Crownless Reincarnation: New World? Nah I'd win-Chapter 97: Staff [2]

"I told you about it, didn’t I?" Akamir asked, looking at him. "There is a company selling them."

There was a silence that lingered between them.

Velyrian had a blank look on his face as he stared at the leaf.

His trembling hand reached out to touch it.

"Try and see if it’s real or not."

Akamir said as he passed the leaf to him.

"....Yeah."

Velyrian took the leaf with utmost care as if it would break at the slightest mistake.

Akamir leaned back on the desk as the elf began inspecting it.

Knock!

There was a knock on the door before Milo walked inside.

She blinked, looking at Akamir before she greeted him.

"Hello."

Akamir just smiled before he looked back at Velyrian.

Curious, Milo also walked towards them as she looked at the leaf in Velyrian’s hand.

Her eyes immediately widened.

Milo leaned in, her eyes glued to the glowing leaf in Velyrian’s hand.

"Is that... a spirit herb?" she whispered, voice filled with disbelief.

Velyrian didn’t respond immediately. His fingers were carefully tracing the edges of the leaf, as if committing every detail to memory.

"It is," he finally muttered. "It’s not an illusion or mimic. This is the real thing."

Milo looked at Akamir, eyebrows raised. "Did you get this?"

"...Yeah." Akamir replied, rubbing his neck. "There is a new company that somehow got their hands on it."

Milo gave him a soft nod. "....Must be hard."

"I am the duke’s son." Akamir shrugged lightly. "I got connections."

Milo rolled her eyes but didn’t argue.

Meanwhile, Velyrian looked up, his voice soft. "This... changes things."

Akamir raised an eyebrow. "So it can help your master?"

"Yes." Velyrian nodded, rubbing his temples. "It can."

"I still don’t understand though." Akamir said, glancing back at the staff’s diagram. "What is even your master’s problem?"

Velyrian let out a sigh as he leaned back on the chair once again.

"...Things are different with my master." He whispered, and Milo curiously moved closer.

’Yeah, even she doesn’t know anything about his master.’

"His race was a peace-loving race that was made to show the world a better future."

Akamir frowned. "Made by who?"

"Exalted Empyrean Noethea." Velyrian said, his voice carrying a heavy tone. "He was made by her."

"....."

Akamir remained silent as he slowly glanced at Nayomi.

"She is the youngest daughter of Inola El Lunari, the first wife of Asaemon." She informed him, her voice soft. "I don’t know anything else about her."

Akamir frowned hard at her words.

Nayomi, who had most of the knowledge, didn’t know much about her?

’....That’s concerning.’

"Wait." Akamir shifted back to Velyrian. "Isn’t Exalted Empyrean a rank? Why are you using it as a title?"

Velyrian gave him a look. "You sure are knowledgeable."

Akamir tilted his head. "Am I wrong?"

"Partially wrong." He replied, shaking his head. "Exalted Empyrean is a ranking but at the same time a title given to those with divine bloodline and potential to reach Godhood."

Akamir nodded in response, finding his words interesting.

’Divine bloodline, huh?’

"My master belonged to a race that doesn’t know how to fight and his body doesn’t help much."

He continued, letting out a sigh as his gaze fell on the half-complete staff.

"But to compensate for that, he was given a long life and a brilliant mind."

Akamir looked at him. "What problem does his soul have?"

Velyrian took a moment before answering. His fingers tapped lightly on the wooden edge of the table.

"It’s... unraveling."

Milo blinked. "Unraveling?"

"It’s like a thread being pulled from a cloth." Velyrian nodded slowly. "It’s not sudden, but it’s constant. His soul is... fading."

Akamir narrowed his eyes. "Is it a curse?" freeweɓnovel.cѳm

"No," Velyrian replied. "It’s the cost."

"Cost of what?" Milo asked, brows furrowed.

"The cost of being made," Velyrian said quietly.

"His existence isn’t natural. He wasn’t born like us... he was created. Something about him was flawed. Or maybe, it was never meant to last."

Silence settled in the room again.

