"Also you three," Razeal said evenly, his tone returning to its usual detached calm. "Whatever deal we had... itâs done now so you all can go wherever you want since iâll be leaving this empire in some minutes."
The words landed heavily.
"What?" All three reacted almost at once, surprise flashing across their faces. They hadnât expected that.. atleast not this suddenly? Yet after a moment, the surprise softened into understanding which none of them could deny. They hadnât really been of much use to him in any place whatsoever. If anything, their presence had complicated things more than once for him.. Only causing unwanted trouble for him.. So from Razealâs perspective, the decision made sense.
Understanding it, however, didnât make it easy to accept.
For Aurora and Yograj, the reaction remained muted. Their connection with him had never been deeply personal one was kidnapped without her permission whatsoever and another had just deal to get him to Atlantis which he had fullfilled.. Even if not truly much help.. But yeah it wonât be wrong to say they werenât any where to be called close to Razeal. But Levy... Levyâs expression shifted visibly, confusion and conflict rising together.
"What? Really?" he asked, stepping forward slightly. "But... you spent so much effort on me. You helped me. All of that... and now youâre just letting me go?" His voice carried genuine uncertainty. Memories surfaced unbidden Razeal standing beside him when no one else would, offering support without hesitation, even speaking of declaring war against a pillar family on his behalf? The training he got for nothing? the guidance? the time spent together aboard the ship? he even came yo rescue him when they got cought by those slave traders.. Making him waste his time... So him being saying this made levy felt like.. He was just feeling.. Gratitude? Loss? Uncertainty? He doesnât know.. But definitely feeling like he owes this person.. Or like have so much to pay back for.. Like being in debt? Like Obiously he didnât do anything for him right?.. So he again asked.. "You invested in me so much.. And havenât really being paid back anything.. Are you really fine with that? What happened?"
Razeal looked at him and just shrugged his shoulders.
"Yeah. Itâs fine," he said calmly. "You donât need to stress about it. I did those things because of my own reasons back then,"
He paused briefly, as if choosing his words with care.
"I was alone," he continued. "So I thought maybe having some company wouldnât be bad. Maybe... making a friend? So thatâs why I brought you along."
There was no bitterness in his tone. Only a quiet finality.
"But," he added after a short pause.. His gaze lingered on Levy for a moment longer, then shifted slightly, noticing Auroraâs hand gripping Levyâs arm tightly, as if afraid of what this meant. "it doesnât seem like it worked."
"Is it because... Iâm useless?"
Levyâs voice came out quieter than he intended. He didnât even look directly at Razeal when he spoke, his gaze drifting somewhere past him instead, as if the answer might make him feel less sad that way. His fingers tightened unconsciously at his sides before loosening again. "Like... even if I went with you, I wouldnât be of any use. Just dead weight.. Right?"
There was uncertainty in his tone, but also something heavier self-awareness that had come too late. He exhaled slowly, forcing himself to continue. "I know I havenât really helped you much. Not compared to what you did for me." His lips pressed together briefly. "But things are different now. Iâve awakened my boon. I can actually help in many things now. And... honestly..." He hesitated, searching for the right words, before giving a small, humorless breath. "I feel shitty right now. Like an ungrateful person? Like you gave me so much, and I didnât give anything back."
He finally looked at Razeal then, silently, as if waiting for judgment.
Razeal watched him for a moment before answering.
"Well, that part is true," he said calmly. There was no cruelty in his tone, only blunt honesty. "You can be useful to me in many ways. And you can also become a burden."
Levyâs shoulders tensed slightly, but Razeal continued before the words could settle the wrong way.
"But thatâs not why Iâm asking you to leave."
His gaze shifted briefly, almost unconsciously, to Auroraâs hand gripping Levyâs arm. She hadnât realized how tightly she was holding him until that moment, her fingers curled as though afraid of losing something. Razeal noticed it, and something unreadable passed through his eyes before he looked back at Levy.
"Itâs because you have someone now," he said quietly.
The room stilled again.
"The way Iâm going to walk from here..." he continued after a short pause, choosing his words carefully, "...is going to get kinda ugly. Iâm not even sure it will work out for me." There was no dramatics in the admission. Just simple acknowledgment. "And right now, you have a chance to build something else. A family? Which you always wanter.. A life that doesnât revolve around surviving whatever mess I walk into next."
