"President, thank you for all your support until now." Soren hung his head. "And... I apologize for any inconvenience we have caused so far."
Craig shook his head, a faint smile flashing across his worn face. "Don’t worry about any of that. None of it was your fault anyway. You were caught up in things that were beyond your control, and you did the best you could with them."
"Soren..." He moved closer, putting a hand on Soren’s shoulder. "I hope you both have a safe journey, no matter where you’re headed. I hope you are able to overcome any dangers you might face."
"Thank you, President." Soren straightened and met his eyes. "I won’t forget everything you’ve done for us."
Craig nodded, his face warm but burdened, like someone who had said goodbye too often. "Goodbye, Soren."
"Take care, President." Soren nodded one last time and wheeled Ethea outside.
Craig stood still for a few moments after the door clicked shut. He then walked back to his chair and sat down.
"Sigh..."
He leaned back, staring at the ceiling for a long moment before turning his head toward the empty space beside his desk. "Are you finally gonna leave as well?"
The air rippled, and a voice emerged from the stillness.
"...What do you mean? I already left a week ago."
Craig didn’t bother to look surprised. "Whatever you say." He studied the empty space for a moment. "But are you sure about this? Weren’t you planning to take them to the capital with you? And... why did you let them find out about the spirit?"
"...Well, let’s say I changed my mind. As for the other matter, I have no idea what you’re talking about."
Craig let out a scoff. However, his expression soon became solemn. "You... You know you’re playing a dangerous game, right?"
"Of course."
"Then you should also know how easily it can all fall apart."
"I know."
"..." Craig turned his gaze back to the door where Soren and Ethea had left. "Do they really have to go through all this? Isn’t there any better way?"
"...I wish there was."
"...Sigh. Alright, I won’t pry any further. Just... make sure you don’t regret it."
"..."
"You there?"
"..."
"...This f*cker." Craig cursed out loud, though his lips were turned upward into a grin. "He always leaves like this."
───────
"..."
Three figures cut through the night sky, silhouettes against a sea of stars. The clouds parted around them like waves against a ship’s bow, and far below, the lights of Kalmira had long since faded into the darkness. Only the moon and the endless stretch of stars bore witness to their passage.
’...’
Soren held Ethea against his chest, her arms linked loosely around his neck as she gazed out at the sea of clouds drifting beneath them. Emperor Hector was above them with his hands clasped behind his back, his mana enveloping them in an invisible barrier.
’Are you cold?’
’...A little.’
Soren quickly adjusted his grip, pulling her closer, and let his body heat seep through the fabric of her cloak.
Perhaps noticing their exchange, Hector glanced down at them. "Are you both ok?"
"Y-Yes, thank you. Don’t worry about us, Sir." Soren replied hurriedly, though he was still not quite used to being carried through the sky like this.
’Perhaps, we should have departed in the morning?’ He thought but quickly dismissed the idea. ’...No, we are doing the right thing.’
It had been his own idea to leave under the cover of darkness, when the odds of being followed were at their lowest. As for the talk about leaving tomorrow evening, it had obviously been a lie, a small deception meant to throw off anyone who might be watching. A necessary precaution, even if it meant sacrificing a night of rest.
They had actually slipped out of the city shortly after dinner, with only the Emperor being aware since he was their escort. Now, hours later, they moved across the night sky like shadows escaping the dawn.
’Hmm...’
Soren glanced down at the clouds drifting past beneath them. The journey ahead was long, and there was still much he didn’t know about where they were going. He looked up toward the Emperor.
"Sir, how long until we reach the border?"
"At this speed, we will arrive by dawn," Hector replied without turning. "We will stop briefly to rest, then continue toward the first waypoint. From there, you will travel on your own."
Soren nodded. The Emperor had already made it clear he wouldn’t accompany them the entire way. He had his own work to do in Kalmira, and escorting them this far was already more than Soren had expected.
"I understand. Thank you for taking us this far."
Hector inclined his head slightly but said nothing more. The silence that followed was comfortable, filled only by the rush of wind beyond the barrier and the soft rhythm of Ethea’s breathing against his chest.
’...Malakor.’
’Yes, master?’
’Are we... being followed?’
’...No, Master. There is no one within my sensory range. Whatever tracks you may have left, no one has picked them up yet.’
’I see. Keep watching then and let me know the moment anything changes.’
’Understood.’
Soren let out a relieved sigh and shifted his grip on Ethea.
’...Let’s take a look, just in case.’
He glanced down at Ethea, intending to use Advanced Appraisal, but his eyes met hers before he could activate it. And just like that, his mind went blank.
The stars above, the clouds below, the wind rushing past the barrier. All of it faded. He became lost in her gaze, caught in the quiet depths of her eyes without meaning to be.
’...Beautiful.’
A few seconds passed.
’!’
Ethea’s eyes widened, and she quickly looked away, her cheeks coloring.
’...’ Soren blinked, realizing he had been staring, and felt heat creep up his own neck. He cleared his throat and activated the ability, fixing his gaze ahead, where a status window was floating.
It served as a nice distraction as he slowly inspected the lines. Until...
[Mental State: Embarrassed, Self-Conscious, Hyper-Aware]
’...Gulp.’