The Bookkeeper

Screams, tears, music, and laughter filled the air from the direction of the city. Raiden stood in the Apex Circle's quarters, looking toward the sounds while holding a piece of bread. Ash and the others had been given a newly opened tent at Chrono's command.

He needed a moment of peace to collect himself and consider how exactly he was going to get the minimum mana pool for their journey.

The mountain overlooking the city entrance wasn't just the best place to watch as the people got slaughtered—it also provided enough space for him to think.

He began making his way toward the mountain. Despite the dry afternoon wind, the evening brought a chilled breeze unusual for a desert city. He rolled down his sleeves as he climbed the mountain, fearing the worst.

When he reached the mountaintop, he let out a sigh of relief and sat down, gazing into the city. He couldn't see much even with his Gaze Beyond ability activated.

Despite the screams echoing from parts of the city, especially the dark areas, he could see young women dancing for men as they spent money on them, drinking and eating meat. They were completely oblivious to the danger.

However, it didn't take long before something bizarre caught his attention. He saw someone familiar, and after a careful look at his blue eyes, he realized it was the kid who had taken them to the Apex Circle: Nico.

Raiden smiled as he watched him fight off a grown man who apparently wanted to take the water Raiden had given him. But Nico held his ground, refusing to let go of the water sack, teeth gritted in determination as he threw his body weight against the man.

"What do you want?"

A voice from the left snapped Raiden out of his daze, and he turned toward its direction. The shock of it sent a shiver through his body in the cold evening air.

He sighed. "I didn't know you were here, Noelle."

Noelle lay on the ground facing the dark sky, her domain activated around her. She gave no response to Raiden, but he understood her situation. Her mother was possibly dead, and if not, in a very dire situation.

But she couldn't do anything even if she wanted to. Not only was she bound by responsibility as the rulekeeper to always put the safety of the books first, but wherever her mother was, she couldn't reach her in her current state.

Raiden didn't want to say anything, but his relationship with her wasn't special, and he knew this was an opportunity he couldn't let slip. If he played it right, not only might he develop a better relationship with Noelle, but he could also use her.

He let out a sigh. "I know you don't want to hear anything from me." He glanced at her. "Possibly you've even created a rule where my words can't penetrate your domain."

He tilted his head upward and began staring at the stars and the moon to his left. "I'd suggest you have a little faith in your mother?"

He paused for a moment. "My mother, Jane, was always a pain in the butt, but I never doubted her skills."

He let a nostalgic expression cross his face. "When I was a kid, she used to save me from most of my failed missions…"

"Even though I was pissed when she interrupted, whenever there was trouble, I knew she would come and save me." Raiden turned to Noelle, who turned to him as well. "I'd suggest you have a little faith in your mother."

Noelle's expression darkened. "What do you mean? That's nothing like what they told me about you."

Raiden smirked. He had forgotten that no one knew he was actually Jack, an assassin. But in Raiden's memories, there wasn't anything related to Noelle's situation. Though he doubted his story was anything close to her reality, he knew it was better than nothing.

"How about we build up our strength and track down the FIRMO so that you can save your mother?"

Noelle remained silent for a moment. "Do you realize how ridiculously powerful we have to be to even endure an absolute domain?"

"I do…" Freya joined them from behind, placing her hands on her waist as she stood upright.

"What's it?"

"Number 5 or below."

Raiden's hand moved to his neck, fingers tracing the star-shaped blue crest.

"Not only do we have to build up enough mana, but we have to increase in ranks, too?"

Freya started down the mountain in the direction of the city. "I know absolute domains are incredibly powerful—walking into one is suicide."

She paused and turned to face them, her voice turning cold. "That's why you need to get stronger, Raiden… I don't know, but I feel like Free would've wanted to tell you that."

Raiden watched Freya and the others descend the mountain along the path to the city. Ash, who had awakened, was now perched on Leo's shoulder.

Raiden looked down at his hands, remembering Free, Freya's Arch Hell Phoenix familiar. He had pushed all thoughts of him aside after asking Freya to deliver that message, but hearing his name again stirred unease. He found himself drawn back into the mysteries surrounding Ash, the moon dragon—something he'd hoped to avoid.

"You seem distracted. Did you kill Free or something?" Noelle asked, resting her aether between her lips.

Raiden let her words sink in for a moment, though his mind was elsewhere. He possessed Ash's heart, soul, and everything that defined a moon dragon. Did that make him a moon dragon, too?

He shook his head, clearing his thoughts. "We need to start training, and each of us must build up enough mana for our journey."

This was what truly mattered: securing the pages before the other organizations could and returning to his original world. His vengeance was what counted most, not questioning whether he was human or moon dragon.

"This is the first time I've heard you say anything sensible to me…" Noelle said, smoke curling from her lips.

Raiden turned to her and sneered.

"What about you and I," she said, turning to Raiden, "we travel across the cities and come back when we're strong enough."

Raiden locked eyes with Noelle's dark violet ones. What she suggested was a good idea. Not only would they get to explore the kingdom of Noor, but they would return stronger. If he gave the others similar missions, they were all bound to return far more powerful than they would have become staying in a single place.

He smiled. "That's a great idea, rulekeeper." Raiden tilted his head back to look at the stars. "We'll speak to the others when they return and leave as soon as possible."

"Yes, I need to get stronger." He muttered it more to himself. "I need to go home."