Akamir leaned back, arms crossed. "And the staff?"

Velyrian nodded. "A way to keep his soul connected and make him stronger as well."

"....I see." Akamir mumbled, glancing at the leaf laying on the table. "I will give this one as a gift and will provide you with more."

Velyrian looked at him seriously. "What do you want in return?"

’He is smart, alright.’

"Help me from any connection." Akamir replied, tapping close to the herb. "You see, the company I talked about wants to sell these to elves."

Velyrian’s eyes narrowed slightly. "To elves? For what purpose?"

"I don’t know." Akamir shrugged. "Probably for more profit?"

"You have a good connection with the company, don’t you?" Milo asked, giving him a suspicious look.

Akamir just smiled. "I do."

Velyrian remained quiet for a long while before he sighed.

He grabbed a pen and paper and began writing down something.

"Here is the address of an elf that lives in this kingdom." Velyrian said, passing the note to him. "Tell him my name and he will directly arrange a meeting with the royal elves."

Akamir took the paper as he looked at him with clear surprise in his eyes.

"Aren’t you well-known?" He mumbled softly. "Directly to the royals?"

There was a flicker of sadness in his eyes before he looked away.

"....My daughter is quite high-ranking in the elven kingdom." That’s all he said.

Akamir looked at him for a second before he simply nodded. "I see."

He turned around, walking towards the door. "Well, I will see you—."

"Where are you going?" Velyrian cut in his words. "Come back."

Akamir’s lips twitched as he looked back at him. "What now."

Velyrian pointed at the staff. "Help me with this."

Akamir sighed. "I can’t—."

"Help me and I will give you something special." Velyrian interrupted again, this time placing something on the table.

Akamir raised his brow. "What’s that?"

"A book with two hundred different spells." He said, looking at him. "I can sense your mana has increased but I know you don’t know many magic circles."

He picked the book. "This will help you."

Akamir thought for a moment before he let out a sigh.

’Even though learning by myself would be fun, but a guidebook will be helpful.’

Akamir walked towards him. "Fine, what do you need me to do."

"Check the diagram and tell me if you see any flaws." He said, gently picking up the leaf. "And don’t just skimp—give it a proper read."

"....Yeah."

Akamir let out a sigh as Milo helped him search all the diagrams.

"By the way, Asher." Velyrian said, looking at him. "Never take the Exalted Empyrean’s name."

Akamir frowned. "What?"

"Her name." He said, his voice serious. "She pardoned the elves, but she isn’t that merciful to other races."

Akamir blinked. "...Noted."

He didn’t fully understand why Velyrian suddenly turned grim, but the weight behind his words was enough.

His gaze shifted as he began inspecting the diagram.

---

"Urgh!"

Akamir stretched his body as he walked out of Velyrian’s office.

It was already afternoon when he was given a break.

’There were a lot of flaws in his diagram.’

Akamir rubbed the back of his neck as he stepped into the hallway.

His body was sore from hours of sitting and squinting at tiny details.

But there was one thing that kept playing in his mind.

’The Exalted Empyrean....’

Akamir shifted his gaze towards Nayomi.

"Do you think something will happen if I take her name?" Akamir asked, looking at her.

Nayomi tilted her head. "Whose name?"

"The Empyrean." He said. "The one Velyrian warned about."

"It’s better if you don’t do that." She replied, looking at him. "We can’t be sure what will happen."

Akamir didn’t argue.

He just gave a small nod.

But deep down in his soul.

There was a curiosity that was eating him alive.

’Will something really happen if I take her name?’

Akamir wondered, walking out of the teacher’s building.

His blood-red eyes blinked at the clear sky.

Akamir let out a sigh.

"Who really are you?" He whispered unconsciously. "Noeth—."

Akamir stopped himself at the last second.

His heart hammered in his ribcage as he looked around him.

"What are you doing?" Nayomi growled. "Are you stupid?"

"Chill out."

Akamir said, looking at her.

"Nothing happened—."

His words died in his throat.

Akamir blinked....

...Only to find himself standing on the rough surface of the moon.

’...What?’