They all continued to talk and relax together as the night drew closer, laughter and casual conversation slowly replacing the weight of earlier discussions. Eventually, the banquet came to an end.
Before darkness fully settled, the leaders returned to their respective territories. Only the royal guests of the king remained. Once the other guests had departed, a small private meeting was held. Present were the three kings, Duke Konrad, Erica, Clover, Princess Diamond, and Jericho.
It was Jericho who requested this meeting, wishing to discuss the next steps in training those who possessed soul energy, just as he had done with the knights of Righteous.
He went on to explain the process in detail—how it was achieved, the time required, and the methods used. Erica occasionally assisted, stepping in when clarification was needed.
"That all sounds very complicated," King Leohart said thoughtfully, "yet extremely intriguing. Tell me, Jericho—looking at all of us in this room—who do you sense this soul energy from the most?"
Curious, he focused on the faint energies filling the chamber. Jericho took only a moment before answering.
"Well, apart from myself and Erica… I sense quite a bit coming from Clover. But it's in a very strange form—not the normal kind. It's similar to how I sensed it from William."
A chorus of ohs and ahs filled the room. Clover herself didn't look particularly interested, but she gave Jericho her full attention nonetheless.
"What about me, Jericho?" Princess Diamond asked, her voice tinged with excitement. "Do I possess it too?"
"Uh… yes, you do," Jericho replied. "In fact, you're the second highest in this room after Clover."
Princess Diamond's eyes lit up instantly.
"So you're saying I can really use it?"
Jericho nodded.
"Really?! Then what do you think my element will be? And how will I be able to use it? Will it come naturally?"
Her voice grew higher with each question. Jericho visibly shifted, looking increasingly uncomfortable. When Princess Diamond noticed the surprised stares around the room, she froze, her face turning bright red.
"I—I'm sorry!" she said quickly before sitting back down.
"Geez, sis, you're too hyper sometimes," Clover sighed. "No wonder you're close friends with Princess Erica."
"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" Erica shot back.
Jericho struggled to hold in a laugh. When Clover noticed, she couldn't help but smile as well.
"Well," Jericho began, regaining his composure, "to answer your question, Princess Diamond—I can't predict what your element will be. That depends entirely on you. As for using it, unfortunately, as I explained earlier, you won't be able to freely command it at first. It would be far too dangerous."
He paused, then added, "However, with a catalyst, you'll be able to use it safely—just like Erica does."
Princess Diamond looked more than satisfied with the answer as the meeting continued.
"And you mentioned earlier that continuing to train soul energy without proper weapons would be a waste," Emperor Riko said. "Since the energy passing through a weapon can be immense—far more than an ordinary weapon can handle."
Jericho nodded in response.
"So," Riko continued, "do you know of any material compatible enough to withstand such power?"
Everyone leaned in, eager to hear the answer.
"Yes," Jericho said. "There is a material strong enough to forge such weapons. But its location is the tricky part. It wouldn't be easy for any normal human to obtain."
The words of the six gods echoed faintly in his mind.
"Does this material have a name?" King Leohart asked.
"Yes. It's called the Lexton Star. The amount we'd need for weapon construction is located in the Mist Mountains."
The room instantly grew gloomy at the mention of that place. The three kings exchanged uneasy looks—panic clear on their faces.
"I see now," Emperor Riko murmured. "That's why you said it wouldn't be easy."
"Indeed," King Leohart added grimly. "That region is the territory of the Calamity Dragon itself… Teleftaia Mera."
Just hearing the name sent shivers down their spines.
"I—I thought that dragon was just a legend," Princess Diamond said quietly. "Do they really exist?"
"Oh, they're very real," Jericho replied seriously. "And there's a possibility they might be there."
"Then it's impossible," King Gustavious said. "We should look for an alternative."
"That won't be necessary," Jericho said calmly. "I only said it wouldn't be easy for a normal human. I'm not a normal human—and neither are Erica and the others."
He continued confidently, "The real issue isn't the dragon. The Mist Mountains are vast; the chances of running into her are low. The atmosphere itself is the biggest problem."
{I say that now… but I really hope I didn't just jinx us.}
"I see," King Leohart said. "Still, you should prepare thoroughly. Don't let your guard down."
"Of course, Uncle Leo. We'll be ready."
Suddenly, someone jumped to their feet.
