Back in the real world, Asterios opened his eyes to the same sight as before. Fortunately, this time, contrary to how their last attempt at pushing through the seal had gone back in the Demont Continent, nothing assaulted his mind or body with pain. It seemed that Radir had gotten a little bit better with the barrier thanks to the knowledge from Red’s notes.

The formation under him lost its glow and faded, leaving only patterns still remaining on the floor. Asterios glanced forward. Radir was much less exhausted than before too. It was definitely a good sign. If they could drill into his sealed memories bit by bit at a decently regular pace, he would already be plenty happy.

Taking a deep breath, he stood up a little shakily. Returning to his own body after experiencing being locked in the form of an almost newborn had caused some confusion in his mind.

Before long, Miria was already by his side, jumping under Ast’s armpit to support him, helping Asterios catch proper balance. Everyone slowly gathered around after they were sure that the entire magic ritual had been finished and it was safe to step onto the formation on the ground.

Sensing the panthergirl’s expectant gaze on himself, Asterios smiled softly and scratched behind Miria’s soft ears a little.

“It looks like Red and Kaguya have been to Bryn’s realm at least once. Specifically, to the Descending Spire, if my assumption is correct. It has a slightly weak basis but I feel like it is true.”

She immediately beamed a wide smile at him and her tail began making lively dances behind her back.

“That’s great, Master! There’s a chance that we’ll find more hints about you there!”

Selene and Tina came closer to him from the front.

“How much were you able to see this time, my Lord?” the fox lady asked.

“The memory fragment might have been shorter than the last time but it did kind of confirm some of our guesses. It was just a brief conversation between my parents, also making the assumption that they are my parents a bit more certain if not fully confirmed.”

He then moved his gaze around and stopped at the shadowy raven perched on Bryn’s shoulder. Their opposite elements didn’t seem to be an issue anymore, showing that their initial conflict had just been a small misunderstanding.

“Umbra, could you show it to everyone so it’s easier to discuss?”

~Naturally.~

For the next minute or two, Asterios regathered himself while the others watched the memory. Since Radir had experienced the scene with him this time, the man focused on recuperating too while they waited in silence. It was much easier to have both Grea and her father informed about most if not all the details regarding his sealed memories.

Everyone came back pretty much at the same time. Miria opened her mouth and was going to happily say something about them finally getting some definite answers but she noticed Ast’s pensive state. He was looking into the distance with a partially sober expression.

Tina trotted closer to him first and captured his attention. “Is everything okay?”

Miria hastily joined her, also arriving right in front of Asterios. “Aren’t you glad that it’s now confirmed, Master? I mean, I know that… it’s not the best thing that could have been confirmed but it’s good that we are getting rid of more mystery, no?”

Even Selene stopped behind the two. “And, as Miria said earlier, our current destination became even more interesting and valuable to us. It’s certainly something to be happy about.”

Asterios shook his head lightly and showed a wry smile.

“I just… Considering Teira… I really hope that they weren’t involved in the appearance of the Scourge…”

While Tina wasn’t exactly sure what his statement meant since she had yet to learn about the truth behind that incident, Miria instantly jumped forward and pulled Asterios into a tight hug, wrapping her arms around his body. The sheer force she used to squeeze him made Asterios chuckle lightly. Selene joined them and turned it into a group hug.

“We can’t know that, my Lord. We shouldn’t jump to such conclusions just from a single sentence. Remember Teira? You initially thought that it was your fault and it turned out to be completely different from what you assumed.”

“Perhaps, but the scale here… is completely incomparable…” Asterios sighed wistfully. “How would you feel if you learned that your parents might have potentially doomed an entire world? Standing right next to someone who has to live in it?”

He glanced at Bryn, who could feel his worry and guilt through their still fresh connection.

The Valkyrie met his gaze with a serious expression and began walking closer to them. The magnificent staff-spear appeared in her hand while surrounded by shining particles of light. Everyone turned their heads at her. Both Miria and Selene tensed a little, reaching to their cores and gathering their focus.

