They couldn't tell if Mill was dense or simply ignorant. He went on and on about how dangerous the castle could be, but they only replied to him with disinterested looks. Still, he was keen on life serving them better if they abandoned the castle.

"If the castle doesn't kill you, the Crawlers hunting it will. Come live here… let me take care of you before your corruption sets in and turns you into a Sinner. At least then you'll be free for the next three months before it finally happens."

Halo was yet to feel like himself in this ordeal, and having heard Mill speak this way before, he believed his words came from a kind place.

True, whenever someone left their Purpose unfulfilled or unattended for three months, the system deemed it a failure and turned them into a Sinner. But there were loopholes in this that Halo believed could be exploited.

Once on duty, it didn't matter if it took a year or forever, so long as they attended to it daily until fulfilled. But the three-month count began the moment they stopped. They could stay in the Mirror Steppe and check on the castle periodically to avoid the timeout.

But this sounded ridiculous to Halo. He needed the Purpose fulfilled quickly to locate the hero. Worse, even the slightest destruction by Sinners at the castle could mark it as a failure. They'd all turn into Sinners then.

"Uhm…"

Liam seized the attention in the room.

"We are grateful for your kindness, mister. But I don't think this is something any of us want…"

"Really?"

Liam and Seraph gave him a firm nod, and he smiled.

"If you say so…"

Mill exhaled.

"About the legends… Kysa is the most recent and popular as well. I'm sure you've all heard of her."

Halo watched as they responded to Mill with his hands folded across his chest. He only hoped for Mill to say something helpful.

"There is the Grand Fairy… Its gender is unknown, though most call it her. She seldom remained in the castle for less than a year, but her presence lingered in the dreams of all who slept. They say she gifted every soul the most beautiful dream of their life, even Sinners."

Halo and the others exchanged glances, their expressions mimicking their disappointed thoughts. They weren't the legend they were looking for. Not even close.

"What about the legend you say you aren't sure of?"

Halo asked, and Mill turned in his direction.

"Oh, that's Fade of Bridle. It is quite difficult to believe anything about him since no one saw him."

Seraph raised a subtle eyebrow. "Kindly tell us anything you know about him, Sir."

Mill paused for a moment, adjusting his glasses as though weighing his thoughts.

"Kysa supposedly lived in the castle for about a century, and even the time Grand Fairy fairly occupied the castle falls within this same time period. But her story is believed because people actually saw her abilities…"

Mill gave his words a beat.

"Fade of Bridle, however, stayed in the castle around this time period for more than a century as well… he should've been there with Kysa, right? Even if for a few decades. But no one ever saw him there. Despite the countless assassinations on Kysa, not even a soul saw Fade of Bridle."

Halo frowned.

He knew the castle was mysterious, and though the Galactic Castle hid its true nature from him and his comrades, he was certain it could hide Fade of Bridle if it wanted to.

"Okay, I get why you'd doubt the legend, but could you tell us if you know anything about his abilities?"

Seraphim asked with a warm smile, though her tone sounded as serious as ever.

"Guess you really need a refresher on your legends, huh?"

Mill began leaving the counter.

"I heard he could ride and even understand Sinners. He spent most of his life among them, and almost every Sinner came to see him as one of their own."

Halo and the others exchanged glances once more with a smile. This was who they were looking for.

Mill reluctantly began rearranging his place.

"It all turned into a myth once Sinners started appearing everywhere. Yet some still claim that Kysa killed him with ease… a being said to rival even a Forgotten Sinner. That's why he vanished."

Halo massaged his forehead, feeling his head spin from uneasiness. Forgotten Sinners were powerful. If his weapon, the Magnus Blade—a blade capable of changing into any blade—came from the mucus of a Forgotten Sinner, that spoke to their unimaginable strength. But that hardly mattered to him.

What truly bothered him was that everything circled back to Kysa. How could she be that strong? He couldn't bear seeing that monster walk back into the castle.

"We are humans, and we tend to make sense out of anything we don't understand. This is why I don't believe this. Kysa might be strong, but defeating someone this powerful with ease had to be a lie."

The moment Mill finished rearranging his shop, he returned to his counter.

"Is that all, mister?"

Seraph asked.

"Yes, I think so…"

Seraph caught Halo's eye and jerked her head toward the exit. He paused, confused. Her smile looked strained, wrong. But he knew better than to question her.

"I think we will be leaving now, mister."

Seraph said with her smile widening creepily.

Before they could exist, Mill spoke.

"No matter what you're up against, ask for help. I'll send a few Knights your way."

"Thank you, mister," Liam said with a bow.

***

Seraph hadn't spoken since they left Mill's shop. The entire walk back to the castle, nothing. Liam looked as confused as Halo felt. Neither of them knew what was going on.

Still, she knew they needed to understand. She told them to wait in the Grand Hall. She had to get something from her room.

"What do you think is happening, Halo?"

Halo was relaxed in his seat as his eyes rolled in Liam's direction.

He shrugged.

"Beats me. I suppose she figured out who the Fade of Bridle is…"

As the words left his mouth, Light walked in carrying sheets of paper. Seraph arrived at the same moment.

"Mill's Flaw is either the same as mine or something similar…"

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