Chapter 297 - 295 : The Missing Name

Chapter 297: Chapter 295 : The Missing Name

Arthur and Athena stood face-to-face in the hotel doorway.

Neither moved.

Dark energy coiled around Arthur’s transformed arm, slipping between the blackened ridges of his forearm. His claws hung at his side, slightly curved, while the last traces of his killing intent pressed against the walls of the corridor.

Athena, however, looked entirely unimpressed.

That was not encouraging.

Her golden eyes remained fixed on his face rather than the monstrous limb he had intended as a warning.

Then the System spoke inside his head.

[Good job, Host. Spoken like a true scumbag after spending such a passionate night with her.]

A vein twitched at Arthur’s temple.

’Shut up. This is all your fault.’

[How is it my fault? I was not the one on top of her.]

Arthur’s jaw tightened.

’You don’t need to understand. Just know that it is.’

[(╥﹏╥)]

Athena noticed the slight change in his expression.

Her eyes narrowed.

"If that’s how you want to handle this," she said quietly, "then fine."

The pressure arrived without warning.

There was no dramatic explosion of mana, no shattered lights, and no violent gust sweeping through the corridor.

Athena simply released a fraction of her power.

And Arthur felt it.

A chill traveled down his spine.

His demonic energy stirred defensively, but the confidence that had driven him to transform his arm suddenly seemed less like courage and more like a spectacular lapse in judgment.

The woman standing before him hadn’t even taken a fighting stance.

She didn’t need one.

’Fuck.’

Arthur maintained his cold expression through sheer determination.

’She’s serious.’

Athena tilted her head slightly.

’She’s actually ready to kick my ass.’

[Why not give her another option if you don’t want to get beaten up?]

Arthur resisted the urge to glare at the notification hovering before his eyes.

Then he looked at Athena.

"Or..."

He paused just long enough to pretend he had been considering the possibility all along.

"You can come with me."

Athena said nothing.

Arthur continued.

"We can talk after I finish dealing with this."

He swallowed.

Hopefully, the movement wasn’t noticeable.

Probably not.

Athena studied his face while Arthur kept his shoulders straight and his transformed arm relaxed at his side.

Inside his head, however, his thoughts were considerably less composed.

’System.’

[Yes, Host?]

’If we go all out, what are our chances of beating her?’

[I cannot calculate an accurate probability with the information available.]

Arthur watched Athena’s hands.

[However, I would estimate your chances at less than five percent. You have witnessed her fighting ability yourself.]

’Less than five percent...’

He drew a measured breath.

’Well, I can’t remember the last time we fought someone weaker than us.’

His claws flexed once.

’Five percent will have to do.’

Athena stepped forward.

Arthur’s muscles tightened.

For one brief, deeply unpleasant moment, he prepared himself to discover exactly how much punishment the hotel corridor could withstand.

Then Athena reached toward him.

Something white appeared between her fingers.

A handkerchief.

Arthur stared at it.

Then at her.

"Wipe the sweat off your face first," she said.

Her gaze flicked toward his demonic arm.

"And stop acting tough."

Arthur didn’t answer.

Athena held the handkerchief a little closer.

"We’ll talk when you have time. I’m free at the moment, so I’ll come with you."

The pressure disappeared.

Arthur released a breath before he could stop himself.

His transformed arm gradually returned to normal. The claws receded, the black ridges dissolved, and the dark energy sank back beneath his skin.

He accepted the handkerchief.

"You had me worried for a moment."

Athena raised an eyebrow.

"Only a moment?"

Arthur wiped his forehead.

"Let’s not ruin this peaceful resolution."

For the first time since he had opened the door, something resembling amusement touched her expression.

It vanished almost immediately.

"Where are we going?"

"Aiden’s room."

Arthur folded the handkerchief and slipped it into his pocket.

"Astarte is missing."

Athena’s expression changed.

"The demon who came with you?"

"Yes."

"That’s strange."

Her gaze sharpened.

"She seemed powerful. I wouldn’t expect her to disappear without leaving some indication of what happened."

"Neither would I."

Arthur stepped into the corridor and closed his hotel room door.

"That’s what we’re going to find out."

He started walking.

Athena followed beside him.

This time, neither of them spoke.

───────────────

Arthur knocked on Aiden’s door.

It opened almost immediately.

Aiden stood on the other side, looking as though he had been waiting within arm’s reach of the handle.

His white hair was disheveled. Shadows darkened the skin beneath his eyes, and the exhaustion on his face was far more pronounced than when Arthur had last seen him.

But it was his expression that made Arthur pause.

Fear had settled there.

Not the sharp fear of an approaching enemy, but the quieter kind that grew worse with every unanswered question.

"Arthur."

