“I preferred when monsters stayed in fairytales…”

The green-haired man breathed out, facing away from the deer-like monster whose mouth continued leaking saliva even after its death.

“Sir Moyena, our preferences have nothing to do with the reality of the world we know nothing about.”

The blue-haired young man shrugged his shoulders and dropped the ice spear, letting the monster’s head fall back onto the ground.

“Lord Perserios, you don’t have to use my surname, I have no chance of becoming the heir of my family and certainly have no intention of returning to them after finally gaining my freedom, Reo is enough.”

The green-haired man became flustered and bowed his head toward the shorter man.

“And I told you that as long as we are not in the kingdom of Bellcephora, it’s okay to just call me Devios. Don’t expect me to go along with something you are not willing to do yourself.”

Devios Elef Perserios, the head of the Perserios family, shrugged his shoulders and declared with an indifferent expression.

“…we might be in a different country, in a completely different part of the world, but it doesn’t change who we are, my lord.”

Reo lowered his head and muttered in a troubled voice.

“We are lady Miriette’s eyes and ears in the land of martial artists using the excuse of enrolling into the Heavenly Star Academy to search for any traces of Zoemi. Seems like we are very much equal.”

Devios pointed out with a serious expression that made Reo fidget nervously.

“Lady Miriette saved me. I want to find young master Zoemi, but if it was not for lady Miriette’s request, I would have never dared to come to this place.”

The green-haired man revealed, facing the other way, not wanting to look the blue-haired man in the eyes.

“So you’re here because of a debt. That’s the same for me – only that I am here to pay my debt to Zoemi and Mizi.”

“Eh…?”

Devios spread his arms open and smirked without even the tiniest bit of positive feelings behind it, causing Reo to gasp and turn to him.

“If not for the sentinel that Zoemi left with me – that would be Mizi – I would have died nearly two years ago when the marital artist showed up in my territory. My injuries were so severe that Mizi had to fuse with me in order to save my life. Poor little fellow became my missing eye, sacrificing themselves so that I could live.”

The young man put his hand to his different colored eye and spread open his eyelids to better show up the murky-black sphere that took place the blue mana stone that was always there before.

“Even if lady Miriette wouldn’t ask me, I would have ventured here to search for their father if the opportunity presented itself.”

He explained before putting down his hand and shrugging his shoulders.

“And you still claim that we are the same?”

Reo blinked a few times as his shoulders dropped after listening to the declaration from the blue-haired young man.𝑜𝑣𝓵xt.𝗇𝓔t

“I do.”

Devios confirmed before his expression became softer.

“I was told that Zoemi always wanted a big family. He already has a younger sister that he somehow expected, but he has no idea about the younger brother that was recently born.”

The young man smiled and said looking towards the clear sky.

“Spoken like a proud uncle. Now then… Is it only me who finds it weird that our escort is lagging behind? I did not use any augmentations and my speed leaves a lot to be desired.”

Reo nodded sounding eager to change the subject to the one that bothered him more.

Indeed. Both Reo and Devios were on their way to the newly constructed complex under the banner of the Heavenly Star Academy, they were a part of a slightly larger group of students that were picked to stay in the Heavenly Star nation for between one to three years.

The requirement for the students from the land of man – as the martial artists would call the area within the former line of death – would be the age below the age of twenty-one, willing to participate in the exchange, and highly resistant towards the environment that lacked any mana whatsoever.

That’s it.

Apparently, the marital artist that wanted to enroll in the Heavenly Star Academy also had the age limit imposed on them, but their other requirements were some actual challenges.

That said, the delegation that Reo and Devios were a part of was being escorted by a group of a supposedly powerful martial artists – and it seemed like not even a single one was going to look for the two students that left the group.

“Oh, do not worry, we are under constant surveillance. The only question I have for the people watching us is – why didn’t you kill that monster first?”

“…!”

Devios waved his hand dismissively at shocked Reo and then turned around, looking toward the trees not far from the place where the deer-like monster first showed up.

“…to our defense, that village has its own marital artist taking care of it, although I must admit that the moment the Vivid Buckian started casting a spell, at least I was stunned. Mana is poison in this land. At least, it should be – for monsters too. Please, don’t hold it against us…”

With their cover blown, one of the martial artists escorting the group from the Kingdom of Bellcephora stepped out in the open and started explaining in a not-so-honest apologetic voice while approaching the two men.

It was a tall, man in his late twenties at most, with short blond hair and calm azure eyes, he was giving off the aura of reliability, although whether it was deserved was another thing.

“Not to mention you suddenly cast a spell yourself without the immediate threat to your life, we were at a loss what could be happening.”

The man added, and this time it seemed like he was slightly more honest.

“Understandable, although you have some ways of countering mana, I have some tested and true methods of rendering them useless.”

“…”

Devios nodded his head with an indifferent expression as if his words weren’t containing a serious threat that sent chills down the spine of the blond-haired martial artist.