Despite the several magic barriers in place to restrict space magic, I was easily able to teleport to the edge of the city where the stranger was waiting for me. Just as before, he seemed plain, but his eyes and presence spoke of his power.
"Greetings. How should I address you?" I asked politely since this strange man had more mana than I did, who knows what he could be hiding away. He thought for a moment, as if thinking.
"I have been known by many names. Some were appropriate, others less so. You may call me Alexander." He said, finally. I tucked that name away for later. "Who are you, Alexander? I have never felt mana as potent as your own; it eclipses even that of my Father."
Alexander's brows furrowed. "You call that creature, father?" Instantly, I was on guard, setting up several barriers to keep us hidden. No one had ever seen through Julius' disguise. "Not really. It is a matter of convenience."
He relaxed, though I could see him glancing at the barriers, as if picking apart how they were made. "I will be brief then. I come bearing a gift and a message."
Alexander reached into his robe and pulled out a scroll, holding it out to me. Taking the scroll, I gazed at the wax seal and the aquila motif on it. He then handed me something that I wasn't expecting: a communicator.
"These two things will be useful once you are finished in this world. I cannot say where they were created, but they will help you in the future. The scroll is a Warrant of Unity; keep it close and safe.
The communicator is for a ship that now resides at the edges of this star system. I would suggest not calling it just yet, as I'm sure you have things you still want to accomplish in this world. Once you call the ship, it will arrive within the hour."
A Warrant of Unity? A ship already in the system?
"Who are you? Where do you come from?" I asked, genuinely confused now since this was not expected at all. Alexander seemed to look through me for a moment, as if seeing past the various disguises laid upon this form.
"I am no one. Yet, I am more important than any one life on this planet. That isn't what is important right now, however. The question is, how long will you hide?
I have been watching since you were 'born'. You have displayed both extreme affection and extreme disgust for the people of this world, yet you still assist them.
You must make up your mind; things are in motion beyond the veil, and you are required to resolve them. You already know that.
So hurry. Be swift, strong, and brave. You have nothing holding you back but yourself, though you may not understand right now, one day everything will become clear."
Alexander then looked up to the stars, as if listening. I was still trying to piece things together as He sighed. "My time is over now, and I must go. Peace be with you, even if you don't want it."
With a flash of golden light, Alexander was gone. I snapped out of it and poured as much mana as I could into trying to find him, searching every inch of the Capitol before extending my mana beyond the city to search the entire kingdom.
Finding nothing, I took to the skies and flew as high as I could, pushing every sense to the max as I extended my mana into the atmosphere and beyond. There I found it, just beyond the edge of my perception, a golden sun of energy watching.
It did nothing as my mana washed over it, trying to pry into whatever it was. It did nothing at all. Turning back towards the planet, I searched the entire Clover Kingdom, even sending waves of mana in Grand Magic Zones, as well as the Heart and Diamond Kingdom.
Nothing. No trace of the stranger other than the golden ball of energy far beyond the planet, perhaps on the moon? Feeling frustrated, I returned to the Capitol and let the magnified sounds of everything slam into me.
I made my way towards Mimosa and the others without turning down my senses, as everything in the city was heard or felt by my mana. Thousands of people eating, sleeping, fucking, and screaming reached my brain as I felt like leveling the Capitol.
I must have been more agitated than I thought, as the others reacted negatively when I reached them. Mimosa and Mero looked worried, but everyone except Asta looked mildly uncomfortable by the waves of mana pouring off me.
I paid them no mind as I kept going past them. Sure, I could teleport straight to the volcano, no problem, but I needed to clear my head, so now I was going to walk there.
"My love? What's the matter?" Mimosa caught up to me as Mero started yelling at everyone to pick up the pace. "I'm fine, mostly," I said as Mimosa noticed what I held in my hands. "What is that scroll?"
I glanced at it before putting it and the communicator into my storage space. "Nothing important, just a few trinkets I found." She obviously didn't believe me, but followed behind me despite the feeling of my mana affecting her.
Eventually, the others gathered their things and took off into the sky, while Mimosa stayed by my side the entire time. I could feel Mero's reluctance to leave as well, but she still had to lead the others to the volcano, so she left me in Mimosa's care for now.
Up above the planet, beyond the dark side of the moon, the man who called himself Alexander walked through the halls of his ship.
He'd spent nearly sixteen years on the planet, observing how they used magic, their over-reliance on grimiores, and the rigid caste system that kept them from making any real progress.
Passing by crew members, He nodded at them when they bowed but said nothing as he made his way towards the conference room. It was time for him to give his report.
Entering, he found the Captain of the ship waiting. "Welcome back. He's waiting." He nodded and took a seat before a screen lit up on the wall behind the Captain, who left as the lights dimmed.
"Report."
"He has been given the Warrant and communicator. The canon of this world is mostly intact, for now. His current disguise is that of the Wizard King's son. His mind was able to repel mine. I didn't try to force anything."
"Good. Nothing else is needed of you here. Return to High Charity, your children need correcting."
"Very well, I'll be there shortly."
As the link cut out, Alexander left the conference room as crew members scrambled to prepare the ship. The Captain's voice rang out over the intercom, barking orders as the ship shuddered beneath him.
Upon reaching his quarters, He took a moment to breathe before leaving once more and going towards the ship's engine room. Upon reaching it and finding the technician waiting for him, he took his place, and a golden light burst from him.
"Sir, all systems are ready for transit."
"Reactors primed and ready."
"Take us home." The Captain ordered from his command throne as the viewports on the bridge closed shut. Just before they did, a faint golden sheen could be seen enveloping the ship as they left the system and reality altogether.