"Everything alright?"


    My gaze shifted from my left hand towards thedy in front of us.


    She had a beautiful face with a professional smile.


    "Yeah," Aimar replied to her while I looked around.


    We were inside a white chamber with thousands of runes engraved on it.


    They glowed softly every other second.


    Part of it was to ensure our safety while the rest were runes used for teleportation.


    ’Hm? Is that a rune for light?’


    Why is this rune here?


    [<You learned runguage?>]


    Inna asked curiously.


    ’Yeah, El taught me,’


    I replied as I thought about him.


    It’s been so long since I talked with him.


    ’Any idea when he will wake up?’


    I couldn’t help but ask Inna about it.


    [<Not anytime soon.>]


    ’...I see,’


    I thought quietly while gazing beside me.


    "What?" I asked as Aimar kept on staring at me.


    "The hell happened to you?" He asked, ring at me. "Weren’t you already enough? Why did you be more handsome?"


    "Why does it matter?" I replied, shrugging. "Not like a handsome face will win a fight for me."


    He grumbled under his breath, ring at me.


    I chose to ignore him.


    "Just a reminder," thedy said, making me nce at her as she closed the chamber. "Please don’t take those bracelets off, you might die if you do."


    I gently touched the handcuff-like bracelet on my hand that worked like a seal as well as a filter.


    The mana on Akasha is different from the mana on Lumina.


    They call it Ethereal mana.


    A mana far more potent than normal.


    Thedy slightly bowed towards us. "It will take a few seconds for the teleportation to start."


    Informing us, she walked out.


    "Himmel."


    "Yeah."


    "You caused it, didn’t you?"


    At his words, my gaze subconsciously shifted to my left hand.


    I raised my sleeve only to notice those words still etched there.


    Found you.


    "..."


    Is that you?


    My so-called lover?


    "Answer me," Aimar urged.


    "We will talk about itter," I groaned, feeling a headacheing in my life.


    The runes around us started to glow, and the gravity diminished.


    Our bodies floated in the air before the world around us shifted.


    For the next five minutes, there was nothing but blurriness.


    The gravity returned, and so did our vision.


    "Argh, that was a shit experience," Aimar groaned as the chamber slowly opened.


    I also steadied myself as the chamber opened up fully.


    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    We stepped out of it where anotherdy showed us the exit.


    "It’s gonna take some time to adjust," I mumbled to myself, walking through a hallway.


    The first thing that I noticed was the change in gravity.


    My body felt lighter than before, and with the new changes that happened to me, it felt weird to walk.


    The hallway led us to the epicenter of a huge building made of ss.


    The afternoon light shone brightly.


    My gaze moved around, noticing the different counters where long lines were present.


    ....People of different races.


    They all looked impatient and anxious.


    Some were even shouting, making the ce feel more like a market.


    A few curious gazesnded on me, but I chose to ignore them.


    It’s not like they know who I am.


    Oddly enough, most were moving towards the teleportation portal that led back to Lumina.


    ’Oh right. A new child of mana was born.’


    [<It’s you.>]


    ’...’


    Since we walked out of the ind, I have been suppressing the feeling.


    ....The feeling of having total control over mana.


    ....Like I own it.


    ’I need to learn more about it.’


    I turned to look at Aimar as he hit my ribs with his elbow.


    "That’s for you?" he asked, gesturing towards someone.


    I followed his gaze, finding a woman with long, pointy ears holding a signboard with my name.


    She had a beautiful face with light blonde hair cascading behind her back.


    She wore a in dress loosely clinging to her body.


    "I think so," I mumbled as I walked towards her, Aimar walking behind.


    The woman’s gaze flicked towards me. She looked surprised, but her expression quickly returned to normal.


    "Are you Himmel?" she asked, her voice cold and detached.


    "Yeah," I nodded.


    "....You don’t match with the picture mydy showed me," she whispered, narrowing her eyes.


    I just shrugged. "You think a random person will talk to you for no reason?"


    She stared at me for a while before she replied, "Please, follow me."


    The woman led us towards the parking area while I kept looking around.


    Honestly, it was cool to look at so many people from different races together.


    As soon as we walked out of the building, we were greeted with a clear sky.


    A huge was visible in the sky even during the day.


    The trees covered most of the ce while they blended perfectly with the tall skyscrapers.


    I curiously looked around, noticing the train tracks hovering in the air, intertwining with the tens of highwaynes.


    The whole ce looked futuristic.


    "This way," my gaze shifted back to the elfdy as she led us towards a car.


    "Who are you again?" I asked, following behind her.


    "Daina," she replied without looking back. "Lady Mariam’s personal maid."


    "So, Daina, where exactly are we?" I questioned, looking around.


    "Kallistar," she replied as we arrived at the sleek ck car. "The capital of Akasha."


    "Okay, so where are we going now?" I asked as she opened the door.


