Ren, Ryota, and Morvon stepped out of the library. Their next goal was clear—find Hayato.
Ryota frowned. "Where the hell did he go? Ren, do you have any idea?"
Ren shook his head. "Why would I know where he went?"
Just then, a girl appeared. She had striking white hair, deep blue eyes, and a flawless face. Her red and black outfit gave her a powerful, mysterious aura.
"Are you looking for the King of Crimson Village?" she asked calmly.
Ren and Ryota were stunned.
Ryota muttered, "Then that means..."
The girl quickly interrupted, "Don't say anything here. Let's go somewhere private."
Ren hesitated. "What about Hayato?"
"Don't worry," she replied. "He's safe."
She led them to a restaurant. They passed through a door, walked down a narrow hallway, and entered a room. She opened another door, revealing a hidden entrance that led to a secret underground space.
Ren looked around, amazed. "Why is this place so well-hidden?"
She replied sharply, "Do you really need to ask, given the current situation?"
Ren narrowed his eyes. "Now tell us your name. We already told you ours when we were walking here, so why the hell are you still hiding yours?"
The girl paused, then said, "Because we can't trust anyone. There could be spies listening at any moment. Many still support the king, even though the memory manipulation doesn't affect them. As for my name… it's Akari."
Ren asked, "Then why did you trust us?"
Akari looked serious. "Because you're close to Hayato. I could tell the moment I saw you. The leaders of Crimson Village once opposed the king, but their families were slaughtered. Hayato was the only one who survived. Recently, I heard that the Crimson Village has no king instead it supports now the king of Celestia Kingdom. That's why I believe Hayato is still resisting. Since you're with him, I had hope... though I wasn't fully sure—until now."
Ren leaned forward. "Are there others here who oppose the king besides you, Akari?"
She nodded. "There's one more I've seen."
Scene Shift: Castle of the Celestia Kingdom
Inside the grand throne room, the masked king sat on his dark throne, surrounded by loyal commanders.
"We've lost nine commanders already," he said coldly. "But they were not great assets of the Celestia Kingdom."
One commander nodded. "Yes, you are right, Lord."
The king turned to two others. "James, Sophia—I want you to attack Lunavere Town. Archvivion and Emma will assist you. Erase that town from existence."
The strongest commander, Arthur, stepped forward. "But, my lord... what purpose does the destruction of such a magnificent town serve?"
The king looked down at him with disdain. "Simple beings like you can't understand the thoughts of a supreme being like me."
Arthur immediately bowed. "Forgive me for asking such a foolish question, my lord."
The king sat silently, thinking to himself:
"If I'm being honest… even I don't know what we'll gain from destroying Lunavere. I don't understand his reasoning. He's a complete mystery. But everything he's said has worked so far. So, I'll trust him... for now."