Sitting on the back of the Arfa, I look at the distant imperial capital as the wind brushes past me.

'I should visit them if I ever have the chance."

Turning around, I gaze at the group of Theia Aran sitting as they enjoy riding the Arfa. Moving my gaze toward the elf girl, her life force being the strangest after Theia Aran made me curious about her.

Instead of flowing or staying in place, her life force looks like it was severed but still connected. As if her body is complete but at the same time incomplete. Just that observation made me too curious about her.

"… Old man… why are you staring too much at our Anna?"

Hearing a wary voice as someone blocks the elf girl from my vision, I can't help but frown getting called casually.

Being considered as my guest, they were able to stay in the palace. Through that, I was able to talk to them as well as them able to interact with the family.

"You're acting too close, Theia Aran. And I'm curious about something with the elf girl."

"What are you curious about her? You said the same thing about me as well in the passing before… Don't tell me you're…"

"Don't cross the line, Theia Aran."

Cutting her off with a cold voice, she immediately went silent.

"I am not going to do anything to either of you. I'm just curious about something so don't mind it too much."

Waving off the awkward atmosphere, I lie down on the saddle as the Arfa flies stably towards the Hub Town.

Riding a younger Arfa compared to before, the flight speed is slightly slower it took us three days to finally reach the Hub Town.

"You guys can go back to the station. I'll finish my business in here and meet you up there."

Leaving those words, I jumped down and left the landing area without waiting for their reply.

Walking around the town, I felt like it's been a while since I last got here even though only a few weeks passed since I stayed in the imperial city. Seeing that everything was still the same lifted my mood as I walked around.

Deciding that I should get something to eat before going to Lottie's house. Going to the marketplace, I enjoyed some food before noticing someone's big back looking familiar in the middle of the crowd.

Trying to approach the back as I protect the food that I'm eating. I finally reached the big back of the person.

"Been a while since I last saw you, Daren."

"Who- Oh, just you Resha. Yeah, you just disappeared after asking me to take care of Karn some weeks ago."

"That was an emergency, my bad."

"I guess something happened for the grandfather of the emperor to rush out."

Smiling wryly from his sarcasm, I started talking about some stuff happening in the imperial city as we walked.

"I just remembered, were you able to meet Lottie and her parents?"

"Meet? What do you mean?"

"You just missed them then. They went to the capital six days ago to visit. Pretty sure they are already in the imperial capital around this time."

Realizing that I would have met them if I delayed for a day or two before leaving I would have been able to meet them made me experience headaches.

"Now that complicates things."

"What do you mean?"

"I just left the capital after telling Varda and the others about my plan to leave the planet."

"… The time when you have to leave came, huh."

"Yeah, I guess I'll just visit you guys here when I have time. I'll go get my stuff from my ho-"

The feeling of something crawling in my body suddenly appeared. Noticing Daren's expression, I was sure he felt the same as he grabbed his arm.

"… Res-"

"GU… GU… GUAAAH-"

Screaming suddenly echoed through the busy marketplace making me turn around to the source.

A child-like being called dwarf squirms on the ground as he claws his face trying to remove something.

As I was about to approach him, a couple more screams echoed in the marketplace. Turning back to the dwarf, I couldn't help but step back as his body started to twist and tentacles started coming out of his skin.

Seeing that scene made me frown as one being came to mind for this to happen.

Watching as the dwarf slowly loses its form and becomes a being that looks humanoid with tentacles squirming around, I rouse my concept of life force as I appear in front of it and punch through its body.

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Pulling out my hand from its body, the distorted being collapses.

More and more screams started echoing outside of the marketplace as people started panicking after seeing me kill the distorted being.

Turning around to Daren to ask him to evacuate the people, the feeling of something crawling as well as the illusion of the place being covered in distorted tentacles washes over me as if the source of this chaos is announcing its arrival. Disappearing after a second, I turn towards the direction of the capital where the source of the feeling came from.

"… Daren… take care of everything here…"

I sprinted towards the landing zone without waiting for Daren's reply as unease started creeping towards my chest.

~~

-Alfa Auro-

Three days passed after Great Grandfather left the imperial capital, I watched as Karina's granddaughter ate sweets in front of me.

'They passed each other, huh.'

Giving more sweets to her, I start thinking how amusing it is that Aslan and his family passed Great Grandfather. Knowing Great Grandfather, he's going to have a headache if he should come back here to say his goodbyes to Charlotte and her family or just wait for them.

Just thinking about his expression made me unable to keep my poker face in front of Charlotte. Noticing my smile, she looks at me while tilting her head to ask what's wrong.

"Don't mind me, little one. I'm just finding it amusing that Great Grandfather would be coming back in here before even a week passed after our farewell a few days ago."

Patting her head, I called for the maid to get more juice for Charlotte.

Going back to my residence, I suddenly halted my steps as I noticed a beautiful woman lying on her side sleeping peacefully under a tree in my residence.

A smile crept up my face as I started walking towards her only for her to open her eyes slowly as she stared at me. Watching my approach, she sits up and she looks at me patiently.

Letting out a sigh while smiling, I sit down beside her as she lies down with her head on my lap comfortably. Patting her head as I stared at the garden, I felt at peace.

"… Did something good happen?"

As if feeling my mood, the woman talks as she shifts her position to look at me. Looking at her beautiful eyes, I can't help but touch her cheek while fighting the temptation to kiss her.

"I just felt amused that Great Grandfather would be coming back after he left just a few days ago."

"Why?"

Pinching her nose to alleviate the temptation of kissing her, she grabs my hand and places it back on her cheek.

