Hearing Anette’s voice, Nolan almost jumped out of bed. However, a firm hand grabbed his shoulder preventing him from making any movements.
“You have some explaining to do,” she hissed in an almost inaudible voice while slowly getting up from the bed.
Cold sweat run down Nolan’s back. He did not reply and instead gave a short nod in acknowledgement.
Kyran looked at the woman. Judging from her face, she was probably in her early or mid-forties, which would make her around the same age as his mother. She had an unusual dark violet color hair that did not reach her shoulders and her green eyes were of the same shade as emerald. He recalled her name as Anette and from Gage’s short introduction of her, she was the one who cured him when he got poisoned. She also appeared to be Nolan’s friend.
‘And she knew my father,’ Kyran thought recalling her reaction after he removed his mask earlier.
Silas also looked at Anette and for some reason, he found her familiar. But he could not remember where he might have seen or met her. As a mage, his memory was also good, and not remembering this person surprised him.
Anette turned her attention on Kyran.
Kyran returned her gaze and was a little surprised to see confusion and sadness reflected in them. However, it was replaced by warmth in an instance as she smiled at him.
“Nolan told me to prepare myself if I want to go with him, now I understand why.” Anette started as she shifted on the bed and changed into a seating position beside Nolan.
“How long have you been listening?” Nolan asked without looking at her.
“Humph,” Anette gave him a glare. “You think you can knock me out that long?”
Nolan looked at her innocently.
“What are you talking about? Who knocked out who?”
Gage, seeing Nolan’s attitude could not help but look at them with a straight face.
‘They’re at it again,’ he thought.
Anette ignored Nolan and looked at Kyran again.
“I understand the gist of your situation. But I suggest not to create the scroll, even if the blood replenishing potion is available, you are not in a very good condition. If you push yourself too much you will end up unable to accomplish what you have to do,” She told him.
Kyran’s eyes narrowed. For her to see through his condition just by mere observation, it dawned on him that she was also not simple. She was Nolan’s and his father’s acquaintance, she was definitely not a normal hermit Alchemist.
“Nolan will give you the transmission scrolls” Anette continued.
“Why?” Nolan asked and glared at her.
“Because I said so,” she replied without looking at him.
“Oi—!”
“You can replace it when your condition is better,” she added directing it to Kyran.
Kyran nodded his head.
“That was my intention,” he agreed.
Anette smiled.
Nolan scowled and looked at Kyran. He asked apprehensively, “Can you really make a transmission scroll?”
“I can,” Kyran answered without hesitation.
“I can also attest to that,” Anette vouched.
Hearing her words, Nolan turned his attention back at her, “How?”
“He is a Regis, and also Cade’s son. I have once seen him make a scroll twenty years ago, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he taught it to him,” Anette gave a vague answer.
Nolan’s expression turned solemn as if understanding what Anette avoid saying.
‘Twenty years ago?’ Kyran wondered after seeing the change in Nolan’s expression. He looked at Anette again getting more interested in finding out how he met he knew his father.
“I see,” Nolan replied and without pausing, he looked at Kyran. He stood up and took out two scrolls from under his cloak before approaching Kyran.
“You owe me three,” Nolan said handing over the scrolls.
Kyran smiled faintly and only nodded his head. He took the scrolls and put one in the pouch while retaining the other one in his hand.
“I only need one of you to come with me, but before going to the ruins, I’ll drop by the Chamber of Commerce,” Kyran explained.
Anette shook her head and said, “You don’t need to do that. From what I understand, you only need to inform the people from the Chamber of Commerce to stop their pursuit. In that case, Nolan or Gage can do that,” she paused and said changed her mind, “No, Gage can do that—.”
“Oi—.”
“—since his last known location was in Aeren Town and has a record of leaving that place if he showed up in Noser, it will not attract any attention.” Anette continued ignoring Nolan.
Nolan shook his head, “No. He will stick out like a sore thumb if he enters Noser.”
“Why?” Anette asked with a slight frown on her face.
“I’ll explain later. Anyway, how about you go?”
