Floating Island - Triple S Talent

However, because her work required her to be away often, her time with Lein felt so rare.

"Elen… if you don't want to be left behind, you have to move," Hana stated firmly. Her eyes burned with determination, like a flame that refused to be extinguished. She would not lose. Not this time.

Hearing those words, Elen and Laras felt their hearts pound. For some reason, the emotion stirring in their chests felt like a call to fight for something they all shared.

Unlike them, Nita only smiled faintly. It was not because of competition, but out of pride. She was proud to see her female friends fighting as if they were striving for something precious. For her, her affection for Lein was nothing more than that of a sibling. She wanted to be someone meaningful within the family, to replace the mother figure that had long been gone. She wanted to be a warm protector for all of them.

"Ahem…"

A calm and serene voice suddenly came from behind them. Except for Nita, everyone flinched and instinctively turned around, their eyes filled with alertness.

"Ah… Lord Haikal?"

They exclaimed in unison, then took a deep breath, slightly relieved yet still cautious.

"My apologies…" Haikal Emanuel gave a slight smile before casually stepping beside them, as if his sudden appearance was nothing unusual.

"Congratulations to Lady Nita for reaching the King level," he added sincerely before looking ahead again, continuing his stride as if nothing had happened.
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"WHAT?!"

Laras, Elen, and Hana shouted simultaneously. In their minds, Nita was still at the Grandmaster level like them. But if Haikal Emanuel had said something, there had to be a reason.

"Nita? Is that true?" Hana asked, her expression unable to hide her shock.

"Yep." Nita simply nodded, smiling innocently as if it was not something to make a fuss about. She even wore an expression akin to a mother comforting her child.

"Tch… not fair." Elen muttered lightly, slightly complaining, though it was clear she was not serious.

"So… does that mean I have to work even harder to catch up to Brother Lein?" Laras spoke with a burning determination. The stronger she became, the more she could contribute. That was her principle.

Even Hana, who was usually composed and mature, now pursed her lips, her expression a mix of surprise and disbelief. This… was truly unexpected.

"Hey, have you all forgotten about Young Master Lein's goal?" Haikal Emanuel reminded them in his calm voice from the side.

They all fell silent, reflecting on his words. Haikal was right. This promotion was a gift from Lein, whereas they should have reached it through their own efforts, relying on their own strength. Realizing this, they all congratulated Nita together.

"Congratulations, Nita. Looks like you'll be the eldest sister from now on," Hana teased with a slight smile.

Nita simply returned a gentle smile, accepting the heartfelt yet playful congratulations from her friends.

"Well… this is also related to the future development of the world. We'll discuss it after this grand event is over," Nita said, giving them a small hint.

"One thing is certain, you all must be ready to take on a great responsibility."

After saying that, Nita fell silent. Haikal Emanuel, walking beside her, paused briefly before resuming his pace as before.

Laras and the others gave a light nod. They could hardly wait for the time to come.

Nita's group continued walking along the main path inside the tree trunk, heading toward the center before taking the lift up three floors. Upon reaching their destination, they found a spacious hall filled with dining tables. People had already begun enjoying their meals.

"Let's go to the next room," Nita said, leading them.

A servant standing by the main door immediately followed. Nita mentioned a few things, which the servant quickly noted before walking away.

Ignoring the glances from various directions, they continued walking toward a set of large doors in the distance. Upon reaching them, a servant opened the doors, allowing them to enter.

The room inside was brighter, designed similarly to the previous one, but the tables and dining arrangements here were larger, with fewer in number.

"Please, Lord Haikal," Nita said respectfully. Though she had reached the King level, showing respect to her elders remained ingrained in her as a human from Earth.

Haikal nodded and walked toward the table where Lein, Aleron, and Tauriel were seated. The officials from the Cui race and the Forest Elves were also present.

Meanwhile, Nita and the others searched for a quieter spot.

"Sister, over there… look," Elen pointed to a nearby table. Seated there was Grace, a newly joined core female member. Besides her, there were also female officials from the Cui race and the Forest Elves.

"Let's go…"

Without hesitation, the four girls stepped forward toward the table where Grace and the others were seated.

***

At the Guardians' dining table, Lein gazed at Aleron with questioning eyes. The atmosphere was calm, with only the occasional clinking of cutlery breaking the silence.

"Lord Aleron, by the way… is the Cosmic Disasters you mentioned truly going to arrive in one year?" Lein asked with a thoughtful tone. If the timing was certain, wouldn't it be possible to search for it earlier and resolve it now?

Aleron set down his utensils and looked at Lein with a serious expression. "Yes, that's correct, Lord Lein…," he replied, his voice steady yet carrying an undeniable tension.

"The one year I mentioned is after the Cosmic Disasters barrier breaks," he continued heavily. In his gaze, Lein could see traces of bitter experiences and hardships he had endured.

Tauriel, seated beside him, nodded slowly. "As long as that barrier remains intact, we won't be able to do anything. No matter how strong we are, that limit cannot be breached." Her voice was gentle yet carried an undeniable certainty.

Lein frowned, his fingers tapping rhythmically against the table's surface. "A troublesome disaster…," he murmured softly, letting his mind sink into the calculations and strategies beginning to form in his head.