"Aslan and his family just arrived yesterday. They were planning to have a vacation with Great Grandfather but didn't expect him to leave just a day ago before they arrived."

Moving her hand on my cheek, she suddenly grabs my collar and pulls me in for a kiss. After a few seconds, she finally lets go as she looks at me with a mischievous smile while lying on my lap.

"You… really are too good for me, Olivia."

"And I still chose you even when I know that."

Gazing at her lovely smile made me glad that Great Grandfather decided to stop me from going too far from being problematic. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to meet Olivia if I was imprisoned for my stupidity.

"I knew it. You and Mama would be here being lovey-dovey."

Hearing a girl's voice, I look up to see a cute little girl which is our daughter looking at us grumpily as if she finds us bothersome.

"Grandfather said to come to the palace for the dinner. Especially take Mama just to make sure Papa will come as well he said."

I can't help but frown as Father really wanted me to be at the dinner. Knowing him I'm sure he will come in here to bring Olivia back to the palace just to force me to join the family dinner.

"… Let's prepare to go to the palace and Rena, you should start."

Deciding that I should just go with them, I was about to stand up only to feel something crawling through my skin.

Without hesitation, I activated my Concept of Present as another me appeared and pulled Rena close to us. Manifesting my Concept into a dagger, a couple more me appeared as they ran outside to check the situation.

Feeling my heart beat too fast, my mind continued working trying to find a way for us to escape this place. Everywhere my eyes wander, I see danger as if everything in my residence is a threat.

A pillar came out from the direction of the capital square as it continued growing. Suddenly the sky started getting covered by a transparent reddish membrane coming out of the pillar that grew from the capital square.

"Papa… what's happening? Why do you look… afraid?"

Hearing Rena's voice, my brain suddenly stopped as I realized that I was starting to panic because of fear. Feeling my wife's hold on me tighten, I noticed that my hands were shaking without stopping.

"We… we have to leave this place. Go to the castle."

Leading Olivia and Rena towards the castle, I suddenly stopped as the other copies of me died outside. Memories of the copies went back to me only for me to feel despair.

Something killed my copies easily without any chance of fighting back. Twisted beings started coming out of the ground and started killing anything they encountered. The square along with the districts close to it are in ruins as a lone girl stands in the middle laughing with absolute glee.

Summoning more copies of me, I sent some of them to scout the area while leaving three of them to protect Olivia while I'm carrying Rena.

Turning towards the corner of my residence, I saw a group of knights running towards us before stopping a few meters away and kneeling to pay respect.

"Greetings Prince Alfa, Arad, the captain of the third squad of Knight of Blood, has come to escort you to safety."

Kneeling in front of us, the knight with the mark of a captain on his armor announced the reason why he was running towards us.

"Were you sent by Father?"

"Yes, His Majesty ordered us to evacuate the family members that are outside of the palace."

"Then let's go-"

Just as I was about to continue going to the palace, another copy died along with a memory of Karina fighting something while protecting her granddaughter, Charlotte. The thought of her fighting a being that sent me into despair just from easily killing some of my copies made me dread what would happen to her.

"… Olivia, evacuate with Rena. I'll leave my copies here with you along with the knights. So go."

Passing Rena to Olivia, she looks at me with worry before resolving herself and nodding at me.

"Take care, Dear."

Nodding at her words, I started sprinting towards the direction of Karina.

Jumping over the buildings after a minute of running, I was finally able to see Karina only for my heart to stop for a second as she was fighting while covered in blood and clearly showing signs of weakness as she protected Charlotte behind her.

Tentacles shot out of the ground as she tried to block them with threads only for it to be severed as another wound appeared on her body.

The girl in front of them started laughing loudly as more tentacles came out ready to attack Karina.

Clenching my hold on the dagger, I threw it towards the girl's back only for her to suddenly turn in my direction as a tentacle swung in and deflected the dagger.

"Found you~"

Danger spread through my body as her voice rang beside my ears.

Using my Concept, I appeared where the dagger flew exactly right behind her. Gazing at her defenseless back, I didn't hesitate to slash as the feeling of the blade cutting through her flesh and bones got transmitted to my hand.

Blood sprayed as I was able to successfully only for the cold feeling of fear once again spread through my chest.

The sound of bone cracking echoed as the girl's head suddenly twisted towards my direction with a wide smile as she stared right into my eyes.

"Too bad you're too weak~"

The feeling of getting sent flying got transmitted to my brain as I found myself lying on the ground unable to breathe properly. An arm suddenly drops just a meter away from me holding a familiar dagger. Focusing my eyes as best as I could, I realized that it was my arm that dropped from afar as pain from my right shoulder started assaulting my brain.

Screaming in pain, I hold my shoulder as I hear a burst of crazed laughter echoing in the middle of the ruined street as the girl turns around to face Karina instead. A tentacle moves from the wound that I dealt on her back. Through that, I was able to know how I got sent flying away from her with my arm severed.

"I'm bored now… time for the three of you to die then~"

Hearing her say those words made my chest feel cold despite the pain that I was feeling as she started approaching Karina.

'… No...'

Trying to move my body through the pain while attempting to manifest the concept once again. The pain kept interfering with my thoughts as I continued attempting desperately while watching her approach Karina and Charlotte.

Her arm turned into a tentacle as she raised it.

"Goodbye, cute hatchlings~"

'… NO!'

Screaming in my head I reach my arm towards them before something explodes above and crashes straight into the girl sending her flying.

"Bastard… I'll tear you apart."

Hearing a familiar voice, I stare at the cloud of dust as it slowly dissipates to show Great Grandfather standing in front of Karina.