.
"She escaped, somehow. I will have to inform Viscount Kentucky of this issue."
I nodded. The situation earlier had escalated quickly, something I hadn't expected. I thought that, at most, Diablo would make Rose recount all the information she knew about the Cavern of Black Lilies, not outright attack her.
Damn, I heard my grandfather was strict for family related matters, but not this strict… if it even was due to being family related.
Just as I was lost in my thoughts, Diablo commanded the shadow of an old man.
The shadow of an old man raised his hands, pointed towards Vidella's direction, and clenched his fists.
Immediately, this elicited a reaction from her as she sat up straight, her eyes overwhelmed by complex emotions.
"Who are you?" She asked rapidly, her gaze alternating between I and Diablo.
Then, she immediately clutched her head, but before that, the shadow of a female teenager, merged with Vidella Avarise's shadow, as the woman finally calmed down.
"Who are you?" Diablo asked.
"I am… Right, I am Vidella Avarise, daughter of…"
"What drove you mad?"
"I cannot say."
Diablo looked at her in surprise, furrowing his brows.
"You cannot say… what do you mean?"
Vidella Avarise pursed her lips.
Diablo asked various questions, barely receiving an answer from her, eventually sighing.
"Do you have any questions to ask?" He turned to us, asking.
I responded. "Yes. Please ask her which religion or supreme being she serves."
Having read in textbooks about the dangers and precautions of serving higher beings, one of the dangers stated "a state of feeling no emotions," so thinking it was related to that, I spoke.
Diablo nodded, and Ferora beside me was tense.
"Is it even safe to…"
"Which religion do you serve?" Diablo asked, interrupting him and choosing a safer approach.
"I serve no religion." She replied, making the two of us breathe a sigh of relief.
"However, I follow the one who "Wanders the Ownerless Skies," representing…"
Diablo immediately clenched his fists but her utterance didn't stop, prompting the room to darken further.
In the next moment, I saw a pillar of light erupt outside the mansion through the window, but instead of standing in the room, I realised I had entered a forest.
The forest was clean, with no wilderness or trees, and it only had a few flowers strewn across the ground, their colours golden yellow.
I furrowed my eyebrows seeing the forest. It reminded me of a poem that was famous across the continent.
"Creation builds Spirit, the Spirit Creates Land, the Land receives the Grace of Light and ascends or receives the Grace of War and goes Extinct, receiving Death."
The exact same verse was recited behind my back, prompting me to turn and look.
Behind me, in white robes that were different from what Mumbe Berknalz had worn, stood Vidella Avarise, holding a basket of flowers of various colours.
"An interesting poem, isn't it? Something that explains life, while also explaining the path of ascension or Death."
"However, it also explains the corresponding gods worshipped by the churches."
I frowned. "Where is this, what do you want?"
"Fret not, I pose no harm. I have merely pulled you into this place to explain some things."
"What things?" I asked, backing away while preparing a spell.
But the spell I had prepared strangely dispersed, its sparks flying into the air.
Just what was this place?
"Spells aren't effective in this place, Ruiki. Why don't we talk?"
"How do you know my name?"
She smiled, "I know a lot of things, something that is natural once you age. However, although I would like to talk about it, it isn't what I have come to discuss."
"The path ahead is going to be difficult, Ruiki Imara," She said, walking towards me. "It is going to be filled with hardships, something that you cannot avoid no matter what."
"I had already informed her to tell you to stay away from the north. But alas…" She stood before me. "She has failed."
"But we all wish that you succeed." She said, bringing her face closer to mine as she placed her forehead on mine.
"I pray that you receive solace amidst His Grace, Ruiki Imara. I Bless you that…"
However, before she could complete her sentence, I noticed that the entire space was crumbling.
I lost my footing as I fell, somehow, feeling as if I was close to liberation, a bittersweet feeling.
Just as I thought I was going to fall into unknown depths again, I regained my footing.
Thud—
"..." I heard Diablo recite something, as I finally got a clue on what was going on.
