Kaden disintegrated all evidence of what he had been doing and returned to Corand.

"Now, what should I do", Kaden pondered as he floated up the stairs leading out of the hidden cellar level.

He had some experiments in mind. Kaden had been pondering few types of mana he was interested in. Space was one of them, souls were another and of course vengeance. These were rather important to Kaden.

He had already tried looking a bit into life back in No Man's Land, but more ordinary versions of it was readily available everywhere and he had seen how it worked in many ways, but he wasn't really understanding it. Otherwise he would be gaining more power. What was life anyway?

He had seen people consume food. He had watched their bodies take the nutrients. He had seen the chemical reactions that kept people alive.

Yet, it wasn't just that. Thats what kept ordinary human alive. Add mana into it and things got more complex. Kaden himself didn't even require that said sustenance and yet he was alive. Kaden had to ask himself, what did he actually absorb when he devoured life mana? If it was just something that ... 'animated' living things, wouldn't they just stop, as in die. They did die, but they also shriveled and dried up. He was taking the concept of them being alive. Did they just become inanimate matter that had for all intents and purposes never been alive as it lost what allowed that arrangement of matter to be alive? What was that thing? The concept of life?

Kaden had put aside his thoughts. If it was easy to understand concepts of mana, there would be more stronger True Magi and perhaps even more Archmagi. Hence, Kaden decided to look into all things he thought important, such as the remaining major interests. Space, souls, vengeance. He would take his understanding as far as he could and then see what needed to be done.

"They might even be connected", Kaden continued his ponderings. "Life and souls. Even small weak creatures have souls." Then again he wasn't quite certain things like microscopic life, such as bacteria, having souls, but were obviously alive. Perhaps there was a limit? "Vengeance seems to affect souls."

Space was a bit separate matter, but mana and its concepts seemed to be an intricate web of connections.

There was much left to understand. Kaden was still new to being a True Magus. The way he viewed the world had simply changed and he still saw new things all the time. Like someone who had been born blind suddenly being cured. That person would be seeing colors and shapes and then trying to make sense out of them. It would eventually become natural.

"Hmm, I wonder where I should conduct some experiments", Kaden pondered. The void between dimensions was one place, but he could not do that at Corand. He did not want to have audience of other True Magi.

Kaden eventually decided he would watch and observe Corand some more. Specially take a look what other noble families were doing and arrange some matters. If he was going to use influence of Northwinds to do something, he wanted to see who would interfere.

He did not get far by the time first interference came.

"Oh hello there!" A voice said behind Kaden. How this person got there without him noticing was a question and then the voice gave Kaden some shudders too due to its familiarity. Yes, the lengthy period of time while 7RU-MC prodded and examined his feathers had not been pleasant.

Kaden turned around and frowned as he looked at 7RU-MC.

"It seems you also managed a substantial upgrade to your systems, Kaden", 7RU-MC said in its flippant manner.

It was more natural now. While its clothing was still weird, it was no longer some voluptuous dress or anything crazy. The robot seemed to still prefer unusual colors, though. Otherwise there had always been something uncanny about it, but now all that was gone. 7RU-MC still prefered the appearance of a beautiful woman, Lady Fundun, but now it was very natural.

"You look even more... human these days", Kaden pointed out. "I can't tell yet how much of your previous concepts swapped with something more human or if this is a disguise."

"Hohoho", 7RU-MC gave a fake laugh. "I am beautiful! It is what matters. Also, speaking of disguises, I kind of prefered your previous beautiful form, but I understand the need. I hoped to see your wondrous feathers again. Their beauty must have increased by now!"

"What do you want", Kaden demanded. He was not interested dealing with 7RU-MC any more than he needed to.

"I'm hoping to arrange something", 7RU-MC said. "I have calculated very high chance of something that is useful to me and also to you."

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

"I have things to do and that does not involve you", Kaden stated and turned around intending to leave. He did not want to mingle with the robot.

"YOU DARE!" Someone shouted from the sky.

It was another True Magus. Most of them were rather secretive and were not open about their identities so Kaden did not really know too many of them. This one was completely unknown to him.

"Mr Merrith, how nice to see you", 7RU-MC said, not caring about the man's anger. Kaden wasn't sure what was going to happen. The city for sure didn't allow True Magi to fight inside it unless they took it into the void. Kaden intended to leave 7RU-MC to deal with its own problem. "Were you able to reform your grand grand grand grandsons leg yet. I did not cause too much damage, I believe."

The True Magus was frowning. Not because of what 7RU-MC said, but that Kaden was there.

"That accursed machine", Kaden cursed in his mind.

