The long line of crowd of Illorian people wees our carriage. We were supposed to return to the Illorian City with Ruler Laird, but something happened, and Ruler Laird decided to return ahead of us.


    "Wow, I didn''t expect we would receive a warm wee from the Illorian people? It''s probably because of you and Prince Fraser. The two of you are now Ruler Laird''s godchildren, and because we won the Gold Grand Exemr for this year''s, they are celebrating with us." Rufus exims while looking at the line of people outside waving their hands at our carriage.


    The carriage of Prince Fraser stops moving already, and he gets off the carriage to meet the Elders of the Illorian City. I still have a fever, so I cannot go down to greets the Elders.


    Prince Fraser and the Elders talks for a couple of seconds before the Elders stare at the carriage I am in. They are probably talking about me and my fever.


    The carriage then starts moving, leaving Prince Fraser, Princess Paislee, and the Elders.


    "Eh? Why are we moving? Where are we going?" Rufus asked.


    Leander, who is busy reading a medical book, looks up. "Lady Csille still has a fever, and before we make sure that this is a simple fever. We cannot get out."


    Rufus frowns. "But we''re not the one who has fever here. Why are we included?"


    Leander stares at Rufus as if asking, ''are you kidding me''. He then sighs and shakes his head. "We cannot go out because we are possible flu carriers. We were with Lady Csille right when she got a fever, and we were with her too when she was confined. It is understandable if they also see us as flu carriers."


    Rufus looks anxiously at Leander and us. "Does it mean we will be staying inside the carriage for the whole two days?"


    How can this person win a Gold Grand Exemr pin? Is he dumb? Of course, we won''t stay here. I''m sure Ruler Laird already prepare a room for us.


    "If you want to. Why not?" I shrugged my shoulders at him. Then I look at Leander, who is busy reading books again. "Senior, may I know how long will it takes for them to know if we have flu or just a simple fever?"


    Leander puts down his books and stares at me. "With Illorian''s medical instrument? I guess it will only take half a day. So, don''t worry, we can still have a day tomorrow to rx or to stroll around the Illorian City."


    I nod my head. One day is enough for me. It''s a good thing that we take a break in here, or else I don''t know how I can visit the Illorian City to check on the Virtouse.


    ________________________________


    I walked out of my room and found Rufus and Leander staring at a closed envelope lying on the center table. I immediately frown at them.


    "What happened? What is inside the envelope that made the two of you nervous?"


    Rufus and Leander immediately look at me. Rufus takes the envelope and rushes towards me. "Purny, it''s a good thing you are awake. Look here. We already have the results. Come on, open it up. So we can see what''s the results."


    The Illorian City prepared a bungalow house for us to stay. While I heard from Rufus that Prince Fraser and the other, the doctors, teachers, and everyone else is staying in the inn, we used to stay before.


    I look at the envelope and sigh. I now understand why they are nervous. If we be positive for flu, then we won''t have any choice but to stay here confined until we be free from flu. But of course, that won''t happen because I am sure Csille is not inflicted with flu. It''s just a simple fever that worsens by the changing weather.


    We travel from a cold ce to a warm ce, and I already have a fever, so it''s understandable if my body couldn''t adjust properly to the temperature changes.


    Rufus pulled me to sit on the sofa and urged me to open the envelope. Having urge by two nervous people, I immediately open the envelope and skimmed through the contents of the paper.


    Negative. It''s really negative, just like how I write it. I show the content of the paper, and Leander and Rufus immediately sigh.


    "I''m sorry if because of me, the two of you were affected with my fever. It''s a good thing that it''s negative. I''ll feel guilty if it''s positive."


    Rufus moves to sit beside me. "Why are you apologizing? You''re our friend, of course, we will be concerned for you. At least we''re all negative. So, don''t feel guilty, okay?" Rufus looks at Leander. As if asking Leander to back him up.


    Leander takes the result. "What Rufus said is correct. You shouldn''t apologize. It was us who volunteered to take care of you and to take a look on you. So, you shouldn''t feel guilty, Lady Csille."


    I look at Rufus and Leander and smile genuinely at them. Rufus is my true friend here, so it''s understandable if he would stay with me. While Leander used to like me before, but then I turned him down, but he still chose to be with me. So, I''m d that I have a friend like them.


    Rufus looks at Leander. "Can we get out now, right? Since the result says it''s negative."


    Leander looks at the result in his hand. "I''m not sure, but I''ll try tomunicate with the guard guarding outside. I will take this result and show it to them. But I think they are already informed."


    Leander immediately went outside to asked the guard. He thenes back smiling after a few minutes.


    "The guard already said that we''re free to go out, and it''s our decision if we want to stay here or to move to the inn. What are your ns?"


    As expected of Ruler Laird. He probably saw the result first before he sent it to us. I''m sure he also informed the elders and the guards about the result.


