“I know, I know,” Daes said, picking up where Alnea had left off. “If you have not guessed already, I am a Scholar. Though I have also dabbled in the path of Warriors and Arcanists. Which is also one of the reasons why I survived being betrayed by my companions… In any case, my fighting style as a Scholar is similar to yours. Preparing my Glyph Tokens before battles.”

  “…There is nothing similar between your fighting styles.”

  “…You are just jealous that we have one more thing in common.”

  “…Whatever makes you happy.”

  “…Just admit that he likes me more than you,” Daes said with a smug smile, before shifting her gaze back to a confused Alnea. “Anyways, as I was saying, our fighting smiles are very similar. You use Glyph Tokens. I use Glyph Tokens. You are a Scholar of Destruction. I am a Scholar of Creation. It is almost like the Origin Sea wanted us to be a team. No wonder my Roots led me to you…”

  “…Focus, Daes,” Alnea said, feigning a cough to hide the flush on his cheeks. “And stop wasting everyone’s time.”

  “…Tsk. If only these—

  “Daes.”

  “…Well, since you insist, I will try to keep it short,” Daes said, putting her smile away. “You should already have an inkling of what my path as a Scholar is like. I will let you see the rest with your own eyes when the time comes. For now, just know that I am a Scholar of Creation, with mastery over Glyphs from all five Elemental Series.

  “As for the other two paths… I guess, I can barely be considered an Arcanist, with roughly a dozen Arcanas at my command. Though do not expect me to support you with my Arcanas. On the contrary, if I am forced to use my Arcanas, then it means that I am the one in need of support. After all, I would never use my Arcanas until I run out of my Glyph Tokens. And if I am forced to use my Martial Styles… Well, at that point, we can only pray to Goddess Ilea to send my mother in time.”

  “…That is a unique way of introducing your paths,” Alnea said. “But I guess it will do. Tia…”

  “…I will also try to keep it short,” Tia said with a nod. “Of the three paths, I am most proficient in the path of Warriors. And I prefer using my fists and palms. Similar to how Cecilia uses her claws. Additionally, as you should have guessed, I have almost finished connecting my Aspect Wells into an Aspect Ocean. There was just one thing that was blocking my path… and now, even that has Cleared up. Two months. Three months, at most, and my Aspect Ocean will be complete…

  “As for the other two paths, I can barely be considered as acquainted with them. Of course, that is in comparison to monsters like you. When considered from the perspective of average Wanderers, you can say that I have made some decent achievements in the two paths. Just do not expect me to throw out Glyph Tokens out at every turn. Though I guess I can support you with my Arcanas until you catch up with me…”

  “That is enough,” Alnea said with a nod, before turning towards Cecilia. “Lia…”

  “…I know,” Cecilia said, still with a dissatisfied pout on her face, and a gloomy tone to her voice, as she glared at Daes. “You should not need me to tell you what path I am most proficient in.”

  “…Should I say, as expected of the heiress of the Serpia clan?”

  “An heiress,” Cecilia said. “But yes, my clan’s foundation does have some influence on my paths. Though I have also made some attainments as an Arcanist and a Scholar, enough to perfectly clear all the Trials of the outer city, I am still most comfortable when using my claws…”

  “…Lia.”

  “…Of course, if the need arises, I can also support everyone with my Glyphs and Arcanas. Like when scouting our path. Or when dealing with invisible enemies. Though we have yet to encounter the latter situation… In short, think of me as our team’s scout and vanguard,” Cecilia said, before glancing at Alnea. “That should be enough, right?”

  “…Forget it,” Alnea said, shaking his head with a wry smile. “Vestia…”

  “The short version, or the long version?”

  “…Keep it short for now.”

  “As you wish,” Vestia said, flashing her dimples at him, before glancing at Daes and Tia. “You should have most of my information already. Still, since we are introducing ourselves formally, let me start from the beginning.”

  Vestia paused for a moment, organising her thoughts, before continuing from where she had left off.

  “I am Vestia Weina, daughter of Foriana Weina, from the Weina clan of the Erwein Forest. And just like Tia, I do not have any Grand Wanderer behind me either. My mother is just a True Wanderer. Though she is not far from the Mystic Rank. But that is not enough for her to have a voice in the matters of the clan’s affairs. Neither could she refuse any orders from the Elders. In the end, running away from my clan was my only option.”

  “You ran away from your clan?” Cecilia said, staring at Vestia with wide eyes. “How did you even run from the Water Region all the way to the Lightning Region?”

  “…I did not run literally. That was more of a metaphoric expression. Otherwise, people from my clan would have already come chasing after me. Though I am not in a much better situation right now. According to the rules of my clan—

  “We can talk about those things later,” Alnea said before Vestia could finish her words. “For now, just give a brief description about your paths.”

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  “…It is alright, Alnea,” Vestia said. “Since everyone is sharing their secrets today, then I might as well take this chance to tell them a few things about myself.”

  “…Are you sure?”

  “We are all companions, right?” Vestia said, shrugging her shoulders. “They will learn about it sooner or later.”

  “…What are you two talking about?”

  “…Whether or not I should tell everyone why I joined your team.”

  “Does that still need to be said?”

  “You are a Weina. Why else would you approach a Wanderer of your age?”

