"I want to talk to you privately," Lilura said, looking at the members of her team sitting around.

"Excuse us for a moment," Max said calmly.

Miller was the first to leave, walking straight towards the training ground.

Mira and Billie went to their separate rooms.

Silas looked back with a smile.

’Rion, remember to save a video of their conversation with sound,’ he said mentally.

"Okay."

There was silence between both sides for a while.

Lilura held back her tears to recount what had happened to Max.

"We were already coming back from the mission, but someone suddenly attacked us," Lilura’s breaths were shaky, like she had watched a horror movie.

"He killed Micheal instantly before we could react."

At her words, Max furrowed his brows.

"Why are you alive then?" He asked. "If he could kill Micheal instantly, that means he would be able to kill you too. So why are you still alive?"

Lilura swallowed hard.

"He asked me to deliver his message to the governor."

"Oh, what was it?" Max asked, his tone visibly surprised.

"He has asked to meet you at the Methford stadium in the next 3 days," she said.

Max did not reply for a while.

"He is bold," Max said with a smile when he finally spoke.

Then his face turned cold.

"Then you should prepare for the fight in the next 3 days. I would tell the others later too."

"Wait, before you hang up, I have a request to make."

Max blinked. "What is it?"

"I would like to leave this team," she said with a resolute gaze.

"Why? It was your suggestion to join them previously," Max said calmly, neither too fast nor too slow.

"Because they are too cold," Lilura said directly. "Micheal died and they are all continuing with their things like nothing happened."

Max was silent for exactly three seconds before he spoke again.

"So, you’re saying I am cold too, right?" He asked, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"I didn’t react to the death either, so I am asking you, am I cold?"

Lilura’s eyes widened as she realized.

"No, you’re not," she said.

Max smiled.

"Let me tell you something," he said, the projection seemingly pressing forward.

"We all process grief differently. You were too focused on their reaction that you failed to notice crucial things," Max said.

"Did you see the tears on Billie’s face? Mira’s hums? Or the fact that Miller came to this place first? That guy is so focused on training that he would not bother coming to a dining table in the morning."

As Max said all of these, he focused on her.

"You failed to notice all of these. Silas could not even sleep. His heart rate is so high that my own assistant is alarming me to go check on him."

Lilura was at a loss for words as Max called everything out to her.

It was true. She had noticed them but had not paid attention to them.

She had overlooked them.

"Well, I can still take you away if you want. I only told you those things so you would not get the wrong idea," Max added in conclusion.

"No, I am fine here," Lilura said with a bow. "My only chance of avenging Micheal is here."

Silas smiled. "What’s your deal with vengeance? Moreover, if you had left, how would you get revenge for Micheal?"

"I would have gone alone," she said directly.

"And died?" Max laughed.

"At least I tried," Lilura retorted.

Max sighed.

"If that’s all, I would hang up now," he said.

On the other side, Max looked at the recording icon on the side of the call.

He did not try to end it.

To him, they had not had any secret discussion.

He hung up after informing Lilura.

"Alfred, why is Aldren here?" Max asked, confused.

Aldren rarely visited. Having to run the only academy on the planet, his hands were full at all times.

"I don’t know, just go see him."

Max nodded as he stood up from his chair and walked towards the elevator.

"Micheal died yesterday," he told Alfred as they entered the elevator.

"Oh," Alfred said.

He went silent. ’Once you advance to the Ascendant Realm, you would become my master, right?’

The words played in Alfred’s mind.

Max reached the living room and saw Aldren sitting languidly in one of the chairs.

"Come, come," Aldren signalled.

"Oh, you are happy today," Max said, surprised.

"I just got this wine from the Nexus Dimension," Aldren said, pointing at the wine he had brought.

The wine was placed on the table.

"Please, get us two cups," Max said to one of the maids as he settled into a chair.

Alfred left both of them and headed to his room.

Soon, the maid entered with a tray.

Two cups were placed upside down on it.

She set it on the table, uncorked the wine, and served both of them a full glass each.

"It has been so long since we drank wine together," Aldren said, taking a sip.

"Yes, that was about ten thousand years ago, when Light was still alive."

At the mention of Light, not only Aldren, but even Max who had said the name fell silent.

"So, what’s up? How is running the academy going?" Max asked, pouring himself another glass.

Aldren smiled. "Don’t let me get started on that topic," he said, downing the entire contents of the glass.

Max smiled. "Well, we are both too occupied to see each other as often as before," he said with a sigh that earned him a cursory glance from Aldren.

"You talk as if Alfred is not the one doing everything here."

Max smiled. "Get yourself an assistant too, you old geezer."

"Finding one like Alfred is hard. That guy is too abnormal," Aldren said.

"Well, he is Light’s brother. Finding someone like them is impossible. Just settle for less," Max said with a smile.

"I would start a talent hunting event soon. You would be one of the judges."

Max nodded with a smile.

Time flew as two old friends reminisced over the past and a bottle of wine.