Unlike Viktor, he has a natural charisma.
¡°Are you two together?¡± he asked.
¡°No. I just ran into Nathan here. What about you? Also out enjoying the city?¡± Alice replied.
¡°I¡¯m accompanying a¡ future knight¡ she asked me for combat tips, even though she¡¯s a year older,¡± Edmund said, with a confident smile.
¡°Hehe,¡± Alice laughed. ¡°Only two weeks in and you¡¯re already going on dates?¡± She nudged him playfully.
Edmund was a talented swordsman from a renowned family of warriors, specializing in the mana transmitter category. He perfectly fit what they call a ¡®military duchy.¡¯ While my duchy is known as the ¡®farmer¡¯s duchy¡¯ for its excellence in agricultural production, Edmund¡¯s father is a famous knight, leading a special squad of Combat Mages.
¡°Nate!¡± a voice called out.
Chloe was walking towards us, now dressed in a new outfit she¡¯d just bought.
¡°Ah, everyone. Looks like we¡¯re finally seeing each other out of uniform,¡± my cousin remarked.
¡°Nathan said the same thing,¡± Alice joked. ¡°You look really nice, Chloe.¡±
Chloe laughed, and soon we were all gathered, heading to a nearby caf¨¦.
Chloe and I ordered tea, while Alice and Edmund went for sweets.
¡°Are you enjoying the classes? Even though it¡¯s basic content, it¡¯s kind of fun,¡± Edmund asked.
¡°Of course!¡± Chloe replied. ¡°For us, who¡¯ve had advanced education since childhood, it¡¯s a bit repetitive, but at least we¡¯re learning about culture and new ways to use mana.¡±
¡°My cousin Elara said even the minimum learning makes a big difference. She learned to manage her mana better and said they teach powerful spells in the later years,¡± Alice commented.
¡°I can¡¯t wait to start the dungeon excursions,¡± Edmund said, excited.
I kept my thoughts hidden while I made my analysis.
Someone was definitely watching me. I get this strange feeling every time I leave the Academy. Every time I¡¯m out on the street since my first day in Apsalon.
I took a deep breath.
Next time I feel that sensation¡ I¡¯ll use the Celestial Eyes. I¡¯ll catch this bastard with the Aspect of Time and the Aspect of Soul.
166 - Aspect of Time and Aspect of Soul
Chapter 166 - Aspect of Time and Aspect of Soul
¡°The Academy also organizes trips to explore other kingdoms, and in recent years, they¡¯ve been taking students to see the border,¡± Alice commented as the conversation continued about what we were enjoying at the academy. At some point, Edmund and I noticed the girls getting increasingly excited about the conversation, so we decided to leave them alone.
¡°Hey, Nathan,¡± Edmund said as we walked. ¡°I saw you sparring with Professor Beatrix that day. You¡¯re good with a sword.¡±
¡°I can manage a bit,¡± I replied.
Edmund laughed. ¡°If you say so¡ It¡¯s a shame we¡¯re only doing movement classes now, and the practical training has been set aside. Though those of us with prior training are still required to do it anyway,¡± he complained.
¡°It¡¯s the academy¡¯s standard; they want to train students from scratch,¡± I explained.
¡°Something tells me you don¡¯t need her training either,¡± he remarked, giving me a curious look.
We stopped and watched people passing by on the street.
¡°There¡¯s always something new to learn. But what about you? I heard your father is famous,¡± I asked, trying to shift the focus of the conversation.
¡°The old man¡¯s a great combat mage, at the same level as the professor. He¡¯s a tough teacher but a good one. He wants me to take over his special squad of knights in the future, once I officially become the Duke, but that won¡¯t happen for a few decades,¡± Edmund replied with a smile.
¡°Really? I thought they usually passed the title on once the son came of age.¡± I was surprised by that. Chloe could become the Duchess as soon as she left the academy if she wanted.
¡°Your aunt is the acting Duchess, right? So, Chloe has control over when she wants to take charge, but usually, it¡¯s up to the current Duke to decide when he wants to retire. So, I¡¯ll spend many years just being the ¡®Duke¡¯s son.¡¯ At least I¡¯ll get to enjoy life,¡± he said, laughing.
¡°That¡¯s actually a good thing,¡± I agreed.
¡°Yes, and until then, I want to become a great combat mage. We, the students of this academy, are the future of the three kingdoms, especially us high-ranking nobles. Mages aren¡¯t numerous, and talented mages are even rarer.¡±
The ratio of mages is one person in every hundred. In an army of a thousand, there would be at least ten mages. Among those ten, there would be diversity in mana categories and mage classes. Not all would be Combat Mages or Shooter Mages, and each would belong to a different mana category. Additionally, the ratio of talented mages is one in every ten mages. This means that, in every thousand people, you have a single mage at the level of Apsalon students. However, even that one mage who makes it into Apsalon doesn¡¯t compare to a high-born noble mage, naturally talented from generations of mage bloodlines.
These figures are a general average from studies on mage births. They can vary as mages marry and have families. When two mages marry, it¡¯s certain that their children will also be mages. This is why, among the nobility, there¡¯s a tendency to marry other mages, especially those with great potential.
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I¡¯ve heard of cases where nobles, upon discovering that a commoner was born a mage, tried to use their influence to marry her to establish a mage line in their family. After all, a noble mage would never marry another noble who wasn¡¯t a mage. At least, that¡¯s what those seeking to climb in the nobility think. There are limitations in power and influence that can only be reached if you¡¯re a mage.
My family doesn¡¯t care about such things, but the great families only marry mages. The royal family of this kingdom itself seeks only talented and mage partners to strengthen the lineage, as I¡¯ve heard.
¡°I heard they¡¯re going to try to recruit us as a special force for their army. They want to include the high-ranking nobles in a military squad,¡± Edmund commented.
¡°I¡¯ll refuse¡¡± I replied immediately.
¡°I figured you¡¯d say that. Someone who knows how to fight but doesn¡¯t show it must have reasons to stay hidden,¡± he said, walking away with a laugh.
This guy has a good eye¡ I shouldn¡¯t have messed around with Professor Beatrix. At least no one truly knows what I¡¯m capable of, even if they find out I¡¯m good with swords.
That same strange sensation returned as soon as I was alone.
Could it be?
I moved discreetly, trying to locate the source of the unsettling vibe.
ASPECT OF TIME! I shouted in my thoughts, and the world turned completely blue. The ambient sound ceased, and even the oxygen seemed to slow down. The world was moving at a pace that felt frozen.
¡°I don¡¯t freeze time¡ I just make it extremely slow, to the point where it¡¯s eternally trapped in this millisecond,¡± I murmured, still trying to understand how this ability truly worked. It was a paradoxical feeling, as if time expanded and contracted simultaneously. Mathematically and metaphysically, it was like my power encapsulated the concept of infinity within a single interval.
Imagine counting from 1 to 2. That interval is just one second, but the Aspect of Time distorts that reality, stretching it indefinitely. Just as there are infinite fractions between two numbers, my power prolongs that space between seconds. In a way, I was suspended eternally within an instant that, to others, would pass in the blink of an eye.
I started walking through this blue-tinted temporal dimension and passed by Edmund. I positioned myself in front of him and waved a hand in front of his face.
¡°Truly, these Celestial Eyes are too dangerous to let fall into the wrong hands.¡±
I kept running, passing by Alice and Chloe, who were sitting down. I looked at the two girls.
¡°Chloe¡ you put me in a tough spot today, making me compliment you in those provocative outfits¡¡± I murmured as I walked past them and continued on.
The entire world was blue, and the sun didn¡¯t exist. In its place was my eye. A massive blue eye occupied the place of the sun. In that dimension, only I could move freely, and those I allowed, but I couldn¡¯t abuse this ability.
When I reached the origin of the strange sensation, I stopped in front of a person standing there. He was an adult, dressed in clothes that covered his body and wearing a hat. I analyzed the man¡¯s body and saw that he was someone trained.
ASPECT OF SOUL!
The man turned pure white, and I could see his mana. This Aspect allowed me, just like Professor Adrihna¡¯s Special Eye, to see people¡¯s mana. From the moment I saw someone¡¯s mana signature, I could identify them in a crowd by activating this power. The Aspect of Soul also allowed me to detect something else: if someone had a high concentration of mana, I would immediately know if they were a mage or just an ordinary person.
¡°He¡¯s a damned mage¡¡± I said, staring at the man.
Why is a mage following me?
His face was hidden with an arm, as if adjusting his hat, but I didn¡¯t need to see his face. With his mana analyzed, I would know exactly who he was, even if he wore a mask.
¡°I¡¯ll let you follow me for a while¡¡±
I ran back to my position.
¡°This ¡®hangover¡¯ from overusing the Celestial Eyes is going to be a pain,¡± I murmured, returning to my spot. I focused mana into my eyes.
DEACTIVATE!
Color returned to reality, and the world resumed its normal pace.
¡°Let¡¯s play cat and mouse¡¡±
167 - The Truth About the Human Empire
Chapter 167 - The Truth About the Human Empire
I was in the classroom with a severe headache. Since that day when I used the Aspect of Time, the pain had returned and had been bothering me quite a bit. The Celestial Aspects had their limitations, and while I knew how to use the Aspect of Time, the Aspect of Soul, and the Aspect of Body, I hadn¡¯t fully mastered any of them yet. The Aspect of Time, in particular, was very limited in what it allowed me to do.
I couldn¡¯t make many changes to the physical world while I was in the blue dimension. What I could do with relative freedom was walk, which I already considered a great achievement. Before, I could barely enter that mode without feeling like my eyes were about to burst from my face due to the pain. Over the years, I gradually increased what I could do. In battle, I could move without my opponent noticing, and to them, it would seem as if I had teleported. However, there was the risk that the Aspect of Time would leave me defenseless afterward. Each second in that blue dimension consumed a large amount of my mana; it wasn¡¯t a power that allowed me to use it many times or for very long. So, it wasn¡¯t very practical for me to use this power in battle.
Besides consuming a lot of mana, there was the risk of damaging my Special Eyes and temporarily rendering them inactive, which reduced my elemental versatility. If I activated the Celestial Eyes while my golems were active, they would be automatically destroyed.
I also developed a secondary ability: taking someone with me into the blue dimension, as long as they were within my field of vision. They would face the same interaction limitations as I did, and even our spells would be deactivated. The only thing I could activate in that place, for now, was the Aspect of Soul, and if I tried to use the Aspect of Body, I would be immediately expelled from the blue dimension.
¡°I had class with Professor Beatrix yesterday too. She¡¯s really tough on us,¡± Chloe commented.
¡°She¡¯s famous in my kingdom. An elf with an important position in the army, and she¡¯s never lost a duel in pure swordsmanship,¡± Syvis said.
We were chatting while waiting for the professor to arrive.
¡°I¡¯ve been trying to kill her for years,¡± Thyra said casually.
She¡¯s speaking normally again. Maybe her speech changes when she uses parts of her bestial powers?
¡°I don¡¯t think you should be trying to kill a professor¡¡± Syvis murmured, visibly uncomfortable.
¡°She told me I¡¯d only be a good warrior if I defeated her, so that¡¯s the only efficient way I¡¯ve found,¡± Thyra responded, determined.
