Rainbow light.
Made up of the three primary colors of red, yellow and blue, the colors are swirling and interwoven. It is primitive and simple, with an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
Behind the familiar rainbow light is an even more familiar voice.
"Rider, Velvet? Are you okay?"
Waver on the battlefield below covered his face, and Gray, whose face was covered by a cloak, curled her lips strangely.
Shinji's body trembled in mid-air, and his face changed drastically. For a moment, he forgot all the thoughts of chasing the enemy and "if you fail to kill the snake, you will end up hurting it". He didn't even bother to think about the familiar rainbow light.
At this moment, there was only one thought in his mind.
Why is she here
Because he was too familiar with it, there was no way he could have heard it wrong, just like he would not have heard Yustisa's or Sakura's voice wrong.
As the wings of the feather shoes turned, the direction of flight changed accordingly, from chasing the darkness deeper than the night to the rainbow light more gorgeous than the rainbow after the rain.
Face it head on.
The moment she appeared in front of the rainbow light, Shinji was sure that his judgment was correct, it was her.
The person wrapped in the rainbow light obviously also saw him. He exclaimed, then turned suddenly and flew to the other side in a slightly embarrassed manner.
How could Shinji let her go? Even if he let Roa go, he wouldn't let her go!
Then it turned around. The feather shoes made by the messenger of the gods, Hermes, are first-class flying treasures. Although the treasure rating is not high, and although it cannot compare with Pegasus in absolute speed, it is far beyond Pegasus in short-distance movement and mobility. This close-range air blockade and pursuit is its strong point.
No matter how Hongguang changed direction or how he evaded, he was blocked one by one by Shinji who was wearing feather shoes, and finally he almost got close to her face.
In desperation, the people inside the rainbow light could only stop dodging and slowly fell to the ground, revealing their true appearance that was obscured by the three primary colors.
Her long flaxen hair was tied into a ponytail and hung behind her head. Her delicate face was no less beautiful than any other woman present, and her innate nobility was unmatched by anyone.
The pinnacle of modern magicians, Her Majesty the Queen of the Clock Tower, Lord of the Law and Politics Department, and Shinji's nominal superior, Barthelmero Lorelaya!
A person who could not and should not be here in any way - at least that's what Shinji thought, so the first sentence he said after standing still was neither a greeting nor a joke between old friends, but a cold question.
"Why are you here?"
This was the second time that Shinji had spoken to Lorelaya in this tone since they had met. The last time was in 1998, when they first met and Shinji didn't know Lorelaya's identity and they were enemies.
Perhaps because she knew she was in the wrong, or perhaps because she was uncomfortable with Shinji's long-lost harsh voice, Lorelaia did not answer, but just stared blankly at the boy in front of her who was a few years younger than her.
This reaction made Shinji even more anxious, and his voice became heavier:
"Answer me, why are you here?"
"Why can't I be here?"
Perhaps irritated by Shinji's attitude, Lorelaia raised her eyebrows stubbornly and retorted, acting like a queen.
"You—" Shinji was so angry that he raised his voice even louder, "—Do you know your own identity?"
"Who am I?" Lorelaia was also a little angry, and her voice became louder.
"You are the modern-day Barthomello, assistant to the dean of the Clock Tower, the most powerful person in the entire Clock Tower. Do you know—"
Before Shinji could finish, Lorelea crossed her arms and glared at him, interrupting him.
"Oh? You know I'm Barthelmero, I thought you didn't know."
After hearing this, Shinji realized that he had gone too far, and his anger gradually subsided.
"I'm sorry, I can't control my emotions when I saw you suddenly. But please understand your position and importance. You who sit on the throne of the lord represent not just you, but the thousands of magicians who follow you and Barthelmero. To put it a little more extreme, anyone of us can have problems, but you can't! Whatever you plan, put it aside and go back to London. Weber and I will do your work for you."
"Shinji..."
Loreleija, like Shinji, was soft-hearted. Knowing that he was worried about her, her tone softened.
"No, it's too late."
"Late? How can it be late? As long as you are willing to go back, I will arrange it immediately. Even if you want to charter a plane tomorrow morning, it can be arranged."
"That's not what I meant. See for yourself."
Loreleija pulled up her sleeves, revealing a three-stroke red mark that looked somewhat similar to the Barthelmero family crest. Shinji's pupils shrank at that moment.
"Command Seal, you—"
"Don't get me wrong. I didn't take up the spot in the Clock Tower without Velvet. That spot was given to Bazette. You should know that."
"Then how could you do that?" Shinji did know this news, but because he knew it, he was confused.
"After Hattereth caused that incident, you left in a hurry so you didn't know. After you left, Velvet, me, and possibly others also developed the 'stigmata', the predecessor of the Command Seals. We were worried that something might have happened to you, so we decided to come and take a look. If you don't believe me, you can ask Velvet."
"That's right."
After Roa's group retreated, Iskandar did not pursue them, but went to the injured Kagemusha, while Waver chose to watch over Lorelea and Shinji to prevent any problems between the two.
"Why didn't you tell me in advance?"
Loreleija was well prepared for this question.
"Before asking this question, think about your attitude towards this matter. You have been hiding things all along. You have not revealed any key information to me, Velvet, or El-Melloi. Even though you want Velvet to join the war, you have no intention of forming an alliance with him. It is normal for us to treat you like this, as you treat us like this."
"..." Shinji was speechless.
Because it involves the "third magic" and the "root" of the magician's supreme pursuit, it must be kept secret, especially from the association, so he didn't reveal anything at all, for fear of any unexpected changes.
Knowing Iskandar's character and fearing that he might stir up unrest in the world, he deliberately kept his distance from Weber to prevent them from spending too much time together and becoming too familiar with each other, which would make it difficult for him to kill him in the final duel.
These considerations were not wrong from Shinji's point of view, but they were seen as a sign of distrust by Lorelea and Waver.
The relationship of trust is mutual. If it has nothing to do with the matter, it's fine. But if it is related, the attitude remains the same. Even if there has been a long-standing friendship, there will always be some discomfort in the heart, and a little revenge is understandable.