I Don't Need To Log Out

"Where are they!" Asmond said, with a higher tone than usual, almost screaming, gaining an angry look from the big trio at the table; Zephyrion, Birna, and Sheila.

"I am sorry, I talked too much." He instantly fixed his tone but was still looking at Arlon and the copy with an angry look.

"We gave them away. Since I don't need them, I gave it to the other saviors." Arlon said. This time, he wanted to get under this man's skin.

He acted a bit too much for Arlon's patience.

For a second, he felt Asmond's murderous intent, and then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Asmond moving.

But just when Zephyrion stood up to stop Asmond, something dropped on Asmond's head. It was something purple and it immediately started scratching his face.

Since Asmond was too focused on Arlon, he hadn't seen it coming even though he was really strong and could easily dodge whatever it was.

So, he held the thing on his head and threw it. But Arlon jumped and caught the dragon. It was Nyx.

Arlon hadn't seen how she came, but he was sure that she came after Asmond emitted murderous intent.

"Guards!" Zephyrion called the guards. "Please escort Sir Asmond to the drawing room. Sir Asmond, please wait there until the banquet is over."

This meant that he was kicked after his hasty move.

"But—" Asmond began to protest.

"No 'but,' Asmond," Zephyrion said coldly. He glanced at Birna for confirmation, though it was unnecessary. She nodded solemnly.

Of course, he didn't need to do that. If Zephyrion had given the order, it would have happened even if Birna hadn't approved it.

But he still received the approval.

Asmond stormed out under escort, his expression a mix of embarrassment and rage.

Once the tension had settled, Birna turned to Arlon and the copy. "Mr. Arlon, Sir Arlon, I must apologize for my retainer's behavior. It was unacceptable."

Arlon, sensing her sincerity, softened. "It's fine. No harm done."

"Well, maybe a little harm," Sheila said with a sly grin, glancing at Asmond's scratched face as he exited. "You should train him better, Birna. These youngsters today are too impulsive."

Birna sighed, her shoulders dropping slightly. "You're right, but he's an important asset to the council... despite his flaws."

Zephyrion, after giving the room a moment to settle, noticed everyone's attention on Nyx. Sheila's keen eyes sparkled with curiosity.

"Does it belong to you, boy?" Sheila asked, leaning forward slightly.

"Yes, she's with me," Arlon replied.

"Mind if I take a look?"

Arlon hesitated at first but then gave Nyx to her since she also seemed like a nice person.

Nyx didn't resist and Sheila took her.

"Hmm... She isn't Trionian. Where did you find her? I heard about her and the black light incident." Birna said.

She, as the head of the Magus Council, knew about what happened when June, Arlon, and Nyx tried infusing mana into the Magic Balls.

But she would look into it tomorrow.

"I am sorry, but if it is okay, I would like not to answer that question," Arlon said kindly. He couldn't say that he found her with a Demon.

He also looked at Zephyrion to plead for help, but that wasn't necessary.

"Don't worry, I won't force you if you don't want to tell me," Birna said. "She doesn't seem dangerous anyway and I will see more tomorrow."

Sheila also nodded. "What is her name?"

"Nyx."

"Nyx, huh?" Sheila smiled, stroking Nyx's scales. "She reminds me of the wyverns from the old heroes' time. But she's obviously not the same species." She paused, tilting her head. "She's imprinted on you, boy. I can see the bond. You should work on hiding it better."

Arlon didn't know what she meant by "hiding" the link. He couldn't see one in the first place.

"Don't push him too much. He probably can't even see the link yet," Birna said.

Zephyrion, sensing the conversation drifting, cleared his throat. "Ladies, let's not overwhelm Mr. Arlon. Won't you two stay here for a few days? We'll have plenty of time to discuss tomorrow. For now, let's return to the other items on the agenda."

The two women nodded, and Arlon and the copy were excused. Experience exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire

But before they could leave, "My lady," Ejen, standing behind Birna, leaned forward and whispered something into her ear.

Birna's eyes narrowed slightly as she glanced between Ejen and Arlon. Then nodded at Ejen.

"Sir Arlon, if you are available, can we talk for a bit? Don't worry, I won't be talking about anything unnecessary."

Zephyrion, who had been watching the interaction, gave a subtle nod. Arlon hesitated but eventually agreed.

"Of course. Lead the way," he said.

With that, Birna rose, and Arlon followed her out of the banquet hall.

---

As they walked, Arlon's thoughts raced. Since Zephyrion was okay with this meeting, it couldn't be about the enchanted equipment or anything that would raise immediate alarm.

Still, he couldn't shake a subtle sense of caution. He doubted Ejen had any traps or malicious intent, but being called aside by someone so close to Birna wasn't something to take lightly.

After a few minutes of walking through the grand corridors, they arrived at a small, private room.

It was sparsely furnished, with only a table and a few chairs, likely meant for discreet discussions.

Ejen gestured for Arlon to sit and closed the door behind him. His demeanor was calm but heavy with something unspoken.

"I apologize for pulling you away in the middle of the banquet," Ejen began, his voice carrying a genuine tone. "Especially since you're one of the stars of the event. I'll be here for a few days as well, but I didn't want to delay this... I needed to thank you."

Arlon tilted his head slightly, confused. "Thank me? I'm not sure I've done anything to warrant that. If this is about the Demon, it was my duty as a savior."

Ejen shook his head with a faint smile, though his expression quickly grew somber. "No, this is personal. I was a close friend of Merl," he said, his voice dropping with emotion. "Merl was Shirl's father. She's like a niece to me. So... thank you—for saving her."

Arlon's eyes widened briefly before he composed himself. "I see," he said softly, unsure of how to respond. "I didn't do anything extraordinary. Miss Shirl helped me more than I helped her. She's strong in her own right."

Ejen leaned forward slightly, resting his hands on the table. "You're humble, and I respect that. But I know what happened. If you hadn't intervened, Shirl—and perhaps all of Trion—would be in a much darker place. You made a choice to protect her when others might not have. For that, I'll always be grateful."

Arlon nodded, the weight of Ejen's words settling on him. He had acted because it was the right thing to do, but hearing how much it meant to someone else gave him a sense of unexpected validation.

"I didn't expect to hear this tonight," Arlon admitted. "But... you're welcome. Shirl is a remarkable person, and I'd make the same choice again if I had to."

Ejen smiled faintly. "I thought you'd say something like that. Merl would have liked you."

The room fell into a brief, contemplative silence before Ejen stood. "That's all I wanted to say. I won't keep you any longer. The banquet is still going on, and your absence will be noticed."

As they exited the room, Ejen paused and placed a hand on Arlon's shoulder. "If you ever need anything from me, don't hesitate to ask. I owe you more than I can put into words."

Arlon gave a small nod. "I'll remember that."

With that, they parted ways, and Arlon began making his way back to the banquet hall.

He also wondered if they really needed to change locations just for that, but he knew that there were prying eyes, or ears in this context, everywhere.

Then he remembered something he had to say to Ejen, something he had forgotten.