Somewhere in the city of Eria, a woman wearing maid clothes could be seen seated on a comfy chair in a basement.
The sole source of light was a luminae on the ceiling that gave a waning light.
Facing her was a man wearing a black tuxedo with a top hat and a monocle on his right eye, he gave the librarian vibe. There was another person inside the basement this person was completely dressed in black, making it hard to see its features.
The atmosphere between the three was silent and the shadow around them seemed to squirm as if they were alive.
Finally, after a silent contest, the maid asked with a smiling face.
"So, our new mission will be on the demon's continent gathering information?"
The man adjusted his monocle and with a jester smile, nodded,
"Indeed. It's what Zero said."
Only the third individual inside the room who was dressed in all black did not talk, Zero only spectate.
''I see. Zero, I thought that we have few men over there why not ask them instead?" The maid asked, finally Zero spoke, however, it was a short sentence.
''It's her order. Do not waste my time and let's leave.''
The maid could only smile bitterly when she saw the air inside the basement turned heavy all of sudden.
"Oh~ I'm so scared. I can feel your killing intent so easily. It seems like some are eager to quickly go. I wonder why? Oh~ I get it now, it must be because of what happened to that b-"
He didn't manage to finish his sentence before feeling a sharp edge over his throat and a slight prickling sensation.
Raising his head, he crossed his eyes with cold eyes devoid of any emotion in them.
"I forbid you from saying anything."
Those words were said in an emotionless way and without any threat in it. But he could clearly hear the unsaid part.
The more he looked at brown eyes the more he felt as if he was falling into a deep abyss where only death and darkness were present.
Despite this, despite knowing that death would reap him at any wrong words and that he could nothing about it, his smile never wavered.
He feared many things. But death wasn't one of them. They have been training to feel this way.
After all, there were so many things worse than death in this world. Facing those things one would beg for death instead.
The man chuckled merrily before pushing away the dagger from his throat while looking at Zero.
"Scary~Scary~ I was completely unable to react. My bad my tongue slipped. I will try to be more careful from now, however, it may slip from time to time I can't promise nothing."
The air inside the room's expression became colder at those words for a few seconds before slowly going back to normal.
"Seven, do not test my patience."
Wiping the trace of blood from his throat with a handkerchief he summoned, his lips curled in a mocking smile, "Oh~ Scary, scary.''
Zero wished for nothing more than to simply slit his throat and let him die while bleeding like a pig. But knowing that this freak would still keep his smile even then. Zero didn't bother saying anything more, releasing a bit of killing intent.
Fifth, the maid, spoke after letting out a sigh,
"Zero, Seven, it's enough. You know the rule. Infightings are forbidden. You won't want to make that person angry."
The tension that was building up seemed to deflate a little. Zero calmed down while Seven still have that annoying smile on his face, however, he stayed silent.
Seeing this, Fifth relieved that nothing regrettable happened, continued.
''Let's pack and leave, we will talk on the road.''
Zero and Seven nodded their heads before vanishing, Fifth also follows.
••••
The next Gracier woke up, as usual, however, Alex was still unconscious showing no signs of waking up.
Sighing she left him in Silveria's care as she went to level up.
In the evening she came back, Meera and the others visited just after she came, seeing Alex still in the coma, they could only sigh. They were planning to ask Alex to form a group with them. Knowing the sibling's talents coupled with Alex's leadership, they feel more at ease to form a lifelong group with them.
''Don't worry. I'll tell him when he wakes up. We are going to the capital.'' Gracier said after hearing their proposition.
''Oh? So you are going to the capital? I bet it's to go to Imperial Magic academy.''
It was Lucien who said this, the other curiosity got picked.
''Indeed. We are going there. Maybe we will encounter each other if you got enrolled.'' Gracier said.
''I'll try my luck. No, let's try our luck.'' Lucien spun around and faced the others and said excitedly.
''Great let's try,'' Sebastian said while Golfak pondered for a moment before nodding. Only Meera seemed lost about all of this.
