Valiente Conglomerate has always been ranked at the top of the business world since it started fifty years ago until the recent year. It is supposed to be in control of every powerful patriarch of the family who has enough ability to run an entire company, but the last patriarch was a muddle-headed person who couldn't resist the whispers of his beloved mistress and gave the full rights of the company to an incompetent person, which is his illegitimate son.

The company now is a whole lot of mess and on the brink of falling apart. Shareholders are threatening to pull out their investments, but because of its long-standing in the business world, they still need to give it a face and a chance to turn it over back to where it used to be.

As a prideful person with a big ego, the current president doesn't know how to ask for help and beg for forgiveness from his family whom he looked down on the moment he became the president of the once glorious company. Instead, he unknowingly walked into the trap laid by his so-called trusted business partner by agreeing to a marriage alliance set for their children.

Right now, while they are discussing random fake deals on the phone and not even meeting formally, their children are also facing each other in a fancy restaurant without bothering to pretend to be nice to each other.

"Edward, right?" Patricia, the daughter of a mid-ranked company, asked while looking at the handsome man in front of her in contempt.

Edward rolled his eyes inwardly. "You already know my name, so why bother asking?" He gives her a mocking smile after speaking.

Patricia didn't get mad at the rudeness and bad attitude of this 'soon-to-be' husband of hers. She doesn't know the full details of why her father wants her to marry the son of an incompetent and unworthy person, but she certainly understands that this man in front of her needs her and the success of this date to seal the deal of their marriage alliance that her father had set up. In other words, he needs to please her for her father to help their family on the brink of bankruptcy.

"For someone who needs our help, you sure are very rude," Patricia said in disdain.

Edward snorts, "Who the heck needs your help?" He doesn't need any help from someone who looks down on others, especially from someone who used to fawn on him and seduce him when he was still at the top of the pyramid.

Patricia chuckles, "They are certainly right. An apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

Edward understands what Patricia has been referring to so he doesn't react. They are indeed from the same tree but unlike his father and grandfather, the current patriarch of the clan, who is his legitimate uncle, recognizes his ability and secretly trains him to be the best. The patriarch treats Edward like his own son since he doesn't have any offspring.

Edward was treated by his uncle better than his real parents.

"I think this date ends here, Miss Santiago. We have nothing in common so I don't think we match and continue talking about marriage." Edward stands up and is about to call for a waiter to settle the bills when Patricia also stands up and grabs her purse.

"I agree," Patricia sneers as she fixes her dress. "I have already paid the bill, so there's no need to call the waiter." After speaking, she left their table first, resulting in Edward being left alone and speechless.

He was about to do what she had done but it seemed like she had read his mind and beat him to it.

Edward shook his head and decided to leave the restaurant. While walking towards the exit, his phone vibrates for seconds indicating that there's a call. He grabs a piece of his wireless earbud from the pocket of his pants and puts it on his left ear before answering.

"Hello..."

Loud chattering and blasted music in the background could be heard from the other line as Edward waited for the caller to speak.

"Bro!"

Edward almost threw the earbud when his friend's deafening voice suddenly sounded in his ears. "What the heck, bro?!" He couldn't help but complain.

"Oops! Sorry! I'm in the club right now, having fun. Weekend, brother, weekend." Ruan, one of Edward's closest friends, who was on the phone right now, laughed loudly. It's clear that he already drank one or two.

"Why are you calling me if you are having fun then?" Edward asked as his eyebrows met.

"Well, my reliable source of gossip just called me a while ago, saying that Patricia Santiago is in the process of spreading news about her date who was being rude and giving her a bad attitude," Ruan stated while grinning. He can already imagine the face his friend is having right now. A pity that he can't see it personally.

Edward was already outside of the restaurant and was on his way to the parking area when he heard his friend's words. He sighed and looked up to the sky and stared at it blankly, "Was that all she could say about me and nothing new? Psh.. Boring."

Ruan was about to joke with Edward when he was suddenly dragged by his cousins, who accompanied him in his rendezvous, to the dancefloor. "That's all my reports, Bro. See ya."

The call was cut off so suddenly leaving his friend no time to react.

Edward let out a sigh and was about to stop looking at the sky when he noticed a figure that looked like a human falling rapidly in his direction. It was so distinct that it managed to catch his eyes.

"What the hell?!" Edward exclaimed as his mind completely blanked out. He didn't know what to do. He was debating on the inside whether to catch the figure or run and get away from the place.

But before he could make a decision, a clear and melodious voice of a girl echoed throughout the area.

"Please catch me, Monsieur! I cannot fully control myself and land properly!"

"Why is my inner ability still not working?"

"What is happening?"

"Oh no! The portal is opening again!"

