A long silence passed between Kieran and Illiad. During this time, Kieran watched as Illiad resolved her inner turmoil by progressing in her grief. Once she took this step, she wiped away the tears staining her cheeks.
It was pain like no other to see her lost love one final time but it also provided an undeniable sense of closure to know that even in death, her soulmate had not forgotten about her.
'A bittersweet yet picturesque moment that you can't help but cherish,' Kieran thought to himself.
He watched as Illiad inhaled deeply then released a hitched sigh. "It won't happen overnight, but you will come to regain pieces of yourself over time. When it gets hard, just think back to the joy shared between you two and if that proves insufficient… then remember his final words."
"I will," Illiad nodded.
It was a normal action but it required a painstaking amount of effort from her. That was the effect of heartbreak and grief, things that should feel normal to perform would become like a gift once it was accomplished.
〈System: Due to the empathetic actions that only you could facilitate, «Mystic Guardian Illiad»'s view of you has changed.〉
The system didn't indicate a change in favorability due to his Mystic Light title, but it did reveal that Illiad's personal view of his had shifted.
If even the title couldn't accomplish this outcome, it could only mean Illiad's appreciation for Kieran's actions burrowed deeper than the superficial title in his possession.
Since it had come to this, Kieran thought it was best to strike the iron while it was hot. "About the incident with your daughter…"
"There's no need to apologize," Illiad interjected, cutting off Kieran before he could properly apologize. "As a fledgling Mystic Guardian destined to fill the void of her father, Illiueta must come to understand that hardship is a natural part of life. I'm sure she'll use this opportunity to reflect upon her techniques."
"I see," Kieran nodded, understanding the principles of the Wykins. "Just don't be too hard on her. Illiueta displayed an excellent grasp of her techniques, I'm simply an outlier that no one seems capable of accounting for."
This wasn't a humblebrag at all, it was the truth.
Every strong entity he had met thus far has either found him to be an anomaly or marked him as someone great enough to bring about change. In other words, a Harbinger.
Kieran lowered his head momentarily with a faint smile. "As I have completed my promise, I'll leave you to settle your emotions in peace without disturbing you. If your duties as a Mystic Guardian ever become too overbearing to bear in the future, perhaps I may be of assistance."
"Assistance?" Illiad blinked.
"Correct. My physical strength may be inconsequential against enemies of your caliber, but my mystical abilities are different," Kieran revealed. Afterward, he waved his hand without going into deeper details.
The roots of his confidence to assist didn't just involve his skill with mysticism, it flowed deeper than that.
Illiad watched Kieran's departing figure in silence while thinking to herself. 'I understand why Lady Hekaina decided to mark him as a Mystic Light. He didn't have to yet he went out of his way to help me. May your future be as bright as your title and free from despair…'
…
Several minutes later…
Kieran arrived within the Chasmic Mystum Abode and rather than finding Hekaina and Agatha conversing like when he left, Hekaina stared at him with a meaningful smile.
"What a heartwarming and considerate act. But aside from that, it was also supernatural. I suppose it wasn't your direct doing?"
"Not at all, the compendium revitalized a wisp of Xenasio's soul for as long as it could," Kieran admitted.
He had no intentions of taking credit for something that not even Hekaina could perform. While powerful, Hekaina was not omnipotent.
"I suppose your presence here has come to an end then?" Hekaina asked, taking a seat on her comfortable throne-like chair. She crossed her legs and extended her hand as if holding a wine glass.
A few moments later, one manifested filled with a sublime-looking liquid.
"For now," Kieran answered.
"If that's true, the next time you appear here, I hope we can sit down and have a proper conversation. Preferably one where your knowledge has deepened enough to fascinate me," Hekaina stated, openly voicing her desires.
Thanks to the experiences and knowledge her life imparted upon Hekaina, she had come to learn that there is no meaning in mincing words. One should confidently announce their desires for there are only two answers.
"Sounds… fitting," Kieran replied after pausing slightly.
Of all the meetings he had thus far, Hekaina was the most compelling strictly due to the nature of the Wykins' power, not to mention her demeanor. It was somewhat similar to Agatha but more mature, carrying the flavor of a mistress.
Hekaina didn't reply afterward.
Instead, she sighed softly and closed her eyes while rhythmically swirling the wine glass in her hand. A gentle tune escaped her lips, lulling the mystic energy around them.