We all looked at her, and I could see Syvis rubbing her temples, clearly trying to process what she had just heard.
¡°Maybe you overinterpreted it¡¡± Syvis murmured again.
The classroom was crowded with all the students, as this was a special theoretical class, and we could all attend together. The room we were in was similar to the place where I took the test; it was a massive space that looked like an amphitheater, with our desks arranged in a semicircle.
¡°I don¡¯t want to go, Sebastian!¡± a voice shouted at the entrance.
We looked over and saw an irritated female student walking in. Behind her, another uniformed student was following, and I recognized him as a member of the student council.
¡°My dear, it¡¯s just a small event,¡± he tried to argue.
She turned and drenched him with water using magic. The knight was soaked.
¡°Is that who I think it is?¡± Chloe asked.
¡°I think so,¡± I replied.
¡°All right, Alice¡ I get your answer,¡± he said, turning and leaving.
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Chloe moved closer to Syvis.
¡°How terrible, throwing water on someone like that,¡± Chloe said, clearly uncomfortable.
You did that to me all the time! I thought, but kept the comment to myself.
Everyone watched as Alice approached a chair and sat down, visibly irritated.
¡°It must be a lover¡¯s quarrel¡¡± Syvis whispered, trying to make sense of the situation.
¡°A couple?¡± Chloe asked.
Thyra and I leaned in to listen better, and even Athena drew closer, curious. I glanced at the goddess, surprised by her reaction.
¡°What? I love a bit of gossip. Strategy is born from information,¡± Athena said with a mischievous smile. I ignored her, trying to focus on the conversation.
¡°I heard they¡¯re engaged because of an arranged marriage,¡± Syvis explained. ¡°The royal family wanted to tie another knight family to them, so the two were betrothed.¡±
¡°That¡¯s tough¡ imagine being forced into an engagement with someone? I wouldn¡¯t want that,¡± I commented, thinking about how complicated that must be.
Chloe blushed immediately.
¡°Y-you wouldn¡¯t want it?¡± she asked, clearly nervous.
¡°Of course not,¡± I replied without hesitation.
¡°W-why not?¡± she pressed, looking away.
You yourself spent your first five years dealing with engagement issues, so I think you already have enough reasons on your list.
¡°Just because,¡± I said, ending the topic. ¡°And what about you, Syvis? Will you have any responsibilities like that?¡±
¡°Not me!¡± the elf responded, her face a little flushed.
¡°Thyra won¡¯t have a problem with that. When the time is right, Thyra will kidnap her husband,¡± the wolf girl said, excited.
¡°Is that how marriage works in the demi-human kingdom?¡± Chloe asked, curious.
¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Thyra replied, shrugging.
What do you mean you don¡¯t know? Would you really kidnap someone? You¡¯re insane.
We ignored the wolf girl, stunned by what she¡¯d said, as we knew she¡¯d actually do something like that.
¡°In the elf kingdom, marriage is normal, right? Or do you also kidnap?¡± I asked, teasing Syvis.
¡°Of course we don¡¯t kidnap anyone! We¡¯re normal,¡± she replied, looking at Thyra with a look of disbelief.
At that moment, the professor entered the room through the faculty entrance near the center of the semicircle.
¡°In my species, marriage is sacred, and we choose only one person for life,¡± said Cylla, the small cat in my lap, pointing a paw at me.
I know¡ you remind me of that all the time. I¡¯m forever bound to a jealous dragon...
Marriage among Cylla¡¯s species was a soul bond, representing an eternal tie between two beings. It was a bond of love stronger than blood, as it was the soul itself that was in love with the other. I didn¡¯t want to ask how her species procreated, as I didn¡¯t see her that way, and she didn¡¯t see me like that¡ at least, I didn¡¯t think so.
¡°Good morning, class!¡± the professor greeted.
The professor, with short blonde hair with shades of brown, introduced herself:
¡°My name is Natasha Sinclair, and I am a True Human.¡±
The impact of those words was immediate. All the students started whispering, exchanging incredulous glances. The term ¡®True Humans¡¯ wasn¡¯t used lightly. It was a delicate subject, surrounded by frightening stories and ancient rivalries. Chloe and I were already familiar with the concept, thanks to Sifu, but for the other students, it was as if a monster from ancient tales stood before them.
¡°Y-you¡¯re one of them!?¡± asked a student at the front, his voice full of shock.
¡°This can¡¯t be true! This has to be a lie!¡± another student exclaimed, nervous.
¡°It¡¯s a crime in the kingdom to joke about this subject!¡± protested a third student, standing up.
Before the situation could get out of control, a firm sound echoed through the room. The door opened, and an imposing figure entered.
¡°Is that the Headmistress?¡± someone whispered.
Headmistress Victoria, the wolf woman, entered the room through the students¡¯ door, radiating authority.
¡°No one is joking about anything,¡± she declared, looking directly at the student who had protested. ¡°In this academy, you¡¯re going to learn about everything, even forbidden topics. Today, we¡¯ll have two lessons in one.¡±
Two lessons in one?
¡°By law, I¡¯m required to stay close to Professor Sinclair if she¡¯s giving a lesson,¡± the headmistress continued, ¡°and I¡¯ll also be taking this opportunity to give my own lesson, as our topics complement each other. Professor Sinclair will talk about the History of the Human Empire, and I will give a lesson on the History of the Magic Continent.¡±
The students murmured restlessly as Headmistress Victoria approached Professor Sinclair. I was interested in learning about the Human Empire, even though I was already saturated with lessons on the politics of the three kingdoms over the past ten years.
¡°Did you think a True Human would be some sort of demon?¡± Professor Sinclair asked, with an enigmatic smile.
The students, still tense, nodded in agreement.
A part of me was curious about the culture of the True Humans, even though I had already learned quite a bit from Sifu. The problem with him was that, having been raised in a monastery since childhood, his knowledge of other civilizations was limited. He knew people near the border, but his most recent contact had been during the war when he went undercover to gather information about a man named Jin Sidao.
¡°If you thought I¡¯d be some kind of demon because I¡¯m from the True Human continent, know that every child there is taught to think the same of you,¡± Professor Sinclair said as she wrote a word on the board.
¡°It all started with this word here: Norse,¡± she underlined the word firmly, capturing everyone¡¯s attention in the room.
168 - The Norse People
Chapter 168 - The Norse People
¡°I¡¯ve been a teacher at this academy for 25 years and a refugee on your continent since I was 23. I¡¯m a former priestess of the Holy Church of the Theocracy.¡±
These words caused a stir among the students. The tension in the air was palpable. The Theocracy was one of the greatest threats to our people, even more so than the Song Dynasty. While the Song Dynasty wanted to conquer the entire world, the Theocracy sought our complete eradication. To them, we were demons that needed to be exterminated.
Maybe coming to this academy is more interesting than I thought¡
¡°Because I¡¯m a former priestess of the Theocracy, even though I¡¯ve been granted refuge on your continent, I¡¯m forbidden from leaving the city of Apsalon without authorization. If I cross the gate on my own, the guards are authorized to kill me,¡± Natasha continued, pacing in front of the class.
Chloe leaned in and whispered to me, ¡°This is different from what we did with Sifu¡¡±
¡°Remember that Sifu hardly ever leaves our territory, and when he does, he¡¯s always accompanied by someone from the duchy to avoid misunderstandings due to his appearance,¡± I replied.
Sifu was a special case. He had been taken in as a young man, after fleeing persecution from the Human Empire decades ago. My grandfather personally went to the king at the time to request Sifu¡¯s adoption into our family, risking committing a crime by sheltering a True Human. With permission granted, Sifu was raised as an equal in our castle. He told me that, before his arrival, my grandfather had crossed the border to sabotage a True Human plan. At that time, my grandfather, an earth Combat Mage, found Sifu¡¯s monastery under attack by soldiers of the Song Dynasty. He managed to save the young monk and brought him to our continent. The monastery¡¯s inhabitants had been sentenced to death after refusing to share the secret of focusing Aura in the hand with the Song Emperor of the time, making Sifu a fugitive.
Natasha picked up a book, holding it before the class, and said:
¡°This is the book of my religion, the foundation of the Theocracy and the reason why they hate all of you.¡±
A book? How could a simple book be the reason for so much hatred?
The students began to murmur, intrigued.
¡°To my former people of the Theocracy, you are demons of a race called the ¡®Norse,¡¯¡± she continued, opening the book and quickly flipping through its pages.
¡°This book tells the story of my people, chosen by the Illuminated Ones.¡±
Illuminated Ones?
In my race, we didn¡¯t have gods, only sacred concepts. Family was the foundation of the Evenharts, so to us, family was the sacred harmonic concept. Our prayers were directed toward the well-being of our family, and we used the word ¡®Sacred¡¯ to bless. For example, we could request a ¡®Sacred Rain¡¯ or a ¡®Sacred Harvest¡¯ in our prayers for a good crop.
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¡°The Theocracy follows the words of the Illuminated Ones written in this book, which is why they persecute your people,¡± Natasha explained.
I quickly raised my hand, something I rarely did.
I need to know. I need to understand what these Illuminated Ones are.
She looked at me and smiled. ¡°Go ahead.¡±
¡°Professor, who are these Illuminated Ones?¡± I asked, eager.
¡°They are beings who, a long time ago, gave knowledge to my people. They were the ones who warned us about the demons called ¡®Norse,¡¯ who would come from the sea to invade our lands,¡± she said.
Beings that brought knowledge? This reminds me of Prometheus from my old world. Could there be deities in this world?
I needed to know more about these Illuminated Ones, to discover what they truly were and where they might be.
Before I could ask more questions, the Headmistress approached Professor Sinclair.
¡°Now it¡¯s my turn to add to the lesson,¡± announced Headmistress Victoria.
Wait! I still needed to know more about these beings!
The Headmistress waved her hand toward the board, which displayed an image of our continent.
¡°Unlike the Theocracy, we don¡¯t believe in deities like the Illuminated Ones,¡± Headmistress Victoria began.
Deities! She really used that word!
Suddenly, my head began to throb with an intense, almost unbearable pain. It was as if something inside my mind was awakening, something I knew lay dormant deep within my consciousness.
Stop! I screamed internally, trying to control the pain that seemed to want to spread, as if the guardian within me was stirring. My senses began to falter, growing hazy as I struggled to maintain control.
¡°We here are more like the Song Dynasty in this regard. Our belief is focused on governance. The Dynasty believes in the leadership of the Emperor and his family, while in the three kingdoms, we believe in the leadership of the Ducal families and the kings who govern them. The closest we come to a spiritual belief is in prayers for good harvests or a raise¡¡± the Headmistress concluded, laughing lightly at the last line.
She continued manipulating a book, changing the images on the board.
¡°The three kingdoms are governed by the founding families, which include even the ducal families. These families led their tribes at the beginning of our history. Elves, in particular, are the most ¡®religious¡¯; they believe in their royal family to the point of being willing to give their lives for them. To them, the royal family is the living memory of their people. To harm someone from the royal family is to guarantee the fury of their entire people,¡± the Headmistress explained.
I glanced at Syvis, recalling how I had called the Elven princess an idiot when I first met her.
