Deterred by Lumina's "Mind Reading," Mem ultimately never voiced the doubts in her heart.
Sister Lumina is so amazing. It's perfectly normal for her to wield a little [Time] power, right?
To prevent Lumina from discovering the small secret in her heart, Mem dutifully convinced herself not to mention it again.
At the same time, she silently reflected, persuading herself.
It became completely normal for Lumina to possess the [Time] Authority.
After this minor turmoil ended, the group continued their journey.
Compared to their previous trip from Okhema to the Grove of Epiphany, their return journey from the Grove of Epiphany back to Okhema was much faster.
After all, although their previous trip from Okhema to the Grove of Epiphany was also urgent, they could have taken their time, as long as they eventually retrieved the Coreflame.
But this time, returning from the Grove of Epiphany to Okhema was completely different. The entire Grove had been almost completely destroyed... although Lady Aglaea might have already been aware, the people of Okhema still had to return immediately to inform her and seek a solution.
Everyone witnessed the tragedy at the Grove. Except for Lumina and Herta, who were already in the know, the others felt their hearts sink.
To see so many people turned into Black Tide Spawn along the way, it would be a lie to say they weren't heartbroken.
Therefore, although there were still some minor incidents along the way, they didn't affect the group's travel speed.
The long journey soon ended, and the Eternal Dawn architecture of Okhema appeared before them.
"Ah, it's been so long since I last came to Okhema."
Arriving in Okhema and looking at the familiar yet somewhat strange architecture, Calypso couldn't help but sigh.
It was just like someone who left their hometown in their youth, returned home in glory after achieving success, but ultimately discovered that old friends were no longer the same people, and the once familiar buildings had changed completely.
"Uh..."
"Miss Calypso..."
Seeing Calypso's expression, Castorice didn't know what to say.
Should she offer comfort, or say something like... Okhema has never changed?
Although it seemed like it would all be just words of comfort anyway...
"Heh heh, what a cute little girl."
Seeing Castorice's cute appearance, Calypso finally understood why she had become the target of a powerful figure like Lumina.
Calypso was neither a naive innocent nor a fool.
Not only that, she was also an "experienced senior."
Therefore, Calypso could see through everything Lumina did and the various emotions Castorice was developing for her.
However... Calypso could tell that Castorice's feelings for Lumina were buried deep within her heart.
She is a child of [Death], and now she has found her own salvation, someone who would not be affected by [Death]. Sooner or later, her heart would belong to that person.
For example, right now, Castorice herself was unaware and would only think this was a normal emotion.
But as a "senior," Calypso knew. This was exactly that kind of feeling, no mistake about it.
It's just that this kind of feeling was buried in the deepest place in Castorice's heart, needing an external stimulus to be revealed.
Castorice's feelings were easy to understand, and Calypso saw through them at a glance.
But as for the other one... this person named Lumina, her feelings... Calypso couldn't figure them out at all.
Does she actually like her, or not?
Calypso could feel that Lumina really enjoyed cuddling with Castorice and teasing her, but... no matter how Calypso tried to sense it, she couldn't detect any feelings of "love" in Lumina's actions.
In other words, she just simply wanted to cuddle with Castorice and simply wanted to toy with her emotions, while she herself had absolutely no romantic intentions toward Castorice...
Then isn't this just...
The kind of scum woman from legends who needs to be struck by nine thunderbolts, then thrown into a dungeon for eternal damnation without ever being reborn?
Hmm...
Thinking of this, a flash of inspiration suddenly struck Calypso, as if she had discovered something.
Herta!
That woman!
Her relationship with Lumina must not be that simple either.
Recalling the interactions between Lumina and Herta along the way, Calypso had now completely understood.
That Lumina person is an outright, genuine super-scum woman.
The kind of super-scum woman who would be struck by divine retribution.
When encountering such a super-scum woman, Calypso would definitely stand on the moral high ground to constantly condemn her.
But if this super-scum woman is Lumina, Calypso thinks... forget it.
