An hour ago.
Paul and Clara were sitting in front of each other. Even though there was a pile of papers on her desk, Clara actually left them behind so that she could have a serious talk with Paul.
"So, why are you here? You're supposed to come back in a few months." Clara asked with a serious expression. The change of schedule took her by surprise, but Paul wasn't someone who would do it without any reason. So, she asked him first.
Paul explained Noel's worries and how the enemies behaved. Even Clara could connect all of them, so the speculation might be true.
Still, seeing how much Paul trusted Noel, it seemed he had figured out Iadre's real identity.
"It seems that you've figured it out, Paul."
"What are you talking about?"
"Iadre's identity."
"Ah…" Paul nodded, confirming it. "Yes. He has different powers, so it confuses me even now. But it's clear that Iadre is Noel Ardagan. As for his powers, I'll just consider them his talents. Looking at this again, it's clear that Noel is the most talented person in the kingdom, not Anna Stargaze."
"That's true. It's sad that such a talented person is under continuous attacks from the royal family. If he's able to develop his abilities, he might even become the greatest person in the world." Clara let out a sigh. It was such a waste if Noel couldn't properly train and utilize his abilities. But they couldn't really do anything with their current position.
So, Clara changed the topic. "So, I'm assuming that you want to get the holiday…"
"Yes. How long do you think we should hide from the public eye?"
"Hmm…" Clara fell into deep thought, not being able to find a concrete plan. Since they were targeted by the Supreme Devil Organization, they wouldn't easily disappear from their list.
At the same time, they should be able to lower their guards for a bit if they get a holiday here.
That was why Clara had to consider how long they needed.
After thinking for a few minutes, Clara suggested, "Since this is not a planned holiday, I think you can get around two months."
"But you have to consider the Supreme Devil Organization. The previous attack alone involved multiple Spirit Grandmasters. If we're not lucky, we might die before we know it." Paul tried to persuade Clara to get a longer vacation.
Clara pinched the bridge of her nose. She was thinking carefully and made sure to calculate their situation.
After pondering for a few minutes, Clara finally made a decision. "One hundred days. I can't give you more than that."
"One hundred days, huh." Paul felt slightly disappointed because he expected more in this situation. He believed the enemies had yet to forget about them within one hundred days.
Unfortunately, he realized that it was impossible to negotiate for more after seeing Clara's expression. Usually, she would show a gentle smile or a poker face when talking to someone, but this time, Clara's tone was strict and her frown boosted the power of her words.
Paul scratched the back of his head, feeling bad that he failed to get his team more. Still, he accepted Clara's condition without even asking about the reason why she could only give this much.
"I understand. 100 days then." Paul let out a long sigh. "I also have a few things to inform you."
"Sure."
Paul told her the story about Noel. There was a lot of praise about him, but the most shocking one came from the Demon Hunting Squad's leader, Hendry Igor.
It seemed he was satisfied with Noel's abilities and asked Clara to transfer Noel to his squad.
Paul convinced Clara that Noel wouldn't go to other squads simply because his relationship with Rose had become a bit too good. He was afraid that Rose would leave if Noel joined another squad.
Understanding his concern, Clara assured him that Noel wouldn't go anywhere unless Noel asked for a transfer himself.
After talking about everything, Paul finally excused himself to inform the rest of the group.
…
"100 days, huh?" Stella looked down while letting out a long sigh. She was clearly disappointed even though one hundred days wasn't a short time.
Still, it was a holiday she could enjoy every few years, so she expected more.
"I see. One hundred days should be enough." Noel muttered with a serious expression.
Rose glanced to the side and noticed Noel's change of expression. It seemed that he was planning to finish the trip before the vacation was over.
"So, when does the vacation start?" Jonathan asked.
"The day after tomorrow. So, use today to get some rest and tomorrow to prepare for your vacation. We'll meet again in this place one hundred days later, understand?"
"Yes." The group acknowledged the instruction.
Some of them were anticipating this as if they had prepared a long to-do list. But some weren't that energetic. They probably didn't expect this would happen, so they were confused when they had to make a vacation plan.
Noel didn't hesitate to leave them alone and return to his room. Rose was the second person to leave since she had to follow Noel to confirm their plan.
Noel told her that they would be speeding up in their journey so that they could cover all the destinations within the time limit.
Rose had expected this, but following Noel surely wasn't easy. Despite being so talented, Noel's thirst for victory was strong, making him extremely competitive.
Though, she was also blessed by this fact since Noel would continue to improve.
…
Finally, two days passed peacefully. Noel and the others had completed their preparation. Even Paul planned to spend some time alone.
They gathered in front of the house while staring at each other. It seemed Jonathan and Ben decided to remain here because they were more interested in what this city had to offer than the trip.
They ended up seeing the rest off as their vacation finally began.
