After buying new clothes, Nox wore a more updated white sundress, Circe bought a simple red shirt and brown shorts with sandals, and Cirrus bought some buttoned-up shirts with colorful designs along with sunglasses, along with some sandals.

“I realized we're all summer themed?” said Cirrus.

“… We are!” Nox and Circe said.

Seems their minds really are in tune with one another.

 

Taking the secret tunnels went the southeastern section of the city and are walking towards The Library.

“Alright, well, I’ll be going to see if Eupheme is around. You still need to see her, Cirrus.”

“Hmmm… okay… call me if she is there.”

“Of course.” She turned into an owl and flew away.

“Alright.” Cirrus got some water from his storage and wet his hair; he then swept his hair back. “Now let’s go.”

Walking down the stairs and turning right, they are met by a sturdy door.

Knock! Knock!

“What’s the password?”

“Red fish, blue fish, what are you doing? Kill them.”

“…” D looks at Cirrus and Circe. “Welcome to The Library.”

D opens the door, Cirrus walked in first, then Circe.

“Uwah!! Their so many books!”

“So long as you abide by the rules which are on the wall, we give you free access to our collection,” D said.

“Hm! hm! I see. I’ll be sure to follow them!”

As Cirrus was walking away, D stopped him for a moment.

“Um, sir, how did you come to—“

“That’s none of your concern, nor is it the god who runs this vault of coalesced knowledge.”

Cirrus had a stern look in his eyes, and D took a step back.

“As you will, sir.” He returned to his station and left Cirrus alone.

The two stayed and sat down. They began to read the contents of the library, taking a seat with a lamp Circe was engrossed in reading.

‘Hey, Circe, since you were on that island, how did you learn to read the language?’

Circe, who was still reading a book, glanced over at Cirrus.

‘How else could I talk with my contractor? When the contract is established, their knowledge of their primary language and writing is passed over. I’m a bit surprised you know a language called English?’

‘Yeah well… I had a lot of time as a kid to make stuff up.’

‘Good thing only that is passed down…’

After a while, Nox tuned in.

‘Oi, she’s back, and it seems she went to the dungeon.’

Cirrus closes his book and takes a deep breath.

“Haaaaa… Are you good here?”

“Yup, just summon me if anything happens,” Circe said while reading her 4th book.

‘She’s a fast reader.’

 

Standing outside Eupheme’s shop, Cirrus could hear her hammering away.

“… Okay, just go in and hope she doesn’t hammer you in.”

Cirrus opens the door and takes out Brilliant Nightmare.

“Were closed.” She said in her monotone voice, hamming away.

“Is that so? I’m sorry I needed to have some maintenance done on my weapon.” Cirrus said as he put the weapon before her eyes.

“… T-that blade.” She looks to see Cirrus, eyes widening.

“Hey it’s been a—“

As he was talking, she swung her hammer at him.

“You bastard!!”

“Ah fuck!" Cirrus evaded her strike. "I knew you were gonna swing at me!”

“Your damn right I am!” she said in a slightly angrier tone. Her hand firmly gripping her hammer. “Do you know how you worried me, and Ai were!? Ai has been going into the dungeon like a man possessed! Where were you?” she said going for another swing.

“Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" He waved his hand in plea. " I was stuck on an island trying to build a boat with no tools on hand that could get through whirlpools with no issues! Do you know how hard it is to build a boat when you know nothing about how to build a boat!?"

“… Ah well.” She calmed a bit when thinking about it. “Guess that would take a long time to make…” she then put down the hammer. “I’ll forgive you for that but,” She then grabbed Brilliant Nightmare from Cirrus’s hand. “I wouldn’t have forgiven you if you had lost or kept Brilliant Nightmare in good condition!”

“You can tell from a glance?”

“Of course, it’s been 4 years since I improved my craft and also the fact that I’m a level 4 now! I’m just a level shy of Tsubaki!” she said with a proud smile. “But enough about me.” she sat back down and started to fix the slightly warped Brilliant Nightmare. “Tell me about you.”

“Ah well… I got back yesterday; Ai actually went to Telskyura to look for me.”

“Hm not surprised, she said her goal was level 5 and once she made it, she would leave Orario to go and find you. Glad she found you and brought you back.”

“Yeah…” Cirrus remembers the kiss Ai gave him on their way back through the mountain range. "She sure did."

“Speaking of, have you met with everyone? Like your aunt?”

“I have, even Astraea… but I should tell you that I will remain missing.”

“… What do you mean?”

“Well, Ai told me that after I was announced missing, Evilus has started to act more aggressively.”

“Yes, I know you couldn’t go past a corner and not see a crime.”

“Well, I thought if they still think I’m gone, Ai and the others would find the zenith to crush them.”

“… It's your choice, but you won’t be leaving, right?”

“No, I’ll be staying in the city but… what I’ll be doing, I really don’t know.”

“Mmmm… well, you can help with my orders, seeing as you have spare time.”

“Might as well, I guess…”

He would spend the day helping Eupheme and, with his 4 years of crafting without the use of proper equipment relaying on his electricity, the two would finish the order and spend the rest of the day experimenting with this blend of metallurgy.

 

Some bar in Warusa.

“…”

“What’s wrong Zald?” said Alfia. “The drink is not to your liking?”

“Mmmm… no, these drinks are fine for a country at war, but… I wished to have more of a challenge.”

“… I can understand… say, aren’t we a few miles away from where we killed the Behemoth?”

“We are… it’s poison still lingers inside me… good thing that new antidote from Orario really worked well enough to manage the poison. Who knew those times we killed the Amphisbaena that its liver would have been the thing to help me?”

“Yes, you even gained a skill from it, right?”

“Yup… unfortunately, no one is strong enough to even consider using it on.”

“Then how about in Orario?”

A voice came up behind them. They turned to see a god with black hair with two cadet grey locks, and grey eyes. His divinity was pitch black, as though the depths of space were concentrated around him.

“What is your name, god?” Said Alfia.

“My name is Erebus, and I have a proposition for the Silence and the Gluttony.”

“… What for?” said Zald with sharp, keen eyes.

Erebus sat down with along with them.

“To bring about the Promised Time and the arrival of a new hero who would slay the dragon that ended your respected Familia’s reign.”