The three of them stayed the whole day. Riri loved playing with toy cars, but he was fascinated with watching cartoons more. The two decided to be with Riri while he entertained himself.

At the same time, this was also the way Riri learned more about vocabulary and such.

"Ah, right. Dad’s thinking of hiring a tutor for Riri. What do you think?" Rise sought Kamille’s opinion. He wanted that too, but he was a bit skeptical because of Riri’s uniqueness.

Unlike him, Kamille readily agreed without much hesitation.

"You don’t need to worry. Your father will certainly find a reliable tutor for Riri."

Rise stared at him, a bit surprised that he had such a good impression of his father. Kamille noticed his gaze; his eyebrows moved.

"Is it surprising?"

Rise nodded at him.

"Well," Kamille draped his arm around him, pulling Rise closer. As they stared at each other, he continued. "He took care of you. I’m going to trust him to take care of Riri, too."

Rise narrowed his eyes and could not help but pinch Kamille’s chest. "Seriously, Guild leader. I didn’t know you had a smooth tongue."

Kamille’s lips curled and leaned slightly.

"Now you know."

Rise nodded as he laughed. The two of them acted so unbearably for single people to be with in a room, but since Riri was there with them. It did not matter.

The child was so focused on the television they didn’t even care about them.

The whole day was spent leisurely like that. Rise did not have a good childhood in the orphanage to share with the child, and Kamille was almost the same.

So, they could only let Riri do what he wanted throughout the day.

Fortunately, Riri was also clueless most of the time and was not hard to please.

The next day, it was time for Kamille to leave the capital. Rise embraced him as he bid goodbye. He wanted to see him off, but for now, Rise could not do that.

"Make sure to come back immediately, okay?" Rise fluttered his eyes at him. "Or, the protagonist might bully me."

Kamille was ready to answer, but he chuckled at what Rise added. It was one thing for that Epsilon to meet Rise again, but to bully him?

"Why are you laughing, huh?"

Kamille knew it was Rise’s way of setting the mood. He then nodded and assured the other once more.

"I’ll return as soon as possible." If nothing happened, he would be back in a week at most.

Rise did not feel the need to prolong their goodbyes. He then looked at Riri.

"Say goodbye to Daddy."

This time, Riri was not as embarrassed, although he still sounded awkward.

"Goodbye, Daddy..."

Kamille’s lips automatically lifted at such an endearing goodbye. Like Riri, he was also not used to it. Kamille brushed Riri’s hair.

He did not say anything, but it was enough. Riri grinned and closed his eyes, nuzzling in Kamille’s hand.

Rise watched them with a smile on his face. As he said, it was only a temporary goodbye, so there was no need for so much farewell.

However, he did not think that it would be a while before he would meet Kamille again.

Rise and Riri waved at Kamille and returned to the Union general’s residence. That afternoon, Kamille departed from the capital.

Rise stayed obediently inside the residence as well, not deliberately seeking a fight with Epsilon. They would have a lot of chances later.

For now, he wanted to rest.

His whole body relaxed, and so was his mind. Now that his biggest worry was relieved, Rise had such a deep sleep.

By the next day, he received Kamille’s message that he had arrived at the headquarters of Dark Crimson and would be busy for quite a while.

Rise did not bother him. The sooner he finished his work there, the sooner he would return.

On this day, he had another appointment.

"Where are you going this time?" His father, carrying Riri, who was drinking milk from his tumbler, looked at him.

"I’m meeting with a friend." Rise dismissed it casually.

He had no intention to tell him, as this was only a casual affair at most.

"I’ll return later, Dad. Behave, Riri." He waved and entered the elevator. The two were still watching him until the elevator closed.

But he noticed that both his dad and Riri seemed to frown slightly and stepped forward, but the elevator had already closed. Rise blinked and thought for a moment.

Well, he would ask later.

Rise should not have dismissed this small meeting.

He did not wear a disguise, so his path was quite empty. Rise once more marveled at how convenient it was to be him. Rise smiled at the others, who quickly averted their gaze.

Rise merely shrugged and went directly to the restaurant where he had an appointment. It was not near the Union building, but it was not that far either.

As he entered the restaurant, he noticed the lack of customers inside. Rise knew immediately that he had reserved the whole restaurant.

Rise pushed open one of the VIP rooms. His gaze quickly met the other’s gaze. The other was already waiting for him. Rise paused for a moment.

"Mitchel," he called as he approached the table.

Mitchel did not answer, but he nodded. His expression seemed hard to discern somehow. Rise sighed. The other was still upset about what happened a couple of days ago.

Rise sat across from him. The two stared at each other.

