🍁Nine Ancient Obelisks

"Now that's what I call epic!" – these were Asmidul's first thoughts as the procession finally reached its destination. Perhaps it was just frayed nerves, but if he were a Nephilim, the grandeur of Sir Tanna's every appearance would definitely be the subject of jokes. It was hard to even imagine this ominous knight sneaking into a student's apartment to cast his spells in his bedroom. Then everything went wrong. Or, perhaps, as expected? Hunched over from the piercing, deadly grip, he could only muster the strength to turn his head towards Linshi, his gaze clearly conveying, "Come on, do something!" The transformation that followed elicited a mixed reaction. He had already considered the possibility of a setup the day before, and he didn't harbor any personal animosity towards the phantom saleswoman – after all, she knew Aiza, and the artist held a leading position in the erudite's personal list of respected people. What really bothered him was something else: after such a colossal blunder, he would never be able to look the Elder in the eye again. The subsequent events... no diary could describe them in words. "Aya... Aya, is that really you?" – the bespectacled man found his voice with great effort. "I'm sorry... I couldn't find you... You're not in league with them, are you?"