Lia was inside the library of their home, at the highest level in their castle. Reyra gave her special permission to browse anything she wanted, lifting the seal on the books while she was inside. The moment the Misfits returned to her, reporting what happened in the cave, Reyra immediately noticed something about her daughter was off. She questioned her privately, and she quickly guessed it even when she couldn't answer her directly. She simply asked, watching her daughter's eyes in the meanwhile.

"You are like our ancestor…" Reyra sighed, "Many of his journals contain weird, out-of-place words, expressions, and thoughts. Things that make no sense in their context! But if you start reading them, book by book, they paint a different picture. He had knowledge he couldn't share but left clues to follow! I was piecing them together, but I can't be sure of my findings without his exact knowledge." She explained to Lia patiently, "Now I get why. You found something he did, didn't you, pumpkin?"

"..." Lia wanted to respond but couldn't. Something was blocking her soul from doing so, and it was driving her mad. Yet, her mother got the answer, and she just rubbed her head.

"What I think is that Erias Amarin did not truly die that day. He just went somewhere, maybe to where the Undead are hiding! It was too abrupt! Well, maybe you will get something more out of it! Go, read through his journals, and miss no pages!"

Since then, Lia has locked herself in the library, spending around three days doing nothing but reading. Her mother was correct; clues were hidden as Erias was trying to leave behind the knowledge he had learned about the Soulbound Sect AND the Golden Claw Sect.

"No trust. Secrets hidden. Exploit knowledge. Act alone. All same. Must purge. Don't trust. Protect soul." Lia whispered, writing down the only messages she gathered from his recordings, and she memorized all the clues to work on it even after leaving the library.

There had to be more; it was just… she wasn't good enough to find them. On the other hand, she was now sure that something was happening that she was unaware of. With all she learned, completing it with Somia's explanation, she finally came to a new conclusion that was similar to Erias's, yet she did not know it.

"I can't trust the Undead, nor the words of that wolf… Erias was trying to warn us. Yes… if the so-called Golden Claw was on our side, it wouldn't have messed with my soul like this! Balance… It is flowery language, that is all! My ancestor was right; we can't trust them. If what Somia said is right, then I must protect my soul from… both. And I wasn't strong enough… or I could tell this all to Mom!" She bit her thumb, thinking, "I don't know what Erias is doing, but he never gave up on defeating them!" She said to herself, spreading the many black journals on the table before her, "He wants to get rid of them… both of the Sects!"

…

….

…..

Two years had passed since Lia visited the Golden Claw sub-realm, and finally, the Misfits were let go from the 4th Branch and allowed to register their own adventurer group with the same name. Lia was officially recognized as an adult in the family after passing her 16th birthday and rising to the 5th tier, Magi Speciali; she was said to catch up to her mother's record in no time if she continues like this. Or, as Reyra said, she just had to wait for her growth spurt to kick in. Nobody could argue with that, as Lia was now taller, reaching 164 centimeters, her body becoming much more curvy and head-turning no matter where she went. Clearly, she was not to be the same as her mother, and by now, she was the 'biggest' in their group.

Of course, it was not just Lia who grew in body and strength. Everybody around her reached the same power, spurred on by her achievements and the seemingly infinite resources in the Amarins' 4th Branch. Maybe the most significant growth came from Keily, who, remaining at the same height as Lia, became an exceptionally strong fire mage. He was capable of switching between his two elements almost instantly, infusing his flames with electricity giving out the feeling as if he fused the two.

Which was not really far from the truth. With her new knowledge and experience in fusing two elements, Lia was trying to teach it to her brothers and friends, hoping they would succeed in, if not combining, opposing elements, at least those that showed ample synergy. She wanted them to truly merge two elements as it gave new properties to their spells. Something unique. This required ample meditation and the training of their souls, which Lia hoped would protect them from the Undead in the future.

