There was a reason why Soren didn’t bring up the idea of finding a new master first. He didn’t want to undermine Ryan’s bond with the Sunless Emperor. Even though the Emperor might be gone, that connection was still sacred, and Soren refused to disrespect it. He also believed Ryan would ultimately make the right decision himself.
As for why he was planning to leave the Monolith with Ryan if they parted ways, he wanted to test his upgraded Investment Authority. In fact, he had requested something from Ryan yesterday via phone, and since Ryan said he did it, he could test it right away tomorrow.
’Since I will go to the Bureau, I should prepare the compensation I promised as well.’
"Brother Soren," Ryan called out, "can you tell me where you might be going at least?"
"Sure," Soren nodded before explaining the options he discussed with Ethea not long ago.
"...I see." Ryan fell silent for a moment before looking up. "Brother Soren, if you are going to the Temur Empire, I think I will go with the Etenia Academy. And if you end up going back to the capital, I will just transfer to the Oros Royal Academy instead, or drop out and become a full-time hunter. Either way, we can still keep in touch and work together."
Ryan paused as he looked Soren dead in the eye.
"But if you choose the Tower of Apocalypse... then I’m definitely coming with you. Because the best environment to get stronger and prepare for the inevitable future is that place. I will also take my family with me. Even if the trials end up reaching the nightmare difficulties, I won’t back down. I will push through them, survive, and grow stronger."
"...I think I know why you were chosen, Ryan," Soren said, a faint smile breaking across his face. "Your resolve and will are really something else. Alright, whatever path we choose, we’re in it together."
Ryan smiled back, though his expression carried a subtle weight.
"Actually, I was told that the Tower, along with the other Ninth Circle Gates, holds the key to surviving and saving this world from extinction. And out of all of them, the Tower should be the easiest one to clear. I hadn’t considered it yet because I was recommended to at least reach the 5th circle."
Soren’s eyes lit up, the phrasing triggering an instant realization. ’It’s the Sunless Emperor!’
Ryan hadn’t named anyone directly, but there was only one person who could possess knowledge of that caliber, someone who experienced the catastrophic collapse of a world firsthand and possessed the immense wisdom to navigate it.
"Then we need to seriously consider it." Soren clasped his hands together.
Because the truth was simple.
Even if he managed to heal Ethea, protect her from her enemies, and survive, it would mean nothing if the world itself collapsed into ruin. There would be no point in securing a safe haven if there was nowhere left to stand.
"Mm." Ryan agreed. "I will also probe my parents tonight to see how they react to the idea of moving."
"Good, you do that," Soren said, nodding in approval. "And did you bring the list I asked for yesterday?"
Ryan nodded and quickly pulled out his phone. "...I sent the file over to you."
"That works too." Soren unlocked his phone, opened the messaging app, and downloaded the file Ryan had sent. He spent a few moments carefully reading through the contents, his eyes scanning the details before he looked back up at Ryan. "You did a good job on this. I have one more thing to ask, though. Can you bring them to the Bureau tomorrow after your lessons end?"
Ryan nodded, but curiosity flickered across his face. "Why bring them there?"
Soren offered a mysterious smile before laying out the reasoning behind his request, carefully framing the arrangement so Ryan understood the intent without exposing his real motives. "...But of course, you don’t have to force them if they aren’t interested."
Ryan gave Soren a slightly strange look before a light chuckle escaped him. "I’m sure they won’t refuse after getting an offer like that."
"Good, I’ll trust you with that then."
"Right. Leave it to me."
Soren set his phone face down on the table. "After that, let’s go shopping."
Ryan tilted his head, caught off guard by the sudden shift in topic. "S-Shopping?"
"We have to buy new gear and some artifacts," Soren explained, his tone relaxed. "Though we should probably stock up on clothes too while we’re at it."
"That’s a great idea." Ryan let out a short laugh, shaking his head. "Brother Soren, you’re really amazing. You are thinking of everything."
Soren chuckled softly, waving his hand. "You’ll understand once you get married yourself."
Ryan laughed, shaking his head. "I’m way too young for that, and honestly, I don’t have time to be thinking about love right now."
"Oh?" Soren raised his brows, a playful glint in his eyes. "What about that Emily girl from Team 7? I saw how your expression changed every single time her name came up back then."
Ryan’s eyes widened, his cheeks instantly flushing a bright pink as he frantically shook his hands. "N-No! You completely misunderstood! I-It’s really not like that!"
"Pfft—" Soren burst out laughing at the sheer panic on the younger man’s face. "Guess I hit the nail on the head, huh?"
Ryan frowned, a groan escaping him as he realized just how instantly he had given himself away. He quickly turned his face away from Soren, trying to hide the lingering heat on his cheeks.
After a few moments, he managed to recover his composure and turned back with a more grounded look. "Brother Soren... It’s true I used to admire her, maybe even had a crush on her before. But I’m over it by now. Looking back, I think it was probably just because she was the only person who didn’t treat me like trash and actually said a few nice words to me during our small encounters."
He shrugged, a bitter smile touching his lips. "When everyone else is looking down on you, the smallest bit of basic decency feels like a massive deal. But that was in the past. Right now, I’ve got way bigger things to worry about than a childhood crush."
"Mm, I get what you mean," Soren replied softly, his smile mellowing into something more sympathetic before he paused. "...Wait, childhood crush?"