For several days, Elian carried on with his usual activities, focusing on getting closer to Amelia, as she was the "key savior" with the greatest potential he had at the moment. During the same days, Finn had gathered some information about the destinies Elian could choose to advance to Sequence 8.
Among them were:
Dream Weaver: Allows the user to control dreams, even enter other people's dreams. However, the owner of this destiny tends to fall asleep often. at the same time, they grow stronger and recover faster while sleeping.
Puppeteer: Grants the ability to control others. But if the target is too strong, or if too many minds are controlled simultaneously, the user's mind can become chaotic, even risking their head exploding. Yet, when used carefully, the benefits are immense.
Emotion Weaver: Enables the manipulation and sensing of others emotions, but the downside is that the user becomes overly emotional themselves.
Temporal Observer: Allows the user to see potential futures. The side effects are unpredictable—some people lose their sanity, some feel nauseous, faint, or worse.
Other options like Memory Scribe, Fate Binder, Narrative Architect, and Mind Fortress didn't appeal to him.
For Elian, the best choices seemed to be Puppeteer and Temporal Weaver, as they would be genuinely useful if he ignored their risks.
After wandering the city for a bit, he finally found Amelia standing in the middle of a fountain. Yesterday, they had agreed to venture outside the academy to gather some medicinal herbs and decided to meet in the town center. Since the outing quota allowed only one person to accompany her, Elian sent his two subordinates away and went with Amelia.
The streets were lined with shops, and students roamed freely in casual attire, as today was a holiday. The academy granted its students a single day off, which they spent exploring the small city within the academy grounds.
"Mr. Elian," Amelia called from a distance, waving. A leather satchel hung over her shoulder as she clutched a book in her other hand. Elian returned her wave with a smile.
"So, what herbs are we looking for today?" he asked.
Amelia quickly opened her book, flipping through the pages until she found one with a drawing of ginseng.
"We'll be heading to Ukartean to look for some Aetherroot. Estimating the travel time, we should arrive around 10:00," she explained.
Elian estimated they'd likely arrive later, around 10:45, as Ukartean was roughly 300 kilometers from Astryx Academy—and that was if they traveled by horse-drawn carriage.
"Ukartean is one of the places that produce Aetherroot, though the quality is below standard, not ideal for making high-quality potions," Elian muttered, recalling his memories from the game.
"Still, it's the closest place to get Aetherroot."
Noticing Amelia's slight disappointment, Elian grasped her hand and led her somewhere.
"Mr. Elian?" Amelia seemed startled that he suddenly held her hand, but without a word, she decided to follow him.
After walking a short distance, they entered a building. In the center of the room stood a large altar, surrounded by several robed figures.
"Mr. Elian, this is—"
"The Teleportation Altar," he answered.
Amelia's eyes widened in shock at his words.
"Mr. Elian, the cost to use this altar is exorbitant, even for someone like you…" Amelia said with concern.
Her words were correct, even nobles had to pay a hefty fee for teleportation.
Elian smiled at Amelia. "Don't worry. You just need to stay quiet and leave everything to me." He adjusted her hand as if she were hugging his elbow, and they walked forward together.
A man in a dark blue robe stepped forward. His long white hair framed a stern face, his eyes observing Elian with a mixture of respect and curiosity.
"Sir, I assume you wish to use the altar for teleportation. Before that, please follow me to discuss the details and the cost of your journey."
Elian took out a watch from his pocket. Etched on it was a black quill soaring above a golden shield, its tip touching a scroll at the base. A small golden chain wound around the pen, while tiny stars shimmered behind it, symbolizing the wisdom and authority of the noble who possessed it.
At a glance, the robed man immediately recognized that Elian was a member of the Arcadia family, a high-ranking marquis noble house.
"Very well, sir. You may use the teleportation altar. As for the lady at your side—"
"She is my companion," Elian interrupted.
Amelia froze, a blush spreading across her cheeks, caught off guard and slightly confused. She remained silent, tightening her grip on his hand.
The robed man regarded Amelia as one would a cherished young lady.
"Understood," the guard said with a smile. "However, by procedure, anyone wishing to use the teleportation altar must pay a fee or demonstrate a status allowing exclusive access."
"Do you have a family?" Elian asked flatly.
The guard hesitated for a moment before answering. "Of course, sir. I have a child, eight years old, and a very kind wife."
"Good. I hope they manage to survive without the presence of a father," Elian said.
The man froze, horrified. Before he could reply, Elian continued:
"I have restrained myself by being polite to commoners like you long enough. And now, you dare question my identity?"
"But sir, according to procedure—"
"Would you question a king if he were to use the altar? Failing to recognize a high-ranking noble is already a crime in itself, and now you dare question our identity? That crime is worthy only of your life."
Sudenly a cold air ran through the room. The other robed men stayed silent, watching, while Amelia gripped Elian's hand even tighter.
"You have only two choices."
Silence filled the space. After weighing the consequences, the guard finally made a decision.
"If I'm not mistaken, your name is Mr.Elian Arcadia," he said with a smile, turning away. "Prepare the altar immediately, we have a VIP guest this time."
He faced Elian again. "We have prepared the altar for you. We only need your destination, and the attendants on the other side will welcome you with the best service."
Elian nodded lightly. "Set the coordinates for Malta." He stepped toward the teleportation altar, with Amelia by his side.
Moments later, the altar lit up, and in the blink of an eye, Elian's surroundings shifted.
A wave of nausea and dizziness hit him. Beside him, Amelia collapsed, vomiting. Elian quickly approached the attendants carrying two bottles of potion.
He drank one swiftly, and the nausea and dizziness subsided immediately. Taking the second bottle, he approached Amelia, who was kneeling on the ground.
Elian knelt, holding her shoulders to offer the potion, but Amelia unexpectedly swatted his hand away.
"This potion will ease the nausea you're feeling. Everyone experiences it during teleportation. If you don't take it, the worst-case scenario is that you might faint all day."
Reluctantly, Amelia took the potion from his hand and drank it. Slowly, she began to feel better, rising to her feet.
Elian reached for her hand, but she pulled away.
"Huft," he exhaled in frustration, understanding her behavior. Smiling, he said, "Come on, let's get some fresh air. It'll help clear the nausea and dizziness."
Without a word, Amelia began walking, following Elian.