Vidella Avarise was dead, lying on the floor with her eyes wide open, and Ferora clinging to her side, hugging her and crying.
"...What happened?" I asked.
Diablo, with cold sweat dripping from his face, answered. "She almost invoked the power of a supreme being, moments away from killing us all."
An "Oh," escaped my lips as we left the mansion along with Mumbe — who, at some point, had arrived at the mansion — and as we searched for a local inn, I recounted my experience to the both of them.
"Being blessed by a foul creature, very bad… If I wasn't held back, I would've probably purified you." Mumbe Bernknalz said, a chill running down my spine.
"This is troublesome… leading to serious consequences if left untreated." Diablo rubbed his forehead. "We should head to the nearest Church of Ancient Death and have you treated."
The nearest church, huh? There was one in Armashore City but I doubted it served the God of Death, so I asked, "Where is it?"
"We'd perhaps need to go to the closest city or reach the City of Black Bird… Dammit." Diablo's expression turned grim as we walked into an inn, Diablo paying the owner in Ancient Stone, rented the entire inn out.
"Wind Flower City is closer and easier to travel by land, while although it could take a while, Black Bird City could be reached through the ship." Mumbe Bernknalz spoke amusingly, chuckling. "Which one is better?"
Diablo nodded, speaking. "I will ask Arbille on this matter, and seek his opinion." He looked at me, and said, "For the time being, please refrain from going out without informing me, no matter what."
I nodded, realising the gravity of the situation.
"Can you not see if a misfortune has actually been bestowed?" Diablo asked Mumbe.
Mumbe spread her hands. "My… powers are insufficient. Even if a lingering misfortune was attached, I can't sense it."
Diablo snorted, handing me the keys. "For now, Young Master, choose one of the rooms. The rooms that were preoccupied are being cleared and cleaned, so you can choose one of the vacant ones."
I nodded as Diablo summoned the shadow of a teenage girl, and the shadow, as soon as it was summoned, blended into my own shadow.
"Is this necessary?"
"It is, yes." Diablo replied, looking at Mumbe. "I will be outside to get in contact with the administrator, if you have anything you want, or wish to convey, you can say it to the shadow, it will pass it onto me."
A very useful authority. If only spells were so good… I sigh softly, nodding.
Soon, Diablo left, and the ship's captain, Saemon, entered the hotel-like inn.
"Diablo isn't around?" He asked, prompting me to shake my head.
"Apparently, I am cursed, somehow. He said he will go ask the administrator cum Baron about the location of a nearby temple."
Saemon lifted his eyebrows in surprise. "Really now," his eyes turned slightly blacker as I stared at them, appearing unfocused. "Hmm… there are some lingering traces of "unknown" around you, I doubt it will harm you, though."
"It is more of a blessing than a curse."
"Really?" I asked, surprised. When I saw him nod, I sighed. "Then we can take it slow, and rest perhaps."
Saemon nodded. "Saves us trouble."
Initially, I was curious about what the ship's captain did, except for steering the ship.
The ship that was handed to us from Evanus Williams wasn't one of the Royal Sails, but rather, some sort of fishing ship with magical inscriptions.
And this did prompt me to ask, "What do you do usually, like before you had to take us to the Deroz Yr City."
He seemed a bit reluctant to disclose, though. "Hmm… usually, me and my team fetch corpses from underwater."
"Fetch corpses from underwater?"
"Yeah," he confirmed it, as disbelieving as it might have sounded. "Since a lot of powerful wizards and the blessed had died in the Great Blink, their corpses still remain undiscovered. Many say that their corpses are submerged, in the depths of the sea."
The Great Blink, the incident that had separated the two continents in the midst of Last Embers.
"And you have found the corpses?"
"Some of them, we have. But most of them… no, not yet." He said with a smile, and elaborated. "Apparently, the north had invented a spell that allowed us to draw in endless magical essence, and after Evanus gets it thoroughly checked, we might be able to do much more than retrieve submerged corpses."
I frowned in surprise, somehow. "Wait, endless supply of magical essence?"
