When Kairos is convinced that Tommy’s training is proceeding nicely, he finally put his heart at rest, but the number of things for him to worry seemed countless. What happened to Ling’er had been stuck in his mind. He went to find Relestia, hoping that the princess who can heal souls could restore Xuan Xian’s daughter.

The little girl had suffered at the hands of her father’s greed while Kairos was at the Silent Lambs Empire. Even though he wasn’t the cause, he still felt guilty for being away. Those in the Snowdrifts develops a strong familial bond and looks out for one another. He was no exception and often searched for a cure for Ling’er, though every lead had failed thus far.

The little princess, who was his last option, agreed immediately. When Kairos asked her to join the sect he created, it felt like her heart had blossomed.

After joining Snowdrifts, she had been a faithful member that wanted to help them in everything she could. It wasn’t surprising since the princess was only surrounded by caretakers and servants but never friends or anyone with equal status. This is the first time she could do something helpful, and she was enthralled.

Unfortunately, when the pair came close to the school gates, they were blocked by a sea of people who were shouting for Kairos.

“W…what’s this?” Relestia gasped. The older boy by her side looked just as confounded.

“Had I done something that caused this many to seek me?”

“Lord Kairos, Crown Princess,” A stranger’s voice whispered beside them.

With Soul Perception banned, the two of them had not detected anyone, and they jumped back in shock.

They looked around but did not see anyone close to them, yet the voice sounded right beside their ears.

“My apologies my lords, we are Lord Yue’s men on his orders to protect you. Do not be alarmed.”

“F… from what?” Relestia asked in a small voice.

“These people out there are waiting to meet Lord Kairos. They desire to learn your secret to tame the Unknown Flame Sovereign.”

“All of them?” Kairos asked in surprise. He had not expected the purple flame that was so easily brought out by an instructor had such fame.

Relestia, on the other hand, nodded thoughtfully. As the princess, a famous thing like the Unknown Flame Sovereign and its history definitely could not escape her ears. The children of the royal family grew up listening to stories that the rest of the empire could only dream about. Therefore, she knows that although the purple flame is rather commonly found in Gaia, it is powerful enough to make every Pill Master and Alchemist covetous for it.

“Lord Yue has instructed us to ensure your ease of way should you wish to depart from the academy grounds.”

Kairos glanced at those crowding outside the gates and couldn’t help but frown. It had already been days since he tamed the flame, but the number of people only continued to increase as people travelled from far to seek answers.

“It is impossible to go to Ling’er now. I can’t take even a step outside like this.”

“Relestia, I’m going to take up on Lord Yue’s invitation to visit him. Can I ask for your help later on?”

“Can I come along with you?” the little girl chirped.

Kairos thought for a moment then nodded his head. Having the princess around always make his heart feel lighter, so why not?

Lord Yue’s men were overjoyed at his acceptance, and if the princess attended, they wouldn’t mind either. Since she outranks their master, they couldn’t decline her even if they wanted. After all, the masters of each of the Three Great Nobles are all Dukes, the highest rank a person could reach, but still below royalty.

Six guards suddenly appeared next to the two children, with three tall men with a dangerous vibe on each side. They wore the emblem of Dark Gods family on their robes and led the way, parting the crowd with a single stare.

Escorted by men from one of the Three Great Nobles, those that had questions to ask Kairos, had to swallow their words back down their throats.

No one dares to mess with this group, not with the reputation of Lord Yue, and not to mention those six are all Peak SS rankers.

The group soon reach a specific building in Saint City where numerous people are queuing up at. They walked past the line and entered the small round dome-shaped structure.

“The Teleportation Station,” Relestia whispered for Kairos, knowing the latter had hardly been to this part of the city.

Kairos’ heart sped up uncontrollably. He had just taken the teleportation ward to and fro Beast Mountain Sanctuary, but it still makes him excited to be seeing one. There is an overwhelming emotion of adventure that bubbled within him uncontrollably.

This is the place where people go for their travels, the place that could bring the five to see the great frost plains and actual snowdrifts to the north.

Alas, this time, they are not heading for a holiday but to meet with the superior of the Devilheart family.

Kairos steeled his heart and followed the guards to a private section of the Teleportation Station.

Station staff guided the eight towards a very luxurious door that leads to the VIP area that took up over half of the station and far too spacious for them.

Though there were few teleportation rooms, the majority of this wing is made up of high-class establishments for food and entertainments.

