When the official discussions were over, Isolde pulled Levi into a private room along with the giant: Marrow.
“Why do you think Darian failed to attend the Round Table?” Isolde asked, leaning closer to Levi. She pressed her cleavage together. Although it was a black outline thanks to the Round Table’s magic, he still saw it. She lowered her voice, and said, “Oh, I do love to gossip.”
“Darian seems tightly wound with the Round Table,” Levi said, making his voice deeper. “Whatever has taken him away, must be important.”
“And that’s what makes it so exciting, right?” Isolde leaned back, chuckling. “You should have heard the table when you failed to arrive the last time. Marrow said you found a lover in this new universe.”
Marrow grumbled. “Did not. I don’t involve myself with those matters.”
“Yes, we know, Marrow,” Isolde said, rolling her eyes. “You only have a heart for war. So boring. Well, what about you, Traveller? Was it a matter of love?”
“I’m afraid I’m the same as Marrow here.”
“Men.” Isolde scoffed. “Always so droll. That’s why I prefer women.”
Levi’s face turned hot under the bed sheet, but he refused to move an inch. Noticing Levi’s statuesque figure, she continued, “Everyone is so focused on the Heaven’s Tomb. Darian has been working on his disciples for many years. Ingredients, improving blood-lines, squeezing out any little talent imaginable. Something important must have come up for him not to be here and miss out on purchasing goods.” She shifted in her chair, then said, “So uncomfortable. The Lord could at least place cushions on these chairs made of stone. How ungentlemanly. He mustn’t be a noble.”
“Well?” She said, interlocking her fingers. “Please do say something, Traveller. I do grow tired of hearing my own voice.”
“I’m sorry,” Levi chuckled. “But I don’t.”
“I knew it,” she said, laughing. It sounded like bell chimes. “You do have a romantic bone in that body of yours. I bet you’re handsome, Traveller.”
“I’m afraid I’d only disappoint.”
“Ah, you see,” she added. “It’s usually the humble ones that are the most handsome. I have some experience in that regard.”
Marrow tapped the table.
“Yes, giant, so impatient,” Isolde grumbled. “Just when I was getting the Traveller to loosen up a little. Now, there is a reason I’ve called you here. And it’s not to gossip about love. It is about the Heaven’s Tomb, as all things are these days.” She leaned in closer again. “How is your disciple faring? Did he acclimate well with the Ingredient? No normal person can ingest such a thing—even with guidance—so please don’t tell me your little pup has imploded. That would be rather… unfortunate.”
“He has digested it well,” Levi said simply. If she had learned that it had upgraded from Legendary to Exaltic, how would she feel then? Justh how difficult was it to obtain an Exaltic Ingredient, exactly? She had mentioned it wasn’t easy to get her hands on a Legendary one.
Isolde clapped her hands excitedly. “Excellent! Oh that is great news. I was worried for a moment. Finding someone with a body that’s able to hold a time element is like finding a jade-like beauty. Looks like we’re going to have a pleasant alliance, truly.”
“Of that, I’m glad,” Levi said, then decided to change the subject. “The Krag… Now excuse me as I’m new to this place, but how difficult is it to summon a titan from there, to the physical world?”
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Isolde pinched her chin. “That would require a great deal of not only wealth, but power. Birthright seeds, as you most likely already know, are a path to power. But they can also be charged with mana. We call these charged variants mana crystals. Depending on where you are, these crystals are the main currency. And when used in a formation, they can summon great power.”
“And pull when channelled, can summon even a titan?”
“Yes,” Isolde said. “But as to why someone would do that… now that really has piqued my curiosity.”
“Can’t it be the titan’s doing? Must it be summoned by someone?”
“In theory, yes,” Isolde said. “But such a being, well, if you are on that planet, you wouldn’t be talking to me right now, Traveller.”
Levi frowned. Just how strong were the monsters in the Krag? That sounded absolutely insane. Planet destroyers? But the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. The Krag was a world where gods were buried. Obviously monsters at the same level lurked. It was a terrifying notion.
“Then who, and why, would someone do such a thing?”
Silence took over the room for a minute. Levi was taken aback. Was there something wrong with his words? But the more he thought them over, the more he was confused. There was nothing wrong with his words.
Isolde laughed. “Are you naive, Traveller? How cute.”
Shit, Levi thought. The reason he didn’t think it was wrong, was because he wasn’t some demi-god like them. He was a normal person who failed—couldn’t— realise why one would summon a devil from another world. Let me guess—
“For power,” Isolde said. “Or at least, they have some reason to do what they did. We just have to figure out what that is. Traveller, since you are there, would you look into this for us? I rather like where I’m at right now and have no intentions of crossing the Krag to another world right now.”
“I’m already working on it,” he replied.
“Excellent. I’ll have Marrow on my end to investigate the Krag. Such a massive mana crystal expenditure is bound to have left its mark. With any luck, we’ll be able to trace it back to its owner.” she looked around. “It appears the time at the Round Table is coming to an end.”
Isolde stood up. “I don’t have to say this, as I’m sure you’re well aware. But for my own ease of mind, I want to. Protect that disciple of yours. You should know the importance of someone with a time element. They are the keys to the future.”
Levi nodded. In reality, he had no idea what she meant. Was it simply because those with the time element were strong. Or did she literally mean the key to the future. With Isolde, it was difficult to tell. One moment she was flirty, playing around. The next, her words held venom. She wasn’t someone he wanted to get closer to, but it would be a lie to say that the Stopwatch was a great boon to his survival.
For now, he’d remain distant with her.
She smiled. Levi could tell she was radiantly beautiful under the shroud of black. “Until next week, Traveller.”
***
It was the next morning, and he’d already said his goodbyes to everyone. Seeing them depart on the train, waving to them, first came an overwhelming emotion. He had realised that since the beginning, he had been with them, travelled with them, fought with them.
And as swiftly as that emotion arrived, a steadfast determination replaced it. As much as he liked their presence, it was uncomfortable benign with Gregory. He knew too much. And to what extent he knew, left Levi with a sour taste in his mouth.
Now that he was alone. Truly alone with no bodyguard hiding in the shadows, Levi was relieved. He felt free. He was in a new world with powers anyone back on Earth could only dream and read about.
At first, he was going to take a hunting contract. But business had ground to a halt while construction was under process. The factories had seen extensive damages. And if Levi understood one thing about cities, it is that profit was the single most important thing. All manpower was going into repairing the metal factories.
For a while, Levi just wandered around aimlessly, purchasing things for his upcoming adventure. Food, water, rope, and anything else he’d need for the journey.
It took him a few hours to reach the other, massive gate on the other side of the city. The only people that left were farmers and lower tiered adventurers who were trying to claim the corpses of the bats to sell. Stalls were already set up to cut out the middleman for maximum profit. Everyone was trying their hardest to make a living.
With his backpack, Levi left the gate. For a long time, it would be the last time he would lay eyes on Ironvale.
