"You know, you're still such a kid, Alfie. You can't even read situations properly, yet you keep claiming to be observant," Rebekah remarked out of nowhere.
"Say that again, and I'll throw you off this horse, you honey badger."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean, you moron? Me? A honey badger? Are you serious?" Rebekah snapped.
"I'm taller than you, and you're short. So, yeah, you're a honey badger to me," Alfie replied smugly.
"Enough. Both of you," Lucy shouted. "You need to put an end to these childish antics."
"Sorry," Alfie and Rebekah muttered in unison.
"Now, about the Kingdom Icon..." Rebekah turned serious. "How does it actually work? I'm still a little confused."
"You're still interested in hearing about it? I thought you were more interested in arguing with Alfie," Lucy sighed.
Here she goes again, Rebekah thought. Sometimes, she talks even more than Alfie and me. I wonder if she realizes it.
Lucy cleared her throat.
"The Kingdom Icon was created by the strongest mages in Wuhan's history. Its purpose was to maintain balance among humans throughout the country. When activated, it conceals traces of powerful Renshi auras and pressure within the kingdom, preventing ordinary humans from being overwhelmed by them. Most kingdoms activated their Icons years ago to maintain this balance."
She paused before continuing.
"The reason I'm almost certain this kingdom's Icon was recently deactivated is that I sensed an incredibly powerful Renshi aura deep within the kingdom when I first arrived. But after I killed the Alpha Darkside Spirit when we first met, that aura suddenly vanished without a trace. Afterward, I couldn't sense any Renshi coming from within the kingdom."
Alfie and Rebekah listened attentively.
"And before either of you asks, there's a reason the Darkside Spirits keep coming after Alfie. They're not human, so the Kingdom Icon doesn't affect their perception. Even when the Icon is not active, they can still sense his Renshi aura clearly."
Lucy continued.
"The strongest Shinras in history eventually formed an alliance known as the Council. Their responsibility is to maintain peace and balance of power among the kingdoms. They also eliminate any kingdom, town, or territory that threatens the others."
She glanced at the two youngsters.
"Thanks to the Council, humans were able to live peacefully and travel freely without fear. The Darkside Spirits became our only real enemy."
"This is strange..." Rebekah murmured. "Why would the kingdom's leader deactivate the Icon just to conceal Alfie's Renshi aura? Doesn't that seem suspicious, Master?"
"It doesn't sit right with me either," Lucy admitted. "But this only applies to Guhan. Once we cross the border, the Shinras in other kingdoms will be able to sense Alfie's Renshi."
She looked ahead through the trees.
"We're close to the border now. I'll need to suppress his Renshi aura before we go any further."
"You can do that? Then why didn't you do it earlier?" Alfie asked.
Lucy slowed the horse before dismounting.
"Because there was no need while we were still inside this kingdom. Remember, the Kingdom Icon isn't active here, so the Shinras outside the kingdom couldn't detect your Renshi through it. But once we leave..." She sighed. "If I don't suppress it, things are going to become a real pain in the ass."
Alfie and Rebekah exchanged glances before dismounting as well.
They stood in the middle of the forest, surrounded by wild beasts lurking among the trees.
Lucy immediately raised a finger to her lips.
"Both of you, keep your mouths shut while we're here. We don't want to provoke the beasts. This is their territory, so stay quiet."
"Okay, Master," they whispered together.
Lucy turned toward Alfie.
"Take off your shirt and sit on the ground."
Alfie obeyed, removing his shirt before sitting down.
Lucy reached into her storage ring and retrieved an ancient scroll. The ring was a Renshical ring, a storage tool that used Renshi and the Art of Mojito to store an unlimited number of items.
She unfurled the scroll, allowing it to float in midair.
Then she placed her fingers on five symbols engraved upon it, each representing one of the five senses: sight, smell, taste, hearing, and touch.
"This scroll was created by the first generation of mages. The spell inscribed upon it suppresses Renshi aura and pressure by disconnecting your five senses from your Renshi. In simple terms, it seals your Renshi inside your body."
She looked directly at Alfie.
"Until the seal is lifted, you won't be able to use your Renshi."
Lucy pressed all five fingers against Alfie's back.
Instantly, the spell circle on the scroll glowed brightly before transferring onto his skin. The symbols spread across his back, forming a luminous sealing mark resembling a tattoo.
A moment later, the light faded.
"That should do it," Lucy said, stepping back. "If you were an ordinary human, your Renshi would be completely concealed. Unfortunately, your Renshi aura is far too powerful for this spell to contain entirely. Some of it will still leak out."
She folded her arms.
"Still, this should make travelling and training much easier without attracting constant attention. Just be careful not to damage the seal. It won't break easily, but if you lose control and go berserk during a battle, things could get complicated."
Alfie nodded firmly.
"Understood, Master. I promise I won't go berserk."
"The spell disappeared from the scroll, Master," Rebekah observed, staring at the now-empty parchment.
"That's because it's a spell transplant," Lucy explained. "I transferred the spell directly from the scroll into Alfie's body."
"That's amazing. Where did you even get something like that?" Rebekah asked curiously. "And will the Darkside Spirits still come after Alfie?"
"There's no need to worry about the Darkside Spirits..."
Lucy suddenly stopped and turned to face them both.
"One more thing. Don't assume the Kingdom Icon is the only way to detect powerful Renshi. Strong Shinras can sense powerful Renshi auras without relying on it. The Icon is merely a means of detection and monitoring used by the kingdoms."
Her expression grew serious.
"We need to move carefully wherever we go from now on. Is that understood?"
Alfie and Rebekah nodded in unison.
"Understood, Master."