The ship had docked to Scirocco, and Cermin felt a bit of nostalgia upon arrival. It had not been long since he left this kingdom, perhaps only 3 months or so, and yet…..

Once he breathed the fresh air from the ship’s upper decks, he felt happy to be home.

Why he considered this to be home, he couldn’t tell. This place was very stifling, he was expected to act like a prince for the majority of his time here.

And after he graduated from the Academy, he was expected to find a wife every single day. If anything, this place was more like a bird cage.

He always wanted to return to the Academy every time he was here. But at the same time….

The familiarity of these streets, the people, the scenery….

That may be enough to warrant people’s nostalgia. Even if they didn’t particularly like their hometown.

And he also had quite a lot of memories here with Ronin.

“It’s been a while since you returned here, Ronin.” Cermin said as he felt a shadow stand beside him.

Ronin was carrying the bag of their things. “Indeed. Wouldn’t you like to walk out of the ship and settle your feet on land already, Your Highness?”

“I want to ask a bit more about this Banquet of Gods.” Cermin said with a frown. “You said it takes place in Scirocco? Every 16 years?”

“Yes.” Ronin said.

“And yet I’m 20 now.” He rubbed his chin. “That means there should have been a Banquet of Gods back when I was 4 years old, and you were three.”

“There should have been, yes. But for some reason, the Astral Shower did not happen and there was no Banquet.”

Cermin frowned. “Why is that?”

Ronin smiled. “Don’t you remember, Your Highness? What happened when you were four years old and I was three at this time of the year.”

Cermin racked his brain. “I don’t remember…..”

Ronin chuckled. “Don’t think too much about it and let us go now. We need to reach Phoenix Mountain before the day of the Banquet arrives.”

The answer to his question was simple.

That was the day they met.

The supposed Astral Shower and Banquet of the Gods were halted due to them meeting. Everyone had no idea why it did not happen, forming all sorts of theories.

But it was simple.

The hero and the villain of this story had met at that time. Now, if only the hero was perceptive enough, smart enough…

He would have figured this out long ago.

The three of them had went out of the docks, and the wealthy kingdom of Scirocco looked much different now.

It was one of the places that received much damage, not to mention…

It was sliced in half, since it was at the Center of the Celestus realm.

Just a few blocks away was the New Edge, the one created by slicing Celestus. Water strangely did not spill into this New Edge, but if one looked below……

They could spot the Abyss staring back at them from here.

Cermin was compelled to walk over here, this one major change to his hometown. He couldn’t help but feel immense grief from looking at it.

Zeuxis was grinning and blurted out. “Did you think many people fell off this gap when it appeared? Thousands of souls raining down into the Abyss?”

Ronin elbowed him while Cermin wasn’t looking, and replied: “I believe so, good priest. Perhaps you could pray for their souls on the Other Side.”

Cermin furrowed his brows. “It looks like hell down there… All dark and red…..”

The pale sun can now shine a little through this gap. Bringing to light all the terrible and horrible things down below.

Looking at it too much can send someone into a dizzy spell, feeling nauseous at the height that was like heaven and hell itself.

Ronin also noticed. “The gap seems to be getting bigger little by little.”

It was through. The movement was so slow that they didn’t notice it, but the two halves that were split really were moving apart.

Cermin could not bare it anymore, still believing that if he was strong enough, this would not have happened.

“If only I wasn’t defeated so easily by the Daemons when they arrived…. So much for a Hero…” He walked away dejectedly.

Ronin patted his shoulder, acting supportive. “You will be able to make things right eventually, Your Highness. All we need is the help of gods.”

When in truth, Ronin’s goal was to weaken gods once more by taking another bite on the Core. He knew that ever since he first ate it, the Highest Order Gods must have protected it.

There’s a likelihood that they will have tighter security when it comes to who they invite in the Banquet, but it’s not a big problem with Cermin around.

They must also know that he was the best hero to defeat the Lord of Darkness. So they will invite him right in.

From his conversations with Freja, he could tell that the gods do not know that he was the Lord of Darkness. Not in this body of a human, Ronin Zafeiri.

They may have suspicions, but it was not true that they can actually see everything that was happening. Or perhaps they did not care.

Even Bezirze only knew things vaguely through prophecies.

God were not as powerful as people made them to be, because of their vanity that they will always defeat evil. Just like they defeated the Abyssal gods in the Celesto-Abyssal war.

He recalled from the memory of Aurion that he had seen through Cermin how deeply flawed the Celestus Gods were.

They always fight with each other, arrogant egoists that only think of gaining more faith from humans.

He wanted Cermin to see that. And once he saw that even the gods could not help others, that they too were corrupted….

He would succumb deeper in despair, feeling hopeless and becoming even more of an easy prey.

Ronin gave him a fake reassuring smile. “Everything will be alright from now on, Your Highness. You’re back home, evil will be defeated soon.”

Zeuxis joined in at this. “As long as we all work together and believe in the gods…. We will restore peace and order.”

“Thank you, both of you.” Cermin nodded, gaining a bit of determination.

They went to find some inn to stay for the night, and have some food in their stomachs. The money that the villagers gave them from Azurra were not that much, so they went for a cheaper place.

But upon arriving, Ronin blocked Cermin’s path.

“Don’t take off your cloak no matter what. Don’t show yourself to the people.”

Cermin frowned. “Why not?”

Ronin heard it. The thoughts of a passerby, accompanied by others.

[Stupid Nobles! Leaving us all alone here— May they all die!]

[While we are slowly getting destroyed by calamities and Daemons, they remain safe in the Lower Realms. Hah! Cowards!]

[The Royal Family are the worst. They just leave in expeditions as they please, and are not even in the kingdom during times of need. Just to look for brides!]

[I hope the Daemons eat them all alive!]

Ronin gripped his hand tighter. “They despise your family, Your Highness. They thought you have left them for the dogs.”

“But I’m here now, aren’t I?” Cermin took off his cloak. “I have returned to save them, and I will tell the myself!”

He dashed towards the town square, where the heralds usually make announcements. It’s at the center where everyone could see.

“Your Highness!” Ronin exclaimed and ran after him, but it was too late.

The foolish prince stood in front of everyone, his Golden skin fully revealed along with his white hair.

The people immediately turned their eyes at him. Gold was very uncommon, and could have only belonged to the Royal Family of Scirocco.

“EVERYONE! PLEASE GIVE YOUR ATTENTION TO ME!”

They did look, and Ronin smacked his forehead. Zeuxis merely stayed amused, grabbing a pastry from a stunner baker not expecting for a Golden Noble to show his face here.

Not after everything that happened to them ever since the Rift.

“I am Cermin Drychspiel, your very own prince! I have returned to restore what we lost before the Rift, and I will be saving you all from Daemons!”

They all gasped at this revelation, muttering to themselves. Many were still angry and skeptical, but Cermin continued to vow with all sincerity:

“I know it would be difficult to have hope, but fear no more! As a hero of Aurion, I promise to kill the Lord of Darkness who started all this and—”

“Would that bring back my daughter’s life then?”

“Restore my ruined house?”

“How can one pampered prince defeat the Daemons we saw? Even the entire army of Scirocco was wiped out by them, and all it took was one shout from the Screaming Daemon!”

Ronin knew they were referring to Rabuka, who must have rampaged here not too long ago.

Everyone did not bear so much ill will to Cermin, but they still have frustrations that they have no one else to vent on.

Eventually, they picked everything they have in their person. Rocks, bread, vegetables, even their ruined shoes…..

And threw them at him!

“We don’t need a Clown Prince like you to save us! Spread your foolish lies somewhere else!”