She smiled back,pleased to know him. Her pale skin and shining blue hair were things to be noted when you first see her although he didn't notice her. No matter what Ed said, she simply smiled and answered back as politely as she could. Although they just met, Ed began to feel comfortable around her.
As they approached France, Kyle raised a question
"Um,oppa...why are you going to France?"
"Oh... I wanted to see the country, most especially the dungeons"
"Would you like me to show you around?"
Bingo...
"If you don't mind..."
Minutes later,they got off the plane and walked around the airport filing the necessary documents for their departure. Since the subjugation team would arrive two days from now, Ed had to prepare ahead and find the location of the dungeon first. Since he mentioned dungeons,he hoped she would mention it on their way around the city
After walking around for a while, Kyle wanted to rest and took Ed to a park where they would sit down to rest. After finding a good spot, Kyle goes to buy some drinks when a French person approaches Ed
"Monsieur..."
"..."
Huh...is he trying to talk to me?
"Ah... I guess you don't understand French. Are you a tourist?"
"Ah, well something like that—"
"... Ed, here you... Nell"
"Lady Kyle what a pleasant surprise... I might have perhaps interrupted your leisure time together"
"Oh,no we're just friends..."
What, friends already?
Kyle talked with Nell while Ed waited by a children playground. When they were done, Nell approached ed first
"Sir, would you like to join the young lady in her car,she has invited you to her home."
"Well, I've to check out the hotel I booked so can I call her later"
"If you say so..."
Nell took a final glance at Ed before turning back to kyle. Shortly after kyle waves him before entering her car
"Oh well"
In the car where Kyle was in,she was holding on to Ed's scarf, which he left unintentionally with her. Nell used the mirror to look at her before letting out a sigh
"Young lady,are you sure that boy wields the rare resolve collection?"
"...yes, it's true. He has even obtained zero's ring"
"That would mean the resolve collection has chosen him. He doesn't look strong though. And you said he lost a duel with someone who didn't even wield a weapon"
"He didn't use the resolve collection in the fight, and he didn't exactly lose, it's more like he forfeited"
Nell remained silent for a second before asking again
"Why?"
"He wants to go to the dungeon where our school is looking for the children of stone artifact. "
"The impure gate?"
"Uh...mmm"
Ed arrived at the hotel and unpacked his things. After settling down, Ed answers a phone call from Melissa
"Hello—"
"Young master...why didn't you tell me you were leaving... I'm in Africa right now, I won't be coming back soon"
"Sure, do your thing..."
"Young master—"
Ed hangs up and tosses the phone on his bed before turning back to the files. Since escaping his dad's world,he studied the world he came to and sought a conclusion
He deduced that,his world,being an actual world from an alternate timeline was linked to the game they programed in this world. His memories from when he was still in his world realized that there were instances of a visit that was kept a secret from everyone except the first son
Ed came to a conclusion that someone from this world intentionally created the link using the game as a medium. But what he couldn't deduce was why his dad didn't try to kill him again
While going through the documents,he reflected on the files about gold association and glavius, linking glavius as the prime suspects in opening the link.
"Ah... I still have to find the children of stone first"
Ed puts the files in a shelf and lays on the bed, letting out a deep sigh before closing his eyes. As if in another world, Ed woke up subconsciously, without his physical body. The scenery was unique, an island with beautiful grasslands, the sea stretching out to the horizons and a brown cat sitting by the beach
"Zero?"
The cat turned but didn't react facing Ed for a while. Like it was done scanning ed,it turns and walks away,as if leading him somewhere. After walking for what seemed like hours, the got to a cave
The cave was shallow,but had enough lighting in it. Reaching the end, Ed saw a chestbox about the size of an igloo. Seeing that the cat had stopped in front of it,he walked towards it and attempts to open it. When he touched the box, numerous screen from the system popped up
"What?"
Hidden dungeon?... what's tha—
Ed's sight faded like he was going back to reality. Whether he will be able to open the chestbox was up to him, although he wasn't sure he would see the box again. Seconds later, he opened his eyes, while lying on the bed. He could still remember the dream after waking up and wondered how to find the chest when he had cleared the conditions
For now,he knew he had two things to do. One was to evolve zero's ring and the other is to survive the hidden dungeon
Hidden dungeon huh...
"I guess it won't be a hidden dungeon if I knew where it was"
While he grabbed his phone,a call came in.
"Hello Ed?"
"Ah, Kyle... I'll meet you at the park we stopped by"
"..."
Saying nothing more, she hangs up, leaving Ed startled.
"Damn... what was the unusual silence for this time?"
Ed held his backpack and rose to his feet. Taking one final glance at the room,ed made up his mind to leave his blades, carrying only his backpack with him.