Once this happened, Agatha guided them outside of Hekaina's residence, allowing her to engage in her characteristic meditation.
After exiting the Mysteria Citadel, Agatha glanced in Kieran's direction. "You should count your blessings, Aatrox. Before your presence came along, not a single person could claim to be personally escorted by me. I suppose I'll have to teach Isadora a lesson since she's responsible for the relegation of my current role."
"I suppose you're not wrong. Luck could be considered a gracious factor here," Kieran chuckled.
However, his chuckle abruptly ended as an important question dawned on him. "Will my connection to the Hero's Sanctuary work if it's being blocked by the veil covering the Enitic Valley?"
Agatha sneered at Kieran's question, even going so far as to scoff in exasperation.
"You're dwelling on something the past you would worry about. You hold the Lineage of Ancient Wisdom's complete legacy. Do you think our home would inhibit your actions?"
Kieran expected such a response from Agatha, so her current behavior was of no surprise to him. "Why don't you tone down the sass, sheesh? It was a simple question!"
"Uh-" Agatha stammered and placed her hand on her hips with a narrowed gaze. "Don't tell me what to do! I'm essentially your senior sister as I'm the Enchantress's official pupil and I've studied the mystic concepts far longer than you have!"
"Ohhhh!" Kieran's eyes flashed with realization. "I understand what's going on here. You said you wouldn't be jealous, but you in fact are!"
"I am not jealous," Agatha seethed, instantly defending her actions. Unfortunately, her expression and her words didn't match up.
"Tsk tsk tsk, rookie mistake," Kieran smirked, pointing between their eyes repeatedly. "Did you forget what type of eyes we bear? Your words obscure the truth but our eyes continue to unveil it."
"Ugh," Agatha groaned, feeling completely drained from the entire situation. "You know what, just activate the symbol."
…
Inside the Hero's Sanctuary…
The gate within the Teleportation Hall activated, triggering the Gatekeeper of Teleportations' subtle reaction. But once he recognized the incoming teleportation signature, he became lax.
Fwoosh!
Kieran and Agatha appeared from the gate. While Kieran was somewhat unsteady, Agatha was completely fine.
"Ms. Agatha," the Gatekeeper of Teleportations exclaimed in a tone that maintained a hint of everlasting calm.
"Hello, Zaragosa," Agatha greeted, revealing the Gatekeeper of Teleportations' true name.
"Zaragosa? What a cool and befitting name. I presume it is a normal name for someone of your race," Kieran said.
"I suppose you could say it is an uncommon name. My name aside, I see you've succeeded in your visit to the Wykins. That being said, have you returned to visit Scar or Isadora? If so, I'll have to unfortunately inform you that they aren't here."
"Oh?" Kieran couldn't help but admit that their simultaneous absence was not ideal. 'I guess hounding Scar for the Esoteric Skill isn't possible. It'll have to wait until he returns.'
Since there was no reason to remain within the Hero's Sanctuary, Kieran decided it was best if he had Zaragosa teleport him back within the Aeredale Kingdom.
"As a show of respect for Lady Agatha, I'll refrain from charging you any sort of fee. Simply step through the gate and arrive where it is you seek," Zaragosa said.
"How kind of you, Zaragosa!" Agatha revealed a charming smile.
A few seconds later, they stepped through the Teleportation Gate.
Upon his arrival in Aeredale City, Kieran was somewhat taken aback by the state of the city. Not only was player activity bustling, but the Merchant Association's market square was also thriving with a humongous crowd.
"Huh…" Kieran's surprise was as evident as the sun in the morning sky.
When he left, while Aeredale's activity was on the rise, it should have been weeks from reaching such a state. Due to his certainty that something was amiss with the current development, Kieran pulled up his interface, particularly his Friend List and the official forum.
'A massive amount of messages from my select group? Even Ezra has reached out to me multiple times. Are these two matters related?' Kieran wondered.
Breezing through his notification, Kieran caught the gist of the situation at hand.
All unofficial guilds had officially flocked to cultivating professions and as a result, the Merchant Association in many cities was overwhelmed by the player base.
The ultimate outcome was two predicaments Kieran foresaw: an insufficient supply for the enormous demand and drastic price hikes.
However, these two dilemmas were not an issue for Kieran. On the contrary, he grinned while looking at five particular messages of immense future and current value.
