"..."
Seeing the three of them's reactions, Rota blinked and quite sensibly stepped aside, leaving room for their reunion.
Meanwhile, Linsey and Reze had already shared a bear hug.
The explorer spoke with warmth and excitement:
"Linsey, how did you get here?"
"I was about to ask you the same thing!" Linsey replied with a grin. "Reze, even for an explorer, getting into the City of Law now can't be easy."
After exchanging greetings, Reze glanced behind him.
"My coming here—well, that brings us to Madam Green Fir."
Linsey and Reze released each other.
The former turned to look at the Life Scholar he had not seen in years, who was also watching him with a gaze mixed with surprise and delight.
Five years.
For two possessors of Life Source Material, that was hardly enough time to change their physical appearance.
Green Fir smiled and shook her head.
"Linsey, I truly didn't expect this—we were just discussing how it would be extraordinarily difficult for you to travel alone and reach the City of Law. We thought you were probably still on the road."
"But who would have thought that, just a few minutes later, we'd meet you here?"
Green Fir's remark brought Reze back from the joy of their reunion to serious thought.
The Life Scholar and explorer both scrutinized Linsey, then abruptly realized something.
—They could no longer see through Linsey's Source Material aura!
—This young-looking man's true level of skill was likely beyond the Fifth Stage!
Five years had passed.
Whether it was Green Fir, who had reached the Sixth Stage, or Reze, who was at the Fifth Stage.
Forget sensing Linsey's Source Material Strength as they had in the past—even clearly catching his aura had become difficult!
Was some treasure concealing it?
*Or had Linsey really crossed