The Primordial True Ancestor had completely vanished after giving Davey a huge middle finger.

The scowl stayed on Davey’s face so long it could’ve filed for squatter’s rights.

“Haaah. There are two things that I hate the most in the world—something they’dn’t’ve done if they knew what was good for them. The first is stopping mid-sentence and when.”

The crazy bastard had skipped over an important clue about Aeria, then just disappeared.

‘And he even had the gall to say I'd be able to figure it out on my own?’

The moment the last remnants of the Primordial True Ancestor disappeared, the means to hold Empress Redimia’s soul would vanish with them.

Once the tense power struggle was suddenly ended, her soul, having been pulled taut like a rubber band, would be pulled back again.

Just then, Josiah, who had returned unnoticeably, asked with her eyes half-closed, “So. Um. What’s the second thing?”

“No time to waste,” Davey solemnly responded without missing a beat. “We gotta go now if we want to grab my mother-in-law's soul before it ascends.”

“Hey... what’s the second thing?!”

Finding out what kind of artifact the True Ancestor had left behind could wait until later.

“Mother? Mother!!”

Soon after, they heard Empress Redimia and Aeria crying frantically from nearby.

Boom!!

At the same time, immense energy spread out and pushed Davey and Josiah away.

“Ugh! What kind of wind is...!”

“It’s starting.” Davey didn't know how her soul had effectively been bound for over a decade, but the recoil from releasing those bounds was clearly immense.

He forcefully split the rushing wind and headed toward the source of the sound.

He saw Aeria in a panic, with Redimia floating right in front of her and screaming as she unleashed a massive storm of energy.

The soul, having been isolated by unnatural means, was trying to return to its original place.

If they tried to hold it back by force, it would inevitably damage her soul.

However—

Flash!!

“Ugh!”

When Aeria suddenly reached out her hand to Redimia, light exploded from the hand, and everything changed.

“Oh...”

“Ugh. My eyes...” Josiah groaned, covering her eyes in a panic.

Davey watched the entire situation, eyes wide open like a toddler spectating a solar eclipse.

As the forced binding was released, Empress Redimia’s soul, having been riddled with scars, healed the moment it touched Aeria and was embraced in her aura.

It was the miracle of a Holy Mother, the maternal love of a woman who carried a god different from the usual divinities. Even if they weren't related by blood, Empress Redimia was nonetheless Aeria’s mother.

It felt like a god’s power was manifesting using her body as a medium. It was most likely Aeria’s soul which had somehow turned into that of a Holy Mother without notice, reacting to her mother’s soul.

Aeria, who’d slowly and completely ensconced Redimia's soul within her embrace, looked down at the small, blue gem she held tightly in her hand with a puzzled expression.

“What just...” Josiah was dumbfounded. “Teacher... what the hell was that?”

“What do you think? It was the mercy of a Holy Mother, obviously. Who has been teaching you these days? Looks like we’ll need to step up your instruction,” he responded with a shake of his head.

To be frank, Davey didn't know either.

* * *

The initial task, of essentially freeing Empress Redimia’s soul and keeping it stable, had been solved.

It was a little bewildering, yet, given Aeria’s abilities as an apparent Holy Mother, just as the Primordial True Ancestor had said, it was certainly possible.

Come to think of it, he figured the reason her aging had stopped might also be related to that. Davey had initially thought her aging was just slow, but turns out the truth was completely different.

To be frank, he had no clue why she’d become the Holy Mother. He thought long and hard, but only one thing came to mind.

He was reminded of the child she’d lost in the miscarriage. The child that never saw the light of day.

The child she had held all alone came to mind.

“Wow! Incredible...” Aeria hugged the precious gem containing Empress Redimia’s dormant soul tightly with affection. “It’s the first time I've known something like this is possible. Normally, it wouldn't work with a soul this damaged.”

She was indeed correct.

“Well, it’s settled for now,” Davey announced. “Be sure to keep that close by.”

