" I owe him too much... and he meant too much to me... for me to leave his last surviving family member alone when hungry wolves surround her... So be a good sister... and accept a helping hand. "
This time, Verdia walked away for good without turning around.
A crash of thunder filled the space, along with which Verdia was lost, leaving sparks dancing in the air behind her.
" Emm? " Lily muttered under her breath, looking uncertainly at Magnus or Max. She wasn't sure what this meant exactly or what she should do with herself. Her print-covered hands tightly squeezed a red card on which various numbers flashed occasionally.
After Verdi left, only the three of them remained in the conference room.
Seeing her confusion, Magnus spoke up.
" Sit down here, Lily. " Magnus pointed his finger at the empty chair next to him.
" And you, Max, I guess you have something to do? "
Sometimes, Max was really blunt and didn't understand simple allusions.
" If I don't have? "
" Then take care of preparing the teams from 1 - 20 we could use their help. With special emphasis on 2, 4 and 9. They are flying with us. "
Max shook his head and resignedly headed toward the exit.
" First of all, I wanted to... "
Lily didn't let Magnus finish. She interjected in the middle of her sentence.
" Who was that woman? "
Magnus' right eyebrow twitched imperceptibly. Only four people in the world would dare to interrupt him, one of whom allegedly died in the dungeon.
She's just as brazen as that punk...
" You're brave, Lily. Not many people would have the guts " to tease her, " and even fewer to get into my word ... but that seems to run in your family. Ramiel, too, was quite feisty ... several times, he almost flew out of the room. "
" Umm? Okay? I think so... "
Lily played with her fingers. With bravado, she tried to mask her stress and nerves. Her common sense stood on the edge of a knife blade. The girl already had enough attractions for one day.
She was almost murdered by Arthur today, then some woman molested her, and now she was left alone in a room with the strongest man in the world... I wonder what else could go wrong.
Ba-Thump Ba-Thump Ba-Thump Ba-Thump Ba-Thump Ba-Thump
" I would offer you coffee, but judging by the rate at which your heart is beating... perhaps tea would be a better option? "
" ... "
" You don't have to be afraid of me. I won't hurt you. Ramiel has already accustomed me to an annoying personality. If you want, you can be yourself and say what you think. Consider it a privilege. Not everyone can talk to me freely without fear of losing a limb or two... "
" Thank you? In that case, I'll take tea... " A timid whisper escaped Lila's lips. She still didn't trust the old man; above all, she didn't want to test whether he was telling the truth.
At least he maintains eye contact. - The man thought.
Moments later, the secretary brought two cups of aromatic-smelling tea. Lily fell in love with it from the first sip. The tart aftertaste immediately attacked her taste buds, engulfing them in the depths of delight.
" How do you like the tea? "
Magnus didn't need to ask. He already knew the answer. All he had to do was look at Lily. He only did it out of politeness.
" It is excellent... " Lily hesitated for a moment. Her fingers entangled around the hot cup. To avoid burning them, the girl wrapped them in a thin blanket of mana.
" My brother liked it... didn't he? "
" Mhm... I'm the one who infected him with a love for the tart flavor. " Magnus let out a barely audible murmur.
" Emm... so who was that woman? She didn't look like a good Samaritan to me." This had bothered Lily from the beginning. It's rare to see someone who is a complete stranger being so positive about a stranger.
" Are you talking about Verdi? The second strongest person to walk the planet? I can't tell you too much about her myself... "
Lily did it again. It didn't seem to her that Magnus had hurt her. It was quite the opposite. She felt like a grandfather in his presence.
" No... I was more concerned about her relationship with Ramiel... what was it in the past that made her want to help me so much..."
Magnus leaned back, leaning on his throne. He sipped his tea quietly, refreshing old memories. Dusting them off took him a long moment.
" From what Ramiel said, you broke off all contact with him after your parents died? "
Lily nodded in agreement.
" So, you have no clue about Ramiel's past? "
" As I said, I only heard of him when he became famous. It may sound inappropriate, but in my eyes, he was dead."
