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Chapter 620 A Plan of My Own

　　As space wrapped around him, Arthur could feel his body entering a tunnel with a predetermined destination. He didn't teleport inside this space because he couldn't trust his senses or find a space outside. However, this portal seemed already determined.

　　"Gala is alive in this timeline..."

　　This news brought him a great sense of relief. He always believed the witch wouldn't be able to reincarnate without him, but it seems that his actions made his father need Gala. This deterred the Scholar Vessel from abandoning her and made her younger the moment.

　　"Diana is the one who built Runera...?"

　　The memories pained his heart, but Arthur still had no idea what fate she met. The answer lay deep within these ruins, but it seems that he would have to leave them first.

　　At the end of the telepathic connection he shared with Oriole, Arthur received a message from the alchemist. It was also the reason he decided to trust him.

　　"I made sure that I won't die, Arthur," said the alchemist in his letter. "I understand how difficult it is for you to leave me here, but you must. The existence of Jasmine here means that your father has already infiltrated this timeline, and this proves that he is indeed a threat to your family. However, I have a plan of my own, and I ask you to respect that. This will give us a fighting chance against the other vessels."

　　Arthur had no idea how Ori knew this, but the fact that Jasmine was the Ghost Ruler shook him just the same. Furthermore, she was his half-sister.

　　This information left him disoriented and unable to think. Finally, as he was still suffering the agony of hesitation, Arthur arrived at the other end of the portal. His feet landed on the ground, but they were unable to bear the weight of his body.

　　Arthur fell to his knees, making blood splash from his wounds. The blood seeped into the bricks below him as his breathing grew rapid. There were people nearby, and Arthur forced himself to look at them.

　　"That bastard did it..." said a girl Arthur didn't recognize. Her brunet twin tails and freckles gave her a gentle appearance opposite her expression. "However, where is he? Where is Oriole?"

　　"...he didn't accompany me," muttered Arthur as he tried to stand, but his arms failed him. "Who are you? Where am I?"

　　"Alexie!" shouted another voice before someone rushed toward him. It was Julia, her face panic-struck. Before he could answer her, she began to heal his body. "You are alive... thank god..."

　　"Thank Oriole instead," snapped the girl at her, almost barking. Her face was contorted into a deep frown as she gnashed her teeth. "For this man, that idiot had to go there, but where is he now?"

　　"I was the only person targeted by the teleportation," said Arthur as he held his face, the wounds on his body closing. "What is going on, Julia?"

　　"Many things happened, but I rushed to find someone before being chased by fairies. Then, I found Oriole, who decided to go into the illusion and bring you out."

　　"And what is his next plan? Why did he choose to stay there?" asked Arthur as strength returned to him and he managed to stand. "Does he have another runic card?"

　　"We only created one tunnel," said the girl with a frown. "We knew that you were fighting, so we had no time. However, Oriole said he would bring you out but didn't say he would stay there."

　　"...is he buying us time?" muttered Julia with shock. "If that is so, we need to hurry up and leave!"

　　"You want to abandon him?" snapped the girl at her, full of rage. "That fucker is nothing but a runemaster, and you expect him to survive when this monstrous Alexie is barely alive?!"

　　"First of all, who are you?"

　　"My name is Maryam Amiens," said the girl, breathing heavily. "I was the one who accompanied Oriole on his journey to save you."

　　"The daughter of the Amiens family..." muttered Arthur with a frown as he remembered another thing that Oriole left him with. "Oriole told me about the deal you two made. If he trusts you, then you can join Ascent."

　　"Ascent?" laughed the girl before walking toward him and grabbing his collar. "I don't fucking care about that. Go back and save him!"

　　"There is no way that he can save him with these wounds. Both of them would die if he goes back," said Julia as she tried to stand between them. "This is what Oriole wanted to do all along."

　　"I don't care about what he wants to do if he ends up dead," said Maryam as she pulled Arthur to meet her eyes. "If you don't have the balls to go back, I will."

　　"You are a good friend," smiled Arthur at her outburst. "I never wanted to leave him, but Oriole asked me to trust him."

　　"Oriole said that to force you to leave!" said Maryam as tears gathered in her eyes. "He was fine with dying for you, but you are smiling as if it's nothing!"

　　"You think you care about him more than I do?" asked Arthur as his smile disappeared. "You have no idea how much I want to go back, but... Oriole asked me to believe in him."

　　"Excuses!"

　　"He would never lie to me," said Arthur as he touched her hand and forced her to loosen her grip. "You can go back there, and I can go back there, but Oriole suffered all of that to give me a chance to save my family. Of course, I want to make sure he is okay, too, but... Oriole is the only one I can rely on in this life."

　　Maryam suddenly flinched before retracting her hand. There were still tears in her eyes as her hand turned into a fist, which she used to punch Arthur. Although he saw it coming, Arthur didn't dodge.

　　"Why couldn't you say these words to his face?" she asked with tears. "Oriole was... always feeling like a burden, after constantly being saved by you. He did such foolishness because he wanted you to rely on him."

　　"And I trust him," muttered Arthur as he touched his cheek. "I trust that he will survive, and I will live to repay this debt. You can hate me all you want, but please, believe in him too."

　　"The Seika is right!" jumped a spirit from behind Maryam, looking like a tiny woman with wings. "Let us wrap this meeting and go back to meet master! She can send the Seika out of here!"

　　"Please, lead the way," said Arthur, nodding at the spirit before turning to Maryam. "Oriole is still alive, and he will survive. The enemy won't kill him, I promise. However, if you go there, then he will kill you too."

　　Arthur knows that his words held very little weight to this woman, who cared about Oriole so much. For her, he was nothing but a cold puppet who abandoned his friend, and Arthur might just be that.

　　However, Oriole said he had a plan in the letter he left him. His friend chose their parting, and Arthur needed to respect that, even if it pained him to lose the one friend he had.

　　"You can fuck off to wherever you want, Alexie Linan," said Maryam as she stormed off toward somewhere. "I will be the one to bring that idiot back. You can hide somewhere."

　　"Maryam!" shouted Julia before she turned to Arthur. "We need to stop her, Alexie."

　　"That is her choice, but Oriole asked me to take care of her," sighed Arthur before raising his hand. A rune appeared on it before it darted to strike Maryam. "Sleep."

　　The runemaster fell unconscious immediately, but Arthur was there to carry her. Looking at her peaceful face, suddenly asleep, Arthur knew that his friend had asked him to take care of a troublesome teen.

　　"Guide us toward Gala, young spirit," said Arthur toward the fairy, which nodded and began to fly away. Julia sighed in relief when she saw that Maryam was just sleeping, and the two of them carried her toward the witch's location.

　　Arthur looked behind for one last time, knowing that Oriole was there somewhere with Sier. Even though Oriole didn't state his plan, Arthur knew that it might be their only way to survive against the other vessels.

　　"Please stay safe, dearest friend."