    But moving into the inn? Is that a good idea? Prince Fraser and Princess Paislee need to have time together, and there are a few bl scenes I have written in our stay here. Technically it''s bl since Princess Paislee is in male disguise.


    I shake my head at Leander. "I won''t move. I prefer staying here. You two decide for yourself. I''m nning to talk to Ruler Laird about something."


    After saying those words, I immediately took my pouch and went outside the house. I need to find Ruler Laird to ask him if I can go back inside the mysterious alley. I need to look for the Virtouse.


    ________________________________


    I nervously y with my fingers while waiting for Ruler Laird''s response. I just asked him if I could go back and try to look for his daughter. I just used the excuse that I felt guilty because I didn''t find his daughter thest time. So, I want to try it again.


    However, it looks like Ruler Laird won''t agree with me this time. It''s been a minute now after I asked him the question, but he still hasn''t answered me.


    Will he won''t allow me? But I badly need to go to the mysterious alley again. I need to look for the Virtouse. So, I need to do anything just to make him agree.


    I sigh and look at Ruler Laird with hopeful eyes. "Godfather, please allow me to return to the mysterious alley again. I feel guilty for not being able to bring your daughter here. I want to try again. Who knows, maybe I can find her this time."


    I bite my lips. I feel sorry for lying to him, but I need to do this. Not just for myself but for the safety of everyone here. So, I''m sorry, Ruler Laird, if I''m doing all of this.


    He probably doesn''t want to hope for something that is already impossible. Because the more he hopes for something, the more he gets hurt. So, I understand if he doesn''t want to allow me to go back to the alley.


    Ruler Laird sighed. "I understand, Csille. However, you shouldn''t feel guilty. I should be the one who should be guilty here. I let you went inside the alley, knowing that there''s a possibility that you cannot return. So you don''t need to do this, Csille. I already made peace with the idea that my daughter can''t return to me."


    I clench my fist. The guilt of knowing that I was the reason why Ruler Laird lost his daughter is eating up my conscience again. And now I got the nerve to make him hope that her daughter might return by asking him to allow me to go back in the mysterious alley.


    Aren''t I too cruel? I already knew that bringing this matter up would open his wounds, but I still did.


    You are really the Viiness.


    I sigh. "But I just want to try. For thest time, Godfather. I just want to make sure that she is not there. I promise I won''t stay long. Just give me a few minutes. That''s all I am asking."


    Please say yes, I really need to see the Virtouse. I need to know what happened to them and why there are many things that I couldn''t exin and understand.


    Ruler Laird sighed. "Okay, but this will be thest time you can return there. Also, don''t stay too long in there. Not because you''re able to go there and return safely doesn''t mean that it will happen again. So, be careful, Csille."


    I just smile at Ruler Laird. I suddenly feel guilty about lying to him again. I can hear sincerity in his voice, but here I am, lying to his face.


    Ruler Laird immediately calls a carriage to bring us to the mysterious alley. He even insisted on bringing me there on his own.


    I look at the mysterious alley and frown. As far as I remember, there should be fog inside the alley, but why does it look like a normal alley now?


    I look back at Ruler Laird. "This. Why did it look different than thest time I went here, Godfather?"


    Ruler Laird shakes his head. He probably doesn''t know the answer too.


    What is really happening here? I tried to take a step, but Ruler Laird stopped me. "Are you sure you want to go there? I don''t think that''s a good idea, Csille. Although the alley looks different than how it used to but we still don''t know what will happen to you if you go there. Maybe you should not go in there. What will I say to Fraser if something happened to you?"


    Fraser? I want to scoff at Ruler Laird''s words. Does he need to exin? I''m sure Prince Fraser won''t even get worried about me. So, what''s there to worry about? He only has eyes and attention to his future beloved.


    I pout at Ruler Laird. "Godfather, allow me just this once. I promise this will be thest time. I just want to make sure that she is not there."


    Ruler Laird sighed and let go of my arms. "Okay, but please be careful. I''ll be waiting for you here."


    I smile and nod at him before I take a step inside the alley. I frowned when I went past through the alley with ease. There''s no fog here, so I can clearly see the inside of the alley.


    After walking for a couple of seconds, what wees me is the same ce where I found the plotbound. It''s the bookstore where I met one of the Virtouse.


    I look around, and I find a bookstore that has signage on top. On the signage, there''s a plotbound written.


    This... Isn''t this the exact ce when I first went inside the alley? But unlike before, it looks abandoned for quite a long time now.


    I tried to push the door of the bookstore, but it was locked. I tried to look around and find something that would help me return to the Kosmo, but I couldn''t find any.


    I sit on a bench and sigh. I suddenly remember what Soiartze told me before. A spirit can onlye to the Kosmo twice. First, is when they meet the Virtouse for the first time, and the second is when they fail their task.


    Does it mean I cannot go back to Kosmo unless I failed my task? But how can I talk to the Virtouse if I cannot go back to the Kosmo?