One by one, the guests began leaving the Tamarvich family estate.
Luxury cars returned to the front gates, ready to pick up the important figures departing the venue.
David approached his sister, who was preparing to leave.
"Hey, Sis," he asked quickly. "Did you... get Miss Aiza's contact?"
Aurielle turned, a little surprised at her brother's forwardness.
"Hmm? Oh, of course. I got her business contact, yes. Why?"
David quickly looked away.
"Ah… her business contact, huh... I see. N-no reason. Sorry, hehe… Let me walk you to the front," he added, hastily taking her hand.
Aurielle smiled, amused.
David... you've fallen for Miss Aiza, haven't you?
Once outside, waiting for her car to arrive, Aurielle glanced at her brother and smiled softly.
"David... focus on Nayala, okay? You're getting engaged in a few months. Don't overdo it. Don't make trouble for yourself. Got it?"
David lowered his head and answered briefly, "Yes, Sis."
As Aurielle's car pulled up, Al stood at a distance on the other side.
"I'm not heading back yet, Sis. I have somewhere to go first. I'll take a taxi home later."
"Where to?" Aurielle asked.
"To a friend's house," Al replied casually.
"Hmm?" Aurielle narrowed her eyes, suspicion flickering across her expression.
Al smirked slightly. "What? Are you curious?" he teased.
Aurielle only shrugged. "Of course not. Do whatever you want," she said, feigning indifference.
Still, she reached into her wallet and pulled out some cash, handing it over.
"Here, for the taxi fare—and maybe some snacks."
Al accepted it with a small bow of gratitude.
Aurielle studied him for a moment longer before saying flatly, "Remember, don't use it for anything shady… and especially not for women." With that, she turned and left.
Al froze, speechless.
Why does it always end up with that kind of accusation…? he groaned inwardly, utterly resigned.
Aurielle's car slowly pulled away, leaving him standing there in silence.
From the sidewalk, Al gave a little wave, even though he knew she probably wouldn't wave back.
Behind the tinted glass, Aurielle glanced at him from the backseat. She held back from showing any emotion. But deep down inside...
That kid… though wild and annoying, he's incredibly helpful. Without him, tonight wouldn't have gone this well.
Especially since Al's presence helped her open up conversation with Aiza more comfortably.
Suddenly, Aurielle frowned.
"Wait... I didn't even thank him properly."
She reached for her phone to send a message.
"Oh no… I just realized, I don't have Al's phone number! And I guess… neither does anyone else."
She opened her entire contact list. Nothing. Even in the internal Virellano group, Al's name never appeared. She intended to message both of his parents, to see if they had Al's contact.
But after thinking for a while, she just gave up.
Huff. Never mind. I'll check later. Because maybe even Dad and Mom… don't have it. Besides, how would they see me if I don't even have Al's contact?
"That feels weird… he's been living at the house for two months already, and our interactions haven't really changed much," she murmured softly, staring at the streets leading into the city center.
Aurielle leaned back into her seat and sighed deeply.
"Damn… I've been so busy I forgot to spend some time with him."
---
Elsewhere, Al returned to the now-empty hall. A few people were still lingering inside.
David and Rudi approached him.
From a distance, Idham Tamarvich stood silently, watching.
Al looked at him and sensed something strange about Idham's aura.
But before Al could investigate further, David and Rudi had already arrived.
David spoke up with a half-hearted tone.
"Wow, Al. Pretty lucky tonight, huh? Sitting at the main table... right next to Miss Aiza."
Rudi chimed in with a sly smile.
"Yeah. Who would've thought... the little cutie managed to ride on someone's name and end up with a seat of honor."
Al shot them a brief look.
"Yeah, I get it. Must be tough being ugly and jealous," he muttered as he walked off.
"What?! You!" Rudi growled, stepping in front of Al, intending to shove him—but was stopped by a hand suddenly appearing between them.
It was Idham.
"This is my family's house. Watch yourself. You're still a guest, Rudi."
His voice was calm, but firm.
Rudi clicked his tongue loudly. "Tch. Whatever…"
He grabbed David and left with him.
David glanced at Al, jealousy and denial making him slightly impulsive.
Al stared back sharply.
"What? Want to spread lies about me here again?" he said sharply.
But David remained silent and averted his gaze, realizing he was in a public place.
Tchh… just wait, kid, he thought.
Now, only Al and Idham remained.
Idham was about to speak but held back.
Actually, I really want to ask… what does it feel like to sit next to Miss Aiza? But… this kid and I aren't really close. Besides, a question like that would be so embarrassing, he thought.
Idham chose to silently keep that feeling to himself rather than humiliate himself.
So this is what it feels like to fall in love at first sight with that girl… Miss Aiza. This feeling really made me burn with jealousy. I wanted to beat the kid up—how dare he flirt with the girl I idolize.
But he simply lowered his head slightly, then thanked Al for being present.
"Thanks for coming. And… sorry about their behavior earlier."
Al gave a slight smile and nodded.
"It's fine. Thank you for the party. The cake was really good."
Idham then quietly walked into the night.
His steps were calm.
But in his mind—one name echoed…
Miss Aiza. Only I am worthy of you.
---
Al left the Tamarvich estate and headed into the forest nearby.
A light mist covered the tall trees that stretched into the night sky. In the silence, faint footsteps rustled through the underbrush.
Al stood in a clearing, bathed in moonlight.
With a calm voice, he said,
"Come out."
Two men in black uniforms stepped out from behind the trees. Both wore masks bearing an unfamiliar insignia—a small, faded symbol on their chests.
