Evangelina was gnawing on her fingernail, anxious.

'It's been more than a week already…Should I set out, or wait for him here…?' She wondered.

A soft light entered her residence through the brittle windows and she sat, staring at a warm cup of tea placed before her.

—A week and some days prior—

Against what she'd like him to believe, Evangelina cared more for Verity's safety than she would ever admit. So much so that after only two days of him leaving her home, she secretly entered the Guild, and asked, or rather demanded the details of his mission.

Of course, the Guild was not keen on giving out personal adventurer information, but Evangelina was… convincing.

Still, despite her best efforts, she did not find anything when she explored the area marked on the map. In fact, there were not any traces of battle, or life, for that matter.

It was entirely empty, unnaturally so.

Disappointed, she returned to the Guild to gather more clues, but what she found there instead was a young adventurer searching for Verity as well.

Thinking this may be a lead, she approached a girl with long black hair handing out rough sketches of her disciple's face. She recognized the girl immediately. She was the genius who stood in front of the gate.

Had the context been different, Evangelina might have tested the child's blade for her own amusement, but her worry for Verity trumped her interest.

"How do you know this brat?" Evangelina asked, her face covered by her mystical cloak.

Felicia turned around abruptly, but instead of answering, her hand immediately fell to the handle of her sword.

Her muscles tensed, her face crisped, and sweat rolled down her temple.

'...!!!'

Her breath hitched in her throat.

'T-This strength…! It's on par with... Master!' She thought.

This was a level she had not once seen ever since leaving the Forest of Dreams, the domain of Sinna Rella, the Fairy Queen.

She understood that the person in front of her was unfathomable, just like her master, but rather than fear, what overcame Felicia was unrestrained excitement.

She smiled.

It was as if her mind was completely overridden, converging to the panoply of ways she could approach this fight. Her blood boiled, and her body itched to test its strength against the wall before her.

Seeing this, Evangelina sighed. "Usually, I might have entertained you for some time…" And her hand landed on Felicia's shoulder. "But right now… I'm not in the mood, kid."

BADUMP

Felicia's heartbeat seemed to come to a standstill and she froze. Perhaps because she was so attuned to the sword, she felt it clearly.

Destruction.

That was the only fate that awaited her if she unsheathed her sword.

Regaining her senses, she let go of the hilt and bowed deeply.

"I'm sorry if I've offended you, Transcendental Master! I don't know what came over me!" She yelled.

Felicia wasn't one to care for status, even in front of nobles she spoke casually, but martial realm was a different matter entirely.

It's because she now truly walked the path of the sword that she understood this. A Master of the Transcendental realm deserved respect.

At the mention of a Transcendental master, a few heads naturally turned. An expert, let alone a Grandmaster, was hard enough to run into, but Transcendental? These individuals were half-considered as myths.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

That's why such an occurrence might have caused a large quite the commotion, if this were not Plamodel.

Plamodel was the well-known home of a Transcendental Master, and the head of one of the most prominent noble houses of the continent.

And besides that, she was also known for…her bad temper.

So, the heads that turned, turned back around once they saw the cloaked figure, and they nervously resumed what they had been doing before.

Evangelina sighed and maintained a stoic expression, or at least she tried. "Ahem. At least you know your manners…" She snatched the sketch from Felicia's hands. "Now answer my question, how do you know this brat?"

Felicia's eyes widened. "I see…!! You're Verity's master, aren't you!? That incredible style of his, it all makes sense now!" She exclaimed excitedly.

A vein bulged on Evangelina's temple. "Answer. The. Question."

Felicia let out an awkward laugh. "Haha, yes, sorry! We went on a mission together and we were separated, so I'm currently looking for him. Some of my friends are also doing the same in nearby towns and cities."

Evangelina's eyes narrowed and she pointed to an empty table. "Tell me everything."

Felicia told Evangelina everything she remembered, and Evangelina listened intently.

After half an hour or so, Evangelina stroked her chin pensively.

"...Demons, huh." Evangelina's finger tapped against the wooden table. "One bore a single line etched across his forehead, and the other, three intertwined ellipses… so a Mono and a Triune."

Felicia nodded. 'Was that symbol an indication of their rank?' She thought.

"Are you sure that was all?" Evangelina asked.

Felicia tilted her head. "As far as I can remember…yes."

TAP TAP TAP

The rate at which Evangelina's finger tapped the table increased. There was an issue with Felicia's story. '...That's simply impossible. I went there myself and found no trace of demons at all. Either she's lying… or a demon much more powerful than a mere Triune was there.' She thought.

