[Buzz!]
A familiar scene unfolded once again. A blinding light flashed, and within that radiance, a Bronze Cloth appeared—manifesting in the form of a constellation.
It had a helmet, two arm guards, and a torso piece—shaped like a human figure. The Cloth's right hand held a weapon high, while the left hand carried a shield.
"What constellation is this? I don't recognize it."
Moen couldn't identify the Cloth. That was normal—there were so many Cloths, so many versions. Except for the particularly unique or stylish ones, it was indeed difficult to remember them all.
When the light faded, the Cloth revealed its true form. It was primarily white, accented with traces of purple, and took the shape of a human holding a weapon and a shield aloft.
[Congratulations, Orion Bronze Cloth unlocked!]
The Saint Seiya System displayed a message, revealing the name of the newly obtained Cloth.
"Orion? A Ghost Saint? Isn't this Cloth a Silver-class one?"
Seeing the name Orion, Moen thought his memory might be off, because in his impression, Orion seemed to be a Silver Cloth and a rather powerful one, if he remembered correctly. It appeared in one of the movie versions, he recalled.
"This must be another special version."
Although surprised, Moen quickly accepted the setting.
Moen was not exactly a diehard Saint Seiya fan; forgetting or missing a few versions was perfectly normal.
For example, the first Cloth he had obtained—the Pegasus Bronze Cloth—he didn't have a deep impression of that one either.
If you lined up all the versions of the Pegasus Bronze Cloth, he probably couldn't even clearly recall which version appeared during which era.
Since he was still supporting Jellal at the moment, Moen couldn't just suddenly switch into the new Cloth. He could only store it in the system's space for now and try it on later when he had the time.
"Let's go. We'll go pick up Wendy and bring her back to the guild."
Supporting Jellal, Moen was in an extremely good mood. In a bit, he'd pick up Wendy from Rob, and then he'd be able to claim the Saint Cloth Repair Manual. That couldn't be more perfect.
"Yes, we have to hurry and find Wendy!"
Jellal responded, then suddenly froze, turning to Moen in surprise and asking in shock
"Moen, you know where Wendy is?"
"Of course. I've already met her."
Moen answered with a smile, then explained in detail the agreement he'd made with old Rob. He didn't exaggerate anything, and he even praised the old man's actions.
Makarov, listening beside them, nodded repeatedly. He clearly approved of Rob's approach as well. He hadn't been very close during that time, so he hadn't heard their full conversation.
"I see… then I'm relieved."
Hearing Moen's words, Jellal relaxed. Now there was no need to rush.
"…"
Seeing Jellal's reaction, Moen felt something stir in his heart. He asked curiously, "Jellal, don't tell me you don't even know that Rob?"
The moment he asked, Moen immediately noticed Jellal's awkward expression—it was obvious he'd hit the mark.
"I had no choice. Anima was just too dangerous. I wasn't even confident I could handle it myself, so I couldn't possibly bring Wendy along… So I entrusted her to that old man. Luckily, I made the right choice. That old man truly is a good person."
Jellal explained helplessly; he had done it out of necessity.
Although he knew there was some risk in doing so, it was still far safer than having Wendy stay by his side.
"That's true enough."
Moen nodded in agreement. Without his and Makarov's help earlier, it was honestly questionable whether Jellal could have withstood it all.
After Jellal regained some energy, the three of them—one old man and two youths—slowly made their way toward Rob's rundown village.
By the time they arrived, the sky was already filled with stars. Night had fallen, blanketing the land in darkness, and the entire village was pitch black.
"So you really found him."
In the night, the elderly Rob stood alone at the village entrance, his hunched figure outlined by starlight. There was a faint look of surprise on his face.
"That's right. Not only did I find him, I've also invited Jellal to join the guild. Old man, you've got nothing left to say now, huh?"
Moen approached Rob with a grin, teasing the old man.
He could tell that this elder definitely had a story behind him. Otherwise, a powerful man like him wouldn't be living all alone in such a dilapidated village.
"Guess you're one lucky brat."
Rob smiled helplessly and shook his head.
"Where's Wendy?"
Moen looked around but didn't see any trace of the girl.
"She's already asleep. The little one was waiting for you all to return, but she couldn't stay awake any longer and drifted off."
As he spoke of Wendy, Rob's face softened with affection. Even though he hadn't spent much time with her, it was clear that the sweet little girl had already captured his heart.
"Thank you for taking care of Wendy, sir."
Jellal stepped forward and bowed deeply to Rob, his voice filled with sincerity. He felt truly grateful that the old man had turned out to be a good person—it meant his desperate gamble hadn't gone wrong.
"No need to thank me. I simply couldn't turn down the request of such an earnest child."
Rob smiled as he looked at Jellal.
His words made Jellal blush slightly. Maybe he really had been that desperate and sincere at the time.
"Stay here for the night. You all look exhausted."
Seeing how tired Jellal looked, Rob offered the suggestion. Makarov and Moen, the grandfather-grandson duo, still looked fine, but Jellal was visibly worn out.
"That's fine, then. We'll take you up on your offer."
Makarov replied, deciding on behalf of Moen and Jellal.
As he looked at the old man before him, Makarov narrowed his eyes slightly. He had to admit, this old fellow was incredibly profound. The terrifying magic power and techniques he'd displayed earlier had genuinely surprised even him. After all, those were sentient Thought Projections!
"Please, come in. It's been a long time since I've had guests, but I cleaned up the village earlier today. It's rough, but it'll do for the night."
A smile appeared on Rob's face. Meeting Jellal, Wendy, and Moen had brought some much-needed color into his long, lonely life. He had even gone so far as to tidy up the village—well, technically, he'd ordered his Thought Projections to do it.
Under Rob's guidance, Moen, Jellal, and Makarov settled into a small house. Each had their own bed.
The layout of the room looked very much like a dormitory.
Lying down, they quickly fell asleep. Moen didn't try on the Orion Bronze Cloth; instead, he soon drifted into dreams as well.
The night passed quietly until the sun rose as usual.
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