Bringing Piasce back to his residence, Celine walked up as soon as he opened the door . Along the way, Link had already used Telepathy to explain everything, so she'd put away her big fire gun and changed into an indoors dress . She even placed some fruits and drinks for guests on the round table in the living room .

"Welcome, Mr . Piasce," she said, inviting him in with a smile .

Piasce knew Celine's ident.i.ty and knew she wasn't as simple as she looked . The strong sense of danger earlier was probably because of him .

Smiling tightly, Piasce followed Link into the living room .

Link's home was a vast house . Red Dragon Magicians had designed this duke residency just for him . The living room was open and bright with a vintage circular table in the center .

Link sat down and gestured . "Sit . "

After Piasce sat down, Nana casually sat beside him . She looked relaxed, but her hand rested lightly on her sword's hilt . Celine sat to Link's sad, gazing at the blue-skinned creature curiously .

Link didn't waste time . He reached out, and a gla.s.s of steaming mango juice slid soundlessly towards Piasce . "Let's talk about your background . "

Piasce accepted the drink and took a sip . Then, he composed himself and started thinking back .

Half a minute later, he said, "I come from the Omir Realm . It actually isn't that far from Firuman . There are only some barren realms in between . Because of certain reasons, my race saw me as a traitor and wanted to execute me . At the last moment, one of my students infiltrated the prison and freed me . I got into my secretly created Void Ferry and escaped from Omir . Right before I escaped, I saw my student get captured with my own eyes . I can still hear his cries of despair…Oh…"

Sighing, Piasce gulped down the juice like it was alcohol . He emptied the cup and Link gave him another one .

Piasce continued . "Fleeing from Omir, I was like a homeless stray dog . I hid and ran through the boundless Void . My people never gave up and still pursued me . I was forced to wander about . Time doesn't flow in the boundless Void, so I don't know how long has pa.s.sed until I accidentally came to Firuman one year ago . "

Here, he looked at Link and chuckled bitterly . "I just wanted to stay a bit to recharge my Void Ferry before continuing, but I was attracted by this world . It's too similar to Omir . The first time I saw this place, I thought I'd returned home . The mountains, trees, gra.s.s, and water are all so strangely familiar, so I stayed . I'd planned to stay a few years before leaving . "

He drank some more mango juice . This time, he tasted it carefully . After another sip, he smiled at Link . "There's a drink similar to this from my home . It's called O' Flower Wine . I used to hate wine like this . I would only sip it at formal social events, but now… Hehe, I find it delicious . "

After another sip, he said to Link, "Lord, my story isn't that interesting . I just hid and ran like a mouse . Ask whatever questions you have . I'll do my best to reply . "

Piasce's story was simple . He was just an escaped criminal running from his pursuers . But things weren't that simple .

Link knocked on the table . "How many realms did you experience?"

"Not that many, only three . They were all barren realms . One was marginally habitable, so I stayed there for about half a year before leaving . "

"You said that your people keep pursuing you, so you're forced to wander," Link continued . "But you've been running for quite some time and distance . Isn't the cost too high to keep chasing you in the Sea of Void?"

The cost of chasing someone would never be more than the rewards after killing him . If the people of Omir kept chasing, it meant that Piasce's ident.i.ty was complex . In the Omir Realm, he must be in the upper tier .

Hearing this question, Piasce fell silent . His hands clutched the crystal gla.s.s anxiously . After a long while, he said, "Omir has very advanced inter-realm transportation technology . When I left, it was only a bit behind my Void Ferry . These years, I've been improving my Void Ferry, but Omir is developing quickly too . Their accomplishments shouldn't be any less than mine… Of course, the cost of traveling is still great, and they must pay a lot . They're chasing so relentlessly is because…because… Lord, I think I must explain Omir's situation to answer this question . "

"Go on . " Link was listening attentively .

Piasce's eyes filled with reminiscence . "My home used to be peaceful . Everyone lived happily; the land was fertile, and everything was plentiful . The world was filled with clean Mana, like Firuman . But unlike Firuman, we didn't develop large-scale destruction spells . We mostly cared about the cultivation of the soul . Those with attainments in Soul magic are known as Soul Roamers . "

"Soul Roamers? That sounds interesting . "

Piasce nodded . "Amongst the Soul Roamers, there are also those with extremely great achievements who are respected and revered . They can become Soul Tutors . When I was in Omir, there were three Soul Tutors . I was one of them . "

"Oh . " It dawned on Link . "In other words, you were one of Omir's three leaders . "

"Not leader…or you can just say that . If I did anything, many people would follow me . " Piasce nodded .

On the side, Celine couldn't contain her curiosity . "I want to know what exactly you did that made people think you're a traitor and keep chasing you . "

"I…" Piasce had a pained expression . He clenched his fists, relaxed, and then tightened again . Clearly, Celine's words had hit his sore spot .

