Erebus, shocked by this sudden and bizarre situation, regained his calm as he spoke.

“Lord Monarch, may I ask the reason for our summons?” He couldn't help but ask, while Avrin remained quiet for a moment and then spoke.

“The situation on the other side has improved greatly, thus giving me a reason to consider taking more Spectrals than I planned. But I'm also lacking managers that can help organize my plans into fruition. Because of this, you two are the best choices, that’s the reason I summoned you two, so you can decide among yourselves who will come assist me.” Avrin stated.

Ailirion’s face turned stern as he took Avrin’s words into great consideration and then immediately gave his answer. “Master. Although I do miss my home, I find myself lacking after meeting our kin here. Their growth is astonishing and inspiration...”

Avrin then turned to look at Erebus. “Then what say you, Erebus? Are you not curious to see what another world is like? If you can help me run Shaded Moon, we can obtain a viable source of funds and slowly establish a reputation for ourselves in this universe, thus helping our people set up a new foundation.”

Erebus remained silent for a moment. Before, he did have some doubts on Avrin’s intentions, but after speaking with Avrin, he realized Avrin placed significant faith in him. However, he kept recalling the memory of a book that he periodically must see, the one he always has to open at certain times.

“Lord Monarch, I…” Erebus felt conflicted and hesitated. The dark emotions that he was still unaware of continued to influence him.

Avrin frowned a little. "If you do not wish to follow, then say so, Erebus. When has a leader ever been so indecisive?"

Erebus and Ailirion were both taken aback from his words, but they understood the significance of what he said and soon regained their composure. “L-Lord Monarch! I will indeed go with you as your aide.”

Erebus then gave a respectful bow followed by Ailirion, refusing to fall behind in front of Avrin. Seeing this, Avrin smiled and nodded at their actions. “Perfect. I've decided to stay in Seleria for a while; we are in no rush.” Avrin raised his hand to form two spheres of knowledge and handed them to Erebus and Ailirion with instructions for them.

“If either of you has questions or issues, come find me here. You don't have to feel reserved about. In fact, I wouldn't even mind... rather, I hope you can learn to relax and call me by my name in the future." He said.

"Also, Ailirion, I noticed you still cannot use Divine Step. I sincerely recommend focusing your efforts fixing that from now on.” Ailirion looked at Avrin and nodded. “Of course. I also feel I need to…improve…” He replied with a careful tone after remembering how the Spectrals in the tournament were all giving it their all into self-improvement.

With that said, Ailirion gave his respects and then left via elevator. Erebus, of course, remained with a silent expression. “Do you have something you want to say?”

Despite Erebus’ silence, Avrin could see his internal turmoil.

“Why don’t you visit our people and make your presence known more often…? There is only so much me and the others can do…if you would even speak a few words, it would surely rally them to improve faster...” Realizing the words coming out of his mouth, Erebus clamped his mouth, trembling with some worry.

Hearing this, Avrin turned his head from the apparition to him. “I see, so because I am not around and making myself known, you are frustrated? Let me inform you, Erebus. I never wanted to be a ruler from the start…I originally planned to live my life in solitude away from prying eyes, but it seemed no matter what I did or planned, fate is placing so many things in my way. Erebus, I'm not a leader anymore, and I don't wish to lead anyone.”

Erebus’s face twisted a little as he trembled, clenching his fists. “Then why did you bother to save us…? To save this entire planet? You could’ve just let us die without a care…!” Erebus raised up, releasing his voice the pent-up frustration.

In response to his passionate words, Avrin gave a complicated smile. The day he read their memories, he knew Erebus held hidden frustrations towards him.

“Despite my original intentions, what’s done is done. Through thick and thin, you are all still my people and my kin. I may not want to lead them, you may not want to lead them, but we are both in this together to assist our kin, until a leader rises from our efforts. I will handle all the unpleasant chores as all I ask from you and the other purebloods is to manage our people in the meantime.”

Erebus remained silent as thought over his words, his face one of contemplation. "Do you not realize the contradiction in your own words? You created us, command us, and reprimand us, but you do not want to lead us or deal with us?" A sense of abandonment starts to well up within him.

