Chapter 3110: Proof of Identity

"Your second arrival?"

It was the dark elf woman who spoke first, her expression sharpening with open suspicion. "Which realm are you from?"

Emery wasn’t surprised by her skepticism. There had been many Outsiders who had arrived in Tartarus throughout the history of the realm, many carrying knowledge of the worlds they had come from. Her doubt likely stemmed from something simpler: how rare it was for an Outsider to manage to return to their home realm at all, let alone find their way back to Tartarus a second time.

As the unofficial ambassador of the mission, Emery decided there was little reason to hide the answer.

"I came from the Magus Realm."

The woman considered his words for a moment before turning toward the king.

"We’ve heard that name before. The latest came from a group of captives, about thirty years ago." Her crimson eyes narrowed slightly. "If I recall correctly, they were tangled up with the Scourge."

Emery straightened, mildly surprised by how well-informed this particular Supreme was. The group she referred to could only be the Karat expedition, who had been caught up in the earliest emergence of the Scourge in the northern regions of Tartarus.

King Valder’s gaze settled on Emery.

"What do you say to this?"

Emery offered another respectful bow.

"Yes, Lord King. If this is the group that was held at North Star Fortress at that time, then yes, they were people from my realm. As for their involvement with the Scourge, they were victims of it, just like the infected citizens of Tartarus."

The dark elf’s expression remained skeptical, her crimson eyes fixed on Emery.

"The fact is, returning Outsiders are rare enough on their own. But there hasn’t been a single new Outsider recorded since the Scourge’s arrival. Not in twenty years. So how exactly did you get here?"

Emery carefully weighed his next words.

He could tell them about the Magus Alliance armada and the spatial bridge they had prepared to reach Tartarus, but revealing such information so early could create unnecessary complications. They had only just arrived at South Star Fortress, and while the king and the three Supremes had not shown any hostility toward them, trust had yet to be established.

For now, it was better to reveal only what was necessary.

"I have unique spatial capabilities."

As Emery spoke, he slowly raised one hand.

A faint distortion appeared in the air before his fingers. Space rippled like the surface of disturbed water, and a thin silver line suddenly tore across the empty space.

With a subtle flick of his finger, the line widened.

A spatial rift opened before him, revealing a dark, swirling void on the other side. Powerful spatial fluctuations spread through the hall, causing the expressions of the Supremes to shift slightly as they sensed the precision with which Emery controlled the unstable force.

"This is how I was able to safely return to my home realm," Emery explained calmly. "And it is also how I managed to find my way back here."

Emery’s answer was enough to stir some interest among the Supremes. After all, spatial users were rare to begin with, and most Supremes possessed at least some degree of comprehension in the Laws of Space. They could therefore recognize the profound level of understanding contained within Emery’s seemingly simple display.

Still, the female Dark Elf remained unconvinced.

"How unique could your spatial ability really be?" she questioned, her crimson eyes narrowing. "The space around us has been filled with the Swarm. How could you possibly break through them and arrive here? A mere Two-Cosmos like you..."

Her words made her suspicion clear.

She believed Emery might have had some connection to the Scourge.

Rather than arguing with her, Emery turned his attention toward the king.

"My lord, everything I said is true"

He paused briefly before continuing.

"But I owe you an apology for one deception."

Emery met Valder’s gaze directly.

"Twenty-five years ago, I concealed my identity as an Outsider and competed in the Alchemy of Heaven and Earth Tournament. I won first place and earned my place as a member of Skyroot Palace. Soon after, I had the honor of meeting you, Your Majesty, and your kingdom later sent me north, giving me the chance to help free my own people from captivity."

The king listened without any visible reaction, his golden eyes remaining fixed on Emery as he quietly absorbed the revelation.

The Dark Elf, however, remained unconvinced. If anything, Emery’s explanation seemed to have given her even more reason to question how he had managed to return to Tartarus after all these years.

For several moments, no one spoke.

It was the Sea Tide Supreme who finally broke the silence.

"This shouldn’t be difficult to confirm."

He turned toward one of the Wardens standing nearby.