Levy blinked, caught off guard.
"So iâm just telling you this because it might be your choice," Razeal added. "You just havenât thought about it properly yet." His expression remained calm, neutral. "Also if you still want to come with me, I wonât stop you. But the decision is yours. Because once you come with me... there wonât be any going back. Even if you want to."
The weight of that statement settled slowly.
Levy fell silent, blinking as the meaning fully sank in. For a moment he didnât know what to say. And when he thought about it honestly, Razeal wasnât wrong. Gratitude and loyalty were one thing.. but risking everything was another. Yes, Razeal had helped him. Protected him. Given him opportunities no one else had. But was that enough to abandon his own future or a life for a path he didnât even understand? Right?
He didnât know?
His eyes shifted to the side, meeting Auroraâs gaze. She looked back at him quietly, her grip on his arm tightening just slightly, not pulling him away but not letting go either. There was no demand in her expression, only silent concern. The kind that made decisions harder, not easier.
"What are you going to do?" Levy asked finally, looking back at Razeal. The uncertainty in his voice remained. If it wasnât too dangerous... maybe he could go. If it was... he wasnât sure anymore.
Razeal shrugged faintly.
"I need to build a good reputation worldwide," he said plainly. "So Iâll be doing some things here and there."
Levy stared at him, completely taken aback.
"Huh?"
A choking sound suddenly broke the tension from the side.
"Pffffttt cough cough cough wtff??" Maria bent slightly forward, coughing as if something had gone down the wrong way. Her hand came up to her mouth as she tried to regain composure, though the expression in her eyes betrayed her. Shock? Suspicion? And something dangerously close to laughter? She looked at Razeal as if she had just heard the most unbelievable statement imaginable.
"What... what again?" she asked, blinking rapidly, trying to steady her voice. Her gaze sharpened with earnest disbelief. Razeal and good reputation were concepts that simply refused to align in her mind. It felt like forcing opposite meanings into the same sentence.
Sofia immediately frowned, crossing her arms as she shot Maria an annoyed look. "Whatâs that reaction supposed to mean? You think my husband canât?"
Maria straightened quickly, shaking her head. "No, no. Of course. I was just... surprised." She cleared her throat, nodding with exaggerated seriousness. "Such a big... bullsh... no ah... what was that word again.. yes. Compassion." The word came out carefully, though the corners of her lips twitched as she struggled to suppress amusement. The idea of Razeal building a good reputation across the world felt so absurd to her that she almost laughed outright. In her mind, believing that was about as likely as seeing him do something completely impossible.
Sofia didnât look convinced. She kept staring at Maria with narrowed eyes, clearly dissatisfied with the explanation.
Razeal, meanwhile, gave Maria a single flat look.. just long enough to make it clear he had noticed before turning back to Levy, uninterested in prolonging the exchange.
"Iâll give you thirty minutes," he said calmly. "Decide whether you want to come with me or not."
His tone carried no pressure, no expectation. Only certainty.
"After that," he added, his gaze steady, "Iâm leaving."
The words settled into the room with quiet finality, leaving Levy standing between two futures, both suddenly feeling heavier than he had anticipated.
"You too." Razealâs gaze shifted from Levy to Aurora, his tone unchanged, calm and matter-of-fact. There was no pressure in his voice, only the same detached certainty he had carried throughout the entire conversation. "You could be useful to me as well. So the invitation stands for you too." His eyes rested on her for a moment longer, studying her expression. "And also Iâm sure... you wouldnât want to leave this man alone."
Aurora didnât answer immediately. She simply looked at him, her face unreadable, then slowly lifted her gaze toward Levy beside her. Levy looked down at her in return, the silent exchange between them carrying more weight than words. Neither of them spoke, but the hesitation was obvious now. This was no longer just about loyalty or gratitude. It was about choosing a direction.
Levy exhaled quietly and nodded once. "Alright. We need to talk about this." His voice carried the heaviness of someone who understood that whatever answer came next wouldnât be simple. He looked back at Razeal. "Weâll give you an answer soon."
Aurora nodded as well, her grip on Levyâs arm loosening slightly, though she didnât let go completely. Without further words, the two of them turned and walked toward the exit together, their steps slow, weighed down by the decision waiting outside the room.
