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The doorbell rang and succeeded in distracting Rihan who was focused in playing on his chess game. He looked at the clock on the wall which just showed 8 AM in the morning. It's still too early to come over to someone else's house to be honest. In the midst of wonder, the bell rang once again. Rihan Daniel was forced to open the door even though he had a bad feeling about this early visitor.

Julius was standing there with a faint smile at the front of the door. Not surprising since Rihan had expected his friend to come. But didn't think it would be this soon.

"I thought you still hospitalized." Rihan turned his back and walked inside to the living room while leaving the door widely open.

Julius followed and stepped in.

"Your house is quite nice, Daniel." Julius praised after he was explored the interior to the corners of the house.

Rihan smiled proudly. "That time, the price of a house in Yi Lu was still cheap. The wages from Samsara are more than enough to buy one."

"No wonder Samsara couldn't find you after its collapse. You put nullified around your own house." Julius noticed that there was a nullified layer surrounding the house. This power is very tricky and tough to be distinguished.

Rihan was already standing in the kitchen and busy preparing snacks and drinks for his guest. "In theory, if you want to disappear and start a new life, then erase all traces of you from people who might be able to track you, right?" He responded.

"But at least Sasha Muller managed to find your position," said Julius half teasing his dear friend.

"It must not be easy for her," replied Rihan curtly. For a moment he flashbacked to the sadistic killer he did to that woman. But nothing to regret on.

"Forget about me. How's your wound?" Rihan hastily changed the topic.

"Thanks to you that came just in the right time. If it's even a little late, Hanruo might have crushed the rest of my bones." Julius didn't really answer Rihan's question.

Rihan raised an eyebrow and was still waiting for a definite answer.

"Most parts already healed up, except for the chest. My ribs are still torturing me." Julius is aware of Rihan's expectation.

"And the only one who is accompanying you here is Endley?" Rihan suddenly changes the way he calls Alvi. This is the first time he ever called that woman by her family name.

Julius not getting used to that term. It gave an impression as if Rihan and Alvi were very extraneous and not that close even in the slightest. "Lord Arken asked Alvi to accompany me. There should have been Gina and Andra but Demita Waldermar forbade them to come along."

"They are very obedient. Can't the younger generation of Dragons be a little more mischievous and rebellious?" Rihan was not really serious about his words.

"Rebel like you?" Julius responded in flash. Again with a teasing intonation.

Rihan smiled broadly without feeling offended. Snacks and drinks are well-prepared. Then he carried it to the living room's table without removing the chessboard that still had the pieces on it.

"My case is a bit distinct, don't mixed up with it, Julius." Rihan replied calmly.

Julius threw a deep gaze to his friend. "Daniel, how long are you going to live like this?"

"I quite enjoyed it. Nothing is wrong." Rihan answered lightly.

"Yes, before you are exposed your own identity in front of the Dragons. But now everything is different,' answered Julius firmly. "You shown yourself in Tanah Agra. You've done all that fight and now leaving them, leaving me in confusion."

Julius leaned forward. His azure blue eyes stared seriously at Rihan Daniel. "What exactly are you planning, Daniel? You already very unpredictable, and now it's even more difficult for me to understand you."

Rihan leaned comfortably on the sofa. Rather than being serious, his face showed signs of nosy. Big smile and unfocused gaze.

Julius was a little lost. While at Samsara, the Rihan Daniel or Lucie he knew were serious and full of mysterious aura. He had never faced such a nosy expression and an extremely relaxed demeanor like today.

"It's not hard to understand me, Julius. My door is wide open for you. Say what you're here for. I'm listen." Rihan knows Julius' anxiety.

"The test of becoming the High Honor Dragon. You're the only one who hasn't tried." Julius got straight to the point.

Rihan's smile suddenly disappeared. The serious face that Julius had hoped for was finally shown. Rihan thought silently.

"If you choose to refuse, you will not only become an enemy of Samsara but also the enemy of the Dragons. Rather than being hunted from both sides, why don't you choose to return to the Dragons instead?" Julius added.

Rihan took a deep breath and then exhaled slowly. "It's not that easy, Julius. I'm not the same as you who was deliberately sent to be a spy. I ran away when the Dragons were in need."

