Hearing Lucian's ominous words, Azrael froze for a moment.
Master Tempest had said something similar earlier. Though he'd later claimed it was a joke, considering his teacher's current tone, there was clearly more truth than jest in the sentiment.
But soon, Azrael felt a surge of anticipation, eager to see those corrupt nobles in the Imperial Court wiped out.
As for whether it would cause chaos, that wasn't something a mere Emerald-level Lore Cardian like him should worry about.
Besides, since his teacher had spoken so decisively, there must be a detailed plan in place.
Then another thought occurred to him. "Teacher, what should we do about Master Fujimaru from the Imperial Court?"
"Wait for Lord Lioren to take action?"
Azrael's mind flashed back to the Master-level Lore Cardian who had previously mediated for the Mizuno family. If the Association wanted to take action against the Imperial Court, that Master would undoubtedly interfere.
Even if Lord Lioren took action, a Master-level Lore Cardian would cause massive damage to the Empire of Aetherlight in a short period unless he could achieve an instant kill.
However, Azrael had never witnessed the spectacle of a Sovereign-level warrior in action, so he couldn't predict the exact scenario.
Lucian sighed softly. "This is the only way forward now. The current situation won't allow the Empire to remain divided."
"The situation in Antarctica is truly bleak."
Although the Empire still appeared to be a cohesive nation, a sense of fragmentation permeated every corner.
In the past, it might have been manageable, but now, with internal and external challenges mounting, if unity wasn't achieved, chaos would inevitably break out.
It was more accurate to say it had already broken out. At least Lucian hadn't heard of any traitors in other countries actively summoning Sovereign-level secret realms to hinder their own strongest forces.
Thinking this way, the old man's convictions grew stronger.
At this moment, Azrael couldn't help but recall the information he'd obtained in Australia. "Teacher, didn't Master Fujimaru go to Antarctica with you?"
"Isn't he aware of the Empire's current predicament?"
According to his teacher, with Earth's situation so dire, there was no point in Master Fujimaru clinging to the Imperial Court. After all, the Association, with its three Masters and one Sovereign, clearly had the upper hand.
Lucian simply sneered. "Those with different ideologies cannot work together. I hope he can find his way back."
But humans were complex creatures. Even though he knew compromising with the Association was the best option, Master Fujimaru, driven by interests and emotions, had chosen to resist to the end.
No, it couldn't even be called stubborn resistance.
He wasn't aware that the Association's leadership had already learned the truth about the secret realm's arrival in Shudoria.
As a Master Lore Cardian of the Imperial Court, he couldn't have been unaware of the situation.
Master Fujimaru probably still believed that the worst-case scenario was for the Imperial Court to pay a price and gain a certain say in the Empire's new system.
Such thinking was naturally a fantasy. Once the Association's leadership learned the truth, he was destined to be buried in the ruins of history along with the Imperial Court.
Just then, a vibration reached the ears of the three present.
It was Lucian's communication device.
He flicked on the screen and was startled when he saw the message. "Azrael, Vladimir said you were attacked again before you arrived?"
The message had come from Vladimir.
Azrael nodded. "The Imperial Court sent an unregistered Diamond-level Lore Cardian to ambush me, but I've already dealt with him."
Lucian fell silent.
Although Vladimir's message had already stated that the deceased was a Diamond-level Lore Cardian, Lucian was still somewhat dazed when he heard his youngest disciple admit it in person.
After all, it had only been a few years since he'd accepted Azrael as his disciple.
This terrifying speed was even faster than Lord Lioren's.
"It seems the wisest decision I've made in my life was accepting you as my disciple, Azrael." A relieved smile spread across the old man's face.
Just as Azrael opened his mouth to speak, a strange expression crossed his face.
The secure communication device Jin had given him had also received a message.
After a brief hesitation, he summoned Misaka, then, with the brown-haired girl's help, retrieved the device.
The message was from Memphis.
[Five: Six, what did you do? Why did the Imperial Court specifically want my elder and second brothers to kill you?]
Clearly, he too knew of Azrael's feat.