''What benefits enrolling into the Imperial Magic Academy brings?" Meera asked.
Silence befell the round before Lucien started explaining things to her. Finally, aware of the advantages of graduating from the Imperial Magic Academy, Meera was eager to try her luck over there.
''Let's go,'' she said.
''We will.'' Lucien and others said.
Gracier was happy when she heard this. Somehow she had become attached to them after the few days they spent together, she wanted to go on an adventure with them one more time, whether or not they turned to form a permanent team is yet to be seen.
After a few casual jokes Meera and others left, Eleonora didn't show up on that day, she came the next day.
Like this three days passed with Alex still in the coma.
•••••
Somewhere in the demon's continent, a man dressed in black could be seen seated on a purple throne inside a big room. This man's skin was pale white, handsome face with purple long hair, his eyes were of the same hue.
Currently, this man had a twisted expression on his handsome face, he was angry, so angry that unconsciously some of his powers were leaking crushing the poor messenger kneeling in front of him.
''You should calm down, Your Highness.''
Someone seated on the purple-haired man right said. This person was not particularly handsome, however, his red eyes were full of wisdom and wickedness. Without a doubt, he was the advisor of the purple-haired man.
Controlling his anger, the suffocating feeling lessened, however, the kneeled messenger was sweating cursing his bad luck for being selected to deliver this kind of message that could cost him his head depending on his Highness's mood.
Taking a deep breath, the purple-haired man asked,
''So, none the men sent to accomplish that simple mission manage to return?"
Praying to the Goddess of Luck to help him keep his head if she ever existed. The messenger responded.
''Yes.''
A heavy silence descended until,
Bang!
The poor messenger was blasted back, he collided against the sturdy doors of the big room, the messenger was laying unmoving in a pool of blood, his fate was unknown.
''Why can they accomplish such a simple mission?" The purple-haired man asked after a sigh.
''Well, I bet the mission failed because we forget to take into account all the variables. Maybe, Chris, the guild master had moved?"
The man on the right pondered for a moment before shaking his head.
''Unlikely, there must be another person we are not aware of, a person who has deeply hidden. Either way now that the mission has failed we must think about our next move. Even though we lost our men, nobody will know it's us. They may be aware that it is a demon's doing, however, they will not know who is the person behind it.''
He then added, ''Also, we must open our eyes. In the coming days, some people may be sent to scout some information. I have this feeling.''
''I see. Ilroz, I will let you take care of it. However, what do we do for these two who survived? We must quickly get rid of them before they mature before they could threaten our plans.''
Hearing the man he calls Your Highness's words, Ilroz pondered for a moment before proposing a plan.
''Your highness, let's send some assassins this time. Few Rank 8 assassins will do. If we have followed my suggestion on the first time we may have killed those two.''
To Ilroz's words, the purple-haired man could only sigh, it was not that he didn't want to follow his suggestion, it was just it was that person's order, his wish, he couldn't go against it.
''Do as you see fit. As for the whereabouts of that traitor, didn't you manage to find any clue?"
''We found nothing. We are still searching. Knowing the princess, if she doesn't want to be found, we wouldn't be able to locate her. You know her very well.'' Ilroz said.
''Sigh! She too stubborn. Refusing to see the bigger picture. Find her before she'll manage to cause too much damage.''
''I will take care of it. I will take my leave then.'' Ilroz announced while making a bow before vanishing.
Once alone, the purple-haired man sighed.
''All the sacrifices are for the bigger picture. Why could they understand? I'm ready to sacrifice even my life for this cause and yet. Sigh! We will show them.''
When the man was talking, his purple eyes turned black making the room turn dark all of sudden, an eerie presence descended on the room. The purple-haired man's presence vanished and was replaced by something dangerous, something that shouldn't exist in this world. The eerie presence vanished after a few seconds and the purple-haired man was back to himself, leaning against his throne he closed his eyes.
•••••
Back to Eria's city.
Days become weeks and yet Alex was still in the coma.