"You saw everything, Senior. He was the one who started it!" one of the Shinra guards shouted, recalling his summoned spears with a series of metallic clanks. His voice was filled with anger, but the sweat running down his forehead betrayed his nervousness.
"Just tonight, I entrusted this gate to the academy students, and you're already causing trouble?"
The calm voice came from the tower above them.
"You should be grateful the other gatekeepers aren't here. If they were, you might already be peeing in your pants."
Before anyone could respond, a gust of wind swept through the entrance.
The man who had spoken appeared before them in a flash of Switch Mode.
He stood around six feet tall, dressed in a red-sleeved tunic beneath a dark cape, with black trousers and matching shoes. His hair swayed gently in the night breeze.
Despite his relaxed appearance, his presence was enough to make the guards lower their heads.
The man glanced at the group before speaking.
"I apologize for this misunderstanding. Please don't let this little incident ruin your impression of our kingdom."
His gaze shifted toward the four Shinra guards.
"These children are still babies who haven't finished drinking milk from their mothers."
The guards stiffened, but none dared to argue.
The man gave a slight smile before turning back to Lucy.
"However, I'd like to make up for their behavior. If you're willing to do me a favor, I'm sure we can settle this matter peacefully."
Lucy narrowed her eyes, remaining cautious.
"Then tell me, mister. What exactly do you want from me?"
Before the man could answer, Alfie suddenly stirred on Sasaki back.
He groaned, slowly opened his eyes, and looked around in confusion. A moment later, he climbed down from Sasaki, stumbling slightly before regaining his balance.
"What the hell is going on now?"
His gaze moved from the unfamiliar surroundings to the people standing around him.
"First, those Darkside Spirits, and now this? Master's still here, Jackson too, but Rebekah is nowhere to be found."
He paused, then let out a bitter laugh.
"Ha. I guess this hallucination is getting more interesting."
His eyes narrowed as he examined everyone suspiciously.
Lucy immediately stepped forward.
"Alfie, calm down. This isn't a hallucination. It's me."
But instead of relaxing, Alfie's expression twisted with anger.
"Don't give me that, fake Master..."
He pointed accusingly at her.
"If you're the one controlling this place, then take me out of here. My real Master and Rebekah are in danger, and I don't have time to waste on your illusions."
Lucy's expression tightened.
This is bad. He's on the verge of losing control. If his Renshi goes berserk here, things could get ugly.
Without moving her lips, she sent a telepathic message to Jackson and Sasaki.
Both of you, get behind me. Don't provoke him.
They immediately followed her instructions.
Lucy then turned her full attention toward Alfie.
"Listen to me. If you don't believe I'm your Master, tell me what I need to do to prove it. What would convince you that I'm real?"
Alfie scoffed.
"Prove it? You created this entire place, didn't you? You control everything here. Whatever I ask you to do, you can simply make it happen."
His Renshi began to rise around him.
"So don't waste my time with your stupid questions. Just get me out of here. Now!"
The ground beneath his feet trembled as his aura grew stronger.
One of the Shinra guards leaned toward the man in the red-sleeved tunic.
"Senior, what's happening to....that....boy?"
The man's expression became serious as he studied Alfie.
"I can't say for certain, but one thing is clear. That boy...."
His gaze briefly shifted toward Jackson.
"He crushed your gauntlet and threw two of you into the gate without much effort. If a child like him can do that, imagine what the adults accompanying him are capable of."
Before he could say anything else, Alfie's voice thundered across the entrance.
"GET ME OUT OF HERE!"
His Renshi erupted violently, swirling around his body like a raging storm. Cracks spread across the ground beneath his feet, and the air grew heavy with the pressure of his uncontrolled Renshi.
In an instant, she activated Switch Mode and appeared behind him.
"Forgive me, Alfie."
She pressed her palm against the back of his neck and immediately channeled sealing Renshi into his body.
A golden glyph flashed across his skin.
Alfie's eyes widened for a brief moment before his body went limp.
Lucy caught him before he could fall, holding him tightly as the last traces of his violent aura faded.
"Damn it…" she muttered, gritting her teeth.
Her frustration quickly turned into anger.
"Damn everything!"
Her voice echoed through the entrance, leaving the guards too stunned to respond.
One of them finally broke out of his daze. Clearly frightened by what he had witnessed, he turned and hurried into the kingdom, disappearing into the darkness.