Edward subconsciously stretched out his arms in an attempt to catch the girl while listening to her mumbles that for some unknown reason, he could hear even though they were still separated in distance. Seconds later, he felt a weight on his arms as the girl who was falling, now landed perfectly in his exact position.

"Beautiful," Edward whispers when he finally sees the girl's appearance. The shape of her face seems like it has been crafted perfectly by the creator and her bright blue eyes look like it was embedded with the highest quality of gem. Her nose, lips, and even the mole near her left eye also contributed to her beauty. He could not help but hold his breath as he stared at her, but a sudden chuckle woke him up from his trance.

"I've always known that I'm beautiful. You're not bad yourself. Looks handsome enough to be paraded as a husband."

Edward almost threw the girl off his arms when he heard her words. His ears turned red because of embarrassment.

"Monsieur, I think it's time for you to put me down. Don't feel bad, it's not that I hate it and feel disgusted just like how I feel towards others touching me, it's just that now is not the time. Since fate brought me here to you, you don't have to worry about me escaping, I will not do that. We can discuss everything later."

"What are you talking about?" Edward asked while gritting his teeth. The redness on his ears crept to his face as the girl kept on talking. He doesn't have any clue about what she is saying, but listening to her talk about fates and stuff, something within him awakens and is soon to blossom.

Edward inhaled deeply to stop his thoughts from running wild. He was about to put the girl down when out of nowhere, the girl abruptly wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. He heard her whisper in his ears, "Too late. I didn't manage to seal the portal so..."

Before Edward could hear the rest of the girl's words, he suddenly felt that the atmosphere of his surroundings had changed. It became cold and gloomy. Before he could fully comprehend what was happening around them, he felt a strong force pulling him and the girl towards some kind of distorted space.

The moment the two entered the space, it did not even take long for Edward to become unconscious. For a normal human like him, such force could potentially kill him. Fortunately, the girl was quick enough to chant an incantation to summon a barrier enough to protect the two of them.

•••

Lazuli's eyes were tightly closed while she was standing straight in the middle of an empty cave as she tried to focus her mind on activating her inner ability. Unlike the place where she first met the guy she's destined to be with, the place where they were randomly sent by the portal has a dense energy force that fuels her inner strength so it's easier for her to absorb a massive amount of force that generates her inner ability.

The place they are currently at is very mysterious because it's the only place that she feels has an energy force that's beneficial to people like her.

When Lazuli felt that her ability was slowly coming back, she immediately gestured her hands like she was emulating the great waves of the sea. A couple of seconds later, the dew that seemed like it never dried up and was stuck in every corner of the cave, formed into droplets of water, and as she continued her gestures, the droplets became one clear ball of water.

Lazuli took a deep breath before opening her mouth to say an incantation that purified the water. Afterward, she quickly controls it and navigates in the direction of the unconscious man who is lying on the cold ground. She uses it to heal the small wounds inflicted by the portal's irregular force. Even though she uses a barrier to protect the two of them, it is still weak and can't withstand the strong force of the portal.

One of Lazuli's missions and the reason why she was sent to this realm, was to seal the portal that keeps on appearing irregularly because of an unknown reason and causes an imbalance in every realm. Sealing a portal is supposed to be an easy task for people who know how to use an inner force like the individuals from the other superior realm, but because this realm is for normal humans and lacks many aspects, completing the mission can be considered challenging.

Seeing the wounds in Edward fade, Lazuli lets out a sigh of relief as she says, "Now, he's back to being handsome again." After speaking, she decided to take a seat next to the man when suddenly, she noticed a vibration in a puddle not far away from where she was standing.

Lazuli walked near the puddle of water and observed its vibration. When she noticed the unique pattern of how it vibrates, she quickly recited an incantation that allowed her to communicate to the person behind the one making the vibration.

After a moment, the face of a man similar to her appeared in the puddle. Lazuli couldn't help but feel excited when she saw the familiar face of her twin brother. "Lapis!" She exclaimed.

Hearing the cheerful voice of his beloved twin sister, Lapis could not stop himself from getting teary-eyed. "Zuli, are you safe there?" He tried his best not to choke a sob as he asked his twin.

Lazuli squatted as she smiled widely, "Yes, Lapis! I'm safe here. The journey here is very exciting. However, I almost fell from the sky because of the cancellation of my inner ability."

"What?!" Lapis shouted nervously. "Are you fine? What happened? The destination sphere was supposed to send you to that realm safely."

"Hehe," Lazuli's bright smile turned into an awkward one as she scratched her cheek with her finger. "Hmm...Lapis, do you happen to know the other function of the destination sphere?"

