Zavi did not linger in Minehold, even though he had spent nearly seven hours walking there without running.
Wayaa Station, east of Minehold.
9:50 a.m.
With a distant look on his face, Zavi paced back and forth, biting his index finger.
He had suspected this might happen, but he had never imagined he would actually run into "that woman."
Zavi Actitus had met an old acquaintance.
Watching her acquaintance, or rather, the man pacing back and forth, made the woman feel uneasy.
As always, she knew he was strange, and that very strangeness had helped him achieve his goals.
Zavi stopped pacing in front of a row of benches as the fresh morning breeze brushed against his face.
'She's really taking advantage of me.'
That nonstop journey was the reason Zavi had chosen not to rest, hoping to avoid the woman, yet she had still insisted on following him.
What's more, he had appeared in the form of a terrifying man and had frightened her back at Pamlinov Station in Forgenate District, where it had all begun.
Once again, he glanced at the woman's expressionless face, wondering if this was nothing more than a dream.
No, this was not a dream; it was reality, and he knew it.
The chain wrapped around his arm sent chills down his spine, a sensation that contrasted sharply with the woman's expression.
After considering how to handle the situation, he quietly walked over and sat beside her.
He tried to smile, though the effort was obviously forced.
"So, Miss Celvira, why are you still following me?" he asked, clenching his fist as the corner of his mouth lifted slightly.
The third-tier evil spirit, Nammeridya, disguised herself as a beautiful young woman to lure humans and carry out her wicked deeds.
Although the circumstances surrounding Celvira's presence in Kuranda, Vleco, and along Jikusuma Street had changed, she could no longer remember those events clearly.
All she remembered was being trapped inside the city of Moran, unable to leave until her soul was absorbed into Zavi's body because their spiritual forces were pulling toward one another.
In truth, she had managed to escape a few days earlier by the same method, but due to an unknown change in events, she had returned to Moran. It turned out to be a stroke of luck, because the arrival of an acquaintance secured her freedom.
"Isn't visiting an old friend allowed?" she muttered with a faint smile.
Zavi began to answer, but Celvira quickly interrupted him.
"Let's not talk about that anymore. There's something I want to tell you right now."
'Tell me?'
Zavi repeated those words inwardly before hurriedly saying, "If it's about that, I don't know anything and honestly have no idea how to explain it."
"He disappeared mysteriously, without leaving a single trace."
'Even though there's something strange about how his serrated dagger ended up in Zuhen Mudelk's hands.'
While waiting for Celvira's answer, Zavi avoided looking at her. His attention remained fixed on the railway tracks, waiting for the steam train to arrive.
After gathering the clues she had long been searching for, Celvira glanced at Zavi, noticing just how much his appearance had changed since they had last met.
"Yes, I know," she said flatly. "That's not what I wanted to talk about, but..."
Celvira hesitated to ask directly, especially because their relationship was as incompatible as oil and water.
Yet, gathering her resolve, she finally asked, "Can I speak to 'her'?"
Zavi immediately understood what she meant, nearly frowning.
"She won't appear. I don't want to talk about her."
After saying that, Zavi sank into thought.
'She's terrifying. She has a twisted sense of humor, and she's the reason I've ended up like this. Besides everything she's done, I also wonder who that evil spirit really is.'
Several seconds of silence deepened the awkwardness.
Celvira remained quiet, convinced she would not be able to speak to her.
Then, words formed from mist in the Talazze language appeared behind the first bench.
Their pupils widened briefly as they adjusted their hats, carefully reading every neatly arranged word.
Once the mist had fully formed into a series of sentences, each of them silently read them.
The message read:
No comment. If you wish to speak with me, obtain what I desire.
Otherwise, I will destroy your future, your past, and your present.
As for the man who wishes to hold a grudge against me, I will be waiting for you and will fight you with my own abilities.
The message ended, and twenty seconds later, the mist vanished, its appearance fading away like a dream upon waking.
Zavi glanced at the anxiety on Celvira's face and thought,
'That woman is sensitive too, so it's no wonder she's an evil spirit. But...'
Zavi continued to speculate, uncertain whether this had anything to do with Celvira.
