“…Are you sure? I thought you wished to go through the Trials first…”

“Stop speaking nonsense. Just tell me, when are we going to the Fortune Spring?”

“We have not found the Fortune Spring yet. Vestia and Karl have only found some clues.”

“Where is it?”

“Deep in the desert,” Vestia said, answering for Alnea. “Deeper than we have ever been before. So deep, that we might even encounter some Adult Stage Oren Beasts.”

“…Are you trying to scare me?”

“I am merely telling the truth,” Vestia said, shrugging her shoulders. “If you do not believe me, then you can ask Karl.”

“…Do not involve me in your arguments,” Karl said, as he and the rest of the Star Seekers slowly made their way to the centre of the hall and took their seats. “I would like to live for a few more years.”

“…Is she telling the truth?”

“…I need to know what she said first.”

“That we might encounter Adult Stage Oren Beasts if we look for the Fortune Spring you have found the clues for.”

“…Chances and risks often go hand in hand.”

“…Do you take me as a fool?”

“Why? Are you not interested in the Fortune Spring anymore?” Alnea said, as the corner of his lips tugged upwards in amusement. “Do you not wish to break through the Advanced Stage as soon as possible?”

“…No matter how great the benefits of Fortune Springs are, they are not worth fighting against Adult Stage Oren Beasts.”

“…I am glad that you have learned how to use your head.”

“…Don’t treat me as a kid,” Cecilia grumbled, before regaining her vigour. “What’s the deal with the Fortune Spring?”

“I was getting to that,” Alnea said, before turning towards the rest of the Star Seekers. “Recently, Vestia and Karl have found some clues to a few Fortune Springs in the desert. You should not need me to remind you of the benefits of the Fortune Springs. The only problem is that all the clues point to the Fortune Springs being in the territories of Adult Stage Oren Beasts.”

“…Adult Stage Oren Beasts,” Zain mumbled. “Finally, enemies worthy enough for me to go all out.”

“…Do not worry. I will prepare all the necessary things for your funeral, so you can go ahead, and focus on fighting the Adult Stage Oren Beasts.”

“…I will live longer than you.”

“I am surprised that you have lived as long as you have.”

“…You are just jealous of my talent and strength.”

“You—

“That’s enough,” Alnea said, stopping Karl from provoking Zain, while also signalling Zain to shut up. “As I was saying, if we try to find Fortune Springs, we might encounter some Adult Stage Oren Beasts. But there is no need to worry. Since I dare to propose looking for Fortune Springs, I naturally have prepared some countermeasures to deal with the Oren Beasts… I wonder if everyone here is aware of the effects of Black Blessing?”

“…Are you talking about the Black Blessing that can be exchanged only with Medals?”

“The treasure that lets us avoid Oren Beasts for a week?”

“It looks like everyone is aware of its effects.”

“…But I thought that the Black Blessings can work only for Adolescent Stage Oren Beasts.”

“And there are also the side effects of the blessings…”

“Being treated by Adult Stage Oren Beasts as their mortal enemies…”

“I think it will be better to fight the Oren Beasts head on. At least we will have a chance to run away if we fail…”

“Relax,” Alnea said, shaking his head with a smile. “I know the limitations and defects of the Black Blessings just as well as any of you. The Black Blessings cannot affect Adult Stage Oren Beasts. And even if such Black Blessings were to exists, do you think I could afford it? Forget it. Let us assume for a moment that I somehow manage to get my hands on such a Black Blessing. Then what? Do you think I will be stupid enough to use it?

“Unless I—we plan leave to leave the Lost City for good, using such Black Blessings would be like quenching our thirst with poison. Forget about entering the inner city, we might not even survive in the Lost City. And the stars we are chasing… they can be found only in the inner city. In any case, I will not jeopardise our safety, or our future for just some momentary gains.”

“…Then why did you ask about the Black Blessings?”

“Because I have figured out a similar way to keep the Oren Beasts from coming after us.”

