The Author's Viewpoint

Tave spent the remainder of the night deep in the forest shadows, issuing quiet commands to the shadow wolves. He sent them to comb through the surrounding woods again—one final sweep to confirm there were no more traces of demons lurking in the dark. They scattered swiftly, disappearing into the trees, their silent forms vanishing like mist.

By the final third of the night, with no new discoveries, Tave made the decision to return to the city with Elowen.

Still, something continued to twist uncomfortably inside him.

Someone—something—had killed that Named Demon. It hadn't been Elincia. That much was certain. Which meant there was a third party involved, one powerful enough to eliminate a level-52 Named Demon, or… someone influential enough to silence the demons without resistance.

Could the entire horde have been too afraid to fight back? Was there a force at play that made even dozens of demons yield?

Or worse… had another Named Demon, one with a higher rank, already arrived in the Dissidia region? Because who else could have executed such a clean and quiet assassination? Who else could have held that kind of command over the lesser demons?

No matter how many times he circled back through the possibilities, none of the answers gave him peace.

Even when he returned to his room—when the city was silent and the moon had begun to fade—those questions still clung to him. The knot of unease in his chest hadn't loosened at all.

What troubled him most wasn't the threat itself—but the fact that it had already been destroyed before he could even confront it.

That should have brought relief.

Instead, it only brought more fear.

Who had removed that threat? And what kind of power were they wielding behind the scenes?

It didn't feel like a victory. It felt like stepping into someone else's game.

And now, he had no choice. Tomorrow, he would have to leave for Vensalor Island.

There would be no delays. No excuses.

Elincia would make sure of that.

That business needed to be settled first—dealing with the forest elves, navigating their politics, and clearing that obligation from his path. Only then could he return to Dissidia and chase down the truth about the demons.

With a long breath, he closed his eyes halfway, exhaustion pulling at him. Yet sleep refused to come easily.

How had it come to this?

Carrying the weight of such a dangerous mystery… when he hadn't yet grown strong enough to bear it.

***

The following morning, just as the first light of dawn brushed the sky, Tave was already out of the house, making his way to Fokil's workshop. He hoped, though not too confidently, that he might retrieve his two relics before leaving for Vensalor Island. It was a long shot, but worth trying.

As he stepped into the forge, he noticed the place was unusually quiet. The forge itself wasn't lit, no fire blazing. Instead, Fokil was lounging in his room corner, casually sipping from a heavy mug, looking entirely unbothered by the early hour.

"Hi, sir. Sorry for dropping by so early," Tave said as he entered. "I'll be away for a while, heading to Vensalor Island. Might be a few weeks."

"You're just in time, kid," the dwarf grunted, lowering his mug.

Tave couldn't quite hide the flicker of excitement that leapt across his face. Fokil turned toward a nearby table, where both the sword and the mask were laid out with care.

"Take it," Fokil said simply, speaking more than he usually did.

Tave wasted no time. He dropped into the chair and reached for the sword, immediately opening its status window.

[ Epic-grade Destinova Tier-4 (The Flamebound Seraph) ]

What?

He stared at the information, stunned.

"Sir, the tier?"

"Yes," Fokil nodded, leaning back. "The tier upgraded after I made a few changes. Used the materials you gave me and adjusted the core structure. Now, it can better channel the spirit bound inside. Though—" he added with a glint in his eye, "you'll want to bring it back again later. I've got a hunch this one might push into Unique-grade, if I can work it out."

Tave couldn't stop the grin from spreading across his face. "Sir, thank you… This is more than enough."

Now that the relic had reached Tier-4, it meant far more than just a number.

It meant the relic could finally match and channel a higher force of Kaelira's power. The harmony between relic and wielder was critical, and now that Tave had also reached the level of a Gaia Master, the timing was perfect. The strength contained within the relic would no longer be suppressed by the vessel it was bound to.

