Endless Evolution: Last Star

"Not the azure Lotus, right?" Alexia muttered with a detached face. Her thoughts seemed to drift very far away.

Not that Adam cared about Alexia's opinion, but he wouldn't want to fight with her if she was going to join Azure Lotus. It would be an unfortunate set of circumstances, or rather - completely impossible.

"Great! Sounds to me like they're stuck in their fantasies! It's like they don't live in the real world! How can equality exist where even monsters and artifacts have different ranks? Pffft! They're just a bunch of idiots and idealists." Alexia waved her hand with a great grimace.

Louis, standing next to her, smiled and said:

"Azure Lotus are naive, but at least it assures others that their intentions are open. It's enough that they're doing what they can for the good of the Citadel, but there's no way someone like them should become more than a powerful organization."

Silvana entered the conversation.

"Sometimes naivety and straightforwardness can be equated with innocence and kindness. It's good that such an organization exists as a buffer zone, though you're right. They can't get their hands on power, or dark times will come for the Phantoms, then for the entire Citadel and humanity."

Louis nodded approvingly. If Silvana was a responsible teacher, Louis was a cunning strategist.

"So... If your choice is not Azure Lotus, then that leaves only two options, right?" Adam raised an eyebrow, looking at Alexia curiously.

Alexia nodded, clenched her fist tightly, and said with burning eyes:

"Ever since I knew about the Phantoms, I dreamed of becoming one. Then, after many obstacles, I heard about the Big Three. I already knew who I wanted to be like!" Alexia grinned as she exclaimed, "One day, I want to become as strong as Damien! So I will join the Dark Order, sooner or later!"

'Damien, right? Well, it's no wonder, that someone who defends the Citadel is so admired.' Adam pondered with a deep gaze.

He didn't have the same enthusiasm as Alexia, but he realized that if he had the chance, he should learn from Damien everything he could.

Not to blindly follow the instructions of the strongest, but to take the best and beware of the flaws, trying to adjust to them.

"Well, in that case, good luck." Alexia said with a wide smile, extending her hand to Adam, "Hopefully we can fight together again soon."

Adam nodded, responding to the handshake.

"By the way. I look forward to seeing you at the fair! See you later!" Alexia vigorously said, walking away from the takeoff pad.

Louis just waved them off with narrowed eyes before following his Phantom, not taking a step away from Alexia.

"What are we going to do?" Silvana asked in a calm voice.

Adam scratched the back of his head.

"I'm not sure... How about we just rest? I think, after the fair, I'll be ready to go hunting Essence Monster."

Silvana nodded.

"As you wish."

...

For the next three days, Adam and Silvana hardly saw each other, which had hardly ever happened up to that point.

There was nothing wrong with their relationship, they hadn't had a fight or anything. From the moment they arrived at Bastion Radon and even before, they had been constantly with each other.

Soon, they would meet again, so a few days before the fair was the perfect time for them to rest.

Even the best of friends, a tight-knit couple, or close family members needed some time away from each other, once in a while.

A change of scenery or some time alone with yourself was just what they needed.

Moreover, Adam hadn't seen his family in a long time, as well as they.

"Fair?" Leona muttered, tilting her head. They were all sitting together at the dinner table, something that hadn't happened in a long time.

Trici and Gary were also looking at it curiously. Apparently, there were no exhibitions, fairs, or museums in the slums. In this place, people had completely different priorities than various entertainment.

"Oh! I've heard about the fairs from my friends! They say one of the biggest ones is coming up in a couple of days, the Scarlet Light Fair! My friends were there last year, and they absolutely loved it!" Trici exclaimed with an excited expression.

"Friends?" Adam raised an eyebrow, enjoying his mom's delicious soup. Silvana was a good cook, but for every child, it was Mom's food that would be the most welcome and cozy, it was an inviolable rule.

"Hahaha, our Trici turned out to be a sociable girl! In a month she's been able to make friends through games, and they've been to our house a few times already!" Gary laughed, clearly happy for his children's progress. Finally, their lives were starting to get better, on all fronts.

"I see..." Adam smiled bitterly before continuing to eat. He was a little sad that he had missed such an important event as Trici making friends, but he knew that it was only possible because he had become a Phantom.

'Fine. When Trici enters the academy, things will get even better. With her background, she can definitely succeed and become a blacksmith. Who knows, maybe I'll take an order from her hands someday?' Adam pondered, remembering that he needed money for his sister.

Then, he opened his NEP and checked his balance. He knew he should have been paid quite well for fighting in Eclipse, but when he saw the amount, his eyes went wide.

[Your balance: 307,787 credits.]

It only took a moment for Adam to realize that he had received over 100,000 credits for Eclipse!

Thus, in just over a month, Adam had almost earned the necessary amount for Trici's education at the blacksmith academy!

"Hmm?" Trici's eyes sparkled.

"First of all, we're going to the Scarlet Light Fair in two days. Second, be ready to enter the blacksmith academy next year."

Trici blinked a few times, realizing what she had heard.

Over the past few weeks she had been kindled with the idea of becoming a blacksmith, but she, as a child, due to her naivety, didn't realize that Adam was in on it. Naturally, she had no idea that Silvana had purposely given her different games to choose from to figure out what she wanted to be in the future and if she had potential.

It was practically magic to Trici, and all she could do was feel pure delight and childlike, innocent joy!

"Brother!" Trici exclaimed as she hugged him tightly. It took Adam an effort not to spill the soup due to such a sudden attack.

"Hey, careful!" Adam uttered, mixed with excited laughter.

"Fair! I want to go to the fair and then go straight to being a blacksmith! I want to do what's in the game, in life! I want! I want! I want!"

"Hahaha, alright. You'll have to wait a little longer with the academy, but we'll go to the fair, that's for sure!"

Leona and Gary looked at each other as easy smiles appeared on their faces, filled with parental happiness.

Adam may have been a monster-killing Phantom, and Trici may have already aspired to create deadly weapons, but for Leona and Gary, they would always be their children and no one else.