Chương 386: A Honest Humanoid

The Paragons exchanged uneasy glances as Ember carried them through the sky. The earlier conversation lingered heavily over the group, leaving behind a silence no one seemed eager to break. Even the steady rhythm of the wyvern's wings couldn't quite disperse the weight hanging over their thoughts. Eventually, Evelyn let out a quiet sigh and leaned back against the ivory scales beneath her.

"Hey, Ember." She looked toward the colossal wyvern.

"What do you think?" Ember merely glanced back over one broad shoulder with a single golden eye before releasing a faint, indifferent chirp. Evelyn rolled her eyes.

"Well. That's useless." A few chuckles spread through the group, easing the tension if only for a moment. She looked back toward Caesar.

"So... based on everything he told us... we can assume most of it was true?" Caesar nodded.

"Yes. I'm fairly confident of that."

"The overwhelming majority of what Atherius said matched every biological response I could measure. Aside from the inconsistencies we already discussed, I found no indication that he was fabricating the rest." Evelyn folded her arms.

"Then I honestly don't see a reason to distrust them." Her gaze drifted toward the sea of clouds rolling beneath Ember's wings.

"They've done nothing but help us. They're protecting the students. They answered every question we asked. So what if he lied twice? That alone shouldn't destroy a relationship before it's even begun." Silence answered her. Everyone seemed to be weighing her words against their own doubts. Eventually, Callum sighed.

"Alright. I'll talk to Atherius." He glanced around the group before continuing.

"Alone. Please don't interfere, I think it'll be better that way." Caesar looked unconvinced.

"... Are you certain? What if he decides-""He won't." Callum interrupted gently, leaving no room for argument.

"Believe me. I don't think he's dangerous, he doesn't strike me as a fanatic."

"He feels..." He searched briefly for the right word.

"... Honest."

"In a way very few people are. I don't know why he lied, but I think he had a reason." Artoria smiled faintly.

"Very well, Junior. You have my support." Callum inclined his head respectfully.

"Thank you, Elder." The others exchanged brief looks before offering silent nods of agreement. No further objections came, and Ember continued soaring through the empty heavens, his immense wings carrying them steadily back toward their temporary settlement. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. The camp appeared on the horizon sooner than expected. As fortune would have it, Atherius was already waiting.

The Paragons dismounted while exchanging brief farewells, each heading toward their own quarters. Callum, however, walked directly toward the bronze-skinned dragonkin.

"Atherius." The older man turned, his distant expression quickly softening into a gentle smile.

"Yes?"

"Would you mind speaking with me for a moment?"

"Not at all." He gave a small nod.

"Please. Go ahead." Callum rubbed the back of his neck.

"I'd rather speak somewhere private. My barracks, if that's alright." Atherius blinked once before nodding again.

"Of course. If that's your wish."

"... Thanks."

"Please follow me." The two walked quietly through the camp, passing rows of temporary shelters and scattered campfires whose flames flickered gently in the evening breeze. Callum found himself stealing occasional glances toward the older man.

'This is going far smoother than I expected...'

'If he's acting this naturally... maybe he really does have a reasonable explanation.' Before long, they reached Callum's quarters. He pushed the wooden door open.

"Come in." Atherius stepped inside, calmly observing the modest room. His gaze wandered across the simple furnishings before settling back on Callum. Callum smiled politely.

"Make yourself at home." Atherius let out a quiet scoff.

"Home." A bitter smile crossed his face.

"It's been quite some time since I had one of those." Callum paused.

"What do you mean?"

"I thought you had one in... Irea." As he spoke, he walked toward a nearby cabinet, retrieved two glasses, and began pouring them each a drink. Atherius' smile slowly faded.

"... No."

"My home... is long gone."

"None of the Sagas abandoned their homes because they wanted to." His voice grew noticeably quieter.

"We left because we had to." Callum silently placed one of the glasses in front of him before taking a seat across the room.

"... That sounds rough." Callum carefully pushed one of the glasses across the table toward Atherius before taking the other for himself. He hesitated for a moment, then quietly asked, "Did you lose anyone?" Atherius accepted the drink without immediately answering. For several long moments, he simply stared into the liquid, his reflection wavering across its surface. Finally, he let out a slow breath.

"... Everyone." Callum froze. His hand stopped halfway to his own glass, the suspicion he had carried into this meeting was dissolving. Atherius noticed the change. A quiet, bitter laugh escaped him as he shook his head.

"You're pitying me, Pendragon. What an honor. Especially after inviting me here to interrogate me." His smile held no warmth.

"Am I truly such an unpleasant man?" Callum immediately raised both hands.

"No, that wasn't what I-" Atherius gently raised a hand, stopping him before he could continue.

"I understand," he said calmly.

"You know less than I do, and humans naturally distrust those who hide information. I can't fault you for that." His smile gradually disappeared.

"So... I'll answer honestly." Callum leaned forward slightly, listening without interruption.

"I truly don't know how Artoria's soul was restored. I have theories, educated guesses, most of them revolving around the boy's dormant power, but certainty?" He slowly shook his head.

"I don't have it." Silence settled between them. Then Atherius continued.

"As for the Enigma... yes, I lied. And no... I didn't." Callum frowned.

"Explain." Atherius folded his hands together.

"The boy's relationship with his Enigma..." He paused, carefully choosing his words.

"... is abnormal. It follows the same fundamental principles every Enigma does, but only on the surface. Beneath that... it's something else. Something I don't quite understand." His gaze lowered briefly.

"I don't know where his power truly comes from. I don't know what exactly binds him to that being, and I don't know why that bond differs from every Enigma I've ever studied." He looked directly into Callum's eyes.

"So I omitted what I couldn't verify. I'd rather tell half a truth than speak a confident lie about something I don't fully understand." Silence filled the room once more. Callum stared quietly into his drink, replaying everything Atherius had said. Eventually, he let out a slow sigh.

"Yeah." He gave a small nod.

"I understand. I should've trusted you more." Atherius smiled, this time with genuine warmth.

"A healthy amount of caution isn't a flaw." With that, he rose to his feet.

"Then I believe our conversation has reached its conclusion." He gently placed the still untouched glass back onto the table.

"Thank you... even if your kindness came with conditions." Turning, he made his way toward the door. Callum quietly watched him leave.

'... So it really was that simple.'

'Even he doesn't know everything about Vale. I guess anomalies exist for a reason.'

'Still...'

'I could've handled this better.' A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. Just as Atherius reached for the handle,"... Hey." The dragonkin paused and glanced back.

"... Would you stay a little longer?" He tilted his head.

"Stay? I believed our discussion was finished."

"It is." Callum stood and walked over to the cabinet beneath the television. Kneeling down, he rummaged through one of the drawers before pulling out two game controllers. Turning back, he offered an awkward smile.

"Yeah... I just figured the least I can do after questioning you... is spend some time with you." He casually tossed one controller across the room. Atherius caught it effortlessly. The older man turned the strange device over in his hands, studying it with genuine curiosity before looking back at Callum.

"... What exactly is this?" Callum grinned as he dropped onto the couch and patted the empty seat beside him.

"A game." His grin widened.

"So, wanna play?"