The next day, Leo attended his Illusion class, but something felt off.
Elna was nowhere to be seen.
Frowning, he asked Edgarth, Ray, and Jerald if they had seen her, but none of them had any idea where she was.
Days passed with no sign of her. A week went by, and still, there was no news.
Concerned, Leo even went to the alleys near where he knew her house was, searching for any clues, but he found nothing.
By the time Sunday arrived, his next gathering came and went without anything unusual. He collected his gold coins and his shield as expected. Some of his earnings went directly to Mr. Crow as payment, leaving him with around 700 gold coins. He deliberately avoided exchanging the ones that weren't from the Kingdom of Light—having such a large amount of foreign currency could easily raise suspicion.
Today was the day of his next Illusion class, and after finishing their usual training, Edgarth announced that he would be teaching them a new spell.
After the lesson, Leo returned home and now sat leaning against his bed, lost in thought. He hadn't set foot in the so-called God's Domain again since his first time there.
'Maybe it's time to go and take a look around?'
He had no idea how to enter the place at will, so he simply imagined himself going there. The moment he opened his eyes, he was seated on the stone chair in the empty stone room once again. Everything was the same, but now, he could feel his connection to it.
Standing up, he walked toward where a door should be and stepped out. Outside, he was met with a vast, endless expanse of white nothingness.
Turning back, he noticed the stone platform was now less shattered than before.
"Selvanna, is this place going to change as I get stronger?"
He couldn't see her, but he knew she was there.
"The stronger you become, the deeper your connection to this place—and the more you can shape it. In time, you'll be able to build whatever you desire here."
Over the past few weeks, Leo had been working on the two spells Ryan had mentioned. To his surprise, he hadn't heard a single whisper. He didn't need to ask Selvanna to know why—the aura from this place was protecting him, shielding him from those unwanted gaze.
He sat back down on the stone chair, a satisfied smile forming on his face.
…
Edmond paced in his office. Over the past few days, he had met with all the captains. Though he didn't fully trust Oryu, he couldn't ignore what he had said—and so, he had kept a close watch on Gerhard.
But neither Oryu nor Gerhard had done anything suspicious. He knew something was going on, but he couldn't figure out what.
After pacing for a few more minutes, he stepped out of his office.
"Lara, I'm going to the vault."
"The vault?"
Lara's surprise was understandable. Every church had a vault, and within each vault were magical items—some of them incredibly dangerous.
"Activate the church's protection wards in ten minutes," Edmond ordered.
"What? Why?"
A mysterious look crossed his face.
"Because I don't want anyone to know what I'm taking."
"Captain, Bishop Oryu can—"
"Don't worry. He won't find out."
He had already discussed this with Edgarth. he had made subtle adjustments to the spell beneath the church, granting Edmond the opportunity to remove an item from the vault unnoticed—by everyone except the Pope. But the Pope was on his side.
Edmond made his way toward the vault. The path was the same as the one leading to the teleportation circle, but this time, he walked past the teleportation chamber and stopped in front of another room with a massive iron door.
Placing his hand on the cold metal, he whispered an incantation. A few second later, the door groaned open, revealing a darkened chamber filled with magical artifacts.
Ignoring the others, Edmond walked straight to the one he had come for—a Sword .
…
Leo walked down the corridors of the association, heading toward the kitchen. He figured he'd grab a coffee first before heading to the Grand Cathedral for his illusion class.
Inside, he spotted Frank, Peter, and Liamond sitting together. But unlike their usual routine, they weren't playing cards.
"Don't forget to wear a suit," Peter was saying to Frank.
"Good morning," Leo greeted as he walked over. "What's going on here?"
Liamond turned to him with a grin. "Oh, Leo, guess what?" He draped an arm around Leo's shoulder and lowered his voice slightly. "Frank has a date tonight."
Leo raised an eyebrow and looked at Frank. "Really? Congratulations, Mr. Frank. I wish you a bright and happy future."
"It's just a date," Frank muttered, clearly embarrassed. "Don't turn it into a big deal."
"But it is a big deal," Liamond teased. "You're the first one among us to get married."
Peter gave him a weird look. "Dude, I'm married. So is Samuel."
"Oh yeah, I forgot," Liamond admitted.
