In the cave, Yuan Shikai sat on a stone stool, deep in thought.
After returning, he had asked Aozaki Hachisuke how much time had passed between his entering the Gate and his return.
The answer had caught him off guard, and it was also why he had asked Aozaki Hachisuke to bring in the Magicians alone.
Watching Aozaki Hachisuke's retreating back, Yuan Shikai murmured, "Only two months have passed? Today is December 29th. I don't have to wait another year."
Now that he knew the timing, there was no need to rush. He still had two days.
The Wandering Sea usually surfaced in the North Atlantic before docking along a certain stretch of coast to recruit students.
And Yuan Shikai could reach the North Atlantic coast within a day.
So he still had at least half a day to deal with the remaining trivial matters.
This trip had only taken two months. It was truly incredible.
No wonder Yumina had told him not to worry. Time flowed differently on both sides.
Now it seemed that from the moment he entered the Gate to the instant he left it, perhaps not even a day had passed on Earth.
In other words, the two months had been spent traveling back to Earth along the Starlight Road.
At the Starlight Road's speed, traveling from Earth to the edge of the universe took a full two months.
Before long, Yuan Shikai heard footsteps. Someone had probably arrived.
Not long afterward, everyone was there.
Aoko and Alice had already removed their hoods, revealing their true appearances.
Yuan Shikai deliberately glanced at Aoko's lower abdomen. She usually liked wearing crop tops.
Yet today, Aoko was unusually dressed in a loose shirt that covered her stomach completely, as though she did not want anyone to see it.