"Yes, they call it mana spheres, apparently." Saemon confirmed, nodding. "It was mainly built to complete the pathway towards the Western Continent, but looks like we'll be able to do a bit more from it."
His words sounded menacing, nonetheless. Calling the Supreme King by his name, maybe they were friends?
No wonder he chose this person as the captain…
I gulped and asked, "What is your blessing?"
Saemon smiled, gesturing me towards the bar.
"There are two parts to a blessing, actually. The reason it is called a blessing with an "s"."
He sat down before the counter, asking the bartender wine while placing gold coins in front.
"One, of the Heart, the other… it can be perceived as an authority, I guess." He shrugged, looking at the bartender.
"An authority?"
"Yeah, you can do cool stuff like bring back the dead, or attach shadows," he said, gesturing towards my shadow.
"Is it even possible?" I asked in disbelief.
"It is very much possible if you reach higher levels." He said, not saying anything else as a wine with orangish-yellow colour was placed in front of him.
He took a sip. "Your Spirit is in the second-level, yes?"
"Ah, yes, I recently ascended it." He knew?
"Hmm… then your ability to draw in the surrounding world essence has increased. That is good, indeed." He smiled in satisfaction, his cheeks red.
"I must say, although blessings are far superior than spells, spells aren't bad either."
Thinking that maybe he said that to console me, I thanked him. "Thank you,"
"Oh, maybe you misunderstood me," he chuckled, his cheeks flushing red. "Being a descendant of the blessed, you will naturally wield blessings if your grandfather wishes to."
"That can happen?"
"It is obvious, no?" He said, "Although your mother is not a blessed right now, she has inherited some of the authority from your grandfather, which makes your ascension all the more easier."
"Can I be a blessed and a wizard at the same time?" I asked, surprised.
"No, no, no. Both traits cannot coexist. One will prevail while the other will die. Although you might be able to cast spells, you cannot get both at the same time."
"Just like how you cannot have a pond of wine and a forest of meat at the same time, hahaha."
Seeing his demeanor, I was rather cautious, thinking that something I shouldn't know might slip from his mouth.
As the thought lingered in my mind, I didn't risk it further. "You are drunk, captain, maybe you should stop,"
"That's bullshit. Blessed like myself don't get drunk so easily!"
His face and his words didn't say he was sober, though.
I sighed. "Let me help you,"
And just like that, I helped the ship's captain to one of the rooms.
As I settled him on a chair, he sighed. "Back when I was working for Dwar, he had the best wines with him… after the Bitter Cold War though, sigh…"
Seeing him mumble incoherent words, I left him on the chair and exited the room, spotting Diablo.
"That damned drunk, did he say something stupid?" He asked, hurrying towards me.
"No, but he did say that I wasn't cursed. But rather blessed. After that though, he talked about various topics that I hadn't asked about."
Diablo scanned me, as if something had gone wrong with me, and nodded only after a minute of awkward scrutiny.
"That's good. Looks like he has kept himself in control," he sighed in relief.
"Can we trust his words? That I'm not cursed?"
"He is a high-level Grave Keeper, and he would know if something was wrong with you…" Diablo trailed off. "But it would be better to get you treated by a priest."
I nodded, asking. "Where are we going to, then?"
At the question, Diablo's expression turned grim. "I asked Arbille, and there is indeed a way to reach the closest city, Windflower City, by land."
Windflower City… it is the closest the south could get to the north. I frowned.
"And with Saemon being in the state he currently is, the path to Windflower City will be the best." Diablo said, "Apparently, it is a tunnel that was built during the Bitter Cold War, and even Master Evanus is familiar with it."
"During the war… is it even safe?"
"It is negligible," Diablo said, "We will take that drunkard if possible, and Mumbe Berknalz will tag along with us naturally."
"At night after we have rested, we will gather in front of the tunnel…"
…
A few hours had passed, and after a brief rest, the four of us — including Saemon, headed towards the tunnel.
