Ryder left with Aslina, who escorted him to a place that was all too familiar to him. She took him to her room where he had been before.
Entering the room, Aslina closed the door behind Ryder before she shifted her attention to Ryder.
"Tell me the truth. Why did you have me kidnapped? Why did you fake all that?" She asked Ryder, staring into his eyes.
"And what truth are you expecting? Didn't I already tell you the truth?" Ryder asked in return.
"What you said wasn't the truth. You had me kidnapped so you could save me? Because you liked me? Nope. If that were the case, you wouldn't have left so fast," Aslina retorted.
"Also, you asked me for the land in our kingdom, claiming that you were an adventurer that wanted to open a guild? Why did you need that land? This doesn't add up. You already had a kingdom of your own," she continued.
" If you are actually the King of Demon Realm, why did you have to lie about that? Why did you want that land?" She asked, putting Ryder in a corner.
"That actually wasn't a lie though. It's true that I'm the King of Demon Realm, but it's also true that I'm an adventurer at heart. I wanted to open a guild in the Tiara Kingdom," Ryder explained.
"You could've asked for land as the King of the Demon Realm. My father wouldn't have disagreed if the request was coming from such a powerful place. Or you could have also opened the Guild in your kingdom; why in our place specifically?" Aslina asked.
"I had a reason for that too. Firstly, I didn't want to use my position to scare your father into giving me your land. I wanted to achieve this without using my identity. And secondly, I didn't want that guild in my own realm. Because I wanted that to be here only," Ryder replied, sighing.
"Because I wanted to be in your presence as often as I could. If my guild were in any other place, this would have made it even more difficult to accompany you," Ryder explained, selecting a decent story.
" Why else do you think I'd select the Tiara Kingdom for my guild? With my strength, I could have easily received land even in the strongest of Empires in this would?" He continued.
"Are you telling the truth?" Aslina asked. "Was it all because of me?"
"Of course. Who else would this be for if not you?" Ryder innocently asked.
"So you really love me?" Aslina inquired.
Ryder nodded in response. Even though he hadn't spent much time with Aslina, the time he spent had already made him like her. Aslina was not only one of the most beautiful princesses in the world of Divinity, but she also had a great and pleasing personality.
...
"Hmm?" Ryder suddenly frowned, noticing something strange. Aslina had frozen in her place, not moving at all. It was as if time had suddenly stopped.
He even looked at the clock on the wall to see that it had stopped as well.
"What's happening?" he muttered, confused, but he soon realized why it happened as a familiar figure appeared before him.
"You're here as well," Ryder asked, looking at a man who looked similar to him. The man did have longer hair than him and a few more minor differences.
There was a bracelet on the man's hand which had some strange characters shining, but this bracelet was also familiar to Ryder. It was the bracelet that he used to wear until some time ago.
The man in front of him was none other than Chaos, who had stopped time at this Palace.
"Did you come here to talk to me? You didn't have to stop time for it? On a different note, I didn't even know we could stop time with this bracelet. Why didn't I have this ability before?" Ryder asked.
"I didn't come here for you," Chaos replied, approaching the wardrobe in the back.
"Why did you come here then?" Ryder asked, confused.
Chaos didn't reply. Instead, he opened the wardrobe and took something out which seemed like a deep blue crystal.
"That... Is that a fragment?" Ryder asked, but he soon received his answer as he saw Chaos place the Bracelet of Immortality.
"That's right. It's the Fragment of Charm," Chaos explained, turning around.
"A fragment was here? Why didn't I know about this when I came here last time?" Ryder asked, surprised to know that a fragment was so close to him, and he wasn't able to take that.
"Because it wasn't here when you last came. I think this was only recently kept here," Chaos explained. "How have you been doing? Enjoying the new body of yours?"
"It is what it is," Ryder muttered. "I don't feel any difference in it."
"That's good. I'll get going then. Still need to get seven more fragments," Chaos let out, ready to leave.
"Wait!" Ryder called out.
"What?" Chaos asked.
"So you know that there are seven gods hunting me for killing their sons? How can I get out of that? Help me! Why don't you kill them already? I don't want to live in fear, and without the Immunities, I'm at their mercy if they ever find me," Ryder explained.
"You, on the other hand, have the immunity from all the fragments you collected. You are also stronger. Take them out!"
"I can't yet. I need them alive. But you don't have to worry. Janus is with them. He'll help you if something goes wrong. The gods, however, can't get to you. I've made your body such that they can't realize you are different from an ordinary human. As far as I can see, you're perfectly safe," Chaos replied.
"Depends on your definition of perfectly safe." Ryder rolled out his eyes. "A goddess came to me just today. She sat standing only a few feet away from me. If I wasn't careful, I might have already been dead."
Chaos sighed. " Fine. If you're actually worried about your safety, I'll give you something."
Chaos stepped closer to Ryder and waved his hand, making a small portal appear before him. He entered his hand inside the portal and brought it out again. There was a piece of paper in his hand this time though.
He gave the piece of paper to Ryder.
"When you're in danger, tear that piece of paper. But remember, only do that as a last resort. Don't use it lightly," Chaos explained.
"What does it do?" Ryder asked, frowning.
"You'll see when you use it," Chaos muttered before disappearing again.