The past years were calm on the surface, but by being in the Amarins' military, they felt the pressure building. They found dozens of newly established necromancer clans, mind-controlled and brainwashed people trying to turn others, harvesting their souls, and using their bodies as puppets. It was spreading randomly, popping up worldwide, and it was also why Lia wanted to leave the army and strike it up as adventurers. She wanted to travel, and she wanted to intervene anywhere she could.

"Boss!" Keily entered her room without knocking, wearing a light white shirt and leather trousers with boots, "Lorin is here!"

"Oh? Great!" Lia clapped, wanting to rush out, but Keily quickly stopped her.

"Boss, Boss! Clothes!" He said, turning bright red in the face as Lia was mulling over her own journal she was keeping, sitting on her favorite beanbag, wearing nothing but her panties and a sports bra. The moment she stood up, all the jingling short-circuited Keily's mind for a moment.

"Nah, no worries, he is into boys!" Lia waved once, but Keily was standing in her way, trying not to look.

"Boss, he did not come alone! Please, you are our leader now, don't bring us into an awkward position!"

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"Okay, okay!" She shrugged, finding some clothes, a white shirt, a vest, and a skirt, putting it on hurriedly.

When they finally left the room and stone corridors, they came out onto the battlements of an old fort situated at a very unique place. It was right on the border where the territories of four Houses met; Berison, Honu, Nerifit, and finally, the House of Marduk. This region was governed by around 50 small kingdoms and city-states, all with differing allegiances, depending on which Houses were on their borders.

The weather, once again, was hot and humid as it was an intensely tropical climate with lush green foliage surrounding them. The fort was gifted to them by the House of Marduk at the behest of Reyra and now served as their new headquarters. Of course, nothing was free… then they arrived, and after months of travel from the Amarins' territory, they were met with a dilapidated mess, overgrown by nature. They spent months cleaning it, removing the plants, chasing out the nesting beasts, and restoring everything that was broken or missing. It took them more time than they wanted to admit in turning it from ruins into, once again, a working fortress.

"Lorin!" Lia shouted, leaning over the 15-meter-tall stone walls, watching a dozen carts being wheeled in by horses and the old head of Alchemy Haven instructing his subordinates.

"Ahahaha! Lia!" He waved, shouting, looking up at her with a grin.

"He looks like a girl…" Keily murmured, standing next to Lia, watching Lorin tuck his long, black hair behind his ears in a very feminine way.

"Are you interested?" Lia grinned, elbowing him. "Won't Koa be jealous?"

"Koa?" Keily rolled his eyes, "She already slept with everyone we know of, I think. The moment her seal was off… you get the rest."

"Ahahaha!" Lia laughed, grabbing Keily's arm, pulling him close, and making his head land between her ample breasts as she scratched the base of his ears, almost turning his whole body limp. "I heard all about it from her! I thought you joined her harem of men!"

"I was drunk! Celebrating my birthday!" He complained, trying to escape the headlock with little to no success. "Please don't tease me, Boss! You know I remember nothing! Raufon brought too much alcohol, and it was way too strong!"

"Maybe you did not even sleep with Koa? But instead, with Raufon?"

"Eeeeeh?! Nooo! No! I… I don't think so…" He shuddered as he was also afraid of that… he just couldn't recall it at all. No matter how many times he tried. Worse, Koa kept her lips sealed, and Raufon was just as drunk as him to say anything… Still, they both woke up naked, in bed with Koa the next day. "My butt was fine…" He added while being released by Lia.

"It had to be something juicy!" She grinned evilly while walking down to meet Lorin, "Koa wouldn't say it to me either! But I tried pestering and bribing her! She says she made a promise to you, and even if you were drunk, she keeps her promises!"

"What was juicy?" Lorin asked, hearing them as they rushed down the stone stairs.

"Ahahaha, the meat I ate for lunch! How have you been? Was it hard to find us here?" Lia laughed, jumping forward and hugging him firmly, picking Lorin up, spinning around a little before finally letting go.

