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"...look, it's not like we don't believe you. It's just that our situation is currently sensitive so we'll have to trouble you like this."

"If what you say is indeed the truth, then you've been through a lot, this temporary detention shouldn't bother you much. We just need to confirm everything first before we let you pass. We only ask for your cooperation and we'll handle the rest."

"Alright, I have no problems with that." Ashton shrugged and allowed himself to be escorted to a separate room.

His homecoming was a little more bizarre. He was expecting that he'd be taken for questioning given that he's supposed to be dead according to logic but here he was, what he wasn't expecting is that, the soldiers stationed in the borders will fire at him due to the simple fact that he was flying.

As it turns out, flying at an alarming speed toward the Last Bastion was a bad idea since whoever did that would automatically be treated as a hostile force that will be handled with some level of prejudice.

If it weren't for the fact that he had Dennis' squad with him, he'd probably still be under heavy fire up until this point...

As expected, his identity as a survivor of the lost City M isn't something that these soldiers would easily believe. He didn't blame them, he'd be the same if he was in their shoes.

Ashton was separated from the squad and was taken to a private room to wait for further instructions. Jane volunteered to call Mary over here to confirm Ashton's identity. In turn, Mary might also call for Alice and Blake while she's at it.

After all, who could prove his identity better than those he knew personally and, like him, also survived the destruction of City M?

"So, Mary was a bit shaken when I told her that you came back. I asked to come here and she said she will, though it'll take her at least a day before she arrives." Jane stated, "She said she's also going to bring my brother and Big Sis Alice with her."

"Thank you for doing that." Ashton smiled at her.

"Don't mind it." Jane waved her hand. "You're their friend. I'm sure they'd be happy to see that you're alive and well."

Ashton nodded and didn't say anything. Somehow, he felt surreal right now. He's back. He's truly back home.

He doesn't even mind the fact that he's essentially a prisoner right now, all he could think about is that he's finally back home.

It is rather strange, the warmth and activity of Last Bastion. It felt foreign yet oh so familiar to him. He could feel himself harmonizing with his surroundings as if he was the missing piece of a giant puzzle. It was inexplicably heart-warming.

Unfortunately, Jane couldn't be with him for long. She has duties she needs to fulfill so she has to leave. Ashton didn't mind that of course and even told her that he'd be fine on his own. And since she already called Mary here, it was alright for her to leave.

Now, Ashton was alone once more. He's in a large white room with only a single entrance which is a door. There were no windows, the is an air vent and it is located near the door as well.

Ashton could sense several people watching him beyond the right wall. Although nobody told him this, he knew that the right wall was see-through on the other side. They were keeping close watch of him, scrutinizing him like he was some sort of a lab rat or something.

It is a rather compromising position to be in but for now, Ashton didn't mind. They haven't tried anything funny yet so there's no need to do something drastic.

To entertain himself, Ashton brought out a set of chairs and a table, he also took out his tea set to enjoy some tea as he waited for his visitors.

This rather easy-going behavior of his perplexed the observers on the other side of the wall. They looked at each other in confusion.

"...he has a spatial ring I guess, why are you looking at me?" One said to the other.

"Well, nothing." The other replied, adjusting his glasses. "For some reason, I was expecting him to be a little bit more...high-strung? I guess. I mean, he said that he traveled the outside world by himself as he searched for a way back home. With how dangerous it is out there..."

"You were expecting him to act a little more 'uncivilized' -- like a 'savage' even, is what you're trying to say, right?"

"You know what? Yeah. Yeah, I was expecting him to be like that. I know that's rather judgemental of me but well, what can I say? He's constantly exposed to danger so I figured that his mental health should be greatly affected by that. But it would seem that I'm wrong."

Ashton, who's on the other side of the wall, wanted to laugh upon hearing that.

Well, what the made said indeed makes sense. If he hadn't had Aria with him, Ashton might've already lost it at this point. Thankfully though, she was there to constantly ground him and help him stave off the loneliness he felt.

Speaking of Aria...

'...how is it, Babe? Can you get out?' Ashton asked her through telepathy.

'I should be able to.' She replied, 'But not right now. I don't know how they're going to react about me though.'

'Oh, don't worry about that. Didn't we already have plans should it come to that?'

'Yes, I know. But you can't blame me for feeling like this.' She grumbled, 'It's all too complicated.'

Revealing Aria's existence would be more difficult to explain than Ashton's situation to be completely honest.

He couldn't exactly reveal the fact that Aria is the artifact spirit of the Grand Library -- which also coincidentally serves as the house for the Grand Archives, he couldn't expose the Grand Library directly, and as soon as he came back since that will prove as a great risk for his plans.

Therefore, his only choice was to twist the truth a little bit. He could say that Aria is a Spirit that haunts the Mystic Academy back then and that she got teleported with him.

Due to her being a Spirit, it is rather difficult for her to come out whilst Ashton travels the outside world, which is why she resides in his consciousness.

This excuse should work. After all, there are far too many strange things in here that adding one more wouldn't hurt. Whether they believe it or not, that's none of his concerns. They just have to take that as it is and move on.

If they try anything funny, then Ashton wouldn't mind teaching them a lesson.

Time passed idly like this...with Ashton just existing and taking it easy, behaving as if he was unbothered by anything.

He could still hear the discussions of the observers beyond the wall but he didn't put too much attention to them. Their discussions are rather menial and mundane anyway.

But then, it came to a point when the visitors he'd been waiting for finally arrived.

"...that's him, over there." Ashton heard Jane's voice on the other side of the wall.

"...I don't remember his hair being green." Said a guy, the voice was deep and sounded somewhat exhausted and uncertain.

"Me neither. But that uniform...how nostalgic. Look, it even has the badge of a White Mage. Ash was a White Mage." It was a girl who said this, she sounds strong and imposing a bit.

"His appearance changed but make no mistake, that's him." This one...yes, Ashton knows who this one is. "That easy-going air is so like him, I can't believe it! He's really alive. Thank god. Thank god!"

'They're here.' Ashton muttered inwardly. He could hear Aria sobbing from within the Library.

"Master, how is it? Is he tainted? An impostor?" The other girl's voice asked.

"...no. Don't doubt this man anymore, he's the real deal. He is your friend and he's back so don't make him wait anymore." An aged voice of a woman sounded in reply to the inquiry.

Ashton does not know who the owner of that voice is and how she's able to tell that he's not an impostor but he's not complaining.

He felt movement coming closer to him. The next thing he knew, the door in the room he was in opened widely, and three people walked in while looking at him.

Ashton raised his head and smiled at them.

Mary, Blake, and Alice were dazed before feeling a strong sense of nostalgia. They all thought to themselves:

'Ah, it's really him.'

Then, a visage emerged from within Ashton which somewhat surprised the three.

A girl with golden locks, wearing a pair of glasses and the same uniform as Ashton appeared before their eyes. Her eyes were red and puffy from all the crying she's been doing.

The moment she appeared, all three of them were stunned. Then, the girls exclaimed:

"Aria!? Is that you?"

Aria nodded while her hand shook. Mary and Alice couldn't hold it in anymore and flew towards Aria, hugging her tightly while bursting into bitter tears. They held her as if their afraid she was going to leave them again.

Meanwhile, Blake walked towards Ashton, saying: "Hey there, Smart Guy."

"Sup, Dumb Jock."

The two of them burst into laughter and the corners of their turned misty.

"Welcome home, Man. We missed you."

"Glad to be back. I missed you all too..."