“No, because I will take him to the ruins.”
….
All of them blinked as if Anette’s words had not fully registered to them.
Seeing their dumbfounded looks, Anette raised her brows at them. She smiled smugly and asked, “Who was it that got us out of that ruins?”
“You,” Gage replied at once.
Nolan scowled. “What if it was you? It’s not like you and the kid are—.”
“Who has a better sense of direction?” Anette ignored him and continued.
“Don’t ignore me!”
“Err… I guess it is you too,” Gage answered honestly.
“Who suggested to leave marks so we don’t end up going in circles?”
“Err… you,” Gage answered again.
“And who was the one who can recognize those marks?”
“Err… you.”
“Then it is settled,” Anette said matter-of-factly.
Nolan’s face had gone completely dark. He really hated how she could be overbearing! But he knew her well to understand her motive in getting Kyran alone.
“You only want to go with him and interrogate him yourself!” Nolan accused her.
“And so? I’d rather speak with him than hear you spout nonsense,” she replied without even denying his accusation.
“I don’t mind,” Kyran suddenly spoke before Nolan could say anything.
Nolan looked at him and shook his head, “You don’t even know her!”
Kyran looked at him with a straight face and replied, “True. But I don’t really know you either.”
Nolan’s brow twitched as a vein appeared on his forehead.
“Why you ungrateful—.”
“Uhm, if I may speak?” Silas who had been silently listening suddenly spoke.
All of them turned to look at him.
“Go ahead,” Anette nodded her head at him.
Nolan looked at her with a wry smile.
“Why are you suddenly acting like the boss?”
Anette ignored him.
“I think I have an idea why Gage going in Noser will attract attention, but if he used a transfiguration spell maybe he can disguise himself?” Silas suggested while looking at Gage. “Of course, that is if you know how.”
“What do you take me for? Of course, I do!” Gage replied feeling a little annoyed by Silas’s belittlement.
“It’s okay to do that if entering a town. But this is Noser. A city where the Templar Code has jurisdiction. He will not be recognized just by his face, but his aura and magic signature,” Nolan rejected the notion.
“For all, we know the Templar Code already had his aura in their record that’s why they were able to successfully follow us all this time!” He added.
“Since when did the Templar Code able to detect a mage’s aura?” Anette asked looking at them in confusion.
Blacklines appeared on Gage’s head recalling that she had been out of the loop for twenty years.
“You know we’re just wasting time like this,” Kyran suddenly said which made all of them turn their attention to him.
Kyran looked at Anette and said, “I understand why you said I don’t have to do everything myself, but I am the only one whom those at the Chamber of Commerce will recognize.”
Anette looked at him in interest. She found his choice to use the word ‘will’ rather than ‘can’ intriguing.
“Besides, it will only take me an hour at most to meet with them.”
“Do you even know how far the entrance to Noser is from here?” Anette asked him.
Kyran shrugged.
“Doesn’t matter. I can find my way around places even if it’s my first time going there.”
The three men could not help but give Kyran a dull look. Why did it sound like he was boasting just now?
Anette laughed, “You sure are confident. Very well, if I am correct. This place is at least three hundred kilometers away from the west entrance of Noser.”
Kyran nodded his head, “Thanks.”
He looked at Silas and said, “I made small adjustments to the array in here. But I still plan to add further improvements. I hope you don’t mind.”
Silas gave him a faint smile, “I already noticed the changes. Anyway, since I’ve already given you the key, you’re free to do whatever you want.”
“Thanks.”
Kyran looked at Nolan, who was already looking at him.
“Let’s talk later.”
“Fine.”
Kyran gave a short nod and turned to leave.
Anette was about to say something but decided against it.
The moment Kyran had left, all four of them looked at each other.
To be honest, all of them had not fully digested everything that had happened. Since Kyran also appeared to be in a hurry, they had a tacit understanding to avoid asking questions that would end up in a long discussion.
However, now that Kyran had left, they now had a chance to exchange information.
“Who will go first?” Nolan asked no one in particular.
It was evident how his temperament from a minute ago had changed.