"I am only coming because Evanus asked me to, and also because I am willing. However, keep in mind that I will not stay in that city you mentioned, and will return back after ensuring that you have safely crossed it…" Saemon blabbered before sighing.
"Honestly, visiting such places are always ominous, and lead to consequences. How could Evanus allow it…"
"Shut it, will you?" Diablo growled in a low voice, prompting Saemon to stop and spread his hands.
"The same old Diablo. The north doesn't make you a better person."
In order to reach the old tunnels, we needed to first reach the fortress that surrounded Armashore City, and below one of the ruins, there was the entrance to the tunnel.
So in the midst of 9 o'clock or something, we wandered the streets lit by oil lamps that hung on the roofs of shops and houses, obviously standing out of the place due to our clothes and also because of Saemon, who still didn't look completely sober and was blabbering off.
"How was Cvoilics?" I asked Diablo, trying to engage in idle chatter.
"It was old and modern, yet stylised in its own way, possessing trains but having a slow internet compared to other cities." Diablo replied, seemingly reminiscing.
"Honestly, how does the north have such advanced technology while we don't?" I asked, puzzled.
Who wouldn't want mobile phones and laptops, which made conversation so easy?
At that question, Diablo shook his head, "It is the region that worships the God of Light and Knowledge, after all."
"So they could enjoy better facilities than us? C'mon, even that brain-wrecking alliance isn't that advanced!" Saemon complained, spreading his hands.
"All due to God's grace." Mumbe Bernknalz completed as silence loomed over us.
Feeling the need to ask questions and in the hope of getting them answered, I asked once again, "How was technology far more advanced in the Imperial Era than now?"
Diablo pondered for a while and answered, a faint smile visible on his face, "Maybe it is the nature of mankind, to advance in one way or the other, and reach mastery in various fields."
"Just as how magic and spell casting triumphs now, maybe technology triumphed back then,"
I nodded, but turned to my side to see Mumbe grumble something under her breath along the lines of 'Uneducated brute' something.
But Diablo paid it no mind, walking forward while leading us, Saemon looking at the roasted fish stalls kept around.
Since Armashore City was near the sea, there were plenty of aquatic animals kept on the roadside stalls, some roasted and some decorated with fruits et cetera.
But in order to not draw any more suspicion than what already loomed over us, I turned forward, walking alongside others.
Just then, I heard a familiar voice shout behind me, "Ruiki!"
Somewhat surprised by hearing the voice, I turned around, spotting my classmate and friend, Wa'eru Diskizi waving at me, surrounded by two policemen.
He came running towards me as Diablo asked if I knew him, and I nodded.
"What are you doing here?" I asked as he neared, Wa'eru catching his breath.
"What do you mean what I'm doing here… huff… this is where my parents live."
"But the main question is, what are you doing here?" He pointed an accusing finger at me, "You failed your thesis!"
I stood awkwardly, not knowing what to respond.
"And you just disappeared…" Wa'eru stopped, looking at the company behind me as the two policemen approached cautiously.
Just as the policemen approached, I noticed Diablo stepping back, avoiding their sights.
While I wondered what he did that for, I asked Wa'eru, "What are you doing here?" While pointing at the policemen behind him.
Wa'eru's expression turned grim at my question. "That… my father had gone missing, even Loen is here,"
"What?" I asked with a frown at the abruptness, "Isn't your father a member of the Baron's council?"
At my words, Saemon's ears perked up as Wa'eru answered, "That's part of the reason why he went missing…" but before he could speak further, one of the policemen placed his hands on his shoulder.
Seeing it, Saemon whispered to me, "Maybe it's something very serious if a member of the council has gone missing in this big city,"
I nodded as one of the policemen bowed slightly and showed a crude photo of Wa'eru's father, "Please understand the importance of the situation and report to us if you find him, thank you."
And with that, the policemen left along with Wa'eru, who reluctantly went alongside them.
As they left, Diablo looked at Saemon and said, "Nothing to concern ourselves with, the Baron will handle it. We should continue on our way,"
But I stood still, looking at the policemen and Wae'eru who were still asking around.
