Chapter 327 - Her Greatest Enemy

"Fredek and Ivan?"

Ara couldn't help her surprise echoing in her voice.

"Why are you surprised? Did you think we'll let you go and face Czernobog by yourself?"

Kazehaya Gin asked, and of course, Ara shook her head. She never believed that she would be alone. Even if her father and her husband or her uncle couldn't go with her since they couldn't pass through the barrier, she knew Alistair would make an arrangement for her.

She just didn't expect them to be who her father mentioned.

"I was just surprised," she said.

Why? Because Ivan's an Emperor.

He shouldn't be sent to any dangerous missions normally. In fact…

Ara frowned at Ivan.

"What's with that look Ali? You don't think I can fight with you? You just said I'm stronger than you earlier."

Ivan pouted. He totally thought Ara was doubting his might.

"I'm not questioning your strength. I'm wondering why you're always not in Kres."

There was a look of enlightenment on the Emperor of Kres upon hearing that.

"Because I'm not suited to be stuck in the castle," Ivan answered bluntly. "It's why I'm grateful for the missions Ritz gives me. It gave me reasons to leave."

"And you follow him?"

The country of Kres was a lot more powerful than Ritz which was at the very bottom of the food chain.

This time, however, Ivan looked at her as if she's insane. "Weren't you listening earlier Ali? I've known about Ritz's status as a Returner to Ancestry a long time ago. Do you honestly believe I have enough strength to say NO to him?"

Of course, the rest of the royal family of Kres knew this secret as well. It was why Ivan could freely go on quests on Ritz's behalf.

"Well, you have a point," she agreed. But the frown didn't leave her face. "What missions?"

"I left Ivan the task of finding Kresnik and my idiot brother. We never thought that they were not in Ged but in this parallel world. Since I couldn't leave Ritz, he and Fredek are the only ones I could ask."

It was Alistair who explained this.

"I see…"Ara now finally understood why the two were always almost off somewhere. It was why Ivan was missing during the Immortal War as well. The reason why Alinea was bullied to be in the frontlines was because Ivan was not there to protect her.

On the other hand, Ritz's other closest nation, Dhahliah, was not reliable at the moment. They were having internal conflicts within their kingdom as well. The Emperor and Empress died in an accident while real heir to the throne vanished, and the new Emperor Strahl was a tyrant. But the incident was something they didn't have to concern about.

"What do we do then?" Ara returned the topic to Czernobog. "Can Ivan and Fredek pass through the barrier?"

"Of course. Father wouldn't suggest it otherwise," Ryuu told her.

He already had an idea of the entire picture, but it only made him more afraid, but he wouldn't tell his wife why. At least, not yet for now. He would let Perun explain the plan to her first.

"I realized that due to the accident, the time here in this world is a lot faster than in Ged," Alistair stated as he raised a brow at his twin.

"Yeah, because this idiot brother made this world ten times faster than Ged," Kazehaya Gin grumbled, voluntarily calling himself an idiot in protest to his brother's name-calling.

But he couldn't deny that the disparity in time was not his fault. It was. He would fix it once the matter with the Black God was over and done with.

"In Ged, you have been gone for only twelve days," Alistair informed her which surprised Ara. "This meant that the year of the Immortal War's not yet over."

Oh…

This clearly meant that the seal was still in its weakened state, and it was why Ivan who was ranked A and Fredek who was nearly as powerful could pass through so easily and could accompany her in Czernobog's lair.

"A special troop would be deployed with you consisting of powerful soldiers from all over Ged," Alistair continued.

Since the truth was finally out, it wouldn't be difficult for Alistair to ask the kingdoms to lend their soldiers.

"I see. Do we have to leave immediately?" she asked.

This was a concern for her since her graduation was around the corner. She was actually looking forward to graduating with her friends. However, she wouldn't be selfish. She knew that the matter with the Black God was a priority. She was ready to leave and end this herculean task even if she had no confidence in her strength.

But Alistair and Ivan shook their heads.

"No?" she asked.

"No need to hurry," Alistair ȧssured her. "We already stated that there's a disparity with the time between here and Ged. Stribog informed me that you are attending school here and would be graduating next week. We could wait until that's over before leaving for Ged."

Hearing this, Ara was overjoyed that she leaped from Ryuu's side to throw herself on Alistair for a hug.

"I'm glad," she crowed with a smile.

Then again, she realized that among the five of them in the room, she was the only one who looked happy. Alistair, Gin, Ivan, and Ryuu all looked serious, and she felt that there was something that they hadn't told her yet.

"What's wrong?" she asked as she scrutinized their faces one by one.

"Ali, my little one," Alistair began and she kept quiet and waited for him to finish speaking even if he looked like he was totally hesitating.   

"This time, even if Czernobog is the instigator of all of this, he is not your greatest enemy."

Huh? Ara's eyes widened in shock. "If it's not Czernobog, then who is it?"

She totally had no idea.

The men exchanged looks, their faces all wore a complicated expression, and she felt Ryuu's hold on her shoulder tighten. This time Alistair looked like he couldn't continue speaking, and so it was her husband who did.

"It's you, Ara. The greatest enemy will be yourself…"