"Good," Max said after seeing that they accepted him into their group without hesitation. He had expected arguments, suspicion, or even outright refusal, but none of that came. Their quick acceptance left him more surprised than he cared to admit.
'I suppose the terror of the golden crown is enough to make most geniuses wary of me,' Max thought quietly, his eyes calm even as the crown above his head continued to glow faintly.
"Let us move on then," Max said aloud, his voice even.
Evan turned his head toward Nina, his expression questioning. When she gave a silent nod of agreement, he followed without another word. The group began to move once more, now with Max walking among them. Nina took the lead again, her Fate Compass in hand as its faint glow guided their path forward into the vast violet wasteland.