Razeal didnât stop them. He didnât even watch them leave for long. As soon as the door closed behind them, his attention shifted again, settling on Yograj.
"You too," he said evenly. "Same condition. Thirty minutes."
Yograj stroked his long beard thoughtfully, looking first at Razeal and then around the room as if searching for someone to consult, only to find no one particularly interested in helping him decide. A faint chuckle escaped him.
"Well," he muttered, "doesnât seem like this old man has anyone to discuss it with." His eyes lingered on Razeal for a moment longer, amusement and caution mixing together behind them. "Iâll give you an answer too. Though donât get your hopes up, lad."
He said the word casually, out of habit more than intention, but even as he spoke it, the image of Razeal forcing Merisa.. a woman of her standing to the ground earlier resurfaced in his mind. A faint chill ran down his spine. Dangerous, he thought. This boy is dangerous in ways that donât show on the surface. Still, Yograj carried himself lightly. Immortality had made him careless in some ways.. fear rarely stayed long with someone who believed death wasnât waiting for them yet.
So without another word, he moved toward the window and leapt out, disappearing from sight in a blur of motion. It had been decades since he last saw the outside world properly. Three decades imprisoned, then dragged straight into Atlantis after being freed by Razeal he hadnât even had the chance to see what had become of the empire. Whatever answer he intended to give later had already formed in his mind. But for now, he simply wanted air. Space. A reminder that the world still existed beyond walls and conflicts.
Razeal watched the old man vanish through the window and gave a small nod to himself, as if checking something off internally. Then his attention shifted again, finally settling on Maria.
"And you should leave too."
Maria blinked, caught completely off guard. For a moment she didnât react, as though she hadnât heard him correctly. Then she pointed a finger at herself, incredulous. "Me? Youâre asking me to decide too?"
Her tone carried exaggerated offense, her brows lifting in disbelief as if fhe idea itself seemed absurd to her.
Razeal shook his head once.
"No," he said flatly. "You donât have an option. I donât want you around at all so Iâm not asking. Iâm telling you to leave."
The words were delivered without hostility, which somehow made them even more sharper. There was no emotion behind them.. only indifference.
A dramatic gasp came from the side.
Sofia covered her mouth with her hand, eyes widening in exaggerated shock before another smaller gasp followed. When she looked at Maria, there was unmistakable amusement hiding behind her expression, the faint curve of a smirk she didnât bother concealing very well.
Maria noticed immediately and her eyes narrowed as she shot Sofia a sharp look, irritation flashing briefly across her face before she turned back toward Razeal, her expression hardening.
"And what exactly is that supposed to mean?" she asked, her tone turning accusatory. "I thought we had a deal."
Her posture straightened slightly, defensive now. "The deal was that youâd remove my entire bloodline from my body, and then Iâd leave. And guess what Iâm not going anywhere until that happens."
The words came out firm, edged with aggression but beneath it, something else lingered. If one looked closely enough, the tension in her shoulders, the slight hesitation before she spoke, betrayed something closer to apprehension. The future beyond this point clearly unsettled her. Whether she admitted it or not, the possibility of Razeal actually sending her away seemed to trouble her more than she wanted to show.
She didnât want to leave.
Razeal regarded her quietly for a moment, his expression unreadable.
"Youâre still holding onto that?" he asked calmly. There was no mockery in his voice this time, only a blunt observation. "I think we both know thatâs not the real reason.. You just lying."
"What do you mean... a lie?"
Mariaâs voice as expected rose immediately, sharper than before, the words coming out too quickly to sound entirely controlled. Offense flashed across her face, her brows drawing together as she stared at Razeal. For a moment, indignation seemed genuine almost convincing. Yet beneath it, for the briefest fraction of a second, something else surfaced. A crack. Surprise? Confusion. The unmistakable flicker of someone caught off guard by being seen too clearly.
But it vanished just as quickly.
Her expression hardened, jaw tightening as she straightened her posture. Whatever uncertainty had surfaced was buried under aggression. She would not allow that opening to remain visible. Her eyes shifted briefly toward Sofia at the edge of the room, and the faint discomfort that crossed her face made it clear she did not want this conversation unfolding with an audience.
"Itâs not," she insisted, her tone firm, almost forceful. A deep frown settled across her features as she pushed back against his accusation, as if volume alone could reinforce the truth she wanted to present.