" Hmm... I understand... It's not for me to judge, but don't you think you overreacted a bit? Everyone makes mistakes... that's how people are... but the secret is in what they do to fix them. And as far as I know, Ramiel has really done a lot to atone for his actions."
Lila's fingers nervously tapped the expensive porcelain.
" Will what he did return my Mother and Father to me? " Lily tried to hide the tremor in her voice. In fact, she didn't want to hear more about Ramiel's past. The more she heard about and got to know him, the more she regretted treating him like a stranger for ten years.
Magnus grunted.
" Khm... I didn't want to bring up sensitive topics... back to your question..."
Ripping up old wounds won't do any good. Magnus, as an experienced man, knew this all too well... It would be better if Lily matured on her own.
" Ramiel's past, is very feisty, not much was missing, and he would have ended up on the wrong side of the barricade. Once, he mingled with the wrong company, where they engaged in shady dealings. Paid assassinations, illegal poaching in dungeons."
" It was in this so-called gang that Verdia Ramiel's paths crossed. This took place some six months after the deaths of Ceti and Jack. When Ramiel found her, she was in a lot of trouble... I don't know what exactly they consisted of or what they were, but her situation didn't look colorful. "
" As you probably know, your brother has a soft heart towards people who become important to him. It just so happened that the hunters' association had this organization on target for a long time. All we lacked was someone to bring our people in. "
" Then Max helped Ramiel contact me. Can you believe that we almost beat each other at the first meeting? Even then, he was quite feisty and impulsive. Khm... coming back to clearing Verdi's file, getting him out of the organization, and helping him adapt to the environment and find his way back to normal life, he offered a deal. He helps us get in, and we fulfill our agreement. "
" The little bugger demanded the signing of a reciprocal contract on the terms of immediate and unquestionable death. He even came with a handmade bomb... He did everything for me to agree ... "
" In the end, everything went well. With your brother's help, the operation went smoothly and efficiently. He did his part, and we did ours. As promised, I took Verdie with me and helped her come out to the humans. The fact that she became a hunter is solely due to her hard work and motivation. "
" As for Ramiel, we separated then. He was lost for a while, and all traces of him disappeared. The only clue I found was at the murder scene of your abusive foster parents. The stab wounds found on their bodies matched the wounds possessed by Ramiel's victims. "
Magnus sighed heavily. He would never have said that the little hooligan and criminal would grow into someone he would aspire to be so fond of.
Sometimes, just the right people will stumble a foot on the path called life.
" I'd like to tell you more ... but it would violate Verdi's intimate zone ... if you're so interested in your brother's past and their relationship, you'll have to get it out of her. "
Magnus didn't want to cross a line that he shouldn't. For this reason, he withheld some very important facts, but you will learn about them soon.
" If I can give you some advice... you will not regret it if you maintain a good relationship with her. I will say more, and you can be sure that you will not be disappointed. Especially if you plan to become a hunter..."
" Huh... how do you know? I'll hide all the alcohol I can find in the house to Max... "
The corners of Magnus' mouth lifted slightly upward.
" Lily, don't hurt poor Maximilian so much... Besides, do you think you both are able to hide anything from me? "
The answer was obvious and came to my lips on its own...
" I don't think so..."
Lily sounded like a sad child who realized that Santa Claus doesn't exist and presents are left at night by parents.
" Do you know what the test is about? "
" Mhm... "
" So prepare well. I won't be able to be at the first stage, but I will conduct the second stage personally. "
" Alright... NOW WHAT? DISAGREE! The second stage is a fight with the instructor! This is too much! "
Lila's protest didn't have the desired effect. Magnus was deaf to her cries of entreaties and pleas. He remained steadfast in his resolve.
" Besides, how do you know when I will take the exam ... I haven't decided yet about ... "
Now, it was Magnus' turn to take revenge. He hated it when someone cut into his word.
