Things were quickly not going as planned. After receiving a report from Lyric, Minerva realized that the situation was far more complex than she had thought.

It was impossible. How could Leonel possibly evade her detection? The teleportation platforms of the Owlans were far beyond anything the lesser worlds would have. It felt like a joke to try and compare them.

She had seen Leonel's Crafting skill. It was impressive, but only insofar as his age and generation was taken into account. She still felt that she had nothing to fear from him on that front. Personally, she could like up at least 18 runes on the pillar.

As she was getting lost in her frustration, there was a rush and Aurora suddenly came into view.

"Master," she bowed low. Despite the fact Aurora looked older than Minerva, Minerva was actually the more senior of the two parties. In addition, she was by far the more powerful on top of that.

"What is it?" Minerva asked with a hint of expectation and irritability. She hoped that there was good news, but considering Aurora's expression... it didn't seem to be so.

"P-please follow me."

Aurora didn't dare to talk about this matter in public, so she took Minerva along with her.

When Minerva realized where they were going, she frowned. Wasn't this where they had stored the Pillar of Truth after the competition? What's going on?

Indeed, moments later, they entered a vast, well-kept underground space. At the center, there was the pillar of their ancestors.

"Why did you bring me here?"

Aurora's lips trembled, but ultimately she felt that showing would be better than telling here. She took out two braces that made Minerva furrowed her brows. Weren't those the ones Leonel had crafted? Didn't he take them with him? Why were they here?

Aurora tossed them at the pillar and there was a sudden blinding flash.

BOOM!The two braces shook and rose. Then, one after another, the runes began to light up, not stopping until a full 18 runes were shimmering with a splendid aura.

Minerva stood frozen.

Her memories flashed back to the event, remembering how Leonel had only tossed the braces out one by one. She had thought it was a bit odd back then, but she hadn't really thought twice of it. Maybe he had wanted twice the impact.

Logically, these braces weren't linked, them being together like this shouldn't change anything unless...

Minerva's heart raced.

The implication was obvious.

He had Crafted them casually. They weren't even worthy to be part of his collection, so he left them here for her to find...

As a final fuck you.

'No, there's something I'm missing here...'

But no matter how she wracked her brain, she couldn't figure out what it was.

...

The time continued to tick by and the Celestial Embers were growing more and more impatient. The Ancestor was already showing a great deal of grace by dealing with Minerva like an equal, when in reality she was far beyond.

Being made to wait like this made even a gentle woman like her irritable.

Every time another servant came in to say that they just needed a little bit more time, the temperature in the room just became a little bit more heated. Soon, the fine metals that made it up began to melt off the walls.

"We go. Now," the Ancestor beast said lightly. Even while irritated, she was gentle beyond compare.

She stored the Life Tablet away in a storage device of her own before sweeping up Verma into her wing. She was quickly getting bigger when Minerva rushed in with an ugly expression on her face.

"Apologies, young one," the Celestial Ember said lightly. "I do not have the patience to waste my life away here. If you find the human boy, you are free to visit my Celestial Ember Race any day. If my race finds a way to open the world, rest assured we will likewise return the treasure of your Ancestors to you."

With a flap of her wings, the Ancestor seemed to pretend as though the walls were even there, appearing high in the skies without leaving the slightest hint of damage... aside from the melted walls, that is.

Minerva clenched her jaw so hard she almost shattered her teeth.

Did she believe the Celestial Ember? She wanted to, but there was no guarantee. If they managed to open up the world first, and then found out the secrets of the treasure, would they just pretend they had never succeeded at all, pocketing both treasures?

This was why she hadn't wanted them to leave in the first place, but there was nothing she could do now. Although she could call her own Ancestors, if they forced her to remain here, wouldn't it cause war?

Plus, she was one of the very few who cared about that treasure so much. Everyone else thought it was a hot potato.

There was a reason she was the only high profile Owlan to show their face. It was plausible deniability. Should things go wrong, she would be the perfect scapegoat.

And yet now...

"FIND HIM!" Minerva roared, her chest heaving.

She would not be someone's convenient baby-making machine. She was an Empress, someone above it all.

This wouldn't be where her steps faltered.

...

Somnus' vision slowly cleared, but he frowned almost immediately.

The endless black, the cavernous trenches and pointed peaks, the rolling fog and the puddles and rivers of darkness...

The Inbetween Worlds? What was he doing here? Teleportation stations did malfunction from time to time, but certainly not so silently, and definitely not in the territory of a Clan as prestigious as the Owlans.

And then he saw them.

A pair of husband and wife, looking at him indifferently.

Leonel and Aina.