It was another early morning.
Out on the inn's open-air balcony, seated in a comfortable chair, Orsaga looked calmly at the two beautiful elves in front of him and asked, "So you're both leaving?"
Alison nodded lightly and replied, "Yes. Now that my injuries have healed, there's no reason for the two of us to stay here any longer."
Beside her, Golarial casually picked up a piece of pastry and added, "I haven't been home in a long time either, so I figured I'd go back with Alison while I have the chance. If you're interested, you can come with us to the Elsella. The scenery there is the most beautiful you'll ever see!"
She even winked at Orsaga playfully, teasing, "I may not be as rich as you, but if you come, big sis will treat you to everything!"
But Orsaga simply shook his head, declining the invitation. "I'll pass for now. There are still some things I need to take care of. Maybe next time. Just make sure you both have a good time."
Though she had already expected this answer, Golarial couldn't help but show a trace of disappointment on her face. She muttered to herself, "What a cold man…"
Alison, hearing this, could only show a helpless expression. She still couldn't understand why Golarial liked Orsaga so much.
To her, Orsaga was full of mystery and far from stable or trustworthy. Casual interaction was one thing, but getting too close might drag you into trouble if something went wrong.
She had privately warned Golarial more than once to keep her distance from him. Staying a few steps away was the safest approach!
But judging from Golarial's behavior, it was clear she hadn't taken Alison's words to heart. There was nothing more Alison could do—some things simply weren't hers to control.
As for Golarial's affection, Orsaga himself found it puzzling.
He didn't even realize he had such charm, and couldn't understand why Golarial seemed to hold such a high opinion of him.
They had only run into each other on a random street a few days ago. After deciding not to actively search for her, Orsaga hadn't expected that, in a city of over ten million people, he would bump into her again just by wandering aimlessly.
You have to understand, this world doesn't have many skyscrapers. Most buildings are low, one- or two-story structures.
For Augustus City to accommodate that many people, its size had to be much greater than the so-called first-tier cities of his previous life.
In a place like that, the odds of randomly running into someone you know are about the same as winning the lottery—maybe even lower.
——
A little while later.
As he watched the two of them walk away, Orsaga gently rubbed the smooth outer surface of the teacup in his hand.
With a hint of doubt, he mused to himself:
"Could it be… that we really have some kind of fated connection?"
But he didn't dwell on the thought. After pondering briefly, he let the question go. If fate was there, then so be it—it wasn't a big deal anyway.
It was still early. If he really wanted something in the future, he'd just take action when the time came.
When it came to things like this, he'd long since learned to let go. After all, what kind of demon wastes time hesitating and being sentimental? That's just disgusting.
——
In another corner of the city…
Inside a quiet private courtyard.
Sarah sat face to face with an elderly man—his hair white as snow, his figure thin to the point of being skeletal.
Wearing a smile, she said, "You're too old. You don't have much time left. Whether it's the Church or the Mage Council, none of them care about you anymore. If you miss our opportunity, then before long, a cold grave will be the only future you have."
Unlike the meek attitude she had shown toward Orsaga, Sarah came out swinging against this frail-looking elder who looked like he might drop dead any minute. Her gaze was filled with confidence, her demeanor powerful and assertive.
This was the real Sarah—strong and self-assured in front of almost everyone.
It wasn't that she wanted to bow her head in front of Orsaga. The simple truth was that her strength couldn't compare to his, and she had no choice but to play it safe. And in hindsight, it had been the right decision. It had greatly reduced Orsaga's hostility toward her.
Had she tried to stand her ground back then and confronted him with force instead, Orsaga probably would've smashed her head in without a second thought.
Now, facing Sarah's aggressive persuasion, the elderly man showed visible hesitation, his face clouded with unease.
Seeing this, Sarah's brow furrowed slightly.
"What's left to think about? Devoting yourself to my Lord is the greatest honor you could hope for."
She didn't understand why the old man, who just days ago had seemed to be leaning toward their side, was now wavering again.
'Could it be… another power has intervened?' she wondered.
She was deeply puzzled.
Ever since the descent of the dark god she worshipped, Sarah—seen as one of the most promising leaders within the cult and even had been given a direct order:
to plant and develop followers at various critical locations.
Augustus City was one of those key areas.
The old man before her belonged to a mid-sized family. Though the family wasn't powerful, it had ancient roots and had been entrenched in Augustus for generations.
Its influence reached into all aspects of the city, making them true local power players. That's why Sarah had chosen him—to bring him into the cult and use him to facilitate her future plans.
But the old man didn't answer her question directly.
After hesitating a while longer, he finally shook his head and said, "This matter is far too serious. It could affect my entire family. I need more time to think about it."
Without waiting for Sarah to respond, he stood and slowly walked out of the courtyard.
Once he was gone, Sarah's expression turned extremely unpleasant.
She knew very well that his excuse was just that—an excuse. Based on her intel, that old bastard wasn't the kind to risk his life for family. In fact, his older brother's mysterious death years ago was rumored to be linked to him.
A man like that, suddenly acting concerned about his family? What a joke.
After thinking for a moment, Sarah pulled out a magical artifact from her spatial ring.
"My Lord, I have something to report."
"Speak."
A voice soon responded from the other end.
Sarah didn't hesitate and relayed all her thoughts in detail.
After a brief silence, the voice responded again:
"You don't only have one target, correct?"
"Yes," Sarah replied respectfully.
"In that case, contact them all. If most or all of them show similar resistance, then the problem is beyond your ability to solve. Abandon that region entirely. But if you manage to convert a few, then continue observing and assess the situation."
"Understood."
____
T/N:
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