My aunt and mother had already explained a bit about the history of our Evenhart family. I learned that our ancestor, along with some families, settled in the wild lands, creating the ¡®Evenhart Legacy¡¯ and founding our territory. But whenever I asked about the origins of our magical people, no one could give me a clear answer.
¡°This is where the knowledge of our continent meets Professor Sinclair¡¯s. According to her culture, we are considered invaders. For them, there never was a magical continent. To them, our continent simply appeared," revealed the Headmistress.
WHAT!?
My mind collapsed with this revelation.
How could an entire continent simply appear?
The headache returned with full force.
Damn it!
I tried to focus on the lesson, but a strange sound echoed in my mind, and I saw the white serpent slithering in the shadows of my consciousness.
Professor Sinclair spoke again.
¡°To my people, you simply appeared on our lands, like demonic beings who bend nature to your will. You were considered a blasphemy. The Illuminated Ones warned us that the demons would have the power to imitate nature, creating water, fire, earth, wind, thunder, plants, and light. Your appearance was also seen as heresy, with some of you having pointed ears, others resembling animals, and the most demonic of all were those who looked human,¡± Professor Sinclair explained.
The Headmistress then showed an image of a drawing in a cave. On the cave walls, there was a painting depicting the ocean, with a gigantic white-scaled line.
¡°The serpent¡¡± I murmured, incredulous, as I recognized the creature.
169 - The Midgard Serpent
Chapter 169 - The Midgard Serpent
¡°This topic is a bit old and complex. All we have are records from an ancient, extinct culture, from the people who created the enchanted relics. These are fragments found in excavations, written in another language,¡± the Headmistress explained.
The headache was becoming unbearable, and my vision alternated between blurry and clear.
¡°Does anyone want me to explain? I should warn you that this is considered a theory, based on what has been discovered,¡± she added.
The students exchanged glances, hesitant. Then I saw Syvis raise her hand.
¡°I want to learn,¡± she said.
I had forgotten how much she loves excavations and ancient culture.
Headmistress Victoria scratched her chin, reflecting for a moment before continuing.
¡°Scholars say that the Founding Emperor, when dividing the three kingdoms, actually imitated something that already existed or, rather, something that once existed,¡± the Headmistress began.
I interrupted before she could continue: ¡°What is the white line in the cave wall painting?¡±
I needed to understand before we changed topics.
The Headmistress looked at the image on the board.
¡°That white line was said to separate the continents. When it disappeared, the magical continent was able to join the Human Empire¡¯s continent. This is what we¡¯ve discovered and theorized; or it could simply be the stories of a forgotten people. Even scholars like Professor Sinclair haven¡¯t reached a consensus. There are many materials on the origin of our continent found on her continent¡¯s side,¡± the Headmistress explained.
She walked over to the book, turned a page, and the image on the board changed to a representation of the three kingdoms.
¡°What do you see in this image?¡±
It was an engraving on stone, showing an elven king, a human king, and a demi-human king.
¡°These are the three types of races on our continent. There are exactly three kings in this image. This image you¡¯re looking at is not recent; it was discovered in an excavation and dates back to a period before the Founding Empire. Now, how could an image depicting three kingdoms exist before the Founding Emperor created the three kingdoms?¡± she questioned.
¡°The theory is that the Founding Emperor was a great researcher of ancient culture. He was known for seeking ancient artifacts and relics. Even Asalon, the creature he tamed, was found while he was searching for monstrous creatures, like dragons.¡±
I looked down, where the cat was sleeping on my lap.
People began whispering, intrigued by the Headmistress¡¯s explanation.
¡°When the emperor died and divided his kingdom, he was inspired by what he found in ancient excavations,¡± she continued. The Headmistress moved to the next image, which showed a large tree.
¡®Sssss¡¯ A soft hissing echoed in the darkness of my mind.
Are you involved in this story? I thought, as the hissing ceased along with the headache.
¡°Around 500 years ago, we discovered a word in an unknown language. This word can be translated as ¡®Realm¡¯ or ¡®World,¡¯¡± the Headmistress explained, changing the image again.
¡°The realm called ¡®Alfheim¡¯ was home to beings with pointed ears who possessed powers of nature and light. This place may have been the origin of the high elves, who gave rise to the common elves on this continent. All we have are stone engravings showing several high elves and the word Alfheim, indicating their ¡®world¡¯ or ¡®realm,¡¯¡± she said, turning to the next page.
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The new image on the board showed a stone with inscriptions in an unknown language.
¡°The next realm is called ¡®Jotunheim,¡¯ the home of the ¡®jotun,¡¯ known as giants. They were strong people, capable of transforming into creatures much larger than a human, hence the term ¡®giants.¡¯ Jotunheim is where we theorize the demi-humans came from,¡± the Headmistress concluded.
¡®Ssssssssss¡¯ I heard the sound of a serpent emerging from the shadows. I saw its monstrous white head appear from the darkness, its eyes staring at me before disappearing back into the shadows.
What the hell is going on with you?
Was it because I overdid it with the Celestial Eyes?
The headache returned with full force but quickly dissipated.
¡°The last realm was called Midgard,¡± the Headmistress continued, as the image on the board changed.
On the board was an image of a map surrounded by a scaly white line.
¡°Midgard was where humans came from¡ or rather, magical humans. Although similar, they are different from the humans of the Human Empire because they possess mana. Midgard was the original realm of magical humans. What the Founding Emperor did, scholars believe, was inspired by these three ancient realms.¡±
I looked at it, trying to absorb the information.
¡°It¡¯s interesting, stories of ancient civilizations¡¡± I murmured.
¡°I told you!¡± Syvis said, excited.
The book they showed wasn¡¯t given as study material. I wanted both that book and Professor Sinclair¡¯s. Her book mentioned why the Theocracy hated people from my continent and talked about Illuminated Beings who had given them knowledge. I needed to find out what these Illuminated Ones were.
Is Cylla¡¯s race involved in any of this information I¡¯ve discovered? The white line in the cave painting looks a lot like the creature in my eyes. It must be that.
What I know about this creature is that it¡¯s a gigantic white serpent with a dragon¡¯s face that lived in the ocean. That scaly white line has to be it. Are the beings who helped Cylla¡¯s race involved with this ancient civilization?
I needed answers, and I was treading dangerous ground.
Cylla wasn¡¯t the only phoenix; there are more of them. She told me about an enemy that was coming, and I saw those dark figures at the dinner table when I left the place where Sisika took me. I had the vision of that dark figure with red eyes, and later, I saw Sisika helping me on that stormy night. Those dark beings weren¡¯t normal people; they were things that exuded evil.
I pondered my options. Over the years, I¡¯d tried to uncover what Cylla¡¯s race really was, but I found no material that gave me answers. Even as a high noble, I couldn¡¯t find a single document. There was no information on a race resembling humans but who were phoenixes. The situation worsened when Cylla awakened her bestial form as a massive dragon. I had hit a dead end, with many questions and no answers.
Perhaps the information simply hasn¡¯t been discovered. Are the answers in ancient civilizations?
I looked at Professor Sinclair. She approached the board and touched it, making the images disappear, leaving the board blank again. With her finger, she wrote the word ¡®Theocracy.¡¯
¡°We don¡¯t know how or when, but my people learned from the Illuminated Ones that demons would come from the sea. That was when your people were discovered. Another continent that wasn¡¯t supposed to be there previously. At least, that was the theory, as there are no records of you. In those human lands, in documents, maps, letters¡ there was never any mention of another continent connected by a border,¡± Professor Sinclair explained, underlining the word ¡®Theocracy.¡¯
¡°The Illuminated Ones left us their words of wisdom, and everything we¡¯ve followed from them worked for my people. All the knowledge we acquired through them helped our society to evolve, to organize. We learned to combat diseases by creating vaccines, methods of construction, advanced mathematics. The people of the Theocracy, who lived in a desolate land, learned to cultivate that difficult soil. We learned to create different weapons and much more through our faith in the Illuminated Ones.¡±
As she spoke, my mind went into a panic, but not because of the guardian¡ªit was because of me.
A God!? This can¡¯t be happening. What are these Illuminated Ones!?
I had to control my breathing to avoid hyperventilating.
¡°One day, the voice of the Illuminated Ones stopped giving us knowledge. They did this through our High Priests. Then things started to happen: diseases emerged, natural disasters occurred mysteriously¡ªtornadoes, tsunamis, drought, famine. Even our administration was affected. My people were guided by the Illuminated Ones in every decision, and their silence had consequences, leaving us lost,¡± she continued.
Professor Sinclair touched the board again, and a gigantic image appeared, showing the two continents. I could see the Human Empire Continent and my continent, connected by a small border.
¡°The high priests spent decades praying to the Illuminated Ones, trying to understand why they were abandoned. One day, they finally responded, saying, ¡®You have lost your faith.¡¯ This surprised the priests of that time. They fell to their knees, begging for forgiveness, claiming they had never stopped believing. All they received in response was: ¡®Then why are our Norse enemies still alive?¡¯¡± Professor Sinclair marked an X over our continent.
She looked at the somewhat shocked faces of the students, who now understood the truth behind the war.
¡°That is why my people hate you. To them, you are the demons who have infected the land and are preventing the Illuminated Ones from bringing peace. Every baby, every child, every teenager, every adult, and every elder in the Theocracy thinks this way, and killing you is considered an act of faith.¡±
She erased the board.
¡°Unfortunately, class is over. Perhaps another day, I¡¯ll explain more.¡±
170 - The Identity of the Illuminated Ones
Chapter 170 - The Identity of the Illuminated Ones
¡°Professor!¡± I was making my way down the stairs, passing some students as they were leaving.
I need more information.
Professor Sinclair was tidying up her desk.
¡°Professor!¡± I called out as I approached her.
She looked at me and smiled.
¡°The first curious one!¡± she said, smiling.
The first curious one?
Natasha seemed to understand my confusion from my expression.
¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s just a little joke I have with myself every time I teach this lesson to a new class for the first time,¡± she said, returning to her work.
¡°I wanted to ask you something.¡±
She turned to me, but before she could respond, a hand landed on my shoulder. The grinning wolf woman was staring at me.
¡°Kid! It¡¯s a diplomatic crime for your professor to talk about the Human Empire outside of class. You wouldn¡¯t want to put another neck on the line,¡± the Headmistress said, laughing.
I need to know everything! I don¡¯t care about diplomacy.
The Headmistress looked over at the professor.
¡°However, Natasha has this special little tradition she does every time she teaches her first-year students for the first time.¡±
Professor Sinclair looked at me.
¡°I always allow the first curious one to ask me a single question, and I will answer it, no matter what it is. This is a unique gift I give to this special student. So, what will be your one question?¡±
Damn! One question? You¡¯ve got to be kidding me.
My mind was racing with possibilities.
¡°Before I ask, will we have more classes about the Theocracy? I don¡¯t want to waste my one question for nothing,¡± I said.
¡°Not like today. You learned the most important part, kid,¡± Headmistress Victoria said. ¡°The main thing is to understand why your enemy wants to kill you. From now on, you¡¯ll only have lessons on the historical conflicts our people had with them and the military aspects. Professor Sinclair won¡¯t give regular classes, and when she does, she¡¯ll only cover those historical topics. What you learned about their religion today will be the first and last time. She could face a death sentence if the authorities of the three kingdoms believe she¡¯s trying to preach her old religion here."
