Prime Originator

With deep black pupils, the 'different Lumi' casually surveyed her surrounding with a careful look before proceeding to inspect her own limbs. Seeing that she was no longer shackled by demon chains, she broke into a wide grin.

It was not long before her gaze fell on Leon's general direction. Due to the faint connection established by the Blood Imprint, she immediately recognized Leon.

"Kukuku… I've said this before that if I were to be freed, I will kill you!"

Having said that, she pounced towards Leon.

Leon was prepared for her attack and had already drawn sufficient distance between them. With a single thought, the Blood Imprint on Lumi's soul core began to vibrate.

Outside of causing the Blood Imprint to explode, which would immediately cause death, the vibration of the Blood Imprint could torment the soul with soul-piercing pain. 

The vengeful spirit's attack fell short as it dropped to the ground while hugging its head with both hands. 

"Ahhh! What is happening?! What have you done to me?!"

"This is the Blood Imprint Lumi allowed me to plant on her soul core! If you don't want to die, then behave yourself!" Leon said coldly without a hint of mercy. 

This other Lumi was malevolent and evil. Ignoring the reluctance in his heart, Leon will definitely follow through with his words if it forces his hand.

"Blood Imprint? My sister did? Ahhh!"

"Your sister?" 

Leon narrowed his eyes into slits as he picked up some interesting information.

The other Lumi resisted the pain and got back onto her feet before staring back at Leon with murderous eyes. She did not answer him.

"What kind of damn thing is a Blood Imprint?! You must be the one seeking to harm us! I will kill you!" The other Lumi said while gnashing her teeth with great hatred and killing intent.

"Us?"

Leon frowned and increased the intensity of Blood Imprint's vibration, causing the other Lumi to fall back onto one knee.

"I won't deny that the Blood Imprint is a vile technique, but we had a deal. Lumi accepted the Blood Imprint for my help. I was the one who freed you!"

"What are you even saying? You were the one that freed us?" The other Lumi shook her head vehemently and spoke, "Arghh! I don't know anymore! I don't get it at all! I'm going back!"

Soon, the malevolent aura dissipated, followed by Lumi's scream.

"Ahhh! It hurts! I don't know what I did wrong, but I'm sorry!" 

Leon hurriedly stopped the Blood Imprint from vibrating, but Lumi could not endure the pain like her 'sister', fainted. 

Leon caught the collapsed Lumi as his brows were furrowed with questions. He felt that Lumi's condition was not as simple as a mental disorder like a split personality but something more complex.

Furthermore, the good Lumi seemed to be aware of the good Lumi, but the good Lumi was unaware of the evil Lumi. It even referred to Lumi as its sister.

It appears that Lumi was someone with a story to tell. He was not so self-centered as to believe that he was the only one with a tragic past. In fact, he was considered more fortunate than most people.

"Now, what should I do with you?" Leon spoke to himself as he stared at the unconscious Lumi in his arms. 

…

Sometime later, Leon exited Lost Isle Alley alone. Lumi was nowhere in sight. Marquis Haldir was the first to step forward. Strangely, his first words were not about the vengeful spirit.

"Are you done with everything here, Your Highness."

"For now." Leon nodded before saying, "I need to make a quick trip to the World Tree." 

The Supreme Elder and Princess Faelyn were no interested in prying about the vengeful spirit if Leon did not bring up the matter. However, once Leon mentioned a trip to the World Tree, their eyes immediately lit up.

"You're going to the World Tree? Really? Can I come?" Faelyn asked excitedly. 

Marquis Haldir did not say anything, but it was clear that the Supreme Elder was also interested in tagging along.

"Are you quick on your feet?" Leon gave Faelyn a glance, wondering where she would slow him down if he was to bring her along. He was only going to collect some spirit energy for the Teleportation Array.

"Are you going to say no if I say I'm not?"

"Yes," Leon said straightforwardly. 

"Then the answer is I am," Faelyn said shamelessly.

"…" 

Leon was somewhat speechless. 

He could tell that Faelyn was not a fast runner. She would not have asked that question otherwise.

As he was wondering what to say, an arriving airship in the sky caught his attention. This airship came from the east and carried quite a fair bit of civilians. At this moment, the airship was heading straight for the workshop tower.

Considering the workshop tower only had four docking bays on its top floor, there was nowhere for the airship to land. All four docking bays had been wholly occupied.

Apart from the Lancaster's transport airship occupying one bay, the other three bays were occupied by one newly completed airship and two other airships in the making.

Leon gave Faelyn a smile and said, "Alright, we'll be taking the airship to the World Tree. If you don't need to prepare anything, we leave right away."

"If you were going to take the airship, why did you need to ask if I was quick on my feet?" Faelyn asked with confusion, before adding, "Oh, I get it. You don't want me to tag along, right? That's how it is, isn't it?"

"That wasn't it. I only thought of it just now." Leon shook his head and admitted bluntly.

An airship travels much quicker than any steam-powered vehicles, but it was not much compared to Leon's own movement speed. However, the travel speed of an airship could increase drastically with good wind.

A bit unsatisfied with Leon's answer, Faelyn still had no choice but to accept it.

"Fine." Faelyn pouted and said, "I don't need to prepare anything. How about you, Supreme Elder?"

"I'm good to go." Marquis Haldir answered with a light smile.

"Then let's head over to workshop tower to borrow an airship," Leon stated, before turning to a palace guard. "I'm counting on all of you to guard this place well during my absence."

"You can leave it to us, your Highness!"

"Good! I'll be leaving then." 

"Have a pleasant trip, Your Highness." 

The palace guards saw them off.

…

"Father-in-law, I need to borrow one of your airships to go somewhere far." Leon immediately made the request upon arriving at the workshop tower with the Supreme Elder and Faelyn.

"This brat… You only come to visit me whenever you need anything." Ignis grumbled with complaint. 

Leon gawked with guilt and embarrassment. He scratched the side of his cheek and prepared to apologize, but the Duke stopped him and said, "Never mind that. You're a busy person, I understand. Hmm… the timing is just right. The new airship needed a test flight anyway."

"However, you will need a crew to help you pilot the new airship. I suppose I need to arrange this for you too. Am I right, boy?" The Duke asked.

"Yes." Leon smiled wryly with awkwardness. 

"Alright, just sit around and wait a bit. I'll have it done in a jiffy."

Half an hour later, the Duke saw the new airship take off into the sky with his wife, Amelia Lancaster, by his side. They were rather moved that the newly installed levitation stone was working well.

The first official working levitation stone reproduced by them!

As the airship slowly rose, particles of light could be seen gathering towards the airship. The runic mechanism on the levitation stone was working in full throttle, transforming the light particles into available artificial spirit energy to enable its anti-gravity function.

It did not take long before the airship reached an altitude of 500fts in the sky.

… 

On the airship's deck, the crew's captain turned to Leon and asked, "Where are we heading, Your Highness?"

"We are heading to the World Tree. You don't need me to tell you where that is, do you?" Leon said with a joking tone.

"Hahaha, surely you jest, Your Highness." The airship captain laughed.

The World Tree was so big, it could be seen from several tens of thousand miles away, let alone several hundred miles away. Only a blind man would not know where it is.

Shouting out several orders, the rest of the crew got to work, feeding the coal into the combustion chamber to heat the boiler and work the steam engine as the airship propellers begin to spin. 

The captain spun the helm, and the airship turned its head towards the direction of the World Tree.

"If you may, I'm in a hurry, Captain," Leon said.

"Understood, Your Highness." The airship captain said before shouting, "Full speed ahead!"