This was the arrangement. The True Magus was hesitating. The robot wanted to be seen togther with someone else. As if any potential fight would be one against two. Surely the robot didn't count on that entirely. It should know he would just tell this True Magus that he was free to kill 7RU-MC if he wanted to and there would be no interference from him. Then again the offense didn't seem like something a True Magus kill another over. No, it was likely very minor. Enough to anger, but not go much further than that. What was the purpose of this?

"You will pay what you did!" Merrith said, but now more calmly.

7RU-MC smiled and tossed out a high grade crystal. "You should keep your descendants in check and not bother my people. This should be enough for the cost, yes? He should have learned a lesson now, yes?"

It seemed the matter wasn't indeed actually that big. This Merrith, even as a True Magus, still cared about his family so any notable attack against them would draw his attention. Kaden was pretty sure Merrith would have punished 7RU-MC somehow, but now the situation was getting solved 'by chance' in a more calm manner. The robot indeed planned all this. It predicted all these interactions.

Not that Kaden was certain this Merrith could have beaten 7RU-MC. Kaden himself always felt the robot never showed its true ability. It was a machine, even if it had now a mana body. That still carried its concepts. It likely calculated things faster than a human True Magus. It thought in a different manner. The fight wouldn't be so simple.

Merrith scoffed slightly and then disapeared into the void between dimensions.

"Explain", Kaden demanded.

"It is good that we are seen together", 7RU-MC replied happily. "There is a high chance our growth and subsequent successes at becoming True Magi has been noted. It is beneficial to both you and me that they think so, if we are to keep our secrets. There are only few parties that could say otherwise."

"Indeed, it is rare for True Magi to appear this often", Kaden nodded.

As for the parties that knew Kaden didn't have really anything to do with 7RU-MC and that it was not a human were either dead or not willing to talk, such as Weils. Kaden himself had obscured that matter later with his reports to the military. Church must have concluded the truth that Ciner killed the inquisitor. Weils had likely not reported anything weird by the time he died fighting Ciner and investigations to his death had not brought up anything. Then there was Emina, who likely would not talk.

While what happened in that remnant had been most of Kaden's interactions with 7RU-MC until much later, it was suspicious and someone could ask when did he meet the so called Lady Fundun the first time.

It was also likely known Kaden was involved with Northwinds. 7RU-MC had some dealings with them too. It would be easy to assume both 7RU-MC and Kaden knew of each other and then both just happened to become True Magi nearly at the same time. That was rather convenient.

Kaden knew of the robot's crazy tales what it had been doing before while he himself had been nowhere to be found during that time. Someone could easily assume connection even if nothing obvious was showing.

That mistake would lead those interested in looking into both of their matters to wild goose chase.

"I'm seeing your point", Kaden finally said. "It won't last, but perhaps it will serve as a distraction for now."

"Hohoho", 7RU-MC fake laughed again. Then it asked in a flippant manner. "Are you going to kill the emperor?"

Kaden cursed in his mind.

"What makes you think that?" Kaden said calmly despite his distate for the robot that seemed to calculate things out of smallest details.

"Northwind family is doing some very interesting moves", 7RU-MC said. "It was somewhat unexpected, but you and your actions are predictable. I only had to adjust my own plans slightly. The governing structure is weakening below the church which opens new possibilites for me."

"You have some fanciful ideas", Kaden dismissed 7RU-MC's questions. He had no intention telling it anything. "If you are curious, I can't stop you from observing."

"Hohoho", 7RU-MC fake laughed again. "I shall do that then. Please, if you have the time, visit my home and show me your feathers once more. I truly hope to see their wonders once more."

"No, that will not happen", Kaden stated. Then again, if it truly wanted, it could likely arrange some sequence of events that would make it very difficult for Kaden to reject the offer.

Kaden decided to instead slip into the void and end the discussion there. He only hoped the robot wouldn't disrupt his plans too much in the future.

There was a plan Kaden decided to try. It didn't have perfect success chance, but it didn't really matter. It was time to find Nervin and put him to work. It didn't really matter, if he died, but if things worked out some good stuff could come out of it.

Kaden wanted to take part in the game that Shadow Pact was playing. He had always suspected there was a True Magus somewhere behind it. Getting to use Saint Empire's underworld could be useful in various matters. Such as pushing Northwinds where he wanted and cause problems to their enemies.

Nervin would likely die along the way, but even a disruption could give smaller benefits. Even if it didn't play out. Nervin was expendable and his usefulness had already ran out and if he wasn't being useful any longer he should be removed. Loose ends and all that.