"What?" Sero's eyes widened in shock. "But I'm the one who found the hideout! I'm the one who knows what we're up against! I can help!"

"You're also the one who fell for their traps, and almost died twice," Elizabeth gently replied. "Sero, you're an integral part of this, but you're also the one who's too close and too reckless."

"Well, the Pentagram and the association can fuck off," Sero muttered under his breath, feeling a surge of anger and frustration that was quickly tamed by his Rationality. "I assume you and the Janitors were forced to agree?"

Elizabeth folded her arms and glanced down, crossing her leg over the other. "We did, but... we also feel the same. Even Kit had to agree that having you involved is too dangerous for you."

Sero felt a hot flush creep up his neck. He wasn't expecting Kit to also fall in line with the alliance's decision. "Fine," he grumbled. "What do you want me to do, then? Sit around and twiddle my thumbs while everyone else does all the work?"

Elizabeth's eyes softened. "No, Sero. I want you to take some time for yourself. You need to recharge your batteries, both physically and emotionally. Like I said before, do something you never had the chance to. And when you're ready, I'm sure there will be something else you can do to help."

"She's right," Amaya quietly interjected. "You've been through a lot, and you need to take care of yourself." She glanced over at Elizabeth, silently asking if they could trust him to stay out of trouble until then.

Sero sighed, nodding reluctantly. "Fine. I'll... I'll just go to my penthouse and think about what I can do to help."

"Good. We'll be in touch," Elizabeth assured him, her expression sympathetic. "Take your time, and remember to eat and sleep well."

She left, leaving Amaya and Sero alone once again. Amaya studied Sero carefully for a moment before speaking. "You know, Sero, you've got a lot of people worried about you. Even though you think you're just being...you, they see someone who's been through a lot and isn't dealing with it well. They see someone who's reckless, maybe even suicidal."

Sero didn't reply, feeling a stab of pain at their words. He felt like he was drowning, like he was being pulled in a hundred different directions at once. He wanted to help, to make things right, but he didn't know how. And now, with everyone telling him to step back and let them handle it... it was like a slap in the face. The one time he wanted to change, to do something not for his own benefit, and they were all against him.

"I just... can you give me some time alone?" Sero asked, his voice barely audible.

Amaya nodded, understanding the need for a bit of space. "Of course. Take as much time as you need. We're all here for you, Sero. We care about you." She hesitated for a moment before asking, "Do you want me to stay with you later or...?"

"No," Sero shook his head. "I think... I think I'd just like to be alone for a while." He forced a small smile. "I appreciate it, Amaya. Thank you."

Amaya nodded, her expression somber. "Okay. If you need anything, just call." She reluctantly stood up, and then paused, her hand on the doorknob. "And, Sero... take care of yourself. We can't afford to lose you."

Sero grunted in response as the liaison left the room. As soon as she left, he checked his body, finding it to be somewhat healed despite the battle. He didn't feel like he'd regained his full strength, but it was a start. He stood up and stretched, then made his way over to the window, looking out at the city. The sun was high in the sky, bathing everything in a warm, golden light. It was deceptively peaceful, almost serene, and it was hard for Sero to believe that just a few hours ago, they'd been fighting for their lives.

Emulating Lawbreak, Sero casted Cat Paradox, returning to his empty penthouse. He flopped onto his bed, staring up at the ceiling, trying to decide what to do with himself. He had been itching to help, to make a difference, but now that he was being sidelined, he felt useless and angry. He thought about going out, maybe causing some trouble, just to prove that he could still be useful, but he knew that wasn't the best idea.

"Champion?" 

Aphiel's projection appeared next to his bed. The goddess had a solemn look in her eyes as she glanced down at him. 

"What?" Sero muttered. "You gonna say that they're right to take me out of this?"

Aphiel shook her head. "No, champion. I am not going to say that. I know how much you care, how much you want to help. But you have to understand that they are worried about you. They need you to be at your best if things get worse. And they will get worse."

She sat on the edge of his bed. "I have seen you nearly die again, and I cannot help but think that you might be pushing yourself too hard. You have to take care of yourself, too, champion. You cannot be everything to everyone."

Sero looked away, his throat tight. "I know, Aphiel. But it's just... I hate doing nothing. I keep feeling all these emotions, but they get pushed down by my Rationality. Sometimes I want them to, sometimes I don't. And all this shit I had to go through, all these people I've lost... "

He trailed off, unable to continue. He felt raw, exposed, like he was on the verge of falling apart. The goddess placed a hand on his shoulder, offering what little comfort she could.

"If only I could just find out where they're keeping the missing children," Sero sighed to himself. "Then at least I could feel like I did something."

"Well..." Aphiel began, her tone thoughtful. "I did sense a strange energy at the place where you were gravely injured. At the house."

Sero sat up, his interest piqued. "You think they might be there? But Amaya and I already checked, there was nothing out of the ordinary until we got ambushed."

"I know," Aphiel said, her expression solemn. "But I sense that there might be something else, something hidden. Perhaps there is a way to search for it without putting yourself in danger. I can try to sense it again, see if I can narrow down the location. You would have to go back there for me to do that, but you could stay in the background, just out of sight."

Sero hopped out of bed, wincing as his body protested the movement. "Okay, let's do it." 

"Wait, right now?" The goddess asked, noting the way he winced. "I mean, you could rest some more, and we could try again later, if you need to."

