Elisa teleports us in a smooth transition, the interior of her home changing into outside. Leafless branches are covered with long strips of snow, shining dazzlingly in the weak winter sun. The occasional person is traversing the cleared-out paths of the park we are in. About a dozen meters in front of us are Erysis and Nexen, waiting for us to arrive.

Erysis whispers something to Nexen. I choose not to hear the contents of her final encouragement. She smiles at him, the expression threatening to burst and spill out a cascade of emotions. Then Erysis briskly walks over to us. She nods to me and stands next to Elisa.

I start walking forward. Each agonizing step bringing me closer and closer. Until...

"Hello, Nexen."

He stares at me for moment. Then, with a forced exhale, he returns the greeting, "Lucius."

I turn to a nearby bench, free of snow and looking dry. "Would you like to sit?"

Nexen shrugs, approaching the bench and taking one side, trying to squeeze himself into the armrest, to be as far away from me as he can. "I'm only here because Ery made me. Say whatever it is you want to say."

As I take a seat next to him, as far away as I can too, an involuntary chuckle escapes my lips. I cover my mouth and mumble, "Sorry."

"What's so funny?"

"It's nothing. I—"

"Tell me. It must be so hilarious. Why not share."

"Ahem..." I exhale some air out of my nose in a much more subdued laugh. "Doesn't it feel like our moms just brought us to a play date?" I turn to the archmage and her apprentice, both hushedly whispering and trying to look like they aren't staring at us.

Nexen levels me with an entirely unamused stare. "Hilarious."

Elisa says something to Erysis, and the two blink away. Nexen makes a sound, somewhere between a hum and an aggressive growl.

I stare straight ahead, letting one of my arms dangle off the side of the bench, the other resting on my thigh. A privacy bubble envelops the bench, cutting out the world. "I want to apologize again. For what I did."

"Save it." He huffs. Then he huffs again, like letting out more building pressure. "Why us?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean. Why did you choose us?"

"I didn't."

He scoffs dismissively. "Sure."

"Our meeting was entirely random."

"Okay. You might not have 'chosen' us, but everything after that was calculated. You could have 'chosen' to not take the exam with us. So, my question still stands. Why did you go through all that trouble just for us?"

"Trouble? It wasn't trouble, Nexen, it was a privilege."

His fists clench, muscles tensing. Then he turns his body forward too, sick of staring at me. "Why?"

Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

"Initially, to build up my character. To make him realistic. To integrate him. ...To further the plan." Nexen is still staring ahead, his angry expression unchanging. "Or so I thought." His head turns subtly to me, regarding my face from the corner of his eye. "In the end, under all the pretense, I simply wanted a connection. That's it."

"Connection? You manipulated us constantly. Helping with the exam, the Rangers, training us, Princess Khi'Na, the constant secrecy. All of your actions make so much sense when I now know what you are." He waves his hand in anger. "And Ery's parents? Why do that?"

"Because I care about her. About you. About everyone."

He growls again, full of frustration. "How can I believe anything you say?"

I don't answer, staring ahead. And looking out. The people in the park are enjoying one of the better days of winter, drinking in the nourishing rays of the sun while they have the chance. Even though it's cold, the city is still churning along, empowered by the incessant grumbling. Adventurers all over the Union are currently fighting for their lives, for the lives of others. Some are returning victorious. Others might not be so lucky. All around the world, I watch as people live.

Nexen grows more and more frustrated with my dragging silence, fidgeting but not yet prodding.

I close my eyes and tune out the stream of information, focusing on this moment.

"I killed someone."

Nexen's head whips to me. "What! What are you—" His voice grows cold, dangerous. "Who?"

"His name was the Announcer."

Coldness is replaced by confusion. "An announcer?"

"No. 'The' Announcer. He was a dungeon."

The confusion heightens, with anger leaking out. "What are you talking about?" Nexen shakes his head furiously and stands up. "Fuck this."

I don't make a move to stop him, but he does so himself, hesitating at the boundary of my concealing spell. Without another sound, he turns around and sits back down.

"After I revealed my existence to the Guild, I convinced Ren to let me delve a B-grade dungeon. Has Erysis told you?"

"Don't you already know?" After a reply does not come, he grunts out, "She did."

"What she won't tell you, because no one else knows, is that I delved an A-grade."

"You what?"

"It's where I met the Announcer. I tried to extract as much information as I could from him, about the nature of dungeons, seeing as he was probably one of the most agreeable dungeons ever encountered. At least from those that were recorded. The meta knowledge he exhibited was truly able to cross dimensions."

"That's very interesting and all, but why..." Nexen stops, the harsh tone mellowing out. "Why would you say you killed him, Lucius?"

A projection springs to life, showing me appearing inside the dungeon that was the Announcer. Nexen watches our first conversation patiently, his face betraying mild surprise. I skip through the fights and fast forward through the subsequent trials, trying to showcase only our discussions. The boss is skipped too, finishing the recording with the Announcer's final moments. When I strike the core, my projection fades away.

"What's the difference between him and me? To you, we are both the same—a thing. Unimaginably intelligent. One having an incredibly advanced mind, the other gaining knowledge from reality itself. Both able to create things outside the realm of what has been possible. Both powerful. Both dangerous. How am I different from him? If he deserved to die, don't I?"

Nexen finally speaks up, not giving me an answer, "Show me the boss fight."

"I believe—"

"Show me the fight!"

The projection returns, sharp and real, a moment captured. The disruptor slime dispatches my shells with laughable ease, my attempts at resistance even more so. Writing flashes in the projection, my life about to be lost. I watch as my hand rises and a spell forms. The spell connects. I feel the power again, churning inside me. And I feel the image, waiting expectantly. The projection is waved away.

Nexen stands up. "Call Ery back."

Without waiting for a reply, he walks through my already dispersing barrier and toward the spot Erysis departed from. Said spot is not empty for long, as the two women return with another teleport. They were still watching, just a bit better hidden.

Nexen swiftly approaches Erysis, and after a brief exchange, they start walking away. Erysis glances behind her back, looking directly at me, her gaze full of uncertainty.

Elisa walks over and sits down next to me. "How did it go?"

"I said what I wanted to say."

"Oof... That sounds like it went ba— really good." She makes an awkward smile at me.

"Your sentiments are appreciated."

"Wanna blow something up?"

I hum, genuinely considering the offer. "You know what, why not. There's a very special star that I would like to introduce to you."

Elisa cocks her head to the side. "Star?" Then realization blooms on her face. "Ah." Followed by giddiness. "Let's go."

Next chapter will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.