Stupid laws¡
¡°What is your question?¡± Professor Sinclair asked.
Damn¡ if I¡¯d known this, I would¡¯ve thought it through better.
¡°Need my help?¡± Athena asked. ¡°I can come up with an excellent question¡¡±
Get out of here! I need to think fast.
Looking at the professor, only one question crossed my mind. However, I feared she might actually answer it.
¡°Why are they called the Illuminated Ones?¡±
The professor looked at the Headmistress.
Headmistress Victoria sighed.
¡°All right, you can show him¡¡± she murmured.
Professor Sinclair picked up a book from a box. I noticed it was her book, and the box had chains and a lock on it.
They lock her religious book in that? It seems there aren¡¯t many copies of it available.
¡°That¡¯s an easy question to answer,¡± she said, opening the book. ¡°They¡¯re called the Illuminated Ones because of this¡ªthese are the Illuminated Ones.¡±
Professor Sinclair showed me the image depicting the Illuminated Ones, and my heart froze when I saw them.
This can¡¯t be real...
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***
I was wandering around the school campus, asking Cylla to give me some space. I had a lot on my mind after everything I¡¯d just discovered. There was an entire people dedicated to wiping out my race, and knowing their reason gave me a strange, unsettling feeling.
So the Illuminated Ones are like gods to them¡
What I saw in that book¡ªwhat the Illuminated Ones looked like¡ªhad me genuinely unnerved for the first time in ages.
As I walked, I found an empty bench near a tree. It was rare to find a place without other students around, and I just needed to sit down and reflect on the question I¡¯d asked and the answer I got.
I sighed and headed over.
Oops, someone was already here.
There was a student crouched by the tree.
I looked around. Most benches were either taken or had others sitting close by.
Might as well stay here. I¡¯ve got too much to think about.
My mind was swirling with thoughts, trying to make sense of this world¡¯s situation. We¡¯ve always been at odds, and the last big conflict hit my family hard when my father and uncle died. I would have had a completely different life if I¡¯d had those two raising me¡ I wish I could have known that.
The war at the border held back an invasion, but that border remains on constant alert to this day. Not a single day goes by without the border being watched. The kingdoms send resources to help all the time. If that border were to fall one day, it would spell trouble for everyone.
Now I get why the army needs mages.
There¡¯s a massive stone wall at the border, reinforced by earth mages and other specialists. They¡¯ve got defensive tactics, like having water mages flood the area from above to slow down anyone who gets too close, and they even use magical seals.
¡®Sniffle¡¯ I heard a sound that pulled me out of my thoughts.
¡®Sniffle¡¯
I looked back and saw the student curled up, hiding her face in her knees.
¡°Are you crying?¡± I asked.
¡°Don¡¯t look at me¡ I¡¯m not crying,¡± she mumbled.
Oops.
I turned away and tried to ignore it.
¡®Sniffle¡¯ The quiet sobbing continued.
Teenagers¡
I stood up to leave.
¡°Wait!¡± she called.
¡°I was just giving you your space to cry.¡±
¡°I¡ I¡¯m not crying¡¡± she muttered.
¡°Well, I¡¯m not here either. Everybody wins,¡± I replied, heading off.
¡°I can¡¯t¡ let you leave. You might tell someone where I am, and I can¡¯t be seen crying¡¡±
I sighed.
¡°I thought you said you weren¡¯t crying¡¡±
¡°I¡¯m not¡ maybe¡ just a little.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t tell anyone. You could also just get up and go ¡®maybe¡¯ cry somewhere else.¡±
The crying student kept her face hidden in her knees.
¡°I can¡¯t leave¡ once I start crying, I can¡¯t stop.¡±
Teenage dramas¡ definitely not something I have the patience for.
¡°You¡¯re studying at the best magic academy in the world; why are you crying?¡± I said, sitting back down on the bench.
¡°I¡ I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be a good mage.¡±
Hmm¡ maybe that makes sense, comparing herself to the other students here.
¡°It¡¯s normal to feel that way. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. Figure out what you¡¯re good at and focus on that.¡±
I¡¯m struggling too¡ªthere are things beyond my control¡
¡°My family puts a lot of pressure on me¡ I have talented siblings,¡± she said, sniffling.
¡°So what? Don¡¯t compare yourself to them; compare yourself to you. Focus on being better today than you were yesterday. If you improve little by little, you¡¯ll overcome your challenges.¡±
That was advice that helped me over the years, something Sifu once told me. I was frustrated about having the arms of a child and the strength of an average person. It took me a while to accept that would be my power level in combat, and that I¡¯d never return to my peak. I¡¯m stuck in a human body¡ or rather, a half-elf body.
¡°Even so, I can¡¯t reach the level my siblings were at when they were my age¡¡±
¡°Can a water mage have the same training as an earth mage? Answer me that.¡±
She kept her head down.
¡°No¡¡±
¡°Then why compare yourself to others?¡±
¡°But they have the same element as me¡¡±
I guess she didn¡¯t quite get the metaphor¡
¡°I meant that it doesn¡¯t matter if they¡¯re both mages. Each has their own learning style and way of understanding how to handle their inner nature. Water and earth are different elements, just as people are, even if they share the same element. You can¡¯t force a bird to swim or a fish to fly. You need to find where you fit in and what you¡¯re good at.¡±
¡°Th-th-thank you¡¡±
At least, that¡¯s how I think the old monk¡¯s advice went¡ I might¡¯ve gotten some things wrong, but the core is there.
¡°Can I go now?¡± I asked, a bit surprised at playing the role of a mentor.
¡°You can¡ sorry about that.¡±
¡°It¡¯s fine¡ I¡¯m used to dealing with my own limitations too.¡±
I can¡¯t overdo it either, or I might end up in a place where I¡¯m no longer seen as human. The last thing I want is to be isolated again because people fear me.
I started walking away.
¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± she asked.
¡°Nathan.¡±
¡°Oh! I think we¡¯ve met before.¡±
¡°Have we?¡± I turned to see the owner of the tearful voice.
¡°Princess Melina?¡± I asked, surprised.
She quickly hid her face in her knees again.
¡°Don¡¯t look¡ my face is still a mess.¡±
The last person I¡¯d have expected to be the owner of that tearful voice was her¡ Now I understood why she didn¡¯t want anyone to see her like this.
I had to wait while she calmed down, wiping her face with a cloth. I said goodbye with a smile, but that smile was fake. I wasn¡¯t in the right headspace for this, but it wasn¡¯t her fault. It wasn¡¯t anyone¡¯s fault¡ it was the fault of the truth I had discovered.
I walked through the campus, casting a glance toward the dark forest and murmured the secret.
¡°The answer Professor Sinclair gave me¡ the reason why those beings are called the ¡®Illuminated Ones¡¯¡ it¡¯s because of what they are,¡± I whispered to myself.
¡°The Illuminated Ones are shadowy figures with glowing eyes¡ they¡¯re just eyes shining in the darkness.¡±
I took a step toward the forest and stared into the shadows. ¡°The Illuminated Ones are the beings I saw that day in my vision. The voice with red eyes and its dark minions. They are something far beyond any human¡ they radiate evil and possess, at the very least, eyes as powerful as the Celestial Eyes¡ and they were after the Celestial Eyes that are with me¡¡±
¡®Norse¡¯¡ that was the name the Illuminated Ones gave us. The creatures that want to kill my people are the same ones who desire these eyes. I¡¯m entangled in something far too big for a mere human.
I started walking back toward my dorm.
¡°What are you really?¡± I asked, knowing I wouldn¡¯t get an answer.
For the first time, I saw it move, reacting to what I¡¯d said. In the darkness of my mind, it revealed part of its monstrous head, and I caught a glimpse of it.
¡°A survivor¡¡± it murmured before retreating back into the shadows.
I was taken aback to hear it respond after years of silence.
¡°Still, that tells me nothing¡¡±
171 - Reuniting with the Fox Girl (Part 1)
Chapter 171 - Reuniting with the Fox Girl (Part 1)
A day had passed since my discovery of the truth about the Illuminated Ones. I now held knowledge that perhaps no one else on my continent knew. The shadowy creatures with glowing eyes were Sisika¡¯s enemies.
There¡¯s still the prophecy about the five-headed darkness¡
Before she vanished, Sisika told me about their impending arrival and mentioned a riddle about the future. At some point, there would be an avenging girl, a manipulative serpent, a religious man, and a young general. At that moment, the five-headed darkness would appear.
Is the manipulative serpent the creature in my eyes?
I thought it over. I¡¯d gone over her words thousands of times over the years and concluded that the manipulative serpent was also human.
She said that the four of us would realize just how small we were in the face of the coming darkness¡ This creature within my soul understands the enemy completely since its former host fought them before¡
Am I the young general in this prophecy? I think so¡ but who are the other three?
An avenging girl¡ a manipulative serpent¡ and a religious man¡
I¡¯ve dealt with oracles before in my past, and there¡¯s no escaping the message they leave behind.
I set aside my thoughts and refocused on my routine. The class I most wanted to attend, unfortunately, was taught sporadically. And yes, you guessed it¡ it¡¯s Professor Natasha Sinclair¡¯s class.
¡°Do you think something happened?¡± Chloe asked me.
We¡¯d been called to the Headmistress¡¯s office.
I looked over to see the wolf girl tagging along.
¡°If it were something important, Thyra wouldn¡¯t be coming¡¡±
¡°Hey! I¡¯m right here, you know?¡±
We kept walking, and when we arrived, I was surprised to see Syvis, Edmund, Viktor, Melina, and Alice.
All the high nobles...
Princess Melina avoided my gaze, probably because of what happened yesterday.
¡°Do you guys know anything?¡± I asked.
¡°No. The secretary asked us to wait here outside,¡± Alice replied.
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Just as I was about to sit down, the door opened, and the Headmistress appeared.
¡°Come on in. I need to talk to you.¡±
We followed Headmistress Victoria past the office staff and into her office. Once we were inside, she shut the door and went to her desk, sitting down in her chair.
Victoria fiddled with some documents and pulled out a scroll with several seals on it. I noticed that each seal bore the symbol of a different kingdom.
¡°You¡¯re all important figures within your kingdoms, and as of today, I¡¯m forming a team. I know you¡¯re capable of handling any problem, and the knowledge you possess means you could finish this academy in a year,¡± she said.
We exchanged glances.
¡°I don¡¯t understand, Headmistress. What¡¯s going on here?¡± Viktor asked.
¡°As you know, here at the academy, we operate under a military regime. From the moment you enroll, you¡¯re automatically classified as soldiers. That¡¯s why you¡¯ll all be working together with Princess Elara.¡±
So my plan to decline has been completely overridden?
¡°Don¡¯t worry; you¡¯re not being enlisted in your kingdom¡¯s army. Quite the opposite. You¡¯re being enlisted in the army of the Apsalon Magic Academy. From now on, I consider you a valuable asset as my soldiers. Your role will be to support Princess Elara if she needs it, as well as to participate in a training regimen with her,¡± the Headmistress explained.
