Elric POV

  "You have no idea...no idea how much I've missed you." Elric tightened his hold on Erla.

  "But...I don't remember you." Erla said in a confused tone.

  'Why doesn't she remember? Is this a side effect from the wish? Doesn't matter. She is in my arms again and this.... she is alive.' Elric slowly pulled away from Erla and looked down at her. Taking in the same warm brown eyes that he missed. 'Still as short as before.'

  "It's fine, let's go." Elric said softly, offering her his hand. He felt a flicker of apprehension in her grip, but her eyes held a spark of excited curiosity as they approached the sky craft. Stepping inside, she was immediately captivated. Elric watched her, a quiet satisfaction filling him. He wanted to share this with her. "Here." he said, gesturing to a seat. He carefully buckled her in, noting the way she instinctively reached out to touch the smooth, leather of the seat. He settled in the pilot's seat, a familiar sense of command washing over him as he buckled the straps.

  The moment Elric settled into the pilot's seat, the sky craft hummed to life, responding to his presence. He pressed a luminous button, the control panel flashing with data, and then smoothly pulled back on the control wheel. With a surge of power, the craft lifted, the ground receding beneath them as they ascended.

  Leaving the Ruins behind, they soared through the sky, the sky craft gliding effortlessly as Encer, the city's luminous half, came into view. The craft descended smoothly, landing beside the towering white gate. A stark, gleaming barrier that stood sentinel, guarding Encer's pristine streets from the encroaching darkness of the Ruins and the creatures within.

  Elric exited the sky craft, a familiar sight to the guards stationed at the gate. A curt nod from one of them acknowledged his presence. The massive gate slid open with a hushed smoothness, revealing the radiant city of Encer. Elric returned to the cockpit, lifted the sky craft, and glided through the now-open gateway.

  The gate thudded shut behind them, a solid, final sound. Elric glanced at Erla, noticing her complete absorption in the view outside. Her eyes, bright with curiosity, traced the intricate architecture and bustling streets. She watched the city unfold before her like a living tapestry, every detail capturing her attention. 'She must have so many questions.' He mused silently, a gentle smile touching his lips.

  They arrived at the Flow Society headquarters, the sky craft gliding over the impressive edifice before settling gently onto the landing platform, amidst a sea of sky crafts. Elric released his strap and stood, turning to Erla. He carefully unbuckled her, his hands lingering for a moment, then took hers firmly, guiding her out.

  "We are here and you are safe now." Elric smiled at her.

  "Okay." Erla blinked as she took in everything.

  "Elric! You're back—who is that?" Ian rushed out but his gait slowed at the sight of Erla. He has short black hair and black eyes and several freckles on his face.

  'What do I tell him?' Elric's mind raced. 'I can't tell him the truth. Not about Erla, not about...any of it.' He had kept her existence a secret for so long, the words felt like they'd choke him. 'They'd think I have lost my mind, bringing someone back from the dead.' He tightened his grip on Erla's hand, a silent promise to protect her secret and his own sanity.

  "She's a friend," Elric stated, his tone firm. "She needed a place to stay, so she's with me."

  "A 'friend,' huh? Getting yourself a girlfriend right after your little punishment?" Ian teased, a playful glint in his eyes. Elric's expression hardened, a clear warning in his gaze.

  Without a word, Elric turned his back on Ian. Ian's laughter followed them, a carefree sound that grated on Elric's nerves. Erla, her expression a mix of confusion and awe, looked over her shoulder as they disappeared inside, catching Ian's flippant wave.

  The hallway was cool and bright, and Elric nodded to a few familiar faces as they walked. They stopped at the large, reinforced door. A melodic chime sounded, and the doors parted, revealing a sprawling internal courtyard. Erla's eyes widened. To the left, trainees sparred in a high-tech training facility, the air alive with energy. To the right, the aroma of exotic spices wafted from a lively eatery. And straight ahead, the dormitories rose like a multi-tiered hive, a testament to the Flow Society's scale.