Jackson stepped forward, his expression serious.
"I don't know what you're thinking right now," he said to the man in the red-sleeved tunic, "but you need to believe us. Everything we've told you is the truth."
The man folded his arms, studying Jackson in silence.
"That's not one hundred percent impossible," he replied bluntly.
He paused, glancing at the unconscious Alfie in Lucy's arms.
"But… I'll hear you out."
Lucy immediately turned toward Jackson.
"We're leaving. We don't owe these kids an explanation, and I'm not wasting any more time here."
She adjusted Alfie's weight in her arms.
"Come on, Jack."
Sasaki rubbed the back of his neck and gave a faint smirk.
"I was actually looking forward to having a duel with someone here. But… tch, I guess I'll have to save it for another time."
The three of them began walking away.
"Wait."
The man's voice stopped them.
He took a few steps forward, his eyes fixed on Alfie.
"That boy's reaction tells me something. He recognized you and called you his Master, yet he believes you're an illusion. Someone has probably tampered with his mind, making him see things that aren't real."
He paused, looking at Lucy.
"And the fact that he noticed his missing friend who was in trouble...explains why he refuses to believe what's in front of him. He's so desperate to find her that he can't accept anything else."
His expression softened slightly.
"I still don't know the whole story, but I'll take a chance and believe you're not our enemies. You may stay in the kingdom tonight."
Lucy remained still for a moment, her back turned toward him.
Then she placed a hand on Jackson's shoulder.
"Let's go."
Using Switch Mode, Lucy, Jackson, and Sasaki vanished from the entrance and reappeared farther inside the kingdom.
The man watched them disappear before letting out an annoyed sigh.
"Tch. Would it really have hurt to say thank you?"
But Lucy was already gone.
They continued into the nearest town and found a luxurious motel where they could spend the night.
Lucy paid for a room and instructed Jackson and Sasaki to make sure there was enough space for all four of them. With Alfie still unconscious, they had little choice but to let him rest.
The night passed quietly, though Lucy's sleep was far from peaceful.
By the time morning arrived, sunlight had spread across the town, filling the streets with activity.
Jackson woke first.
After spending some time in the bathroom taking a long bath, he returned to the room, stretching his arms and yawning.
Then he stopped.
The bed where Alfie had been sleeping was empty.
Jackson stared at it, his sleepiness disappearing instantly.
"…Alfie?"
He checked the other side of the room, hoping he had simply moved somewhere else.
Nothing.
His heart began to pound.
Just then, the sound of shouting drifted up from the street below.
Lucy stirred in her bed, rubbing her eyes as she slowly woke.
"Jack? What's all that noise early in the morning?"
She glanced toward Alfie's bed.
Her expression changed immediately.
"Where's Alfie?"
"I don't know," Jackson answered, already rushing toward the balcony.
Lucy threw off her covers and hurried after him.
They looked down at the street, and what they saw made them both freeze.
Alfie was standing in the middle of a crowd of angry townspeople.
A businessman stood directly in front of him, pointing an accusing finger at his face.
"You little rascal! How dare you try to steal from my shop?"
Alfie frowned, clearly struggling to understand what was happening.
"I'm telling you, I didn't or was trying to steal anything!"
The businessman stepped closer, his face red with anger.
"Then explain why you were standing beside my table when it fell over. You're not even from this kingdom. How did you get past one of the four gates in the first place?"
"I already told you. I was just taking a walk!"
Alfie pointed toward the street behind the businessman.
"I saw those boys bump into your table before running away. I didn't touch anything!"
"Liar!"
A boy around Alfie's age stepped out from the crowd, followed by four others. All five wore smug expressions, and a few of them were already laughing.
"Nobody knocked that table over," the boy said. "You did it because you wanted to steal the man's jewelry."
"That's right," one of his companions added. "We saw you standing there."
The crowd began murmuring among themselves.
Some people looked at Alfie with suspicion, while others whispered about the supposed theft. With every passing second, more townspeople gathered, making it harder for him to leave.
Alfie clenched his fists.
His eyes burned with anger as he glared at the boy and his companions.
"I'm warning you," he said through gritted teeth. "Stop lying about me."
The boy only smiled, seemingly pleased that he had managed to provoke him.
From the balcony above, Lucy's expression grew serious as she watched the situation unfold.