"I think I'd better tell you directly," Celvira said, pausing briefly to steady her breathing before continuing, "That island has appeared, and within it is a supernatural entity stronger than I am."
"A supernatural entity stronger than you? Who is it?" Zavi asked confidently.
Celvira fell silent. Then, after calming her turbulent thoughts, she spoke in a slightly raised voice.
"A fourth-tier evil spirit, Overoliridya, is there."
Zavi was not surprised by the truth at all.
'A fifth-tier evil spirit has already appeared and given me enough trouble, so why is she talking about me? How does she know I'm holding a grudge against her?'
The three of them were spiritually connected, making that connection much easier than before.
Zavi did not know it, but the words formed from the mist appeared once again.
Both of them immediately focused on the same spot.
The message read:
Don't misunderstand, Zavi Actitus. I've been hiding this from you, so just forget what I said.
I'm a little irritated today, so don't take it personally.
I don't know what's making my heart waver, but that supernatural creature beside you is thinking the same thing as I am.
The message ended.
The two looked at each other before Celvira slowly opened her mouth and said softly, "If you want to know, then go to the archipelago that recently shifted to the southwest of Chynoria."
Lately, Zavi had been so busy that he had not had time to keep up with the latest news.
His question was, why not hunt that entity directly?
Zavi had thought about it, but his curiosity was answered soon afterward.
Celvira looked as though she was about to frown.
"The Arum Archipelago didn't exist before. It appeared during the Era of the Tailed Star and was originally located near the western continent of Kuranda, but it suddenly shifted to the southwest of Chynoria. Don't tell me you really don't know about that?"
Zavi innocently shook his head.
Celvira sighed at the sight.
"The reason I'm worried is because this is connected to the Moon Era."
The Moon Era was the age before the current one, the era before the war that became known as the Era of the Tailed Star.
Back then, non-human beings could roam freely, unlike now, when they lived in isolated places beyond humanity's reach.
Territorial conflicts and their defeat at the hands of humans had driven those non-human beings to the brink of extinction in this world.
"If you're curious, then in short, the appearance of the fourth-tier evil spirit, Overoliridya, in the Arum Archipelago could trigger the appearance of the White Dragon, which will coincide with the destruction of this world."
One by one, the fourth-tier evil spirits would descend into the world, and after that, a walking catastrophe would arrive.
Zavi snorted inwardly.
'The destruction of this world? This world has been on the brink of destruction since ancient times. But... if this world is destroyed, I won't be able to slaughter those demons.'
Only then did Zavi realize something. He clicked his tongue and asked for confirmation.
"The White Dragon? Is it really that powerful?"
'This world really is vast. The Norn Kingdom alone has at least three languages. Are there other creatures besides dragons? And do any of them possess power equal to theirs?'
Zavi cleared his throat, trying to draw out more information while Celvira simply stared at him in silence.
Without looking at her, Zavi said, "About... um... the nine..."
He suddenly hesitated to say it. At first, he wanted to continue, but the words seemed lodged in his throat, refusing to come out.
"The Nine Legendary Figures?" Celvira continued calmly, her voice flat and emotionless.
Zavi nodded while holding his breath.
"There's no need to be afraid. That supernatural being is with you and has always been protecting you," Celvira added calmly.
Zavi replayed those words in his mind.
After remaining silent for quite a while, he tried to confirm it himself.
'Hey, you damn bitch, is what she said true?'
Even though he only asked the question in his mind, he knew that figure would understand. Besides, he was well aware that his murderous grudge toward her had already leaked through.
Zavi raised an eyebrow as he pondered.
'The answer is yes. Fine, then why are you protecting me? Why do you know my real name? Why did you send that ghost? Why are you so damn irritating?'
Words formed from mist appeared in the same place, containing only two lines of laughter.
'Why are you silent? Answer me. And why are you connected to me? What do you want from me? Do you want me to kill you?'
Zavi continued asking the same questions he had asked when he first met that woman over four months ago.
The fifth-tier evil spirit, Mastering, merely laughed, having already expected this to happen.
Given the chance to speak, the evil spirit answered only part of his questions.
The laughter disappeared, replaced by a new series of words.
Watching this unfold, Celvira held her breath as her human form focused on those words.
