An hour later, Lux and Vera left the Wildgarde Stronghold after having a chat with Gerald, as well as the other Guardians.
All of them were shocked when they found out that not only did Vera become younger and more beautiful, but she had also risen to the rank of a Saint, almost making Gerald choke on his saliva.
They then pestered Vera for answers, making the silver-haired lady tell them that she had a fortuitous encounter while traveling with her grandson.
When they heard about what happened in the Necromancer's Ancestral Lands, they felt as if the red-headed teenager whom they watched grow inside their stronghold, had now stepped into the realm where they didn't dare to go.
After the initial shock had passed, Vera informed all of them that nothing would change, and she would still remain one of the Guardians of the Wildgarde Stronghold.
This made Gerald and his colleagues extremely happy. If everyone knew that one of their members was a Saint, their status within the Six Kingdoms would definitely increase.
Currently, there were only two active Saints within the Six Kingdoms, and they were none other than Alexander and Maximilian.
With Vera as its third active Saint, the balance of power would definitely change. Fortunately, all three Saints were on the same side, which would make the rulers of the Six Kingdoms revise their strategy on how to form a good relationship with Vera, who had also become a Saint.
Of course, after sharing the good news, Vera didn't bat an eye and informed them of the bad news.
Wildgarde Stronghold was now made aware that Lux had made an enemy with the Divine Army of Light, which made them all look at the Half-Elf as if asking why he was courting death.
Still, they all thought that this wasn't that big of an issue since the main headquarters of the Divine Army was in Elysium. No matter how much they wanted to try and catch the Half-Elf, they needed to cross over to their world first.
And even if they did, both Solais and Elysium were big worlds. Finding a Half-Elf out of the trillions of people living there would not be an easy feat, especially if Lux didn't want to be found.
They just told the Half-Elf to be careful when venturing into the territories under the control of the Divine Army of Light, which Lux promised to do.
"It has been a while since we traveled like this, Grandma," Lux said softly.
"Indeed." Vera agreed.
The two of them were currently riding on Sophie's back (White Hippo), as she leisurely swam in the river headed to Barbatos Academy.
Riding on the White Hippopotamus' back was their favorite mode of transport. Even though their ranks had increased, granting them more convenient options for travel, they still decided to let her take them to Barbatos Academy for old-time's sake.
Along the way, they noticed a group of Giant River Crocodiles that were currently watching a duel between two Alpha Crocodiles.
After watching the memories of his childhood during his breakthrough, Lux recognized one of the two Alpha Crocodiles because it had a scar on its face.
The Giant Crocodile was an Alpha Deimos-Ranked Monster, and its opponent was of the same rank as it. The two fought fiercely, creating huge splashes and waves of water as they both rolled in the river, trying to one-up each other.
As if seeing the nostalgia in Lux's eyes, Vera asked Sophie to stop for a while so that they could watch the outcome of the match.
Ten minutes later, the Giant Crocodile with a scar on its face let out a triumphant roar as its opponent fled after its defeat.
The other Giant River Crocodiles also roared as if cheering for the strongest member of their group, proclaiming it their leader for the umpteenth time.
As if sensing the gaze of others on its body, the Alpha-Ranked Monster shifted its gaze on the White Hippopotamus that somehow looked familiar.
Its gaze then landed on the red-headed teenager for a brief moment before moving towards the silver-haired lady by his side.
The moment the Alpha Monster's gaze landed on Vera, its whole body trembled as if remembering memories of the distant past.
The scar on its face was something that Vera had left when it tried to attack her and the basket she was protecting many years ago.
Since it was a very traumatic experience, the Giant Crocodile made sure to remember the aura of the person that had given it a good beating.
Although Vera's looks had changed, her demeanor remained the same, making the Alpha Monster act like an innocent puppy who had met its owner.
Vera gave the Giant Crocodile a brief nod of acknowledgment before asking Sophie to continue their journey.
"I know that I have already said this in the past, Grandma, but thank you for saving me and bringing me back to the Wildgarde Stronghold," Lux said as he looked at the lady who had raised him since he was a baby. "I would not be where I am were it not for you, Grandma."
"You're welcome," Vera replied. "And thank you for appearing on that day as well. Because of you, I am given a second chance in life and even regained the power I lost long ago."
The two then smiled at each other as Sophie calmly waded through the river.
"Grandma, since you didn't know my birthday, you chose the day you found me in the river as my birthday, right?" Lux asked.
Vera nodded. "Yes. Seventeen years have passed since then, and look at you now. Already a Ranker and even the Progenitor of a Sacred Class that has never been seen before. Not only that, you are also the Guildmaster of Heaven's Gate.
"If I were to tell my past self that the child I picked up on that day would turn out to be this great, I might not have believed it. After all, back then, you would faint without any warning and cause trouble for everyone in the Stronghold."
Lux chuckled after remembering the days when he felt so helpless due to his weak body constitution.
After meeting the God of Games, Eriol, and regaining his memory, he embarked on a journey in Elysium without knowing what was waiting for him there.
Leaf Village had been his starting point, and with it, he came to love the world of Elysium. Although not everything was smooth sailing, and he had faced several hardships along the way, the Half-Elf had grown through these experiences.
Even now, he knew that his journey was nowhere near the finish line. Still, he could now raise his head high because he had taken that second step to reach the goal that he had set out to accomplish.
Vera, who didn't know the burden that her grandson was carrying, only lightly patted the red-headed teenager's head before pointing in the distance.
"We're almost there," Vera said with a smile.
Lux nodded. "Indeed."
Through their enhanced vision, they were able to make out the faint outline of Barbatos Academy in the distance.
And this made Lux and Vera well aware that their long-awaited family reunion would be happening very soon.
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