¡°Is there any way to decline this?¡± I asked.
¡°No. This counts toward your student points. You¡¯re far too advanced for me to waste your time on simple classes. You¡¯re high nobles, and you¡¯ve received both magical and military training. That¡¯s why I¡¯m assigning you to positions where your talents will be best utilized,¡± she said.
¡°Even me? I¡¯m not very good¡¡± Melina asked.
The Headmistress sighed.
¡°You¡¯re not figures of authority here at the academy, even though you receive special treatment. Here, you¡¯re military personnel. You¡¯ll be responsible for working alongside the Student Council, since, when they graduate, you¡¯ll be the ones to take their place,¡± she explained.
Headmistress Victoria fell silent.
¡°You¡¯re dismissed¡¡± she said, gesturing with her hands.
Got it! She has this ¡®Headmistress mode¡¯ just like Aunt Margie has her ¡®Queen mode.¡¯
I let everyone go out first and was the last one to close the door.
¡°It¡¯s going to be hard not to attract attention,¡± I said, shutting the door.
We walked down the hallway.
¡°What exactly does this mean?¡± Chloe asked Alice.
¡°I think we¡¯re like members of the Student Council? I didn¡¯t really get it,¡± she grumbled.
¡°I hope that¡¯s all it is¡ªI have no interest in joining the kingdom¡¯s army¡¡± I said, and everyone stopped to look at me.
Oops!
I faced the two royal family members from my kingdom who were staring at me.
¡°With all due respect, your Highnesses,¡± I said, smiling.
¡°It¡¯s all right. I don¡¯t want to either¡¡± Melina said, looking a bit sad.
¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Alice reassured me.
Diplomatic incident avoided.
¡°Just to be clear, I have my doubts,¡± Edmund said.
Viktor walked past us.
¡°From what I understand, we¡¯re only going to train with the knights, not actually join the army. That works for me¡ªwe¡¯re getting advanced training here, and I¡¯m tired of wasting time learning basic sword moves,¡± he said, walking away.
¡°Thyra wants to fight!¡± Thyra chimed in.
We started walking again, and it suddenly hit me.
¡°Thyra! Are you a high noble?¡±
¡°No, but because of Aunt Victoria¡¯s position, Thyra has to participate in these boring things. She answers to the authority of all three kingdoms,¡± Thyra replied.
¡°Then why didn¡¯t you get an apartment?¡± Chloe asked.
We all looked at the wolf girl.
¡°Thyra already lived at the academy with the Headmistress; that¡¯s why,¡± she replied.
¡°But I invited the idiot to live with me,¡± Syvis added.
We had some free time since we didn¡¯t have to return to class, and we all split up.
¡°What should we do?¡± Chloe asked me.
¡°Let¡¯s head to the library. We¡¯ve finally finished the adaptation period, and we can reunite with someone.¡±
¡°We¡¯re going to see her?¡± Chloe asked, a smile lighting up her face.
172 - Reuniting with the Fox Girl (Part 2)
Chapter 172 - Reuniting with the Fox Girl (Part 2)
Navigating the academy without getting lost was tough. The place was divided into different areas, and we¡¯d been restricted in where we could go until we got familiar with it. Now that the restriction period was over, there was someone we wanted to see.
¡°It¡¯s been two years. Do you think she¡¯ll even want to see us?¡± Chloe asked, a bit nervous.
¡°Of course she will; she¡¯s our friend.¡±
We arrived at the library area, and we didn¡¯t have to search long. In the center of the place was a girl browsing through some books. She was blonde, with fox ears and a bushy tail.
Chloe took off running.
We¡¯re in a library, and she does this¡
¡°Kinue!¡± my cousin called out, startling the girl, who turned around with wide eyes.
When I saw her, I was surprised at how much she had changed.
Over the years, we grew up together, enjoying a childhood that the old Icarus never had, and that Kinue wouldn¡¯t have experienced if she had stayed alone in the village. Even Chloe wouldn¡¯t have had a normal childhood if I hadn¡¯t come along, and later, Kinue too. Our unlikely friendship allowed us to enjoy the best parts of life.
Despite the assassin training, or Kinue¡¯s struggles with controlling her emotions as her bestial form began to awaken, it was still a normal childhood.
¡°Chloe?¡± Kinue exclaimed in surprise, her ears perking up, showing how delighted she was.
It had been two years since we last saw our friend. She had to leave when she was fifteen because of the signs her bestial form was starting to awaken. We wouldn¡¯t have known how to help her through the transformation or teach her how to stay lucid. Kinue also had to prepare for the entrance exam, unlike Chloe and me. Not being a high noble, she had to compete for a spot, even though the professor covered her tuition. News of her acceptance into the academy brought a mix of happiness and sadness. Chloe had been devastated by Kinue¡¯s departure, but now, finally, we were together again.
¡°Wait!¡± Kinue tried to protest as Chloe pulled her into a tight hug.
We know how deadly Chloe¡¯s hugs can be¡
¡°You¡¯ve grown, Kinue, and you look so different,¡± Chloe commented with a smile.
I saw Kinue blush as she replied, ¡°You¡¯ve changed too, Chloe. You even look like you¡¯ve grown a little.¡± She gave a playful wink, stifling a laugh.
Chloe made a face, a bit annoyed. She hated any mention of her height.
I approached our fox friend. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since the three of us were together,¡± I said, smiling at seeing her up close again.
Her eyes widened when she saw me. ¡°Nate! You¡¯ve changed a lot.¡±
¡°Can I give you a hug too?¡± I asked, a bit shyly.
¡°S-sure!¡± she replied, with a slight stammer.
I pulled her into a hug and felt her tense up, but then she relaxed. Her ears twitched slightly, and, unexpectedly, her tail started wagging rapidly.
¡°Ahem!¡± Chloe cleared her throat behind me, with a jealous smile.
I let go of Kinue, who now seemed more at ease, and I noticed how much she had grown. She had become a very beautiful woman. Her blonde hair was longer too.
¡°You know, I was so happy when I heard you both were coming to the academy,¡± Kinue said, with a sparkle in her eyes.
¡°It¡¯s kind of inevitable for us. As soon as we reach the right age, we have to come,¡± Chloe replied, laughing.
We sat down at a table filled with books. ¡°Are these yours?¡± I asked, curious.
¡°They are¡ I ended up picking up the professor¡¯s reading habits after all the times I helped her buy and fetch books,¡± she replied.
They¡¯re all romance novels¡
I noticed my cousin had a delighted expression on her face.
¡°I waited so long to see you both again. When you stopped replying to my letters, I got a bit worried,¡± Kinue said.
¡°We wanted to surprise you, but when we got here, we found out we couldn¡¯t move around the academy without permission,¡± my cousin replied.
I nodded.
¡°I was pretty shocked too the first time. First-year students are confined to a single part of the academy for a few days, and only after that period are they allowed to move around more freely,¡± the fox girl explained.
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We continued talking, reminiscing about the old days and what it was like growing up in the castle. Once, we even took Kinue to scare Carnellian, and as soon as she saw the giant panther in the garden, she went pale and didn¡¯t want to walk around the castle anymore after finding out there was a murderous beast living within its walls.
Moon panthers are indeed notorious for killing anyone who bears ill will toward them. They¡¯re animals that can sense human malice.
When I told Sifu I¡¯d been guided by moon panthers while I was lost in the forest right after I received the Celestial Eyes, he shared this with me.
¡°So, where have you been staying, Kinue? Did they put you in a regular dorm?¡± I asked, noticing her shy demeanor.
¡°I was eligible for a shared room in the dormitory, but I chose to stay in the professor¡¯s apartment. I¡¯m not very good at making friends¡¡± She looked away, her ears drooping in that old familiar sign of shyness.
¡°You don¡¯t have any friends?¡± Chloe asked, surprised.
¡°I have a few classmates I talk to, but I don¡¯t really socialize much. And, after getting some¡ offers, I pulled away from everyone¡¡±
¡°Offers?¡± I asked, frowning.
Chloe seemed to understand right away. ¡°The vultures?¡± she asked, and Kinue nodded.
I was confused. ¡°What kind of offers?¡±
¡°I¡¯ve been asked to date, get engaged, even marry¡ all sorts of things. Once people found out I had the light element, a few nobles started showing up.¡± She gave a timid smile. ¡°Some even said it would be disrespectful to turn them down since I¡¯m just a commoner.¡±
So these guys see a beautiful, talented mage from a commoner background and try to take advantage? What idiots¡
I¡¯m going to get the names of every single one of them¡
¡°Who said that? I¡¯d like to have a word with him¡¡± I said.
Kinue blushed, a soft pink coloring her cheeks. ¡°No need. Professor Adrihna stepped in when she found out they were trying to use their authority. That¡¯s prohibited here since the city is neutral.¡±
Chloe clenched her fists. ¡°If I¡¯d known about this sooner, I¡¯d have plenty to say to those nobles!¡±
It looked like Kinue had been dealing with a lot of pressure. Her shyness made everything harder, and the advances from those nobles only isolated her further. She seemed more confident now, but handling situations like that was still difficult for her.
¡°Come live with me, Kinue,¡± I declared without thinking twice.
¡°WHAT?!¡± Kinue exclaimed, surprised, while Chloe stared at me with wide eyes. Both of them looked at me, shocked¡ªthey clearly hadn¡¯t expected that offer.
WAIT! I need to fix what I just said!
¡°What I meant is that we can go back to living like before, at the castle, sharing a space. We can share an apartment. Our high-noble dorm has more than one room, unlike the regular dorms. We have an apartment with three bedrooms. If you ever feel lonely, you can live with us.¡±
Chloe, always direct, jumped in. ¡°I¡¯ll move into your apartment too!¡±
I blinked, realizing that maybe I hadn¡¯t thought this through completely. After all, Kinue is a girl, and it might be a bit strange for her to live with me.
¡°On second thought, it¡¯s probably better if she lives with you, Chloe.¡±
Kinue stood up, surprising everyone. ¡°I accept¡ªI¡¯ll live with you, Nate!¡±
WHAT?
Chloe, however, wasn¡¯t going to give in so easily. ¡°I¡¯ll live with you too!¡±
I looked from one to the other, trying to figure out if this was even possible. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s¡ or can it be?¡±
¡°Of course it can,¡± Chloe assured me with a smile.
It seemed like the best solution. Kinue could reclaim some of the old closeness we used to have and would be safer, with the company and presence of high nobility by her side. Even if we were in different classes, we could help her.
¡°Alright, then. Starting today, we¡¯re living together,¡± I announced, finally deciding.
Hmm¡ Wait a minute. Why are both of them blushing?
***
¡°Hey, Nate! Did you forget you already have a woman living with you? Why¡¯d you invite two more?¡± Cylla asked, a hint of irritation in her voice as she nestled into the bed beside me.
¡°But which one of them shares a bed with me?¡± I replied, a playful grin on my lips.
¡°D-don¡¯t say it like that, you¡¯ll make me embarrassed¡¡± Cylla murmured, shrinking a little but quickly settling back down.
¡°But it¡¯s true. Every night, you¡¯re right here by my side,¡± I answered, reaching out to stroke her head, the softness of her fur bringing a familiar comfort.
