The Outergod's Avatar-Chapter 63: A Surprise Visit

"Commander Flavius?!" Izikel wondered. "What are you doing here?"

"I had some important matters that I had to discuss with you, so I decided it would be better if I came here myself. I hope you don’t mind?" Flavius said with a small friendly smile.

Izikel was caught off guard. The last time something important came up, Flavius had sent Sophia to summon him. Now, the commander himself was standing inside his house. That alone told Izikel that whatever this was, it was probably important

"I suppose not," he said slowly, opening the door wider, silently inviting them in.

The commander gave a brief nod of thanks and stepped inside, his cloak brushing against the doorway. Sophia followed close behind, her eyes quickly scanning the interior of the study.

"Raynoel escaped last night," Flavius said suddenly, his voice low and his head slightly bowed.

Izikel’s eyes widened. "What? How?!"

"It turned out he wasn’t acting alone," Flavius explained, his tone grim. "There were other saints working with him. We managed to catch most of them, but Raynoel slipped through in the end."

Izikel didn’t answer immediately. His mind raced to process the implications. Raynoel’s betrayal had already shaken him, but the idea that there were more saints involved? That was something else entirely.

"And you came all this way just to tell me this?" he asked quietly.

"It’s only fair you hear it directly from me," Flavius said with a somber expression. "And I promise you, I’ll do everything in my power to find him and bring him to justice."

Izikel still didn’t speak, but the look on his face said plenty. He was thinking deeply about what this could mean.

The commander studied him for a moment longer, quietly impressed. This child wasn’t the same since the death of his parents, loss had matured him. It wasn’t uncommon for tragedy to force someone into adulthood, but Izikel seemed to be walking that path far quicker than most. The Vau-Leotard bloodline truly never ceased to amaze.

"Sophia," Flavius said softly, "could you give us the room for a moment?"

Before she could even take a step, Izikel spoke.

"If it’s okay with you, Commander, I’d prefer if Sophia stays."

His voice was calm, but firm, his eyes locked onto Flavius’s with quiet intensity. It wasn’t a request—it was a decision.

The words caught Sophia off guard. Her movement paused mid-step, her brows slightly raised.

He wasn’t hiding the meaning behind those words, and Flavius understood immediately.

"I see," the commander said, blinking slowly. "You don’t trust me."

"You probably think I had something to do with Raynoel’s escape," he added, a bitter smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Lord Izikel, is that really what you think?" Sophia asked gently. "Commander Flavius ha—"

Flavius raised a hand to stop her, his expression unreadable.

"It’s fine, Sophia. He’s not wrong to be cautious. This wouldn’t have happened if I had just let you execute Raynoel when we had the chance. So, in a way, I am to blame."

A heavy silence fell over the room. Dust motes floated lazily in a shaft of light filtering through the window, as if time itself was pausing to hear what came next.

"I just hope you’ll believe everything I’m about to tell you," Flavius continued.

Izikel’s brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"Yesterday, I was able to uncover a clue about who’s really behind the attempt on your life. It’s High Priest Vircan Argenthex."

There was a sharp intake of breath.

"How?!" Sophia asked, stunned. Clearly, this was news to her as well.

Izikel didn’t react as strongly. The name meant little to him—until he noticed the way Sophia looked at the commander.

"Your brother?" she whispered.

Izikel’s eyes widened slightly as the realization hit him. So that’s who Vircan was.

"Believe me, I wouldn’t dare say something like this if I wasn’t sure," Flavius said, his voice steady but pained. "It’s no secret that my brother has openly questioned the nobility of the Vau-Leotard bloodline. But he never acted—until now."

Sophia shook her head slowly, struggling to process it. "But he’s a priest. A priest of the Lunar Goddess. Why would he...?"

"He’s always been greedy," Flavius replied. "Always taking what wasn’t his. I’m sure this entire plot is just an excuse to seize Moonhill Village and everything it brings into the kingdom."

"So all this... it’s just about land and power?" Izikel muttered. "Just another man’s selfish ambition?"

All this pretense about saving their people from foreigners wasn’t for any righteous desire. It was just greed as usual.

He sighed,

"Why didn’t he do this when my father was priest?" he asked bitterly.

Sophia glanced at him, her face thoughtful. "...It’s probably because you’re not yet ordained. The soldiers yesterday must have felt confident they could move against you while your status was still uncertain." 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

"So my decision to wait until I was of age is what gave them the opening?"

Flavius shook his head. "No. This was going to happen regardless. Raynoel was just waiting for the right moment to strike."

He sighed again, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "And he’ll be back. That child never gives up. That’s why I requested Lyzah stay with you for the next few days. And I’d also like to request that Sophia be provided accommodation here as well—so she can protect both of you."

Izikel nodded slowly. It made sense. Having Sophia around could only help. He trusted her more than most people left in his life,

But there was another thought—fleeting and strange. Why am I so concerned about Lyzah’s safety?

He brushed the thought aside quickly. Do I need a reason for wanting someone to be safe?

He shook his head, grounding himself again. With Raynoel on the loose, he wasn’t safe. Lyzah wasn’t safe. He couldn’t depend on Sophia’s strength forever.

Izikel knew he needed to get stronger. If he wanted to protect anyone—let alone himself—he couldn’t afford to remain the same.

That thought reminded him of something else, something waiting deep below, in the Altar Cave. He clenched his jaw. It really was the worst possible timing.

"That’s all I had to say, Lord Izikel," Flavius said with a small bow. "If you need anything, you can find me at the Saint Quarters. I’ll be at your service."

"Thank you, Commander," Izikel replied, forcing a polite smile. "I appreciate your concern."

"Izikel, I’ll be back really soon," Sophia added as she followed the commander out.

Izikel held the smile on his face until the door clicked shut behind them. Then, without hesitation, he rushed forward and locked it firmly. He leaned against it for a moment, listening to their footsteps fade down the stone path.

Outside, Flavius paused briefly, glancing back at the door. His thoughts lingered on Izikel—the boy who wasn’t really a boy anymore.

He could see it clearly now. The cautious eyes. The decisive words. The way he protected his boundaries. Izikel was changing. He wasn’t waiting for someone else to fix things anymore. He was becoming someone capable of doing it himself.

A small, proud smile crept onto the commander’s face.

’I was right not to treat him as a child anymore’