DiMENSIONS [IDOLiSH7]

35: Boiling Hatred

~Majabah~

"We're back..." said Riku.

They were back in the town that once had a volcano—the town where the High Lord Nanase Riku had lost his life.

"Such a dreadful feeling," Standing in front of the town area, Gaku spoke as he shook his head. He felt as dull and grey as the buildings made of stone bricks, so much he could almost taste the gloom in the air. "It's almost as if something bad is bound to happen again here."

"Gaku..." Riku gave his butler a sad look.

"Oi, don't say something like that!" Mitsuki whacked Gaku's head. He didn't feel positive enough to say that no one would get injured, but the least he could do was not think of worst-case scenarios. He'd just do his best as a Beastmaster. And a doctor, if necessary.

"I understand why all of us are here, except the angel." Iori side-eyed Sougo, not necessarily with distrust; he just couldn't think of a reason why Sougo had to get involved. "I thought you'd stay out of human affairs."

"The spirit, Isumi Haruka, isn't human." The hidden-winged angel plainly pointed out the fact.

"Right," Mitsuki said sympathetically. "He was your friend, huh? That must be tough."

Sougo shook his head in denial. "Please save your human sentimentality. We angels operate mainly on righteousness and justice." On second thought, he changed his mind. "But I suppose we were friends, yes. We did spend a lot of time together, so I shall make sure the spirit is obliterated." Even though he was smiling, the angel's kind eyes lost their attractiveness suddenly. "By whatever means necessary."

"And wherever Sou-chan is, I am as well!" Tamaki in his mini dragon's forme wagged his tail joyfully, unaware of Sougo's hidden vengeful aura.

Deadpanned, Tenn said, "I'm not sure how you've come to that conclusion..."

~~

"The high lord is here!"

"High lord Nanase-sama...!"

Whispers could be heard throughout the town as soon as the party stepped foot inside. Most of the townspeople recognised Riku and Gaku from the volcano incident. As expected, they were too scared to approach them.

Knowing their presence was pretty intimidating, Riku and Gaku insisted they should be the only ones entering the town museum to meet with a certain lady.

Riku beamed when they found the very person they were hoping to meet. The museum lady was there, dusting the picture of the previous high lord with great care. Gaku tried to keep his focus on the lady and not on the picture of Riku's father. It would only make his blood boil. He never liked the guy. The last time they were standing here, the volcano erupted. Seeing it now felt like a bad omen.

"I see you're unharmed. That is good."

Riku toned down his excitement and approached the old woman, who seemed surprised by the two handsome men before him, especially Riku when his eyes glowed yellow, full of life.

"High lord Nanase-sama?!" She gasped, realising now who was before her.

"Rise," Seeing how old she was, Riku quickly stopped her from kneeling using object-manipulation magic. He smiled a little wider, hoping it would ease her nerves a little bit. "Could you spare us a moment?"

~~

After sending some updates on the situation to the Silican scientists, Iori and Tenn took a stroll around the town. Tenn had been here once as a drifter. The image of the iconic volcano remained imprinted in his mind. Now that he gazed outside the village and saw no mountain, he felt disturbed.