The next step was to decide whether to guide the soul to the River of Souls or to let her and Vashas meet, depending on how he acted.

The residual specter left behind by the Primordial True Ancestor slowly faded and completely dispersed.

Upon inspection, Davey found one more strange space where the coffin had been. The True Ancestor must’ve thought he hid it, but Davey was ridiculously good at treasure hunting.

Yet, what came out wasn't just a simple artifact or treasure like before. Inside lay various high-grade elixirs, preserved as if unaffected by time.

They were high-level elixirs, enough to make the fighters of the Heavenly Central Plains open their eyes wide and pant like dogs. The types varied, but they all appeared to be highly concentrated as a result of incredible alchemical technology.

Davey assumed the Primordial True Ancestor had created them with his own power. If his soul was still there, he most likely would’ve foamed at the mouth in shock.

“Geez. If these got out into the public, it'd be a real pain.”

Unlike simple treasures with historical or scarcity value, each of the elixirs was a dangerous item that could incite a war.

“Let’s quietly snatch these right up.” Davey figured he could give them to Abel or Darian as a gift when they’d grown up. Sure, they’d been retrieved from the land of the Lyndis Empire, but it would’ve been buried forever if not for him.

So he saw no problem in taking some.

“Seriously, what’s the second thing? Cutting mid-sentence really ticks me off, you know?”

“I just did that purely to tick you off.”

Josiah seemed to still be holding onto the words he had muttered earlier.

* * *

The fog and landslide in Bernhardt Canyon completely disappeared once the spectral power from the Primordial True Ancestor vanished. There would be no more disasters without reason or people losing their way.

Davey immediately set his direction toward the Lyndis Empire, silently recalling the past.

When Aeria was young, Empress Redimia had been passing through this canyon while taking members of the imperial household with her on an outing. During the journey, an unfortunate accident occurred, and many of them were swept away by the mudslide.

Only a few survived.

Among those swept away was Empress Redimia herself, along with a number of servants and maids.

And also.

Aeria.

In a way, it might’ve been a blessing. As the canyon collapsed, the ground had weakened and formed a sinkhole, giving them a small space where they could hold out for a time.

Rescue efforts to save those buried in the landslide had continued for days and nights, with the bodies of servants and maids being unearthed one by one.

Days passed as the search party dug into the deep sinkhole, with those isolated and buried below anticipating their imminent death with each passing moment.

They could instinctively tell that the search team was looking for them above, and would eventually find their locations, but being buried so deep left huge problems besides just concealment.

Oxygen was scarce, as were water and food.

In the midst of it all, Empress Redimia had been cut by a sharp rock and even contracted tetanus.

Even as their group died one by one, Redimia fed Aeria her own share of extra food and water.

Apparently suffering from claustrophobia, Aeria couldn’t regain her composure. Redimia knew she’d surely die if left alone.

Redimia endured fiercely, relying on her mana and body, and ultimately kept Aeria alive until the very end.

One by one, the servants died, until finally, only Aeria and Empress Redimia were left.

Barely holding up her dying body, she hugged Aeria and said, “This was a disaster, just an accident. It’s not your fault, so never blame yourself.”

Aeria, who had only survived by eating her mother’s share of food and water, endured for another week even after she passed away. However, her mind was on the verge of collapsing from the shock. Just as she was about to follow Redimia to the afterlife, the search party miraculously rescued her.

She was the sole survivor of the ordeal. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

Aeria had fainted the moment she saw the search party. The shock of the accident was so severe that she suffered from aphasia for months, unable to communicate.

Emperor Deorte, who arrived late at the scene, lost consciousness for days when he saw the body of Empress Redimia.

After that traumatic event passed, Emperor Deorte honored his late wife Empress Redimia's dying wish and firmly pushed back those who blamed Aeria.

However, Vashas didn’t see things the same way as his father. Davey both understood and couldn't understand Vashas for that.

