35 You dare...?!

Cloud Retainer and Shenhe watched as the eccentric blindfolded man leisurely walked away from them.

Cloud Retainer already told the man that the path outside of her realm would automatically open once when he was near the entrance, as such, no one accompanied him.

But to be honest, who would? The man just disrespected an illuminated beast that had lived for more than a thousand years and is also revered by humans as a guardian.

"Such unfound arrogance and confidence..." Cloud Retainer muttered infuriatingly. "One has only one recollection of someone having the same demeanor all those years ago."

"Master... someone else acted like him?" Shenhe asked on the side. Truth be told, she never expected the blindfolded man to also act that way in front of his savior. But then again, he did promise to do one task for her.

"Ah, don't even get me started..." Cloud Retainer sighed with exhaustion. "In all the time one has lived, only one person had the same demeanor as him."

"But nowadays, that person had changed." She said as a bit of melancholy mixed in her tone. "He now acts calm and refined as he silently drinks his Osmanthus wine..."

"Ah..." Suddenly, Shenhe recognized who she was talking about. Not long ago, her master told her that if a man comes and sits down outside of her abode, she should not disturb him. "Is it that man that always comes and drinks outside Master's abode?"

Cloud Retainer did not deny nor confirm it as she merely sighed. "Enough of this matter."

Woom—*

Suddenly, her light and deep blue-colored feathers started to illuminate a mild light as she seem to be conjuring something.

"Master... that is...?" Shenhe had never seen what Cloud Retainer was doing right now before. However, she does know that her master was performing an Adeptus art.

"Hmph, let's see what you truly are." Cloud Retainer said. The moment the blindfolded man had surpassed her in speed, she suspected him of something.

But by using an Adeptus art known as "Heart and Mind Intrusion", she can enter the blindfolded man's mind and see what he truly is inside and what his goals are.

With a brief moment of light, Cloud Retainer performed the Adeptus art and looked at Albert's departing figure.

"Now... let me see..." As she thought of this, her spirit slowly drifted from her own body and headed toward Albert.

Her spirit floated in the air and quickly flew to Albert's body!

Woosh—!"

A few seconds after performing the art, Cloud Retainer's spirit body successfully invaded Albert's body.

"Hmm... what is this...?" However, when she opened her eyes, she was met only with an eternal and boundless white plane of existence.

Nothing was anywhere except Cloud Retainer's spirit body.

"How odd..." Cloud Retainer pondered. "Usually, the human heart tends to hold many desires... But this o—"

"Oh? A bird?" Suddenly, a calm voice was heard behind Cloud Retainer.

'What...?!' The latter heard the voice and was shocked. The reason being is that she should be the only being in here!

When using the Heart and Mind Intrusion, only the performer's spirit can enter another person's mind without the latter noticing. As such, there shouldn't be anyone else here right now.

"That's not just any bird you know?" Another voice that was different from the previous one spoke. "That's a crane. Often symbolizing that of longevity and immortality... Oh, what great creatures they are..."

"Immortality, huh?" The other person scoffed. "Is that not what you sought after when you were alive— an obsession even?"

The other person then retaliated. "Hah! Even a mere assassin knows of it... Looks like you studied well."

"Well, I am quite well-versed in literature." The person said with a hint of pride.

Cloud Retainer quickly looked behind her and saw something.

It was a table with two chairs. On them were some snacks and teacups with tea on them.

However, the two people sitting on the chairs were what caught Cloud Retainer's attention first. One of them even seems to be drinking tea right now.

For some reason, their bodies were covered by a thin layer of fog that she can't see through— even so, she was able to see their silhouettes.

One seems to be wearing some type of a cloaked hood that covered his head while the other seems to be wearing quite an open outfit— like that of the blindfolded man's outfit.

"Anyways..." The person resembling the blindfolded man smiled as he pointed his forefinger at Cloud Retainer. "You dare disrupt our conversation? Leave."

[It is detected that an unknown anomaly has entered the host.]

Suddenly, something appeared in front of the two's perspectives. Cloud Retainer, however, did not see it.

"Wh-What...!" Before Cloud Retainer could even react to what the man just said, her spirit was ejected from Albert's body.