"-To claim that I don't want to lead our people?-" A voice within his mind spoke. Erebus' heart started beating rapidly as he continued his words. "Are you saying that we are burdens? Aren't you-" His words stopped as he soon caught hold of himself.

He couldn't say it. He was afraid to finish his sentence in fear of the answer. -Just creating us on a whim and then neglecting us, like trash? Are you not the same as the old gods?- Saying such words would be blasphemy of the higher magnitude against their very progenitor.

More importantly, he couldn't even understand where all these uncomfortable feelings and words were coming from. He knows that he was normally not this temperamental when dealing with his kin. His heart confused, he inhaled and exhaled to clear his head and calm his heart. He could only look upon Avrin, observing the shocked and startled face of their Lord Monarch. An array of emotions flashed within his eyes as Avrin continued to stare upon Erebus.

"-Can you really trust him?-" Erebus could only shake his head to clear those strange thoughts out of his head again. He knows that he had said too much and that despite what may have been said, their Lord Monarch had always done what was best for them. “I will leave you be then, Lord Monarch. Is there anything you require before I leave?”

Avrin looked at him carefully and took a second to respond. He felt something wrong, but he wasn't sure whether it was about himself or Erebus. “.....Tell me now, do you want to come with me or not?”

Erebus gave a thoughtful look. “I would prefer to stay in the meantime. I don't think Ailirion is capable of handling our people just yet.” Avrin looked a little disappointed but shrugged off his discontent. “Very well. You may leave now.”

Erebus nodded and then Divine Stepped away, reappearing within his own home.

“Maybe it was my mistake to have ever been changed... I thought he would personally lead us to new heights, but he instead wants to be rid of us as soon as we can take care of ourselves....me dying would have been so much simpler...” Giving a sigh, Erebus glanced out his room's window to gaze at the busy streets, bustling with his own people that had taken this road because they thought it would lead them to a perfect life.

Without him knowing it, a change was occurring within his own inner workings. A sinister and ominous matter was developing and hiding within him, growing stronger in response to his emotions. Meanwhile, at a building close to the southern tournament stage…

“Master has returned?” Kael gave an excited look as he glanced at Ailirion. “Only recently, though he seems a little preoccupied with something. Regardless, he returned to us again and imparted quite a helpful amount of knowledge. You should pay him a visit. As for myself, I need to start preparing what pieces of knowledge I need to give out.”

Kael nodded and gave a wide grin. “-Excellent! I'll gather up the winners and go to see him later today. I’ve made some personal improvements, so maybe I’ll receive a cool weapon like yours. Hehehe.-” He gave a joyful glance before saying his farewells to Ailirion and headed off.

Tardiff was currently seated on the floor cross-legged, holding a small dagger in his palm with two people standing in front of him. “Hmm....” His voice called the chamber to tremble slightly. “This...is ok, but look here....” He began to explain to them that the dagger itself looked good, but it's structure and design were a bit clumsy. As such, it was basically a faulty weapon meaning only a skilled could properly use it.

The two people in front of him were two former blacksmiths that had chosen the artificer route and took Tardiff as their mentor. They felt they’ve made great progress, but along the way, they discovered when it came to sigils, Tardiff was even pickier than Eitri and would always find an excuse in his judgment, deeming every crafted work flawed as if only perfect creations can waver his judgment otherwise.

Suddenly, a Spectral wearing lavish attire walked towards Tardiff and bowed. Tardiff glanced at him curiously. Several moments later, his mouth formed into an ‘O’ shape. “M-master is back…? Damn, I wonder if I will get yelled at for picking on everyone here…” He pondered while rubbing under his chin. “No, I didn't do anything wrong, hehe! Yeah, it's all for their own sake! Hehehehahahaha!” His laughter shook the chamber, making the two artificers and the messenger turn a little pale.

A half hour later, the apparition had finally finished consuming the lode, and the lucent crystals protruding out the lode had vanished, leaving only a chunk of raw common stone. The apparition stepped back. Its purple eye had turned a deep azure blue, and it no longer shook. It was as though it was more stable than before.