They were dragging two male bodies and one female body, all dressed in formal party clothes—suits and an elegant gown—but their heads were destroyed, as if they had exploded from the inside.
One of them, Sebastian, gave a respectful nod and reported.
"We found three infiltrators. But... this..."
Al raised an eyebrow, curious about the condition of the corpses.
"This wasn't your mistake again, Michaelis?"
"No, Master. Not me this time," the other one—Michaelis—replied in a flustered tone.
"I tried to extract their memories," Sebastian explained. "But it seems they had a neural restriction system. The moment I started reading, their heads exploded. A suicide protocol was activated. However…"
He lowered his head.
"I'm fairly certain they're from that Organization, Master."
Al stared at the bodies with calm eyes.
"They were targeting... Ai and my sister Aurielle. But why?"
He crouched down, reaching into one of the corpse's pockets. His hand felt around and pulled out a small object—an ID card from Australea.
"If this is real… then they're hunting talented individuals. Especially women. Potential targets for their project," Sebastian said.
"We'll monitor all suspicious activity. This threat will be eliminated before it grows..." he added.
Al gave a slight nod.
"We'll dig deeper into this. No rats will escape tonight." Michaelis added confidently, though his delivery was a bit comedic—almost like copying Sebastian's line.
Al chuckled at that dumb remark, then looked away. He gazed up at the night sky.
"Alright, Michaelis. Just like you said—make sure no one escapes. And… clean everything up."
"Order received, Master."
Al nodded.
"Oh right," He suddenly cut in, his tone casual yet deliberate. "What about that girl… Eva?"
"We've already taken her to Ataris and secured her in a hidden chamber," Sebastian replied with steady composure.
"She's been isolating herself inside her room ever since. Her condition appears fine overall, but… what would you like us to do with her, Master?"
Al paused, then waved lightly.
"Mm… just make sure she stays stable. I'll go see her personally in due time. For now, ensure she's doing well."
Both Sebastian and Michaelis gave a firm nod of acknowledgment.
Al let out a resigned chuckle, covering his face with one hand before exhaling a long sigh.
"Hehe… never would I have thought I'd resort to abducting someone just to uncover the truth. If her eyes really are fragments of the Dimensional Eye, the same as mine…" he said
"...then sooner or later, I might be forced to claim them for myself—even if it has to be by force." His words were laced with a cold detachment.
Michaelis shifted uncomfortably at that.
He glanced at Sebastian, hoping for some reassurance, but Sebastian's expression was as unyielding and frigid as Al's.
Hmph… what was I thinking. Master isn't that kind of person. Even if some of his decisions are sometimes illogical, there's always a greater result that benefits everyone, even his cruel choices. Hopefully this time is the same, he murmured inwardly.
Seeing the tension on Michaelis' face, Al understood and gave his reasoning.
"Calm yourself, Michaelis," Al said gently, catching his unease.
"I know how much you care for children. But isn't it better to shield them from dangers they should never face, rather than leaving them to be consumed by it?"
The words settled Michaelis's heart, and he exhaled slowly.
And once again, I was right. Master always has wiser thoughts. Hehe, he thought.
"Haha, of course, Master. I've never doubted you, have I?" he admitted with a grin.
Al nodded, prompting Michaelis to continue.
"Besides, I don't think the girl is truly crushed by her situation. When I escorted her, she seemed oddly spirited—though naturally, there was fear in her eyes. But once we gave her small comforts and distractions, she began opening up, showing more expression," he said.
"Honestly, I feel she's even relieved to have left that residence behind. From her condition, it was clear enough she wasn't treated kindly there." Michaelis explained at length, his tone grave.
He lowered his head, one hand placed firmly over his chest. His face, usually marked by a touch of foolishness, had shed all trace of levity. In that moment, he spoke not as a subordinate, but as a father.
"You really do have a way with words whenever it comes to children," Al murmured, genuinely impressed.
Normally Michaelis was little more than comic relief, but when children were involved, he became surprisingly perceptive and serious.
"That's good to hear. Let her roam around Ataris freely, don't bind her too tightly. It's not like she can cause much trouble anyway."
"But Master," Sebastian interjected firmly, "she isn't one of us."
"True enough," Al conceded. "Then keep her away from those among our people who still have a risk of going berserk. Assign a few to accompany her. Perhaps Ruri would be suitable."
"I'll see to it personally, Master. But as for Ruri—she's already begun her first patrol, which means she isn't currently stationed at Ataris," Sebastian replied, handing a small device to Al.
Al activated it, and a shimmering holographic display emerged, listing the names and detailed information of his team members.
"Ah, you're right. I've been so wrapped up in my own affairs lately that I've neglected to manage you all properly. Forgive me. In that case, perhaps Michaelis—" Al began sincerely, only to be cut off.
"No, Master!" Michaelis interjected loudly, his voice firm. "I must remain by your side. I cannot and will not be sent elsewhere." He straightened his posture, his stance unyielding.
Al chuckled softly, deactivating the hologram and handing the device back to Sebastian.
"You always insist on calling me your Master, yet the moment my orders don't align with your wishes, you protest. Haah… fine, fine. I'll leave the rest in your hands then."
"As you command, Master," Sebastian and Michaelis responded in unison.
"Good. Now go on with your duties. Dismissed." Al's tone turned crisp with finality.
Both men bowed lightly, then vanished into the depths of the shadowed forest.
Al remained standing there, alone with the sounds of the night and the rustling leaves.
Humans. Just to gain power… are you really willing to do anything?
---