"Is it possible to find his father?"
Diablo frowned at my question.
"We needn't trouble ourselves with meaningless tasks," he said, "We have wasted enough time searching for Rosalyn De Avarise already, we shouldn't waste more…"
"Puhuk, even after searching the entire city, you weren't able to find her," Saemon remarked.
Indeed, while we were resting, Diablo, along with the Baron, was searching the city for Rose's traces, but unfortunately, he hadn't managed to find her.
At the mention of her name, even Diablo frowned, "She isn't that powerful, yet how could she teleport to such distances…"
Bringing them back on-topic, I asked, "Why did you hide when the policemen came?"
Diablo hung his head low as he replied quietly, "I'm still a wanted fugitive on the run — who conspired with Archduke Lenjvík in the fall of Cvoilics Magic Academy."
"But aren't you…"
"Yes, but His Majesty wants to keep my allegiance a secret in case the need arises in the future."
I nod, understanding why Viscount Kentucky was saying weird things about Diablo.
"I see… but with your shadows, you can atleast make it possible to talk to Wa'eru…?"
Diablo pondered a few seconds, then nodded, retracting back the shadow of a teenage girl. "It's possible."
…
After I and Diablo followed the policemen with Mumbe and Saemon left behind, I noticed Loen walking towards them from a distance and approached him.
"Ruiki? What are you doing here?" He asked in surprise but I interrupted.
"What happened to Wa'eru's father?"
Loen frowned as he replied, "Wa'eru said to not say to anyone but…"
He sighed and yielded, "Apparently, the city's wall that protects it like a fortress has an opening in them."
Diablo frowned slightly upon hearing this.
"After arguing with Baron Arbille and the finance minister who refused to spend money to repair the wall, his father stormed out of the meeting hall to find his own solution… and he hasn't been found since."
"There's a crack in the wall?" Diablo echoed, frowning. "Who told you this?"
"Uh… Wa'eru's mother…" The northerner said, somewhat confused by Diablo's looks — for he resembled a northerner as much as he did for a southerner.
"Do you know what portion of the wall has an opening?" Diablo asked, to which Loen shook his head.
"No, but Wa'eru's mother should know that… Wae'eru's father was constantly bringing up this issue for a month or two…"
"Lead us to her, then," Diablo said, his expression grave.
As Loen nodded hesitatingly while asking for my confirmation, I nodded slightly.
I, Loen and Wa'eru were friends since pre-school, having grown up in the same district and school, so Loen nodded at Diablo.
On the way, I asked Diablo, "Why the sudden seriousness?"
Diablo shook his head at the question, gesturing that he'll tell later as I made a mental note to ask Saemon about it.
Meanwhile, Loen, who was leading us, suddenly said, "You know Aunt Elenoir's apple tree?"
"Yeah?"
"It has already grown and bore plenty of apples."
"Is that so…"
"Yeah, the last time a month ago, it didn't bore so many apples."
That's very fast, but then again, Aunt Elenoir's unique witchcraft was known to the whole city.
"Why did you leave in the midst of all things?" Loen asked, and I replied with a sigh.
"Things happened, we needed to shift houses."
"But you could have shifted two or three months later, no? When you got the results…"
Well, it didn't really matter now, I guess. "Forget it, I will tell you later," though I doubted it.
Soon, we arrived at Wa'eru's house, where two policemen were stationed at the door, and left us inside only when Loen assured them by calling Wa'eru's mother, who recognised me and let us in.
Wa'eru's mother, her countenance pale with her eyes slightly red, settled us in the living room.
Diablo took the initiative first, "Your husband went missing?"
She frowned slightly but eventually nodded, "Yes, he went to repair the wall on his own but…"
"Repair the wall on his own? What rank was his accommodation?" Diablo asked, somewhat impatient.
But either Wa'eru's mother didn't care about his demeanor or she only wanted her husband back, she replied in politely in exhaustion,
"Last time I asked him, he said he had accommodated a second-level essential sea, but since I don't know much about magic or spell casting, I didn't ask much…"
That was quite high! He probably had access to higher-level Third Dimensional Spells then!
