Setting the pepper spray aside, Maya asked, "Does the file have her parents' identities?"

"I haven't seen it on either of her birth certificates," Erik shrugged.

"She has multiple?!"

"It seems she had changed her identity a couple of times as she went along."

Maya was stunned. "But it seems rather strange. Didn't you say they have to know our lineages to determine whether we're mages?"

"That's true," Erik nodded. "However, these are initial files that trackers collect for academy personnel—things like birth certificates, education records, medical history, and notes and evaluations from conquisidors. Files with sensitive information are securely stored in Amanda's mansion, where I'm not willing to risk breaking in. It'd be rather damning to keep their secrets where anyone can access them," he elaborated.

"You do have a point," Maya agreed, remembering that place does have incredibly tight security. "But, um… Erik, do you usually go through files of people you recently met?"

Caught off guard by her question, Erik paused.

"Ah, I see," he said, chuckling lightly at the thought. "This may seem like quite the invasion of privacy… I apologise. I didn't investigate your files to be a meddling prick. I needed to find out what they knew about you, in order to protect you, Maya."

He seemed genuine. After all, his first concern after seeing her again was whether they knew about her identity. It was as if Erik saw this as a part of his job and did it automatically.

Although it was a little strange, Maya secretly appreciated that he would go to those lengths. It meant he was thinking about her even while they were apart.

"I understand. I don't mind it, but I know Elena wouldn't agree," Maya said.

"Her opinion doesn't matter to me," he dismissed.

From the moment he met her, Maya had seemingly become the centre of his world. Although it made her feel warm and fuzzy, it also sparked concern. What had his life been until now if someone as unnoteworthy as her could completely take over it?

A wave of nervousness washed over Maya as she realized she was alone with him. Her thoughts raced, scrambling for words to fill the silence.

He glanced around, frowning at the sight of Elena's side of the room. "How do you tolerate this mess?" he questioned.

Considering the state of his living space not being in particularly better condition, Maya was surprised it bothered him.

'Is it one of those cases where people tend to be blind to their own flaws?'

"I… I've gotten used to it. We rarely have visitors anyway… If I'd known you were coming, I would've tidied up," Maya said timidly

He idly picked up an object, but his interest in it seemed minimal.

"P-please don't touch anything," Maya requested, determined to honour Elena's request not to allow him to touch her belongings.

He complied, setting the object aside and turning his attention back to Maya.

"What did you see in her files there at the end?" Maya remembered his expression, wishing to quickly fill the void with talking.

"It was just a record of admittance to a mental institution," he shared nonchalantly.

"Huh?!"

"Enough about her," he suggested, moving closer to Maya. "I want to know how you're holding up. The other night, I revealed a lot of information. I failed to consider how overwhelming it might be for someone unaccustomed to this life. I'm sorry, Maya. About everything—your parents, the burdens you had to shoulder, and that you had to endure it pretty much alone."

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"I wasn't…alone…" Maya's voice faltered, and her eyes welled up with tears.

As she started to break down, Erik moved in to comfort her.

"I'm sorry," she sniffled, feeling a wave of embarrassment wash over her. "It seems I always end up showing you how much of a crybaby I am."

Erik gently shook his head, "Don't worry, Maya. You can lean on me. I'll carry any burden for you."

"You're… too kind," she murmured, looking up at him.

"I mean it," he reassured her, wiping away her tears with a gentle hand. "You don't need to put yourself in danger. All you need to do is give me another perspective. I've been stuck in this situation for almost four years, all on my own. Your task is just to help me gather information, and I'll handle the risky parts."

Seeing him this close in good light, Maya noticed the smattering of freckles on his nose—finding it cute and charming. But she could also notice scars and cuts that etched his face. A deeper one stood out just above his left eyebrow, and the stubble subtly masked another on his chin.

There were others too, faint and old, barely discernible unless one looked closely. They were a reminder that he was leading a dangerous life, and had been, for a long time.

"B-but how do we even begin saving the magic? How do we formulate a plan?"

"The plan is quite straightforward, with two key objectives. The priority is to free the people," Erik explained.

"Ah… the portals."

"Yes. We need to find a way to open them," he confirmed.

"Oh."

Maya had been under the impression that their task was to save their world, not to escape from it. It seemed so logical, yet so daunting when she remembered they were trapped in here.

She hesitated before posing her next question, "And the other one?"

"Do you recall the arrays I mentioned earlier? There are five Elemental Cores that have been misplaced. Our job is to retrieve them and restore the magic in the Old World."

"So we need to locate them. Something only Anastasia knows where it is," Maya concluded. "But I don't think she would remember. I suspect she had wiped her own memory…"

"We don't need to rely on what she remembers," he assured her. "This is something she left for her successor to decipher independently."

Maya was at a loss. "But where do we even start?"

He smiled enigmatically. "You already have an important clue," Erik said, casting a meaningful look at the book sprawled open on Elena's bed. "The Books."

"Books? You mean there are multiple? I thought it was just a single spell book." Maya remembered Anastasia claiming this book was the key to their salvation, but so far, it hadn't proven to be.

Erik's smile remained as he let out a soft sigh. "She really didn't tell you much, did she?"

His knowledge of Anastasia's life was both surprising and comforting. Maya simply shook her head in response.

"There are at least four of them. They're Grimoires, belonging to your ancestors. These volumes contain the research notes and discoveries of all previous Heads, intended to be passed down through generations, a continuously growing source of knowledge. They are essentially your birthright."

Maya was in shock. This old book she thought was annoying, was handwritten by her direct ancestors.

"Anastasia was the last Prima to possess them," Erik continued. "It's very possible she left notes on creating this world and left clues for you."

Maya was flabbergasted. This crucial piece of information had been right under her nose. "Could it be in here?" she inquired, pointing at the book.

"That appears to be an older one. Her notes would be in the latest. Not to say this one is useless, it's also the knowledge she built on."

"But where are the rest of them?"

"That's what I've been troubled with," he confessed. "I don't know. I have parts of other—"

"Why didn't you say so? Where is it? How did you find it?" she interjected.

"It's only a fragment," he clarified. "I managed to collect some pages. They're from the oldest ones, which were disassembled and distributed among various collectors wanting a piece of history. It's impossible to locate them all."

"But why chase after the oldest if it's not useful?"

He chuckled. "They are the ones I was able to track down. Those who possess these pages might also know about the other books. I'm still following leads, but they usually turn into dead ends when I discover that someone took their knowledge to the grave." His voice revealed the painstaking nature of the process. "But I think I know someone for whom that might not be an issue," he smirked, winking at her.

Before Maya had a chance to respond, his attention abruptly shifted to the room's entrance. In a moment, Elena sauntered in, a cunning smile spreading across her face when she saw Erik still there.

"Ah, Erik Ashton, a deceased arsonist," she announced as she stepped into the room. "Maya, it seems you can't get away from dead guys, after all."

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