"If you find it hard to say, you can write it down," Link said . "I know this question is too probing, but we must understand everything because you have people after you . You said before that they're very dangerous . If you're exposed, you won't be the only one affected . Firuman won't be well off either . "

Piasce sighed . "You're right, Lord . I indeed may bring catastrophe to Firuman . My race is no longer peaceful like before . They've become puppets of darkness, and this is all my fault!"

By now, Piasce had finished his second drink . As if he was drinking his troubles away, he seemed to have thought things through now . "During soul cultivation, the most important thing is meditation . As a Soul Tutor, I meditated instead of sleeping at night . In meditation, our souls become free . Our Eye of the Soul opens too, allowing us to travel freely within the Sea of Void . Oh, we're free, but it's still very dangerous . The Sea of Void is boundless . If you go too far, your soul may become lost . The law prohibits probing too deeply into the Sea of Void, while that is what I did . During my travel, I found a very powerful existence called Nozama…"

"Nozama?" Link froze . Celine was also surprised . She hadn't expected to hear her father's name from this realm traveler .

Piasce smiled bitterly . "Yes, Nozama, Lord of the Deep . I didn't know his ident.i.ty back then . The things seen by the Eye of the Soul are very limited . In my meditation, I saw that Nozama was an elegant gentleman . His voice was mellow and full . His words were logical and organized . Many of his opinions matched mine . Thus, we became friends . "

Here, the magic veins on his blue face scrunched together . He clenched his jaw, and the crystal gla.s.s trembled in his hands .

"I…" He opened his mouth to speak again, but his voice caught . He coughed lightly and composed himself before continuing . "I didn't think that my actions would bring catastrophe to my race . He lied to me, and I personally brought him into my world, starting the disaster… When I escaped, more than half of Omir was under Nozama's control . "

Hearing this, Link and Celine exchanged glances . "My fa…" Celine murmured . "That demon is that good at disguises?"

Link thought back to the first time he saw Nozama in the game . It had been at the plains outside the Demon Fort . The alliance had been forced into the final battle with the Dark Army when Nozama appeared .

No one had expected him to look like that . He had black hair, a black robe, and a handsome face that even looked a bit warm . His voice was gentle and mellow . If he hadn't been standing with the Dark Army and commanding the demons, no one would have thought that he was such a terrifying figure .

Later, Link realized that it was Nozama's disguise . He didn't reveal his true image until they'd started fighting .

All in all, if Nozama tried to fool someone, it was extremely easy . There was nothing strange about Piasce being tricked by him .

Here, Link looked to Piasce . "What are your future plans?"