"Nah, the sooner the better," Sero stretched his body, emulating Lawbreak once again and imagining the abandoned house. "I'll be careful this time." 

"Well, should you let someone know first?" Aphiel asked, raising an eyebrow. "If you plan to sneak around, someone should at least know where you are, just in case something happens."

"Eh, I'll be fine," Sero replied with a dry grin. "I'll just leave a quick note, and then I'll be off." He went to the desk by the window and scribbled a quick note explaining where he was going and why. He didn't want anyone to worry, but he also didn't want anyone to try to stop him.

---

With the note left, Sero teleported back to the two-story abandoned house, his senses honed and his emotions carefully tamped down. He conjured two Jacks to keep a watch out for danger, keeping tabs on his mana reserves. As he scouted the area, he didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. 

"Aphiel, you sense anything?" Sero thought to the goddess.

"Not yet, champion," Aphiel replied after a moment. "But I am still trying. There is definitely something here, something off... I will let you know when I find it."

Time passed slowly as Sero continued his search, growing more frustrated with each passing moment. He had summoned Moss and Lime to help, the dragon pups sniffing around the area with their keen senses, but they didn't seem to find anything out of the ordinary either.

"Aphiel?" Sero whispered, his voice straining to be heard even by his own ears. "Is it possible that they're not here? That whatever you sensed was just a fluke?"

There was a moment of silence before the goddess replied, her tone soft and reassuring. "No, champion. Whatever it is that I sensed, it is still here. I can feel it, lurking out of reach. It is just... hidden."

Sero nodded, taking a deep breath to steady his nerves. "Okay, let's keep looking. We'll find it eventually." He turned to Moss and Lime, speaking in low whispers. "Keep sniffing, girls. I know you can do it."

The dragon pups chirped in agreement, their eyes bright with determination. They continued to sniff around the area, their noses twitching as they shuffled around.

After about an hour, Sero was on the verge of giving up, sitting on the steps of the abandoned house as Moss and Lime whined near his feet. He was about to suggest to Aphiel that they should try again later when the dragon pups let out a yelp and darted behind the house. "What is it?" Sero demanded, scrambling to his feet and following them. "What did you find?"

The dragon pups circled a small, overgrown tree, their tails thrashing with excitement. As Sero approached, he saw a small, shimmering object hanging from one of the branches. It looked like a pendant of some sort, made of what appeared to be polished black obsidian. The pendant seemed to pulsate with an unnatural energy, drawing his attention like a moth to a flame.

"The fuck?" Sero muttered, reaching up to grab the pendant. "I didn't sense this before." 

"Champion, don't grab it!"

"Whoops," Sero jerked his hand back in time. "Why, what's wrong, Aphiel?"

"It is... not natural," the goddess replied, her voice tense. "It feels... tainted, corrupted. I cannot say for certain, but I believe it may be linked to whatever force I sensed before. Do not touch it, champion. We must find a way to dispose of it safely."

Sero frowned, his hand still hovering near the pendant. "But if it's important, shouldn't we take it back or something?"

"I would rather not risk the consequences should you touch it," Aphiel warned. "It is best to err on the side of caution. As for what to do with it, I will need some time to study it. In the meantime, I suggest letting the others know of this."

"Right," Sero drew his hand away as he studied the pendant closer. "But still, how did we not sense this till now?"

"I cannot say for certain, champion," Aphiel replied thoughtfully. "Perhaps it was hidden well, or perhaps it only recently became active. Regardless, it is best we proceed carefully."

"Sounds like a plan," Sero pulled his phone out, debating on who to tell. "Guess I'll head back then." 

"That also sounds like a plan," A voice called out behind him. Sero turned, finding Elizabeth in her A.R.E.S. suit behind him. 

"Oh. You look really good in that," Sero blurted without thinking.

"Um, thank you?" Elizabeth replied, looking slightly confused. She shook her head, composing herself. "No, what are you doing out here? I thought I told you to rest and stay out of this for the moment." 

"I-" Sero frowned. "How'd you find me here so quickly? Even if you noticed I was missing from the association infirmary, it'd still take a while to get to my penthouse and find the note I left, then to come here." 

Elizabeth smiled wryly, bringing up a gloved hand and wiggling her fingers. Sero gasped lightly as he felt something small rip itself off his clothes and flying towards her. 

"You remember me saying that I hold the A.R.E.S. unit Empress? Yeah, this suit is designed for tactical operations, such as surveillance and command." Elizabeth explained, her voice calm and authoritative. "The Empress allows me to construct robotic summons as an extension of my eyes and ears, which is what this tiny little robot was doing for me." She gestured at the flying machine, which was hovering near her face. 

"You... planted a tracking device on me?" Sero asked incredulously. "And you didn't tell me?"

Elizabeth gave him a sheepish smile, causing dimples to appear in her cheeks. "Well, I'm good at reading people after all. And seeing how much trouble you got yourself into recently, I felt as if it wouldn't stop with you being taken out of things."

"And now that you're here, what do you want me to do?" Sero asked, glancing back at the pendant. "You're gonna tell me to stop? Monitor everything I do?" 

"No," Elizabeth shook her head. "I'm actually here to help. We might not be very close, but I feel like you're too stubborn to do as you're told. So, might as well stick with you, right?"