" Your deadline has long been set. You still have two months to prepare. "
Lila's lips twisted in a sour grimace, and the pupils of her bright purple eyes turned into sharp crescents.
" Three. "
" Two, and one more word, and from two, it will become one. "
Lily stood at a loss in advance. She may be similar to Ramiel, but she still has a lot to learn.
" Fine ... maybe I can survive ... "
Magnus hammered the final nail in the coffin as if all this wasn't enough.
" Remember, because you are Ramiel's sister, I have higher expectations of you than the rest. You can expect a stern test... "
Lily cursed all the gods she knew, including the goddess of fortune, loved by all.
" -_- " - Lily
" Before I forget. "
Magnus opened a drawer in his desk, pulling out a small box.
" Ramiel asked me to give this to you in case of an unforeseen incident. "
Lily looked carefully at the object in front of her. A real war was going on in her heart. She was torn between the emotions that gripped her.
On the one hand, she was troubled by what Ramiel had prepared for her, but on the other hand, she felt that she would regret it.
" Can I open it? "
Lila's question seemed very silly, but it had a deeper meaning that Magnus understood.
The girl wasn't in a position to make a decision on her own, but she also didn't want to directly ask for help. A simple question about acquiescence was a transfer of responsibility to someone else. A psychological trick that even six-year-old children use on their parents.
" And is there anything stopping you from doing it? "
"No..."
With a trembling hand, Lily opened the charmingly wrapped box. Inside was a handcrafted silver ring decorated with several miniature gems found only in the dungeon.
It was one of a kind. There was only one piece in the entire universe, and it was lying in front of the woman.
Lily felt as if she was looking at the most beautiful thing in the world. At the right angle, the tiny gemstones resembled the flower of a dark blue lily floating on the water's surface.
The woman was enchanted by the gift. As soon as she brought her hand close to it, her intuition screamed that this wasn't the only surprise waiting for her.
" It is beautiful ... "
" Ramiel knew you would like it. "
" But that's not all, is it? "
Smart girl. - Thought the man.
Magnus was bursting with pride. Although he wasn't a biological grandfather, and this was the first time he had met the woman, he felt as if Lily had been his granddaughter all along. Maybe he just liked talented people ... or she resembled Ramiel to an illusion.
" Surely you appreciated the advantages of the things Ramiel left behind? Villas, a place for free training and, above all, an armory that even I envy him. "
" Mhm... "
Lily greatly appreciated the things left by her brother. Thanks to them, she felt like a child born with a golden spoon in her mouth. She didn't have to worry about resources, future equipment, or a place to sleep. All she had to focus on was training and the small pleasures of everyday life.
" Ramiel thought of everything, literally, and this ring is proof of that. I don't know how he did it, but all his knowledge is contained in it. Starting with the ways of fighting particular monsters, going through his understanding of the elements, and ending with his fighting style and cultivation method. "
Lily gasped. She didn't know what to say. Just a year ago, she would have considered these things useless. However, now that she knew their value... she couldn't believe Magnus' words. Ramiel literally not only gave her everything but also handed himself to her on a golden platter. If they ever came to fight, Lily would know him inside out.
There were no words to convey the gravity of Ramiel's act.
" He will react when you inject mana into him, but don't do it now. Ramiel asked you to do it when you are alone. Apparently, he has a one-time message recorded for you. If there's anything I can ask... listen to it to the end... it's important to him..."
The ring took its place on the middle finger of her right hand. By society, it was considered an engagement gift, but Lily didn't think so. As a child, it was where she kept any toy jewelry as she got from her brother.
Magnus looked at his watch. He enjoyed the conversation and would have loved to continue it, but time pressed him. It was inappropriate to be late for a plane when he threatened subordinates with the death penalty for similar misconduct.
" Khm... For my part, that's all... if you don't have any special requests... I would suggest that we finish the conversation some other time... "
Lily fired out without thinking.
" Can I get some tea leaf? "
Magnus laughed under his breath. Ramiel said exactly the same thing at their first meeting.
" Of course, I will personally deliver it when I have some time."