"JERICHO!"
He nearly jumped himself. "Y-Yes?"
"What did you call that star again?" Clover asked sharply.
"The Lexton Star."
Her eyes widened.
"During one of our relic retrieval expeditions, we discovered two strange weapons—a sword and what looked like a pistol. Neither of them worked. The sword was impossible to control, even by our strongest soldiers. And the pistol simply wouldn't activate."
She took a breath.
"Now I understand why. They both run on soul energy. While studying the pistol, I managed to recreate a version that fires pebbles infused with electrical currents—but it's unstable. Overuse or poor maintenance can be deadly."
Her voice lowered.
"…As we saw with Captain Sirius."
She sighed softly.
"If those weapons are made of the same material, then I believe you need them more—especially if you're heading to the Mist Mountains."
"This is the second time I've heard that word," Jericho said. "Could you explain what these relics actually are?"
Understandable—he had been gone for four years.
"Of course," Clover replied. "After the brutal war, during rescue and recovery efforts, we discovered ruins—filled with strange devices, unlike anything we'd ever seen. Fascinating, yet alien."
She continued, eyes shining.
"Thanks to those relics, the world has advanced to where it is today. We're still far from our goal, but we're making progress. I believe these relics are proof of an ancient civilization—one that used soul energy in everyday life. A civilization far more advanced than ours."
Her voice softened.
"When I study them, they feel… familiar. Every piece carries dedication, care, passion. They were created by humans—but not from our era."
No one could refute her theory.
"What could have driven such a civilization to extinction," Erica wondered, "leaving only their inventions behind?"
"That's the question I'm desperate to answer," Clover said.
{This might be what the six gods wants to talk to me about…} Jericho thought.
"Clover," he said, "I'd like to see those relic weapons—if you don't mind."
She blushed slightly and smiled. "Of course."
"You know," Jericho added, "learning to control your soul energy could greatly help your research."
She blinked. "How so?"
"Most of the relics require soul energy. If you learn to control yours, you could understand them on a deeper level—study them more effectively, even improve them."
Her face lit up.
"…You're right. I don't know how I never thought of that. I honestly wasn't interested in using soul energy myself, but this could work. Thank you, Jericho."
"Father," Princess Diamond whispered, shocked, "did Clover just accept someone else's advice without questioning it?"
"It's real," King Leohart chuckled. "And it was bound to happen. Only fitting it was Jericho."
"Very funny," Clover said dryly.
"Konrad," King Leohart asked gently, "how is Vetra faring?"
"He's awake and more active," Duke Konrad replied. "Though he lost an arm… he's recovering."
"I'm so sorry," Clover said quietly. "If I had left sooner—"
"It was never your fault," Duke Konrad said firmly. "It was his duty—and his honor."
"Duke Konrad," Jericho said suddenly, "I can restore his arm, if that's okay."
Silence fell.
"…Did I say something wrong?" Jericho asked.
"You can restore an entire limb?" Emperor Riko asked.
"Yes," Jericho replied. "It requires a lot of soul energy—but I have enough."
Erica leaned in and whispered, "You're in Warmark, remember?"
Jericho flushed and apologized, explaining the divine avatars and their limits. A collective sigh followed.
"So the divine entity on the battlefield was you," King Leohart said, smiling. "Will the surprises ever end?"
"…I'm sorry," Jericho muttered.
"You have my deepest thanks," Duke Konrad said, bowing.
"No need," Jericho replied nervously.
"Well then," King Leohart concluded, "we've covered enough for one day. We'll discuss the academy later. For now—rest."
And one by one, they took their leave.
⸻
Out in the hallway, Jericho and Erica approached Clover, asking once again to see the relics she had mentioned earlier. Clover agreed, and the three of them made their way toward her laboratory, while Princess Diamond politely excused herself.
Erica and Jericho followed closely behind Clover as she led them through the corridors. The moment they stepped into her lab, both of them froze—jaws dropping instantly.
What lay before them was truly breathtaking.
Relics of all shapes and sizes filled the room. The laboratory resembled a grand library, each relic resting neatly on its own personal shelf. At the center stood a large worktable, fitted with a regular magnifying glass and another, stranger-looking lens beside it. Spread across the table were blueprints of projects Clover was currently working on, along with several unfamiliar relics still under study.
