"The Zions are celebrating their victory," Hazel reported. "There are no more enthusiasts trying to get to this side. Even the ones that promised have reneged. There isn't much I can do at this point."
Varian exhaled deeply as he leaned back in the sofa.
"Am I audible?"
Varian didn't even nod.
After the sweet session with Sarah, when he was talking a stroll in the garden, Isadora found him for a match.
She promised to help him improve no matter what. Him being him, he didn't refuse such a golden offer.
So the fight began. It should've been a good match. In some ways, it was. He saw great gains.
Watching his moves, even in other paths he frequently switched into, Isadora gave insights that really helped him improve.
But…
'Ouch, it still hurts.'
It took him a while to understood, she was very pissed off. She beat him black and blue. Treated him worse than a sandbag.
Even his enormous patience wore off and he eventually used all paths to fight.
But Isadora being Isadora, actually managed to breakthrough somehow and maintained an edge over him throughout.
Unless he used slivers, he wouldn't be able to win. And since he wanted to train regardless, Varian didn't bother using them.
The result?
A sore back, sore shoulders, sore arms, even a sore face.
'Enigma, is this your revenge?'
It's impossible for Enigma to not know the consequences of letting Isadora near them. But she did it anyway.
Why? Of course, she was left out.
He more than compensated for her later. But it's a mistake regardless.
'I deserve it but Isadora…one day, I'll pay you back in full for these be—ouch, I'll spank you until you cry.'
The Emperor rubbed his sore back and vowed his vengeance.
The silver lining? He did grow quite a bit.
[Adept Rank 6: 4000/5000 (+750, + 750)
< Is this hatred? Is this love? They say there's only a thin line between love and hatred! >]
'Your mom!'
[Assimilator Rank 6: 4500/5000 (+1500, +500)
< Your greed knows no bounds!>]
'Neither does your ridiculous commentary!'
[Binder Rank 6: 3500/5000 (+500, +1000)
<Her insights really helped, didn't they? So go fight her again!> ]
'You're kidding me!'
[Energy Rank 6: 3000/5000 (+500, +1500)
Matter Rank 6: 3000/5000 (+500, + 1500)
< More Synergy! More improvements!>]
'You should look at her eyes when I asked for Synergy yesterday. She was this close to driving that sword into my throat.'
[Space Rank 6: 2500/5000 (+1000, +1000)
Time Rank 6: 2500/5000 (+1000, +1000)
< Good work! >
PS: You won't die taking a sword in your throat anway. For a Synergy, it's totally worth it.]
'Yeah, right! You crazy bastard! It's not okay!'
"…Hello? Hello?"
Varian was jolted out of his thoughts by those words and instinctively responded. "Ah! Hello! Sup?"
"…" Hazel looked at him blankly for a moment before tilting her head. "Are you okay?"
"Yes," Varian said but his head shook his firmly.
"Well…" Hazel looked at with a speechless expression.
"Ahem, continue the report."
"the army lead—"
"From the beginning." Varian said with an expression as straight as possible.
"That's not called continuing," Hazel blurted out.
Varian coughed out lightly to cover up his embarassment.
The fairy also coughed, realizing her mistake.
Varian then coughed again to not make it seem he's coughing up to hide his embarassment.
The fairy reciprocated, thinking that she couldn't speak when he's still coughing.
As a result, the two ended up coughing for the next few minutes.
Eventually, Varian got her to start speaking.
"…The Veyans sourced the space cracks. They even opened up some of them."
"The ones I closed?"
"Yes, the ones you closed. They could only track half way though, not anymore."
"That's still ridiculous. Are they rank 9s or what?"
"Rank 7s, according to the information I have. It's their racial talent." Hazel replied with an envious expression.
"What's the fairy's racial talent?" Varian tilted his head.
Hazel's wings drooped.
"Er, never mind," Thinking he touched a sore spot, he waved his hand.
"Faith, if that's a thing," Hazel replied after a long sigh. "The roots of my race are in the ancient past, we don't even have the scriptures to date them. But the myths and legends that remain, they say great things."
Varian nodded lightly.
Many races had glorious history. Their myths and legends tend to exaggerate. It's not new or unique. It's just unreliable.
"Faith, they say, is to believe in someone unconditionally. And grow from it. Of course, that's a lie. It never helped. If it did, my race wouldn't squander off their lives to kill abyssals for a race to the bottom."
There was a depriciating smile on her face, unlike the usual calmness she carried herself with.
Varian couldn't say much.
He agreed to take in the Fairies if they worked with him after the destruction of Zions. Unexpectedly, Zions were safe. There was no need to take in refugees.
"Zions are trying to find the spies. They won't find me," Hazel said and pursed her lips. "But Veyans are looking for the one guided the soldiers to the space cracks. They will find me. Soon."
Varian sighed and stood up.
Hazel's face paled off and she bit her lips. The wings of the woman folded tight, enveloping her in an embrace.
"Be ready, I'll pick you up."
"Huh?" She raised her head in surprise.
"Why that face?"
"…Aren't you going to abandon me after using me?" She said with an incredulous expression.
"And why would I do that?" Varian shot back, more curious than annoyed.
"Coz…that's what all bad men do…in the stories," Her voice grew quieter at the end.
"Oh, and the heroine should be pregnant when they abandon her?" Varian asked with a teasing smile.
"Yes, yes, they abandon her when she's pregnant! Always!" Hazel nodded her head vigorously and said in a complaining tone.
Varian chuckled with a helpless expression.
"Lass, you are too young to understand how the world works." Said the man, forgetting that he was six years younger.
"I'm sorry for misunderstanding…" She apologized.
"There's one more thing I want to do when I get there," Varian's expression turned serious.
The vibe in the room changed and a sharp killing intent filled the air.
Hazel straightneed her back instinctively and looked up with a trained expression. "The Duke?"
"Yes," Varian nodded. "The Duke. I have to finish him off."
"He came out of his nest after the Veyans arrived." The fairy replied with a trouble expression.
"A few squads of Veyan regular army and three squads of Orion are working on the space cracks and tracking me down.
But one member of the team is staying in the palace. He's a peak rank 7, but a senior member in the Orion squad.
Apparently, the reason Orion even responded was because this senior member's words. The Duke and this man have a good relationship."
"Xoler?"
"He was forced to step down," Hazel said and her expression turned weird. "…And the reason the senior Orion and the Duke have a good relationship is because of…Xoler's mother. She's…well…you know."
"Say no more." Varian grabbed his sword. "I'm coming right away. That pimp can't be allowed to remain alive any more."
