Rasmus and the others went back to the Brithia Kingdom and they could see that the rain had stopped after they destroyed what was beneath the Walloce Trench. Aris went to inform Queen Anastasia and the others about what had happened while Serena decided to meet Erlina and the others. Rasmus on the other hand went straight to his chamber, resting and waiting.

After Serena explained what had happened, Erlina, Carrion, Daryus, and Aider were concerned about Rasmus’ condition. It wasn’t the first time they had seen him like that, and things had been hard for him ever since his encounter with Satan.

"Wait, the first thing he wanted was to meet with Javi? Out of all people?" Carrion arched his brows, confused and curious.

"I’m not sure, maybe he wants to know how the Blackhands are doing. I think it’s normal for him to care for them since they’re useful for him," Serena shook her head, her expression showing burden and exhaustion. "You said that you want to visit Ceras Kingdom, Erlina. Can I tag along with you? I need some time away from everything," she looked at Erlina with her brows raised.

Erlina’s expression stiffened when Serena mentioned the Ceras Kingdom, her hometown. That place was all the source of her nightmares, the things that kept her awake most of the nights. It wasn’t a secret anymore among them that she wanted to seek revenge, to pay for what they had done to her mother.

"We are planning to leave in two days. I think it would be safe for us to travel by then," Erlina said under her breath, her gaze distant and unfocused.

"You have me, so everyone should be safe. But who’s coming along with you? All of you?" Serena looked at Carrion, Daryus, and Aider.

"Yes, everyone will be coming with me. I need Aider’s skill to gather information for me while Daryus wants to try to help the people there because that nation is full of corrupt nobles. For Carrion, well, he’s my partner. He has no choice but to follow me around," Erlina answered as he nodded her head and looked at Carrion with a teasing smile.

Serena hummed, and her eyelids got heavier and heavier. She was exhausted and she was still fighting corruption within her body.

Rasmus was drinking alone in his room when he sensed Javi entering his room from the open window. He filled the other glass with whiskey for Javi. He tapped the table with his fingers and then Javi sat across from him at the table.

"I need you to pay attention to your surroundings," Rasmus tapped his fingers slowly as he took a sip of whiskey, his gaze fixated on the window.

"I understand," Javi nodded.

Rasmus exhaled deeply, his tapping relaxed and slowed down a bit. He stared at the bright sky outside, not even once had he turned his head to look at Javi. He was deep in thought but things kept moving out of his reach.

"How’s the situation out there, especially the two nations that have been invading the neighboring nations?" Rasmus asked, his fingers stopped tapping the table for a moment before his index finger began to tap the table again.

"They both lost half of their forces," Javi answered, his eyes focused on the glass of whiskey, not wanting to drink. "During their conquest, the corruption made both sides to kill their own armies," he explained.

"Only half?" Rasmus raised his brows, his index finger paused before he began to tap the table with his middle finger and ring finger. "I was expecting them to lose all of their forces, but it seems someone or something managed to stop the corruption," he said before he took a sip of his whiskey.

"We saw them, the two mysterious figures that neutralized the corruption. We are assuming they’re the Prime Lords that you’re looking for," Javi revealed, his expression unchanged and unfazed.

Rasmus hummed and nodded with understanding before he turned his head to look at Javi. He repositioned himself to face Javi completely, his arms folded on the table, his right fingers beginning to tap on the glass he was holding.

"What about the other nations?" Rasmus asked, his eyes stared into Javi’s eyes.

"Every nation lost at least 70% of their forces. Soon they all will be taken by those two nations, estimated in a month or two," Javi finally saw Rasmus heterochromatic eyes that somehow made him feel uneasy and disturbed.

"What about the Blackhands? Any of them got affected by the corruption?" Rasmus looked down at his glass of whiskey, tapping it gently and slowly with his middle finger.

"Thanks to Lady Rullein, everyone is safe from the corruption. I ordered them to stay together for now in a safe place," Javi’s gaze showed curiosity toward the drastic changes in Rasmus’ appearance.

"You may leave now, be aware of your surroundings," Rasmus said and emptied his glass in one gulp.

Javi nodded with understanding and then walked past Rasmus before his presence disappeared. Rasmus sat there like a statue, his gaze empty and distant until he suddenly poured whiskey into his glass.

Serena was about to leave the room when suddenly Javi came in through the window. Everyone looked at him with a confused look because he should be with Rasmus, not with them. However, when Javi approached Serena and whispered something that took longer than the others had expected.

