They returned to Sivagadh Fortress after a long day. They didn't say much because everyone felt tired after eliminating hundreds or even thousands of dry zombies and fighting giant sandworms.
So they immediately said goodbye to each other and were about to go to their respective residences.
"Hey, Clyde," Samuel called out to Clyde.
Clyde turned his head questioningly.
"If you feel uncomfortable with your current living quarter, you can move to the hotel we are staying at."
Clyde was silent for a few moments, thinking. But he didn't take long to shake his head.
"No, thanks. I'm fine." Clyde turned his body and started walking again without waiting for Samuel to say reply.
Samuel just shrugged his shoulders. Then walked after his party friends to the hotel where they were staying.
"Just because he does one expedition and one rescue mission with us doesn't mean he has become one of our friends," Leyan said.
"At least I tried. Nothing wrong with making him our friend, right?" Samuel replied in an even tone.
"You are right." Leyan nodded. "But I can tell if he doesn't want to."
"How do you know?" Kei turned to Leyan.
Leyan shrugged. "You can see his cold stare every time and he always seems to put up a cold wall so we don't come any closer."
Leyan does have a higher sense of sensitivity regarding human feelings. It seems that Elves always has a sensitivity to something, whether it's Mana or another's feeling.
But even without Leyan's level of sensitivity, they could feel Clyde's walls. Something about him seemed to indicate that he wanted to keep his distance. Even after he took part in the mission to save Haru and earlier, the mission to set traps for the party Uriel would send.
"But why did he want to come with us without so much as complaining?" Kiara asked.
The question silenced them. But soon Samuel said. "He wants to take revenge on the people who betrayed him."
They all turned to Samuel.
"But the people who betrayed him must have been recruited by the Celestials, right?" said Haru.
"Yes." Samuel nodded. It was no longer a possibility but something certain.
"And Clyde wants to take revenge on those who have obtained the power of Celestials?" Haru looks in disbelief. But Samuel just nodded again in response.
"He's mad," Leyan commented.
"I don't know about that," said Samuel. "He is the only one who has the fastest recovery progress among everyone coming with him. And you saw for yourself how powerful he was when he killed the worms earlier."
They stared at Samuel for a few moments.
Haru said. "Are you saying that he can match the strength of those who betrayed him and has already obtained the power of Celestials?"
Samuel glanced at his friends one by one with a meaningful look.
"You think that he might have a chance to stand against Celestials, not just the ones who have obtained their powers," Leyan said, deciphering the meaning of Samuel's gaze with accuracy.
Kiara clicked her tongue. "That's impossible. He can think like that having never fought them head-on."
"She's right. It doesn't matter how strong he is against the monsters. The power of the creatures that have received Celestial's power is on a different level," said Kei.
Samuel was silent. He wanted to agree with them but his feeling told him it was possible.
Leyan was also silent. Usually, this is the time when he laughs at Clyde because he is too confident. But Leyan also had a feeling that maybe Clyde could be capable even though everything he knew was against that.
"Whatever is it, we should still maintain good relations with him," Samuel said.
"You're right. Having strong allies seems to help anyway," Kei agreed.
Samuel, who initially rejected the idea of Clyde going to The All Territory because he had not been here long, immediately dismissed that idea.
Seeing for himself how strong Clyde was, he knew that bringing him was the right decision.
~~~
Clyde didn't go straight to his living quarter. He went to Hammer's place to check his equipment.
"Oh, you're back. How was your expedition? fun?" Hammer asked accompanied by a big smile that showed his teeth as usual.
"You already know about that?" Clyde asked.
"Of course! I can get information quickly in this place," Hammer replied.
Clyde handed over his sword and brown coat.
"What do you think? Is the new coat good?" Hammer asked.
"I can't say for sure." Clyde shrugged and sat down on one of the chairs in the room.
"What do you mean?" Hammer frowned.
"Well, I managed to kill any monsters I encountered before they landed a hit on me."
Hammer blinked his eyes quickly. But then he nodded. "Oh, alright."
Hammer had learned not to be surprised at what Clyde did or what happened to him after what he knew.
He just took the coat and immediately looked at it. Turns out, there really wasn't any scratch on it. However, the condition of Clyde's sword is different.
When observing it Hammer knew that the sword had just been worked up quite heavily. The blade was chipped in many places after apparently being used to strike something hard.
That this was a sword made with the same material he had been using. This sword must have shattered into metal bits the moment it was still in Clyde's grip.
"What exactly were you up against?" Hammer asked with obvious curiosity.
"Worms and zombies with dry bodies."
Hammer stared at him. But then decided not to continue his question because he wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer. Knowing what monsters Clyde faced in the Ruins could give him nightmares.
"I will repair your sword like new again. You need not worry," said Hammer.
"Good. I need it tomorrow." Clyde stood up and walked towards the door.
"Tomorrow? Where else are you going?"
"To the same Ruins."
After that Clyde came out of Hammer's room, leaving him in a dazed state.
"What exactly are they going to do?"
~~~
