Erend frowned when he heard the caller's name. He wondered what was the reason Conrad suddenly called him.
But it was actually a very good coincidence because Erend also wanted to investigate him. Conrad seems oblivious to the suspicions directed at him.
"What is it?" Erend asked.
"Sorry if this is too sudden. But... I want the two of us to meet to talk about something."
"Can't you just talk about it over the phone?"
"No. This is a problem related to... The other world."
Erend was silent for a few seconds, thinking. Now, he was sure that Conrad was indeed planning something. But if he contacted him, Erend was sure that he had no intention of doing something that threatened this world.
Because he knows what Erend can do. If he really intends to do any harm to this world, Erend is his biggest obstacle.
However, he called him. That way involving Erend in his plan.
Assuming of course, he had no intention of pulling Erend into a trap.
"Alright. I have a good place for us to meet," Erend said. He intends to invite them to meet in a place he knows to avoid risks.
"Okay. Can you meet tonight?"
And so, they agreed to that. Erend immediately prepared to meet Conrad. He contacted Billy and Adrien just in case but didn't ask them to come along. Billy and Adrien were quite confident that Erend could take care of himself so they weren't worried.
Erend gives an address where Conrad can come. It was a place that Billy and Erend usually used to hang out before being busy got in the way. A pub near the harbor.
Even after this event that rocked the country, people in Slum didn't really care and just continued their activities as usual. They are busy making a living for their family, not caring if there are incidents of Gods attacking from the world of chaos.
And Erend also hopes that he can act as oblivious as them. Go back to a time when the most important issues were about living a simple, everyday life.
But that life has completely disappeared. Erend is now a Dragonborn. Creature with extraordinary strength, no longer a human who is forced to work as a soldier.
But Erend no longer thought about that. With this strength and change he can protect his family from harm. And also protect his world.
His face smiled as he stepped into the pub. The woman who owned the pub smiled and greeted him when he entered.
She asked him how he was, to which Erend answered with a simple answer. The woman then gave Erend her favorite beer, which Erend immediately drank happily.
Erend said he was waiting for someone. He then sat at a table in the corner, waiting for Conrad to arrive.
The man came half an hour later. He walked through the crowd of people who were looking at him suspiciously before sitting in front of Erend.
"This place is very busy, Sergeant Drake," Conrad said.
"Yeah. I place. It's better if we don't call people with ranks anymore. That starting to feels uncomfortable in my ears," Erend replied.
Conrad nodded. Doesn't seem to mind. "Very well."
"So, what do you want to talk about?"
Erend immediately wanted to get to the heart of this meeting. He didn't have any topics of conversation that he could talk to Conrad for small talk after all.
Conrad's face turned more serious. He leaned closer and said. "I wanted to ask about how to get across there."
Erend looked at him with an expression that was difficult for Conrad to understand.
"Why would you want to do that?" Erend asked.
"There's something I have to do there. It's very important." Conrad's expression looked troubled.
"What is that?" Erend asked again. He looked at Conrad still with the same gaze.
Erend has some kind of clue about what Conrad might want by crossing over to Eternal Earth. Maybe it had something to do with the Elf figure that Aurdis was talking about.
Erend didn't know what he should feel if that was true. Because, he feels related to Conrad.
Erend saw Conrad tightening his jaw. He knows that Conrad doesn't want to tell him much about what he wants to do. However, how is Conrad supposed to do right now except doing what Erend wants?
Finally, Conrad showed the sign of resignation. He let out a long breath then started talking.
"An Elf saved me the first time I got lost in that world. I can no longer contact her. So, I want to go there so I can meet her again."
Erend didn't supposes to know the details about the Elf that Conrad was talking about. Even at that time, when he and the others played a role in eliminating his Magic power.
He only knows that Conrad was indeed saved by an Elf in that world. He cannot reveal the fact that he knows that the Elf wants to use Conrad to carry out her desires.
"What do you mean?" Erend asked.
"You definitely know about how I was saved by an Elf and how I stole the key to their magic fountain from General Lennard, right?" Conrad said.
"My relationship with that Elf is deeper than you know. After many things happened, she broke off contact with me," Conrad explained.
Erend doesn't know what he should do now. The look in Conrad's eyes showed that he was desperate to meet that Elf.
He imagined what it would be like if he couldn't contact Aurdis anymore. It was just cut off so that he couldn't even hear her voice anymore.
However, can he let Conrad cross over to Eternal Earth?
The relationship between the Elf that Conrad was referring to and another Elf kind there didn't sound good based on what he heard from Aurdis and Aerchon's explanation at that time.
"I need time to think about it," Erend said.
"Please, Erend. I need to go there."
Conrad pleaded. However, Erend can't give any answer for now.