Chapter 380
David’s Promise
David did not come directly with the Grand Guardian, which was within Eivass’s expectations.
The child was sensible enough to know what was important. This kind of critical interrogation was not something he could just attend.
The Grand Guardian’s主动 (proactive) suggestion to have “Alistair” meet David was because he had already confirmed that Alistair Crowley could be their friend. Only then did he feel at ease letting David meet her.
Although Alistair would remain within Avalon, they would not directly expel her—but they had, after all, revoked the “Royal Agent” title they had arbitrarily bestowed upon her. Regardless of whether Alistair cared about this identity, it was considered ungraceful on their part.
They would not eagerly invite her back, nor did they have the face to ask Eivass to call her back.
In other words, although they maintained a friendly relationship, there was a possibility… this was the last time they would be in contact with Alistair.
It was from this perspective that the Grand Guardian remembered David’s desire to see Miss Alistair.
Considering that this might be David’s last time seeing Alistair… to prevent him from having irredeemable regrets, George had made that somewhat irregular request.
More than an hour after he left, there was a very light knock on the door of the interrogation room in the annex of the Arbitration Hall.
A soft, three-knock rhythm. Like a shy student knocking on their homeroom teacher’s door.
Seeing no response from inside, the person outside seemed to hesitate, knocking three more times, slower and softer. If it weren’t for the fact that Alistair was alone inside, dozing with her eyes half-closed… if she had been chatting with someone else, she might not have even heard such overly polite knocks.
“You can just come in.”
Alistair couldn’t help but say, “I can’t get up to open the door for you.”
“S-sorry…”
A flustered and young voice came from the doorway, “I just wanted to…”
David Barton pushed open the heavy door forcefully and saw Alistair, her hands and feet bound, in the dim room.
There were no other light sources in the room, and the hallway was also pitch black. Even opening the door did not let in much light.
Although this met normal incarceration standards, it actually presented Alistair with an opportunity to escape—in this environment, even though her personal extraordinary power was sealed, a Shadow Demon could tear apart her restraints at any moment and take her away.
In the dark, lightless room, only the silvery white triangles binding Alistair’s hands and feet flickered with radiance. Her hands were crossed in front of her, and her feet were tightly together.
That silvery white radiance pulsed outwards rhythmically. Like ripples reflected on a lake, it illuminated her face, and that serene yet noble beauty made David subconsciously hold his breath.
Alistair’s lowered gaze slightly lifted, looking at David at the doorway, her lips curving upwards. Her scarlet eyes made him instinctively step back half a pace, but he quickly felt a special attraction.
Seeing David standing dumbfounded at the doorway, Alistair, who had been waiting for over an hour, tilted her head slightly and sighed, “You’re really slow.”
“Ah… I’m sorry!”
David snapped back to reality and immediately apologized respectfully and seriously, “It’s my fault.”
He did not explain why he was so slow or make excuses, but frankly admitted his mistake. He just looked somewhat scared, shrinking back like a naughty kitten or puppy, afraid to approach.
“Come over and sit, there’s a chair opposite.”
Alistair said leisurely, “Or are you just here to take a look at me and then leave… right, ‘Knight’ Mr.?”
Looking at Alistair’s seem to smile yet not smile expression, David hurried over.
He sat squarely in the seat the Grand Guardian had occupied before, his expression solemn and serious.
From Alistair’s perspective, for a moment, she felt as if father and son overlapped in an illusion.
“…Miss Alistair.”
He nodded politely and respectfully, “Nice to meet you for the first time. Hello.”
“You can just call me Alistair.”
Alistair chuckled, “After all, it’s not our first meeting, is it? ‘Active Barton’?”
This was a self-proclaimed title David had uttered during his Ascension Ritual. But now that Alistair said it, it carried a hint of mockery.
Now, hearing it from Alistair made David’s cheeks turn red. He felt as if his face and neck were burning, experiencing intense shame.
If he had known this would happen, he would never have said such a title back then!
“…Yes.”
