Leo walked alongside Ryan through the dimly lit road toward Eklashire. The night air was crisp, and both of them wore long cloaks that concealed their faces. To any passerby, they must have looked suspicious—two hooded figures moving through the darkness without a word.
Breaking the silence, Leo asked, "What are the next spells you're going to teach me?"
Ryan kept his eyes forward as he replied, "First, focus on mastering the ones I've already taught you—Phantasmal Surge and Hallucination Trap. Especially the second one. It complements your enchanting abilities perfectly."
Leo nodded but voiced another concern. "I also need a way to keep improving my enchanting."
"For now, stick to the illusion path. Enchanting will have to wait until we reach the Magic Kingdom," Ryan said firmly.
With that settled, they continued in silence, their footsteps the only sound echoing in the stillness of the night.
After several hours of walking, they arrived at a city much smaller than Flesa, perhaps only a third of its size. Unlike Flesa, this place lacked protective walls, making it feel more open yet vulnerable. At the city's entrance, a small guard post stood by the road, where three guards were stationed. One of them, a broad-shouldered man clad in gold and white armor, stepped forward as they approached.
"Who are you, and what business do you have in this city?" he demanded.
Ryan stepped closer, reaching into his coat and pulling out a small card, which he handed to the guard. Then, with a casual motion, he removed his hat.
The guard examined the card, his eyes widening slightly before he quickly straightened. Bringing his fist to his chest in a salute, he stepped aside. "Apologies, sir. Let them through."
Without another word, Ryan pocketed the card and walked past the guards, with Leo following closely behind.
Once they were a safe distance away, Leo glanced at Ryan. "What was that card?"
Ryan smirked. "A little gift from the Pope. It marks me as his agent. Comes in handy in situations like these."
As they moved deeper into the city, Leo noticed a heightened sense of urgency in the streets. Guards and paladins patrolled in greater numbers than he had seen before, their armored boots clanking against the cobblestone roads as they moved in and out of various buildings.
Ryan observed the activity with a thoughtful expression. "Looks like they've increased patrols after what happened."
The two continued walking for another ten minutes until they arrived at a modest inn nestled between two larger buildings. Ryan entered without hesitation, leading Leo past the innkeeper without so much as a glance.
Once they reached the upper floor, Leo arched an eyebrow. "Did you use an illusion to get our rooms?"
Ryan responded with nothing but a knowing smile.
At the end of the corridor, he stopped and gestured toward a wooden door. "I got two rooms. This one's yours." Then he pointed to the next door. "I'll be in the next room. Get some rest, and don't go outside. You don't have an identity right now."
Leo hesitated. "And what are we going to do about that?"
Ryan leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. "In the next city, I know someone who deals with these things. For now, be patient. Oh, and find yourself a new name."
With that, he turned and entered his own room, leaving Leo standing in the hallway.
Leo sighed and stepped inside his room. It was small, containing only a bed and a tiny wooden drawer. He pulled off his cloak and sat on the bed, staring at the floor in thought.
"A new name..." he murmured to himself. "What about Ethan?" He paused, then muttered, "Or Atlas?"
Leo mulled over the options, trying to come up with something that sounded cool. After a moment, he shook his head.
"I'm going to the Kingdom of Magic, not ancient Greece."
Then, a name came to mind—one he had always liked. 'What about Victor Black?' It reminded him of the stories he'd liked in his previous world, and it felt fitting now that he was heading to a kingdom of magic. It had a nice ring to it.
Today was Sunday, and he had his secret meeting later that night.
Satisfied with his new name, he decided to head into his domain and spend his remaining time reading his book.
…
Edmond sat at his desk, sifting through reports when Lara's voice echoed in his mind.
'Captain, Liamond is here.'
'Send him in.'
A moment later, a knock sounded at the door, and Liamond stepped inside. He placed his only arm over his chest in salute—his left arm was missing from the brachium, the empty sleeve pinned neatly at the shoulder.
"Captain," he said. His usual easygoing smile was gone, replaced by a grave expression. There was something hollow in his eyes, something lost.
Edmond studied him for a moment before speaking. "Lara said you want to return to duty immediately. Are you sure you don't want more time to recover?"
"This is the only way I can feel better."
Edmond sighed inwardly. If only he could tell him the truth—that Leo was alive. It would change everything.
But he couldn't. Not yet.
"If that is your wish, then I won't stop you," Edmond said.
"Thank you." Liamond bowed slightly.
As he straightened, Edmond caught a flicker of hesitation in his expression. He was troubled by something.
"What is it?" Edmond asked.
Liamond's brows furrowed. "Before I escaped that illusion in the A-rank domain, I heard Leo's voice telling me to jump out the window. Peter told me that right after that, the Goddess of the Moon was summoned there." He hesitated before continuing. "Do you think Leo did that?"
Edmond leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk, fingers interlaced. "How could a D-rank paladin summon a god?"
"He attacked the Grand Cathedral and defeated twelve C-ranks," Liamond countered. "He was full of surprises."
Edmond exhaled through his nose, shaking his head. "Maybe. Maybe not. Either way, it doesn't change anything now."
Liamond was quiet for a moment before nodding. "Right… Then, if you'll excuse me."
Edmond gestured for him to go, and Liamond turned on his heel, exiting the office.
Once the door shut, Edmond leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling.
He knew—if Leo had truly summoned the goddess, it changed everything.
If Leo had really summoned the goddess somehow, then in Liamond's eyes, he had willingly sacrificed himself to save others. And that would shape the path he walked from now on.
