The mages from afar cautiously glanced at Elizabeth, who was seated above, seemingly worried she might suddenly rise and use her rank on them all, yet after hearing, they carefully adjusted their wording to reply,
"...Based on the assessment by the association’s expert team, the result is indeed this."
"Then, if Mage Helson’s direct disciple is willing to return to Nali?"
"Direct disciple...You mean..."
The mages exchanged glances, simultaneously recalling the expressionless, black-haired Nali gentleman who once followed Mage Helson.
He is the disciple of a peerless Great Mage, a favored one of the Nali Royal Family’s elder princess. Such a youth with a dual background in academic and royal circles undeniably draws attention, and indeed, when he made a mark in the World Magic Society, they realized why Helson took him as a disciple.
To the point that when they initially heard Helson’s disciple had become a Nali fugitive, they felt relieved.
And as the pursuit for that individual was canceled four and a half years ago, this ominous feeling grew stronger, until today’s final realization.
"Are you referring to Fisher Benavides?"
"Could it be that he has secretly returned to Nali over the years and back to Mage Helson’s side?"
"If that’s the case..."
Elizabeth remained silent but suddenly tossed the book "Royal Marriage Ceremony" onto the table.
She said nothing but seemed deafening, silencing all the mages present.
...
...
At this moment, the "Helson’s disciple" who is still remembered by the World Magic Association is enjoying the breakfast delivered in his room, unable to shake off what he saw in the wooden box earlier, leading him to sigh helplessly.
He ate as he pondered the mystery of Dianne’s nature, yet outside a faint conversation arose,
"Hey, wait here for a bit, I’ll go scout first."
"Oh, but Mr. Book..."
"Ah, you don’t get it. Last night, Elizabeth surely wouldn’t have let Fisher go. It’s probably late in the morning, and they’re still up to mischief. You wouldn’t want to see it."
"Mischief?"
"Stay put!"
Fisher raised an eyebrow but still rose and walked toward the door. Before Emhardt stealthily slipped through the window or gaps, he opened the door, startling Emhardt peering inside.
"Ugh, a ghost! Oh, it’s Fisher...But wait, why do you seem like nothing happened, unlike you and that Elizabeth..."
Fisher looked speechlessly at Emhardt outside the door, and at Alicia who was still clueless and hadn’t noticed him.
To her, all his actions seemed delayed. Even though Fisher had opened the door, due to the hidden blessing’s effect, she took a while to notice the door being opened.
"Mr. Book, did big brother come out?"
"Ah, he’s right here, no major issues..."
Outside Elizabeth’s residence, in the Golden Palace’s inner garden, was a sizable lawn where dogs frolicked in the distance.
Fisher glanced at Alicia, realizing that if he didn’t intend to leave anytime soon, he should seize the time to resolve the "treasure" issue while Elizabeth was away.
He needed the treasure to read the third part of the Completion Manual, but couldn’t consume her yet; he also had to activate the blessing to guard against the origin of the chaos that already noticed her.
"Are you sure we’re staying here after this?"
"Yes, that’s the plan for now. As you can see, Elizabeth won’t do anything else to me right now."
Emhardt invited the unnoticed Alicia to follow him into the palace, expressing relief,
"Luckily you’re in this unnoticed state now. Thinking about it, Elizabeth won’t declare your return to outsiders, then she’ll logically plan a marriage with you...My goodness, I can’t imagine how shocking it would be if Raphael Moli in the South Continent and Valentina in the Northern Realm knew you were getting married...Oh, married again."
"...Yes, luckily."
But can’t be overly optimistic. Fisher shared with Emhardt about Elizabeth’s golden prosthetic eye and the mysterious Dianne, reminding Emhardt who responded angrily,
"Speaking of which, Fisher, that Elizabeth’s eye definitely has consciousness! When we were brought back to Saint Nali, I was worried about your condition and tried to contact her for a chat. She didn’t speak at first, but after I called her several times, she...She cursed me as a useless, ugly monster! I was furious!"
"..."
How does it feel like Pandora’s artificial eye was simply annoyed by Emhardt’s persistence? I wonder how this guy conversed with Pandora’s artificial eye at that time.
However, Emhardt’s words made Fisher ponder whether if Elizabeth’s prosthetic eye had consciousness, it had created entirely new consciousness like Emhardt, or if the consciousness within the eye was the Angel Leader Pandora herself from millennia ago?
The answer to this question is directly related to how the Tear-Drop Holy Artifact was formed, which Fisher didn’t know, but if it’s the latter, things would become troublesome.
From Elizabeth’s reaction, the prosthetic eye is definitely not harmless.
"I can’t help with Elizabeth’s prosthetic eye for now; she stopped responding after I spoke to her...But about this Dianne you mentioned, she led us here and said she’d pick us up to return by night. She chatted with Alicia along the way about palace etiquette and didn’t notice my existence. If you’re suspicious, should I secretly follow her tonight?"
"No, forget it, I’ll handle this."
If Dianne is suspicious, not only would Emhardt fail to detect her oddity, there’s a chance she would find and eliminate him.
For now, let’s not startle her, wrapped in hidden blessing, unable to use his rank’s power, Fisher needed to maximize the blessing’s usefulness; serving Elizabeth now, being close to her, there would always be an opportunity...
Now it’s time to investigate what nature the treasure with Alicia truly had.
Fisher conveyed his intention through Emhardt, preparing to let Alicia assist in his research, but when Alicia obediently extended her hand toward Fisher, it seemed he realized something, suddenly appalled.
If wrapped in hidden blessing, unable to use any extraordinary powers, not even the Completion Manual’s effects, here’s the problem: how could a mere mortal study the treasure Erwin painstakingly created?
"..."
"Mr. Book, has big brother started yet?"
"Uh, wait a minute, he..."
"Knock knock!"
Just then, as Fisher aimed at Alicia’s small hand thinking, came a series of crisp knocks from the room’s window.
Everyone in the room turned to the window, finding a black-and-purple lark that had appeared, pecking the window with its beak, tilting its head curiously at the man inside.
"Hey, this bird feels somewhat familiar..."
Emhardt was slightly stunned, while Fisher immediately stood up, uncontrollably surprised,
"Renie?"
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