Aiden’s shoulders loosened slightly.

"I was waiting for you."

Then his gaze shifted to the woman standing beside Arthur.

He noticed Athena’s uncovered face and immediately straightened.

"Headmistress?"

His eyes moved between them.

"Why are you here?"

"Arthur asked me to come," Athena replied calmly.

Aiden looked at Arthur.

Arthur gave a brief nod.

"She’s with me."

Aiden hesitated for only a moment before stepping aside.

"Come in."

The room looked almost untouched.

The bed hadn’t been slept in, a glass of water stood on the side table, still full, and a travel bag lay open near the wall.

Aiden led them into the small sitting area.

He sat at one end of the sofa, while Arthur took the seat opposite him. Athena settled into the armchair beside them.

For a few seconds, Aiden stared at his hands.

Then he finally looked up.

"Arthur, my sister has been kidnapped."

Arthur’s expression remained controlled.

"I know she’s missing. I suspected someone had taken her."

He leaned forward slightly.

"What makes you certain?"

Aiden swallowed.

"When I returned to the room, someone was already inside."

Athena glanced toward the door.

"The locks in this hotel are reinforced with high-ranking enchantments and advanced security systems."

She looked back at Aiden.

"Someone who managed to enter without triggering an alarm is no ordinary person."

Arthur watched Aiden carefully.

"Who was it?"

"I don’t know."

"What did he look like?"

"He was wearing a mask."

Aiden pressed his hands together.

"I couldn’t see his face. He was tall, and his aura..."

He trailed off.

Arthur waited for him to continue.

Aiden’s voice dropped.

"The moment I saw him, my System started warning me to escape."

Athena became very still.

"What kind of warning?"

"Immediate danger. It kept repeating the same warning."

Aiden looked toward her before returning his attention to Arthur.

"But I didn’t need the System to tell me."

His fingers tightened around one another.

"I knew that if I attacked him, I would lose."

Arthur’s gaze narrowed.

"Did he threaten you?"

"Not directly."

"What did he say?"

Aiden met his eyes.

"He said that if you wanted Astarte back, you should come to the Holy Empire."

Arthur froze.

For a moment, the room seemed to recede around him.

The sudden loss of protection around the World Tree.

And now, a stranger powerful enough to bypass the hotel’s security and confront Aiden without the slightest concern.

Arthur’s eyes widened.

"So he captured her..."

The words escaped beneath his breath.

Aiden leaned forward.

"What?"

Arthur barely heard him.

’She lost to him again.’

The realization settled heavily in his chest.

Aiden continued, his voice tense.

"He also said that he now possesses the Authority of Death."

Athena immediately looked toward Arthur.

Aiden, however, didn’t notice her reaction.

"He said he would take the remaining authority from you."

Arthur’s expression hardened.

For several seconds, he remained silent.

Aiden could endure it no longer.

"Arthur, what the hell was he talking about?"

Arthur finally looked at him.

"What authority?"

Aiden frowned.

Then his expression became strangely uncertain.

"And who is Astarte?"

Arthur went completely still.

The question struck him harder than the threat had.

He stared at Aiden.

Aiden stared back, confused by his reaction.

"What?"

Arthur felt a cold weight settle in his stomach.

’Astarte...’

Aiden had spoken the name as though it belonged to a complete stranger.

Arthur leaned forward.

"Aiden."

His voice had changed enough to make both Aiden and Athena notice.

"Tell me your sister’s name."

Aiden blinked.

"What kind of question is that?"

"Answer it."

"Of course I know my sister’s name."

He gave a strained, impatient laugh.

"Her name is..."

The words stopped.

Aiden’s mouth remained slightly open.

His eyes shifted uncertainly.

Arthur didn’t move.

"Her name is..."

Aiden tried again.

Nothing followed.

The silence lengthened.

Athena watched his expression carefully.

Aiden lowered his gaze, his brows drawing together.

It should have been easy.

It should have been the simplest answer in the world.

His sister’s name.

A name he should have spoken hundreds, perhaps thousands, of times.

He reached for it.

And found nothing.

Not a forgotten syllable.

Not a memory lingering just beyond his grasp.

Nothing.

"Wait."

His voice suddenly grew thin.

"Just give me a second."

Arthur’s hands curled against his knees.

Aiden pressed his fingers against his temples.

"Her name..."

He closed his eyes.

A memory.

A voice.

A face.

Anything.

The harder he searched, the less certain he became of what he was even searching for.

He knew he had a sister.

He knew she was missing.

And he remembered that Arthur had brought her back to him only a few days ago.

But where were the memories that should have made those facts feel real?

Aiden’s breathing quickened.

"What was it?"

He looked up at Arthur.

For the first time, the fear on his face transformed into naked horror.