Erlina tried to read Serena’s expression, but she didn’t get anything because Serena’s expression didn’t change one bit, not even a muscle. When Javi pulled away and immediately left without saying a word, Serena stood up from the chair with a long sigh.

"I’ll get some rest, I might sleep for a whole day today," Serena chuckled softly as she walked toward the door and left the room.

As soon as Serena left the room, her expression darkened and colder. Her gaze was filled with hatred, anger, and even disgust. She turned left at the end of the hallway when her room was on the right side. She went to see Aris because there was something Aris needed to know.

When Aris left the throne room, she saw Serena waiting for her with that cold expression. She raised her brows and was about to ask what had happened when suddenly Serena walked away and looked over her shoulder at Aris. She realized Serena wanted her to follow her, so she walked beside Serena without saying a word.

Serena created an invisible divine barrier, separating them from the outside world.

"Rasmus believes Videl is connected to this whole incident," Serena said as she kept walking.

"How so?" Aris asked, but she didn’t show any sign of surprise.

"Rullein mentioned that Videl’s power couldn’t be devoured and blended in with her power and corruption. Rullein saw a glimpse of Videl’s scheme that he was cooperating with Belial. It was all Videl’s plan all along the moment he sent his minions to West Neva way ahead before us," Serena answered, her gaze fixated on the wall ahead of her. "His purpose was to devour corruption and to corrupt Rasmus so he could take control over his mind and body. This is his main purpose," she added. "Videl might not have realized this, but the moment his energy blended in with corruption, it made him vulnerable. That’s why Rullein managed to get the truth on an accident."

"So you’re saying that Rasmus is being watched from the inside? His thoughts and all are being observed?" Aris glanced at Serena with her brows furrowed. "If that’s the case, wouldn’t Videl know that we know?" She added.

"No, Rullein used a different method to communicate with Rasmus by using Rasmus’ codes that only him and Javi knew by using fingers to communicate. She used that method to warn Rasmus about it, and I believe Videl hasn’t realized it yet and he might overlooked this," Serena answered and turned her head to look at Aris. "Videl might have lied about a lot of things, and we don’t know about them yet. Rasmus wants us to be aware of Videl’s movements from now on because Videl might stab us in the back," she pointed out.

Aris’ expression turned cold, mirroring Serena’s when she realized Videl was being passive at the front and how he had managed to fool everyone with his act.

"Rasmus told us that Satan had warned him about Videl, about the bet, about everything that could be a lie or only half of the truth. Rasmus is powerless right now, and we might be the only ones that can help him," Serena said when she saw Aris’ hatred, anger, and disgust in her face. "We are going to be betrayed by Videl, and now we have just given him the army that he needed," she said and stopped walking.

Aris stood there without saying a word, her face showing an intense killing intent, regretting that she didn’t killed Videl back there.

"I might go to the north, Aris," Serena spoke with a serious expression. "Or perhaps South, whichever that can help us deal with that bastard," her voice filled with hatred and anger.

"North or South? Where?" Aris’ snapped back to reality and turned her head to look at Serena.

"Either I go to meet with Satan herself to reveal Videl’s plan or to the South where the cult is. Both sides want Videl to fail, and I think they will become a great ally," Serena answered under her breath. "Which is the safest? I’m not sure because I hate both of them," she crossed her arms, her gaze fixated on the stained glass.

"I see, then I’ll stay by Rasmus’ side. If you go to the north, Sanya might be able to help you. If you go to the South, the humans can help you as well. But be careful," Aris stared into Serena’s eyes, showing genuine concern.

"I will. I will request Javi to lend me some of the Blackhands. Right now, I really need to rest," Serena said as she removed the barrier. "I’ll take my leave now," she said before she turned around and walked away.

Aris listened to Serena’s footsteps, thinking about what she should do for Rasmus, to help with his condition.

"He has the Dragon’s Breath on him, use it to help him," Aristoria whispered.

"But the risk..." Aris muttered.

"There’s no risk, my other self is within that Dragon’s Breath and she will protect Rasmus no matter what," Aristoria pointed out.

Aris took a deep breath as she closed her eyes before she exhaled deeply, knowing that Aristoria might be right. However, she couldn’t just trust everything unless she was convinced and believed that the method was risk-free.

"I’ll think about it and let Rasmus be for now," Aris responded as she nodded with understanding.