And before the tension between them could escalate further, Sofia suddenly stepped forward from the side.
"Hey... you two continue," she said lightly, glancing between them with an easy smile that didnât quite hide her awareness of the atmosphere. "Iâll go see how the world outside the water looks for a bit. Iâll be back."
She didnât wait for an answer. She had already noticed Mariaâs unease, the sideways glances, the subtle stiffness. Whether out of consideration or simple intuition, she chose to give them space. With a casual wave, she moved toward the exit and slipped out of the room, leaving the door closing softly behind her.
Maria watched her leave, her expression turning strangely ambivalent. Gratitude and discomfort mixed together in her eyes. Sofiaâs thoughtfulness only made things more complicated, not less.
Razeal observed the exchange silently. He didnât fully understand why Sofia had left, nor did he particularly care to question it. Once the room fell quiet again, his attention returned entirely to Maria.
"Enough," he said calmly. "Stop this. And stop this bullshit."
Mariaâs eyes narrowed slightly.
"Itâs not bullshit," she shot back immediately, the defensiveness returning in full. "I told you already. I came with you to get rid of my bloodline. I hate that the imperial family can control me through it. I refuse to be anyoneâs puppet." Her voice sharpened as she spoke, conviction filling her tone. "And you remember what you said back then. You promised youâd remove it once you found a way. Until then, Iâll stay with you. In return, I donât inform my family or the empire that you escaped the Eternal Hold or running from empire to where."
She took a step forward, meeting his gaze directly.
"So what exactly is the lie in that? I have no reason to stay with you otherwise." Her lips pressed together briefly before she added, almost challengingly, "You think I want to?"
The words were defensive, almost aggressive, but the effort behind them showed. She was trying to hold the argument together, to keep it within terms she could control.
Razeal let out a quiet scoff.
"Sure," he said, shaking his head slightly.
The dismissal stung more than outright anger would have.
"To throw away your bloodline," he continued calmly, "just because you hate the imperial family? To risk losing your power, your talent, more than half of what makes you who you are?" His gaze sharpened faintly. "There are people who would do that. Out of pride. Out of arrogance. Out of stubbornness or whatever."
His finger lifted lazily, pointing toward her.
"But you?" he said quietly. "Youâre definitely not one of them."
The certainty in his voice left no room for argument.
"Thereâs no way youâd actually do that. Not you.. So donât sell this to me as truth. Youâre just bullshiting."
Maria froze.
Her mouth opened immediately, ready to argue back, to deny it.. but no words came out. Because somewhere beneath the anger and resistance, she knew he wasnât wrong. The realization hit harder because it came from him. He understood her well enough to strip the excuse away without effort.
For a moment, silence stretched between them.
Razeal saw it the hesitation, the brief collapse of her defense but his expression didnât change.
"Anyway," he continued after a moment, his tone flattening again, "I donât care why you came with me. Or why you did what you did." His gaze drifted past her for a second before returning. "And do you really think I care about that deal in the first place?"
The words were blunt, almost careless.
"I told you to leave. Whatever agenda you have.. That you came for me, take it back with you. Itâs not needed here." His voice cooled further. "You are of no use to me. Levy, Aurora, Yograj they at least have abilities I can use."
His eyes settled on her again, condescending now, deliberately distancing.
"But you?" he continued. "What can you do for me? I have no reason to keep you around. So leave. I wasnât even planning to waste words telling you that, but Iâm being considerate."
The indifference in his tone was deliberate, almost forced.
Yet even as he spoke, an unwanted memory surfaced sharp and sudden. Maria standing before him without resistance. Trusting him completely. Letting him even take her heart from her chest without fighting back, without hesitation, simply because he had said som.. The image lingered longer than he liked.
And he pushed it away immediately.
Stupidity, he told himself. Irrelevant.
He refused to let that moment matter now. Whatever reason she had for staying, whatever complicated truth sat beneath her words, it didnât change anything. He had no reason to take her with him. No reason to let her remain.
And so he stood there, expression calm, as if none of it had ever meant anything at all.
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Happy valentineâs day guyss Hope ya all enjoying with your loved ones.
And as for ones who donât have that certain someone wish you best luck for next year.. Get someone haha
See yaa anyways thanks for reading!! Lova ya from your always lovely and handsome author.. With Love~ Lazydiablo2
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