The atmosphere at the table was tense. Everyone sat in silence, casting furtive glances toward Biel, whose eyes reflected a mix of nervousness and fear. Aine was at his side; her presence seemed to envelop him in a warmth that, far from reassuring him, only increased his discomfort. Charlotte, on the other hand, struggled not to laugh, covering her mouth as her shoulders shook with amusement.
Acalia, Xanthe, Raizel, and Yumi maintained serious expressions, but the tension in their eyes betrayed them. Each tried to hide her unease, though it was evident that Aine’s closeness to Biel did not leave them indifferent. Their thoughts were a whirlwind of jealousy and confusion. Meanwhile, Ryder, Easton, and a recovered Ylfur watched the scene in silence, with a mix of curiosity and amusement.
Finally, Biel took a breath, trying to steady his nerves. "When I fell unconscious... I woke up within my own mind," he said, his voice trembling at first but gaining firmness as he continued.
Everyone directed their attention toward him. "In my mind... Monsfil, the Demon King, was there. He lives there now." Biel paused. "We talked... though it was mostly him talking and me listening."
Aine gently placed a hand on Biel’s shoulder. He tensed instantly, his cheeks reddening. Yumi pressed her lips together, and Xanthe crossed her arms, looking away in annoyance.
"But then..." Biel continued, his voice dropping to a whisper, "I saw a door... it was chained. Suddenly... without warning... the chains broke and the door burst open. The air turned cold... and then, she appeared."
"Who appeared?" Raizel asked, her eyes reflecting a mix of dread and curiosity.
Biel hesitated. "It was... a girl. She had long, silver hair... her presence was so powerful I could barely move." He glanced at Aine. "She said she was... The Fragment of the Infinite... and that her name was... Aine."
7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ljME4GC6M
Silence filled the room. Everyone stared at Aine, who simply smiled softly.
"Do you have... anything to say to us?" Acalia asked, her voice cold and firm.
Aine tilted her head slightly. "Only what Biel has said is the truth. I am... the Fragment of the Infinite."
Acalia frowned, Xanthe clenched her fists, and Yumi’s smile was anything but friendly. Aine continued, unfazed. "But... I had a mishap upon waking. When Biel arrived in this world, he awoke... but I did not. Someone manipulated everything so that I wouldn't wake up with him." Her expression turned somber. "However, the seal is finally broken, and now I can be by Biel’s side... forever."
The last words resonated like thunder. Acalia’s aura emanated intense pressure. Xanthe slammed her hands on the table, making the plates rattle.
"F-Forever?" Biel felt a shiver. He looked at the girls, whose expressions threatened to unleash a storm. "Wait! This is a misunderstanding! Aine just meant that... um...!"
"She just meant what, Biel?" Acalia asked in a frozen tone.
"Eh... that... she..." Biel broke into a cold sweat. He felt a tug on his arm; Aine was hugging him with a radiant expression.
"Biel is mine now," Aine said matter-of-factly, oblivious to the emotional earthquake she was causing.
The environment turned frigid. "So 'forever,' huh?" Raizel murmured with an unsettling smile. "How... interesting."
7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUUzKfxDn8m
Before the situation could escalate further, the door burst open. A guild messenger entered, panting. "Biel? Are you Biel? The Guild Master has requested your presence immediately! It’s an emergency."
Biel blinked, relieved by the interruption. "Y-Yes! I’m coming right away!"
Biel stood up quickly, trying to sound firm. "Alright, I'm going to the guild. They said it's urgent."
"I’m going too," Acalia said, standing up elegantly. "Me too," Xanthe added with a sly smile. "I don't plan on taking my eyes off you, Biel." "We don't want you getting flirty with the receptionist," Raizel added.
"F-Flirty!? Me!? Not at all!" Biel’s face turned red as a tomato. "Really?" Yumi narrowed her eyes. "You'd better not, you cheater."
Aine hugged Biel’s arm sweetly. "I’m going too. I must stay by my dear Biel’s side."
Biel felt his soul leaving his body. Charlotte could barely contain her laughter; the scene was too much. They headed to the guild, and upon arrival, they were shocked. Adventurers of all levels filled the place. As soon as they saw Biel, they began to approach.