Even though he was confused, Lapis still nodded. "I do. The destination sphere is not only used for teleporting someone to other realms but also for matchmaking. You know that only someone with authorization can own the destination sphere because of its wonderful function, right? Youngsters longed for it to find their destined other half, and because they could not get a hold of the sphere unless they had authority, many of them were willing to pay for someone who had it no matter how much it cost. Fortunately, I had a close relationship with someone who owned it and gave me a discount. He also promised to send you to the human realm safely. However, I think he and I need to talk about his promise regarding your safety." Lapis turned serious after he finished speaking.

Lazuli quickly shook her head and waved her hands after hearing Lapis' words. She could guess what her twin brother was thinking. "No no no...Don't blame him, Lapis. I am certain that he keeps his promise to you. It was the portal that had sent me here, that was to blame and not him."

"Hmmm?" Lapis suddenly has a bad feeling. "Then, why do you ask if I know about the other function of the destination sphere? I have a feeling that this is not part of your mission anymore." He stared at his sister's face which kept changing emotion. "Tell me the truth, Lazuli. Don't attempt to cover it. I can easily tell if you're lying."

Lazuli felt a little bit of guilt. She glanced at the still-sleeping man not far away from her. "I...I-I did a little request to Sir Zone."

Lapis' forehead creased as he questioned seriously, "What is it?"

"Well," Lazuli bit her inner cheeks before deciding to give her twin brother a straightforward answer, "The truth is, I am also curious about my destined one just like any other woman. Before I took a mission, I visited a famous love reader who also owns a destination sphere. I only asked her the location of my fated partner, and when I heard the answer, I immediately accepted a mission that was based on this realm where my future partner is, despite how complex and difficult it was. After consulting you about it and even getting a good scolding, you recommended me to your friend. That's when I made a request to him to send me here using the other function. Don't be mad, Lapis." Remembering what happened earlier, she couldn't help but giggle as she felt giddy on the inside. "My man perfectly caught me in his arms after that portal opened in the middle of the sky."

Lapis was in a daze processing everything his twin sister revealed to him. It took him some time to finally understand it all, and when he did, he felt his blood rising to his head and something within him snapped. "What the heck did you say?" He asked furiously.

Lazuli pouted, "You promise you won't get mad."

"When did I promise you that?!" Lapis is certain that anytime now, his body and soul would collapse. "Don't...don't..." He took a deep breath as he felt his blood boiling when he recalled what his sister had said.

"Calm down, Lapis. I'm really sorry. I apologize for doing something behind your back." Lazuli said in concern. She now felt extremely guilty when she saw how mad her brother was.

After doing a couple of inhaling and exhaling, Lapis finally managed to calm himself down. He took another deep breath before speaking, "Lazuli, can you promise me the next time you do something unthinkable, please, for the sake of my sanity, please inform me."

Lazuli pursed her lips as she avoided her twin's gaze. "I will not promise. It's a big word, Lapis. I might break it intentionally or unintentionally. However, I will try my best to keep your words in mind."

Lapis looked at his twin sister deeply and realized how much she had grown up ever since she decided to become a traveler, an exceptionally respected profession in their realm.

"I can't control you anymore, Lazuli. You have your own thoughts and judgment now. I just hope that you'll use it for your sake to keep you away from dangers." Lapis said emotionlessly. He still wants to say many things but he knows that now is not the time. "Well, we already talked long enough. I contacted you just to make sure you are safe and sound." He sighed, "Finish your mission and go home."

Lazuli was about to respond when Lapis' face disappeared from the puddle of water. She couldn't help but pout and complain, "Why's he like that?"

Still pouting, Lazuli gets up from squatting and subconsciously looks in the direction of the man.

"Ahhh!"

Lazuli shouted in surprise when she saw that he was awake and was not staring at her. His eyes were full of emotion that she couldn't name. She walked towards the man and unceremoniously sat beside him.

"When did you wake up?" Lazuli asked with uncertainty.

"After you healed my wounds," Edward answered honestly.

Lazuli's eyes widened when she heard his answers. "Does that mean you heard me talking to someone while facing a puddle of water?"

Edward got up and sat beside the lady. His body is not aching anymore so he doesn't have a problem moving. He nodded as an answer to her question.

Lazuli's lashes trembled in nervousness. "Do you think I'm crazy? Don't you think it's pretty weird?"

"Crazy? No. Weird? Don't you think it's a little too late to ask that considering you literally fell into my arms earlier?" Edward glanced at the beautiful lady.

Lazuli looked at the man beside her and coincidentally, their eyes met. Her heart couldn't help but skip a little. "Th-that was just an accident." She looked away after speaking.

"I overheard you say that you requested to be sent to your destined one, which is me." Edward was suddenly in a mood to tease this lady.

Lazuli's eyes went wide as she panicked, "As far as I know, people in this realm don't believe this kind of thing. I'm sure that you also don't believe either." She said, pretending to be nonchalant.

