"What!? Am I going to be left behind!?"

"I've said it a lot of times and I will say it again—yes."

"You can't do this to me. How very cruel of you!"

"I don't care."

"Then, how about having—"

"No."

"Ah, come on! You haven't even heard what I am going to propose."

Basil looked at the dejected Dantalion with unamused eyes and flicked the Demon's forehead. She had been whining for the last five minutes because of his decision to make her stay at Padeitophys and become the strategist while he was away.

She didn't consider it a hard task, yet she preferred spending her time exchanging thoughts with Basil; therefore, she wanted to come along. Basil vehemently refused her request, much to her disappointment, saying that bringing her to the Demi-Human's territory would be equal to declaring war.

Her eyes lit up when Iliana showed up. "My fellow soon-to-be-wife, can you somehow persuade our soon-to-be-husband to bring me along?"

"..did you lose your brain while changing your sex?" was Iliana's response. She was equally bewildered and amused.

"You both are truly a match made in heaven. Your words sting like Zeus' lightning spear—not that I have ever been hit by it."

Ignoring Dantalion like she was a lunatic, Iliana turned to Basil with a quirked eyebrow. She gestured for him to do something about the Demon but he just shrugged, implying that he had tried his best. She sighed and then shook her head faintly. Standing beside Basil, she waited for Ione to arrive, completely tuning the whining Demon out.

The said Pacifer showed up not long after with the Braxtein's Royal Family. Amara immediately ran at Basil upon spotting him, causing Mei Qi and Anthony to sigh helplessly. She said nothing as she hugged him tightly. She was so focused on hugging him that the people watching doubted she even registered their presence. It wasn't until Ione stood beside Basil did she let go of her hug.

"I wish you a great and safe journey, Basil. Hopefully, which I doubt, you will return faster," she said with a smile.

"A great journey it will be, yet not a safe one," Basil replied with a soft smile. "I can, however, guarantee you that I will return."

"Good, good, good."

Taking a step back, Amara joined her family. This time, Anthony stepped forward. Saying nothing, he immediately put his hand on Basil's shoulder. He looked into Basil's eyes silently for a few seconds as he patted Basil's shoulder softly.

"I don't understand why you don't even bother to say farewell to the people. It keeps making me wonder if you know how much influence you have on them," Anthony remarked.

"I have said my farewell to those I know personally. The people don't need to know when I am about to leave and send me off every time I am leaving," Basil retorted.

"You just don't like attention, do you?"

"No. I hate people in general."

"..."

As always, talking with Basil made Anthony chuckle both in amusement and astonishment. He shook his head faintly and then let go of Basil's shoulder.

Taking a step back, he looked at the young man standing proudly before him. Two of the most beautiful Mages in the world stood on each of his sides, meanwhile, seven legendary Eighth Circle Mages stood behind him. It was something that would never happen to him. His chest strangely swelled in pride despite knowing that he didn't contribute anything to Basil's achievement.

"My Shadows.."

"Hm? Oh, your elite Assassins? What about them?"

"I will leave them in your care. I am sure you know how to use them."

"Of course, I do."

Nodding his head, Basil turned away from Anthony and looked at Mei Qi silently. She expected him to say something and couldn't help getting irked when he said nothing to her. He turned his gaze away from Mei Qi and landed it on Edward. Starting from the Fifth Prince, he shook the hands of the Princes who decided to side with him.

Turning around after giving Amara one last hug, he patted Dantalion's head twice to shut her up before walking away with his entourage without saying anything. From the way he walked, however, it was clear what he was saying to them: "I believe in you; therefore, I don't expect a disappointment."

Flash!

Bright light covered Basil and his entourage briefly. When the light disappeared, they were also gone from Padeitophys.

"Well, move your butt, people. Master will return with something great, so make sure to greet him with something extraordinary," Dantalion said, awakening the people from their entranced state.

...

Three hours had passed since Basil and his entourage travelled out of Padeitophys. A huge distance was already covered thanks to Deacon's commendable speed and the Warrior's agility but they were still far from their destiny.

Their first destination was the Demi-Human Empire. It was located on the east of the Arthean Empire, which required them to take a detour, lest they wanted to get caught up by the Empire and Church's Army by passing through the Empire's territory.

Everyone was focused on the way. They stayed extremely vigilant since there was a huge possibility that Basil's location had been figured out. Ambush could happen anytime. They hadn't been talking to each other because of this but it was to be broken by Iliana who had something bothering her mind.

"Basil, let me ask you something."

Without turning around, while caressing Deacon's head, Basil responded, "What is it?"

"I have been thinking about it but I can't seem to find the answer."

