The firelight in Dusk Lady's fireplace brightened, casting its glow across the heavens and burning crimson streaks into the distant clouds.
As daylight was about to fade and night descended, Rhein nodded to Angel and bade farewell to the tranquil ruins.
As Angel prepared to return to the ruins, the Tree Spirit leaned beneath the tree before the gate and said quietly, "Tell me, does Sky Mechanical City truly not know, or are they pretending not to know?"
Angel paused. "At such an important occasion, given what I know of Dean Muse and Lord Rosen, the chances of them lying are low."
"You're right. It would not be easy for them to pull the wool over the eyes of prophecy wizards. But if they were not lying, then this becomes rather strange." The Tree Spirit sank into thought. "There's no reason for all those apprentices who had been cultivating so fervently in the Endless Corridor to go to that Reincarnation Box you mentioned, is there?"
The Tree Spirit pondered it, unable to make sense of it.
"Perhaps the time has simply not yet come."
The Tree Spirit raised his head and looked at Angel. "That is the only explanation. They may not be requiring apprentices to go now, but that does not mean they will not require it in the future... Still, I cannot understand what happened in between."
The Tree Spirit shook his head. "Forget it, I won't dwell on it anymore. For now, all we can do is have Horus keep a closer watch and prevent those hot-blooded apprentices from taking impossible missions in Sky Mechanical City."
Angel said nothing, because for now, this was the only solution. Before that unknown future came to pass, they could only have Lord Horus administer a preventive dose to the apprentices