Azrael, however, was somewhat surprised that the Imperial Court had so quickly turned to the Crimson Oath Society.
"It seems they really want me dead," he muttered, then looked at the elder across from him. "Teacher, this is a message from the Crimson Oath Society."
"Look."
Unsure of Lucian's plans now that he knew of his membership in the Crimson Oath Society, Azrael hesitated to respond.
Lucian paused for a moment before saying, "Just tell the truth."
Azrael nodded and immediately sent a message back.
[Six: They sent a Diamond-level Lore Cardian to attack me, but I killed him.]
[Five: Are you Diamond-level?]
[Six: No.]
[Five: ?]
[Five: I understand. I'll turn down the commission from the Imperial Court. Be careful.]
[Five: And the President will contact you after you reach Diamond level. Don't forget.]
[Six: I understand. Thank you, Brother Five.]
Seeing Memphis's silence, Azrael seemed to recall something and looked at Lucian with a probing gaze. "Teacher, I know where the Crimson Oath Society has bases near Velkairos."
"Do you need me to take you there?"
He was referring to the Crimson Oath Society base near the [Demon's Nest].
Unexpectedly, Lucian shook his head slightly, dismissing his suggestion. "Lord Lioren is still in that secret realm. It's best not to arouse the Crimson Oath Society's suspicions."
"Don't alert them for now."
He said this because the Association's upcoming actions against the Imperial Court would not be easy. If the Crimson Oath Society caught wind of any clues, the pressure on the Association would increase even more.
Then Lucian asked another question. "Speaking of which, Azrael, have you discovered Jin's lair?"
Azrael shook his head slightly. "No, I still don't know where he's been hiding."
"But..."
He then sorted out his words and told his teacher about the city-within-a-city in Australia.
After listening to Azrael's story, Lucian couldn't help but frown. "[Inverted Cross], [The Skinner], [The Ogre]."
"They're all mixed up."
"Tsk, this is a bit troublesome."
Although Jin could be found in that city-within-a-city, there was no doubt he would have to face more than one Master-level Lore Cardian.
He wasn't so reckless. The best-case scenario was of course to let his young disciple find out where Jin was hiding.
But thinking of that moody old madman, Lucian's eyes flickered.
After a long moment, he let out a sigh. "Azrael, don't get involved in the affairs of the Crimson Oath Society."
"Keep them hanging for the rest of the time, but if they want you to take on any dangerous missions, just find a reason to refuse."
"If you can't refuse..."
"Then expose yourself."
"With Lord Lioren here, I don't think that lunatic Jin will dare set foot in the Empire."
The old man ultimately decided not to let his youngest disciple take the risk.
Hearing this, Azrael was silent for a moment before nodding.
He understood his teacher's good intentions, but hiding in the Empire wasn't an option.
Unless he reached the Master level or summoned the Spirit King, he would have the confidence to face Jin.
Lucian sighed, not intending to continue the conversation.
After a moment's silence, his gaze shifted between Azrael and Alice.
After a moment, the old man abruptly asked, "How far have things progressed between you two?"
"Huh?" Azrael looked bewildered, unsure of what he meant.
But then, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of the tall, beautiful woman beside him, her hands clenched, rubbing her thighs in a bewildered manner.
"..." Azrael now understood what his teacher was referring to. He said somewhat helplessly, "Teacher, what are you thinking? Alice and I have a pure relationship."
"Hehe." Lucian smiled, clearly not buying his lies, but he wasn't about to delve into the affairs between young people. "Just keep it in your own minds."
"But Azrael, you should know Alice's personality. I hope you can take better care of her in the future."
Alice was obviously much older than Azrael, so logically, she should be the one taking care of him.
Yet Lucian continued to give the young man such earnest advice, like an elderly father preparing to marry off his daughter.
Azrael, however, wasn't paying attention to his teacher's words. His gaze was drawn to Alice's earlobe, which was red as if it was about to bleed.
So my senior sister really can be shy.
He was now certain that the blush he'd seen last time wasn't an illusion.
"Azrael?"
