“No, absolutely not,” Aldrit dered vehemently, his resolve firm. He couldn’t bear the thought of contending with the unpredictable Mara, even if it meant resorting to forceful measures!


    With urgency propelling him, he hurriedly left the house, though he halted his steps en route to the underground caves. As he traversed, a semnce of calm settled over his thoughts. Regardless of how he pondered it, navigating Mara’s capricious and unpredictable nature seemed beyond his capabilities. Perhaps even the elders of the caves would struggle to manage his antics.


    Redirecting his course, Aldrit made his way to Flora’s dwelling. Upon knocking, Flora promptly opened the door, her curious gaze meeting his.


    “You expressed a desire to meet with the tribe’s elders, and they’ve granted their consent. Would youe with me?” Aldrit proposed, conveying the elders’ agreement. However, despite this prompt affirmation, Aldrit intended to proceed with caution, taking time to carefully n their course of action. Yet, he couldn’t afford to be leisurely now. It was imperative to swiftly discern Flora’s true intentions.


    Flora nodded silently and fell into step behind Aldrit, her eyes darting nervously around the unfamiliar surroundings. The scattered houses of the vige were nowhere in sight, evoking the same anxiety she had felt on her first day here. Doubts crept into her mind, wondering if she was being deceived, as a myriad of thoughts raced through her head.


    Their journey led them to a dead end, surrounded by imposing stone towers with no visible path ahead. Flora observed Aldrit’s silent interaction with the stone towers, her expression guarded as she took a step back, wariness clouding her features.


    Then, to her astonishment, the solid rock they had assumed to be a wall began to shift slowly. Flora’s eyes widened in surprise, mirroring Aldrit’s expression from their first encounter in this mysterious ce.


    “It’s down here. Be cautious as you follow me; it’s dark,” Aldrit advised, disappearing beyond the opening in the rock wall into the shadows beyond.


    Watching his retreating figure, Flora felt a surge of irritation. It seemed as if Aldrit cared little whether she followed or not. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she steeled her resolve and stepped into the darkness.Descending the dark staircase, Flora’s gaze flickered as she caught sight of a faint light emanating from below. This sorcery was the primary reason she had chosen to trust Aldrit’s words. The notion that social elites freely wielded such power contradicted the belief that sorcery was the sacrednguage of the gods.


    Moreover, as Flora spent more time in the wanderers’ hideout, her faith in Sang-je’s abilities waned. Despite her prayers and calls for help, Sang-je remained silent, nevering to her rescue.


    After ascending the moving steps of the hideout, Flora and Aldrit’s figures vanished, reappearing at their final destination. Flora was immediately taken aback by the sight that greeted her.


    “It’s enormous,” she eximed, her voice hushed in awe.


    The lines of sorcery emanating light were so vast that it was impossible to capture them all in a single nce. Though the cave was shrouded in darkness, Flora could sense its immense expanse stretching out before her.


    Flora understood that the depth of sorcery corresponded to the will of the gods. Yet, she had never witnessed sorcery of such magnitude, even within the sanctuary.


    “Just how remarkable is this sorcery?” she mused aloud, her astonishment giving way to fascination. Throughout her studies of sorcery, Flora had been captivated by its mysteries. Witnessing miracles unfold as she applied her knowledge filled her with a profound sense of aplishment.


    As Flora lost herself in thought, she was suddenly jolted back to reality by the voice of a strange old man speaking to Aldrit.


    “Have you brought her?” the voice inquired.


    “Yes, Elder,” Aldrit responded respectfully.


    Startled, Flora nced around, her eyes widening as she noticed spectral figures materializing around them. Though the cave remained dimly lit, the illumination from the sorcery allowed her to discern some of her surroundings.


    “What’s this? You brought her without a word,” a familiar voice echoed in Flora’s mind, prompting her to instinctively search for small creatures like mice or lizards.


    An apparition, previously seated on one side, abruptly rose and approached Flora. She froze upon seeing the blond youth, shock etched across her features. With a trembling voice, she managed to mumble before hesitating and taking a seat.


    “Your Holiness?” she uttered in disbelief, her mind reeling with confusion.


    Mara, looking down at Flora, chuckled wryly. “Hmm, is this the first time you’ve seen me like this?” he queried, his mischievous expression contrasting sharply with the Sang-je Flora remembered. Those eerie red eyes… Suddenly, Flora felt a chill run down her spine, jolting her back to reality.


    <i>Eyes… I’ve never seen them before</i>, she realized, her thoughts racing.


    Sang-je always kept his eyes closed. Could it be that those red irises were concealed within Sang-je’s eyelids? Was the saying of being blinded by divine light merely a lie?


    “You vile creature! What nonsense are you trying to pull on the nobledy!” someone interjected angrily, causing Mara to scoff and turn away.


    “Wait,” Flora called out to Mara, her voice steadying as she scrutinized him. Though the darkness obscured her vision, she could vaguely discern Mara’s form, as if he were a ghostly apparition.


    “Are you… an illusion?” she questioned tentatively, her heart pounding in her chest.


    Mara chuckled lightly, and suddenly his appearance became clearer, devoid of any doubt. Then, reverting to his blurred state, he remarked, “This form consumes too much vitality. Is the imposter from the Holy City always like this?”


    Flora nodded stiffly.


    “He must be expending a considerable amount of energy, masquerading as a mediocre deity,” Mara scoffed.