…
Leo flipped through the pages of his book, absorbing the history of vampires. Each line revealed something more unsettling than the last.
"So, according to this, the first vampires appeared suddenly around 450 years ago in a city near the Shadow Lands," he muttered, running his fingers along the aged parchment. "A family performed a ritual to the goddess, and after that… they turned into monsters and slaughtered the entire city." He exhaled sharply, reading over the passage again. "So they were the firstborns?"
His eyes narrowed as he focused on the year. "Around 450 years ago… Isn't that shortly after the God of Light descended into the world?" A strange feeling stirred in his chest. "Could these events be connected?" He tapped the page with his index finger, deep in thought. The more he tried to piece things together, the more questions arose, each one leading to a bigger mystery.
The book described how that cursed family—six individuals—became the source of vampirism, turning others and spreading their kind across the world. As their numbers grew, the kingdoms waged war against them, their fear turning into relentless persecution. The conflict lasted for thirty years, until the legendary knight Elbridge confronted the head of the vampire family and struck him down.
With their leader gone, the remaining members of the family disappeared into hiding. Their absence slowed the spread of vampirism significantly, but the damage had already been done.
From then until now, countless battles had erupted between vampires and the three kingdoms, yet in every conflict, the vampire leaders had managed to escape. The entire chapter was a meticulous record of these attacks, listing the dates, locations, and outcomes in painstaking detail.
Leo's eyes flicked over the text, absorbing as much information as he could. After hours of reading, he finally reached the next chapter. Its title was stark and simple—"Vampires."
He exhaled, closing the book. He had learned a lot, but he needed to move his body before the meeting began. Shifting out of his domain, he stretched and started doing push-ups, feeling the tension ease from his muscles. Then, he headed downstairs to the inn, ordered dinner, and ate in silence. After finishing his meal, he made his way back to his room, methodically ensuring everything was in place before the meeting. As an extra precaution, he activated his Moonlit Gaze, scanning his surroundings. When his gaze passed over Ryan's room, he found that it was empty.
Leaning back on his bed, he closed his eyes. The familiar sensation of being pulled forward engulfed him, and when he opened them again, he was seated in his usual spot at the massive stone table.
Across from him, cloaked figures occupied their seats, their faces hidden behind shadows. A familiar voice cut through the stillness.
"Welcome, my friends, to another conclave of our order. As is our custom, let us commence with the fulfillment of promises made at our last gathering."
A few items exchanged hands as transactions were completed. Then, all eyes turned to Leo.
At first, he didn't understand, but when Mr. Crow spoke, clarity struck.
"Well, Mr. Clone? What details do you have from Flesa?"
Leo inhaled sharply. They wanted to know about the recent events in the city.
Careful not to reveal anything that could expose him, he composed his response.
"From what I know, the first attack happened at the Grand Cathedral. The identity of the attacker remains unknown to me." He deliberately avoided mentioning himself. "Then, Bishop Oryu betrayed the Kingdom of Light and summoned two S-ranks."
At the mention of S-ranks, everyone in the room shifted in their seats.
"Which S-ranks?" Mr. Immortal asked, his voice sharp.
"One was the Icethrone Empress, and the other was a black knight whose identity remains unclear." Leo had learned this from Ryan himself.
"And their objective?" Mr. King's tone carried a weight of authority.
Leo sighed. "There were two S-ranks present, Mr. King. I wasn't going to wait around and ask them questions. I left before the Pope arrived."
At the mention of the Pope, Mr. Light visibly tensed.
"So the Pope fought against two S-ranks?" Ms. Eye mused.
Before Leo could answer, Ms. Shadow spoke, her voice smooth yet ominous.
"The Pope was in the Land of Darkness at the time, attempting to use a spell alongside the Grand Magister of the Kingdom of Magic and the Crown Prince of the North to put the Beast back to sleep. But then something caught his attention—he immediately switched places with another S-rank and vanished."
A heavy silence settled over the table.
"Are you saying they tried to wake the Beast just to distract the Pope?" Mr. Immortal asked, his voice low. "For what purpose? What could they possibly want in a city like Flesa?"
Ms. Eye tapped her fingers against the table. "If they planned all this, they must have considered every possibility. Why did they fail?" She turned to Leo, her gaze piercing.
"Something unexpected must have happened," Mr. Crow interjected.
Leo gave a small nod. "Yes. Their plan was meticulous, but something they didn't account for occurred—the Goddess of the Moon appeared in a house in the middle of the city. Her presence tipped off the Pope."
The reaction was immediate.
"The Goddess of the Moon? Again?" Mr. King's voice hardened as he turned to Leo. "Who was inside that building?"
Leo shrugged. "I don't know their names, but two low-ranked paladins and an A-rank died there."
"The Pope took a great risk by moving two S-ranks out of the kingdom," Mr. Crow remarked.
Mr. Immortal responded without hesitation. "He's the strongest S-rank himself. I'm sure he had ways to protect his kingdom."
A tense stillness filled the chamber as everyone processed the information.
Finally, Mr. King broke the silence. "Ms. Shadow, what's the current situation in the Shadow Land?"
She inclined her head slightly before answering. "The three S-ranks successfully cast the spell. The Beast is now asleep, and the S-rank who tried to wake it—Iralian Desimus, the Void Caller—escaped. There were heavy casualties among A and B-rank combatants."
"Well, I think we owe our gratitude to Ms. Shadow and Mr. Clone." He glanced around the table. "What do you say we each contribute to reward them—500 gold coins split among us?" Mr. Crow spoke.
No one objected. The meeting concluded after a few more brief, unimportant discussions.