He knew the consequences of falling to the Abyss. He was no idiot, after all. Considering Vedrfolnir could see snippets of the future (a “Visionary” they called him), he had always been aware of his future and what it held. Still, he followed down the path he was doomed to take, doing nothing in an attempt to change it. He knew they wouldn’t work.

Blinded and imprisoned by his own king, he was at a loss. Surely no one would come to help him. Of course, he underestimated his younger brother and he was then freed by Rerir before seizing the power of the Abyss, taking it for himself. The price of using Abyssal power? That was something he preferred not to speak of. So instead, he would keep his lips sealed. He had paid the Devil’s price.

He was currently in Sumeru, walking the streets with ease despite his blindness. He had long since given up on attempting to repair his sight (his eyes had been gouged out—there was no fixing that), and instead opted to use a cane to help get around. Even so, he was silent as he walked, his presence unassuming.

Many would not spare him a second glance once they realized he was blind, and he honestly preferred it that way. The once great Visionary didn’t speak his name openly, either. When asked, he always gave a fake name, not wanting those damn Akademiya students to figure out who he was.

Unfortunately, he was too lost in his thoughts and accidentally bumped into someone. The woman—he could smell her perfume and it was far too feminine to not be a woman’s—immediately began apologizing, and was shaking her hands in an apologetic manner. He assumed so, anyway.

“I’m so sorry, sir,” she repeated for the nth time.

Vedrfolnir was silent for a moment. This woman’s voice was oddly familiar. Where had he heard it before? “Please, there is no need, ma’am. It was an accident.”

Silence before a whisper of his name—his real name—left her lips. He froze. How did she know that? How did she know who he was? As if sensing his shock, the woman immediately tried to explain.