And so, Alnea Oathkeeper experienced his first death. A social death. Not only Cecilia and Yuri, but even Zain and the other Wanderers passing around them all looked at him with weird eyes, as if they were not looking at a human, but an animal. Meanwhile, Vestia kept making a shy, and embarrassed face, adding insult to his injury every now and then.

“…It is not his fault,” she said in a trembling voice.

“See! She is accepting that it was not my fault!”

“I… It was me who held his hands…”

“Right, it was—no, wait…”

“So, you do admit to holding hands?”

“No, this is a trap. A trap!”

“I… He did not touch my lips either…”

“…Sister, please stop talking,” Alnea said with a tired face. “I will accept your arrangements and will not force you with the bet. Just spare me with my little life.”

“Sister… You are so naughty,” Vestia said, blushing even more fiercely than before. “But I like it.”

“…Perdia’s shoes!” Alnea cursed, as Cecilia pinched his waist, and twisted it, as if she was trying to tear out his flesh.

“We left you alone these days so that you can concentrate on practising the Martial Styles, and you run around fooling with the vixen? Do you think you have too much time on your hands?”

“…When would I even have the time to fool around with her?”

“I don’t know. You tell me.”

“…Perdia have mercy,” Alnea said, understanding the truth about life. Women were unreasonable. Another truth he understood was that Zain was a traitor. The man just stood on the sidelines, watching the show with an amused smile, with no intention of helping him out of his predicament.

“…Yuri, you believe me, right?”

“What do you think?”

“I really did not do anything…”

“…Let him go, Cecilia.”

“But he—

“We will talk about this later, back in the privacy of our mansion. Or do you want to let the whole city see our joke?”

“Fine,” Cecilia said, letting go of his waist, while glaring at him. “I am keeping my eyes on you.”

Alnea winced as he caressed his waist, wondering why the Glyphs of his robe did not work against Cecilia’s assault. At the same time, he also did not forget to look at Yuri with a smile.

“I knew you would believe me.”

“…This is not over yet.”

“But I really did not do anything…”

“Who knows…”

“Do you really think I will hold Vestia’s hands, and ask her to kiss me?”

“…I still cannot—

“If there is anyone I would like to kiss, it would be—

“Shut up,” Yuri said before he could finish his words. What he had said though was enough to send them both blushing to their ears.

“…Why are you two blushing now?” Cecilia said, glancing at him and Yuri in suspicion.

“It’s nothing. Anyways, let us set this matter aside for now. We will deal with Alnea and Vestia after return to our mansion. It is time for Alnea to get to work,” Yuri said, pointing to the Wandering walking towards them. A green robed man, with his hair tied into a bun on the top of his head, and a thin moustache adorning his face.

“Greetings, fellow Wanderers,” the man said, bowing slightly towards them, more in mutual respect, and in greeting, than anything else. “I hope I am not late.”

“…Of course not,” Alnea said, putting on the mask of a polite smile, mirroring the mask on the green robed man’s face. “You should already know about us, right?”

“The genius trio who have the highest chances of discovering the legacy of the Lost City in recent years,” the man said, nodding at Alnea. “Who in the Lost City does not know about you three?”

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“…Those are just some rumours. You should not listen to them.”

“Those may be just some rumours, but they still have a grain of truth in them. You three are some of the most talented Wanderers to enter the Lost City in the recent years, no one can deny that.”

“…In any case, the team is not just about the three of us. There is also—

“Lady Vestia,” the man said, nodding at Vestia. “I know about her too. And about this gentleman from the Enhall clan. Both of them are famous in their right within the city. Your team… is more famous than you think it is.”

“…Since you already know about us, how about you start by introducing yourself?”

“Fair point,” the green robed man said. “I am Daz Werner, son of Raine Werner.”

Werner clan… where was the Werner clan from?

“It is a Mystic clan, calling the Celton Marshes as their home.”

“Where are the Celton Marshes?”

“Focus on the man in front of you.”

“Right,” Alnea said, before shifting his focus back to the man in front of him. “Werner clan of the Celton Marshes?”

“Werner clan of the Celton Marshes,” the man said, nodding in satisfaction, and pride.

“Well, Wanderer Daz, why do you want to join Star Seekers?”

“The same reason why Wanderers join any team in the Lost City,” Daz said. “To enter the inner city.”