Bryn stopped after covering half of the distance and hit the ground with the bottom of her staff while spreading her wings wide. Her halo glowed brightly.

“I swear upon my name and honor as a proud valkyrja, I will not judge anyone based on what their parents or relatives have done in the past,” she exclaimed with a powerful voice.

A faint blush surfaced on Bryn’s cheeks as she grew a tad embarrassed. Even her wings curled back behind her a little.

“Although, I might have been a little too hasty when we first met…” she added in a softer tone with a shy smile.

Miria and Selene chuckled quietly while the corners of Silvia's mouth rose faintly. Asterios smiled too as the tension quickly left their bodies. His attention was captured by Miria again, who turned her face towards him and stared into his eyes with an excited spark in her irises.

“Would you… let me ride you, Master?”

He laughed softly at her adorable expression and stroked her cheek dearly. It was obvious that she was trying to fix his mood by switching topics to another bit they had learned from his memory.

“If and whenever I'm able to do that, you get the privilege of the first flight.”

Asterios kissed her forehead, making her giggle cutely. Still brushing Miria’s cheek with his palm, he glanced at Bryn.

“Thanks. And sorry.”

She shook her head with a warm smile. “Do not apologize for something that you don’t even know is true. I can’t speak for others, and I’m sure there definitely would be those who would blame you if you were involved in bringing the end of the world in any way, but I don’t wish to do so. Judging by the memories you have shared with me, you would have been even younger back then if that operation those people mentioned was the beginning of our fall.”

“And we can’t even be sure if it wasn’t just a random visit after or before the Scourge plagued Bryn’s world,” Silvia added calmly. "It might have already been overtaken at that point in time. From what you have told me, it would be the third place they could have considered their hideout or vault. Now I wonder how many of those are scattered across the realms.”

Grea tapped her chin. “I wonder if that operation has anything to do with your second source. Though, it could have very well been inherited or something. The man did imply that your case wasn’t exactly normal, and he did use the word ‘another’.”

“We can sit here and speculate for days but never arrive anywhere close to the truth,” Selene interjected. “I think it will be better to just wait until we get a chance to explore the Descending Spire and manage to find out what they might have meant if they really spoke about the same spire which we are heading to.”

“Right.” Asterios nodded. “Besides, we are on a quite tight schedule. Tina’s initiation takes place in like a few hours and we are supposed to meet the Demon King like… tomorrow?”

“Correct!” Radir jumped into his field of vision. “I think it would be fine to arrive today. From what I know, he’s very eager to meet with us after hearing about what happened to the Tri-Valor Valley.”

A wry smile snuck onto Ast’s lips and the demon man quickly shook his hands at him.

“Not in that way! The prospect of a new discovery is the reason! I assure you that he most likely won’t hold any grudge over the fact that you somewhat trashed the place completely.”

“Well then. I really appreciate your help, Radir, Grea. We wouldn’t get as far without either of you. I’m not sure how I can thank you for all the help.” Asterios nodded at the father and daughter duo.

“I received plenty already!” Radir showed a wide smile.

“Same here. And I’m not talking just about the notes and books. I’m just repaying what you did for me all the time.” Grea's face showed a kind expression.

“Let’s talk a little about everything from the very beginning since I should fill everyone in on the lacking information and we’ll move on.” Asterios then glanced at Tina. “Speaking of which, you haven’t registered as an adventurer yet, have you?”

“No, I was focusing on my studies until now. Why?” she asked curiously.

“Well, since you’ll be joining us, I think it’s a good idea to have you as a member of our team, and as an official adventurer. I would hate to steal your credit. And, before we go to Bryn’s realm, it would be a good idea to practice all together with everyone a little. We could tackle a dungeon or two as those have proven to be a decent place to practice cooperation in an ever-changing environment.”

“Master is right!” Miria chimed in cheerfully. “I still remember our first dungeon! I learned a lot about Master and fighting together! But, the most important were the parts about our bond! You really have to feel it out as much as possible! It’s the best sensation in the world, I swear!”

Grea chuckled lightly and very gently slugged Tina in the shoulder.