The message read:
To be honest, I'm interested in a mysterious human like you. Come to think of it, you're very different from who I used to be.
I won't reveal everything. I'll only answer your question, "Why are you protecting me?"
If you want more, come to me and kill me.
The message ended with laughter.
Celvira stared at Zavi in astonishment, while Zavi himself shuddered after reading those words, contemplating them carefully.
He could not determine who she truly was or whether protecting him from mythical creatures would ultimately benefit him.
Zavi was fully aware of his situation, considering the dangers that had haunted him from the very beginning.
But could anyone truly say that he had been "saved" by the fifth-tier evil spirit, Mastering?
'No.'
Zavi bit his lip hard enough that it nearly bled.
Celvira merely glanced at him, unsure what she should do.
"However... that dragon will appear because of the actions of the fourth-tier evil spirit, Overoliridya," Celvira said after careful consideration.
Zavi looked at her in silence for several seconds.
"Phew..."
He wiped his lips and asked, "May I ask for your help?"
Celvira raised an eyebrow.
"Tell me what it is."
After a lengthy conversation that lasted fifteen minutes, the two of them fell silent, waiting for the train to arrive.
....
In Kuranda, Vleco, on Jikusuma Street.
After three days of relentless effort, they finally obtained the information on Saturday afternoon.
Two women were walking together. One wore a black dress, while the other was dressed in layered clothing with a dark brown skirt and a floral ornament tied into her ponytail, with a few loose strands framing her face as she leisurely enjoyed the streets.
Although the main road was crowded with horse-drawn carriages and trams, the two chose to walk, having exhausted their money obtaining information that now seemed rather trivial.
Right beside an intersection stood a modest two-story house among many others lined up along the left side of the street, though the alley itself was much quieter than the bustling main road outside.
The two women climbed the concrete steps and stood in front of the door for quite some time.
Both of them hesitated to press the doorbell.
Then, after a brief discussion, one of them, the woman dressed in layers and a skirt, pressed the bell.
Ding-dong.
A loud voice shouted for them to wait, followed by hurried footsteps before everything fell silent.
The two women exchanged glances, waiting for the homeowner to come out and hoping everything would go smoothly.
Then, a black-haired, brown-eyed man welcomed them. His posture was straight, though his face looked weary.
The two women looked at one another before one of them, the woman in the black dress, asked seriously, "Is this the home of the twenty-one-year-old woman and man who came to the Corsturetion the Corps Club on Jikusuma Main Street?"
Luis fell silent in confusion.
He was alone in the house and had no idea what the woman was talking about.
"No. Excuse me."
Luis shut the door with a slight thud before returning to the sitting room, scratching his cheek.
Ding-dong.
Luis frowned as he briefly closed his eyes.
"Yes? What is it?"
The woman answered immediately.
"Is this the home of the woman in the red dress and the man wearing a bowler hat?"
Luis fell silent, finding it strangely familiar.
'Isn't that Mr. James Moriarty and Evelina?'
Guessing that they were referring to the two of them, Luis immediately turned around. A heavy drowsiness seemed to seep into every step he took.
Click.
The door opened.
They looked at each other amid the silence and the sweltering heat outside.
Luis looked at the woman who had just spoken, none other than Lalita.
"Who exactly are you?" he asked.
Lalita and her companion remained silent for a moment before Lalita finally answered, "I work at the 'Corsturetion the Corps' Club on Jikusuma Main Street. The two people I mentioned... they came there before. Are they... um, is that man here?"
He had no intention of answering that. Instead, Luis chose to ask why they had come.
"What about the two of them? Was the payment short, or are you here to return their change?"
"No," Lalita's companion replied flatly. "If you say one more word, I'll kill you. Got it?"
Luis was not intimidated by the threat. He imagined James Moriarty's threats were far more terrifying than anything this woman could say.
"..."
Lalita immediately stepped in to calm the atmosphere that had suddenly become tense.
"Don't say that," she whispered softly.
"That man is really noisy," the other woman whispered back.
"Enough. We have something important to do."
After their whispered exchange ended, the two women explained the purpose of their visit through Lalita.
"We want to meet the mysterious man inside his body."