More importantly, taking down monsters of tier-4 and above was no small feat. Using a relic stuck at tier-3 for such battles would've placed him at a significant disadvantage. But this was a tremendous leap forward. A real upgrade. One that would matter.

He then reached for the mask, turning it over in his hands. At first glance, there didn't seem to be any noticeable changes.

"For now, you'll only be able to use three faces. Specifically from intelligent creatures you've killed," Fokil explained.

So that was the reason.

"And make sure you use it wisely," the dwarf continued. "It drains your energy, fast. But yeah, I trust you'll figure out how to put it to good use."

Tave nodded, storing the mask and standing to finalize the transaction. The moment he glanced at the total cost… his heart skipped.

He'd just spent nearly all of his gold.

The numbers were jarring enough to make him wince, despite everything he'd just received. And yet… he still had a few monster cores and soul stones left. Resources he intended to pass on to Fang.

Even after facing death during the rift expedition, he wasn't walking away rich. Not even close.

But he couldn't complain.

He had a Tier-4 relic now.

That alone… was worth more than gold.

Fokil had also mentioned that the new armor, crafted from the rare Eclipse Silver, was still under production. It wouldn't be ready in time. Which meant Tave had no choice but to wait until after the Vensalor Island expedition to receive it.

With little else to do, Tave returned home, only to find Lily already waiting in the living room. She sat with her usual blank expression, though the subtle sigh she gave as he entered hinted at her usual mixture of patience and quiet exasperation.

"Hi. Are you ready?" he asked casually, stepping into the room.

To his surprise, her expression shifted, and a smile crept onto her lips.

"Yes, sure! This is going to be a lovely trip. Visiting Vensalor Island," she replied, letting out a small laugh.

Tave raised an eyebrow. "Is this… the first time I've seen you this cheerful, Lil?"

"It's not just me," she retorted smoothly. "Have you looked in a mirror today? You've been grinning nonstop. You look brighter than usual."

"Oh really?" Tave grinned wider. He couldn't deny it, he was excited. Ever since he'd arrived in this world, he had wanted to see Vensalor Island. A floating island rich with resources, ancient secrets, and political weight… and now, he was finally going.

Sooner than he had expected.

Of course, there were still lingering issues in Dissidia, things he couldn't afford to ignore for long. But those would have to wait. One mission at a time.

Tave double-checked all their preparations, making sure nothing was forgotten.

Then, with everything in order, he and Lily stepped out of the house.

Tave and Lily arrived just as the ship bound for Vensalor Island came into view, anchored and waiting. It was the very same vessel Vanya and her entourage had used to reach the city not long ago.

Back then, it looked half-ruined. But now, it stood proudly restored, its hull gleaming in the morning light.

Forest elves bustled across the dock, loading supplies and making final preparations. As Tave and Lily approached, they were greeted by the familiar figures of Vellion and Elowen.

It seemed Vanya had already taken her place inside the ship, only the two remained outside to greet the newest passengers.

Without delay, they climbed aboard and stepped into the shaded interior of the ship.

"So," Tave asked, "do any of you know who'll be escorting us on this voyage?"

"Not yet!" Elowen answered immediately.

"Not yet?" Tave repeated with disbelief. "Wait, you mean we're setting sail without an Imperial Knight traveling with us?"

From ahead of them, Vellion turned his head slightly. "We'll depart first, and we'll be met at sea," he said calmly. "Don't worry. This trip has been marked as a high priority. There's no way the kingdom would risk anything happening."

Tave almost let out a frustrated sigh. He wanted to argue, this was the crowned princess they were talking about. Shouldn't her escort have already been confirmed? The idea that they were heading into open waters without a fully identified knight felt absurd.

As if reading his thoughts, Elowen added with a smirk, "Princess Vanya insisted that Elincia remain in the city. So… yeah, this is her call. And you need to stop overthinking everything. It's exhausting. Just enjoy the ride. And try not to get seasick, alright?"