"Why can’t I remember?"

Arthur rose from his seat.

"Aiden—"

"Fuck!"

Aiden grabbed his hair.

"Why can’t I remember her name?"

He pulled at his hair as though physical pain might force something loose inside his head.

"I know it! I know I know it!"

His breathing became ragged.

"Just give me a second—"

"Calm down, you idiot."

Arthur’s voice cut through the room.

Aiden jerked his head toward him.

"Shut up! Just give me a second—"

Athena moved.

One moment, she was sitting in the armchair.

The next, she was standing beside Aiden.

Her hand came down in a precise, controlled chop.

Aiden’s words stopped abruptly.

His body went limp.

Athena caught him before he could strike the table and carefully lowered him onto the carpet.

Arthur stared at her.

"What are you doing?"

"Stopping him from hurting himself."

She knelt beside Aiden.

A faint blue light gathered around her hand.

Then she placed her palm against his head.

Arthur stepped closer.

"And now?"

"Searching his memories."

Her voice remained calm.

"Stay quiet."

Arthur stopped beside her.

The blue light deepened.

Athena’s expression grew intent, and her eyes shifted slightly beneath her lowered eyelids.

Seconds passed.

Arthur watched Aiden’s unconscious face, waiting for some indication of what she might discover.

Finally, Athena withdrew her hand.

The light faded.

She looked up.

"There is nothing."

Arthur’s jaw tightened.

"What do you mean?"

"No name. No clear memories of a sister. No recollection of their relationship."

Athena glanced down at Aiden.

"Whatever is driving him to search for her, it doesn’t match what’s in his memories."

She paused.

"It’s as though he’s chasing a ghost."

Arthur raised a hand to his forehead.

For a moment, he said nothing.

Then he slowly exhaled.

"I knew it."

Athena studied him.

"What did you know?"

Arthur stared down at Aiden.

"He never knew her name."

The words sounded worse when spoken aloud.

Or perhaps he had known it once.

Perhaps something had been taken from him so completely that even the absence had been concealed.

Arthur couldn’t tell.

And that uncertainty frightened him more than he wanted to admit.

"Astarte must have done something to him."

Athena’s expression grew thoughtful.

"What kind of thing?"

"Something designed to take effect if she disappeared."

Arthur lowered his hand.

"Or died."

The word left an unpleasant silence behind it.

He looked away.

"Hell, I can’t even be certain that Astarte is her real name."

His expression darkened.

"For all I know, nobody knows her real name."

Athena turned her attention back to Aiden.

Arthur crouched beside the unconscious boy.

Aiden’s face had finally relaxed.

Arthur felt an unexpected flicker of pity.

The boy had been desperate to save someone he could no longer properly remember.

Whatever Astarte had intended, this was what remained of it.

A need without an explanation.

A loss without a name.

Arthur slowly stood.

"I’ll have to change my plans."

Athena folded her arms.

"Because of the masked man?"

Arthur nodded.

"He knows I possess the authority of the Demon Lord Astaroth."

He looked toward the window.

"And he wants it."

The demand to come to the Holy Empire hadn’t been an invitation.

It was bait.

A challenge delivered through someone Arthur couldn’t simply abandon.

"He took Astarte," Arthur continued. "Then he came here to make sure the message reached me."

Athena watched him carefully.

"And you intend to go?"

Arthur didn’t answer immediately.

He had already promised to return to Elvania.

Yuna was injured.

The elves were preparing to abandon the old World Tree.

The Church was tightening its grip.

And now Astarte was being used to lure him toward the Holy Empire.

Too many urgent problems, all demanding his attention at once.

Arthur’s gaze sharpened.

He couldn’t afford to treat them as separate anymore.

Athena stepped into his line of sight.

"Arthur."

He looked at her.

"Can you explain what the hell is going on?"

For a moment, he considered how much he should tell her.

Then his eyes moved over her face.

The same woman he had nearly challenged in the corridor.

The same woman his System had given him less than a five-percent chance of defeating.

A slow, dangerous idea formed in his mind.

Arthur straightened.

"It’s time you kept your end of the deal, Athena."

Her expression changed.

"What?"

"You’re coming with me to Elvania."

Athena’s eyes narrowed.

Arthur could almost hear the sensible words waiting on the tip of his tongue.

Instead, the corner of his mouth lifted.

"This husband of yours has found himself in another mess."

Athena went completely still.

Arthur tilted his head.

"So, what do you say, wife?"

A muscle twitched beneath her eye.

The anger that appeared on her face was immediate and unmistakable.

Arthur’s smile became slightly less certain.

Inside his head, the System let out a long, exasperated sigh.

[At this point, Host, I think you’re a masochist who enjoys getting beaten up. (-_-)]