David said softly, “I’m sorry, I didn’t keep my promise.”
“What?”
Alistair was rather surprised.
Did you say something?
“I told you back then not to worry about being arrested; even if you were arrested, I could directly release you.”
David was clearly somewhat ashamed, his face showing a hint of sadness for breaking his word, “But I couldn’t do it, I’m sorry. Truly sorry.”
As he spoke, he looked up again and said seriously, “I also asked my father, but my father said this matter could only be decided by Your Excellency Lixia… I will ask Your Excellency Lixia later!”
Alistair hissed softly, and after recalling for a long time, she finally remembered those words.
That was during the Ascension Ritual.
It was a promise she had made when David still thought she was “Mr. Alistair.”
At that time, David had naively asked Eivass how he could transfer to a Transcendent Path… which directly startled Eivass.
Setting aside the legality of the Transcendent Path, Curse and Ritual Mages were generally inaccessible, Fiends relied heavily on talent and aptitude, and the only obtainable extraordinaryprofession was Demon Scholar. And to transfer to Demon Scholar, one had to join Noble Red—this was unacceptable!
So Eivass tried to persuade him hard.
—Even if you have an Adaptability for a Transcendent Path, you don’t necessarily have to take that path immediately, child!
It was like a child wanting to major in Environmental Engineering or Biological Engineering. While wanting to, one still had to consider future employment prospects.
Not to mention that David was seeking major life advice from an “online friend” he had just met, even intending to avoid his parents and secretly transfer paths on his own… Eivass, as a mature and reliable adult, naturally intervened.
It wasn’t necessarily about stopping you, but such important decisions must be carefully considered. You absolutely cannot decide on a whim.
It was only when he later learned that David was only fifteen years old that Eivass suddenly understood.
…Ah, no wonder. That makes perfect sense.
Moreover, paths were even harder to change than university majors—if you chose the wrong major, you could transfer or take courses to self-study, or even work in a field related to your major.
But once a path was chosen, there was no turning back.
As long as the level of a certain Extraordinary Profession reached Tier Two, entered First Tier, and obtained the Pillar God’s Path Trait, there was no retreat. To commit to a second path at such a young age, it would be too late to regret it later.
Eivass felt he had done what he should have done—it would have been too unethical to trick someone into becoming a Demon Scholar. Not to mention that he was already an enemy of Noble Red, so he couldn’t send someone there.
Fortunately, David was one of the rare children who wasn’t overly willful and could listen to reason. He clearly listened carefully to Eivass, understood, and accepted Eivass’s advice. He also recognized the friendliness from “Mr. Alistair.”
So, at that time, he had extended an invitation to “Mr. Alistair.” He had said that if he ever came to Glass Island in the future, he could seek refuge with him, and he would have his parents host this benefactor. If he were arrested, he could also have his parents help release him, so he wouldn’t have to worry about the illegality of the Transcendent Path.
—Since it was a conversation in a dream, Alistair had long forgotten most of it.
It was only when David brought it up again that she finally recalled that such a thing had happened.
…But honestly, Alistair hadn’t taken it very seriously at the time.
This was, by all appearances, the kind of polite expression like “I’ll treat you to a meal sometime,” a mere pleasantry. After all, they were meeting for the first time, and neither knew the other’s age, gender, identity, appearance, or name… it was roughly equivalent to online friends who had known each other for less than Twenty-four hours.
—Who would have thought that David was actually serious back then!
The fact that he remembered such a detail from the Ascension Ritual indicated that after completing the Ascension, David had immediately found a notebook and written down the promise he had made, stroke by stroke. Then, he must have reviewed it repeatedly to keep it firmly in his memory.
At that moment, while Alistair was moved, she also felt a touch of concern.
With David’s earnest and innocent personality, she always felt he might be deceived by other glib and wicked people…
Alistair had originally intended to tease the child. But now she felt a bit reluctant.
Because even if she were just joking, he might take it seriously and remember it for a long time.
One shouldn’t bully such a child too much…