Aeria was said to have lost her memory of the time due to the shock. In reality, it seemed she didn't just lose it, waiting to find it later on. The exposure to the Primordial True Ancestor’s power had effectively erased that painful memory completely, just as she had wished.

It was a bit unusual, but it was something that could happen even by chance.

What happened after was as Davey had seen. Empress Redimia, who was thought to be dead, was the only one among the deceased whose soul was bound, and unlike the others, her soul remained tied down there for over a decade.

During that process, as her soul gradually healed, fragments of memory that the Primordial True Ancestor saw had flowed into her as well.

“What should I tell my father?”

‘Probably just that Empress Redimia, who everyone thought died over a decade ago, is still here. Her soul is still here, so would you like to talk to her?’

He wasn’t certain if anyone could bring up such a thing with a sane mind. He instead went with, “Well... I’m not sure either.”

“But, Teacher, about the Goran Kingdom. Wouldn't it be a good idea to collect evidence by intentionally pretending to fall into their trap and catching them off guard?”

Destroying the Goran Kingdom was a given, but her opinion was that declaring war on a country without evidence might cause unnecessary trouble.

‘Yeah, she has a point.’

If he used a reliable information source like the Gourmet Research Society or the Shadows, he could surely collect evidence.

Yet, he shook his head. “No, I don’t plan to.”

“Teacher, how about calming down a little? If you think rationally, this is nothing but a loss—”

“Josiah,” he interrupted.

She continued, “Doesn’t it seem strange? You’re getting too emotional right now...”

“Josiah Frances.”

She flinched and answered with an incredibly tight posture. “Yes... Yes, Teacher!”

“Quiet.”

“Yes...” Josiah, instantly defeated, backed away, covering her mouth with both hands.

Coo-coo!

Just then, a communication crystal ball flashed.

“Yuria?”

- Gracious Savior, I have something to report.

“What is it?”

- I’m working with the Shadows, and apparently both Prince Vashas and Belluard are missing from the Lyndis Empire. We’ve confirmed they disappeared the same day you left Heins.

“Are both of them involved in this?”

- I don't know about Grandson Belluard, but apparently Prince Vashas is busy tracking down a loyal retainer that was murdered.

In the end, there was no need to go to the Lyndis Empire when he couldn’t meet the two people he wanted to.

Davey nodded quietly. “First, give me Belluard’s location.”

He figured Belluard must be panicking after his wrongdoings had been exposed. With his own father absent, he didn't have many places to run.

- We can’t figure out exactly where he went, but we have a few likely locations. Rinne has already dispatched a part of the Avengers Squadron, so we’ll get word as soon as he’s found.

“Good.”

- What will you do if you catch him?

“Goran is Goran, and that bastard Belluard has to pay the price too.”

Even if the opponent was Lyndis, crossing the line was no longer tolerable.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Rain slowly began to fall, as if the sky itself was weeping.

* * *

“Damn it... God damn it!!” Belluard shouted, frantically running through a dark underground waterway. He knew full well how serious the situation had become.

The Imperial Household must have already received evidence that he tried to kill Aeria, and the Imperial Guards were busily moving around looking for him.

While he knew he wouldn't die if caught, he'd no doubt receive a massive punishment. Even though he was his grandson, Emperor Deorte would never let him off the hook after learning he tried to kill a fellow family member.

Especially since the emperor was such a strict grandfather.

Then, besides him, there was the real serious issue—Davey O’Rowane.

Belluard had heard rumors about that man. When the Boltis royal family caused trouble related to narcotics, he had immediately stormed Boltis and collapsed the royal family.

All in the span of a couple of days.

Since that was the kind of person he was, there was no way he’d sit back in the current situation.

“Damn it! You said I wouldn’t get caught!!” Shouting furiously, he ran through the underground waterway, which was filled with a nose-stinging stench. He held his breath until he no longer could, then finally gasped for breath.