    "Thend of Sgaeyl highbloods, Idris," she replied, sitting inside the car and gesturing for me to do the same. "Your new home."


    "...."


    I quietly looked down at her.


    Aimar also stopped in ce.


    "Something the matter?" she asked, looking at me.


    "You seem oddly friendly for an elf," Imented, staring into her eyes.


    When I got to know I would be adopted by Mariam, I was ready for harsh treatment from every elf.


    I mean, Sgaeyl highbloods are the oldest forsaken family.


    They have a reputation among elves, even though only a handful of them are left.


    The arrogant elves who can’t ept a normal elf as their representative...


    ...Let alone an outsider like me.


    It’s odd for her to act normal.


    "If you’re wondering if I am disappointed by mydy’s decision, then yes," Daina replied, staring back. "But I am merely a maid; I have to be respectful towards the next heir."


    ’Merely a maid, she says.’


    I scoffed at her ridiculous statement as I entered the car while Aimar took the front seat beside the driver.


    [<She is powerful.>]


    ’I know,’ I replied as I closed my eyes, leaning back.


    I could feel the brimming mana in her body.


    She is around peak Overlord rank.


    "Lady Mariam wants you to—"


    "Do you have a phone or anything that I can use to listen to music?" I cut into her words.


    She looked at me confusingly. "...I do."


    "Give me," I ordered, extending my hand towards her.


    "I have things that need to be conveyed—"


    "I don’t care about that," I cut into her words. "Give me your phone."


    She stared back as she took out her phone, cing it in my hand along with an earphone.


    I put them on as I yed Echo’s song.


    Leaning back, I waited for us to reach our destination.


    ’Now, let’s think a little about the future.’


    .....


    .....


    .....


    "We have arrived."


    My eyes fluttered open as Diana’s voice echoed. The car was faster than any I had ever sat in, yetfortable.


    But it still took us more than an hour to reach Idris.


    Daina opened the door, walking out while I did the same.


    My gazended on my own reflection on the window.


    A handsome face with heterochromatic eyes—one blue and the other purple, long white hair with purple highlights at the end.


    [<The little boy has be quite handsome, don’t you think?>]


    Inna teased, but I just scoffed at her words as I looked up.


    The enormous mansion was the first thing that came into view, and above it was… that.


    I drew in a deep breath, my gaze fixed on the enormous ancient tree, its trunk wider than any building, its branches stretching high into the sky like golden veins against the blue. Stay tuned to empire


    Its leaves shimmered in the sunlight, giving off a faint glow.


    "The Heart of Akasha." Aimar mumbled as he stood beside me, gazing at the tree. "Nuaria."


    Daina turned around, facing me as she bowed slightly.


    "On behalf of the Sgaeyl Elven Highbloods, I wee you, my lord."


    Her voice remained impassive.


    It was clear she was doing it for formality.


    "..."


    I quietly looked at her as she straightened her back and turned around, leading us.


    We followed.


    I looked around the oddly quiet road that led to the mansion.


    There wasn’t a single soul around; left unchecked, the weeds grew wild.


    A huge chunk of the walls surrounding the ce was covered with golden branches.


    "If you don’t mind, Lady Daina." Aimar’s voice made me look at him.


    "....When we were arriving here, I couldn’t help but notice that the entire city was oddly empty."


    "It wasn’t always like this," she replied, ncing back at us. "...But most people living here abandoned the ce a few years ago."


    "I see." Aimar nodded, not asking further.


    ’He should have already guessed the reason.’


    I thought, ncing away.


    The Battle of Red Crown.


    ....The event in which the Sgaeyl Highbloods were massacred in cold blood, leaving only a few alive.


    Turning the strongest of the eight forsaken families into a hollow shell of previous glory.


    We arrived at the main garden just in front of the mansion.


    Unlike the outside, the ce was well-maintained, with a variety of flowers blooming around.


    "I will inform Lady Mariam about your arrival," Daina said while ncing at Aimar. "If you don’t mind, can you please give them some time alone?"


    "...Sure." Aimar replied, nodding.


    Daina walked inside the mansion along with Aimar while my gaze shifted towards the tall statue at the center.


    Walking closer, I observed it—a handsome man with pointy ears wearing royal attire, holding a sword in his hand.


    I lowered my gaze as I looked at the words written on it.


    Buinal Train Sgaeyl.


    1056 F.H.W-II — 0018 S.H.W-II.


    ’Dude sure lived a long life.’


    I mused, gazing at the first child of mana and also the first head of the Sgaeyl Highbloods.


    My gaze lowered as I looked at the words written on it, and immediately my expression turned serious.


    I mumbled aloud, "The way to True Godhood is Akasha."


    "....."


    My mind turned numb as I quietly stared at those words for a while.


    "A strangest words for someone who was a peak demigod." A soft voice echoed from behind. "Don’t you think?"