CHAPTER 89: CHAPTER 89 - REUNION

’Silas and Edric?’ Logan thought, a smile spreading across his face.

Meanwhile, more rescue troops from the surrounding areas shot emergency flares into the air to cancel the search.

He looked up and stopped in his tracks. The sky glowed with dozens of emergency flares.

’So many people came looking for us,’ he thought, amazed.

Back when he was an orphan, people looked at him like trash. Now? All these people had come just to find him.

That hit deep.

"They are both fine," the party leader of the rescue group signaled to the rest of his team. "Let’s guide them to the entrance and end this search."

Logan tried to walk back to Livia, but she was already being supported by the young woman from her church.

It took an hour of steady walking with the rescue team before the dungeon entrance finally came into view.

Logan didn’t truly feel relief until they passed through the strange mana barrier.

Up ahead, real sunlight spilled into the tunnel.

’’Sir Silas and Sir Edric are waiting ahead,’’ the older man bowed, smiling.

Walking up the stairs, Logan saw their faces at the top and started smiling brightly.

He waved his remaining arm at them and rushed up the stairs.

As Logan climbed the final steps, Edric was the first to rush forward, his usual serious expression nowhere to be seen.

’’Thank god,’’ he said, pulling him into a bear hug. ’’You really made us worry.’’

Silas, standing just behind him, laughed. ’’You look like shit.’’

As Edric stepped back, Silas stepped forward, ruffling Logan’s hair.

"You did a good job making it out, kiddo."

Edric inspected his wounds more closely, and his expression darkened.

Silas also noticed, letting out a heavy sigh as he took a step back.

’’We’ll talk about this later,’’ he said, pinching his nose with one hand.

Neither Silas nor Edric were worried about his physical injuries. What truly worried them was Logan’s mental state.

’Not many kids walk out of a dungeon smiling while missing an arm,’ Silas thought, admiring Logan.

’’Please move aside,’’ a stern voice said from behind them, interrupting their moment.

’’What?’’ Silas asked, frowning as he turned around.

A group of white-robed individuals approached. Several golden emblems were embedded in their veils and robes, marking their high rank in the Imperial Church.

’’Clear the path,’’ another ordered sharply, not even sparing Silas a glance.

Without waiting for an answer, the people from the Imperial Church began organizing the crowd.

Even Silas and Edric stepped aside, though Logan could see a vein throb on Silas’s forehead.

Logan turned to look at Livia and the robed woman standing beside her.

’Why is she acting like that?’ he wondered, frowning.

Livia forced herself to stand straight on her broken leg despite the pain she was in.

Following her gaze, Logan turned to see what she was staring at.

At the end of the cleared path, a tall man slowly walked forward.

No one spoke as an invisible pressure pressed down on them.

He wore platinum-colored clothes, decorated with several silver chains that shook with each step he took. No veil covered his head, revealing a calm and collected expression as he walked towards Livia.

The church members beside him all bowed deeply, completely silent.

Coming to a stop in front of Livia, he looked down.

His eyes scanned her bruised body, the torn combat suit and the dried blood.

He didn’t speak.

Didn’t ask if she was okay.

Didn’t even show a flicker of emotion.

Livia bowed her head as far as she could.

’’I have returned, Father,’’ she said, her voice barely a whisper. ’’The mission was a failure.’’

The man’s expression didn’t change.

He stared at her for a long moment before raising his hand.

Two church followers stepped forward without a word, gently lifting Livia off the ground and placing her on a stretcher.

’’We’ll talk later,’’ he said firmly, gesturing for his followers to go.

Turning around, his gaze flicked to Logan.

Logan locked eyes with him for a few seconds.

There was no hostility in his eyes—no gratitude either. Just a silent stare that acknowledged Logan’s existence.

Then the man turned away.

The pressure on all of them vanished the moment the man disappeared from sight.

’So that is her father?’ Logan thought, silent.

’’That was your teammate?’’ Edric asked, surprise in his voice.

’’Yeah,’’ Logan nodded, turning to them.

’’Damn,’’ Silas whistled, gesturing for them to follow him towards their shuttle.

Following after them, Logan couldn’t help but wonder what they were talking about.

’’Who is that man?’’ he asked.

’’Him?’’ Edric started. ’’He is the second seat in the Imperial Church, the SSS-rank Virtue of Temperance.’’

Logan frowned. "The second seat?"

This time, Silas responded. ’’Only two people rank above him—the Pope and the Virtue of Faith himself.’’

’’Basically, he’s one of the three most powerful people in the entire church,’’ he added. ’’And also the most feared for his many public disciplinary actions.’’

Logan stayed silent, giving a small nod as he thought about Livia.

’No wonder she behaves this way,’ he thought. ’Seems like her upbringing was pretty uptight.’

As Logan stepped onto the shuttle, a wave of peace hit him.

’I can finally relax for a little,’ he thought, stepping off the hatch into the lounging area.

’’You want to talk about what happened now or later?’’ Silas asked, his expression turning serious.

Logan shook his head, feeling exhausted. ’’We’ll do so later. I want to actually rest for a little.’’

’’Go ahead,’’ Edric said, smiling as he waved him away.

Logan nodded, smiling weakly as he headed to his room.

Silas gave Edric a sideways glance as Logan walked away. ’’Shouldn’t we double-check on his condition to be sure?’’

Edric shook his head.

’’I’m more worried about his mental condition than his physical one,’’ he said, smiling bitterly. "His affinity can heal the wounds, sure. But it doesn’t erase the pain and trauma that came with them."