Chapter 1284: Elinor

“I have my reasons,” Robin began, his tone calm but firm. “First of all, I want a base of operations located in the Mid-Belt. A place where I can act freely—do what I want, when I want, without oversight. My men can’t remain under your constant surveillance forever. It’s… unhealthy.” He leaned back in his chair, letting the weight of his words settle in the air.

“I also want the citizens of Sky Opening City to gain deeper insights into the planets scattered across the Mid-Belt—their environments, resources, and strategic weaknesses. With that knowledge, they’ll be able to craft far more devastating weapons. Tools worthy of the wars to come.”

He paused for a moment, then added with a subtle smirk, “Besides, before I made my way here, I had a lot of idle time. Time I used to read through numerous reports—some of them, interestingly, authored by Raiden himself.”

Robin’s eyes narrowed slightly as he continued, “He wrote about the sheer volume of resources being extracted from Planet Orlando, along with detailed specifications on some of them. Even though that planet has been ravaged by war and is severely lacking in energy, it still holds an astonishing density of rare and valuable minerals? That alone makes the med belt planets a prime target for me, especially with the arms race escalating between my three military divisions.”

He scratched his forehead, his tone shifting slightly. “Now, as for why I’ve allowed you to manage those planets publicly… it’s because I simply don’t yet have the strength to protect them myself. Not at this stage. I can’t just proclaim myself as the new ruler of the Mid-Belt, only to immediately beg the Empire of the Nine Paths for protection. That would utterly destroy my image—undermine everything I’m building. No, I’ll only step into the spotlight when the time is right. When I can stand tall and defend what’s mine, without leaning on anyone.”

“Oh?” Renara raised an eyebrow and leaned her elbows onto the table, resting her chin on her hands. “And when exactly do you think that will be? Do you even realize how many years it takes to nurture a One-World Cataclysm? You might be away for Millenniums… Looks like I’ll be the image ruler of those planets for quite a long while.”

Robin chuckled. “Then I guess I’ll be paying you for protection for quite a long while too. You won’t be losing anything in the process—haha.” He spread his arms wide in a grand, theatrical gesture. “So, tell me—what do you think of this arrangement?”

“…” Renara held his gaze in silence for a few seconds. Then, at last, a smile crept onto her lips. “I don’t see any reason to refuse.”

“Ha! That’s the answer I was hoping for!” Robin clapped his hands together in satisfaction, the sound echoing through the room.

He quickly pulled out a scroll and a pen from his coat, then began writing at a brisk pace. Once done, he sealed the scroll with his personal sigil and handed it to Renara with great care. “Please send this with one of Raiden’s followers to the Empire of True Beginning. Once they read it, they’ll understand exactly what they need to do.”

Renara accepted the scroll lightly, her fingers brushing against the parchment. She looked back into Robin’s eyes, studying him. “And what about you? Don’t you want to stop by and check in on your forces stationed on Planet Orlando?”

“No,” Robin replied with a shake of his head. “I have other plans in motion.” He tapped his thigh and stood up with deliberate intent. “I’m thinking of touring Sector 100 of the Mid-Belt. It’s about time I broadened my horizons.”

Renara’s brows furrowed with concern. “…Is that really wise? The Mid-Belt is unstable. You know it’s not safe to wander through it on your own. Would you like me to assign a few elite guards to accompany you?”

Robin laughed heartily, his voice filled with confidence. “If I—an esteemed Grand Soul Master—were to die out there, then I’d have no one to blame but myself.” He gave her a respectful nod. “Let’s hope that next time we meet, the circumstances will be better.”

He turned and began walking toward the door.

“Do you at least know where you’re going?” Renara called after him.

“Hmmm… I was planning to ask the portal operator to send me to Planet Orlando. From there, I’d find my way to other planets—maybe sneak onto a vessel, or kidnap a commander and force him to give me planetary coordinates.” He paused, scratching the back of his head.

“There’s no need for all that,” Renara said with a light laugh. “Just tell the portal guards to transport you to Planet Zaron.”

“Planet Zaron, huh? Thanks for the tip!” Robin gave her a quick wink over his shoulder, then swung open the door and walked out without hesitation.

“…..”

