{Varian,
Get back to Earth.
I know your battle mania, but don't involve yourself in this war.
I forbid you.}
"I can escape due to…you know." Varian replied swiftly.
{Only when you are in that space ship. If you're fighting in the open, you have no protection.}
Varian fell silent. In fact, he had one 'teleportation formation' Boo created long ago.
That teleportation formation was the reason he went to Evander and revealed his level.
It was also the one life protection he had. If he was ever in a danger during a fight, Boo could use it and teleport him out.
But…that would work only once.
Should he risk such a precious life saving amulet for a risky war whose outcome was uncertain?
"Don't try to talk me out of it, Enigma. I'm staying."
{Is your comm an FTL?}
"FTL?" Varian looked to Boo. He did remember seeing one such item in the auction.
"Faster-than-light. Even light takes more than 2 hours to each between earth and Uranus. It delays communication. So, we use space stones to shorten the time. Your comm is FTL. I upgraded it long ago." Boo explained.
"Yes." Varian answered Enigma and the next moment, her hologram appeared in front of him.
Enigma's black clothes formed a contrast to her tricolor hair that flowed down to her waist.
Despite being a hologram, she had a cold and dignified bearing.
The mask covering her face only showed her eyes and those eyes stared at Varian in visible anger.
"Hi?" Varian waved his hand.
"…" Enigma just stared at him coldly.
"….Hi?" Varian waved again.
"…."
"Boo, is this thing not working?" Varian turned to Boo.
'Master, you're dead!' Boo almost coughed out blood, despite having none.
"It's working perfectly well." Enigma said. "Not a certain someone's brain."
Varian coughed lightly. "Don't worry. I won't die."
"I'm not the one worrying." Enigma replied curtly.
"I mean, tell Sia not to worry. I won't go the frontlines." Varian said with a serious expression.
"So you'll fight somewhere, huh." Enigma's expression grew frostier.
"…" Stop finding loopholes in my words! Who are you? An interrogator?
"I will only fight level 6s—"
"This isn't a game. There are no special places for levels. Anything can happen at any moment. You could be facing level 3s now and the next moment, a level 8 might appear next to you."
"…" 'I fought on planetoid, you know?'
"Your fights on planetoid are only a small conflict. It isn't an all out war. It's fundamentally on a different scale."
"Are you reading my mind or what?"
"I know you, Varian."
"Huh?"
"I don't want to see Sia down." Enigma's voice lowered.
"This war will pass. Uranus will be safe. The cities will be fine. You can grow up in safer environment and reunite with Sia. Just go back to Earth."
Varian smiled wryly. "I'm sorry, I don't want to run away. I can't do it. I'll try not to fight…I'll try."
Enigma's eyes chilled and she glared at Varian.
"I'll collect the intel until the war starts." He said slowly.
"Y-You! Incorrigible!" Enigma's voice quivered, causing Boo to jump in fright.
This woman was capable of such complex emotions?
"You know what? Just di—Shut up Sia! You spoiled him too much! Me? When did I ever worry—" Enigma's voice was raised and the hologram went off.
"…" Sia, since you worry about me such, why are you hiding from me?
"Master."
"Yeh."
"What do we do?"
"What we've been doing so far. Find secret realm, monitor Sequoia and train."
"…you're really stubborn."
"Of course I am." Varian raised his chin proudly.
*** *** ***
Sia sighed lightly and walked out of her residence. She knew trying to convince him was already futile.
To put it nicely, Varian was determined.
To put it badly, Varian was stubborn.
Enigma also knew it, but she tried anyway.
'Enigma is pissed off.' Sia shook her head. Thankfully, he wasn't talking to her in person.
Or she'd have beaten him up already.
Of course, not on her watch. Varian was her bottom line.
And she too was his bottom line.
During their childhood, he almost got himself and her killed once.
Only after realizing his actions put her in danger did he stop those crazy risks. But now, he was still willing to risk his life.
Sia understood that his space ship could protect him, but she also knew that it was futile if he participated in a battle by himself.
"If…If the war is about to start, then I'll convince him." Sia bit her lip until it bled.
She was scared of seeing him.
Scared of the day he would regain his memories. Scared of the day he would once again ask her to leave him alone.
But scared as she was, she couldn't stop him from regaining his memories. He'd learn the truth sooner or later and the decision was up to him.
…And even if Varian forgave her, Sia knew she couldn't forgive herself. Everything happened when she was conscious. Maybe she had the power to stop Amanda's death.
Perhaps she'd never know.
*** **** ***
"Are you sure it's not your hallucination, again?" Evander tapped the couch and worriedly asked.
"…I won't deny I had hallucinations, but he is alive." Sarah smiled.
Evander's face slowly lit up and he threw his head back and started laughing.
"Hahaha…I knew it. That sly fellow….hahaha, he is alive. He is alive….thank the heavens, he is alive. Thank the heavens." Evander's eyes reddened as he murmured in a choked voice.
"Yeah…thank the heavens." Sarah nodded.
"Cough cough." Evander realized he was in front of his daughter and quickly used his powers to make his face normal.
"I wasn't worried about him or anything. He can die any day. I'm just worried about the funeral costs." Evander said with a straight face.
"…father, don't be a tsundere."
"Sarah, I'm not!" Evander almost jumped.
"That's what a tsundere would say." Sarah laughed.
"He taught you that, right?" Evander leaned forward and asked with a serious face.
"Yes."
Bam!
Evander slammed the couch and stretched his arms. "Let him return! I'll break his bones. He didn't even inform he that he is alive. Am I still his master?"
"Well…the Xanders."
The air turned still and Evander turned to her. "Forget everything, Sarah. At least wait until he's strong enough."
Sarah nodded and said. "…I can feel the bottleneck of level 7."
"That's my daughter." Evander grinned and patted her.
Sarah smiled, but soon frowned.
"Eh…what happened? Did I pat you too hard?" Evander was confused.
"I…I miss his pats." Sarah muttered.
Evander's heart dropped and he swallowed. With wide eyes, he pointed at his baby daughter. "D-Don't tell me you two…"
"I don't know when it happened." Sarah blushed and lowered her head.
"Arghh! Give my back my pure daughter!" Evander tragic wails that could break hearts resounded throughout the room.
Thankfully, Sarah asked him to meet in an secured room. Or the entire residence would've heard their mighty high general's wails.
After an unknown period of time, Evander sighed in dejection and got up to leave.
"Oh, where is that fellow now?"
"Uranus Cluster cities." Sarah said.
Seeing Evander's face paling, she titled her head. "I was in seclusion, did anything happen there?"
Evander felt like beating his disciple. "Why can't this bastard just stay in peace?"
"Father? What's happening?"
He looked at Sarah and said in a gloomy voice.
"War is looming."