She purred softly, seeming pleased. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll allow the two of them to live here. After all, I¡¯m the one who lies next to you every night,¡± Cylla said with a possessive air, her claws kneading the bedspread as she made herself comfortable.
¡°Let the bird-girl know I¡¯m the one who sleeps beside you every night, too,¡± teased Athena, the Goddess, appearing suddenly next to the bed with a mischievous look.
I ignored Athena, used to her sudden appearances by now. Cylla, however, narrowed her eyes suspiciously. ¡°Why did you just glance at empty space?¡± she asked, already wise to Athena¡¯s visits after all these years.
I collapsed onto the bed, exhausted. ¡°Just ignore it. I¡¯m going to rest for a bit; I¡¯ve got class later,¡± I replied, trying to shift the focus and relax.
Cylla drew closer, her golden eyes fixed on mine. ¡°I¡¯ve noticed you¡¯ve started using the Celestial Eyes again. Don¡¯t push yourself too hard, Nate. You know how much they drain you. You¡¯ve got a long way to go before you can use them naturally. Even I, with the Aspect of the Body, get exhausted if I overdo it. Be careful.¡±
Her words, full of concern, echoed in my mind as I thought about the last time I could really train intensely. Since entering the academy, those moments of deep practice had become rare. Back in those days of freedom, I could isolate myself in Cylla¡¯s cave, where the silence and darkness allowed me to focus and develop each aspect of my powers. Now, training was done clandestinely, in the shadows of the early morning, and I couldn¡¯t afford to overdo it.
Each aspect¡ªBody, Soul, Time, Space, Life, and Death¡ªcarried its own unique challenges and a crushing weight. I hadn¡¯t even unlocked all of them, only a few.
The Aspect of the Soul was the easiest to master, but Time, that particular aspect seemed to toy with the very fibers of my being, leaving me exhausted each time I tried to manipulate it. Yet knowing it could suspend seconds, manipulate the flow¡ªwas too tempting to ignore.
The true enigma for me has been the Aspect of the Body. Unlike the Aspect of Time, which drains me physically and mentally, the Aspect of the Body works in a much more complex and peculiar way, making its mastery a genuine challenge. I take a deep breath and close my eyes, focusing on the persistent ache throbbing in my mind.
Every time I get close to understanding an Aspect, it¡¯s as if something inside my head fractures¡ªan invisible crack that deepens with each step forward. I feel that crack widening as my mastery of the Aspects grows, each new achievement bringing a sharper sting, a deeper ache. It¡¯s as if something is breaking open, forcing its way through. The pain burns, constant but bearable, although it seems to grow more acute as I progress.
I suspect it¡¯s connected to the creature that rests somewhere within my mind, like a dormant presence, lying in wait. This guardian, or whatever it is, seems to be a crucial piece of the puzzle I¡¯m trying to solve. With every mastery, I feel like I¡¯m awakening something¡ªa distant, unsettling echo that stirs with each step, as though the Aspects and this creature are intertwined in ways I don¡¯t yet understand.
173 - Training the Aspect of Time
Chapter 173 - Training the Aspect of Time
I woke up to an unexpected smell filling my apartment.
¡°Food?¡±
I got up, gently nudging aside a cat that had been lying with her head on my stomach. When I walked out of my room, I was greeted by a surprising sight: a beautiful fox girl in the kitchen, wearing a maid¡¯s apron and smiling as she focused on cooking.
¡°Kinue?¡± I said, a bit startled. For a moment, I¡¯d forgotten that she now lived with us.
After discussing it with Professor Adrihna, she had obtained permission to move in without any issues.
¡°Good morning, Nathan. I¡¯m making breakfast for all of us,¡± she replied, stirring the ingredients with practiced precision.
¡°You don¡¯t eat at the dining hall?¡± I asked, curious.
¡°I don¡¯t like it¡ there are too many people there,¡± she answered, with a slight hesitation.
I get it. That place can be chaos with the morning rush.
¡°Don¡¯t worry. Whenever we¡¯re free at the same time, we can have lunch here together,¡± I suggested.
She smiled and went back to tending to the stove. I looked around and saw a full breakfast spread¡ªbread, fruit, juice, everything laid out perfectly. Kinue was plating some eggs, moving with the grace that only came from years of experience.
¡°Good morning¡¡± Chloe appeared, still half-asleep but quickly waking up at the sight of the set table.
¡°Kinue, did you make all this?¡± she asked, clearly impressed.
Kinue sat down and motioned for us to join her. ¡°Just because I¡¯m not living with you guys at the castle anymore doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ve set aside my skills as a maid. I need to reclaim my position,¡± she said with a determined look.
She still wants to hold on to her maid role, even here?
Before I could respond, an insistent ¡°meow!¡± echoed through the room. A gray cat came running over, leaping straight onto the table.
¡°Car-Ca-Carnellian!¡± Kinue gasped, pointing at the cat with wide eyes.
Oops! They didn¡¯t see each other yesterday.
Chloe and I exchanged confused glances, unsure of how to explain that the little panther was, in fact, our resident phoenix. By the time Cylla started going through her bodily transformations into dragon form, Kinue was no longer living with us.
¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not Carnellian,¡± I reassured her. ¡°She¡¯s just a cub, and she¡¯s tame¡ at least with people she knows.¡±
¡°That smells amazing! The food is so fragrant,¡± Cylla commented directly to me. To everyone else, it probably just sounded like a meow.
The panther climbed onto a chair, and Kinue watched her warily.
¡°She¡¯s¡ tame? Are you sure? Moon panthers can wipe out an entire village¡¡± Kinue muttered, visibly nervous.
¡°Couldn¡¯t you do something similar? You must be at the age where you can transform at will,¡± I said, trying to steer the conversation.
¡°That¡¯s different¡¡± Kinue replied, still uncertain.
¡°Don¡¯t worry, Cylla¡¯s tame,¡± Chloe assured with an encouraging smile.
Kinue stopped, giving us a puzzled look. ¡°Cylla?¡± she asked, glancing between us as if seeking confirmation. And naturally, Cylla gave us a look that seemed to say, Now what?
Why didn¡¯t I think of this sooner? Of course, to Kinue, the name Cylla refers to the phoenix.
¡°Well¡ actually, this panther cub is our Cylla,¡± I admitted.
Cylla hid her face in her paws. ¡°I¡¯m not theirs, I¡¯m yours¡¡± she murmured, curling up as if suddenly embarrassed.
Why are you getting shy after saying something like that?
Kinue¡¯s eyes widened in even greater confusion as she cautiously approached the panther. ¡°What? How is this possible?¡± She tilted her head, leaning closer to whisper to the cat, ¡°Are you the little fire-breathing bird?¡±
Cylla let out a tiny burp, and a small flame escaped her mouth, making Kinue step back.
¡°Moon panthers don¡¯t do that,¡± she exclaimed, eyes wide in shock.
¡°Exactly,¡± I said, trying not to laugh. ¡°We¡¯re still keeping the phoenix a secret. She managed to disguise herself pretty well as a Carnellian cub.¡±
Kinue let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad she¡¯s not a real moon panther. They¡¯re¡ lethal.¡±
Technically, Cylla is even more dangerous than any moon panther, I thought. But there was no need to say that out loud.
Kinue looked at Cylla thoughtfully, then picked up a piece of steak from her plate and offered it to the little panther. ¡°I made this for myself, but I remember how much you loved meat,¡± she said, holding out the steak to Cylla.
Cylla¡¯s eyes lit up with enthusiasm as she eagerly began to eat, clearly enjoying the treat.
Problem solved!
***
¡°It was actually fun eating with Kinue,¡± Chloe remarked as we walked through the bustling hallways.
¡°Yeah, it really brings back memories of when we were younger,¡± I agreed, watching students hurrying off to their respective classes.
¡°Do you have the same class as me this morning?¡± I asked, double-checking our schedule.
¡°Yes! My first class is Combat Healer,¡± Chloe replied, a smile lighting up her face.
¡°Perfect! That¡¯s my first class too,¡± I said, pleased to know we¡¯d be sharing it.
Chloe seemed genuinely happy about it, and we made our way to the classroom together. Cylla, still half-asleep, was nestled in my arms as I carried her along the hallway.
Suddenly, I heard someone murmur, ¡°The cute boy is passing by.¡± I glanced around and noticed a group of girls whispering and sneaking glances at me.
Wait¡ me?
Chloe noticed and gave my arm a quick tug.
¡°Don¡¯t pay attention to that,¡± she advised, steering me forward.
The Healer Mage classroom was a large, semi-circular amphitheater with rows of seats descending toward the center. We quickly found our friends, Syvis and Thyra, who had saved us seats and were waving us over.
¡°We saved you guys seats. Not that anyone would dare sit next to us,¡± Syvis joked with a hint of sarcasm.
I settled in next to them and noticed Edmund across the room. He was surrounded by a few students, likely other nobles, who were hanging on his every word as he explained something with deliberate hand movements.
¡°Looks like he¡¯s already building his network,¡± Syvis observed, catching my gaze. ¡°Edmund mentioned he¡¯d use those more opportunistic nobles as stepping stones to connect with others,¡± she added.
Before I could respond, raindrops unexpectedly began falling from the ceiling. The students looked up, confused, noticing several floating orbs dripping across the room.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
¡°I apologize to everyone,¡± the professor, a stern-looking older man, announced. ¡°If a single student loses focus during my class, you will all get wet.¡±
¡°My name is Harrison Cavanagh,¡± he continued, his deep voice resonating through the amphitheater. ¡°Today, we begin our journey into the realm of Healer Mages, one of the most vital classes in our society. But before we start, I need confirmation: is everyone paying attention? I¡¯d prefer not to have to give you all another unexpected shower.¡±
The students, eager to avoid a repeat performance, nodded emphatically in unison.
¡°Thyra hates getting wet for no reason,¡± Thyra grumbled.
Harrison moved to the magical board on the wall and, with a tap of his finger, projected the first page of our book, enlarged and vivid for all to see.
He instructed us to retrieve our own books from our storage bracelets. As the books materialized in our hands, we followed along, ready to delve into the explanation.
¡°Let¡¯s start¡ with the basics,¡± he said, pointing to the image on the board as the fundamental concepts of healing magic appeared before us.
¡°There are many types of mages,¡± the professor explained, ¡°but Healer Mages are, without a doubt, among the most unique. A water mage can be a Combat Mage, a Shooter Mage, or a Healer Mage. The first two depend mainly on the mage¡¯s mana category, but the last one¡ that depends on whether your mana has healing properties.¡±
He turned the page in the book, and the image on the board changed to reveal a mage beside three floating orbs: one blue, one yellow, and one green.
¡°Having mana with healing properties is incredibly valuable in our world,¡± Harrison continued. ¡°There are only three elements with this capacity: water, plant, and light. These elements are special, and two of them happen to be exclusive to elves and high elves.¡±
As he spoke, the magical board now displayed the image of an injured person with a mage beside them, hands outstretched, forming a sphere of water around the wound that emitted a soft, comforting glow.
