Endless Evolution: Last Star

Chapter 847: The Butler

The journey to the Twilight Palace was not a long one, for this hotel was located in the First Ring, specifically at the First Wing.

All Adam and Silvana had to do was get into the car wait for them outside the door and let the autopilot do its job.

A strange feeling had filled Silvana from the moment she saw Adam after he transitioned to K3-Level.

He was still the same, but he looked completely different, not just because of his appearance - it was easy to revert back to his previous state, but...

ʼWhy do I feel like heʼs gotten so much older?ʼ Silvana internally muttered glancing at Adam, ʼIt feels like while Iʼve been waiting for one hour, several years have passed for him...ʼ

Most of the time the Operators were a bit older than the Phantoms. It was natural, after all, at the age when Operators were at the academy, humans might get the Spark.

After killing their first monster, a person would immediately become a Phantom and after a short training, they would be ready to rush into battle and go on their first mission in the Dead Lands.

The Operators studied at the academy, then worked for a while to gain experience, and after that waited to be assigned to a Phantom. Only after each stage did Operators begin to fully fulfill their duties.

This led to the fact that on average, the Phantom was 16 to 18 years old and the Operator was 20 to 24 years old, that is, the minimum difference was 2 years, the maximum was 8 years, and the average was 4 years.

Exceptions could be only if the Phantom was a Natural One, in which case a person could become a Phantom much later than 16-18 years old.

Despite Adam being a Natural Phantom, Silvana was always older than him. Well, nothing had changed now, physically Adam hadnʼt matured, but... was that a key age-defining detail?

In the few years inside inner space, Adam had done nothing but fight, yet he had brief moments of freedom when he could reflect on life.

Adam didnʼt see it, but it made him look different - to Silvana it was obvious and somewhat frightening.

Why?

Because he took another step away from her. The stronger he got, the further away he moved.

Silvana bit her lip. She had hoped that she would be able to keep up with Adam because, in the middle of K2-Level, she was beginning to have new opportunities as an Operator.

ʼNo... Itʼs not enough.ʼ Silvana internally shook her head, ʼI need something more... Something that will allow me to always be with him, forever...ʼ

Then, with a look full of determination, Silvana squeezed Adamʼs palm.

”Hmm?”

Adam turned, his eyebrow raised in confusion.

Without wasting a second, Silvana demanded:

”Tell me what happened at the Queenʼs? Why did you change so much...?” her eyes traveled to his hair, ʼI want to know everything, and... youʼre going to tell me all about it, understood?”

”Hah...”

A nervous laugh burst from Adam as he smiled weakly. He looked up, staring up at the black roof of the car, nothing but his floating thoughts.

”Well, you donʼt have to be so assertive, I donʼt mind, though...” a bitter smile showed on his face, ”I was just losing in an endless cycle, and the victories werenʼt a reward, they were just a reminder that I was facing a new string of defeats.”

Then, Adam turned to stare intently into Silvanaʼs eyes.

”The reward was to return to the real world - to you.”

...

Half an hour later, Adam and Silvana got out of the car and went up the lonely passageway. Theyʼd arrived early, but they werenʼt in a hurry. Silvana wasnʼt going anywhere until she heard the full story from Adam.

Adam paced forward in a careless stride, his hands in his pockets. His body needed food and water, but he didnʼt feel it yet, the effects of going K3-Level would keep him vigorous for a long time to come.

Unlike him, Silvana had a complicated expression. She looked down thoughtfully while holding her chin.

ʼI wasnʼt wrong,ʼ she thought, ʼI canʼt believe he had to spend several years fighting to create the Second Key. I donʼt know if I could go through something like that.ʼ

Toward the end of her musings, Silvana remembered Adamʼs last words. Colors rushed to her face as her cheeks flushed.

ʼNo! Silvana, stop thinking about it!ʼ she tried to calm herself down, ʼAdam and I are the Operator and the Phantom... I am his assistant and loyal partner, thatʼs... thatʼs enough...ʼ

Thereʼs no telling how long Silvana would have wandered off in her thoughts if Adam hadnʼt tugged on her shoulder.

”Agh...?” Silvana flinched.

Without saying anything, Adam pointed to the door ahead. She didnʼt notice how they reached the end of the passageway.

Silvana glanced at the door. Despite Douglasʼs words about a luxury hotel, the door was iron and scuffed around the edges, like an old passageway to a maintenance room.

Adam jerked his head toward the door:

”Shall we go in?”

With slight uncertainty, Silvana nodded.

”Yeah... Not that we have any other choice, but this doesnʼt look like what I expected.”

”Hah, very weak, but I can feel my hunger growing. I think we should hurry up.”

Tap.

Adam touched the surface, opening the door with a slight movement of his hand.

As they stepped forward, a light, pleasant golden light fell across their faces, not bright enough to blind them, but dense enough to prevent them from seeing what lay beyond.

The cold coming from the empty passage behind them mingled with the warmth that greeted them on the other side.

A rich herbal scent wrapped around them like a veil, willing to plunge them into a pleasant sleep from which they would not want to escape.

Then, in the center of a room no different in luxury from the royal chambers, a silhouette appeared out of nowhere.

A tall man of advanced age greeted them with a slight smile. His gray hair reached the level of his chin with a tied bun in the back. Black and gray butler-like clothes covered his unusually powerful body for his age. Square glasses with no top frame reflected his wise green eyes, with a dash of guile like an old snake.

”Adam Vinter and Silvana Desio I presume?”

The man put his palm to his chest and bowed slightly:

”My name is Andreas, it is my pleasure to welcome you to the Twilight Palace.”