Arianne brought Arlo and Joe around the castle.

It seemed Joe indirectly earned a spot in Arianne's cold heart when he saved her.

During their time together, Arlo didn't know the number of times he genuinely laughed.

Joe would shamelessly tease Arianne but didn't dare take it too far as he still seemed wary of her.

Arianne lost count of the number of times she had controlled herself from killing Joe.

But after saving her life, even though she still considered him weak and cowardly, she couldn't help but take a bit of liking toward him. Just a bit.

But that was already enough, as just a few had that privilege.

Another thing that consoled her was that Arlo seemed to be having fun, so she just gritted her teeth and bore through it.

Night fell.

The crimson sun slowly set from the sky. The three quietly watched this scene outside the castle.

Arianne looked on with a complicated expression.

This was her manifestation, and it wasn't complete.

After entering the Academy, a ritual would be performed for those of age. By then, her manifestation will be completed.

As Arlo watched the crimson sun slowly disappear, giving way to the darkness once again, he thought of the last image the artifact spirit showed him.

Clenching his hands into fists, a light of resolve flashed within his eyes.

'I will surely bring her back, and not even death can stop me.'

This little reaction from him drew Arianne out of her thoughts.

She gently held on to his clenched fist, causing Arlo to relax his hand.

A gentle smile graced Arlo's face as he looked at Arianne and whispered, "Thank you."

Arianne's cheek became tinged with red upon seeing his gentle smile, so she looked away.

Feeling Arlo's gaze still on her, she looked at him only to see that he appeared stunned.

Her ears slowly became flushed. She appeared a bit flustered.

Thankfully, Joe saved her at that moment.

"What are you guys doing?"

He had been feeling bored all this time.

What were they doing gazing at the sun?

Did they think they were old men?

No! Arianne is a girl.

He touched his chin before sneaking glances at them from the side of his eye.

Suddenly he saw them looking at each other.

'I smell love in the air.'

"What are you guys doing?"

Arianne relaxed when she saw Arlo regain his bearing.

But that didn't last long.

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"Just kiss her already," Joe said as he threw his arm around Arlo's shoulder.

Arianne quickly looked away, her heart beating wildly.

Arlo furrowed his brows as he threw Joe's arm away, "What nonsense are you spouting? We are kids."

"So?"

Looking at Joe's genuinely confused face, Arlo smacked his lips.

"Don't tell me little Arlo down there doesn't react yet." Joe's expression turned weird as he looked at Arlo's crotch.

"$d#&@%." Arlo couldn't help but curse. Even his face turned red from shame at being asked such a thing in front of a girl.

Pouncing on Joe, he shouted, "I'll kill you."

But Joe quickly evaded before moving behind Arianne, "Didn't you say we are still kids? Why are you feeling ashamed?"

Arlo tried to move around Arianne but Joe quickly shifted her in his direction.

But who would have thought that upon being touched, Arianne would react and subconsciously send a slap behind her?

Pa!

A young body drew an arc in the air before landing on the ground.

It twitched for a while before going still.

"I'm sorry...I didn't mean to." A trace of guilt flashed on her face but quickly disappeared upon hearing Arlo's voice.

"Don't worry, he has thick skin."

"That's true." She nodded, finally ignoring the person in question.

"How about I take you around the capital city?" Arianne asked Arlo.

Tears welled up in Joe's eyes, 'Are you really my brother?'

Before Arlo could reply, Scarlett suddenly appeared before them.

"Arlo, let's go greet your second aunt."

An excited light flashed in Arlo's eyes.

"Grandma, can I also follow you? I have not seen Ella for a while."

Scarlett patted her granddaughter on the head, "I am going to that place. Ella won't be there."

"Oh!" she finally relented.

"Let's go," Scarlett said, and before Arlo could react, she carried him.

Joe who had been sneakily looking over even as he lay on the ground suddenly stood up before laughing boisterously.

He held his stomach with one hand, and pointed at Arlo with the other, "Look at you..."

Arlo's face reddened from shame, so he quickly buried his head in Scarlett's neck.

Scarlett had an amused smile on her face, but she decided not to tease him too long, so with a flash she disappeared.

Joe who was still laughing felt an intense gaze and suddenly went silent.

Turning toward Arianne, he raised his hands before flashing her a helpless smile, "Wait, Arianne. I can explain."

"Oh, so now you remember my name?"

"Ah!" Jolted, he turned and bolted away.

With a sly glint flashing in her eyes, Arianne gave chase.

'I can now act freely with him no more around.'

What she didn't know was that a distance away, her elder brother was looking at her shell-shocked.

A few moments later, a warm smile lit his face.

"Seems you have found good friends."

.....

Once again Arlo felt the world flashing by him.

Less than five minutes later, Scarlett stopped.

With only darkness appearing around him, Arlo released his divine sense.

His eyes widened when he noticed they were above a sea.

The water was still and calm, and with the limit of his divine sense coverage, he couldn't see far.

But he still noticed the portal hanging above the sea before them.

The portal was a whirlpool of chaotic space.

He tried sending his divine sense into it but failed to.

Thankfully, he didn't have to ponder on the issue for long as Scarlett stepped into it.

He subconsciously closed his eyes, and he felt like he was floating in space.

However, not even a second later, the feeling disappeared.

Opening his eyes, Arlo found he was in an entirely new space.

The sound of waves crashing on the shore drew his vision.

The sea was milky white mirroring the light from the moon hanging in the sky.

Raising his head, Arlo could see the sky filled with countless glittering stars.

Occasionally shooting stars would flash across the sky.

Looking into the distance, all he could see was chaotic space.

Turning his head around, it didn't take him long to realize the entire place was probably a few tens of kilometers in size due to the chaotic space surrounding it.

"It's a pocket world."

Scarlett placed him on the sandy shore.

A confused look appeared on Arlo's face and as if knowing what he was thinking about, Arianne continued:

"It is supposed to be carried around but was forcefully placed here."

She didn't clarify who placed it there and Arlo didn't care.

Everything in this place seemed unreal.

"Hey, Little Arl."

Standing in front of the sea was a petite middle-aged woman.

Hugged by a purplish dress stressing her busty figure, and her light purple hair blowing from the sea breeze; with the seawater washing ashore and covering her feet, she was like a picture drawn by a divine artist.

"Second Aunty!" Arlo ran over like a little child.

At first, the woman had a warm smile on her face before it suddenly stiffened.

'Second?'

A smug smile appeared on Scarlett's face.

This was something she told Arlo to say on their way there.

Arlo jumped into the purple-haired woman's embrace.

This woman was a legendary figure.

One that didn't lose to Scarlett.

She was the werewolf's queen alpha.

The werewolves were the only lifeforms that could compete with vampires in this world.

With their two transformation abilities and their natural affinity to two laws, which are lightning laws, an elemental law, and moon laws, an abstruse law, they were a force to be reckoned with.

.....

Next chapter: Renewed resolve.