Chapter 1395: Preparation [4]

Two weeks really couldn't be counted as any time at all when events kept unfolding.

No, even with a boring schedule, one would find two weeks passing before one even knew what to do with oneself.

For Damien, who was constantly working in one way or another, two weeks were like a passing breeze.

They were gone before he could even hope to feel them.

"Are you really leaving?"

The one who spoke was the one he'd spent the most time with over the past two weeks. She was a familiar face as well, Celeste Veritas.

"Of course I do. What, did you expect me to stay here for the rest of my life?" Damien returned with a smile.

"I mean, that's a little much, but..." Celeste frowned, hiding her face behind a towel as she glanced at him.

She was the one who found him first.

When they were in the Forbidden Secret Realm, she learned so much from him that she almost couldn't believe it despite feeling the changes in her body.

Unlike others, who shakily guided her to the best of their abilities, Damien knew exactly what she needed.

He knew how to help her improve, and with his help, she saw results unlike anything she'd ever seen before.

Thus, when they returned to Veritas, she found him without hesitation and asked him to teach her.

Damien naturally obliged.

He had no reason not to, and he was quite fond of Celeste as well. She reminded him of Astoria, and her power was interesting. He enjoyed both teaching her and watching the mysterious chaos within her grow more formidable with time.

Today, they'd ended a training session like any other. The only difference was that it was more intensive than usual, but even that was expected from a demonic instructor like Damien.

But Celeste knew it just as well as he did. This would be their last time training together.

"I was hoping you'd stay for a little longer."

She blushed while she said it, but she felt like saying it regardless. The feelings in her heart weren't particularly romantic, but Damien definitely became an important figure in her life in the short time they'd known each other.

Unfortunately, he couldn't live up to her expectations.

"Don't be so sentimental, brat," Damien joked, ruffling her hair like an older brother.

"You probably already know where I'm going and what I'm planning to do, so why make a big deal out of this? Eventually, we'll see each other again."

"I know, but still! Isn't it dangerous?"

"There's no way it wouldn't be, but I still have to do it, don't I? Wouldn't you do the same if it was Veritas?"

"That's...!"

She couldn't refute him.

She thought she hid it pretty well, but it seemed he'd figured out her identity long ago. He just hadn't said anything out of consideration for her.

Yes. If it was Veritas in Void Palace's situation, she wouldn't hesitate to take the same actions as he did. No, she probably would've been far more impatient about it.

The fact that he waited so long, acting at the whims of others, so he could gain enough power to support the people he had back home was respectable enough, because she knew she couldn't do the same in his situation.

Could anyone?

Celeste had no way of knowing, but she knew Damien was a special character.

And she wanted to be by his side a bit longer.

That was definitely the best path for her growth, but what could she do? There was no way to stop him from leaving, and she couldn't leave Veritas either.

"Then..."

She sighed to herself and stood up, putting aside the towel in her hand and facing him confidently.

"What are you do-"

"Teacher!"

Damien found himself interrupted by a shout loud enough to echo off the walls.

Celeste straightened her body, and with a movement as rigid as a military official who'd been doing it for years, she bowed a full ninety degrees.

"Thank you for your guidance!"

She thanked him sincerely for everything he'd done in the least words possible. She already knew he didn't like long and overly heartfelt displays.

Damien smiled.

'This girl...'

"Get up."

He raised her up and patted her shoulder.

"I just did it on a whim. Don't think too much about it, since we'll probably be meeting each other with equal status from now on. Isn't that right, Miss Shadow Disciple?"

"Hehe..."

Celeste rubbed her head awkwardly and nodded.

"If that's the case, then let me introduce myself properly. Though, I still won't stop regarding you as my teacher even with this change."

Celeste looked into his eyes with a smile.

"My name is Celestia Veritas, and I am the future Matriarch of the Veritas Clan. It is a pleasure to meet you."

Damien nodded with the same expression on his face.

"I am Damien Void, the Young Lord of Void Palace. Likewise, it's my pleasure making your acquaintance."

A fateful relationship, to say the least.

Two future powerhouses who formed a connection when neither was aware of the other's status. A curious relationship that was both one of friends and equals and teacher and student.

Only time could tell how this would turn out, but one thing was for certain.

Regardless of what happened, the relationship between Void Palace and the Veritas Clan would only grow firmer from now on.

***

The goodbye with Celeste was the last one. Damien already participated in a large gathering with all the Elders and even the Grand Elders where he drank himself to death the night prior, so when the next day dawned, he met Yulia and went straight to the teleportation array.

"That's a nice disciple you have. I almost want to steal her for myself," Damien said.

"Don't even think about it. She's our Veritas Clan's great hope, you know?" Yulia responded, a little firmer than Damien expected.

How could he know?

Celeste valued her relationship with him quite highly, so if he really asked her to join him at Void Palace, the chance of her accepting wasn't negligible!

Yulia could only be relieved that he never brought it up, drawing the line with her early.

"You have our contacts, right?" She confirmed.

"Mm, all the preparations have been made as well," Damien responded confidently.

"Good, then..."

Yulia stopped and turned around to face him. They'd already arrived at the teleportation array, and the time they had together wasn't much longer.

"It won't be an easy fight, but we'll be fighting it with you. I sincerely wish you good fortune in all your future endeavors."

Damien smiled.

"This isn't like you. I was expecting a much rougher farewell at this point, I can't lie."

"Damn brat, I'm a Veritas Clan Grand Elder too, you know? I can do the whole official thing if I want to."

"Hahaha, then I'll be grateful to you for showing me such a hilarious sight."

"Tch."

The two conversed happily as they walked towards the array. If there was someone who got closer to Damien than anyone else during his stay here, it was Yulia.

The two of them were practically friends who'd been through life and death together at this point. To Damien, they were "brothers," though he never said that to Yulia lest she kill him on the spot.

Nevertheless, their approach could only take so long, and they eventually arrived at their final destination.

There, waiting for them, was another group of five travelers.

Until this point, Damien honestly forgot that he was waiting for them so they could use the array together, but the second he saw them, his eyes widened.

As did the eyes of a specific member of that very group.

"Huh?"

"Hm?"

They both voiced their surprise.

Two faces that were familiar to each other.

Two distinct sets of amethyst purple eyes.

It was yet another fateful encounter!