Leo entered the ship, and the metallic gate started closing as soon as Leo took his seat inside.
Once the gate closed, the ship started rising in the air. Lancer didn't stop Leo, and simply watched the ship rise in the air.
He brought out the black crystal from his pocket. As Leo went farther, the crystal in his hand started regaining its normal transparent color.
"Stop that ship!" The ship had traveled a little distance when a person rushed out of the lift, screaming.
The man had rushed all the way, even his clothes looking like a mess. He was being followed by Kayla, who looked just as flustered.
"What is the entire upper echelon of the Finance Department doing here? Don't tell me you're chasing after an alchemist?" Lancer tilted his head sideways.
"Why did you let him leave?! I didn't even get to offer him a new contract! How will I answer the Tower Master?!"
The Finance Department grabbed the hair on the back of his head, watching the ship that was going farther and farther.
"Did you expect me to hold him against his will?" Lancer rolled his eyes. Unless Leo was declared criminal, he couldn't just hold him back, especially since he was a free man.
"No, I can't let him leave like that. He needs to at least hear the new conditions."
"I don't think he would care about them. He looked really angry when he left. It's better to just let him go,"
Lancer subtly suggested, even pushing forth some of his own thoughts.
"You don't understand. Once he hears them, he won't even dream about leaving!" The Finance Department Head sighed. "Who am I even trying to explain? I have much more important things to do."
The Finance Department Head used his own authority, and issued some instructions over his comms.
....
Timmy's ship had reached the border of the island nation. They only had to pass through the barrier after a check by authorities to ensure that they weren't smuggling anything out of the city.
Fortunately, the advancement of technology had made the checks so easy that the ships didn't even need to stop or open their gates.
There was a large gate with an opening big enough for even the largest ship to pass through.
The gate could scan every ship passing through it, inside and out. For Timmy, this was an experience that he had often gone through when entering the city. But for Leo, it was the first time going through the scan.
He had arrived in the Hero Guild's ship which didn't have to go through scans after all.
Fortunately, the scan wasn't uncomfortable. The ship passed through the scanner in an instant. Leo only felt a moment of intense heat, but before he could even feel any pain, the feeling was gone.
Once the scan was completed, an opening appeared in the barrier of the island nation.
"Finally I can leave this place. I really hope I won't have to come here again." Timmy said in relief, sitting on the captain seat.
Leo, sitting next to him, couldn't help but ask, "You don't like this place?"
"Why would I like this place? It's heaven for the strong and wealthy. But for people like us, this place just makes us remember what we don't have, and what we can't have." Timmy gave a self deprecating laughter.
"If I was wealthier, I would give anything away to live in a place like this. But beggars like us can't even afford a place like this in our dreams."
"That's true." Leo mumbled, remembering his past.
It was the first time he had come to this city, but that didn't mean this was his first relationship with this city. He felt quite bittersweet about leaving.
There was a feeling of relief that he didn't have to watch over his shoulder all the time. But there was also another uncomfortable feeling hidden beneath.
'Don't worry, Timmy. When I become wealthy, I will give you the most expensive place in this city. That's my promise...' Leo thought, closing his eyes. 'It doesn't matter how long it takes. I will become the wealthiest person in the world.'
Last time he tried to sleep, he was called out for his hearing. But this time, there was nothing to disturb his nap. Or so he thought.
Only a few seconds had passed since he closed his eyes when the ship came to an abrupt stop which sent him forward. It was fortunate that the safety belt came out of the seat, holding his body in place before he could fly through the window.
"Timmy, I know you are a talented pilot. But can you not show that talent when I'm on this ship?" Leo opened his eyes, frowning.
"I think there are more important things to worry about." Timmy was visibly trembling as he pointed ahead. "Tell me honestly, you aren't a wanted criminal, right? Just what did you do there for this to happen...?"
"What are you talking about?" Leo also looked ahead, his eyes almost popping out of their socket.
The patrol ships that were stationed around the border had all gathered before them. There were over hundreds of warships, each with weapons that can blow their ship apart in a single attack.
"You're asking me. But who do I ask?" Leo rubbed his forehead. "If they want to kill me, they wouldn't have to do it openly, right?"
"Please open the gates." An instruction came from the guarding ships.
Timmy looked at Leo, asking for his confirmation.
"Do it." Leo stood up from the seat as Timmy tapped the screen to open the gate.
He walked over to the opened gate, keeping his hands outside his pocket so that the other side won't have any excuse to shoot him, saying that he was reaching for weapons.
He had heard many such stories, which led him to be even more cautious. He also asked Timmy to keep the security camera in the ship on, and connected to the main Glitzy Headquarters.
The moment the metallic door slid down, another ship came to sight, which was stationed just parallel to their ship.
It was the top tier ship of the Hero Tower, something that even Kayla couldn't use without permission.
A bridge came out from the ship, and connected to Timmy's ship. Only after the bridge connected, the door of the other ship opened.
A man in his early thirties stepped out of that ship. He looked human, but his fingers looked more like claws from a beast.
In those claw-like hands, he was holding a glass tablet. He was followed closely by a familiar face.
"Kayla... If she is following this person, then he must be... the highest authority in the finance department. Are they here to negotiate?"