CHAPTER 143: JOURNEY, TEASING AND MESSAGE

In a small forest,

The group had been traveling for hours—hooves beating rhythmically against the dirt path, the forest stretching endlessly around them. The sky above had begun to dim, soft hues of orange melting into deep violet as night crept closer.

After nearly seven hours of travel, Valeriana raised her hand. "Halt!" Her voice carried the tone of command that made even the horses slow almost instinctively.

The group stopped in a small clearing surrounded by towering pines. A faint wind whispered through the leaves, and the gentle hum of crickets began to fill the quiet.

Valeriana turned in her saddle, surveying her remaining unit. "We’ll rest here tonight," she said firmly. "We move again at first light."

The knights answered in unison. "Yes, Captain!"

Most of the other knights had already been dispatched earlier, escorting the rescued victims to the nearest city. Only a handful remained with her now—enough to guard the camp and watch over Zayne and the three adventurers.

Without needing further instruction, the knights dismounted and began setting up camp. Metal poles clanked, canvas tents rose, and the faint orange glow of conjured flame stones flickered to life around the clearing.

Daxon, Cassynne, and Lyria were helping a few soldiers unload supplies, talking quietly among themselves. Lyria’s shoulders had finally eased after hours of silence, Cassynne’s sharp eyes scanning the forest edge out of old habit, and Daxon doing his best to look like he wasn’t utterly exhausted.

Valeriana stood beside Zayne near the edge of the clearing, both of them watching the knights work. Her arms were folded, posture composed as ever, while Zayne leaned casually against a tree, expression calm and faintly amused.

She turned slightly and called, "Mages, unload the cooking vessels and start preparing the meal. We’ll all need something warm tonight."

Two mages immediately bowed. "Yes, Captain."

From a large enchanted storage bag, they began pulling out metal pots, ingredients sealed in glowing containers, and portable mana stoves. Soon the air filled with the soft clang of cookware and the growing aroma of spices.

Zayne watched them with mild interest before glancing at Valeriana, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Efficient as always, huh, Captain Val?"

She didn’t even look at him—just exhaled softly through her nose. "I told you to stop calling me that."

Zayne chuckled under his breath, watching the knights work like a well-drilled machine. "Yeah, yeah... you did, Val."

Valeriana kept stealing glances at him — subtle, but not subtle enough.

Zayne stood a few feet away, watching the knights pitch the last tents, his hands casually resting in his coat pockets. Without even turning his head, he said lazily, "Say it."

Valeriana blinked. "What?"

"Say what you want to say," Zayne replied, voice calm but edged with teasing amusement. "You’ve been looking at me again and again. Pretty sure you’re dying to ask something."

Her composure cracked slightly. "I–I wasn’t looking at you."

Zayne finally turned to her with that faint smirk tugging at his lips. "Oh really? Because if someone keeps glancing your way like a teenage girl in love the entire journey..." He shrugged lightly. "It’s kinda hard not to notice."

Valeriana’s face flushed instantly, her eyes widening as her calm demeanor shattered. "I AM NOT A TEENAGE GIRL IN LOVE!!" she shouted before she could stop herself.

Silence.

Every knight, mage, and even Daxon’s group froze mid-action. One knight was halfway through tying a rope, another holding a ladle in the air. All of them turned slowly, blank-faced, staring at their captain.

Realizing what she’d just done, Valeriana’s expression went from red to mortified in seconds. She coughed into her fist, voice forced calm. "Ahem... continue your work."

The soldiers and mages immediately scrambled to pretend nothing happened, resuming their duties with newfound intensity. Even Daxon’s group avoided eye contact, Cassynne biting back a laugh.

Meanwhile, Zayne was smirking openly now, enjoying every second of her humiliation.

Valeriana turned sharply toward him, eyes narrowing. "Wipe that smug look off your face," she muttered through gritted teeth. "I just wanted to ask you something—a favor."

Zayne raised an eyebrow, tone playful. "A favor?"

She exhaled, folding her arms and meeting his gaze. "I want you to teach me how to fly."

For a moment, Zayne just stared — then that teasing grin returned. "Ohhh," he said, nodding slowly. "That’s what this was all about. Why didn’t you say so before?"

Valeriana’s blush returned full force. "Because you never shut up long enough for me to!"

Zayne chuckled, glancing at the dimming sky. "Fair enough."