Here, they could see high nobles having tea and chatting with each other at restaurants along the sides.

The guards noticed Kairos curiously ogling at the people, but any disrespect they felt did not show on their faces.

The one closest to him bent over slightly to reach the boy’s ears and whispered, “Lord Kairos, everything in this place is free for consumption. The fees are billed to each noble house that is a member of the King’s Teleportation Station.

If you sign up the Astroire house as a member, every family member who bores your signet could enjoy the same benefits. Would you like me to help you enrol?”

“How… how much is the membership fees?”

“Ah, Lord Kairos, it is not too expensive. For an Earl’s house, merely ten White Gold a year.”

Kairos shuddered at the price. It is already enough to purchase a large house. It's only because there are plenty of high ranking nobles in the empire that such a business could sustain. Even though he can easily afford it without feeling any strain, it is an unnecessary luxury for him.

They did not need such things to travel. Moreover, the teleportation speed is instant, and the queue for nobles are nearly non-existent.

The group skipped all the refreshment booths in the area and went straight to the Teleportation Room, though on the way Relestia and Aisa couldn’t resist taking a few candied fruits from the stores.

The latter was doing it unseen while the little princess left a trail of wide-eyed staffs when she flashed her signet.

When they entered the Teleportation Room, Relestia handed Kairos a candied apple which he immediately took a bite of it.

While waiting for the stratagem activation, Kairos looked around and saw crystal balls displaying the scene of their destination. From it, they could quickly determine the weather they will arrive in. Next to it, on the same platform is an odd-looking device that glowed in pale blue.

A small sign introduced the item as a temperature-checking artefact.

“Kairos… I can’t finish my own,” Relestia said in a timid voice while looking at her own candied apple.

Kairos nodded seriously then proceeded to help. He did not think anything strange about the situation, but Relestia’s smile in response seems to light up the entire place.

At the same time, as if on cue, the floor shone in colourful illumination as the teleportation ward activated, then a flash of white washed away everything they could see. The next moment, before they know it, the eight of them are standing within a teleportation room that is obviously different from the one before.

Instead of the usual white painted room, everything appeared matt black and glossy gold.

“Welcome to the Southern Reaches. This place is the final stop for those travelling to the mage countries.

Our Lord’s manor is just nearby. Shall we head over immediately?”

Kairos nodded stiffly. The Duke had invited him thrice before, and he is interested to find out the reason why. So, why delay?

A carriage awaits them at the entrance of this Teleportation Station that they arrived at. Like most of the other things they see here, it is also painted in black and gold.

The guard that noticed Kairos’ intrigued expression explained, “Lord Yue likes this combination of colours, and the locals painted the whole town this way to honour him.”

The colours contrasted each other and looked elegant and solemn. But, when the carriage arrives the manor an hour away, Kairos’ eyes almost fell out of his sockets because he saw a dozen spiral towers rising into the sky all in the same colours.

“T… this…”

“Our Lord likes this combination of colours…,” The guard repeated expressionlessly, almost like he was reciting a chant.

“But…, isn’t this a little…”

“Our Lord likes this combination of colours,” the guard sighed.

“I… I… see.”

Relestia was giggling the entire way into the manor under the polite escort of the six guards, “Kairos, your eyes are about to fall out.”

“There’s just too much black and gold. It looks like a pirate castle from my storybook,” he took out a picture book from his Space-Time ring and just as he mentioned, there is a castle that looked quite alike to Lord Yue’s manor.

“W…wait… this isn’t just similar, this place is a complete reproduction of the storybook’s castle!”

The six guards shoved their heads over and looked at the book Kairos is holding, and surely enough the designs are the same.

They noticed that the book is a children’s book and not the popular kind.

Kairos who loved adventures, legends and all kinds of exciting stories had developed a hobby of collecting books.

He never had such a luxury two years ago, and all the tales he heard were from his father, Vouno. Somehow, because of this, it made him enjoy getting a copy of all kinds of chronicles and legends. And, the rarer it is, the more excited he will be to get his hands on one.

This book is indeed a rare-find that only very few people know about it. Written by an old seafarer who had experienced unbelievable things, he had changed it into a children book because nobody believed in his tales.

Unfortunately, it never became popular, and never made it out of the village that the old seafarer came from.

Kairos knows of it, and bought one, because he also came from the same village, Rutea.

If Lord Yue had seen it, then perhaps he had something to do with the small village the five boys had grown up in.