"Are you still upset?" Rise asked.

"Upset? With what?" Mitchel’s tone made Rise roll his eyes.

"You know what I’m talking about." Rise sighed again and continued. "Enough with that. I want to ask you something. What did you offer with that bi—uh, new S-rank? He entered your guild."

Mitchell seemed to have expected this question; thus, he was unfazed.

"My guild offered him the best benefits," he answered nonchalantly, his gaze not leaving Rise. There seemed to be something about that gaze, but Rise failed to notice it.

"Oh? What exactly?"

Mitchel shrugged. "Why? Are you interested in joining my guild?" There was a glint in his eyes, which appeared to be playful. Rise was more than familiar with that, and he grimaced.

"You wish. I’m not."

Mitchel’s grin faded slightly, and his hands clasped tightly at each other. Voices rang in his ears, and so did his heart.

"Then, why the questions?"

Rise narrowed his eyes at him. This man... was still upset. Seriously.

"You know, that Epsilon and I... We have an enmity with each other. He tried to kill me." Well, it went both ways. But why would Rise clarify that?

Mitchel frowned. Sure enough, he was unaware.

"So, can you kick him out?"

Mitchel’s brows were still knitted. He stared at Rise, but eventually he shook his head. "I can’t."

"Huh? Why?"

"Termination of contract isn’t simple."

Rise knew that. But would it truly be that complicated for him? Rise was not sure. Since Rise could actually leave Union if he wanted to.

He could not help but seize up Mitchel. Huh, he only noticed right now.

"Are you sleep-deprived or something? Your dark circles are getting darker."

Mitchel did not answer for a moment, but soon he nodded.

"Yeah, I am. I can’t sleep these days."

Rise clasped his hands, curious. Since the matter with Epsilon could not be easily terminated, he would think of a way for that bitch to leave the Blue Guild later.

He could not have him tainting Mitchel.

"What’s the reason? Are you still being too hard on yourself? I always told you to take it easy."

His nagging was as smooth as always. Mitchel was not refuting his words this time and was only looking at him. Once he finished his words, he noticed the others’ silence.

"Why are you not responding?" He felt something was off.

But... It was Mitchel.

Mitchel blinked, and he took a deep breath as though he had finally come to an answer.

"You’re right."

"Right? About what?" Rise tilted his head.

Mitchel smiled at that, the usual one. "Everything," he meaningfully answered.

"Why don’t we order now?"

Rise was not starving, but he nodded.

They then talked about anything. Rise had a lot to say about, or criticize, so they did not get bored. Mitchel was chiming in occasionally, but more often than not, he was only staring at Rise. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

"You’re weird. Why are you staring so much?"

Mitchel chuckled at that. "Who knows?"

The food then arrived. It was only a few dishes. Mitchel glanced at Rise’s food, swallowed slightly, and nodded.

"Let’s eat."

Rise nodded nonchalantly. Somehow, these foods were so appetizing in his eyes. He looked up and saw Mitchel also preparing to eat.

Rise moistened his eyes and looked at the dish in front of him, the one with the most appetizing aroma of them all. Mitchell glanced at him at the corner of his eyes, hands gripping the cutlery tightly.

Swallowing once, Rise could not think anymore and dug in. As soon as he tasted it, he almost groaned in satisfaction. It was so good.

"Wow, when did this restaurant create a new dish?"

He often visited this restaurant too, but he had not tasted this one yet. Mitchel did not answer him, and when Rise looked up, the other was looking at him with a complicated expression.

Rise could not understand. Why... Rise paused. He swallowed.

Huh? He licked his lips... The delicious taste still lingered in his mouth, but... Rise blinked slowly and looked at Mitchel, who was suddenly becoming blurred before becoming clear again.

Rise was lost for a moment before he threw the fork in his hand. His expression was shocked.

"You...!"

Rise coughed and tried to vomit, but suddenly, weakness enveloped him. He blinked and tried to muster his mana, but he found that he could not do so.

His eyes widened, and a bad premonition engulfed him.

Rise tried to stand up, but his knees buckled, and he almost fell to the ground, but Mitchel quickly held him.

If he had not realized it now, then...

Rise looked at Mitchel in disbelief. "You... poisoned me?" Rise saw complex emotions in that gaze, and the surprise in his heart increased. "Why? Why.... Mitchel?"

He trusted Mitchel.... now...

Rise’s consciousness was getting blurry.

"Sorry... this is the only way. I need to save you from him."

Why? Rise did not want to hear his reason.

There was only one thing on his mind.

It seemed... This world’s destruction would be moved forward after all.

Kamille...

Rise soon fell unconscious.