Aura’s expression did not change as she spoke in her usual nonchalant tone.

“Please call me by my name uncle. I came because my friend here, lost his identity in the Realm and needed a new one.”

Her uncle ignored the first part and moved his gaze away from Aura to look at the other person who followed her in, before he suddenly looked back at Aura and exclaimed.

“Your what?”

“Your what?”

 Surprisingly, another voice had asked the same question at the same time, albeit in a much calmer tone.

Aura’s eyes twitched as she said with a suppressed voice.

“Can. you. arrange. that…. Uncle?”

The middle-aged man had a knowing smile as he finally looked away to check out her ‘Friend’.

Ragnar was still staring down Aura for an answer, but feeling another gaze focus on him, he had to look away.

The man seemed to be checking out the boy and nodding ever so slightly as he looked him up and down. He asked with a smile.

“I am Aura’s uncle. You can also call me Uncle just like my Angel. Who might you be, young man?”

The man was not the only one checking out the other as Ragnar was also scrutinizing this old man. He could tell at a gaze, that he could not defeat this man, he could not Kill this man, and even escaping will be tough unless he manages to Shift.

But his gaze didn’t show any fear as he stared back at him and spoke.

“You can call me… Lord Ragnar.”

Aura face palmed herself at this interaction. She should have thought this through before bringing him here.

But what could Ragnar do. Even a person stronger than him doesn’t seem worthy of his recognition. So, he will have to call him as such.

Before the uncle could say anything in reply, Aura spoke with an exhausted sigh to dissolve any conflicts before they could emerge.

“Just arrange for the identity Uncle.”

Her Uncle seemed very accommodating as he didn’t mention it again and instead spoke with a calm smile.

“You have found quite a… unique friend.”

Aura knew that her Uncle would understand her situation perfectly through this little interaction since he knew that Aura needed any help that she could get right now. So, he wouldn’t create any trouble for her. 

He pressed a bell that was kept on his mahogany table and another person in the green butler clothes walked in without any delay.

He looked at him and said in his authoritative tone. All the warmth vanished from his expression.

“Register this boy into the database as a new RiftWalker and give him an Ethlet.”

The butler nodded and looked at Ragnar, asking in a respectful tone.

“Sir, please tell me your name and date of birth?”

Ragnar looked at him and spoke the obvious.

“Lord Ragnar, 31^st October.”

The Butler looked puzzled as he questioned to confirm.

“Would you like ‘Lord’ to be a part of your name in the Identity?”

It was weird but not unheard-of, for people to use strange names. So, the butler only wanted to confirm it.

Ragnar spoke in a matter-of-factly tone.

“Of course.”

The guy in green butler outfit nodded and left the room. Locking the door with a click on his way out. After he was gone, Aura said with a grin.

“Thanks Uncle. You’re the best. See ya”

The man suddenly jumped out of his seat as he made his way to Aura.

“Bye already? Won’t you stay for some snacks?”

Aura’s smile didn’t waver as she looked into his eyes and spoke in a calming tone.

“I know why you’re worried Uncle, it’s fine. I am not pushing myself… too much”

Her Uncle looked exhausted as he asked something he already knew the answer of.

*Sigh*

“Won’t you just reconsider? He’s not a bad boy.”

Aura just stared back into his eyes and didn’t reply. The man seemed to age several years from her lack of words as he sighed again… in defeat. He just reminded her for the last time.

“You don’t have to push yourself too much, okay? Even if you don’t accomplish your goal, I won’t allow them to force you into anything.”

Aura’s smile turned much warmer as she moved ahead give him a hug.

“I know you won’t uncle. But I want to do this on my own.”

The man patted her on the back as his attention finally moved to the elephant in the room. He walked over to the young man and kept his hand on his shoulder.

“Be kind to her. She is a good girl.”

Ragnar’s gaze followed his hand that was kept on his shoulder, and remained there even after it was gone. The man moved his arm away as he turned around to head back to his seat. But he was interrupted by a cold voice as a gaze seemed to pierce his back.

