Solo Leveling X TBATE | Looking For Purpose (Rewrite)

Artifact and Hope

Arthur POV

A little into the journey, I asked Grandpa Virion. "Hey Gramps, where are we headed anyway? You said we were meeting a friend of yours, right?"

"Haha! Gramps eh? Well, aren't you comfortable with me now? Good good! As for where we're going, it's a surprise." He threw in a wink.

Tessia has fallen asleep with her head leaning against my shoulder. She must have been tired from waking up so early.

"Take good care of her, Art. She grew up in a very lonely environment," he quietly mutters, a look of compassion filled his eyes as he looked at his sleeping granddaughter.

"What do you mean?"

"Growing up as the only princess of an entire kingdom is very stressful, too much for a child to handle. Growing up with no close friends, was hard on her. She had gotten hurt too many times by people pretending to befriend her, only to use her for their gains. This has made Tessia into someone cold and distant to those around her. Imagine how surprised we all were when we saw you two holding hands." He continues.

"Yeah, I noticed when I heard her talk to the guards," I added.

"Arthur. Tessia has shown more expression, more smiles and laughs, now than she ever had growing up; around you, she finally seems more like a child. For that, I thank you." He patted my other shoulder.

"You heard the old man take care of her" I heard Jin-Woo say with a big grin which I just ignored

This was the first time Grandpa Virion ever initiated physical contact with me besides sparring, which caught me by surprise.

The carriage came to a gentle halt before the driver opened our carriage door to inform us of our arrival.

"Hey Tess, we're here," I whispered, gently nudging her.

"Mmm..." She eventually stirred awake and we get out of the carriage, arriving at what could only be considered a dainty hut.

"Hey, you old witch! Come out!" Grandpa Virion suddenly yelled while knocking on the door.

Suddenly the door flew open to reveal a hunched elderly lady with grey hair that seemed like it was struck by lightning and wrinkled eyes that were strangely a mixture of multiple colors, all blending. Dressed in a simple brown robe, she peered down at me with a studying eye.

"Took you long enough to get here!" she scowled.

"Hahaha! Arthur! Let me introduce you to Rinia Darcassan. She's a very special deviant amongst us elves," Grandpa Virion announces.

"It's good seeing you again, Virion. Charming as always, little Tessia," she smiled, patting Tess's head.

Looking at us, she stuck out her hand. "We finally meet young Arthur and Sung Jin-Woo. I am Rinia. A Diviner."

Grandpa Virion, Tessia, Rinia, Jin-Woo and I were currently all situated around a circular table with a jar of water in the middle.

"Umm... Elder Rinia? You said that you were a diviner, correct? I'm a little lost as to what it is you can do. Gramps said that I'd be able to find out if my parents are okay by seeing you." I asked, staring curiously at the jar of water.

"Kekeke! Gramps huh? Virion, you've let yourself go if you're letting youngsters like him call you that," she snickered.

"Bah! He's an exception! If any other brat dares to call me something like Gramps, I'll have them hung upside down and beaten with a cactus!" he grinned back, looking at me.

How painfully descriptive.

Glaring at me, she barked, "Brat! You don't even know where your parents are but you want to travel all over Sapin, find them and then come back to train? You'd be already dead by the time you make yourself back here."