"Adonis…"

Rey's tone was low, but intentionally heavy. He tried to be as calm and friendly with Adonis, not resorting to harsher methods to get the information he wanted, but… the Hero wasn't cooperating at all.

'I'm sure he knows what he's doing, but if there's a chance it would affect my mission, then it's important I find out what it is.'

Besides, ever since he met Adonis, Rey hadn't stopped thinking about how useful he would be to his current objective. However, he couldn't bring him on board yet.

… Not until he knew Adonis' true motives.

"Look, Rey… I won't ask any questions about you. I won't ask how you got so strong… how you were able to hide your power for so long… or even why you're here. None of those things matter to me now." Adonis said this in such a serious, detached manner that Rey had to wonder if this was truly the guy he knew.

Not only did he lack that glow of optimism and compassion that usually filled his eyes, but he was cold—too cold for Adonis.

Perhaps this was his true self all along, and Rey had merely gotten used to a facade.

Either way… the confrontation was jarring.

"It's best if we go about our individual activities like we don't know each other. I won't trouble you, so I'd really appreciate it if you didn't bother me."

"Bother… you?"

The boy in front of him was truly Adonis, but something had definitely happened to him—something that changed him.

For a moment after these words echoed in the air, no one spoke.

The two simply stared.

Then—

"I'd assume that that Luc'ia Dragon you came with is also an ally. She's Lucielle, isn't she?"

"Yeah." Rey responded nearly half-hartedly.

He silently wondered how Adonis figured it out, but considering how her features resembled a younger Lucielle, he realized it would be easy for him to deduce.

Plus, her name wasn't exactly the subtlest.

"Of course, she's the one…" As Adonis said this, he gave a distant, nearly sad smile. "Who else would it be?"

Rey didn't understand what Adonis was implying from all this, but he had to get back to the main subject. The gears in his brain were turning—seeking ways that he could convince Adonis to join his side—but he met dead ends everywhere.

'I can't mentally control him thanks to his Hero Privilege, which means I either have to overpower him… or coax him.'

The stubbornness in Adonis' new personality told him that he wouldn't be easily convinced, and the last thing Rey wanted to do was fight with his friend.

'Are we still friends, though?' No, that wasn't the right question.

Were they ever friends?

'Out of everyone among our classmates, he was the one I respected and cared for after Alicia. I think, to an extent, he respected me too… but… I'm not sure anymore.' Rey narrowed his eyes as he stared at the mask of a face that Adonis put up.

'There's something else bothering you, isn't there, Adonis?'

Rather than forcing some form of partnership, Rey reckoned it was best to take the more patient and understanding route.

'It's not like he's going to expose my identity anyway. I don't need to rush things too. It's just—'

"Can you do me a favor, Rey?"

Rey's thoughts came to a grinding halt as Adonis interrupted him with a rather lull tone.

"Can you not tell Lucielle about my identity?" A sad smile formed on his face as he asked this, his countenance falling even lower.

"Of course, I know I have no right to ask you for this, and I also won't insist that you go along with it or anything, but—"

"I understand." Rey responded with a smile while nodding.

"Thank you, Rey."

Adonis didn't even look Rey in the eyes as he spoke. Instead, he just rose to his feet and bowed his head, not wasting any time to walk towards the door.

'He's just going to walk away? For real…?'

Rey had two options at that point—both of which involved stopping Adonis from leaving—but he already knew the one he was going to go with.

"Wait!" Raising his voice, he also stood from his bed.

As soon as he heard this, Adonis came to a grinding halt. He didn't turn back to look at Rey, neither did he display any sign of a change of heart. Chances were that he would only stand there for a few more seconds before leaving.

But those few seconds were all that Rey needed.

"I… I just don't understand." Rey muttered, looking at the back of the same boy he admired for a long time. "I don't understand why you would abandon everything and everyone."

One of the reasons why he changed his perspective on life and people in general was due to Adonis. The latter was always so selfless, considerate, and confident—and he helped everyone, no matter the cost.

Rey didn't have that kind of selfless side to him, but he always felt inspired by the act of empathy and kindness that Adonis displayed.

—The responsibility that came with having power.

Yet… it seemed like none of that was even present in the boy he was staring at.

"Look, man, I'm sorry… okay? I apologize for keeping things from you, and from everyone. I had various reasons for doing it, but those are all excuses at this point. I take responsibility for my mistakes, but I recognize the hurt and harm I caused everyone… including you. So, I'm sorry."

Despite pouring his heart out apologizing, Adonis merely smiled at Rey and slightly shook his head.

"It's fine, Rey. None of that matters now…"

His calm, casual manner of addressing these heavy issues bothered Rey to no end. There was no passion or attachment to his words—just pure disinterest.

"Why…" At this point, Rey began to clench his fist and grit his teeth. "Why are you being like this?"

His emotions were on a rollercoaster, jumping up and down as he stared at Adonis with an intense gaze.

"When did you become this way?"