Chapter 623: Deceiver. Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Bringing Piasce back to his residence, Celine walked up as soon as he opened the door . Along the way, Link had already used Telepathy to explain everything, so shed put away her big fire gun and changed into an indoors dress . She even placed some fruits and drinks for guests on the round table in the living room . Welcome, Mr . Piasce, she said, inviting him in with a smile . Piasce knew Celines ident.i.ty and knew she wasnt as simple as she looked . The strong sense of danger earlier was probably because of him . Smiling tightly, Piasce followed Link into the living room . Links home was a vast house . Red Dragon Magicians had designed this duke residency just for him . The living room was open and bright with a vintage circular table in the center . Link sat down and gestured . Sit . After Piasce sat down, Nana casually sat beside him . She looked relaxed, but her hand rested lightly on her swords hilt . Celine sat to Links sad, gazing at the blue-skinned creature curiously . Link didnt waste time . He reached out, and a gla.s.s of steaming mango juice slid soundlessly towards Piasce . Lets talk about your background . Piasce accepted the drink and took a sip . Then, he composed himself and started thinking back . Half a minute later, he said, I come from the Omir Realm . It actually isnt that far from Firuman . There are only some barren realms in between . Because of certain reasons, my race saw me as a traitor and wanted to execute me . At the last moment, one of my students infiltrated the prison and freed me . I got into my secretly created Void Ferry and escaped from Omir . Right before I escaped, I saw my student get captured with my own eyes . I can still hear his cries of despair…Oh… Sighing, Piasce gulped down the juice like it was alcohol . He emptied the cup and Link gave him another one . Piasce continued . Fleeing from Omir, I was like a homeless stray dog . I hid and ran through the boundless Void . My people never gave up and still pursued me . I was forced to wander about . Time doesnt flow in the boundless Void, so I dont know how long has pa.s.sed until I accidentally came to Firuman one year ago . Here, he looked at Link and chuckled bitterly . I just wanted to stay a bit to recharge my Void Ferry before continuing, but I was attracted by this world . Its too similar to Omir . The first time I saw this place, I thought Id returned home . The mountains, trees, gra.s.s, and water are all so strangely familiar, so I stayed . Id planned to stay a few years before leaving . He drank some more mango juice . This time, he tasted it carefully . After another sip, he smiled at Link . Theres a drink similar to this from my home . Its called O Flower Wine . I used to hate wine like this . I would only sip it at formal social events, but now… Hehe, I find it delicious . After another sip, he said to Link, Lord, my story isnt that interesting . I just hid and ran like a mouse . Ask whatever questions you have . Ill do my best to reply . Piasces story was simple . He was just an escaped criminal running from his pursuers . But things werent that simple . Link knocked on the table . How many realms did you experience? Not that many, only three . They were all barren realms . One was marginally habitable, so I stayed there for about half a year before leaving . You said that your people keep pursuing you, so youre forced to wander, Link continued . But youve been running for quite some time and distance . Isnt the cost too high to keep chasing you in the Sea of Void? The cost of chasing someone would never be more than the rewards after killing him . If the people of Omir kept chasing, it meant that Piasces ident.i.ty was complex . In the Omir Realm, he must be in the upper tier . Hearing this question, Piasce fell silent . His hands clutched the crystal gla.s.s anxiously . After a long while, he said, Omir has very advanced inter-realm transportation technology . When I left, it was only a bit behind my Void Ferry . These years, Ive been improving my Void Ferry, but Omir is developing quickly too . Their accomplishments shouldnt be any less than mine… Of course, the cost of traveling is still great, and they must pay a lot . Theyre chasing so relentlessly is because…because… Lord, I think I must explain Omirs situation to answer this question . Go on . Link was listening attentively . Piasces eyes filled with reminiscence . My home used to be peaceful . Everyone lived happily; the land was fertile, and everything was plentiful . The world was filled with clean Mana, like Firuman . But unlike Firuman, we didnt develop large-scale destruction spells . We mostly cared about the cultivation of the soul . Those with attainments in Soul magic are known as Soul Roamers . Soul Roamers? That sounds interesting . Piasce nodded . Amongst the Soul Roamers, there are also those with extremely great achievements who are respected and revered . They can become Soul Tutors . When I was in Omir, there were three Soul Tutors . I was one of them . Oh . It dawned on Link . In other words, you were one of Omirs three leaders . Not leader…or you can just say that . If I did anything, many people would follow me . Piasce nodded . On the side, Celine couldnt contain her curiosity . I want to know what exactly you did that made people think youre a traitor and keep chasing you . I… Piasce had a pained expression . He clenched his fists, relaxed, and then tightened again . Clearly, Celines words had hit his sore spot . If you find it hard to say, you can write it down, Link said . I know this question is too probing, but we must understand everything because you have people after you . You said before that theyre very dangerous . If youre exposed, you wont be the only one affected . Firuman wont be well off either . Piasce sighed . Youre right, Lord . I indeed may bring catastrophe to Firuman . My race is no longer peaceful like before . Theyve become puppets of darkness, and this is all my fault! By now, Piasce had finished his second drink . As if he was drinking his troubles away, he seemed to have thought things through now . During soul cultivation, the most important thing is meditation . As a Soul Tutor, I meditated instead of sleeping at night . In meditation, our souls become free . Our Eye of the Soul opens too, allowing us to travel freely within the Sea of Void . Oh, were free, but its still very dangerous . The Sea of Void is boundless . If you go too far, your soul may become lost . The law prohibits probing too deeply into the Sea of Void, while that is what I did . During my travel, I found a very powerful existence called Nozama… Nozama? Link froze . Celine was also surprised . She hadnt expected to hear her fathers name from this realm traveler . Piasce smiled bitterly . Yes, Nozama, Lord of the Deep . I didnt know his ident.i.ty back then . The things seen by the Eye of the Soul are very limited . In my meditation, I saw that Nozama was an elegant gentleman . His voice was mellow and full . His words were logical and organized . Many of his opinions matched mine . Thus, we became friends . Here, the magic veins on his blue face scrunched together . He clenched his jaw, and the crystal gla.s.s trembled in his hands . I… He opened his mouth to speak again, but his voice caught . He coughed lightly and composed himself before continuing . I didnt think that my actions would bring catastrophe to my race . He lied to me, and I personally brought him into my world, starting the disaster… When I escaped, more than half of Omir was under Nozamas control . Hearing this, Link and Celine exchanged glances . My fa… Celine murmured . That demon is that good at disguises? Link thought back to the first time he saw Nozama in the game . It had been at the plains outside the Demon Fort . The alliance had been forced into the final battle with the Dark Army when Nozama appeared . No one had expected him to look like that . He had black hair, a black robe, and a handsome face that even looked a bit warm . His voice was gentle and mellow . If he hadnt been standing with the Dark Army and commanding the demons, no one would have thought that he was such a terrifying figure . Later, Link realized that it was Nozamas disguise . He didnt reveal his true image until theyd started fighting . All in all, if Nozama tried to fool someone, it was extremely easy . There was nothing strange about Piasce being tricked by him . Here, Link looked to Piasce . What are your future plans?