Zayne tilted his head slightly, a teasing smile curling on his lips. "But don’t you already know how to fly?"

Valeriana gave him a deadpan look. "If I did, would I be asking you, genius? I never got the chance to learn. And besides," she huffed, "it’s very difficult."

Zayne blinked once, pretending to think. "It is...?"

Valeriana exhaled through her nose, glaring. "Will you teach me or not?"

He grinned. "Yeah, sure."

Her eyes narrowed. "If you already agreed, why ask that stupid question?"

Zayne’s grin widened. "I just felt like asking."

Valeriana sighed, muttering, "I swear you do this on purpose—just to tease me."

Zayne raised his hand in mock surrender, smirking. "You got me."

Then, tilting his head with that same mischievous glint, he said, "Alright, Captain Val—lesson starts tomorrow morning."

Valeriana groaned softly, dragging a hand down her face. She’d just realized she’d walked right into another round of his teasing.

.

.

.

.

Night had settled fully by the time the last tent was staked down. The flicker of campfires painted warm hues over the fabric, and the faint aroma of stew simmering in a metal pot drifted through the air. The mages moved around quietly — some finishing the wards, others stirring the food with tired motions.

Valeriana had long since walked off to check on any danger even as a leader she sometimes do surveillance, her silhouette fading into the dim forest glow. The rest stayed behind, occupied with their own tasks.

Zayne sat a little apart from the others, the dim light brushing the edges of his coat. His gaze was fixed on the flickering flames, but his mind was elsewhere — far beyond the forest, far beyond the camp.

For a long moment, he said nothing. Then, almost under his breath, he murmured,

"...It’s time I deliver all the information."

His eyes sharpened slightly, the playful mask gone.

"These last two days... there’s much boss will want to know."

He looked down at his technowatch, tapping its side lightly. The screen flickered to life, casting a soft blue glow across his face.

"Computer, begin recording," he said quietly.

The watch beeped, and the small lens adjusted. Zayne leaned back slightly, his tone calm and composed as always.

"Report — past forty-eight hours."

He started detailing everything he had encountered — the ruins, the Abyssals, and the strange organization called Vassel. Every word was precise, every sentence measured.

He explained how the ruins had murals of war that happened around seventy thousand years . He mentioned the about how that ruin was just teleportation station.

After that, he moved on to the Vassel group — their movements, symbols, and how they are seemed to be connected to something much larger.

Finally, he ended the recording by mentioning his next destination.

"I’ll be heading to the Royal City next. Observation phase begins there."

The screen blinked twice before showing ’Data Transmission: Active.’

Zayne watched the progress bar move slowly, then disappear.

He exhaled softly, leaning back against the tree.

"Report delivered," he murmured to himself, closing the watch.

The faint smile that followed was subtle — calm and confident.

"Let’s see what you think of this... boss."

On the other side, inside Astralis Arcanum, the night was quiet.

The halls of the Teachers’ Residence were dimly lit, the mana lamps flickering faintly against the walls.

Zane’s room stood silent — the bed untouched, the air still.

Because Zane wasn’t there.

In fact, he wasn’t anywhere in the world.

—

Far beyond reality, in No where , the wind swept gently across a vast lush grassland. The blue sky above shimmered faintly, the sun in the blue sky is shining brightly with warmth.

Zane sat quietly on the grass, his long grey coat resting against the wind. His deep violet eyes reflected the strange horizon, calm and unreadable.

In his hand rested a small, clear white pearl, pulsing softly — light flowing inside it like a living heartbeat.

He stared at it for a moment, the corners of his lips twitching slightly.

"So this... is the system," he murmured. His voice was calm, low.

He turned the pearl between his fingers, watching its light shift gently.

"...How should I use it?"

The wind blew past him again, carrying silence across the island.

The pearl dimmed slightly as Zane’s attention shifted.

Beep—

His technowatch lit up with a soft blue hue. A moment later, a small holographic projection flickered above it — a tiny figure materialized, her faintly glowing form stabilizing in the air.

It was Eira, his AI assistant.

"Boss," she said, her voice light but clear. "Zayne has sent a video message."

Zane blinked once, then sighed softly, leaning back on his arm.

"Really?" he said, tone calm but slightly amused. "What did he do now...?"

Eira tilted her head, the holographic light flickering in response. "Would you like me to play it?"

A faint smile tugged at Zane’s lips as he looked toward the horizon.

"Go ahead."