¡°There¡¯s no specific rule to determine if your mana will have healing properties,¡± he explained. ¡°It simply happens. A Combat Mage could unexpectedly discover this healing ability. Remember, a Healer Mage is always in demand, and there¡¯s never a shortage of work for them. Every noble superior has Healer Mages among their subordinates because the importance of this talent is immeasurable.¡±
I closed my eyes for a moment, allowing my mana to flow through the channels of my body, winding through each unexpected curve as it slowly made its way to my eyes. Something peculiar awaited me there. Even after years of living with this ability, the mystery within my mana channels was still difficult to grasp. It was an intricate network, like an Ouroboros¡ªthe serpent devouring its own tail¡ªan infinite cycle, turning endlessly without beginning or end.
This structure of channels intertwined in a chaotic way, almost like deep roots. They didn¡¯t flow in a straight line but seemed to form a complex barrier, hiding something deep within my mind. Something buried, something I was only beginning to glimpse.
At the center of this web, a subtle light shimmered¡ªextraordinary in its brilliance. I could feel its presence, concealed beneath layers upon layers of tangled energy. This glow¡ I knew what it was. Or at least, I had a strong suspicion: it was the Mana Gem of the serpent-dragon. The threads of mana coursing through my body seemed to stretch out like living roots, reaching toward that hidden light, as if trying to connect to this unknown power. I understood what they were doing... just as my mana channels had rooted themselves in my eyes during the awakening of my Special Eyes, they were now trying to reach and attach themselves to the Mana Gem of the creature.
Is this the power beyond the Celestial Eyes that Sisika spoke of? The Mana Gem of the creature, hidden deep within my own essence¡ what would happen if my mana channels finally connected with it? Would I start drawing power directly from the serpent-dragon?
The mana channels were slowly organizing themselves, as I mastered the Celestial Aspects. It was as though my control over these powers was clearing the way, untangling the knots, and opening a path for my channels to finally touch the hidden Mana Gem.
I exhaled, feeling both excitement and apprehension building. I knew there was far more to this power than I could yet understand, but that wouldn¡¯t stop me from moving forward. It was time to begin the training.
I threw the pencil into the air and, focusing all my will, shouted in my mind: ASPECT OF TIME!
The world around me took on a new hue¡ªa deep, intense blue, as vast as the ocean. Reality froze, stretching as if time had become an infinite elastic, compressing and expanding in a flow I could barely conceive. All sound vanished, immersing me in absolute silence, but there was something else¡ªa distant murmur, almost like a song muffled by a veil, suggesting the presence of an invisible crowd around me.
¡°What happened?¡± Cylla asked, jumping off my lap, surprise evident in her eyes.
"I¡¯m training the Aspect of Time," I responded. "But normally, I don''t bring you inside the frozen time with me."
The sound of time around me was like a distorted symphony, as if waves were crashing in slow motion while simultaneously retreating, creating a hypnotic effect.
"Today, I''m going to train with you here," I said, as I observed the room. Everyone was completely motionless, paralyzed in the same position, oblivious to the frozen time.
"Wait, you¡¯ve started training again? This isn¡¯t good for you," Cylla said, concerned.
"Lately, I''ve been... training a little. But only for about one or two minutes," I explained.
"This is dangerous, Nathan," she told me.
After discovering that the beings known as the Illuminated were the same enemies of Sisika''s people, I had grown more anxious and decided I needed to sharpen my use of the Celestial Eyes.
"Five minutes is enough to drain all my mana at once. I don¡¯t want to run out of mana, so I limit my training to no more than two minutes. My goal is to increase how long I can keep time frozen. To do that, I need to reduce the amount of mana it consumes per second. And the only way to achieve that is through practice. Today, I¡¯m pushing myself to handle the pressure of keeping another living being here with me."
"Besides," I continued, my thoughts growing more complex, "I need to train in an environment with as many frozen people around me as possible. I want to understand if the number of living beings frozen in time affects the mana consumption or the stability of this power. Does having more people frozen strain my Celestial Eyes? Or is the effort the same, regardless of the number of individuals affected?"
The bluish glow of the sun filtered through the window, casting an almost ethereal light across the room. I knew exactly where that glow came from¡ªit always appeared when I invoked the Aspect of Time. It came from the sun.
"I hope you''re not using this to peek at girls in the bath," Cylla said, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.
"What? Of course not!" I exclaimed, shocked. "It''s exhausting to use this power, and you think I¡¯d waste it on something so trivial?"
She studied me for a moment, her golden eyes narrowing further as if trying to detect any hint of deception. "I''ll believe you... for now," she said, her tone playful but with a hint of seriousness.
I was sitting in the chair, beginning my usual exercises, testing the limits of frozen time. A pencil floated mid-air, immobile, caught in the eternal moment. I reached out, trying to grasp it. Something strange happened. My hand passed through the pencil, but at the same time, it didn¡¯t. It was like trying to grab something that was there but could never truly be reached.
"It¡¯s as if the distance between us is stretched to infinity..." I murmured, analyzing the situation. "Infinity! The distance is being compressed and expanded, placing the concept of eternity between me and the pencil. Even though it¡¯s so close, it''s separated by an eternity. No matter how hard I try, I¡¯ll never be able to touch it."
It was a disturbing, yet fascinating sensation. I began to grasp the profound implications of what was happening¡ªthe sheer magnitude of manipulating time. The concept of proximity and touch didn¡¯t exist in any simple way in this state.
Trying to touch someone would be even more dangerous. The effect would be an unbearable pain, futile to endure since, in the end, I would never be able to break through the barrier of infinity.
"So, I''m not really sitting in the chair¡ I¡¯m sitting in the infinitude between my touch and its physical matter?" I muttered to myself, still reflecting on how this power interacted with the physical world.
"The sun..." I whispered, "It''s like the sun itself has become my eye. When I use the Aspect of Time, I feel like everything is subjected to it, like this all-seeing gaze is observing, immobilizing everything. Maybe the key to mastering this power is understanding why that eye appears¡ªwhy it manifests as a symbol above all else..."
Cylla approached, observing the frozen world around us in silence. Everything seemed like a still image, captured in the instant I had imposed: birds hanging motionless in mid-flight, students paused mid-laughter, the professor caught mid-lecture. Everything, living or inanimate, was trapped in this frozen moment.
"There¡¯s something I¡¯d like to test, but I¡¯m still too weak for it," I said, turning to Cylla, who watched me with curious, sharp eyes.
"What is it?" she asked, her voice filled with curiosity.
"I want to know what would happen if I ran as fast as I could. Time is frozen everywhere, right? But I don¡¯t actually know if that¡¯s true. The most logical deduction is to think that it is, but that would be almost omnipotent. Yet, even with this immense power, it¡¯s limited by the absurd amount of mana it consumes. I need to understand more about the limitations¡ªhow far I can move within frozen time. For instance, with you in your panther cub form, I can bring you into this place. But when we tried it in your dragon form, it didn¡¯t work. That shows me there¡¯s a limit to the power level I can carry with me in this state."
Cylla stared at me intensely as I continued reflecting.
"I need to know," I went on, "what happens if I move fast¡ªreally fast. Is there a radius of effect? A boundary that determines how far I can freeze time before it starts unraveling?"
"Nathan... this is dangerous. You shouldn¡¯t toy with the Celestial Aspects like this," she warned, her voice laced with concern.
"It¡¯s fine," I tried to reassure her, offering a small smile to ease her worry. "I''ll just sit here and think about how it works. No risky experiments today."
I gave one last glance at the pencil, still hovering mid-air, completely immobile. It both fascinated and challenged me.
"Could I reduce the ''infinity'' of frozen time? If I manage that, the speed at which things seem paralyzed might slow down..." I muttered, mostly to myself.
"Don''t tell me you''re thinking of..." Cylla began, but I interrupted her, confirming her guess.
"That''s right," I said. "Instead of completely stopping time, I want to slow it down¡ªjust enough so that things still move, even if only barely. After that, I want to see if I can apply this effect to a specific area. Instead of freezing the entire world, I¡¯d like to focus the effect on individual objects or people."
Cylla looked perplexed, but before she could respond, my eyes were already drawn to the sun outside¡ªthe giant, watchful eye in the sky.
"The answer is in that sun-eye out there, and I need to understand it." I took a deep breath, closing my eyes and focusing my mind on the immense power I sought to control.
"I''ve got two minutes... two minutes of pure hell." The familiar tension settled in, that anticipation of the pain I knew all too well, but I was ready. "I''m going to try to activate my mana in this space where it refuses to flow. Every time I''ve tried, the pain has been almost unbearable. But maybe, if I can understand the mechanism, I can uncover the secret behind the Mana Gem of that creature."
As I prepared myself, the heavy silence around me seemed to hum with hidden energy, as if the very air was brimming with anticipation. I knew each second would be a fight, but I also felt that I was getting closer to the answer I sought.
174 - Healer Mage
Chapter 174 - Healer Mage
In the end, I failed. I could barely hold my mana for 5 seconds within me. I couldn¡¯t surpass the limit of using magic inside frozen time. I tried for 1 minute, and it was pure hell.
After that excruciating minute of pain and agony, Cylla¡¯s voice echoed in my mind, scolding me. And she was right. Forcing the Aspect of Time was painful, but I was concerned. There are forces in this world that lurk in the shadows, and they are dangerous. To many, the deities of the other continent are merely beliefs in something nonexistent, upheld by the faith of their followers. But I¡¯ve seen them. I know they are real.
I saw beings with red eyes in the darkness. In that place, there were shadowy servants around a dinner table, and one of them sensed my presence¡ªa woman with eyes glowing pink. These dark figures are not mere myths; they are real.
¡°Don¡¯t ever do that again, Nathan!¡± Cylla reprimanded me again, her voice heavy with concern.
I sighed and tried to shift my focus. "Time to get back to class¡" I muttered, concentrating on feeling the flow of mana in my eyes while the world around me remained frozen.
The class before me was completely still, paralyzed in time, like statues. The answer to the power of my eyes was so close, yet so far from me. Over the past years, I¡¯d managed to extend the time I could stay in this state, from mere seconds to five minutes. Then, it evolved into something that allowed me to bring others with me. However, I still hadn¡¯t fully grasped the potential of my eyes.
In addition to learning to use the powers of the Celestial Aspects, I discovered that they possess their own levels of mastery, capable of expanding their power. There are more mysteries hidden within these eyes than I can currently comprehend.
Now was the final test of this little training session. I placed my hand near the floating pencil, and I could feel the trajectory of its infiniteness, an invisible energy pulsing around me.
¡°I can¡¯t alter the temporal rhythm of something,¡± I muttered to myself. ¡°I can¡¯t place my hand beneath the pencil if, originally, it wasn¡¯t there. I can¡¯t interfere with the object¡¯s ¡®time.¡¯¡±
My hand stayed motionless in the air, unable to interact. I pulled it back slowly, feeling the slight tingling that always accompanied these attempts.
¡°Things must follow their original time, even when I reestablish the flow of reality,¡± I continued thinking aloud. ¡°So, my theory of using an object to push someone in frozen time is as futile as trying to commit an assassination in this state. I can¡¯t. I¡¯m merely an observer in this space.¡±
This was something I needed to fully understand. I could walk through this space, move as if the world were frozen, but I couldn¡¯t alter anything significant. When time resumed, everything proceeded as normal. For others, it would be as if I had ¡®teleported.¡¯
I shifted in my chair, already knowing the pain would come when time resumed.
