"Unbelievable."

Roughly half an hour had passed since the meeting with the elders ended, and to say Soren wasn't surprised would be the understatement of the century. In fact, he was not only surprised, but also doubtful… and suspicious.

Very suspicious, actually.

"Something really stinks…" He mumbled, but Myrin heard it anyway.

"Well, I would expect that to be the case… We haven't showered yet."

Soren rolled his eyes at his attempt at a joke and sighed. "Time is really passing by quickly…" The time he had left to merge with another Abstract Rune was dwindling. But while he was secretly panicking, it certainly had nothing to do with that time constraint and all to do with the fact that they were soon going to be facing an ancient spirit that was tiers above anything they faced before…

And more than that, he was anxious about what the elders were plotting…

Did the Nagashi have something against the followers of the Maiden?

His assumption was definitely possible. After all, the Six Divines were hostile to those who worship the Old Gods. Their tribe was viewed as heretical. Even the SIlver Moon Church that was now 'assisting' them was only doing it for self-serving interests too. Most likely, to investigate why the Vynasians were after Cassia and her Soul Weapon.

But even if they had a vendetta against the elves for whatever reason, why would they endanger their own tribe just to get back at them? After all, the Nagashi weren't exactly well-off. He had seen just how cruel their lives were personally. Having to live meal to meal—worrying about the next hunt—wasn't exactly something most strived for. Even Uruk seemed fed up with it.

To cast aside any hope for a better future merely to aid in defeating some random ancient spirit seemed… dubious. No, it was outright irrational. From what he had seen so far of Elder Kaalan, the man was selfless to a fault. Yes, he was cunning—unapologetically so—but every scheme served the well-being of the tribe… In a way, he was similar to Rodrick, but opposite in motivations.

Such a man—would he truly risk it all for a chance at power or revenge? No.

So then why would he allow them to stay?

Was there something he wasn't aware of—a benefit that could make this gamble worth it?

He doubted it. The simplest, most logical answer was to simply throw them out of the tribe and make sure they never come back. Even if the Heartdrinker Sigil was tempting, knowing the enemies it would attract should have already deterred Elder Kaalan.

After all, the Nagashi weren't strangers to Demonology. That was why Soren even dared to reveal his secret to begin with—a tribe of heretics wouldn't condemn him for sins they themselves had shared. It was logical to reason, then, that the elder understood the risks. He had to know how dangerous it would be to meddle with a relic whose very existence was being contested over by those roaming the unfounded…

Have I just misjudged his character? Was he more selfish than I had initially assumed? Or perhaps he views putting the tribe at risk as a necessary sacrifice for their future success?

Soren's thoughts continued to spin endlessly as he leaned against the balcony of the shrine, overlooking the snowy garden below. A single leafless tree stood there, caked in white at the center… Likely awaiting a spring that may never come.

Myrin stood beside him—doing the same. Though, he found leisure in masking the dry rhythm of snowfall with his own tunes. Later, he heard the faint sound of footsteps coming from behind. Without turning, he addressed the person directly:

"Cassia."

The Holy Shrine Maiden seemed a bit shocked. Even her tail flinched, making a loud tapping noise against the wooden plank.

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"How did you know it was me?"

Soren's lips curled up, "Have you already forgotten about the Hermit's Eye?"

"That indeed makes sense…"

Myrin lifted his brow and gave her a strange look. "You don't have to speak in a regal tone, you know. Not to us, at least."

Cassia shook her head slightly. "I want to. I need more practice." Her smile widened as she stared into the snowy courtyard. "That tree over there," she pointed ahead to the leafless tree covered in snow, "it's my sister—Elara."

"What?"

"Elder Kaalan had found her remains and buried her there. Then Miss Illythia decided to plant a tree over it—one from down south. According to Staterran traditions, it was a way of honoring the dead.

"Though, I don't believe it will last for long," She said with a chuckle. "Not in this weather."

"What about your mother?" Soren asked in a rather serious tone, then regretted it. The silence between them stretched—even Myrin who had been playing his flute decided to stop. Eventually, she answered:

"We don't know."

"I see…"

"But it's all fine now," She smiled as she walked toward the balcony next to him. Soren glanced at her for a moment, trying to understand what she was getting at. Sensing his gaze, she turned to him and chuckled again.

"My mother and sister may not be with me any longer, but I still have the tribe… It lives on, and I will make sure it continues to live on."

Soren's smile widened even more. "Is that really all you wanted to say?"

She shook her head. "Very astute of you… No, I just wanted you to know how I feel about the people here… Elder Kaalan—I am sure you're already worrying about everything he might be planning. I've known you for a short time, Soren, but it was enough to understand you… Mostly.

"But I don't think you need to worry this time… Your distrust in others—I can understand it. But… I really hope you can understand that the Elder truly means well. He told me personally that the look in your eyes reminded him of his youth. His actions today are simply to help you. If you cannot trust him, trust my words instead."

Soren remained silent. Seeing this, Cassia sighed then turned and walked toward the staircase leading to the snowy garden below.

"I am sure you will understand… Don't worry—I will also help you against this Blossom Sword Flower. You need to beat her to obtain your next Abstract Rune, right? While I was journeying north, I tried to research where to find one for you as well, but sadly, I had no luck… I am glad you finally have an opportunity to confront the corruption you are facing."

Taking her final step off the staircase, she turned once again and smiled:

"I don't want you to die, Soren."

He watched her walk to the distant leafless tree, closing her eyes and speaking to it, then leaving the courtyard all together. Only he and Myrin were now left in the Serpent's Shrine. Noticing the silence, he finally sighed.

"Perhaps I've been too cynical lately…"

Myrin shook his head. "I can't say you're wrong about that."

Soren's lips twitched slightly—he was expecting him to disagree! What a useless friend.

"But," Myrin ignored his slightly annoyed expression, "a bit of caution won't hurt anyone… You are definitely right that the Elder seems to want something from us… Whether that something will bring us harm or not is a different question—one that we must be prepared to face, no matter what the answer to it is."

"I agree." Soren nodded while stretching his limbs. "But at the moment, we need to prepare for the real threat…"

"The Blossom Sword Flower." Myrin filled in. "I still have 4th Circle spells to research…"

Soren glanced at him and smiled. "Since we're here, we might as well take advantage of everything we can get… Even if Elder Kaalan is scheming against us, we too can scheme against him. The opportunity Cassia gave us should not go to waste."

Myrin nodded in agreement. After all, being able to browse through a library of information belonging to the shamans of their village was not exactly an opportunity anyone could obtain… Thanks to Cassia pleading to the elders, she was able to convince them to allow the pair of magi to enter into the ancestral archive, where they keep countless grimoires from the past… A majority of that knowledge was lost during the massacre fifty years ago, but what remains there was still extremely valuable.

Of course, the visit was supervised and they were only given permission to browse the first floor's information… Either way, he would never pass up the opportunity to use [Record] once more.

Perhaps I can find a way to reach the 2nd Circle after all, Soren thought in amusement.

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