“Does your Werner clan have its own team?”

“…It does, but I have a conflict with one of the core figures in the team, so I cannot join them.”

“…Have you heard of the conflict we have with the Lotus clan?”

“…I have heard some of it.”

“If you join the Star Seekers, you may be implicated in the conflict. Do you still wish to join us?”

“The path of Wanderers itself is full of risks. If we do not dare to move forward in fear of something that might happen to us, then we would not have become Wanderers in the first place.”

“Very well, Wanderer Daz, one last question. What is your Spirit Power, and what is your specialisation?”

“…I am at Fifth Level of the Advanced Stage. As for my specialisation, I am focussing on the path of Scholars.”

“…Thank you for giving us your time, Wanderer Daz. Unfortunately, you do not match what we are looking for in our teammate. So, I—

“Is it because of my Spirit Power?”

“…That’s part of it. But it is mostly—

“Peak Stage Wanderers all have their own teams, and stronger Advanced Stage Wanderers have all been snatched up by other teams. The only ones left are some weaklings, or a few outcasts whom no one wants. I am the best you can get.”

“…That is for us to judge, Wanderer Daz.”

“…Do you think that you can be arrogant just because some people call you a genius? Let me tell you, geniuses never have a good end.”

“…Thank you for giving us your time, Wanderer Daz. But you are no longer welcome here.”

“You will regret your decision,” Daz said with a snort, before turning around, and walking away.

“…You did a good job, Alnea,” Vestia said, flashing her dimples at him, while resting her chin in her palms. “Just try not to be so aggressive next time.”

“…He became aggressive first.”

“What else did you expect him to do?” Zain said. “You just called him practically useless right in front of his face. Do you expect him to thank you with a smile?”

“…Although what Zain said is a bit harsh, there is indeed some truth in it. The man, Daz, came to us with the hope that if he joined our team, he may be able to enter the inner city, only for his hope to be quashed by your rejection. I am not asking you to sympathise with him, but like Zain said, you also cannot expect him to accept your rejection with a smile, right?”

“…This is why I did not want to do this,” Alnea grumbled.

“…This is for your own good,” Yuri said in a calm, and soothing voice. “It will teach you how to hide your thoughts in your Heart.”

“But I already know how to do that.”

“Say that after you learn how to gawk at other girls without giving yourself away.”

“…When did I gawk at anyone?” Alnea grumbled, trying his best not to look at Vestia, afraid that he might earn another pinch from Cecilia.

“Anyways, that was a nice start,” Vestia said. “Just try to be a little less aggressive when rejecting our next would-be teammates.”

“…Why do you assume that I will reject them?”

“Because I do not think anyone of importance will come to us today… Still, the final decision is yours. If you decide that someone is worthy of becoming a Star Seeker, then we will welcome them with open arms.”

“…Even if they are not strong?”

“Even if they are not strong.”

“…What about girls?”

Silence descended around Alnea for a few moments, before it was broken by a cry of pain.

“…Pervert,” Cecilia said, twisting his waist once again.

“It was just a joke!” Alnea said, trying to explain himself, but the girls did not listen.

“…You seem to be very fond of being surrounded by girls,” Yuri said, glaring at him with cold eyes, pinching his waist from the other side. “How about now? Do you like it?”

“Joke! Just a joke! I will never let another girl join our team. I don’t want to die yet.”

“…This looks like fun,” Vestia said, giggling at their antics. “Can I join?”

“Get lost,” Cecilia and Yuri said in unison, forcing Vestia away. In the process though, they did not forget to put even more strength behind their pinches…

“It’s going to tear off! It’s going to tear off!”

“There is no need to worry,” Vestia said, laughing at his cries. “I have some healing potions, so you can play to your Heart’s content.”

“Traitor!”

“…This is so much fun!”

“…Women are scary…”

It was not until at least a quarter of an hour had passed, and they saw a group of Wanderers coming over, that Cecilia and Yuri finally decided to let go of him. But not before giving him stern warnings.

“No girls.”

“Or women,” Cecilia said, glaring warily at Vestia.

“As for the rest, you can decide for yourself.”

“…What if I am wrong?”

“It does not matter,” Vestia said. “We will bear the consequences together. After all, that is what a team is for.”