"Geez, girl! Be mindful; my hips will break, and then what?!" Lorin laughed, patting her grinning head. "It wasn't that hard! The road was a bit overgrown, but we managed! We brought everything!"

"Nice! Raufon and Ceiline are down in the dungeons; they are preparing their storage space! It is pretty cool down there, and we are waiting for Rinzen to come! Nyahahaha, I can’t wait for her to join us! Will you stay too?"

"I am planning on it!" Lorin nodded with a smile, making Lia giggle and hug him again, "I will take up your 'quartermaster' role and start building connections with the nearby cities and other groups. Leave your finances to me!"

"Awesome! Koa, Aurora, and Sion are scouting for jobs for us while Simbad went to pick up some of our old members!"

"You mean?" Lorin tilted his head, but he already had a guess.

"Yep!" Lia showed a V-sign, "Many of the graduated Misfits found out about us and are coming to join! Now, we are going to build the best adventurer group ever!"

"It sounds to me like you are building your own little empire, girl! Right on the doorstep of four Houses… are you sure about this?" Lorin asked, even though he was smiling. He already guessed so by the amount of resources Lia had requested from him that this would go as the young girl planned anyway.

"No worries! We got permission from everyone!"

"Then I also won't hold back!" Lorin cracked his knuckles. "By the way, how's my pretty boy?"

"Sion?" Lia tilted her head while Keily almost tripped up while standing still. "He is with my sister, Aurora! I think they are planning to marry for real."

"Really now? Ah, my heart! I always missed my friend!" Lorin moaned, clearly overacting, holding his head like a damsel in distress, "My poor unborn child, your father has betrayed you!"

"Ehm…" Keily raised his hand, wanting to ask a question, but ultimately, he chose to remain silent.

"Oh well!" Lorin returned to normal in a snap, "Good for them! I should prepare some nice thing for the two's marriage!"

"Koa said she will buy a strap-on for Aurora when they finally marry!" Lia blurted out, turning the courtyard silent as every pair of eyes were watching her.

"Not bad!" Lorin smacked his lips, nodding, agreeing, "Good! Direct her to me; I made a few friends, and they specialize in some enchanted ones! They can change shape, buzz, and even cast water-based spells so-"

"Err! Excuse me!" Keily finally interjected, mainly because seeing the growing interest in Lia's eyes. "We should start working! We can chit-chat at dinner!"

"Ah, yes, yes!" Lorin clapped, looking at Keily in a way he shuddered and took a step back. "Ah, it is good to be back in my element! I read you have a surprise for me?"

"Yep!" Lia winked, leading him away, and in one of the towers, standing at the four points of the fortress, Lorin felt his jaw dislocate and fell to the floor. The whole tower, with its multiple levels, were transformed into laboratories and workstations, where he and a team of alchemist could brew up almost anything. Even better, the top floor was redesigned to look exactly like his old home… the top floor of Alchemy Haven.

"I think you may have just turned me into a bisexual, Lia, my friend!"

"Fufufu! Thanks!" She giggled proudly, "I thought you would like it here! It would feel more… comfy! I asked the Silly Fox to send me the furniture! That is why this works so well~!"

"You did?" He turned towards her with surprise.

"Of course! Only you will have to work with Ceiline and the others to develop a similar interface to the bracelets in the Academy. Opparu is also coming, so he will have the other tower to work with! I already set up everything for him! I am sure you guys will manage!"

"You are investing a lot of money into here, girl!" Lorin looked at her questioningly.

"Don't worry! I am backed by my Mom! Teehee~ I am an Amarin!” She winked twice before looking out the window, watching the busy courtyard as the others were returning, helping to unpack everything Lorin had brought over. "We still have time… We can prevent another Exodus from happening. To do that… no expenses are being spared. That is why we were allowed to set up camp here."

"Worry not!" Lorin slapped his chest for the first time, looking determined and serious. "I will lend you my full expertise."

"Thanks~! Chief Alchemist of the Misfits!"