Jericho and Erica slowly explored the lab, moving carefully, taking in every detail.
"Wow…" Erica breathed. "Did you really set all of this up yourself, Princess Clover?"
"Yes," Clover replied, still modest. "But I'm not even halfway done yet. You see all those relics on the shelves? I haven't started studying most of them. The ones I'm working on now are extremely complicated—but once I crack them, they'll be another huge help to the world."
She had become more talkative now, clearly in her element.
"You're truly something else, Clover," Jericho said sincerely.
She gave a shy smile, then quickly changed the subject before she lost her composure under his praise.
"Uh—um… let me go get the relics I told you about."
Clover hurried off, returning moments later with two boxes stacked atop one another. One was rectangular, the other square. She placed them gently on an empty table as Jericho and Erica gathered around.
She opened the square box first.
Inside were two silver pistols, accented with sleek black trims. Their design was strange—unlike any weapon they had seen before. Upon closer inspection, an engraving of three birds flying in a V formation could be seen, with writing just beneath it that read:
Flocks Tech
It was as intriguing as it was unfamiliar.
Next, Clover opened the rectangular box.
Inside rested a long silver sword with a red hilt. An arm guard separated the hilt from the blade, designed with what looked like a shining sun, ending in a diamond-shaped tip. The shaft was also red, giving the weapon an elegant yet powerful presence.
The moment Erica laid eyes on it, she felt as if the sword had called out to her.
To her, it was both majestic and beautiful.
She gently ran her fingers along it, back and forth, before softly mouthing a single word:
"…Beautiful."
Clover and Jericho exchanged glances and smiled at Erica's reaction.
"Princess Clover," Erica asked, her eyes never leaving the blade, "may I pick it up?"
"Of course," Clover replied.
Erica carefully lifted the sword. It suited her perfectly—its red accents complementing her red hair as if it had been crafted just for her.
She drew the blade, revealing a shining silver edge. Jericho couldn't help but be impressed by its beauty. Erica, meanwhile, couldn't stop smiling. She took a few gentle swings, testing the weight—it felt natural, balanced, comfortable.
As though it truly belonged to her.
"This is absolutely beautiful, Princess Clover," Erica said. "Are you sure we can take something like this without giving you anything in return? To me, this sword is priceless."
"It's fine," Clover replied calmly. "We're doing this for the world, not for personal gain. Just promise me one thing—don't lose to anyone while wielding that sword."
Jericho nodded in agreement.
"So… I can have it?" Erica asked, almost disbelieving.
Both of them nodded yes.
Her smile grew even wider.
"Thank you. I promise to use this sword to protect the world—while you change it with your golden mind," Erica proclaimed proudly.
"You should test it with your ability," Jericho suggested.
"Of course," Erica replied eagerly.
"So what about the pistol?" Clover asked, noticing their focus had clearly been on the sword.
"It's an impressive piece," Jericho said thoughtfully. "But I don't think anyone in Righteous has enough experience to properly wield a soul-based firearm. It should remain with you for now—until someone from Warmark with the right expertise comes along that can use the SOUL GUN— I'm sure someone will."
Clover and Erica exchanged confused looks, then spoke at the same time.
"Soul gun?"
"Yes," Jericho replied proudly. "That's what I'm calling it. Smart, right?"
The two women exchanged looks again—but this time, they weren't on the same page.
Erica burst into laughter, remembering Jericho's earlier attempts at naming things. This one, however, was surprisingly good—which somehow made it stranger.
Clover, on the other hand, looked deeply impressed. Her face practically glowed.
"I–if that's what you wish," Clover said seriously, "then from this day forward, any pistol of this type will officially be called a Soul Gun."
"See, Erica?" Jericho said smugly. "Clover gets it. It's a fantastic name."
Erica rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Can we leave now? I can't wait to test this beauty of a sword."
"Of course," Clover said. "I'll come with you. I want to see the ancient weapon in action."
"Wait," Jericho interjected. "Before that, I'd like to visit the infirmary. I want to see Vetra."
"Oh—right. Of course," Clover said. "Let's go there first. I need to see him too."
She still wanted to personally apologize—her guilt hadn't faded.
"Thank you, Clover," Jericho said sincerely.
The three of them exited the laboratory and made their way toward the infirmary, with Clover once again leading the way.