Ellie and Viviana were shocked by Aeren's words. What did he mean? How could he ensure Ellie remembered every day?
Viviana had observed their conversation from a distance, hearing everything but choosing not to intervene. She understood the danger posed by Jarek Umberton and Nil Astoria all too well.
When people had first seen someone with purple light appear, no one had taken it seriously. But within months, that person had become the strongest in the empire, and within years, he ruled it completely. Now a new color had emerged, and no one knew how long it would take them to surpass the world's strongest and seize control.
Viviana knew they had to act against these threats, or they would come for Vorthis in no time. She wasn't foolish enough to think selfishly at a time like this. That's why she had to support Aeren's plan, or Vorthis would lose all control and the Umbertons would claim their throne.
Though Viviana didn't want to take such risks, she had to consider the situation carefully. But what Aeren was suggesting seemed impossible. How would he remind Ellie every day?
Viviana turned her gaze to Aeren and asked directly, "How will you remind Ellie every day, Aeren?"
Aeren raised his head from Ellie to Viviana, a polite smile appearing on his face as he lifted his hand toward her. From his hair, a butterfly emerged and settled on his finger.
Both Viviana and Ellie stared at the butterfly's beauty, becoming entranced by its mesmerizing appearance. As they sank deeper into their daze, Aeren spoke.
"This is Swapn."
Still transfixed by the butterfly, doubt crept into their minds. Ellie asked Aeren, "What does this butterfly have to do with our situation?"
Aeren smiled, watching both of them before explaining. "Swapn is a spirit."
"What? You're a spirit user?" Ellie asked with shock, suddenly realizing she hadn't noticed this about her brother during his awakening. How had she been so oblivious at the magic tower?
She couldn't believe she hadn't known about Aeren being a spirit user.
Having heard similar reactions before, Aeren didn't respond to her question and continued explaining Swapn's abilities.
"Swapn can travel into any dream he chooses. We simply need to send him into Ellie's dreams every night. She will forget the dreams themselves, but her subconscious will retain all the messages. She won't be controlled by their empire and will do exactly what benefits our empire. No one will suspect her, and most importantly, she'll act on everything coincidentally without knowing it herself."
Aeren's final sentence sent shivers through them. He was essentially saying that Ellie would be controlled by him without her knowledge—brainwashed without realizing it.
Ellie stared at the butterfly, shocked by his explanation. What kind of spirit is this? And why don't I remember seeing this beautiful butterfly before?
Viviana also gazed at the butterfly, trying to recall Aeren's awakening ceremony. She remembered him going to the stage, but she couldn't remember anything about the butterfly.
After thinking deeply and still finding nothing, she asked Aeren directly, "What happened during your ceremony? And why can't I remember it?"
Aeren fell silent for several minutes before speaking:
"I stood at the middle of the stage, waiting for someone to find me.
But no one came for a long while, and I began to believe that perhaps no one truly desired me.
Just as I was about to leave, something happened— a form began to take shape upon the stage.
When it was complete, it looked exactly like me.
I was little surprised that something had managed to reach me.
I watched this fake self for a while, and in watching,
I came to understand myself more deeply.
Then I turned away from that reflection toward what was real.
And the reflection shifted— unfolding into wings, rising into the air, turn into butterfly
and following after me.
That's all."
After Aeren finished, Ellie and Viviana stared at him, unable to understand a single word of his explanation.
Aeren ignored their shocked expressions and sat in the chair opposite Viviana. They were about to ask more about the butterfly when suddenly they forgot about it entirely—forgetting both the butterfly and his explanation about himself. They only remembered his explanation about the plan.
"How will you remind Ellie every day, Aeren?"
Aeren looked back at Viviana with a smile and spoke politely, "Lady Viviana, I've already explained."
Viviana watched Aeren silently without responding, because she felt like she had been given an explanation but couldn't remember what it was. She understood that whatever Aeren had demonstrated was working.
She felt satisfied and looked at Ellie's confused expression. Even though Ellie hadn't heard the explanation, she didn't ask questions, which confirmed its effectiveness.
"Good, Aeren. I don't remember a single thing, but I can feel that something is missing—something you explained that I've forgotten."
"Thank you, Lady Viviana," Aeren said politely.
Viviana nodded and Ellie sat beside Aeren, still confused but accepting.
"Now that the marriage issue is resolved, it's time to focus on your mission—the task given by the emperor to test your abilities."
Viviana began explaining their mission and handed them papers with the details.
Meanwhile, in Umberton territory...
Raven had finally managed to enter Umberton territory. He surveyed the city and its people, noting the happiness on everyone's faces. His Highness's command echoed in his mind.
Seeing all the people around him, he thought, Let me start with criminals. His Highness didn't specify which people I should kill. But how can I find any criminals here?
Raven scanned the crowd again and walked through it for hours, searching the city without finding a single clue about criminal activity. He didn't even see any slums—it was as if they had been cleaned away.
Feeling tired, Raven found an inn called the "Cold Inn."
He entered without hesitation and surveyed the interior. The inn was packed with people, with barely any empty seats available.
Raven looked around and spotted a few empty tables, making his way to one of them.
As soon as he sat down, he noticed several people watching him with suspicious eyes. He acknowledged their gazes but ignored them, looking for a waiter instead.
"Waiter!" Raven called from his table.
"Coming..." came the reply.
Raven kept his guard up, waiting for their reaction while maintaining his watch over them with a casual expression that masked his alertness.
A waiter approached—a beautiful girl who smiled at him warmly. "What would you like, cutie?"
Raven looked up at her, unsurprised by her beauty but not offended by her casual manner either. However, she seemed more suspicious than those who had been staring at him.
He began to suspect they had already noticed him and were essentially telling him to surrender or he wouldn't see another day.
Raven sighed…
What should I do now? I haven't even killed a single person and I'm already captured by some unknown organization or people. I can't see any way out. What would he do? Would he send someone, or does he know something I don't? Or does he know I can escape this situation even when there seems to be no chance? Hah...
Raven noticed everyone around him beginning to close in. He saw that the waiter had a knife hidden on her tray, waiting for her opportunity.
"The world looks different somehow," he murmured to himself.