Leo was caught off guard. He already knew about Samuel, but not Peter. "Wait—Mr. Peter, you're married?!"
Peter let out an exaggerated sigh. "Does anyone even know me here?" He shook his head. "I should really change my position in the association. I feel invisible."
Frank patted his shoulder. "Don't worry, I didn't forget."
"Thank you…" Peter said dramatically.
They exchanged glances, and then, all at once, they burst into laughter.
"Did you get any information about your girlfriend?" Liamond asked Leo.
"No, and she's not my girlfriend," Leo replied.
"Do you want her to be?" Liamond added with a smirk.
"Of course I do."
The three of them paused, surprised by his bluntness.
"Wow, you're really honest," Frank said.
"I'm not an idiot," Leo shrugged. "I know how I feel, and I don't deny it."
"Your wife is going to be a happy one," Peter chuckled.
Leo spent a few more minutes with them before heading toward the Grand Cathedral for his illusion class. As he got closer, he noticed a crowd gathered in the street leading to the cathedral. Curious, he made his way over.
"What's going on?" he asked a man nearby.
The man glanced at him. "They say they caught a vampire. Apparently, she was involved in some conspiracy."
"A vampire?"
Leo's heart pounded. He pushed his way through the crowd, forcing his way forward. After a minute, he reached the front row.
A carriage rolled by, carrying a cage. Inside sat a girl. Leo activated his Enhanced Eyes and focused on her. White hair, blue eyes—his breath caught.
Elna.
'What? Why? Why is she here? Why is her hair white? A vampire?'
His gaze snapped to the guards surrounding her, and anger boiled inside him.
'What did they do to her?'
Reaching into his bag, a surge of mana pulsed around him. He drew his Sword of Light and stepped forward.
The crowd erupted in screams, people scrambling to get away from him.
The guards reacted instantly, drawing their own weapons—but before he could take another step, someone grabbed him.
A familiar presence. It was Edgarth.
His hand pressed against Leo's head, and the anger that had consumed him melted away.
"Mr. Edgarth…"
"Put the sword away," Edgarth ordered.
"But she's Elna!"
"I know. Leave her to me." Edgarth's tone left no room for argument. "Your class is canceled today. Tell Ray and Jerald as well."
Leo hesitated, then slowly put his sword back in his bag.
The guards still held their weapons at the ready, but at Edgarth's signal, they resumed their march.
Leo stood there, watching helplessly as they took her away. His fists clenched, but he turned and walked into the cathedral, heading straight for class. People still kept their distance from him.
Inside, he spotted Ray and Jerald.
"We don't have class today," he told them. "You can go."
Not waiting for a response, he walked out.
He made his way to the main hall and started pacing.
'I have to do something.'
Activating his Moonlit Gaze, he scanned the area. Dozens of people moved throughout the building, making it difficult to pinpoint anyone. After shifting positions a few times, he finally found Edgarth—two rooms away, speaking to someone.
Leo focused.
"What do you think you're doing, Oryu?" Edgarth's voice was sharp.
Fortunately he just got there.
"What do you mean? We caught a vampire," Oryu replied.
"She's my student. And she wasn't a vampire a few days ago."
"She is now," Oryu said simply. "From our research, she was working for a cult, and their reward was to turn her. Don't worry—I'll give her a fair trial."
"Tell your men to send everything they have to me. And I want to speak to the one who captured her myself."
Edgarth walked out. Leo didn't follow him—he kept his focus on Oryu.
Moments later, another man entered the room. Oryu closed the door and cast a spell.
"Are you sure she's a good subject?" Oryu asked.
"Of course, Your Holiness," the man replied. "She has no family, and she's Edgarth's student—so we can keep him distracted for a little while."
"We only need a few days," Oryu said. "In two days, we'll hold a public trial… and then we execute her."
Leo's blood ran cold.
'Plan? Execute?'
Then Oryu suddenly stopped speaking.
His head turned exactly toward Leo's position.
Leo felt a chill crawl up his spine.
'Did… did he see me?'
Without hesitation, he cut off his spell and backed away.
He left the cathedral and walked toward the association. His mind raced.
'I need to do something. I can't let them execute her.'
Telling Edmond? No. Edgarth was already involved, and as an A-rank, he was far stronger than Edmond.
After running through every option, only one remained.
He had to save her himself.
