Putting some items into the backpack, Enrico walked toward the outside of the dormitory. Serenya and Valença helped him with the items.
"Thanks for the help."
"We're just doing our subordinate work, but before you go, did you send your letter to your family about me?"
Expressionless, Valença began walking ahead, her head shaking with a fake disappointed face that irritated Serenya.
"Yes, I sent it, don't worry, they will definitely accept you."
"You're the best subordinate in the world."
Receiving her hug, Enrico remembered what he had written in the letter this morning before preparing breakfast. In it, he wrote about why they should accept Serenya, explaining some of her potential abilities and about information gathering that Zenaria could provide them with her magic skill.
"See you in a few days."
"Just don't take too long, my soulmate, I want to spend more nights with you."
"Me too, my kitty."
Passing by Danyana, she rubbed the back of her head behind the ears, which made her purr, and the girls behind felt a bit jealous of the newcomer. Yumeha, Aoi, and Rina were already waiting inside the carriage, talking about their return to their homeland. Closing it, he said goodbye to them through the window. Seraphina, being clever, got close a few seconds before the carriage departed and quickly pulled him into a kiss.
"Damn it, Seraphina got ahead."
"Wait a moment, I want one too—"
To her and Enrico's disappointment, the carriage began to move quickly because the guard taking them had been paid by Seraphina to leave fast. Looking back, she saw the girls stunned by the guard's quick departure. With a slightly arrogant smile, she put her hand to her mouth in a surprised gesture.
"Oh, it seems I was the only one who gave him a goodbye kiss. Well, you girls were just too slow."
"You— I'm sure you did something with that guard."
"What are you talking about, Miss Serenya? I simply paid her more to protect them well and leave quickly and safely."
'You damn— why didn't I think of that before?'
Seraphina had a smile as she passed by them. She had saved a lot of money this year from her work as a mage, so she had plenty. Now she could help her parents in a good way and herself. Going to Astrong and meeting Enrico was the best decision of her life. It seemed she really was the vessel of the war goddess because she left some furious girls behind wanting to start a war with her.
'I'm so proud of you, Seraphina.'
'I don't care about that pride.'
'How cruel, coming from my own vessel. I'm helping you with your training and still get treated like this.'
'You're only doing that because you want to increase my body's resistance to take it for a moment and get close to Enrico. I know that because I researched it in books.'
Apparently, she researched this when she wasn't looking, but that didn't change her plans, because Seraphina needed to get stronger anyway.
'Come on, you have to understand, I want to be with him, especially after what happened yesterday.'
'You better not dare, you bitch, wretch—'
Meanwhile in the carriage, Enrico had his eyes closed and seemed to be sleeping. Yumeha, of course as the first, placed her head on his lap and caressed his face, the two in front wanting to do the same. They were itching to touch his hair, taking advantage of Valença not being there.
'Valença won't see it, so I don't need to worry.'
'I really wanted to do this with my Ketsumei and I'm finally going to.'
'I'm sure none of us will tell, so everything will be fine. Besides, Rina and Yumeha are sixth-circle thanks to our dear.'
Well, they would have been right if Valença hadn't developed a supernatural sense regarding Enrico's hair. The moment they touched it, Valença in the dorm immediately felt it and was already planning punishment for the three.
'I felt three different touches… I'm going to kill them.'
Valença's desire to get revenge on Seraphina was strong, but upon feeling those three touches, she saw this as a greater sin than being outdone by the other girls.
With his eyes closed, Enrico wasn't sleeping. What he was doing was entering the highest-level dungeon available, the one from the Runic Thrones competition. He was placing two boss cores into the mouth of the Nartheis he fought in the dungeon, with the others lying defeated on the ground.
"With this, I've given all the cores of this dungeon, so she will evolve to Ranvil Rank Level Two."
[You better get ready because this will be dangerous.]
"You're a strange human."
Placing the last core into her mouth, a burst of mana blasted him backward. Lethara stood up with a darker appearance and red linear markings along her body. Lethara looked toward an Enrico preparing himself to fight with great calm.
'It seems I really have to help him like he said.'
Without Enrico suspecting it, the Lethara before him was the real one, because his alter ego had absorbed her powers and her herself. By sending her into the fake dungeon, every time Enrico entered it she was always defeated, but this time she had obtained power she would carry outside.
'Looks like I owe him now.'
She would still be in the palm of Enrico's hand once he discovered her situation, because since she was absorbed she had become a servant with a mark on her back. But honestly, she didn't care now that her power would increase by his side.
With a quick movement, she grabbed Enrico by the arm and threw him toward the dark forest. Planting one hand on the ground, Enrico forced himself to stop and pulled himself downward, making Lethara pass over him while trying to kick him. Turning around, she punched the ground, causing a cloud of dust and an earthquake heading toward him. With a backward jump, he narrowly dodged the strike.
'She's only moving physically… strange. That's exactly what I wanted for my physical training.'
[Maybe she's confident?]
'Maybe, because it fits her personality, but I don't think that's all.'
Besides, she had a different personality when he fought her—she always made proposals to him—oh right, he had forgotten he was in his female form.
'Transform.'
[Why are you taking that form now?]
'I have a feeling I'll get information from her in this form.'
[Why do you want information from a fake Lethara?]
Enrico was covered by the smoke, so his female form couldn't be seen, yet before he could think, Lethara was already on her knees before him with a flushed expression because she could see his appearance even in the smoke, and her eyes simply glowed with obedience.
"Please stay with me, I promise I will follow you forever."