The sudden voice made Celeste's face tighten in alarm. Ethan immediately spread his Soul Sense, but found nothing—no figures, no suspicious presences.
"Director Vaughn… what brings you here?" Celeste quickly regained her composure, her tone respectful and deferential.
"Celeste, it's been far too long. I've been searching for you endlessly, and never expected you to be hiding here. Clever, very clever. The most dangerous place is always the safest. Such a simple truth, and yet it never crossed my mind!"
The voice came again from every direction, carrying with it a strange fluctuation of Soul Power that stirred something faintly familiar in Ethan's mind. From Celeste's words, he understood that this unseen speaker was none other than the leader of the Ninth Division, the head of the Originalists himself.
"The Candle Abyss isn't fully formed yet. This is where it's still gestating," Celeste said evenly, her expression unchanged.
