Chapter 397
Xavier, from the depths of the subconscious, was no longer speaking to himself.
He was now actively opening a channel of communication, a direct bridge toward Ilux's primary consciousness.
His tone and manner shifted drastically, from formless panic into something structured, though the tension still lingered.
With surprising clarity, the voice—or rather, the presence—of Xavier conveyed an intention.
He plainly stated that he had a topic he wished to discuss.
The words did not come as a command or a shout, but as a proposal, an invitation to engage in dialogue.
And most striking of all, he spoke Ilux's full name clearly.
Ilux Rediona.
Not "we," not "my child," nor any other title that blurred identity.
It was an acknowledgment of Ilux as a separate individual, as the other party in this conversation.
This was an unusual step, perhaps one that had never occurred before with such conscious intent.
A verbal ceasefire—or perhaps the opening of a serious negotiation—was being offered from the midst of the chaos that had just unfolded.
'His tone… is still disordered. Restless, troubled, at times anxious.'
Huaaah!
'This is not a light conversation. There is worry behind his words, that much is clear.'
Fhuaaah!
'The problem is, I do not know about what. And that ignorance is precisely what unsettles me.'
A faint confusion enveloped Ilux.
He did not fully grasp this sudden proposal for discussion from Xavier, or more precisely, he could not yet discern its true intent.
This was not a familiar pattern.
After dozens of minutes of silence punctuated by obsessive murmuring, an invitation that sounded almost formal suddenly emerged.
Yet the tone beneath those words could not conceal what was truly happening.
Ilux, whose sensitivity had been sharpened by the necessity of living with this soul, clearly sensed its vibration.
The restlessness still boiling beneath the surface, the deep unease, and the occasional anxiety slipping between the intent to speak.
The worry felt like air charged with electricity before a storm, seeping in even before the topic itself was mentioned.
Deep within, Ilux knew that whatever Xavier was about to raise would not be something trivial.
Not about battle strategy.
Not about the philosophy of power.
Nor about the usual recollections of the past.
The concern radiating from that ancient soul was too strong, too personal, and despite his suspicion, it made Ilux wary.
He wondered silently.
Was this about Erietta and the threat posed by the Bathee family?
Or something even greater, something capable of making the usually dignified Xavier appear so strained?
Or perhaps it concerned themselves, the increasingly fractured bond of their reincarnation?
"If you have come this far, then just say it."
Shaaaah!
"Whatever topic you deem important, I will hear it."
Curiosity, in the end, proved stronger than reluctance, pride, or even pain.
In the clearest part of his mind that night, Ilux admitted that he wanted to know.
To know what could disturb a soul as steadfast as Xavier to the brink of losing reason.
To know what topic required a formal "discussion" between two entities sharing one body yet often standing like adversaries.
Curiosity overcame everything else.
With an attitude resembling a silent nod, Ilux made space.
He did not voice his consent aloud, but he withdrew the walls he had long erected within his mind.
He ceased actively ignoring Xavier, and instead created a silence willing to listen.
It was a subtle invitation, a wordless permission conveyed through the relaxation of his mental defenses.
As though he said without sound, "Very well. Speak. I am listening."
"Thank you for giving me space."
Hooooh!
"First of all, I want to apologize… once again. Our argument earlier was not meant to assert my position within your body."
Shoooh!
"I had no intention of dominating, let alone suppressing your will. If my tone was harsh—especially when you ended that pursuit—it was not because I wished to provoke your anger. I merely… reacted in the wrong way."
Fuuuh!
"I do not want you to harbor resentment. And I certainly do not wish for your emotions to flare because of my outburst."
After a sincere yet still tense expression of gratitude, Xavier began with something unexpected.
An apology.
Not the first, but the second within this turbulent night.
His voice within Ilux's consciousness sounded calmer now, though remnants of unease lingered behind it.
He spoke his apology clearly, acknowledging that their quarrel—his explosive shouting, the threats he had uttered—had not been entirely intended to assert dominance or to emphasize his seniority within the body they shared.
His explanation continued, revealing a deeper intent behind his harsh reaction.
With more careful phrasing, Xavier sought to prevent Ilux from nurturing resentment or further emotional agitation after hearing his earlier outburst.
That outburst had erupted right after Ilux decided to stop tailing Theo and Aldraya, when Ilux had cynically called him "schizo."
Xavier admitted that his approach had been wrong, that the harshness and threats had sprung from frustration and deep panic, not from a desire to oppress.
He wished to repair the severely damaged line of communication, beginning with an acknowledgment of his own fault.
'It is fine. A tone that sharp is not surprising to me.'
Ilux listened to Xavier's second apology with a calm, almost flat demeanor.
Within himself, he processed every word, sensing the sincerity hidden behind the lingering tension.
When Xavier finished, Ilux responded.
Not with lengthy speech, but with a simple and clear affirmation.
He stated, in a steady inner voice, that he felt no issue at all with Xavier's earlier harshness.
This admission was not warm forgiveness, but a cold statement of fact.
To Ilux, Xavier's shouting and threats were part of the chaos that had long become normal in his life.
He had endured far worse, both physically and emotionally.
A scream within his head, even from the soul of a legendary king, was not enough to awaken resentment.
Resentment required energy, and Ilux's energy had been drained by matters far greater.
Survival, understanding himself, and now confronting the contradictory threat looming over Erietta.
"Then I will speak plainly. There is a mission—or perhaps more accurately, a proposal—whose level of danger surpasses most rational choices we have ever considered."
Hooooh!
"I will not lie to you. The risk could claim your life, even shatter the very foundation of your being if a single step goes astray.
But the reward is equal.
The benefit rivals the moment you obtained the essence of antithesis, the one that advanced your five elemental powers—including your Perception Alteration."
A faint yet tangible sense of relief flowed from Xavier, piercing through the layer of consciousness separating them.
After his apology was accepted—or at least not rejected—some of the immediate burden of conflict seemed slightly lifted.
Within that fragile relief, Xavier continued.
His voice was now more focused, more directed, though its serious and heavy tone did not lessen in the slightest.
To be continued…