Evangelina did not believe Felicia was lying, so that only left the latter option.

And if that was really the case, then this situation was much more serious than she initially thought.

However, Evangelina did not worry that Verity ran into this higher-ranked demon since Felicia confirmed they were all able to escape thanks to the warp gate.

Evangelina stood up. "Fine. He'll return eventually on his own. Don't think about going back to that cave and simply return to the Forest of Dreams," she said.

Felicia frowned. "B-But, senior, how can I do that after my last conversation with Verity ended so–"

Evangelina shot her a glare. "Enough. Didn't you say so yourself? He could be anywhere in the world. There's no way to find him. It's as simple as that." An air of confidence swirled around Evangelina. "In any case… I do not raise weak disciples, even if they are probationary. The brat will find his way back."

That is how she truly felt. Demons were another story, but Felicia had confirmed that they had all truly escaped through the warp gate, meaning that Verity had escaped immediate danger.

Plus, all of Verity's companions managed to return, so why couldn't he?

If there was only one truth in this world, it was that Evangelina did not raise weaklings. Verity might have been untalented, but he was tenacious, and that tenacity would certainly bring him back… probably.

Felicia stood up as well. "...Even if it's you, senior, I can't accept that. How can I simply leave, not knowing if my friend is doing well?" Then, her frown deepened. "Also…how did you know I came from the Forest of Dreams?"

Evangelina maintained an impassive expression. "Because you smell the same as Senna. Sharp. Flowery. Thorny. It suits her… but do try to find your own path. That's the only advice I'll give you."

Felicia's lips tightened and she offered a respectful bow. "I'll take the advice to heart, senior, and I'm happy I was able to meet a friend of my Master's…but regarding Verity, I won't back do–"

Evangelina let out a long, exasperated sigh. "Sinna will lose her mind if you're not back soon. You've been gone for almost a month, right? I know how she is. With talent like yours, I doubt she allowed more than two weeks of leave, or am I wrong?"

"...Three weeks."

Evangelina scoffed. "Right, so go back before she comes here and gives me a headache. I'd rather not have to meet her."

Felicia, taken aback by how Evangelina spoke of her Master, still shook her head. "But, even then–"

Evangelina did not move, but her foot sunk into the ground, creating a small crater. "Are you trying to insult me or is it that you really have so little faith in my disciple? I understand you are talented, but you're failing to see that my disciple, if anything, is resilient, so he'll be fine."

She pointed to the exit of the Guild. "Return, and I will personally inform you of any development within two weeks."

Evangelina adamantly wished not to run into Sinna. Knowing her, it was highly likely she placed some sort of tracking feature unto her disciple.

In truth, unlike what she may have let shown, the Fairy Queen was extremely possessive, maddeningly so.

'Only a handful of people can stop her when she gets like 'that'.'

Evangelina turned her back to Felicia. "In any case, this is beyond you. You are young, and talented, but in front of demons, you are currently nothing more than a bug. I understand your concern, truly, but do not mistake ignorance for bravery. I will say it one last time. Return, or I will personally carry you back to the Forest."

Evangelina's tone was clear. The time for bargaining was over. Her word had been spoken, and it was final. If Felicia refused this time again, she would offend Evangelina, and offending a Transcendental Master was perhaps the single stupidest thing one could do.

Gritting her teeth, Felicia bowed. "...Understood, but if you don't inform me, I will return whether you like it or not," she said, raising her head at that last part with a fire burning in her eyes.

Evangelina rolled her eyes. "Sure, now be gone."

—A week and some days later—

Evangelina's tea cup was growing cold, and she was beginning to regret her words.

'Should I have gone to look for him after all…?'

She brought her thumb to her mouth, and gnawed on it furiously. 'I swear on my name… if you went off and died, I'll go to the Underworld myself and kill you again you brat.'

She was giving Verity only one more day before dep–

"I'm leaving right now! I can't take this anymore!" She exclaimed as she sprung to her feet and reached for her spear.

Before she could take a single step, however, she heard a knock on her door.

Who could possibly knock on Evangelina Dreadmoore's door?

Evangelina approached it cautiously, donning her mystical cloak.

When she opened her door, however, what she saw shocked her.

Her mouth fell agape at the sight. It was difficult to surprise someone like Evangelina, but the person in front of her had done just that.

"...Old man?" She said, her eyes widening. "...You're still alive!?"

A very old man wearing a thin straw hat and vacation-like clothes stood before her, holding a drenched and half-naked Verity under his arm.

"Tsk. And your mouth is still as foul as always, snot-nosed brat." The old man answered.

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