At the back of the room, a faint, knowing smile crept onto Renara’s lips. That arrogant little fool… he hadn’t even asked what kind of planet Zaron was. He just accepted it and left—bold, reckless, and infuriatingly unbothered. Typical.

Step… Step…

A few quiet seconds passed before another figure emerged into the dimly lit room. This one was a woman—elegant, radiant, and unmistakably captivating.

“So that’s the man you were once considering as a suitor for me, dear elder sister?” the woman said, her voice dripping with playful sarcasm. “Arrogant, insolent, full of dreams and self-importance… I must say, not bad at all~”

“Elinor,” Renara responded with a sigh, not bothering to hide the fatigue in her voice, “you really shouldn’t reduce him to just that. There’s so much more beneath the surface. That soul shard he carries…” She trailed off, her eyes falling shut as she recalled the overwhelming sensation of locking eyes with the golden Soul Shard—an artifact of unimaginable power and origin. “Hah~ And as I told you before, I suspect he holds dominion over another Master Law… not just the Truth. If he doesn’t die on the way, he’s destined to become someone… monumental.”

“Mmmm,” Elinor mused, pressing a finger to her plump, glistening lips as if savoring the thought. “A man filled with secrets and danger… That’s exactly my kind of toy.”

She didn’t bother to hide her face or cloak her presence the way her sister did. Elinor wore no veil, no mask, no ceremonial robe. Her beauty was left bare—raw and deliberate, meant to be seen, admired, and remembered. While she was technically Renara’s younger sister, everything about her—from her posture to her presence—stood in contrast to the composed, regal demeanor of the older sibling.

Where Renara stood with the pride of nobility and the restraint of a warrior queen, Elinor’s stance was loose, unburdened by formality. One long leg crossed gracefully in front of the other, her hip tilted in a casual but seductive pose, with a single hand resting lightly on her narrow waist.

Her gaze wasn’t commanding, it was devouring—those daring, amber eyes could ensnare a thousand men with a single look, turning resolve into infatuation and caution into desire.

And her clothes? Scandalous by almost every standard. One of her long, smooth legs was fully exposed, her midsection nearly bare, her navel forming a deep hollow between taut skin. Even her chest was only half-covered, with the soft curves of her bust left intentionally visible beneath a sheer fabric.

If that weren’t enough, her long, flowing orange hair shimmered with an almost magical vibrancy, and the nine ethereal orange tails that swayed gently behind her glowed faintly like molten fire, casting her in an otherworldly aura. The moment she stepped into the room, she consumed all attention without effort—stunning, powerful, impossible to ignore.

And yet, as surreal as her beauty was, it still fell short of the divine gravity that her older sister, Renara, carried so effortlessly.

“Don’t try your tricks on him,” Renara warned, her voice lower now, tinged with caution. “You saw how he spoke to me, how little he feared status or power. That man bows to no one. I’ve watched with my own eyes as he chose his pride over his life, and I have no doubt he’d do it again.”

She exhaled, her brows knitting slightly. “I don’t want to lose him—not as an ally. And I certainly don’t want to tangle with the force that seems to be backing him from the shadows. I already have enough enemies. I don’t need more complications.”

“Hehehe~ Alright, alright,” Elinor chuckled, waving one hand dismissively as if brushing away her sister’s tension like dust. “I get it. I’ll try to behave~ Although it’s not like I have much time for games these days, anyway. Ever since Luciander revealed himself as a Royal Soul Master, you people haven’t left me a moment to breathe.”

“We do what we must,” Renara said solemnly, lowering her gaze to the cold marble floor. “For what our father built… and for the legacy left behind by our grandfather. We’ve already lost too much. We can’t afford to keep letting our heritage slip through our fingers.”

“Yeah, yeah. Message received, High Priestess,” Elinor replied with an exaggerated eye roll and a smirk. “I’ll stay close for now. I won’t wander far until this crisis is behind us.”

She waved her hand gently to calm her sister, then took a few steps toward the exit, pausing only to flash one more sly smile. “I’m heading out to monitor Luciander’s movements. Anything else you need before I go?”

“Just… be careful,” Renara said softly, her voice full of quiet concern.

“I always am~” Elinor sang with a playful wink. Then, without another word, she turned and walked gracefully toward the same door Robin had exited through minutes earlier.

With each step, her smile deepened, her orange tails swaying behind her like flames dancing in the dark.