“You Sylvancrests really think too highly of yourself, don’t you?”

The temperature in the room suddenly dropped a few notches as the man turned around to stare back into Ragnar’s abyssal eyes. The man could tell at a glance that those were the eyes of a killer.

Aura felt like a lump was stuck in her throat as despite the drop in temperature, a drop of sweat seemed to trickle down her back. She was reconsidering all her life decisions as she thought of a way to salvage this situation.

Both of them were staring at each other as if in a deadlock. The person who moves first would die. But she knew perfectly well that it wasn’t even close. In reality, she was aware of the fact that if they fought, there was only one outcome.

No matter how strong Ragnar might be for an Arcane, if her Uncle really decided to attack, then he wouldn’t even last a second.

He was really a mad man.

But the tension was suddenly broken by a loud laughter that boomed through the corridors of the Union. It was so loud that the room started to shake, so he controlled himself and looked at Aura.

“You’ve really found a Unique friend.”

Then he looked back at Ragnar as he said with a smile.

“I see that your title isn’t just for show, ‘Lord’ Ragnar”

He definitely did not accept the meaning that Lord entailed but he seemed to have accepted it as his name. Weird names were not an uncommon thing in this day and age. Ragnar however, was still glaring at him.

The man laughed again and spoke.

“I will remove it man, don’t look at me like that. But I am really surprised that you noticed it. “

He stretched out a finger that he pointed towards Ragnar’s shoulder. And in the next moment a very small glowing particle seemed to fly out of Ragnar’s shoulder and enter his finger.

Aura finally realised what had happened just now. Her face showed a complex range of emotions as she didn’t know how to react. The fact that her Uncle had used such a trick, but she knew he had used it on Ragnar to keep a check on him since he cared for her, and the fact that Ragnar had noticed a Mystic Ranked expert’s actions when he was clearly trying to keep them hidden. Was Aura imagining it or her Uncle’s tone actually carried a slight hint of… respect when he spoke to Ragnar now.

Aura realised that there was still very little that she knew about how strong this man of unknown origins who she was taking around for a tour actually was. He was acting calm right now but from their interactions until now she could tell that it could change at the drop of a hat.

The man spoke to Ragnar again as his tone seemed much friendlier.

“I am Adrian Sylvancrest. You can look for me here in the Trade Union whenever you need any help. I hope you will take good care of my little Angel.”

Aura was really helpless about her Uncle’s comments as she just hoped that Ragnar wouldn’t question her about them right now. And her hopes seemed to have worked since Ragnar didn’t seem to be interested in interrogating her right now.

His glare finally calmed went away as he observed Adrian. He had been careful ever since he entered the room. When Adrian had gotten close to them, Ragnar activated his Ethereal vision from his Shifted form on reflex. But it seemed to have helped him since he could tell that the man had used his ability when he had kept a hand on Ragnar’s shoulder.

He of course knew that he could not do anything to Adrian. But at the same time, there was no way in hell that he would have backed down and accepted whatever he had been subjected to. He was glad that the man understood his place, lest he might have been added to his list.

So, what if he couldn’t kill him right now, there was still a chance that he could escape. And if he had escaped, then Adrian’s death would be certain. Well, all that was avoided now, so Ragnar could calm down.

He turned around and started heading towards the door. Before he had walked out completely, his voice was heard by the remaining people in the room.

“I might look for you in the future.”

Then the door was closed.

Aura looked back at her Uncle who still seemed to be smiling. She sighed again as a slight smile appeared on her face as well. She had just avoided a disaster.

“Thanks Uncle, I will be going now. Sorry for the trouble.”

Her Uncle moved his gaze to stare back at her with his warm gaze.

“Alright, you can get his Ethlet at the reception outside. Take care Angel.”

Aura hurried out the door as she didn’t know where Ragnar might go. But to her surprise, he stood outside her Uncle’s office with his back against the wall, waiting for her. She smiled as she said with a sigh of relief.

“Let’s go”

How many times had she sighed just after arriving at the Union.

Ragnar didn’t say anything and just followed after her.