Nevertheless, the apparition still had an ethereal body and almost seemed like a hunched monster from fairytales. The ominous presence emitted was even stronger and more subtle than ever before. The creature turned and glanced at Avrin a little cautiously, making sure to not move provocatively.

“You're done? Good.” Avrin nodded as the apparition then looked around before spotting the other lode. Opening its mouth again on instinct, it started salivating bluish mist-like drool. However, before it could take a step forward, Avrin spoke out a warning. “That isn’t for you...”

His reprimanding tone scared it stiff, and it sat down almost like a chimp glancing around. “I'm going to return you from whence you came?” Avrin had clear intentions in the way he spoke. He couldn't afford to leave this thing here, but he could use it to lead a few other of its kind back to the area around Seleria after some time. In this way, he could do more experimentations and try to tame these things. Despite this, the creature looked at the remaining lode and was truly reluctant to leave it, trembled again as he resisted its instincts.

“Don't want to leave so suddenly? Hahaha, such a fickle thing you are. Tell you what, I'll allow you to bring more of your friends next time when I bring in more. But only if you behave yourself in my home. One wrong move, and consider your life forfeit.” Hearing Avrin speak in a slow simple manner to convey his intentions, the apparition was a little confused, but after a moment, it gave a creepy look and released screeching wail.

From the looks of things, Avrin thought of how animals would respond and only assumed that the training was making some progress despite its limited intelligence. If so, his plans should work out in general. He just needs to be careful about the number of these creatures in the future and respond accordingly to any unexpected surprises in the future.

He then stood up from the chair then Divine Stepped the creature and himself into the Spectral Domain away from the planet. Searching through and assembling the new knowledge he recently gained, he devised and materialized a small device made from dark matter. More specifically, he created an improved version of the teleport crystal that he originally made for Calomia. Although slightly risky, he decided to start devising it during the creature's feasting as he felt that he could catch or stop it if it made any sudden moments.

The apparition saw and began to sniff the crystal. “Don't lose or eat that. When I come back, I’ll use it to call you. If you lose it, then finding you will be very troublesome, and you will no longer eat something like the lodes ever again.” After wording his sentence in a simple and little slow manner to help it understand, he then slowly implanted the crystal into its body before coating it with dark matter in order to keep it there.

After finishing what he wanted to do, Avrin then turned around and vanished back to Seleria. The creature looked confused for a moment before it let out a slight howl. It then moved forward, trying to find and enter into that mysterious world once again, but as it moved closer, nothing happened as if he went through nothing but empty space. It looked around for a moment before rushing off with the device Avrin gave it in tow, its form slowly reverting to its intangible ghostly form.

When Avrin reappeared, he was above the Sylph Forest in the Southern Continent as he glanced down on the lands. He could see heavy construction under way with many wooden shacks and huts having been temporarily built. Because of the remaining mana in the area, the people here seemed in decent shape.

Looking away, he saw a road with several convoys of carriages carrying construction or salvaging tools. “-They wasted no time it seems. Let's see…Myra, where could you be?-” Avrin's Divine Sense scanned the area for only a moment before he spotted Myra in what seemed to be a small makeshift garden where she and others were preparing to plant crops of various unknown species into the brown tilted dirt.

“--May I borrow a moment of your time?--” Avrin's voice echoed within Myra’s head, causing her eyes to widen as her small childish figure jumped up to her feet, alerting her companions around her as they turned their eyes on her confused about her sudden action.

“Lady Myra, are you feeling unwell?” A female sylph sharing Myra’s stature glanced at her with some worry. Seeing her startled figured, many people around her were also shocked and glaring at Myra in confusion.

“I'm fine! P-please continue. I will be back in a moment.” With that said, she flapped her little wings and flew into the air. Her ephemeral wings glistened with a beautiful, strong light as they propelled her with the help of mana.

“--Avrin, where are you?--” Myra looked around curiously after she made sure to find a secluded area devoid of prying eyes, one with large green trees covering her visage. To avoid unnecessary yelling, she even took advantage of her knowledge about Divine Link and send forth her thoughts.