  They went ahead towards the dormitories. Erla stuck close to Elric and the sight made his heart flutter a bit. They both paused in front of an elevator and Elric pressed a button as a gold light scanned them before it slid open.They entered and watched the door slide shut with a decisive click and started to ascend.

  The elevator doors slid open after a brief ascent, revealing a quiet, dimly lit hallway. Elric finally released Erla's hand, missing the warmth of her touch for a moment. He peeled off his right glove, the soft leather rustling as the cool air touched his skin, and pressed his thumb against the scanner on the door handle. With a soft click, the door swung open, and revealed a room beyond that was spacious and uncluttered, a haven of quiet amidst the bustling headquarters.

  Elric stepped aside for Erla as she stepped inside, her eyes tracing the clean lines and subtle details. "This is where you will stay, you don't have to worry about being bothered by anyone here." Elric said as he closed the door behind him.

  "What happened....I may not remember much but the world feels different." Erla asked in a slight somber tone.

  "....you should eat something. Don't stress yourself since you just woke up after hitting your head. We will go shopping tomorrow and get you some clothes, you can be comfortable here." Elric frowned at the tone of her voice and gently placed his hand on her shoulder. 'She just came back, I can't explain everything right now.'

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  "Alright, thank you Elric." She turned around to look at him with a smile on her face.

  'She remembers my name?' His eyes widened and he held her shoulders a bit tighter. "You.... remember my name?"

  Erla tilted her head and giggled. "No, I heard it from your friend earlier."

  "Ah... I misunderstood." Elric released his grip on her shoulder and rubbed the back of his neck.

  Erla tapped his forehead and grinned. "I may not remember you but I already feel safe with you."

  Her voice, soft and earnest, caused something in his chest to tighten, a feeling he couldn't name. 'I will protect you with everything I have, Erla. I will never lose you again.'

  "Also your friend was talking about a punishment? Did you do something wrong?" Erla asked with worry.

  "No it's nothing, I failed to deliver the correct information and I was punished. It was my fault because I was distracted by other things." Elric reassured her.

  "Oh.... I was worried." Erla sighed in relief.

  "I will go make something for you to eat. My room is on the left, you will see the bathroom there." Elric diverted his attention to his armor as he started to remove it.

  "Okay!" Erla nodded and left towards where he directed.

  He watched her leaving form with a small sigh as he removed all the armor from his body. 'It's almost unbelievable that she is here and safe.' He looked down at his hands for a moment and shook his head. He carried the armored suit away and thought about what to make.

  Acacia POV

  She took a deep breath and closed the door behind her. She raised her head to look at the ceiling and waved at the butterfly that was hidden. The butterfly responded with a flutter of its wings. She glanced at his bed and noticed that the papers that were once on his bed were gone but she didn't care.

  She looked around his room and saw the bathroom door slightly open. She went there and entered the bathroom, it was spacious with a fine bathtub and big mirror.

  'Almost reminds me of my old bathroom but it was more pastel.' She thought as she walked towards the mirror and stared at her new face. She twirled a curl of hair with her finger and her brown eyes changed to red for a split second before returning to brown.

  'She is pretty but how did you get her voice and height?' Acacia asked while inspecting her appearance.

  'I simply tapped into the boy's memory, gathered useful information that I needed to assist your illusion.' Daemonis replied in a casual tone.

  'That is great, I just need to hold onto this illusion for a long while and destroy this place from within.' Acacia turned her gaze to the bathtub.

  'You know that if you plan to keep this illusion, you can't fight with your abilities or else it will wear off.' Daemonis warned.

  'I know, I can't split my mana to do multiple tasks yet. Is there a way to grow my mana faster?' Acacia walked away from the mirror and turned on the tap, watching the water fill the tub.

