"You don’t wish to join him in the new place he mentioned?"
"Why?" Ryuk finally asked, breaking the silence.
Mrs. Lynia finished the work she was doing on her holographs and could finally turn her full attention to the dish before her.
She answered while eating.
"He works for one of the five most powerful Angelic Houses on Ammamora. The Nobita Angelic House."
"Recently, they have been the center of attention due to the rumor that they’re closer in in power to the Three Supreme Houses, and might even be thinking of challenging the top three and joining their ranks."
"It’s all muddy waters, in that house," she answered, chewing silently.
"And while I don’t mind Jack working there, since his position is low enough to keep him out of the spotlight, I still don’t want myself, you, Morgaine, or Jack himself dragged into royal affairs again."
"That’s why I didn’t agree to move with him..." she explained at length, but it helped Ryuk fully understand.
In the family, Mrs. Lynia could be said to be the smartest and most knowledgeable.
And due to once being an Ex-Half-Fallen One, she was not only intelligent but also had experience with things that often concerned royalty.
Since she had mentioned starting clean here in Ammamora, it made sense that she didn’t want to get tangled up in what she had dealt with in the past.
"I’m currently doing an important research, Ryuk," she suddenly said, drawing his attention.
"What’s that?"
"Morgaine didn’t come back home," she said simply, but it was enough to make Ryuk’s heart unconsciously sink in his chest.
He had expected to be told she had returned while he was asleep, but now, things were different.
"But she made a video call with me and Jack just two days ago."
"What did she say?" Ryuk asked, curious.
"Not much. Just a reason why she wouldn’t be able to appear, and it was a lame reason."
"She said she was at an important threshold of her training, close to a breakthrough or whatever," Mrs. Lynia narrated, clearly unimpressed and even a bit mad.
"She asked how we were doing and if you were okay."
"But it somehow seemed half-hearted for some reason. Her tone was oddly cold, devoid of warmth or emotion," she said, as Ryuk’s eyebrow knitted.
"Whatever it was, the Morgaine that video-called me wasn’t the Morgaine I know. There was this aloof light in her eyes."
"All I got from that call was that something is wrong." She concluded before turning to Ryuk.
"So, I did some research into what it even meant to be a Family’s Chosen and, even with all the access, I only got a tiny bit of information here and there."
"Anything related to being a Chosen is tightly secured and guarded by the Powerful Fallen Angel Families.."
"But still, I got a lead from my research, and that’s the location of a book that will shed light on what being a Chosen means."
"It is present within every Royal Fallen Angel family’s Main Building," she said, as Ryuk hmmed.
"You want me to get the book?" he asked, as she nodded and raised her palm.
A tiny circular technological artifact appeared.
"There’s only one copy of that book within every family, so taking the book away will cause a big wave."
"But it doesn’t have to be taken away in the first place if it can be copied."
"Just place this tiny button on the book’s page, and when it makes three beeping sounds, it means it has already copied the content of the book."
"I will be able to decode it with my comms, hence uncovering the information within and learn whatever the Dominare family is hiding from us," she said, as Ryuk took the button.
A moment later, it disappeared into his shop space.
"Wherever the book is, it’ll be heavily guarded. Perhaps even the most guarded place in the entire Royal grounds, and you can’t afford to be seen or even noticed," she said, as Ryuk nodded confidently.
"I’ll try," he said.
"Good. Don’t pressure yourself too much about it. Go when you’re confident."
"Also, if you choose to head into the Dominare family ground to copy the book, then don’t bother asking Morgaine if you meet her," she said, drawing Ryuk’s attention.
He had unconsciously welcomed that thought.
"But why?"
"Because I asked her when she called, and she found a way to walk around the question, leaving me with nothing in the end."
"She’s being silent about it."
"I don’t think it’ll be much different if you ask her personally, and if you don’t know that, she might end up blowing your cover."
"So be careful," she said, as Ryuk hmmed, pausing a bit to look at Mrs. Lynia. H
is irises faintly widened.
It didn’t escape her notice.
"What is it?" she asked, as Ryuk giggled.
"For a second, you remind me of the Half-Fallen One," he said.
"I guess it’ll take some time for me to shrug that attitude off," she answered in exasperation, as they both continued eating.
She took the chance to ask him about his last mission and how his journey to the Upper Realm was going.
He didn’t hide anything from her, keeping her updated.
In return, it left him feeling a weight lift off his chest as he narrated his experiences so far.
"You’re making fast progress, Ryuk. Very fast, even," she said, her hand moving to pat his shoulder.
"Just don’t rush things too fast, okay?"
"It’s good to relax and get off the pilot seat once in a while."
"Trust me, it’ll help keep you grounded for the challenges ahead," she advised, as Ryuk nodded.
"I’ll try," he said, earning her proud smile.
"That alone will be enough."
------
A/N:
If you’re enjoying the novel, consider voting for the novel with Golden Tickets and Power Stones. It helps I, the author, with visibility on the NovelFire app.
In and Out_SnowySmoos