Belly's foot touched the ground of the courtyard.
She lifted her left leg, slowly.
Belly's feet digits touched the soil and grass. Tensing instantly.
"Keep doing that." Denu stood on the stage.
"But it feels weird. Too weird." Her expressions pleaded.
"I know, but you need to get used to it." He sat on the surface of the stage.
"You are so cruel." She stretched her arm, slow.
"Complaints." He muttered under his breath.
Mio arrived at the courtyard, excited.
"Denu!!" She shouted.
"Who is she?" She slowed her pace.
His head turned to Mio.
"Belly Telhair," Denu replied.
"Brother, when you were inside the room." She put her hand in her pocket, trying to take something out.
"A letter arrived." She gave it to Denu.
He didn't open it.
"Okay, I have to go." He stood.
Belly's expressions fell.
"Too soon."
"A little work," he said.
He got off the stage, pushing his legs forward.
"Mio, take care of your friend. Okay?" He waved at them.
"Okay, brother." She shouted like a toddler.
"So, they found out I was in Beauty in Hollow," he thought, as guards saw him and they began to push the gates wide open.
"Go. Tell Fate's Followers. Fate has returned," he said casually.
The place fell silent. Guards swallowed hard and nodded. No one questioned. They were too stunned to think.
"Now the Origin."
He ran forward toward the Origin City.
"I will also try to find out why Belly was there." He sprinted, leaving trees past him as his pace rapidly increased.
Hours passed, and he entered Origin. In shops, people hammered metal, forging swords and accessories.
They were so immersed in their work that they didn't even sense Denu's presence. Kids helped in some shops, their cheeks blackened.
Those who noticed him didn't dare to break his pace.
A large cubic-like center rose in front of his gaze.
He pushed the door inside.
Three people sat on chairs around a table. Their gaze shifted to him.
"Long time no see, Denu Luvisu," the man on the left said.
Denu took a seat.
"Liyoku." Denu's gaze shifted to the person in front. His presence unsettled him.
"So," one of them spoke. "Can we ask why you interfered in Beauty in Hollow?"
Denu turned right and took a deep breath.
"There was a battle going on," Denu said.
"I stopped it." His tone was controlled. Measured.
"That's not the point," the man on the left interjected.
He leaned forward. "You broke a law."
"There was Shishuki too." Denu tapped his fingers.
Liyoku leaned forward, his hands resting on the surface.
"That won't happen again. I guarantee it." Liyoku nodded.
"Where is that Rot-Human named Belly?" the man on the left questioned.
"After she was gone, Beauty in Hollow collapsed. People ran. People were killed." He sighed.
Silence stretched.
"Even though it's stable now," the man on the right broke the silence, "her disappearance caused suicides. People weren't expecting themselves in that situation."
"And you, Liyoku." His gaze drifted to Liyoku, his voice hardened. "Above had satisfied your soul energy needs. Then why are Darkens still hunting?"
Liyoku's gaze flickered.
"I can't control every single individual," he spoke.
"So, of course, some of them slip. But from now on, I will try to handle it."
"Try?" The man on the left gazed intensely. "You don't try. You do."
The room turned back to Denu.
"Denu, what did you do with Belly?"
"She became human," Denu said. "Through Fate's letter."
Chairs scraped softly.
"Fate?" Shock crossed the left man's face.
"Don't joke," the right man warned.
"It's true." Denu didn't blink. "After years, Fate has returned."
Silence stretched again.
The left man inhaled sharply. "Adjourn."
"This has nothing to do with cities," the left man added.
"Wait a second." Denu raised his hand and put it on the table.
"What were Rot-Humans doing in Beauty in Hollow?" His voice was precise.
No one spoke.
The two men looked at each other's faces.
"I asked something." He raised his voice.
"We... don't know." They gulped hard.
"You don't know?" Denu laughed.
"You were the ones capturing them there, right?" he added.
"Tell the truth."
Liyoku stayed quiet, listening to the conversation carefully.
"You don't have any proof. You can't prove that." The left man's fingers trembled.
"That's the issue." Liyoku's tone was dangerously calm.
"If we don't have proof, you can't prove anything."
"Adjourn." The right man hit his hand hard on the polished surface of the table.
As they were about to leave, something flickered in mid-air.
A portal tore the thin air open right beside Denu.
Their bodies paused.
A letter fell from it onto Denu's lap.
As the two men saw the letter fall, they ran desperately.
Denu was about to chase them.
"Don't chase them," Liyoku said to Denu.
He looked at the letter.
Kiyota and Real were the ones who captured the innocent soul, the girl Belly, intentionally. I gave awareness. Now the decision is yours.
— Fate
Denu threw the letter upward. A portal consumed it, closing immediately.
"They aren't too far." Liyoku's tone was calculated.
He teleported before them.
They fell, their breaths ragged.
"I was... just... unlocking her potential." Real ran backward. Kiyota followed his lead. His lungs ran out of air.
Then—
Denu instantly reached there, wasting no time. He slammed a kick into Kiyota's stomach.
Kiyota flew, landing at Liyoku's feet.
"You are going into prison now." Denu grabbed Real's neck, lifting him into mid-air.
Anger showed in his expressions.
Real struggled to breathe, his eyes reddening.
"Don't kill him." Liyoku grabbed Kiyota's collar.
Denu released Real. Real coughed and rubbed his neck carefully with his hand.
"Leave me. I didn't... do it. Real was the one." Kiyota pointed a finger at Real.
"Don't lie. You were the one suggesting that." Real glared at Kiyota.
"I am telling the truth. Real forced me." Kiyota looked at Liyoku, who was holding his collar.
"He's lying. Believe me." Real protested.
"Utara government will decide that." Liyoku knocked Kiyota out with a single touch to his neck.
Denu did the same with Real.
"By the way... is my brother's child doing well?" Liyoku questioned, his voice calm as always.
"He is. By tomorrow, his documents will also be finished." Denu grabbed Real's unconscious body.
In the Village of Queens 's Center.
Akarum lay on his bed, looking at the ceiling.
"Adoption." The word rang in his ears.
"It's strange. I don't feel bad about it." He sat down on the bed.
"Logically, it feels right. Perhaps that's why."
Down at the center,
Kashime stood before Flint.
"Thanks for managing the village in my absence." She placed her palm on her chest, her head lowering in respect.
"It's nothing big." Flint smiled.
"It would be good if you could help me today too. I have important work." Kashime lifted her head, her hand moving to interlock with her other hand on her lap.
"Sure. I will do my best," he said.
"Okay then, I have to go now." Kashime moved toward a locker in the center, supported against the wall.
"Have a good journey," he wished her.
She opened the locker with a key.
Inside it, many papers were stacked.
She took a few from there.
"These are mine, I guess." She looked at them.
"Are you going for paperwork?" he questioned.
She turned toward him, pages still in her right hand.
"Hmm." She nodded.