Feyne stepped forward two paces and brushed the dust clinging to her dress.
"Huh... good thing that group already left. And that person, is he alright?" she asked while glancing sideways at Albert.
Albert heard her and answered without turning his head at all. "That... wasn't his real body."
"Then where is his real body?" Luke asked, his tone full of curiosity. Feyne and Moreira also turned to look, intrigued by the topic and momentarily forgetting the earlier clash.
Albert shrugged briefly.
"No idea," he replied flatly, then added, "Ask the guy over there instead." His index finger pointed toward Zavi.
A few seconds later, Zavi approached the four of them while supporting Carlz's body on his shoulder.
"Do you want to give me another revolver?" Zavi raised the silver revolver in his hand, staring at it with an empty gaze.
But there is some benefit to getting a free revolver. I do not need to spend money on buying bullets.
Albert chuckled softly.
"Just take it. There are plenty left in the storage warehouse anyway." He turned and smiled at Feyne and Luke.
They returned the smile warmly, thanking him, knowing that without Albert their lives would feel unbearably empty, and remembering the incident where he had taken them in.
"So, what are you planning to do with that person over there, Sir Albert?" Zavi asked in confusion, raising his index finger to point at Moreira, who was standing right beside Feyne.
What is wrong with me? Why are my body and legs suddenly shaking?
Zavi frowned as sweat began to soak his face. His vision suddenly blurred, and for a moment he saw the four of them sway back and forth.
"Damn it... my head suddenly hurts so badly. Is it because of the rain earlier?" he muttered inwardly.
He immediately stepped forward two paces, still supporting Carlz's body even though he knew it was only a replica.
"Tch, that guy kicked me down there really hard. I can still feel it even now." Zavi imagined it like an egg falling and shattering.
The corner of Zavi's lips twitched. He tapped Albert's shoulder with his index finger about three times, and Albert instantly turned around.
"What is it?" Albert asked, lifting his shoulders slightly.
For a moment, Zavi's gaze shifted to Moreira, who had been looking at him with a friendly smile for several seconds.
Perfect timing. Thank you, sir. I can avoid that question.
Moreira glanced left and right, slowly slipping his right hand into his pants pocket. But the movement was noticed by Feyne, who had been standing beside him all along.
"What are you trying to do?" Feyne snapped, her eyes wide open as she clenched her teeth.
Moreira immediately raised both hands.
"It's nothing, ha ha ha." He smiled, thinking that running away from here would be a bad idea.
And besides, he did not know whether his friends would be able to escape either.
Meanwhile, a strange question suddenly crossed Zavi's mind, making him want to ask the person directly.
Zavi walked with trembling steps toward Moreira, stopped right beside him, and whispered something.
"Come with me. There's something I want to ask," Zavi said quietly.
Moreira widened his eyes and stared at Zavi's face, already concluding that he was hiding something important.
Reflexively, he swallowed and replied in a voice barely audible. "Alright, if that's what you want..."
Zavi immediately turned around, stepped forward, and stopped right beside Albert.
"Alright, I'll be leaving. Thank you for the gift, and take care," he said politely.
Even though they had only met and gotten to know each other a few days ago, he was certain that Albert was the only person in this world who truly understood his condition.
Albert replied with a nod. A few seconds later, he and his two companions turned away, no longer paying attention to Moreira, and headed toward their home in the Tezny district.
The three of them soon said goodbye to Zavi and walked away, leaving the two of them standing in the quiet, deserted night road.
Tap. The surroundings fell silent once more. Moreira stared at the backs of the three figures, then asked, "Are they all your friends, sir?"
Zavi stared blankly ahead and answered softly.
"Maybe..."
Moreira was startled.
"I'm not sure if I'm really friends with them." Zavi glanced to the right, seeing the confused expression on Moreira's face as he tried to understand what was said.
"Ha ha ha." Without realizing it, Zavi laughed to himself.
Then Zavi stepped forward without looking back.
"Do you want to exchange information with me?"
Moreira, who was walking behind him, reflexively stopped. His brows furrowed in confusion.
"What kind of information?" he asked, his hand already ready to move beneath his shirt and pants, where his dagger was hidden.
Zavi also stopped. He turned around, his gaze locking onto Moreira.
"How do you obtain one of the fifteen existing abilities?" he asked. He hoped Moreira knew and more importantly, would be honest.
Moreira's expression changed. The confusion vanished, replaced by a flat and serious look.
"A ritual," he answered briefly. "And drinking certain herbal concoctions to control the ability."
He paused for a moment before adding more quietly, "I tried it once. But I abandoned the ability before I could fully master it."
Zavi frowned.
A ritual? Does that mean some kind of sacrifice...?
He cleared his throat and tapped his forehead once, producing a faint sound.
"How do you perform the ritual from beginning to end?" he asked. "And... does it require a sacrifice for it to succeed?"
Moreira reflexively lowered his gaze. His eyes fell to the tips of his shoes, where his toes moved faintly beneath the leather.
He did not want to talk about this with anyone. Not even with his three friends. He did not want anyone else to experience what he had gone through.
The reason he had gone out at night and come to the city square was not because of the robed group, but to search for someone, anyone, who could remove the spiritual pressure inside his body.
He hid his true purpose, replacing it with another excuse. He only wanted to take his friends out of the orphanage. They were still teenagers, sixteen years old, except for Mitsu, who was already eighteen.
"In my opinion," Moreira finally said, his tone filled with concern, "it would be better if you did not do such a thing. I can barely endure anymore just thinking about what has happened to my body since then."
Zavi was slightly surprised. Not because the answer was vague, but because he realized that both he and Moreira had been used by the robed group.
"I know," Zavi replied softly. He stared straight at Moreira. "And... the sacrifice has to be equivalent, right?" he asked once more, making sure.
Moreira did not answer. He only nodded once.
So that is how it is. A sacrifice to gain power.
But what are the steps?
Thinking about it made Zavi reflexively touch his chin.
Moreira looked at him sharply, as if trying to peer into his thoughts. "May I leave now?" he asked, his body already slightly turned away.
Zavi nodded, still thinking about something that troubled his mind.
Moreira shrugged briefly, then walked away, leaving Zavi alone on the street that had fallen silent once again.
I hope you do not do it, Moreira thought as he walked, occasionally glancing back. If you do... do not regret the consequences.
Zavi briefly watched Moreira's back, confused, then turned around. He placed the avatar somewhere safe and went home to attempt the ritual, even though he did not know the proper steps.
About an hour later, Zavi was finally in the Chapena district, walking leisurely amidst the silence and stillness of the night.
He knocked on her door once before he opened it and went inside.
'It's dark...? Are they asleep and has he woken up from his faint?'
He closed the door again and didn't forget to lock it tightly. Then, something suddenly crossed his mind. Zavi glanced to his left—his mother's room.
Step forward and check if his mother is okay and whether Carlz's previous statement is true without any fabrication?
"Okay... I'll check it myself," he said softly.
His steps became heavier as if there was a weight holding his body down, then Zavi stopped at his mother's bedroom door, checking to see if his mother was asleep.
Tap... Tap... Tap...
Silence. There was no answer after that.
Zavi swallowed his saliva, holding his breath deeply with his hand ready to open the bedroom door.
Klik.