Raven gently rapped her knuckles against the wooden door before pushing it open.
Inside, she found Gilbert hunched over his table, arms folded, a dark cloud of worry etched onto his wizened features.
“Sage Gilbert, is everything alright?”
Terence’s voice rang with sincere concern as she peered over Raven’s shoulder from the hallway.
Gilbert’s brow furrowed into a deep frown. “He’s a difficult one,” he grumbled, leaning back in his chair to regard the two ladies.
“What happened?” Terence pressed, stepping fully into the room with Raven.
Turning his gaze to Raven, Gilbert explained, “He refused to give us the information for free… and he thinks your idea to close down all the rifts instead of focusing on going home is a suicidal attempt.”
Raven’s expression remained indifferent, her crimson eyes unflinching. “I see,” she said coldly after a beat of silence.
“Anyone would think that,”
Terence spoke with uttermost worry, her gaze shifting between Gilbert and Raven.
“Even the Empire isn’t paying attention to all the rifts anymore. They’ve come to understand these rifts cannot be defeated. Many have ventured into them, never to return. Yet you still insist on closing them?”
Raven gave her a curt nod of affirmation.
Terence stared at the unbreakable young woman, her pale face a mask of exasperation.
This girl would surely be the death of her with these constant headaches. Common sense didn’t seem to work on Raven Light Kageyama.
Drawing a deep breath, Terence asked sternly, “Light, who gave you this wild idea that you can clear the rifts?”
For a few heartbeats, Raven was silent, her gaze drifting towards the closed door, she seemed to be looking beyond it.
Finally, she responded, “It was merely speculation before. But now that he made it out, I’m even more confident.”
With a loud exhale, Terence palmed half of her face, shaking her head.
“There’s no talking you out of this, is there?”
Her voice took on a pleading tone as she continued, “We could just focus on going to your continent, you know. The people here would gladly follow you there.”
But Raven was unmoved, shaking her head firmly.
“They’ll never be accepted. They’ll be trampled upon and treated as outsiders because that’s what they are. They need to fight for their true home.”
Her words rang with iron resolve and a wisdom beyond her years that even Terence could not deny.
The whole insane plan to conquer and close every last rift had been Raven’s idea – she was the one who planted those seeds in Gilbert’s mind.
Terence wasn’t privy to the exact words used to sway the sage, but clearly Raven had coaxed him enough to see some benefit in her scheme.
In other words, it was possible Gilbert supported her so fervently because he had something to gain.
But for Raven…she just genuinely wanted to help these displaced people find a true home again.
At first, Terence had doubted the girl’s intentions, certain there had to be some selfish or hypocritical side hiding beneath that pure exterior.
That was why she had initially kept Raven so close – to unveil whatever flaws lurked beneath the surface, to understand why this stranger suddenly wanted to aid a group she had no ties to.
As days stretched into weeks and months, however, Terence found only deeper admiration for the young warrior.
Raven had led the siege to claim this very castle from the monsters.
She had gathered parties to scour the lands for survivors, bringing them back to the relative safety of the fortress.
She had hunted monster after monster to feed the people. She had journeyed to negotiate with the Western Stronghold of Sloria, establishing a vital trade agreement though they still refused refugees.
It was Raven who selected each party leader, explaining their capabilities and potential to Gilbert.
She had filtered out the weak-willed from the strong with an almost preternatural sense, advising Sage Gilbert to groom the latter to lead.
All of this behind closed doors, in private councils with the elderly sage himself.
For the longest time, Terence had assumed all these sweeping reforms were Gilbert’s ideas, unaware of the real force driving it all from the shadows.
When she found out, she at first had taken Raven for the deranged type – a manipulator who loved ruling from the shadows… because how else did she have the elderly sage wrapped around her finger.
Much later, Terence realized that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Raven would have stepped up as the overt leader if needed be.
But the survivors and students were different factions in need of a firm, resonant voice to unite them – one only an experienced and strong elder like Gilbert could provide.
Even though Raven was confident in her strength over all others here, she had chosen the most effective path, putting the people’s survival and growth over any desires for personal dominion.
Or perhaps there were other reasons she avoided the spotlight…reasons Terence suspected but never prodded.
She had come to adore Raven’s pure intentions too much to risk sowing doubt.
Never before had Terence encountered someone so selflessly driven to uplift others.
Gilbert must have recognized that incredible spirit as well, which is why he entertaining even her most outlandish ideas.
Wild didn’t begin to describe Raven’s plans, and yet…they had come this far largely thanks to those schemes.
If anyone could help them take back their homeland, it was this mysterious young woman.
With a resigned sigh, Terence gave a reluctant nod. “You’re right, we need to fight for what’s ours. I don’t think any amount of persuasion will stop you from doing what you intend. So what’s the plan?”
Raven nodded curtly in return, crimson eyes fixing on Gilbert intently. “When is he going to give us the information?”
“He asked for a few days to rest and assess things,” the elderly sage replied.
“And what price did he ask in return?”
Gilbert scoffed derisively. “An equal share of any updated way home, a place to stay secluded from the crowd where he won’t be bothered…even if it’s monster-infested. Hmph, I personally think he’s going to die soon. The fool is overconfident, ignorant of the true dangers even run-of-the-mill monsters pose out there. He hasn’t even encountered a catastrophe-level Corpse Eater.”
Raven’s expression turned severe, a silent rebuke in her crimson stare. “I strongly advise you do not underestimate him.”
Falling silent, Gilbert met her intense gaze, giving the warning due consideration.
“That being said,” Raven continued after a moment, “I plan to go on a journey…and I want him to come with me.”
“Who? The new boy?” Gilbert’s eyebrows shot up.
Raven nodded, her lustrous black hair swaying gently with the motion.
“I don’t think he’ll want to follow you at all,” the elderly sage doubted with a shake of his head.
A small, enigmatic smile played across Raven’s full lips. “Don’t worry, I think he will. If I offer him the right price.”