Hearing Damien's mockery, Elias remained seated, his expression neutral. The childish demonstration of the young man before him was almost identical to what he witnessed in the vision, almost as if he had rehearsed it many times before. For a moment, he didn't even know how to respond.
After a moment's hesitation, Elias finally addressed him.
"Damien. I see you haven't changed."
Damien's entourage snickered as he approached Elias and Selina's table.
"And I see you've fallen even further. Hiding in a common inn, consorting with..."
His eyes flicked to Selina with undisguised disdain.
"...gutter trash."
Selina flinched at the insult, shrinking in her seat. Elias felt a surge of anger, but still kept his composure.
Calm down!
Elias beckoned to himself. He hadn't felt such unbridled rage in so long that he felt as though he was possessed by something. As a supreme Quantum Seeker, he had long since gained control of his emotions. Though he could still feel emotions, those emotions were usually processed rationally rather than experienced viscerally through his mind and body.
To prevent his emotions from clouding his judgment, that was one of the states of mind he learned to attain when he reached the Unified Field Stage, the stage generally considered the supreme stage. Singularity Stage was considered anomalous as very few could reach that level of power.
After taking a few moments to collect his thoughts and restrain his surging emotions, Elias calmly responded with an expressionless face.
"I suggest you move along, Damien. I have no quarrel with you or the family."
"No quarrel?"
Damien laughed and said:
"You embarrassed the entire Blaze lineage with your failure in the last Blood Oath Ritual. Three years we've had to endure whispers and mockery because of you, the talented heir who lost his Sigil and ran away like a coward."
Elias stood slowly, his movements deliberate. Though he lacked the Thaumaturge Sigil of the Blaze Family, there was something incomprehensible in his bearing that gave Damien pause. Demien noted that there was a silent confidence in his eyes that hadn't been there three years ago.
"I didn't run, I was exiled. Don't twist the facts, Damien. Now, I'll ask once more, leave us in peace."
Elias said softly, subtly employing mental intimidation. With him as the epicenter, invisible waves emanated outward.
For a tense moment, it seemed Damien might escalate the confrontation, but he suddenly took an unconscious step backward. His hand twitched toward his chest, where his Thaumaturge Sigil lay dormant beneath his robes. But something in Elias's unwavering gaze made him reconsider.
Why am I afraid of this bastard? Didn't he lose his Thaumaturge Sigil, becoming powerless?
Damien thought, cold sweat breaking out on his back. Although he had no idea why he felt intimidated by Elias, he didn't want to escalate the situation without knowing what tricks Elias was playing.
"This isn't over. The family will want to know you've returned. Expect a formal summons, though I doubt they'll welcome you back with open arms."
Damien spat mockingly, causing Elias to look at him as if he were an idiot.
What's wrong with this kid? Did he truly believe I would return even if I was summoned?
Elias shook his head in disdain. Ignoring the fact that he wasn't the original Elias, he was certain that even the original Elias wouldn't return home even if he was summoned after all these years of suffering.
Meanwhile, Damien and his entourage moved to a table on the far side of the room, though their glares continued to burn into Elias's back.
While facing the scared girl, Elias gently said:
"Don't mind them."
Selina nodded and looked up at Elias, her face pale.
"They hate you that much? Because you lost your Sigil?"
Elias sat back down, his expression grim.
"The Blaze Family values power above all else. To lose one's Sigil is to become worthless in their eyes."
"That's horrible."
She whispered.
"It's their way."
Elias replied and added:
"But it's not mine. Not anymore. Anyway, forget about them. Let's finish our breakfast."
After finishing their meal in tense silence, they returned to Elias's room to discuss their plans privately. The encounter with Damien had only reinforced Elias's determination to forge a new path, one that would keep both him and Selina safe from the machinations of the Blaze Family and the darker fate he had glimpsed in his vision.
"Like I said before, we need to establish ourselves here. Create a stable foundation before we can think about the future. The Mystic Stones General Genevieve gave us won't last forever."
Elias continued the conversation he was having with Selina before they were rudely interrupted by Damien and his entourage.
"How will we do that?"
Selina asked, not sure what Elias was getting at.
Elias smiled and said:
"I have an idea. But first, there's something I need to show you."
He reached into his pocket and withdrew a small, glowing crystal: one of the Mystic Crystals he had discovered in Drakas's hidden chamber. Selina gasped at the sight, her eyes reflecting the crystal's ethereal light.
"Is that... a Mystic Crystal? I heard they're worth a thousand Mystic Stones each!"
She exclaimed.
"Indeed."
Elias nodded, surprised that the girl knew what it was, but upon second thought, he recalled that she used to be Drakas's maid.
"And I have more. Drakas had been hoarding them. Either way, they're ours now."
Elias declared, putting the crystal back into the pocket."What will you do with them?"
Selina asked curiously, her eyes glowing.
"Start a business."
Elias replied.
"Something simple but profitable. I've been thinking of opening a shop here in Sun City. We can sell unique items that can't be found elsewhere to maximize profits."
Selina's eyes widened. "A shop? What kind of items will we sell?"
"Food, primarily. Snacks and treats from... faraway places. We'll sell things that will appeal to people's curiosity and taste for novelty."
Elias chose his words carefully, not wanting to reveal too much about his otherworldly knowledge, specifically from Earth.
As he outlined his plan, Elias could see Selina's initial nervousness giving way to genuine interest.
Realizing that her interest was piqued, Elias continued:
"I want you to be part of this venture. Not as an employee, but as a partner. You'll need to learn many things, such as reading, writing, arithmetic, and business management, but I believe you're more than capable."
Tears welled in Selina's eyes.
"Why would you do this for me? You barely know me."
Elias thought of the vision he observed. He could still see the silhouette of the broken, vengeful woman Selina could become if abandoned to fate's cruelty. To help her avoid such an unfavorable fate was the reason he decided to keep her by his side for now.
Aside from that, he also thought of the small kindnesses she had shown the original Elias during his captivity, the leftover food smuggled to him when starvation seemed inevitable, the whispered words of comfort when Drakas's torments became too much to bear. Just these gestures alone were enough for Elias to pay her back. He may not be the original, but he now occupied the original's body, so he needed to return favors in their stead.
Without mentioning that, he gently said to her.
"Let's just say I see potential in you. Potential that shouldn't be wasted."
He meant what he stated, as Selina indeed had the potential to become one of the most dreadful enemies of humanity, known as the "Silver Queen", a villainess who could command puppets transformed from her defeated enemies. Rather than let her become such a lost person, Elias planned to nurture her character and help her avoid such a fate.
That night, as Selina slept peacefully in her room, Elias returned to his Mental Landscape the moment he entered his room. The success of his experiment with the Quantum Sight had opened new possibilities. He had begun to devise ways to circumvent the restrictions placed upon him and reclaim his powers. However, he would have to experiment some more to ensure absolute safety before enacting his plans in real life.