Haruto started to agree, but Lilith firmly grabbed his arm, steering him back toward the mission. "We need to go to Allesta first. If you end up liking that place, we can come back here later, but we need to go retrieve Seraphine right now."
Haruto's eyes lit up as the memory clicked into place. "Oh, right! You're totally right, let's go, guys!"
As they prepared to head out, Lilith glanced toward Philo. "Philo is coming with us, and we're taking her van. How long will it take to reach Allesta?"
Philo shook her head. "I honestly have no idea how far away Allesta is."
"I know the way," Gelli interjected with a confident smile. "I've been there before."
Daisy's eyes narrowed, her curiosity piqued. "Gelli, how exactly do you know Haruto and his business so well?"
Gelli just laughed, waving a hand dismissively. "It's a very long story... I'll tell you guys later, I promise."
Philo nodded at Gelli, gesturing toward the door. "Gelli, come with me in the van. You can help me navigate the route."
Gelli agreed, "That sounds good. We'll need about two days to get there, and if we account for some extra fuel stops, we'll be back here in four days tops."
Lilith smiled. "Perfect. Let's move out."
Suddenly, Daisy stepped in their path, stopping the group. Lilith turned, looking back at her. "You're coming too, right?"
Daisy shook her head, looking hesitant. "I can't just abandon my city right now, but before you go—since we're all working together—can you put a security core on Gampid?"
"Both of us will handle it, don't worry," Philo and Gelli replied in unison.
Daisy let out a relieved laugh, flashing them a bright smile. "Alright, deal!"
"Great," Lilith said, turning on her heel. "While you guys get ready, I'll go round up the rest of the crew."
With everything settled, the group headed out into the city streets. As they walked together toward the hotel where they were staying, Haruto and Lilith strolled side by side, chatting casually as they enjoyed the crisp air.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, a massive, cheering crowd of pedestrians swarmed them, blocking their path and thrusting recording devices into their faces. Before Haruto could even process what was happening, several enthusiastic fans grabbed onto his arms, shouting questions all at once.
Haruto froze, utterly bewildered. "Wait, what—?!"
Lilith chuckled, lightly tapping his shoulder. "Relax, looks like you joined the fan club."
That was when it clicked. Haruto remembered—ever since he had busted that major underground slave trading ring, his face had been plastered all over the media. He was officially famous.
"Haruto-sir! Is this your girlfriend?!" one reporter yelled out, shoving a microphone forward. "Are you two in a romantic relationship?!"
Haruto's face turned bright red, his brain completely short-circuiting under the intense spotlight. Panicking, he grabbed Lilith by the wrist, pulled her sharply behind him, and bolted down a narrow alleyway to escape the roaring mob.
Sprinting deep into the shadows, the two of them finally came to a breathless halt, leaning against a brick wall to catch their breath.
As the adrenaline faded, Haruto suddenly understood why Daisy wore a mask all the time. Realizing how exposed they were in public, he quickly grabbed a spare mask from his pouch, sliding it over his own face and handing another one to Lilith to keep her hidden.
Fully concealed, the two of them couldn't help it—they burst out laughing, sliding down the wall as the tension melted away.
Lilith wiped a tear of mirth from her eye, grinning beneath her mask. "Aw, come on, Haruto... admit it, that was actually kind of fun."
Once the rest of the group was gathered and finally ready to move, Lilith looked over at Haruto and teased, "You know, these modern clothes really don't suit you—you need something better."
Haruto laughed, shaking his head. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Let's see if we can find something that fits better."
They were just about to depart when Aeterna walked up, staring at Haruto with a blank, confused expression. "ohh you?"
Haruto's smile vanished instantly, his heart sinking into his stomach. The realization hit him like a physical blow—her memories had been wiped. A surge of white-hot anger and despair flared up inside him. How did this happen? What did they do to her?
He knelt down, his voice trembling as he grabbed her shoulders gently. "Aeterna... look at me. Do you remember anything at all?"
Aeterna tilted her head, her eyes wide and searching as she whispered,
"Not at all but , are you... my papa?"
Haruto felt his throat tighten. His eyes welled up, but he forced a shaky smile and pulled her into a tight, desperate embrace. "Yeah, Aeterna. I'm your papa."
Without a second of hesitation, Aeterna giggled and scrambled up into his arms, snuggling into his lap as she felt safe again. Even with her memories gone, the bond between them seemed to remain intact.
As the rest of the group gathered downstairs, a wave of smiles swept across their faces upon seeing Aeterna safely tucked in Haruto's arms.
Stepping outside into the city streets, they immediately felt a profound shift in the atmosphere. The air itself thrummed with a dense, crackling energy—the city felt overwhelmingly powerful, rich with a surging ambient mana. Haruto instantly realized what it was: the newly installed security core was already active, radiating protective power throughout the entire perimeter.
Daisy beamed with satisfaction, crossing her arms as she walked them to the vehicle. "Remember, it's only a four-day trip! You guys are definitely coming back, right?"
Haruto teased, flashing a grin. "What, going to miss me already?"
Lilith immediately elbowed him in the ribs, laughing. "Cut it out, let's hit the road before you give the fans another reason to swarm us."
With a final wave, everyone piled into Philo's heavy-duty van. Daisy stood by the edge of the secure zone, waving enthusiastically as they pulled away and hit the highway toward Allesta.
Philo sat firmly in the driver's seat, gripping the steering wheel as she navigated the rugged terrain, while Gelli rode shotgun, pointing out the safest paths and tracking the navigation route. In the back, the rest of the crew settled in comfortably, with a peaceful, sleeping Aeterna curled up fast asleep right in Haruto's lap.
As the van rolled forward onto the open highway, Toya caught the window, flashing a wide grin waving back. "Haruto! You okay? Man, I was so glad that you are safe—you know everyone was worried sick!"
Before Haruto could answer, Ivory leaned out from the middle row with a huff, crossing her arms. "Oh, please, I wasn't worried at all."
"Yeah, right," Lustra chimed in with a teasing laugh. "You were pacing back and forth like a caged animal."
Bello nodded in agreement. "We were all stressing out, boss."
Rutherford crossed his arms in the back seat, offering a calm, steady nod. "Glad to have you back, sir."
Haruto rubbed the back of his neck, offering them an apologetic, sheepish smile. "Sorry about that, guys... didn't mean to scare you."
Ivory narrowed her eyes playfully, leaning forward. "You still haven't explained why you went off into that dangerous layer all by yourself in the first place."
Haruto flushed bright red, completely caught off guard as the rest of the crew burst into laughter, shouting out good-natured teases.
"Ah, classic Ivory," Lustra chuckled, shaking her head.
Surrounded by the familiar voices of his friends, the tension finally melted away, and the van sped smoothly down the road, pushing further ahead on their journey toward Allesta.