“…Is that even possible?”

“Since the Lotus clan can avoid the detection of the Oren Beasts, why can we not do the same?”

“But they used treasures and Glyph Devices…”

“And I will be using my Arcanas. All of them work on the basis of the Mysteries of the Origin Sea. It is just that instead of making the Oren Beasts avoid us, we will make them ignore our presence.”

“…With just your Arcana?”

“What’s the problem with my Arcana?”

“…It is of just the Intermediate Stage, right?”

“For now.”

“…Can it really make the Adult Stage Oren Beasts ignore our presence?”

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“Are you doubting my Arcana?”

“…We are not doubting your Arcana, but…”

“How about I do a little demonstration then?”

“…It is not necessary. We are just—

“It’s alright. I understand everyone’s concerns. Besides, although I am your leader, I cannot impose my will on you. And neither can I make you go along with my whims without giving you proper explanations. If I wish to gain your support, then I must show the necessary skills. And I must give enough interests…”

While everyone was still digesting what he was saying, and looked a little embarrassed, Vestia winked at him and said, “That may be true for them, but you always have my support. No matter what you decide, I will always be with you.”

“Who is asking for your support, vixen,” Cecilia growled. “He has us. And that is enough.”

“Oh? Then why did I not see you speaking out for him earlier?”

“That’s because he does not need us to voice out our support for him,” Yuri added. “He knows that we will always be there for him… Just as we know that he will never let us down.”

“…That may be true, but it is not how the world works. There are times when you need to show the world how much you support him. Especially when everyone else is doubting him. Otherwise, what good will your silent support be?”

“We—

“Alright, you three. Calm down. I am just demonstrating my Arcana, not going into a life and death battle. If you really want to support me, then just help me analyse my Arcana, and see if it can help us avoid Adult Stage Oren Beasts.”

“…Of course…”

“…I will let her go for now. But only because you are asking…”

“…Thank you,” Alnea said, with a wry smile on his face, before closing his eyes, and concentrating within himself. Within his Spirit World. After all, even if the Arcana he was going to use next was different from most of his Arcanas, it was still an Arcana. An interpretation of the Mysteries he had comprehended. A phenomenon, which could be demonstrated only with the help of the Mysteries of the Origin Sea.

“Lost within the shadows of Light…”

Reaching out to his domain, Alnea tugged on the clouds of Mysteries floating in the darkness, urging them to summon their counterparts from the Origin Sea.

“The breath of the world hidden from sight…”

A rather advanced technique in the field of casting Arcanas, which could help him solve the trouble of interpreting the Mysteries once again. Next, all he had to do was to mould the Mysteries in the shape he preferred. Of course, he could not just give them any shape he liked. That would only result in destabilising the Mysteries.

“Open the gates to the Realm of Night…”

Rather, he had to follow the will of the Mysteries, and give them a shape that could stabilise their fluctuations, all the while ensuring that their effects remained as he intended. This was why Arcanists had to keep experimenting with their Mysteries. Especially when an Arcana was based upon two or more Mysteries. Like the Arcana that he was casting.

“And bequeath unto us, the Shelter of Light.”

A yellowish white light surged from within his body, and spread through the air, moving towards the walls at a crawling pace. It moved so slowly, that everyone could literally see the ripple in the air as the light passed through them. What no one noticed though, was that as the light passed through them, it took their shadows along with it. By the time everyone came back to their senses, the light had already submerged into the walls of the mansion, while they themselves had been enshrouded in the ‘Shelter of Light’.

“…Is this your Arcana?”

Fran’s voice rang out in the empty hall of the mansion. Or at least that was what it looked like in everyone’s eyes. Even when they unfurled the senses of their Spirits, they still could not trace the figures of their teammates.

“…How to say it,” Norren mumbled. “Using this Arcana feels like we will be cheating.”

