In fact, Aisha had no idea at all that her brother was in the Northern Lands of the Central Continent until not long ago.
The information only reached her a few months back, when a member of the Iron Legion returned from the Sword Sanctuary and reported to Rygar that he had heard stories about a powerful mage named Rudeus Greyrat, currently residing at Ranoa University.
The swordsman, however, did not investigate deeply.
He only heard the name, perhaps in some conversation among students or local merchants, and mentioned it in passing. Even so, Rygar was surprised.
He knew exactly who he was: Aisha's older brother, the 'Glass Cannon' mage who once tried to kill him.
It seemed that Rudeus and his company had found an alternative route, crossing the sea via the Celestial Continent, completely avoiding the return through Milis.
It was a rather inaccessible route, but not unprecedented.
However, the news took a long time to arrive. This was because the Magic Letters, still in the process of being installed in the world's various corners, were not fully operational in that region.
It hadn't even been a full year since the Kingdom of Gaia had fully developed the Magic Letters technology.
It would probably take a few years until the entire world was connected to the communication system.
In any case, Rygar did not deem it necessary to act personally.
Rudeus and Sylphiette were, indeed, dangerous declared enemies of the Kingdom, but they were not relevant enough for Rygar to leave the Kingdom of Gaia and cross the world just to eliminate them.
He had many things to attend to not to worry about that at the moment.
Moreover, the Kingdom knew they were there but did not have details about their current actions.
Melissa, however, was different.
The black-haired elf was primarily a spy. Her sole mission was to gather information and observations.
Even if Aisha had not known beforehand that her brother would arrive in the Northern Lands right after they left the Sanctuary, she had mentioned some names, potential targets of interest—and Melissa investigated.
She followed Rudeus's trails, watched from afar, infiltrated among acquaintances. What she found was enough to raise the alarm.
Rudeus, now known as the Magic King of Ranoa, now possessed an impressive reputation.
A Mage of the Water King and Fire King level, his greatest specialty was chantless magic—a technique he mastered with such perfection that, to many, it seemed impossible.
He also learned, somehow, Rygar's Lightning Magic.
His fame grew at a steady pace, not only among the students of the University, but among nobles, soldiers, and important Merchants of the Magical Triumvirate.
However, Aisha's true concern was not only her brother.
After all, it didn't matter much how strong he would become, for her master would always be far ahead.
It was those around him that worried her a little. The so-called Seven Retainers of the Magic King.
Melissa did not dare to get too close to them—for she did not want to risk being exposed.
But she obtained sufficient information. Among these retainers, some notable names stood out.
Cliff Grimoire, grandson of the former Pope of Milis, a magical genius with mastery over sacred spells.
Zanoba Shirone, the Head-Ripper Prince, a Miko with absurd physical strength, capable of crushing an ogre with his bare hands.
Ariel Anemoi Asura, princess of the Asura Kingdom, with an immense network of influence within the Magical Triumvirate, always accompanied by Luke Notos Greyrat and Derrick Redbat.
Silent Seven Stars, a researcher whose work accumulated inventions and discoveries recognized even in Milis and in the current Kingdom of Gaia.
In addition to these were Sylphiette, the Magic Fairy, inseparable companion of Rudeus, and Professor Roxy, a former student of Ranoa University and master of Rudeus Greyrat.
It was uncertain to what extent these individuals could be called their brother's subordinates. But their relations with him were, at the very least, close and friendly.
Forging alliances with such individuals was hardly mere coincidence. It was probably strategy. And that concerned Aisha.
Signs of possible hidden political plans—or perhaps something even more ambitious. The fact was: Rudeus would cause upheaval. It was only a matter of time.
It is worth remembering that Melissa's report was dated just over a year ago. And what more had he done since then? It was a mystery.
Considering the information, Aisha understood that her own plans would need to be adjusted. She still wanted to kill her brother—that had not changed.
However, now there were too many variables. New threats. New possibilities.
She would need to reveal some things. Even expose Melissa, if necessary, should that help protect the Kingdom... and her Master.
Rygar was powerful. Extraordinarily powerful. But Aisha was his disciple and very close to him, she knew that he was still not invincible in this world.
Who knew if other monsters like the Dragon God could emerge on the horizon? It never hurt to be cautious; that was one of her master's teachings.
With that in mind, she turned to Melissa, who remained silent a few steps away.
"And about Orsted?" she asked.
The elf hesitated for a moment. Her eyes turned to the ground. Then she replied:
"Milady... I found nothing about Orsted. Most people don't even know who the Dragon God is or if he is even alive, to begin with. Much less about his regular activities... or location."
Aisha nodded slightly, as if she had already expected that answer. It was always like that. Orsted was a surprisingly discreet person, despite his immense strength and power.
He only revealed himself to specific people and, at first, let them live on a whim.
Even among the remnants of Milis, members of the Kingdom of Gaia, or the ancient demons—no one knew for sure about him.
Rygar, her master, had learned techniques to confront him with Gall Farion. Yet, even so, the knowledge they had was only on how to fight him.
There was nothing about his motivations, his origin, or the clear extent of his influence.
Aisha had learned this from Rygar. From a very young age, she had heard her master's words as mantras:
"Knowledge is power."
She took that lesson seriously. She always had. Because she knew that Rygar's mind—more than his fists or his magic—was the true source of his rise.
It was that which had led him to conquer kingdoms and build an empire from nothing.