"It’s Biel! The hero who saved the city!" "Thank you, kid! My children are safe because of you!"
Biel felt overwhelmed. He wasn't used to such attention. He scratched the back of his neck, smiling shyly.
"I-It was... nothing special..." Biel murmured, his voice barely audible. But the praise from the crowd didn't stop. Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out.
"Well, well! I'm glad to see you're doing okay, friend Biel!"
Biel turned to see Gaudel approaching with a wide grin. "Gaudel! Yeah, I've recovered."
Gaudel looked at the group with interest. "I see some new faces. I saw this girl (looking at Yumi) in the last battle, but I don't recall seeing the silver-haired one (looking at Aine)."
"Ah, well... a lot has happened... jeje." Biel laughed nervously, avoiding Aine's gaze as she continued to smile sweetly.
"I see... I see. It seems your life is more interesting than I thought, friend."
Before the conversation could go further, the guild receptionist approached firmly. "Biel, the Guild Master is waiting for you in his office. You may be accompanied by two people. The others must wait here."
Yumi immediately stepped forward. "I'm going with this cheater. Someone has to make sure he doesn't flirt with any girls in there."
"W-Why would you say that!? I wouldn't do that!" Biel protested, breaking into a cold sweat.
Aine clung to Biel’s arm, smiling sweetly. "Then I shall go with my dear Biel as well."
7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDmhW6htrEz
Inside the office, Biel was shocked to see an imposing man standing next to Niccolò.
"Biel, you’ve arrived," Niccolò said, visibly nervous. "Allow me to present the King of this city."
Biel’s mouth hung open in shock. "Eh? The King!?" He bowed clumsily, his face pale. "I-I’m sorry! I didn't know you were the King! A thousand apologies!"
The King let out a hearty laugh. "Don't worry, young man. You saved my city, so there’s no need for formalities."
Niccolò cleared his throat to regain seriousness. "Sit down, Biel. We need to talk about what happened."
7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpteoC23Obo
The atmosphere turned heavy. "Yesterday, our city was on the brink of disaster," Niccolò began. "The dragons were a front. The real threat was Cliver Soldemour and Shalok Vendrax, two members of The Nova."
"The Nova? Who are they?" Biel asked.
"They are an elite group from Marciler," Niccolò explained, "nobles who serve Empress Domia directly."
The King leaned forward. "Empress Domia... since she took command of Marciler, the city has fallen into corruption. It was once a city of noble justice, but Domia split it with a massive wall. Inside, only arrogant nobles seeking power reside. Outside, the once-just nobles are forced to serve them."
"How could someone like that take power?" Yumi asked, clenching her fists.
"They say she threw the true Empress into a dungeon and took her place," the King sighed.
Biel finally spoke. "That woman... she sent me to the Dark Lands a long time ago. I think she expected the Vampire King, Lip, to eliminate me."
"My boy," the King warned, "if you decide to go there, you must be extremely careful. Domia is dangerous. The rumors about the true Empress are strong, but no one has been able to confirm them."
7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNwFHqPEUNp
Suddenly, the King received a letter. As he opened it, his face turned pale and his hands shook. He read it aloud for the room:
"Commoners of the small city of adventurers, I, Domia Valtherion, shall conquer your territory in 15 days. All those who wish to live, abandon the city, or else... you shall die."
A deathly silence flooded the room. Biel felt a wave of fury surge through him. "That woman... she's going to pay for this!" he declared, his eyes burning with resolve.
"15 days is too little time to train and get stronger!" Biel struck the table.
Aine placed her hand softly on his shoulder. "Don't worry, dear Biel," she said with a sweet smile. "I will help you. I will help you become much stronger than you are now. I won't let anyone take what you love away from you."
The King stood up, recovering from the shock. "I will help as well. I shall request aid from the Kingdom of Claiflor. We cannot face them alone."
"Then we prepare for war," Niccolò said with determination.
Biel nodded, his gaze filled with conviction. "Perfect. Then we will do everything possible to save this city!"
Aine smiled radiantly at him. "I'll be with you every step of the way, dear Biel..."
Biel felt a shiver at her words, thinking: This... this is going to be more complicated than I thought...
ns216.73.217.14da2
and then Add to home screen.