“…I am surprised that you can still say such naive words after all that we have been through,” Aren said. “Though I have to agree on one point. You surely have created an incredible Arcana, Captain.”

“How did you manage to deceive our Spirits?”

“The more important question is… Can you teach us this Arcana, Captain?”

“Are you sure that you can handle manipulating six different Mysteries at the same time?”

“Six Mysteries? How did you manage to resolve their conflicts?”

“…Through practice.”

“Have you really resolved their conflicts?”

“What is the Grade of the Arcana?”

“…I have a few Perfect Grade Arcanas in my repertoire, but none of them are as perverted as your Arcana.”

“…No wonder you were so confident with your Arcana… Even if it is just an Intermediate Stage Arcana, its Grade alone is enough to make up for the difference. And when you upgrade your Arcana in the future…”

“Do you still want to learn the Arcana, Karl?”

“…Forget it. Learning such a flashy Arcana is against my philosophy of keeping a low profile.”

“Says the man who has earned the name of the Shadow Star.”

“…And whose fault is that?”

“How was I supposed to know that he would have also practised the Blood Crystal Styles like Captain, and would even dare to detonate them?”

“It is obvious that if you corner Wanderers, they will burst out with strength beyond their potential…”

“Alright everyone, let’s stop arguing, and focus on what I asked of you,” Alnea said, clapping his hands to disperse the ‘Shelter of Light’. “What do you think of this ‘Shelter of Light’?”

“…‘Shelter of Light’,” Cecilia mumbled. “Is it really a Transcendent Grade Arcana?”

“Not really. It can barely be counted as a Perfect Grade Arcana. Though being comprised of six different Mysteries does elevate the Arcana’s effects a notch higher than average Perfect Grade Arcanas. Still, it has not yet transcended the realm of perfection.”

“…Regardless, it is a splendid Arcana. At the very least, it would have no problem concealing our presence from Oren Beasts that have just reached the Adult Stage,” Yuri said, smiling with pride. “Congratulations on taking another step towards your dreams, Alnea.”

“…I would like to hear more of that dream later, but on the matter of the Arcana itself, I concur with Yuri. This is a splendid Arcana,” Vestia said, nodding with a smile, before putting on a solemn face. “Still, before we decide to risk our lives once again, I would like to ask a few more questions about your Arcana.”

“Go ahead.”

“How much Spirit Power does casting the ‘Shelter of Light’ cost?”

“…It’s that obvious?”

“…It is an Arcana based on six different Mysteries after all.”

“…Probably about a quarter of my Spirit Power.”

“How long can your ‘Shelter’ last?”

“As long as I want it to. Although creating the ‘Shelter’ requires a quarter of my Spirit Power, maintaining it does not cost me anything.”

“Can it move with us?”

“The Shelter? Of course. That is the purpose for which I created the Arcana in the first place. A shelter which we can move with us, and hide us from our enemies.”

“How big is the Shelter?”

“Probably around ten metres or so. The farther you will be away from me, the less effective the shelter will be. But as long as everyone is within a radius of ten metres, everything should be fine.”

“How can you ensure that everyone will always be within your ‘Shelter’ as we move through the desert?”

“…That was what I was going to talk about next.”

“That’s it from my side then.”

“…Are you sure?”

“As long as you have an answer, that is enough,” Vestia said, dropping the solemn look for a smile. “I believe in you.”

“If you believe in him, then why did you ask so many questions?” Cecilia said with a snort.

“…She did it for everyone else,” Alnea said, shaking his head, before turning back towards Vestia. “If you don’t voice out your thoughts, others will not understand you, Vestia.”

“…I will be happy as long as you understand me.”

“…Vixen.”

“…A vixen who knows how to support.”

“You—

“Does anyone have any other questions?” Alnea said, cutting in between the girls before they could shift the topic once again. Just to be sure, he followed up his question with his own answer, not giving the girls to think about anything else. “No? Then how about we go look for the Fortune Springs?”