After all, with her level of strength, being a little scum is no big deal.
As for what to do about that little girl, Castorice?
What should she do after being ruthlessly scumbagged and then abandoned by Lumina?
Calypso felt,
She could only leave it to fate.
With Lumina's strength, even if she devoured Castorice completely before leaving, Castorice would be powerless against her.
Crying and making a scene, ah, truly youth.
Calypso didn't think about it any longer; this was merely her own internal monologue, and had nothing to do with Lumina's true feelings toward Castorice or what she would do next.
Judging by Stelle and Herta's feelings for her, it was clear that Lumina wasn't the type to abandon beautiful girls after seducing them.
But the matter of toying with beautiful girls' feelings... that might actually be true.
"Alright, alright, now that we've arrived, my mission should also come to an end."
"I'll leave this body to you."
Shaking her head and signaling to everyone, Calypso handed over control of the body to Anaxa.
After being nourished by the [Coreflame] all this way, Anaxa was now barely able to come out and bask in the sun.
As soon as the words fell, the aura emanating from Anaxa's body underwent a massive change.
His legs went weak, and he collapsed directly onto the ground.
"Heh heh heh, Titan..."
Clearly, Calypso's actions had aroused Anaxa's extreme dissatisfaction.
"Professor Anaxa! Are you all right?"
Seeing this scene, Castorice's heart instantly tightened with alarm, and she hurriedly called out with a face full of tension.
"First, call me Anaxagoras!" Hearing Castorice's form of address, Anaxa instantly set aside all the resentment he held against Calypso in his heart and glared at her.
"Phew... That's good, as long as Professor Anaxa is all right." Hearing Professor Anaxa's familiar tone and familiar reprimand, Castorice's face instantly relaxed.
The heart that had been hanging in suspense also eased up a little.
But because of what Lumina had said earlier, about how Professor Anaxa could only live for a few dozen Gate-Hours... all the tension in Castorice's heart turned into worry and concern for Professor Anaxa.
"Put away your worried emotions." Castorice didn't hide her emotions at all, so they were very clearly sensed by Anaxa.
In response, he slowly rose from the ground and gave Castorice a cold glance, signaling her not to worry about him.
"As a Professor, I don't need a student to feel worried for me."
After saying this, Anaxa seemed to return to normal, and there was no longer any trace of a sickly person all over his body.
He crossed his arms and surveyed the Okhema before him.
"How noisy... Okhema is still the same."
Anaxa's voice carried no emotion, making Castorice not dare to respond hastily.
Without dwelling on the topic, Castorice thought for a moment and then stated Aglaea's intention plainly: "Professor, I'll be direct."
"Lady Aglaea's mission for us is to search for survivors and simultaneously uncover the culprit behind the Disaster of the Grove."
"And..." At this point, Castorice hesitated briefly before finally saying it: "And... to recover Calypso's Coreflame."
Calypso had said that Professor Anaxa's life was currently being sustained by the Coreflame, which prevented it from completely dissipating.
If he lost the Coreflame, if it was recovered, it would also mean that Professor Anaxa...
"Hmm, I'm not surprised at all." Anaxa waved his hand, his expression showing no change after Castorice's words.
"As you can see, I am both a survivor and someone who knows the beginning and end of the disaster."
"At the same time, I carry a Coreflame and have no ability to resist."
Anaxa recounted his current situation with an impassive expression.
"So, are you going to present me to Aglaea to report your mission?"
The Flame-Chasing Journey is a journey of constant loss, where even life is not deemed worthy of cherishing.
This saying was something even Anaxa, who disagreed with the Flame-Chasing Journey, had heard before.
And now, when the Coreflame of [Reason] was held by someone with no ability to resist, someone who could be easily dealt with by any ordinary person... the subsequent development could naturally be guessed with ease.
"That is my duty." Castorice nodded, but then immediately shook her head. "But I don't want to deliver you to her as a prisoner or a trophy..."