Leo made his way to the coffee shop he always visited and contacted Ryan.
A few minutes later, Ryan arrived.
"You know, you've been calling me a lot more these days," Ryan said, smirking.
Leo ignored his humor. "Tell me everything you know about the Grand Cathedral."
Ryan raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"Because I'm going to break someone out of there."
Ryan stared at him for a moment—then burst into laughter. But when he met Leo's eyes, the amusement faded.
"Oh… you're serious."
Leo nodded.
Ryan leaned back in his chair. "It's impossible. Even if you were a B-rank. You want to know why? Luckily, the answer to that question is the answer to yours."
He exhaled and began explaining.
"That place is protected by thousands of defensive spells. You can't bring any spells or items above D-rank inside—they just stop working the moment you step in. Every inch of it has protective barriers, blocking any magic from damaging it. The guards? C-rank and above. One of them alone could kill you. You still want more?"
Leo's mind spun through possibilities.
"What if I create the spell inside?"
Ryan blinked. "What?"
"You said spells stop working inside. But what if I make them inside? I'm already authorized to enter. They trust me."
Ryan studied him carefully. "Who are you trying to save?"
"My classmate. They're using her to distract Mr. Edgarth while they complete whatever final step they're planning."
"What plan? Who's 'they'?"
"Oryu. And I don't know the full plan—but he's willing to kill for it."
Ryan leaned forward. "And how do you know this?"
"I was eavesdropping."
Ryan gave him a skeptical look. "You were eavesdropping on Oryu? And he didn't find you?"
Leo leaned in slightly. "You once told me you were here to stop corrupt nobles. Well, guess what? The bishop here is one of them. Even if I can't save her… I'll burn that place to the ground if I have to."
Ryan narrowed his eyes. "How?"
"If I can't destroy it…" Leo's voice dropped. "A god can."
Ryan's expression shifted to shock. He finally understood. Leo meant it.
"Tell me where are the dungeons."
Ryan looked at his eyes for a few second before sighing. Then an illusion of a map shaped in front of them.
"At the back of the main hall there is a statue, behind it is a door. Inside the door are a few pathways. You go inside and go to the left, keep that way straight and you come across stairs. Down the stairs is the dungeons. Each door is enhanced with a powerful lock. There are guards outside and inside and there is also another powerful lock on the cage she is in."
"Is there a way to open the locks without force?" Leo asked.
"It's a magic lock," Ryan replied. "You need the mana of someone authorized."
Leo fell into deep thought.
"But that part of the dungeons are for normal criminals," Ryan continued. "The locks aren't that powerful. A B-rank spell should be enough to break them."
He pulled out three pieces of enchanted paper and handed them to Leo.
"Here."
Leo took them cautiously. "What are these?"
"A B rank spell. Place it on the lock and activate it using the crystal I gave you."
Leo hesitated. "Wouldn't this corrupt me?"
"Normally, yeah. But you're in the Grand Cathedral—the voices can't reach you there. That's not the real problem." Ryan fixed him with a serious look. "The real problem is—can you even activate them? This is a B-rank spell, kid. Even with the crystal, you still need to guide the mana properly."
Leo didn't dare look directly at the spell inscriptions. Even one glance could risk corruption.
Ryan sighed. "Shouldn't you just wait and try to save her during the trial?"
Leo shook his head. "Oryu is overseeing the trial. I'd be dead in less than a second."
"He's also inside the cathedral."
"Yes, but he's not expecting someone to break her out from there. That gives me a small window of time."
"I really don't think so."
"It's my only chance."
Ryan exhaled sharply. "You could trust Edgarth, you know."
Leo's expression hardened. "Do you really think Oryu hasn't already prepared to prove she's guilty? Mr. Edgarth always follows the rules."
Ryan was silent for a moment. Then, with a reluctant sigh, he muttered, "You're insane."
Leo didn't disagree.
He stood up. "I start my plan tomorrow," he said, then walked out, leaving Ryan in deep thought.
He went straight to a magic shop and bought a hundred spell papers. To avoid suspicion, he visited ten different shops across the city, purchasing ten office bags with ten crystals.
Back home, he placed all the bags into one, stuffing the spell papers inside.
His fingers traced the edges of the papers as he whispered to himself.
"I'll show you how terrorist attacks worked in my previous world."