Edward chuckled, "You are right. I don't believe in this kind of thing."

Lazuli could feel her heart shattered when she heard his answer. She knows it. They're from different realms, so, understandably, he doesn't believe in her. Her face showed obvious dejection and disappointment when suddenly she heard him speak again.

"But, the evidence was presented right in front of my eyes. You fall from the sky out of nowhere, a sudden distortion in space which I assume was called a portal, and one of the reasons you came here, you summoned water to heal my wounds and communicate with someone through water. It's strange, weird, and unimaginable but to see is to believe." Edward noticed the slowly brightened expression of the lady. He cleared his truth as he suddenly diverted from the topic. "By the way, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Edward Valiente, a hidden groomed heir from my clan."

Lazuli was about to burst with embarrassment the longer she listened to Edward's list of things she had done she thought unnoticed. She's such an idiot. Although his words made her want to blow up, they also made her extremely happy. That means she had a chance.

"I'm Lazuli Resande," Lazuli responded when she heard him introduce himself. "I am a traveler who travels from realms to realms to fix unusual problems."

'What a unique name.' Edward thought as he offered his hands. "Nice to meet you, Lazuli."

Lazuli was about to accept Edward's hand when she noticed the changes in the atmosphere. She hurriedly stood up.

Edward also stood up when he noticed the same thing that happened earlier in the parking area.

Lazuli looked at Edward and asked him a serious question, "Do you want to accompany me?"

Edward met Lazuli's eyes. "Do you expect me to stay here? In a familiar place?"

Lazuli blushed, "What I mean is that I can teleport you to somewhere safe. Like that area where you caught me."

Edward quickly shook his head, "No thanks. I want to stay with you." Then, he thought of something. "You don't have to worry about me getting in your way, I can just hide while you do your thing. I want to make sure that you are safe."

Lazuli blushed intensified. Although she was straightforward and would not shy when it came to flirting with her destined one, such unexpected sweet, and smooth-talking coming from Edward's mouth still caused her to be flustered.

But Lazuli's blushing face was immediately replaced with a pale one as the space in front of them suddenly distorted. She quickly held Edward's hand and activated a much stronger barrier, since her inner strength was now restored before they sucked inside the portal.

Unlike earlier, Edward didn't faint and could fully see what was happening inside the portal. Unfortunately, all he could see was an endless fog. If not for the warmth of Lazuli's hand, he would probably think that he was in a nightmare.

It took only a few seconds before they were pushed outside by a strong force.

"Run far away from here! I'm going the seal the portal before it closes." Lazuli instructed Edward as she threw six small black balls into the distorted space that formed a star and prevented the portal from closing in.

Edward immediately did what Lazuli said. He ran away from the area but not too far since he wanted to watch Lazuli. While running, he suddenly felt that the path he was taking was so familiar. He stopped running and looked around. No wonder it's familiar, it's the mountain behind their mansion. It's his family's property.

Lazuli was getting annoyed as the process of sealing the portal was taking a long time. This is the reason why this mission is hard. Other realms have an abundance of energy force, but only this realm, the realm of the humans, doesn't have any. It's only a miracle that the place they were sent to earlier has a dense energy force, that's why it allowed her to restore her inner strength.

When the star finally glows, fueled by all of her own energy force, Lazuli quickly draws a sign in the air and recites the incantation for the sealing of the portal.

Edward felt that the atmosphere had calmed down. He looked in the direction of Lazuli and found her standing and staring blankly at the space. He quickly jogged toward her and asked her in concern, "Are you alright? Is it done? Is it successful?"

Lazuli looked at Edward with tears in her eyes, shocking him. "What happened? It's not successful?"

Lazuli started to sob as she answered, "I forgot to throw the device that would send me home. I'm so stupid. I can't open the portal anymore because I sealed it from here. I also cannot contact my brother for the time being because my energy force is exhausted and I don't know the exact location of the cave that the portal sent us."

Edward felt his heart being squeezed when he saw him crying. He reached out his arms to hug her and comfort her. "D-Don't cry. I will help you search for the cave."

Lazuli continued to cry, "I'm afraid to stay here. I'm unfamiliar with this realm."

"You don't have to worry. I'm here. I will accompany you wherever you go. I will not make you suffer any grievances. I'm your destined one, right? Then, I shall fulfill my role." Edward made a sudden decision. He will stop hiding from his family and accept the title of the heir proudly, the patriarch has given him. He will do it to stop any kind of obstacle and trouble that might happen to his future family.

"Really?" Lazuli sniffs. She felt reassured hearing his words. "Promise me, Monsieur?"

Edward nodded, determined. "Yes. If I let you suffer, just contact your brother and I let him beat me. You can also send me to a void if you restore your power."

Lazuli couldn't help but giggle, "Okay"