The Warriors, who were running beside Deacon, hummed to themselves as they put their extreme hearing to good use. They were sensing a drama coming up, so they didn't want to miss what could probably be the only source of amusement in their journey.

"I don't get why we have to be blessed by the Elf."

At this, the Warriors sighed softly in disappointment. They still paid attention to the conversation, though, since they were curious about the reason why Basil told the two female Pacifers to get blessed by the Elf before departing.

"Do you know what the Elf uses to bless you?"

"Nature Mana?"

"No." Basil shook his head faintly. "It is Earth Essence—the purest form of Mana with Earth Attribute that not even people with Earth Affinity can use. It can calm one's mind and heal one's injury. It can also create life, which is why the Elf is great at cultivation. Most important of all, it makes the Demi-Human less hostile."

Iliana and Ione still didn't get what Basil meant but the Warriors immediately nodded their heads in astonishment. Again, they were surprised by their Lord's brilliance.

The Demi-Human was known to be the most hot-blooded and impulsive race. They let Mana affect their moods, so they often fought people because the Mana indicated that they were being challenged.

The only race that could meet the Demi-Human without breaking into a fight was the Elf and it was only thanks to their ability to use Earth Essence. Earth Essence was the tamest Mana—as the Demi-Human liked to say—so they rarely got mad at the Elf.

Now, it didn't mean that one had to be able to use Earth Essence to be able to talk to the Demi-Human. However, it was worth mentioning that one had to have certain control over one's Mana or the blessing of the Earth Essence to be taken seriously by the Demi-Human.

The Demi-Human knew their nature, so they often tuned anyone outside of their race out to avoid getting into a fight. Therefore, they rarely paid attention to the talk they had with non-Demi-Humans, which unfortunately made people think that they were extremely self-centred.

While Iliana and Ione had superb control over their Mana, they weren't skilled enough to prevent their emotion from flowing to their Mana. Basil's purpose for meeting the Demi-Human Emperor was to ask him for his cooperation, so being tuned out because of the two women was something he didn't want to happen.

"Just because of that?" Iliana asked.

"Yeah."

"Since they like fighting that much, why don't you challenge their Emperor to a fight and force him to succumb to you? Isn't it faster?"

"That is a good idea, yet it won't benefit us in the long run, Young Mistress," Xander chimed in, causing Iliana to quirk her eyebrow. Realizing his mistake, he quickly apologized, "Ah, I am sorry for interrupting."

Waving his hand nonchalantly, Basil said, "Tell her what you know."

"Oh..Kuhum! Then, let me explain. As the Lord said earlier, Demi-Humans let Mana dictate their actions—they are very sensitive to Mana. Succumbing them is certainly an achievable feat but it will only lead us to countless future conflicts. As long the strong are still alive, they will keep challenging the Lord to prove to the Lord how strong they are."historical

"Therefore, we do it diplomatically," Ione concluded.

"That is correct, Miss Ione."

Iliana immediately squashed the thought of challenging one of the best warriors in the Demi-Human Empire as soon as they arrived there. She had been sure that she would win and make the Demi-Human intimidated by the force Basil had at his disposal and the answer made her scoff at the thought.

She liked to fight but an endless fight didn't seem exciting to her. Guaranteed, she would avoid fighting a Demi-Human and when she had to, she would end the Demi-Human's life.

Click-Clack! Click-clack!

Their attention was attracted by the sound of the approaching cavalries from behind the hill on the west. No one could see the cavalries yet but Basil already knew there were three of them coming. Unsurprisingly for him, all of them were Paladins sent by the Church. His position had been figured out and it would be their first obstacle.

"Let us not engage them in close combat; instead, we destroy that hill."

At Basil's suggestion, Iliana immediately blurted out, "What about the people that may live near the hill? Are we just going to kill them?"

"Luckily for you, my dear, people don't live there," Basil answered. "However, had it been the case, my order wouldn't change. They are innocent—I get it—but it is better to kill the enemy's innocent people than watch ours die."

Iliana frowned lightly, clearly not liking the mindset, but still nodded her head. It had been years since she witnessed how easily Basil risked people's lives to achieve his goal and prove his point. She had been trying to understand the way he thought ever since but it was hard for her. She couldn't be cold and heartless—that was why Basil called her na?ve and soft.

Clicking her tongue in annoyance at the thought, she took out Sinister Piercer and shot a powerful beam out of it at the hill at the same time the others sent their attacks. As the hill crumbled, she imagined it killing the Paladins and the imaginative innocent people nearby.

She did it because she wanted to make her sympathy dwindle. She didn't think it worked but little did she know Basil had lied to her.