“--I'm right here.--” With but a moment, a dusty ash cloud appeared from thin air, forming into Avrin’s figure.

“You wouldn't come here to simply check up on us, and Izanami already reassured me that you know of our progress with some sort of Divine Sense magic. Do you need something?” Myra was a little cautious of Avrin, but this was less than before, considering he helped to reclaim her race’s homelands.

“I brought you and your people a well-needed gift.” A smile crept on his face before the large lucent crystal lode materialized to his side, nearly dwarfing his height as it shocked Myra…She felt the high concentrations of mana within the lode, much more than any common magical ore.

Although magical materials were common before, it now became a scarcity on Seleria, and she has rarely seen any new magical ores as of lately. However, Myra could tell that the crystals were valuable and may help in their reconstruction efforts. She just had to find out their exact uses.

Watching her stare in wonder at the lode, Avrin nodded and took the time to create two Spheres of Knowledge meant for her. Although it was relatively easier for the first time, this was still meant for an individual that wasn't a spectral, forcing him to adapt it and use his newfound understanding of mana to make it safer for Myra to absorb. Avrin was thus sweating profusely and gathering his concentration to form the two Spheres which would some magical information obtained from the slain gods. This would make things easier by transferring knowledge about lucent crystals and a few magic circles that could use them.

"Phew." Sighing after forming the Spheres of Knowledge, Avrin accidentally recalled Myra's attention. He handed her the two spheres and said in slight excitement. "Here are two Spheres of Knowledge. One is for you.... the other for Syrana... After absorbing this, you will have gained a new understanding of these crystals and other arcane knowledge."

"Okay." Myra nodded in response. Knowing about the super convenience of the Spheres of Knowledge, although a bit skeptical about the full validity of the information, she still closed her eyes and swallowed one. Wave after wave of new information flooded her mind along with a few memories to exemplify the processes and results.

"I see.... Lucent crystals, is it? They are used as the currency on certain worlds and are used as reagents in several unique crafting processes, spells, and magic arrays... so this is what it's like away from Seleria. Wow... Hmm, but Avrin, as we are now..... aren't they beyond our means?" She had yet to assimilate all the knowledge and was shocked at the flow of knowledge within her mind. However, she couldn't afford to stay here all day, and from the quick glances through her new knowledge, she could only surmise that Avrin plans to use them for relief efforts

As a result, she opened her eyes and stared at Avrin in bewilderment. It would be better to have Avrin point out his intentions and just try to recall the information from there. Besides, he obviously already came up with a plan when he came here.

"For you, yes." He nodded. "With your new knowledge, there should be a few special magic circles that require lucent crystals as magic reagents... I plan to help draw out the Ash Tree Revival array. With the mana from the lucent crystals in this lode, it should be enough to last for a year or two at most. With this, the Sylph Forest should become more habitable." Looking into her childlike, expectant eyes, Avrin subconsciously broaden his smile in response.

"It is not really a part of the common magic system used by Seleria, but as long as you can gather some magic reagents from your side, it can help alleviate the mana burden for some time. In a year or two, I may be able to find a solution to the issue of mana here.." Avrin could just search around for other ingredients, but using the lucent crystals are necessary for amplifying the effects and countering the dark matter for some time. One can even use the mana battery properties of the lucent crystals to extend their usage.

However, as for whether that would be wise in Seleria's mana scarce environment, he will have to remain and see. He already had plans for getting more decent quality lucent crystals in the worse case scenario and would use them as needed. Not to mention, he also planned to experiment and see the effects of slightly adding dark matter in the power source.

"…!!!" Gasping in surprise, Myra was finally able to recall the information concerning the magic formation named by Avrin. It was a magical array even more powerful than their Goddess Lenaya's gift in the past. She felt that with such a formation, the remnants of the people who chose to not convert would have better a sense of security.

Although happy and joyful, she wouldn’t let everything simply ride on her faith in Avrin finding a solution. Everything is partially his fault after all, and it is still too soon to jump to conclusions. Yet, more importantly, the lands would gradually be nurtured and nourished under its effects as long as the magic array could be powered.