Her eyes returned to Melissa. The night was still dense and the moon was high in the sky.
"You are on vacation for the next month," Aisha said softly.
"Enjoy yourself. Rest with the money I will have ready for you tomorrow. In a month, I will have a new mission for you."
Melissa did not protest. She asked no questions. She only inclined her head slightly, in a sign of respect.
"At your command, Milady."
And then, with the lightness of a trained shadow, she disappeared among the trees, leaving only the brief rustle of leaves as a trace of her presence.
---
The morning arrived silently in the Great Forest; rays of sunlight filtered through the dense tree canopies and illuminated the ground like a light show.
The song of birds and the rustling of leaves accompanied the house's awakening. Inside it, the aroma of baked bread, seasoned eggs, and a large amount of meat filled the air.
A normal household wouldn't eat so much meat at breakfast, but Ghislaine and Rygar liked it a lot, and Eris and Verdia didn't object either.
Rygar had woken before everyone. Or rather, he hadn't slept that night.
He prepared breakfast with efficiency and calm, while the fire crackled softly in the hearth.
After so many years, he was finally able to learn to cook something decent under Verdia's guidance.
His food was finally edible. Still, he had to put in enormous effort while cooking.
He felt as if cooking something delicious was against the rules imposed by the world, it was very strange.
Verdia was the first to appear.
She descended the stairs lightly, her golden hair falling loose over her shoulders. Upon reaching the kitchen, she saw Eris still sleeping soundly, nestled under the huge beast-fur sofa.
The sight looked very cute, and Verdia smiled before approaching Rygar. She kissed him tenderly on the lips.
"Good morning, my love."
Rygar smiled and kissed her back.
"Today I will spend some time at the Temple; I will check on Jino and Nina's progress and establish a training plan based on their strengths."
He had still been training alone lately, for lack of a worthy opponent. He was still improving, but having a training partner would certainly help.
Rygar believed Jino was his best bet in that regard and wanted to help him grow.
Verdia picked up an apple and replied:
"I will continue working on controlling my lightning. I want it sharp enough for real combat. And, by the way, I need to speak with Gretta today. She is thinking of returning to the Demon Continent."
Rygar laughed, taking a cup of tea.
"Ornthorn managed to keep her here for quite a while. I wonder if he will go with her."
Verdia bit into an apple slowly, a smile on her lips.
"I still don't know... but she has changed a bit this past year, she likes him."
At that moment, Ghislaine descended with Leo by her side. The large dog walked attentively and protectively beside her.
The red and green eyes of the beast-woman lit up at the sight of the set table. The smell of food stirred her instincts, especially now, with her pregnancy.
Ignoring Eris's sleepiness, she approached the table and began to serve herself. Conversation flowed naturally among the three.
They discussed Jino and Nina, and the day's training.
Ghislaine still seemed very frustrated at not being able to train while carrying her child, although she held first theoretical place in the Kingdom's ranking of swordswomen.
Verdia, for her part, pondered whether she could defeat Nina in a direct confrontation. But today she would not go to the Temple.
She was responsible for keeping Rygar's magical projects advancing in his absence, and there were many of them—much to be done.
The morning light finally reached Eris's face, and she grunted in annoyance, turning sluggishly on the sofa and trying to cover her face with her arm.
Without success, she ended up sitting up slowly, yawning loudly.
She saw her clothes and did not remember wearing anything like that before sleeping. She deduced that Rygar had dressed her while she slept and didn't worry further.
Upon sniffing the air and sensing the smell of food, she became instantly excited.
"I'm starving!"
With an agile leap, Eris ran to the table and began to serve herself. The conversation had shifted to another topic: the Rise Star Academy.
"We could send our children to complete the entire curriculum there if they don't show their own interests by the age of five or six," Verdia commented.
Ghislaine frowned.
"I was very wild when I was little. If my children are similar, I don't think it would work for them... not everyone is like Rygar."
Verdia considered the point, but before she could say anything, Eris interrupted naturally:
"Then we send them to the Combat Temple. There they learn to behave. My children will probably be like that too."
She chewed a generous piece of buttered bread as she spoke. Rygar nodded.
"It's not a bad idea. It was through swordsmanship that I learned to control myself. As long as they are not as strong as I am, basic body awareness should suffice."
The three women agreed. Leo, sitting silently beside Rygar, seemed to follow the conversation in silence.
In the first months, Verdia had felt somewhat out of place.
But over time, living with Eris and Ghislaine was shaped by rules created with Aisha's help.
Now, the three shared Rygar's space and affection with respect, complicity, and harmony. There were moments of passion, it's true, and Rygar knew well how to balance the desires of the three.
But more important still was cohabitation, the building of a home. Each morning, the love they felt for one another became more tangible.
After some time talking about training, plans for the Kingdom, and everyday trivialities, Rygar stood up.
"Eris, we're heading to the Temple. You'd better change clothes."
With an apple in her mouth, Eris's eyes widened as she realized she was still in pajamas. Wasting no time, she ran upstairs.
Meanwhile, Rygar bid farewell to Verdia and Ghislaine with a kiss on each. He leaned down to Leo and said:
"Take care of them, Leo."
"Woof!"
Leo responded with a single bark, indicating he understood.
Shortly after, Eris came downstairs in her form-fitting swordswoman attire, the Sword Sanctuary mantle resting on her shoulders.
Without further delay, she and Rygar left the house, running together toward the Combat Temple with quick steps.
-----
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