Hands on his knees and breathing heavily, he slowly raised his head to look up at the sewer entrance on the ceiling. He couldn’t believe his current situation. He was the great imperial grandson, for god’s sake!

He looked up with a hollow expression and stared blankly at the pounding raindrops streaming through the sewer cracks.

Just then.

Crackle!! Boom!!

Strong thunderclaps roared before he flinched and shivered. The booming sound echoed even more intensely because they were in a sewer.

“Fuck! Fucking hell...”

Truth be told, he didn't know where to run anymore.

‘Wouldn't it be better to just turn back now and preserve my life?’

When he was about to slowly turn, he felt a strange sensation.

“Huh?”

He thought he had just seen something.

Boom!!

Belluard, sensing a strange presence, looked blankly at the far side of the sewer, which was momentarily brightened by another lightning strike.

Turns out he wasn’t mistaken.

There was, in fact, a figure at the end of the sewer.

Splish. Splash.

The sound of bare feet stepping through the shallow water echoed around them.

An eerie and chilling symphony of terror rang across the walls.

Creak. Creak.

A bizarre sound and the sound of footsteps.

Belluard froze on the spot, trembling uncontrollably. He then stumbled backward, collapsing onto the ground.

It was because he had seen the being on the far side after the space flashed for a very brief moment.

The figure wore white clothes that had been stained red. Long hair covered their face, and through the strands, a pair of wide-open eyes stared straight at him.

One step. Then another.

The woman, who had been approaching slowly, suddenly sped up and began walking toward him with thudding footsteps.

“AHHH!!!” Belluard, feeling extreme fear from the being he had never seen before, promptly pissed himself and passed out.

Then, the woman who approached his unconscious body tilted her head and threw something at him.

It was a piece of paper that read,

- Let’s play together.

However, nothing changed even after she tossed the paper.

Soon after, Davey walked in from behind and spoke to the woman, remarking, “What the hell? I figured he’d be here, but you caught him already?”

Her head tilted, looking directly at him.

“And what’s all that red stuff on you?”

[Strawberry jam. Anabelle evaluates it highly.]

“...Whoa. Well, good job. Sometimes when I see you it even scares the heck out of me.”

The one who deserved the credit for catching Belluard was none other than Anabelle.

“She caught him quicker than I thought,” Josiah agreed. “Well, I guess all those kids think the same way. But what are you going to do now?”

“What else? Gotta secure him first. Like you said, he’s a guy who can be a witness. I’ll deal with the Goran Kingdom after,” he said coolly.

It was right when he was about to reach out toward the unconscious Belluard.

Swoosh!! Boom!!

Blade-like scales suddenly flew from the distance, precisely targeting Belluard’s throat

Davey knocked them away with his bare hands, deflecting them into the flowing sewer water.

“Teacher, what’re those?”

“Looks like a tamed monster. They probably tried to kill Beluard in order to erase the last remaining trace of themselves, but didn't account for us being here already.”

It was because if Belluard died, the Lyndis Empire would also be stirred up. They had planned everything quite meticulously.

That old man who’d lured Aeria was quite the schemer.

Ssss. Ssss.

Soon after, a reptile-like monster slowly crawled over from afar.

Its appearance was similar to an alligator, but it had blade-like scales covering its entire body.

“Dirro, get rid of it.”

Swoosh!

A gray-colored, slime-like thing quickly flew from Davey’s side and slid right into the monster’s mouth.

Boom!!

Not long after, the monster burst apart as if it had been blown up from the inside.

Dirro, a bio-golem of the Avenger Squadron, crawled out, flowing like a liquid.

“You go on ahead. I’ll catch the tamer and kick their ass before I catch up,” Davey said, tapping his toe on the floor.

“You can’t kill him, Teacher. You understand, right?”

“Depends on how they act.”

Josiah trembled upon seeing Davey’s sinister smile.