"But that's no excuse for not coming back, Daniel. The Dragons are your family. Lord Arken, Aunt Freya, Raka… your family is in Tanah Agra." Julius tried to argue.

There are many things that actually make Rihan afraid to come back and speak up. The reason behind all of his decisions and actions. The reason he fled and joined Samsara. Rihan doesn't want anyone to know. He was the only one who kept it all tight.

In the middle of the conversation, without them knowing, Alvi was standing at the door and heard their conversation. Not on purpose, this was all because of Lily who suddenly ran into Rihan's front yard and played at there.

Alvi, who happened to be passing by the door, overheard Julius and Rihan's conversation. Her feet had unconsciously brought him closely to the door.

"I remember you've said you joined Samsara because of someone. I was just wondering if at this time, do you had the slightest sense of wanting to protect the Dragons even though it wasn't your top priority?" Julius asked the question which Rihan least wanted to hear.

"But seeing your actions both in Samsara then and now, I will not believe if you say you don't." Julius was silent for several minutes. "Or everything you did purely for that someone? For the freedom of Alvi Veenessa Endley?" He continued without hesitate.

Julius' words shocked not only Alvi, but also Rihan.

Julius smiled triumphantly. "Don't be so surprised, Daniel. As an old friend, it was easy to guess who it was. You joined Samsara because Alvi was there at the first place. Then you scheme as if she managed to stab you. You wish you could die at her hands. But look at yourself now…."

"Enough, Julius." Rihan retorted quickly. There was a look of displeasure on his face.

"It's a fact and you still ask me to shut up? What are you afraid of?" Julius really didn't understand.

"It's not that I don't want the Dragons as well as Endley to know, Julius…" Rihan subconsciously expressed a small desire in his heart. "No one wants to be seen as villain after doing so much for them. Me neither. But after I spilled it all, then what? Pity me and think of me as a hero? You know that I never wish for that, Julius." Rihan's voice sounded frustrated.

"If you really did it for the sake of Alvi and the Dragons, you should have expected a day like this to come, Daniel. Are you still afraid things will get worse than now?" Julius is trying to convince

Rihan took a deep breath. "Can you give me some time to think over?" He half pleaded.

Julius immediately nodded as a yes. "I'm waiting for your in Tanah Agra." He stood up and walked past Rihan.

"Oh one more, I think my guess seems correct. Even though our path are very different, but you… Rihan Daniel Vaiskyler, just like me, wants to protect Alvi as well as his own family." Julius smiled with satisfaction when he got all the answers he wanted to hear.

"Endley too?" Rihan didn't expect Alvi's name to also be on Julius' list.

"Your father and mother specifically asked me. Look, you're never fighting alone," Julius replied, patting Rihan's shoulder twice before walk to the door.

When Julius left the house door, how surprised he was when he found Alvi leaning next to the house door. But a second later the man smiled gently as if hinting at Alvi.

"Daniel never lied on you. What he looks like in your eyes, in you heart, I think that's the real him," said Julius.

Julius had already left the terrace when Rihan got up from the sofa. He was about to close the door when he saw Alvi standing right in the front of his door.

"Tanah Agra is your home. There is always someone waiting for you to come home. Treasure it before you regret not being able to see them again." Alvi just wanted to say that. She turned back and got ready to leave.

"Endley." Rihan still calls Alvi with a formal family name. "When you were at Spica, you said you wanted to be friends with me. I promise to give you the answer after our next meeting. Now I return the answer to you."

Without turning, Alvi replied. "Give me one. One reason for me to believe in you."

"You." Rihan didn't take long to answer. "You alone are my very own reason."

Alvi finally turned around and gave him a probing look. Who could believe the answer of a Samsara's strongest warrior who had sworn allegiance to Lady?

"Ryan, you can keep call me Veena like you used to. We're not that extraneous to call each other by family name." Alvi doesn't want to regret her stubbornness later. But right now, she could only give this as an answer.

Rihan's face turned a little brighter. "Sure." That answer already gave him a clear path to where his feet had to step.

Yeah, no more regret or stubbornness.