Hearing Lucian calling him, Azrael instantly came back to his senses. He quickly sat up straight and said honestly, "Teacher, please continue."
Seeing this, the old man couldn't help but smile helplessly. He shook his head and said, "Forget it. If I continue, I'm afraid you two will get impatient."
"I, an old man, won't be a third wheel here anymore."
He stood up and said, "Azrael, you stay in Pixar for a while. I'll talk to Vladimir."
Hearing this, Azrael asked with some doubt, "Teacher, aren't you staying in Pixar?"
"I have to go to Lord Lioren and talk to him."
After saying that, Lucian smiled at the two of them and then disappeared from the living room.
As soon as he left, the atmosphere on the scene suddenly became ambiguous, mainly because the last topic was so suggestive.
Azrael looked at the expressionless ice beauty sitting on the sofa and couldn't help but want to tease her. "Senior Sister, what do you think the teacher meant by those last words?"
Hearing this, Alice just looked at him calmly and uttered a few words in a calm tone, but if you listened carefully, you could still detect the slight tremor in her voice. "From now on, I'll be in your hands, Junior Brother."
"?"
Bad!
Azrael's face flushed red, forgetting that his senior sister's specialty was direct counterattacks, and even this level of teasing was no problem for Alice.
He opened his mouth and finally managed to say, "Then please teach me, Senior Sister."
"Yes."
"Really? Why do you have to make me, the spider, be the stoker?!"
Under the night sky, a huge white spider in a pool of steaming water kept complaining.
At this moment, a young man beside the spider replied somewhat helplessly, "There's nothing we can do. Yoriichi is working as a stoker at another pool, and Frieren doesn't have the magic to turn the water into a hot spring."
"We can only rely on your [Ruler: Wisdom], Shiraori."
Hearing her name, the white-haired elf, with a look of unease on her face, couldn't help but twitch her ears.
Those soaking in the artificial hot spring were naturally Azrael and his summoned cards.
Since Lucian had returned to the Empire, he had a rare break.
Anyone who saw this scene would undoubtedly think it was some wealthy young man having a party, unless they ignored the giant white spider floating on the surface with a little girl.
"Be careful not to catch a cold, Amina," Azrael warned casually, covering his face with a towel and leaning back against the edge of the pool.
He closed his eyes and rested for a moment when he suddenly heard a soft rustling sound, and then noticed ripples on the water beside him.
He lifted a corner of the towel with his right hand and glanced to the side, only to see a pair of slender, white legs testing the water's temperature.
Azrael was startled, his gaze darting upwards along the thigh.
"Senior Sister?!"
he exclaimed in surprise.
Seeing Alice gently press her right hand against the long towel wrapped around her body, Azrael's nose warmed.
He knew his senior sister had a beautiful figure, but he hadn't expected her to be so well-endowed, rivaling even the most powerful physiques he'd seen.
Before long, Alice had submerged most of her body.
She sighed softly, narrowing her eyes slightly before looking up at the night sky, lost in thought.
Azrael, a seasoned veteran, certainly wasn't shy at such a moment.
He forced his gaze away from the hazy whiteness.
Honestly, with his current vision, he could clearly see everything; the steam wasn't blocking it at all.
"Such a white, huge bun."
Don't get me wrong, Azrael was referring to Alice's hairstyle.
For convenience, the woman had tied her hair into a bun.
"Puff, puff."
A strange sound made Azrael turn and see his summoned cards staring at them with wide eyes.
The sound was Shiraori, half her head submerged in the water, blowing bubbles.
Ignoring the crowd of watching cards, Azrael tentatively reached under the water with his right hand.
Feeling the fingers clasped tightly against his own, the young man looked up at the sky.
At that moment, the amber full moon drifted through the clouds like wind-crushed honey, its bright moonlight casting a shadow over the earth, like the ripples of the Milky Way falling to earth.
Azrael, caught in the moment, blurted out, "The moonlight is so beautiful tonight."
Alice, however, had no idea what these words meant in Japanese culture. She simply tightened her grip.
Noticing her subtle movement, Azrael smiled.
Maybe I'm the one who's lost sight of romance.