The Author's POV

Four days later.

"Ugh, not this again."

My face darkened as I looked at myself in the mirror.

Wearing the same suit as when I met the other elders in Henlour, I once again struggled to tie my tie.

There were improvements, however.

Staring at my reflection in the mirror, turning around, and touching my tie multiple times, I nodded in satisfaction.

"It's not too bad."

Compared to last time, when I struggled quite hard to tie it, there were massive improvements.

Remembering how Douglas had tied my tie, I was somewhat able to mimic his movements. Thanks to that, I was able to somewhat do a good job. Was well satisfied with it.

Of course, it wasn't perfect, but it was better than nothing.

Staring at myself in the mirror and fixing my hair which was still quite long, my hand paused slightly.

'They should also be there…'

Kevin, and the others. I was finally going to see them properly.

This time, not from afar.

"Huu…"

Thinking about them, I let out a long breath.

'I guess it's time.'

After thinking things through, I decided to finally reveal myself to the others.

There was no point in hiding myself from the others. Sure, the high-ranking members of the Union were there, but it wasn't like they could instantly tell that I was 876.

With the chip disabled, it would be quite difficult for them to figure out who I was.

This was why I decided to stop pretending. Of course, I was only planning on revealing myself to them. Not the Union.

Despite the fact that the chip was now disabled, and there being no concrete evidence linking me to 876, there were still many loopholes in such thought.

For example, the last sighting of 876 was in the dwarven domain. I came out of the dwarven domain. 876 is a human, I am a human...there were just too many links for my comfort.

'It's too risky to expose myself completely.'

The more I thought about it, the more I realized just how much of a risk my exposure was, but…

'I'll still meet them.'

My mind was made, and I wasn't going to change it, even if the risks were there.

I just needed to be more careful.

Fixing my clothes, and reaching out for my mask by the side of the table, I pressed it against my face and my face soon morphed into that of someone else.

"But before that, I need to take care of something else…"

There was something very important that I needed to take care of before meeting with the others again.

***

"Hurry up, we're going to be late.

Emma's voice rang from below the residence as she looked up towards a certain window.

Ci Clank—

Opening the window of the room, Kevin leaned out of it and shouted.

"Give me a minute! I'm coming."

"Wha—"

Clank—!

Kevin closed the window before she could even speak. This obviously did not sit well for her as she Crossed her arms together, and pouted in dissatisfaction.

It's not

"Maybe it's his hair?"

It shouldn't take this long to do

who was standing beside her. She was currently wearing a

was being held by a small pin, exposing her slender

"Hmmm…"

forward to

the first time that I've seen you with your hair tied. It

"Thank you."

replied with

placing her hand on her chin and muttering. "Maybe I should try it

Gli Clank—

both of them heard the sound of

I was having trouble

"Took you long enough."

from the side. Wearing a pale yellow one-piece

glasses, and today, for the first time in a while, she decided to wear contacts, exposing her beautiful crystal

knit a frown. But at the same time, she always looked annoyed. This was probably why no one paid much attention

down the stairs and arriving before the others, Kevin

everyone is here, shall we get

time on her watch, Emma replied with

we'll end up being

"Okay."

everyone headed towards where the ceremony was being

suddenly

"Wait, what about Jin?"

"…"

"…"

"…"

everyone stopped walking and

only after a couple of

kind of forgot he was coming…or rather,

***

location where the ceremony was being held was in the enormous white building in the middle of

that could host the event. The sheer number of attendees

was supposed to be the place where only the high-ranking elven members stayed, but they made a

"All done?"

"Yeah."

up with Douglas

were the others who also were

quite uncomfortable with a suit, but whenever he tried to complain, Smallsnake would elbow him

clothes are

fine. Stop pestering

sight if

mostly her choice, but it was

still fully trusted her. Perhaps some could trust her, but many were still against the idea of keeping

Since Angelica had helped the dwarves, she was considered a traitor to the

only be detrimental

"Is there anyone missing?"

Douglas asked, looking around.

the one that he wore back in the dwarven domain, Douglas

even more

head,

think everyone

"Did you forget anything?"

I shook

have everything

then, we may

Douglas headed towards the lake in the

pace, I

with

with Donna and

I had last seen him. Since the time we split up when we first arrive. I was genuinely curious if he had met up with the

"Yeah."

yet." Douglas shook his head."I've been too busy attending meetings

on the enormous white building in the distance that was becoming clearer by the

of my presence. I'll meet them

look that

head and looked at Waylan who was quietly following us

a skin mask, he looked

to a soldier that was about to embark on a long war appeared on his

before turning my attention back to