An Anticlimactic Wrap-up

After getting the gist of what Lance was saying, Hal was able to connect the dots.

He realized that the villain he mentioned was the same one who sent Eli to his Realm back then. Though he already expected that he'd spring right back up one of these days, he didn't think he'd be able to contrive this big of a scheme and rope this much people to it. It gave him the impression that he had plotted everything for quite some time now. The revelation that he can make use of poison did cross his mind before, though. After all, this Lord Caspar won't design his Realm after a garden of poisonous flowers for no reason.

"Just in case, let's suspect that this villain was also the one we've been searching for. He never showed up when we were in his Realm, which made Noah presume that what he's really after was just to make an observation on us. Now that he made an intrepid appearance, and there's the fact that he's working together with a human, Lord Caspar would be hogging our attention from now on, especially if proven that he was this infamous data broker who'd been spreading information about the Champions," Hal started, eyebrows furrowed in vexation.

"He does look calculating and manipulative. I also recall him saying how my hypnotism was worthy to take note of," Lance muttered to which he just sighed in reply.

"This is bad. Your power was supposed to be a secret."

"Forgive me, Your Majesty. It just happened that I need it at the moment."

"I understand. For now, though, we have to focus on finding that villain. Allen may not make it at this rate."

With that, the two resumed their hunt for the summoned creature. While surveying the area, Lance decided to examine the body of one of the unconscious victims using magic. He remembered what Lord Caspar said about getting to eat something, which probably had something to do with the giant gaseous orb that materialized earlier. There's the assumption that the villain cast a different kind of spell on them, and judging by how they only lost consciousness, it's possible that he's just aiming to drain out their energy.

"An amount of life force that's good enough to make the person faint. It doesn't do much damage on one's system, but it'll make them feel enervated once they woke up. The same might happen to me either, considering that I had to use hypnotism on such a large number later on," Lance mumbled, already feeling tired just by scanning around the big crowd.

"Now that you said it, he quite had a lucky haul today. I'm getting the feeling that this human he's working with had something to do with that. You sure you couldn't remember her face, Marquess?" Hal questioned while pacing towards his direction.

"She used some kind of hypnotic spell. Though I am a wielder of the same magic, I'm not immune to it. I could've sensed it earlier had it not for the dramatic stunt she pulled."

"She appeared to be just as calculating as the summoned creature, huh?"

"I think so."

A while after that, the two waited for Lord Caspar's reappearance. Hal did think it's probably a good idea to split up and search for him, but with the lack of manpower, only one person might not be able to handle a confrontation with such an unpredictable evil. If the worst came, they could always call on for back up from the others. Going by how enraged he was about this villain's cunningness, however, he preferred ending him with his own hands. But then, it turned out that all his murderous intent had only piled up for nothing in the end. Seconds turned into minutes, and minutes into an hour, yet Lord Caspar never showed up again.

"That coward!"

And Hal finally snapped.

"Who does he think he is?! We ain't playing hide and seek here! Filthy scumbag...! I'll make sure to feed him lead the instant that we met! I ain't stopping until his whole body is covered with holes...!"

As the leader just kept on ranting, his subject only continued erasing the victims' memories with his hypnotic magic, expression aloof all the while. After waiting for an hour, Lance decided to just busy himself with this. Unlike Hal who still had the temper of a child, he was the very definition of patient placidity. His outburst did make him realize a couple of things, though. For one, they should've considered the possibility that the villain won't come back again. He already finished poisoning two of the Champions and collecting energy, after all. That's probably as good as being done since he's only aiming to make them fight one another. Secondly, if it's indeed true that his hobby was observing from the sideline, then all the more reason he wouldn't want to face them head on.

"He's no coward, Your Majesty. He's a dirty coward," Lance deadpanned, utterly miffed.

"Hey, guys!"

Then, out of nowhere, Zeke came rushing inside the gallery, catching both of them off guard. He instantly halted on his tracks as soon as he was greeted by Hal's glinting gun. Flummoxed, he just blinked his eyes at the deadly weapon that was suddenly pointed at him for unknown reasons.

"Oh, my bad. I thought you're the villain," Hal voiced out in surprise, lowering his revolver.

"Seriously? How come you're called a skilled gunner if you'd just mistake anyone for a villain?" Zeke retorted incredulously to which he only smirked in reply.

"My hands just got sweaty~"

"What nonsense."

That's when Hal laid eyes on a small bottle he's holding. Zeke noticed his inquisitive gaze and proceeded to explain right away. He told him how he asked Calliope to get the forbidden book from Eli after it finished healing Allen earlier. But instead of a book, Calliope returned with the bottle and a letter from its mistress, informing him that it's an antidote they should use on anyone they found acting out of character or harboring the same symptoms as Noah's.

"...Since Allen fits her description, I decided to let you guys know first. I was planning to make Calliope go back to the library to get the book once I confirmed this.... But, it seemed like you were just slacking off?" Zeke rambled before tilting his head at Hal quizzically.

"We're not slacking off. That villain is," Hal scoffed, clearly peeved.

Lance approached the two upon catching sight of what the young heir was referring to. He pored over the bottle for a little while, eyes suddenly widening in flummox as he eventually realized that the content had the same color as the potion. Baffled as to why Zeke would have the cure, he then told them that Lord Caspar mentioned how he's the only one who had it. When Hal answered that it came from Eli, Lance only reacted confoundedly.

Then, gears started turning in his head.