  “Though I am surprised that you agreed to share him. That just goes to show how we should never believe in rumours.”

  “…I do not know what rumours you are talking about, but in my case, I did not have a choice,” Vestia said, with a wry smile on her face, as she glanced at Yuri and Cecilia. “I am already happy to make a place for myself in his Heart.”

  “…Vixen,” Cecilia said, but did not show any scoff or disdain. “I knew that I should not have let you join our team.”

  “But you did,” Vestia said, before bowing slightly towards Cecilia and Yuri. “And for that, I am truly grateful.”

  “…What are you doing?”

  “What I should have done long ago.”

  “…Just get to the point.”

  “…You already know about my clan, right?”

  “Who does not know about Weinas?”

  “Then do you know how we decide who inherits the Ewein Forest’s crown?”

  “…How would we know such a secret?”

  “It is not a secret,” Vestia said. “Almost all clans that have ties with the Erwein Forest knows, and even participates in the selection every five hundred years.”

  “…Even so, what does that have to do with you joining our team, or running away from your clan?”

  “…I am getting to that part,” Vestia said. “There is a rule in my clan, that every five hundred years, twelve daughters of the Erwein Forest will be selected as the Maidens of the Forest, and must compete with each other for the forest’s crown. The one who wins, will become new Queen of the Erwein Forest, while those who lose will become the ‘Jewels’ of her crown.”

  “Jewels?”

  “…That is what we call the Elders who assist the Queen in handling the affairs of our clan. After all, even if they lose, they are still the best Wanderers of their generation. It is only natural for them to become Elders. And this is the reason why infighting is strictly prohibited among the Maidens. But that does not stop them from holding grudges against each other, the brunt of which is borne by Wanderers like me, who either failed to be selected as Maidens, or were just born at the wrong time.”

  “Is that why you ran away from your clan? Because you failed to be selected as a Maiden of the Forest?”

  “And staying with Alnea can somehow help you stay out of their fight?”

  “…The reasons are a little more complicated, but it will take too much time to explain, so, yes, you can think like that.”

  “…So, you approached us only to use Alnea?”

  “…I will not hide it from you. At first, I did intend to use him to keep myself from being dragged into the competition between. But after our first trip to the Black Desert, I could not bring myself to keep deceiving him anymore. So, after we returned, I told him everything about my situation and left the decision up to him. And that proved to be one of the best decisions of my life.”

  “…Was this on your day out?”

  “…Yes.”

  “And what did he say when you told him about your situation?”

  “…He promised to let me use him as my shield.”

  “…Did he?” Cecilia said, glaring at Alnea, while Yuri just let out a sigh. “What else did you two do that day?”

  “Well, we spent most of them time in—

  “How about we continue this later?” Alnea said hurriedly, before Vestia could dig another pit for him. “We have already wasted so much time.”

  “…Do not change the topic, Alnea—

  “Do you want to meet master as soon as possible?”

  “…I…”

  “Do you not want to know what she thinks about… about us…”

  “…I do.”

  “Then let us quickly get this over with and return to the Blood Hall to register the two of them as my Dependents.”

  “…Fine. But this is not over yet.”

  “Of course. I will do whatever you say later. But for now… Vestia…”

  “…Well, I have already told almost everything about myself… As for the rest… Just like Alnea and Cecilia, I also walk on all three paths. And though I used to combine the path of Arcanists with the path of Warriors in the past, after the Final Trial, I have decided to try mixing the Glyphs of Optah’s lineage with the other two paths to perfect my fighting style.”

  “That’s a wise choice,” Alnea said, nodding solemnly. “We can discuss how to help you later. Next, Yuri…”

  Alnea paused, and glanced at Yuri, before continuing.

  “Her case is a little special, so—

  “It is alright, Alnea,” Yuri said. “Since everyone has shared some of their secrets, so why should I be any different?”

  “But—

  “Besides, we are all companions, right? I am sure that no one in this hall will leak what they hear.”

  “Still—

  “Why? Do you think they are not trustworthy?”

  “That’s not it—

  “Then just sit tight and listen,” Yuri said, leaving Alnea completely baffled. He could not understand what she was angry about. Was it because of Vestia? But they had already talked about her… Then, was it because of Daes and Tia? No, that did not make any sense either…

  “…As Alnea said, my case is a little special,” Yuri said, bringing Alnea back to his senses, forcing him to raise his vigilance to its highest level, ready to stop her should she try to say anything that she should not.

  “Due to some reasons, before we leave for the Union, the most that I can tell you about my origin is that I am not from the Tes Domain.”

  Fortunately, she did not let her emotions cloud her Heart.

  “But since I said that I will also share a secret… how about I tell you about my Roots?”

  “Yuri!”

  “I know what I can say, so just shut up and listen,” Yuri said, glaring at Alnea, before glancing at the other people in the hall. “As I was saying, just like Daes, my Roots are also a little special. They can tell me when I, voluntarily or involuntarily, have changed someone’s fate. Of course, small things like having a conversation would not be enough to trigger my Roots. But becoming companions, and even planning on leaving the Tes Domain together…”

  “…What are you trying to say?”

  “…I am just wondering,” Yuri said, shifting her gaze between Daes and Tia. “Why have you two not triggered my Roots yet?”