As Aizis brought Marco into this hidden realm, he smiled while watching Marco's calm reaction.
Oddly, the frozen world around him didn't seem to bother Marco. He remained still and expressionless.
Aizis spoke with his usual calm smile.
"Only the thoughts on the surface of your mind are readable—not those buried deep beneath. You know that already, don't you?"
Marco didn't reply. Instead, he offered a mysterious smile.
"I'm not surprised… but I'm still impressed. As expected from the hidden shadow of the strongest Supreme Ruler," Marco replied, a faintly sinister smile curling on his face.
Aizis snapped his fingers, instantly disabling the spell. They returned to the normal timeline.
Just moments ago, the magic circle that Aizis had cast vanished. While Aizis still wore the same calm expression as always, Marco's face subtly changed—becoming completely blank.
After a few moments, Maria noticed Marco's unusual silence.
Though Aizis had just returned from the hidden realm with Marco, he was still speaking and moving like normal—no outward changes in expression at all.
"Marco? Are you okay? ...Marco?" Maria asked, puzzled.
"Hey, Marco! What's wrong?"
A few seconds passed.
Maria kept calling him—her voice growing louder. When Marco remained unresponsive, she grabbed him by the collar of his coat and shook him.
"Marcooo! Are you seriously asleep while standing?! Y-your eyes are still open!" she yelled, clearly annoyed.
"That idiot... what the hell is going on in his head now?" she muttered.
"Calm down, Maria. I think he went into his imaginary world," Aizis said gently.
Eventually, Marco snapped out of it, startled by Maria's shouting.
"Huh? What happened?" Marco asked, disoriented.
Maria stared at him, irritated.
"Idiot! What happened to you?! Did you get lost in your imaginary world or something?" she snapped.
"I don't know. I suddenly lost my senses. It felt like... something pulled me away from here," Marco replied, still dazed.
Aizis smiled slightly and looked at Marco with narrowed eyes.
"Delusions, Dumbass," Maria scoffed.
"Maybe… I really don't know what just happened," Marco admitted, his face tired.
Suddenly, Raizel turned toward Marco and Maria with sharp eyes and spoke up with a curious voice,
"Why do I feel like both of you are inheriting the power of a Retainer? I can sense it, within both of you guys." Raizel said.
"What do you mean by Retainer?" Marco asked curiously.
"A race of sacred demons that exist a layer above the Supreme Rulers and the Sacred Spirits—inhabitants of the Absolute Spirit's realm," Raizel replied.
"It's the first time I'm hearing about something like this. I didn't know that such a being even existed," Maria said, a curious expression on her face.
"The Absolute Story is vast, so vast that it's impossible for regular beings like us to comprehend its vastness," Aizis replied.
"Do you remember the difference between the Mortal Domain and the Supreme Ruler's Realm? The difference between a story reader and a character in the story?" he added.
"The Absolute Spirit's Realm holds the same authority over the Supreme Ruler Realm and everything below it. Essentially, they're the story readers and writers while we're nothing more than mere pieces of fiction to them," Aizis concluded.
"I wonder why we're supposed to have a connection with such a higher being?" Maria asked curiously.
"There are multiple possibilities. Either they want to take over your body for their physical incarnation, or they just want to aid you for their own purposes," Raizel replied.
"Judging their nature and your position, I believe it's the first reason they're doing this," he added.
"Are you sure about them inheriting their power to us?" Marco asked.
"I had doubts earlier, but the doubt doesn't seem to exist anymore. I'm sure now," Raizel replied.
"I'm a bit scared. What if they actually take over my body?" Maria spoke up.
"Don't worry, they can't do it until you reach a realm similar to theirs. And besides that, it's still not certain that they're actually looking for that," Raizel replied.
"That's good to hear. Maybe I'll die before that," Maria said, smiling a little afterward.
"Maybe. Or perhaps, this might end up becoming an excuse for me to kill you. Or could it be that you'll end up being the one who kills me?" Raizel said slowly, smiling.
"Why would they kill you? I don't understand this. What's their job actually?" Maria asked curiously.
"Their job is to protect their own realm and sometimes maintain the calmness of the lower realms by punishing the Supreme Rulers and Sacred Spirits," Raizel replied.
"My intentions will eventually lead me to a destructive war against them. Perhaps I can say it's my duty that will take me there. After all, I can't disobey his order," he added, a mysterious tone appeared.
Marco smiled a little.
"It's gonna be the time when I'll prove my strength over you. And eventually, I'll surpass you and kill you," Marco said, still smiling—a sinister smile that reflected a hidden mystery beneath his usual gentle expression.
Raizel smiled back in response, as an agreement.
"Trying to meet a higher being like the Servants was the reason for my death. But this time, I will win," Raizel thought to himself, smiling slightly.
"Alright guys, I guess it's time for me to leave. I'm really tired now," Marco spoke up, his voice weary.
Without a second thought, Marco drew a magic circle and instantly disappeared.
The other three just kept staring at where he had been, without uttering a single word.
Suddenly, something bothered Aizis—he remembered something he had forgotten.
"Oh Raizel, I almost forgot to tell you," Aizis spoke up.
"What is it?"
"I'm not so sure, but I believe someone was here in Zeldia today—someone with an extremely abnormal amount of magic power," Aizis replied.
"Even though he was obviously suppressing it, I somehow managed to sense his presence," he added.
"If someone with an abnormal amount of magic power was here, then it's obviously someone from the Sacred Spirits," Raizel said.
"Do you still remember his face?" Raizel asked, staring at Aizis.
"Sure, I can clearly recognize him," Aizis replied.
"You will do that?" Raizel asked, in a suspicious tone.
"Yes."
"Maria!"
"Yes?"
"It's time for you to shine."