"Don’t we have a Skyroot alchemist assigned to this fortress?"

"Yes, my lord. We do."

"Bring him here."

The Warden left at once. Emery remained where he was, waiting patiently and wondering whether the alchemist they were bringing would actually remember him. He had spent only a few scattered months at Skyroot Palace, hardly enough time to leave a lasting impression on everyone who had passed through its halls.

Several minutes later, the Warden returned with a round-faced, soft-featured Grand Magus trailing anxiously behind him. The man looked visibly bewildered, clearly unsure why he had been summoned to the throne room without warning or what could possibly warrant the attention of the king and three Supremes.

The moment Emery saw him, recognition struck him immediately.

Ivaris.

His old alchemist friend.

What a coincidence...

To think that he had become a Skyroot alchemist...

The once-round and slightly overweight alchemist now appeared noticeably thinner. The cheerful expression Emery remembered was gone, replaced by visible weariness and a subtle strain around his eyes. Whatever he had endured over the years had clearly taken its toll.

Seeing Ivaris alive and standing before him brought Emery an unexpected wave of relief.

The moment Ivaris noticed Emery, he froze mid-step, his eyes widening in disbelief.

"...You... Em... Brother Emery..." His voice cracked as emotion overwhelmed him. "You’re... you’re back."

Tears quickly welled in his eyes. Had the three Supremes and the king not been watching, Emery suspected Ivaris might have thrown himself forward and embraced him without a second thought.

"Explain," the Dark Elf said flatly.

Ivaris immediately straightened and began stammering through the entire account. His words came out hurriedly at first, but he gradually managed to explain how he had first met Emery during the Alchemy of Heaven and Earth Tournament, how he had later joined Emery on the northern expedition, and how they had worked together on the early formulation of the scourge detection pills.

He also spoke about Emery’s contribution to the defense of the stronghold, revealing him releasing the captive Supreme, whose role had been vital to the stronghold’s defense. He then explained how, after the battle, they had eventually left the region through the Stargate.

The Dark Elf’s frown deepened as she listened.

"If he contributed so much, why isn’t there more record of him?"

Ivaris’s face paled.

He immediately dropped to his knees, his hands trembling as he hurriedly shook his head.

"I-I don’t know. I really don’t know, my lady."

To Emery’s surprise, it was King Valder who spoke next.

"I remember now..."

His golden gaze settled on Emery once more, this time carrying a more measured and probing intensity.

"What is your relationship to the Fey race?"

Emery caught the implication immediately.

The Fey.

That must have been the reason for the gap in the official records. The Sun Guardian of the Fey had been present at North Star Stronghold before he left, and whatever information he had shared with the commanders at the time had clearly influenced what was recorded—and what was deliberately left out—of the kingdom’s reports.

There was clearly a specific reason behind it, something Emery was now increasingly curious to uncover.

There was little point in hiding it any longer.

Emery looked toward King Valder and spoke calmly.

"I am of Fey lineage..."

Emery raised both arms without hesitation. Faint green runes slowly bloomed across his skin, spreading from his arms and shoulders in intricate patterns. The markings carried the unmistakable aura of his Twilight Transformation, revealing a portion of his Fey bloodline that could no longer be concealed.

The change immediately drew the attention of everyone in the hall.

Valder studied the markings for a long moment, his golden eyes moving carefully across the glowing runes as though comparing them against a memory from decades ago. At last, he gave a slow nod.

"I see..."

The king then turned toward the Sea Tide Supreme.

The elderly Supreme remained silent, but a subtle exchange passed between the two through their gazes. Emery could not tell whether they were communicating through some spiritual technique or simply understood one another after years of fighting side by side, but there was an obvious understanding between them.

Silence stretched across the great hall for several moments longer before King Valder finally spoke again.

"I’ll have your identity confirmed with the Fey directly. Until then, you may remain here as our guest."

Emery had considered revealing more—the full scope of the mission. Yet he held it back. There was still too much he did not understand about the situation in the Tartarus realm.

For now, it was better to observe and understand the situation fully before placing all his cards on the table.

"Thank you, Lord King."

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