“Damn you, shortie. You have to tell me everything about it. No single fucking detail omitted, no matter how embarrassing. I won’t let you weasel your way out of this, you hear?”

Tina snuck a brief glance at Asterios and nodded at the crimson-skinned woman with a smile.

“I promise, Professor. And, don’t worry. You will get to know about everything soon, that’s for sure.”

Then, they moved to a more comfortable section of the sealed underground bunker and began talking about various things connected to Ast’s situation. Whoever had been lacking certain events or details quickly received a run down from Asterios or one of his mates.

Grea’s and Radir’s presence was obvious since they literally worked on uncovering the truth behind his origins pretty much alongside him but even Silvia was fully included this time. Asterios felt like their unique connection could be of a huge help someday too and wanted to have the princess on board.

It wasn’t as big of an issue as he had initially thought as Silvia considered herself part of their party and his pupil to some extent. She swore to keep most things to herself until she received permission to share those secrets with her father or others. With that, no one had to worry about very carefully watching their words around her as they felt the sincerity in Silvia’s stance. She had already proven it in the past at least a few times.

In a pretty relaxed atmosphere, as relaxed as it could get while discussing a few uncomfortable and disturbing events from the past, they talked for around an hour. Naturally, Ast’s past and adventures weren’t the only topics and the conversation shifted to one of the other participants now and then. Everyone was especially curious to hear more from the princess, for obvious reasons. She didn’t appear in public that often.

When their time ran out, Asterios promised to visit soon again and help the demon duo with their research, and his group left the hidden lab accompanied by Grea. Silvia changed her hair color back and they walked into the academy’s corridors, deciding to check on the Principal before leaving.

Even though Asterios mentioned that they didn’t have to, his beastfolk companions and the valkyrja returned to their realms. The former didn’t want to cause additional commotion and the latter just followed their decision, not really wanting to stand out either. Bryn’s beautiful wings would definitely attract a lot of attention.

But, even without any of the unique girls present, they still received quite some stares and noticed people whispering between each other. No one had any doubt that they were talking about them. As for the reason, it was clear too. The news regarding the big surprise during the graduation had surely already spread around.

Since it was a day after the big ceremony and the academy was entering a full month of a break, not many students traversed the hallways. Mostly those who still wished to attend their extracurricular activities remained there, or students who still had something to take care of.

They reached the Principal’s office without any major interruptions.

A few people had stopped them briefly, asking Tina for an autograph, making her blush a little. She fulfilled their requests nevertheless. Fortunately, no one seemed to recognize Silvia in her disguise. Perhaps using polar opposites, in her case black and blue instead of white and red, was working wonders, as simple as it was.

Grea knocked on the door and led everyone in after Principal Teireshia’s voice invited them inside. They found the woman going through some documents looking like graduation certificates, most likely belonging to those who hadn’t been able to show up for the ceremony, for whatever reason.

She noticed who her guests were and smiled softly. “Ah, the main stars of yesterday’s performance. Welcome back, Asterios, Tina. And you too, Professor Grea. I don’t think I recognize you, my dear, even though you seem familiar. You aren’t a student here, are you?”

Tina giggled quietly and glanced at the undercover princess. Silvia nodded at her and she turned to the Principal.

“I think she should be considered the star of the show too, maybe even the brightest one.”

Madam Teireshia squinted her eyes at the other blue-haired girl and they soon widened in realization.

“By the Great Kargalan’s beard… Princess?”

Silvia curtsied politely. “Yes, that’s me, but please, do not mind my presence. I’m just accompanying them. I don’t want to cause too much trouble.”

“Oh, considering how much you are involved with our academy now, I think it’s a little too late for that.” The older woman chuckled lightly. “I gladly welcome any trouble if it will make things better here.”

“And we will do anything in our power to correct any wrongdoings.” Silvia nodded her head. “We have neglected our responsibilities towards this place. Even if it isn’t a school run by the kingdom, it does play a big part in its image. There are rules and standards any organization should abide by if it wants to function here.”