Diablo nodded, muttering to himself faintly, "At the level of Seventh or Sixth Circle then…"
"He wasn't a Blessed, correct?" After she nodded, Diablo pondered for a few seconds before he nodded back.
"We'll try finding your husband, please give us any details if you have it."
At that, Wa'eru's mother nodded as we left the house, standing near the door.
"She knows something but she isn't telling us. She doesn't find us… or she doesn't find me trustworthy." Diablo said after we had come outside.
I couldn't blame her for that. Even though our mothers were friends, perhaps due to my recent disappearance, she didn't disclose everything.
"What do you suggest we do, then?"
Diablo said, "I will take care of matters from here on out, please join Saemon and Mumbe."
"You aren't going to harm them or anything, right?"
"Please rest assured, I'm civilised enough to not do that…"
Although I didn't want to leave matters related to my close friend to him, I had no choice but to do so and go back to find Saemon Havaris and Mumbe Berknalz.
I soon found them, Saemon at a nearby liquor shop with Mumbe being in the shop adjacent to it, looking at the fishes being fried.
Since alcohol and roasted fish were a great combination, the shops selling the both of them were often close by, even splitting profits with each other.
I first went to Saemon and asked him, "Why's there a wall surrounding the city?"
"To protect it from tides?" He answered, gazing at the alcohol in front of him but not drinking it.
"But why such tall and robust walls?"
"To make sure they also protect the future generations and last even through a great wave?"
I grit my teeth in frustration. He didn't reveal useful information but only the useless ones.
Going to where Mumbe was, I asked her the same question and she answered in a ponderous manner, "The walls… I don't know… I barely know about the south since I grew up in Cvoilics."
Then how is the Duchess your sister? I felt the urge to ask, but refrained. The image of her preaching madly in the royal palace played in my mind as I backed away, going back into the liquor shop and seating myself beside Saemon.
"Kids aren't allowed here, you know?" Saemon said, chuckling, picking up the glass and downing the golden and sizzling alcohol.
…
Inside Wa'eru Diskizi's house.
Diablo, after monitoring Wa'eru's mother long enough, discreetly commanded the shadow of a young girl.
Wa'eru's mother, oblivious to Diablo's presence, was drinking tea sitting on a table, her eyes swollen.
Suddenly, her shadow became ethereal, condensing and rising, forming the shadow of a young girl shorter than her.
The young girl slowly placed her hands on her shoulders as Wa'eru's mother froze, forgetting what she was about to do.
Discreetly, the shadow of an old man emerged from Diablo's own, extending his hand in her direction and clenching it.
Wa'eru's mother, who was trying to remember what to do next, completely gave up as tears swelled under her eyes.
At that moment, Diablo emerged from the shadows, looking at her and asking, "Where did your husband go?"
The tears she had been trying to hold back streamed down her cheeks as she replied mechanically, "To… the old… tunnels…"
Diablo's expression morphed. "Which tunnels?"
"The only one in Armashore City… the tunnel near the fortress walls… the one built during the Bitter Cold War…"
"Why did he go there?" He asked, his voice a pitch higher.
"Because… he… he thought that he could find the material… he needed, to finish the wall…"
Diablo scowled as the shadow belonging to the young girl embraced the woman, slowly sliding down and becoming her shadow.
…
In a place where red, yellow, green and black lights collided fiercely, and the blue light was recessive.
Belite, surrounded by the alternating lights, covered his eyes.
"Wanderer," he called out slowly, looking away from the lights. "Did you always know… know that Sel… Sel Armado, was still alive?" he asked, his voice painfully twisted.
This time, however, the majestic and deep voice didn't reply, remaining silent.
Belite, expecting the silence, chuckled. "Those damned southerners... using her to control Armado…" but his chuckles came to an end, his tone shifting. "But the question is, how did you not know?"
"You were the one that forced me to kill her after all."