"Oh? The system acted quickly." The man with the blindfold amusingly said. "What a strange thing it is. It makes me most curious about it, really..."

"It sure does..." The man that resembled an assassin nodded in agreement before silently drinking his tea.

"Now back to the topic." Suddenly, the man with the blindfold became serious. His smile left his face.

"Yes..." So did the man with the hood as his eyes became sharp as a hawk.

The two looked at each other in the eyes and spoke at the same time with solemn faces.

"My disciple should be discreet."

"My disciple should be prominent."

And so the two argued over whether Albert should be stealthy or standing out.

* * *

Woom!*

In a matter of a few moments, Cloud Retainer's spirit returned to her body and her body was greatly startled. However, it stayed balanced.

"Master!" Shenhe senses her master startle and aided her quickly.

"This..." Cloud Retainer— with her eyes wide— returned to her senses. "What was that...?"

She had honestly never anticipated this outcome.

She merely intended to see what the man's true goals are and what his dispositions truly are.

In less than a few seconds, Cloud Retainer's mind tried to rationalize what had happened. It was only after a few seconds did she came up with a possible hypothesis.

"I see..." Cloud Retainer said as if she had been enlightened of something. "So that's how it is... interesting..."

"Master? What do you mean?" Shenhe aided her and questioned.

Cloud Retainer shook her head and sighed. "No, you needn't worry, child. One has merely figured out that man. As what should be expected of me."

"To think..." She then looked at the distance of her realm and spoke softly. "That man could still stay sane..."

"...with multiple personalities..." She said with slight amusement at the blindfolded man's situation. "Staying sane under such a disorder is no easy task..."

She was not wrong, per se. But it's best to keep it that way. For now.

* * *

"Ah~ Fresh air..." Outside of Cloud Retainer's abode, Albert stretched his body.

The morning sun and breeze greeted him, much to his liking.

"Now then..." He silently muttered as he grasped his chin after stretching. "How do I defeat a Primo Geovishap...?"

Truth be told, he did not know how to kill such a thing. But to truly become part of his template, he had to act and accept the task.

'Now that I've accepted it, I can just back down on my word...' He pondered. '...How should I deal with this without getting killed...?'

[Notice.]

Suddenly, the system's notification appeared.

[You have one unclaimed reward from your previous quest.]

"Oh?" Albert already received the first half of his reward from his previous quest which was a skill.

It was called [Veil of Concealment]. Similar to the Mask of Illusions, it can change the user's appearance anytime anywhere.

However, this time, it was a skill and not a physical item. As such, Albert's disguise can't be easily seen through.

As for the second reward...

Opening the system interface, Albert scrolled through and checked his inventory. He then found it. 'Ah, is this it?'

[Congratulations on receiving the reward: One Legendary Equipment.]

[Would you like to open this reward?]

[Y/N]

'Of course it's a yes.' Albert thought before pressing the Y button.

Suddenly, shortly after Albert opened the reward, something started appearing in his hand.

His eyes widened as he was put into slight disbelief at what appeared in his hands. 'This...'

With a wry smile, a thought flashed through his mind. 'Hey... isn't this a little too convenient?'

It was as if the heavens— or rather the system— were watching after him.

[Name: Gáe Buidhe: Yellow Rose of Mortality]

[Type: Weapon/Polearm]

[Origin: Fate universe]

[Bounded Owner: Albert Derichs (Other than the owner, no one else can use this item.)]

Ability:

If this weapon is used to inflict a wound on someone, a curse would be cast on them and that wound would not heal no matter how one may try to heal it.

Unless the weapon is destroyed, the curse would not disappear. (Can be changed using Fame Points)

In addition, this weapon cannot hurt its own master. Even if the owner stands on the tip of the blade, no injury shall happen.

Note: Can be wrapped in a talisman cloth to seal its abilities and not expose it. (It will only appear as a normal polearm to others)

Wielding the golden polearm on his left arm and swinging it once to test it, a soft smile appeared on Albert's face. 'Well then...'

He then placed the Polearm on his shoulders and hung both of his arms on it and walked in a leisurely manner. 'Time to head out~'

* * *

A/N:

Join the discord. We have insanity and a bit of health reminder from @Inchel