“I know and really appreciate it, Princess Silvia. You have my full cooperation. I’m not so sure about the Council, though.”

“If my years of experience within noble circles aren’t wrong, I’m fairly certain they will also cooperate as smoothly as they can. If not just to save their skin, then to court some favor by exposing their accomplices.”

“Good.” Tina crossed her arms under her chest. “I hope we can get rid of all the corrupt idiots and make the academy great again. It would be all good if only the Principal held more power.”

Madam Teireshia chuckled at her. “The two separate bodies existed exactly to keep each other in check since the beginning. The balance has shifted a little over the recent ages, unfortunately. Reaching that status quo again will be the best possible outcome. I can’t guarantee that my successor won’t be just like some of the members of the Council.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, then,” Silvia replied.

“Now, let’s end these politics. It’s not why you have come here, right? At least not yet.”

“You bet your ass we didn’t,” Grea finally joined in, walking closer to the Principal’s desk and supporting herself on it with her hand. “Those two were worried about you after yesterday’s big event. You know how much of a softie each of them is.”

“Then, you should know that I’m doing well at the moment.” The older woman smiled at them. “I’m happy that I could see you put those fools to shame, Asterios. And that you presented yourself so brilliantly too, Tina. Your dedication and achievements make me warm inside, they remind me why I chose to guide and assist others on this path.”

Tina lowered her gaze a little while her cheeks got covered with a faint shade of crimson and Asterios smiled appreciatively. Grea grinned at the Principal.

“Oh, you old witch, if this is already making you warm then you are going to melt into a fucking puddle when you learn how much this little chick has discovered mere moments after leaving the coop. We might be standing right on the edge of the new Golden Age of Summoning Magic.”

Madam Teireshia raised a curious brow at her. “Did you discover something about Asterios’ unusual familiars?”

Grea laughed openly. “If it was just that! I got tons of material to go through and I didn’t have time to even start properly but I know very well that some of it will be truly revolutionary, even if certain parts will be inapplicable to normal people.”

Asterios and Tina exchanged glances, knowing that their researcher friend wasn’t yet aware of most likely the biggest, most groundbreaking revelation in the entire history of Summoning Magic. They could imagine how much more thrilled Grea would get after learning about their ability to cross realms through the summoning gates.

“Well, I will have to transcribe almost all of it first since there are bits I can’t mention yet but there will come a day when it won’t matter anymore, am I right, Mister Big Deal?” she continued.

He chuckled and shook his head. “Who knows? I think it’s still way too early for any official announcements.”

“You two are making me really excited about this and I don’t even know what it’s about.” Madam Teireshia smiled wryly. “Oh, how I wish I was a few decades younger.”

Grea patted the Principal on the shoulder.

“Don’t worry. You have enough time to get immortalized in the pages of history as the one who helped introduce revolutionary knowledge. I can’t do everything myself with my complete inability to socialize with people. Just wait for a little. And, who knows, maybe we’ll find another way to prolong your lifespan as a byproduct. A few such methods were discovered by accident, were they not?”

“Always the optimist.” Madam Teireshia shook her head and then glanced at Asterios. “I’ll gladly be there for you. It’s not like I’m going to go anywhere else. Besides, this academy could use some fresh blood amongst its cadre in the near future. Professor Tina and Professor Asterios don't sound that bad, do they?”

Asterios chuckled lightly. “What a story would it be for a dropout to end up as a teacher.”

“If you helped your pupils achieve half of the results Tina had with your help then no one would even bat an eye at that unjust expulsion.”

The person in question blushed even more heavily, remembering their Joint Summoning back then. She would never forget that blissful moment which also had been one of the first steps on her path to getting closer to Asterios.

“I might consider it.” He smiled at the Principal.

Since Madam Teireshia had clearly been in the middle of something when they interrupted her, they didn’t stay for too long and bid farewell to the Principal and Professor Grea soon after, leaving them both in the former’s office.

Umbra offered to move them in pairs through his shadows but Tina suggested they take a walk through Rosewind and Silvia agreed. Therefore, they casually strolled towards the Adventurer’s Guild together.