"Fine, I won't make it difficult for you." Anaxa knew that Castorice was merely following Aglaea's orders, so he didn't press her too hard.
"I don't object to meeting that woman."
"But before that, I still have some things to take care of."
"Several family members of my colleagues from The Grove live in the Holy City. I want to visit them before meeting Aglaea."
As he said this, Anaxa's calm and waveless tone grew slightly deeper.
"Hmm... I will accompany you." Castorice knew Teacher Anaxa's personality, so she didn't try to stop him.
After saying this, Castorice turned her gaze toward Lumina, who was looking around with utter boredom.
Before Castorice could say a word upon turning to look at Lumina, her body suddenly flared up with heat, and her pretty face flushed crimson.
"Hah..."
The conversation had barely begun, yet it had already escalated to this.
If anyone saw this, if this got out, people would die laughing...
Fortunately, everyone present was an insider.
Realizing this, Castorice took a deep breath and forcefully suppressed the thoughts in her heart.
Struggling to maintain a calm demeanor, she spoke softly and gently to Lumina: "Sister Lumina, what Teacher Anaxa and I need to do next might be... well, boring."
"I wonder if Sister Lumina..."
Castorice was asking for Lumina's opinion, as they were about to visit the families of heroes who had fallen fighting for The Grove.
Sister Lumina wasn't an Amphorean, so the upcoming events might be tedious and dry for her.
"It's fine. I don't have anything else to do anyway. Let's go together."
Lumina understood Castorice's meaning, just as she understood her own. With a slight smile, she indicated that she wouldn't leave but would continue to accompany them.
The upcoming scenes might be quite sorrowful. In such a melancholic atmosphere, as the daughter of [Death], Castorice would surely not be feeling well either.
So, Lumina could take this opportunity to once again hold Castorice's small hand, using her palm to transmit warmth and dispel or purify the distress born within her heart.
Of course, Lumina was no heartless person who would do something improper on such a serious occasion just for the sake of a beautiful girl.
Lumina would bless the souls that had already departed...
Wait, that's not right.
How could there be dead people in The Grove?
As she thought, Lumina rubbed her chin, suddenly recalling this crucial point.
When the Flame Reavers invaded The Grove back then, those who fought for it had indeed died, that was beyond doubt.
After death, they had been transformed into Black Tide Spawn by the Black Tide, that was also beyond doubt.
But at that time, while Castorice and the others were in front and Anaxa and the others were guarding The Grove behind, Lumina had arrived at The Grove and revived all those who had been turned into Black Tide Spawn.
If nothing unexpected happened, during the time everyone left The Grove and was on their journey, they should have all gradually recovered, right?
If that were the case, wouldn't Castorice and Anaxa's upcoming condolences to those "fallen heroes" become... a little interesting?
After all, if the person isn't even dead, and you go to their home to tell their father, relatives, and family that your son or family member has died... wouldn't you be kicked out immediately?
Hmm... Lumina was really looking forward to such a thing happening.
But of course, it would definitely never happen.
Setting aside Anaxa's fame, just considering Castorice's fame in Okhema alone, the people wouldn't kick Castorice and the others out.
But even so, Lumina was still extremely curious.
Curious about what kind of expressions Castorice, Anaxa, Stelle, and Mem would make when the "target" of their condolences suddenly popped up during the visit.
Hmm... If only Herta could make that same kind of expression.
"What bad idea are you thinking of again?" Sensing the gradually lively emotions beside her, Herta immediately understood. Lumina must be plotting some kind of mischief in her heart again.
"Ahem, Castorice, let's hurry up."
"We can't keep the people we're offering condolences to, nor can we keep little sister Aglaea waiting too long."
Lumina quickly snapped back to her senses, coughed, and gestured to Castorice.
"Mhm." Castorice nodded slightly without saying much.
As for Anaxa beside them, when he heard Lumina call Aglaea "little sister," his eyes instantly widened.
"Aglaea... little sister?"