  'Your mana, right now, is a newborn. It responds to your direct will, but beyond that, it's a blank slate. Untamed. To train it, you need to cultivate its awareness. Feel the subtle currents within your soul, the flow through your veins, every single day. Practice simple acts: coax vines from the earth, guide your butterflies with precision. These small, consistent efforts will teach it to bear weight, to handle multiple demands, and to thrive.' Daemonis's voice held a patient authority.

  'I see, so it needs to be trained. I guess I can count this illusion as training while figuring things out.' She removed her dress and turned off the tap, sinking into the bathtub and closing her eyes.

  'So what is your plan exactly?' Daemonis asked with interest.

  'Elric will be my pawn, his feelings, a weapon I will use against him and a gentle push that starts the chain reaction. Through him, I will learn the inner workings of the Flow Society, find my brother and then, topple their entire structure.' A small, dangerous smile tugged at the corners of Acacia's mouth, a hint of something darker lurking beneath.

  'Interesting and will you get him to fall in love with you if you have never felt that emotion yourself?'

  'I have read books on romance before and with Maximus, I have a good grasp on the kind of personality Erla has. She seems like the naive sweet kind. Right? Since you have seen his memory.' Acacia asked.

  'Romance books? You are ridiculous but yes, she is the naive sweet girl, seems to be a bit stubborn and soft hearted.' Daemonis snorted at her reference to romance books.

  'Those books are helpful! I will just make him dependent on me, make him want to protect me and love me and then....watch his hope crumble to pieces.' Acacia thought of the kiss Zephyra left on her forehead.

  'Poor Zephyra, wouldn't she just be mortified to see you like this? I'm sure she'd much rather you were somewhere safe, away from all this unpleasantness.' Daemonis's tone drips with false sympathy and a subtle hint of condescension.

  'Would she be happy with what I'm doing?' Acacia pondered, her eyes distant. 'I cannot know... but I can't rest not with this burning in my soul.To abandon it would be to condemn myself to an eternity of unrest.' She reached for the soap on the counter, the gesture a silent vow. 'I will not let anyone take anything from me again, plus, I know you don't truly care about what she thinks about me.'

  'Your are becoming an excellent vessel, truly worthy of my powers.' Daemonis said proudly. 'But you need better references than romance books.' A hint of disdain followed in his tone.

  'Then why don't you give me some tips, huh?' Acacia huffed as she scrubbed her skin.

  'I could but where's the fun in that? I would rather watch how you handle Elric with your little illusion. Would you fail or succeed? I'm utterly curious.' Daemonis chuckled.

  'Unbelievable.' She shook her head but wasn't surprised. She spent half an hour in the bathroom and came out to the bedroom. She walked towards his closet to look for a suitable cloth to wear. She saw some old dresses but they looked a bit small for her.

  'I could wear this....or wear his shirt. Guys like that? Yeah, I think so.' She picked out one of his black shirts and wore it over her head. She dried her hair with the towel and walked out of his bedroom.

  She saw him in the kitchen, cooking, unaware of her presence. She stared at him for a while. Acacia walked towards him in a calm gait. 'Let surprise him and act cute.'

  "What are you making? Smells delicious!" Acacia spoke out with curiosity.

  Elric paused what he was doing and turned around. His breath hitched when his eyes settled on her form.

  'This bastard likes me in his shirt, huh?' Acacia thought to herself and resisted the urge to scoff. She smiled and acted oblivious to his stare.

  "Why are you so quiet? Wait, is this about your clothes? I'm so sorry. The clothes in the closet were too small and your clothes were much bigger." Acacia quickly apologized.

  "It's... it's fine. You should sit down, the food is almost done." Elric immediately turned around to face his cooking.

  'So he can wear such expressions? After acting emotionless towards everyone? After everything that happened?' A flicker of raw anger ignited within Acacia. 'To kill him would be too easy. Too quick.' The thought of prolonged suffering brought a cold satisfaction. As his back turned, her face became a blank canvas, concealing the storm within. She spun on her heel, the movement precise and deliberate, and settled into her chair at the dining table.