Does the pain come from the excessive mana drain? My body feels as if a large amount is being siphoned all at once when time resumes, and that¡¯s likely what causes the discomfort: my mana gem suffering from an instant drain. At least I¡¯m here for about two minutes...
¡°Come on, stay in place,¡± I murmured to Cylla, who had already jumped into my lap, lazily stretching.
I began counting silently, preparing for the impact. ¡°3¡ 2¡ 1¡¡± I whispered.
DEACTIVATE!
I felt the connection to the Aspect of Time snap abruptly, like a rope being cut. The blue dimension dissolved around me, and reality started to readjust. Colors returned to normal, sounds slowly came back, and the world continued on its course, as if nothing had happened.
The professor was explaining the lesson, pointing at an image on the board that depicted an elven mage holding a plant.
¡°Let¡¯s begin with the requirements to become a Healer Mage. The first mandatory requirement is elemental affinity. I mentioned earlier that healing mana can only manifest in three elements, and that¡¯s a universal rule. The second requirement is that the mage must possess only one natural element. For us humans, healing mana can only manifest within the water element, which is why the elven kingdom has the highest number of Healer Mages in the world. Elves, besides having water element mages, can also have plant element mages, which are the most powerful for healing. Furthermore, some superior elves possess the light element. In the elven kingdom, Plant Healer Mages are more advanced and efficient than the Water Healer Mages of the human kingdom.¡±
I wanted to think of new scenarios and experiments for the Aspect of Time, but I decided to let it go for now. Messing with it too much affected my mana channels. The more I used the Celestial Eyes, the worse my control over my Special Eyes became. It was a temporary effect, but it still disrupted me.
I need to give the Aspect of Time a break. I can¡¯t keep training with it nonstop¡
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The professor switched to another image, showing a demi-human and a human.
¡°To reiterate for those who missed it, the human and demi-human kingdoms can only have Water Healer Mages, and they must be fortunate enough for the water mage to possess a healing property in their mana to specialize as a Healer Mage. Meanwhile, in the elven kingdom, there can be Healer Mages with the water, plant, and light elements. That¡¯s why the elven kingdom has a far greater number of Healer Mages, making them a magical powerhouse. Even healing potions originate from their kingdom.¡±
So, the elven kingdom is vital. In the event of a war, they would control the primary supply of healing potions and possess a large number of Healer Mages.
Professor Harrison flipped the page again, showing an injured person.
¡°Healing properties also exist in other types of magic, such as the monstrous trees found in the elven kingdom that create the crystals used to make healing potions. These trees are said to have healing mana because they grow in soils where elven mages with healing properties used their plant and water elements for millennia. The trees absorb mana from the ground and develop their own, stronger healing mana, which we harvest in the form of crystals. However, that¡¯s just a theory. It could be that these trees naturally have healing mana, similar to some mages. No kingdom tries to remove them from their natural habitat for testing because we could lose an important resource for potions. Since these trees are rare and few in number, they remain in their habitat, and in elven culture, they are considered part of their natural world, so they cannot be relocated.¡±
I followed along in my book, paying close attention to the lesson.
I doubt Cylla¡¯s Aspect of Life is related to this.
¡°Now, let¡¯s see how powerful healing magic truly is,¡± the professor said, flipping the page once more.
The board now displayed an image of a wounded boy, followed by one of him completely healed.
¡°Our healing magic uses our mana to accelerate the body¡¯s natural healing process. This is effective for healing cuts, blade wounds, and even arrow injuries. However, healing magic cannot regenerate a severed organ or a missing finger. If you''re unfortunate enough to lose a finger in battle or training, a Healer Mage can reattach it and stimulate the healing process to reconnect it. But there are limits. If you''re cut in half, nothing can be done. Some injuries are too severe to heal, or the treatment would take a prolonged time.¡±
He flipped to the next page, which displayed a blue potion and a red potion.
The professor was continuing his lecture.
¡°It¡¯s not possible for a Healer Mage to create healing water and sell it as a potion. As soon as the mage stops channeling their elemental mana, it loses its healing properties. This is why healing potions are so valuable¡ªyou can carry them with you wherever you go.¡±
It¡¯s unfortunate about that limitation. Otherwise, any Healer Mage could be a walking factory of healing potions. This is what makes those monstrous trees so special; their crystals contain a pearl used to create healing potions.
That pearl contains a liquid that likely stores part of the tree¡¯s healing mana. Only the cat tribe can extract the pearl from the crystal, as it forms in random locations, and if the crystal is broken incorrectly, the pearl becomes useless for potion production.
¡°If you¡¯re in this academy, you likely already know whether or not you possess healing mana. But we¡¯ll conduct the test regardless. Those of you who have only the water or plant element, come forward and pour your mana into this sunflower. If it reacts and turns toward you, it means your mana has healing properties.¡±
A line formed as students began walking toward the table where the professor conducted the test. Even those who already knew the results went ahead to participate. Of course, he didn¡¯t call on those with the light element, as only high elves possess it, and at the academy, the only high elf students were Saint Tiffania Brawen... and myself. However, I didn¡¯t have healing properties due to having more than one element.
¡°I can¡¯t wait for lunch¡¡± Thyra grumbled.
Syvis had just completed her test. She had mentioned being torn between becoming a Shooter Mage or a Healer Mage. I discovered she had an affinity with the plant element and was an emitter. This piqued my curiosity since, until then, the only person I knew who used that element was my mother¡ªand she was a summoner. As for me, I could only use the plant element because of my Special Eyes. Another interesting fact was that there were no other summoners with the plant element besides my mother and me. This anomaly was due to us bypassing the elemental restrictions, which made our combat style different from elves who possessed that element through other mana categories.
I was eager to see how Syvis would fight as an emitter. Summoners and emitters share the same casting pattern, but a pure plant emitter must have a greater affinity for direct attacks, something neither my mother nor I specialized in. Additionally, each mana category has exclusive spells, and Syvis, being an emitter, likely had a unique combat repertoire. I also learned that, over the years, there had been a greater variation in species and techniques within the plant element, which made everything even more fascinating.
Like my mother, I possessed the plant element of the high elves, granting me the unique ability to create plants, like flowers, from nothing. Ordinary elves, in rare cases, might have the luck of generating living plants, but most could only manipulate vines or wood, limiting their combat and magical tasks. Since we descended from high elves, both my mother and I could create plants of all kinds, from delicate flowers to large trees.
However, this ability wasn¡¯t limitless. There were restrictions on what we could create. If we had a seed, we could accelerate the growth of the plant contained within, expanding our range of attacks and defenses. It was a well-known technique among elves, so much so that many carried specific seeds to use as weapons, inducing their growth in battle and rapidly creating powerful and versatile plants.
The major difference between my mother and me, compared to other elves, was our skill as summoners of the plant element. While ordinary elves could only accelerate the growth of a seed, we possessed the unique ability to create a wider variety of plants from nothing and modify seeds in ways they could never achieve. As summoners, we had the power to completely alter a seed¡¯s structure and generate something entirely new from it. I was still learning and didn¡¯t yet have full mastery over this ability, but my mother... she was a true prodigy.
From the time I was a baby, I was surrounded by the carnivorous plants she created, and I can say with certainty¡ªthose things are terrifyingly alive. My mother had been feeding each of them with her living summoner mana for years, and what was most impressive was that she even talked to them, calling them her ''daughters.'' In a way, these plants were an extension of her magic, reflecting her incredible ability to manipulate the plant element in ways that even the most experienced high elves couldn¡¯t replicate.
175 - The Beautiful Girl of the Academy
Chapter 175 - The Beautiful Girl of the Academy
After class, we headed to the cafeteria. I had to split up from Chloe, who went to fetch Kinue.
"You seem to be pretty popular, Edmund," I commented.
"Ah, Nathan, you''re mistaken, my friend. I just follow the good old rule of being friendly with everyone," he replied with a smile.
Friend?
As we walked down the corridor, several people waved at Edmund, greeting him warmly.
"I have this dream of forming my own special squad of knights one day, to impress my old man."
I noticed that while some people greeted us, others avoided eye contact the moment they saw me walking beside Edmund.
Am I scary? I¡¯m trying to be friendly...
"Why do people avoid looking at me?" I asked, confused.
"Are you kidding, haha?" Edmund burst into laughter, placing a hand on my shoulder.
I didn¡¯t get it.
Edmund seemed to pick up on my confusion by the look on my face.
"Let¡¯s just say, my friend, that you¡¯ve been blessed with your appearance. Notice it''s mostly the girls who look away. I¡¯m good-looking too, not going to be modest about that. But you..." He gave me a once-over and then looked straight ahead. "You''re on another level. But I make up for that with charm, and it works. You should try it one day; you''d have girls swarming you."
I glanced down at Cylla, the cat, who was staring up at me with narrowed eyes.
I¡¯d definitely be in trouble if I tried that...
"Better not," I responded.
Edmund chuckled again.
"Once you¡¯ve been here long enough, when the social barriers drop, you¡¯ll see people start to approach you more."
"Is there really such a strong social divide between high nobles and common nobles?" I asked.
I had never paid much attention to it before.
"Of course there is. We¡¯re nobles of ancient lineage. Our families have been stewards of these lands long before the Founding Empire even existed. The other nobles became politicians, but we were born into this. They have to fight to maintain their positions as barons, counts, and so on. We, high nobles, will never lose our standing, and we¡¯re far more talented in magic than most."
There are two kinds of nobility: political nobility and nobility by wealth. Edmund was talking about the political kind. Some families are privileged to hold lands and have tended to them for generations, while my family rules over an entire territory, with everyone in it serving as our vassals. To put it simply, high nobles are like kings and queens, while the lower nobility occupy ranks beneath us. Even though Aunt Margie is a Duchess in all three kingdoms, she¡¯s regarded as a queen in our territory.
I¡¯ve never really cared much about who¡¯s noble or common.
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"By the way, I made friends with a student from another class who mentioned the Student Council. They¡¯re planning to visit us during one of our combat lessons soon. I bet they¡¯ll try to recruit us," Edmund explained.
"It has its perks, making friends with people from other classes," I noted.
"The recruitment will be different from what the headmistress did. We¡¯re soldiers of Apsalon Academy, but the council will try to recruit us to serve in the kingdom¡¯s army. I heard they even train students who are interested."
Apsalon Academy was the perfect place for military recruitment. Everyone here had exceptional magical talent. Serving in the kingdom¡¯s army wasn¡¯t mandatory, but a voluntary service. It only became obligatory during major crises, but fortunately, we lived in peaceful times.
"I''m thinking about accepting their offer, but only if it''s for a special team. There''s no way I''m starting out as a Recruit Knight," Edmund said.
"Is there any real benefit to starting training with them now?" I asked.
Edmund paused for a moment, considering.
"When we graduate from the academy, we automatically receive the rank of Recruit Knight, which takes most mage soldiers years to achieve, and for many, it''s the highest promotion they ever get. If they¡¯re offering us a position now, it means we¡¯ll be entering with a higher rank than just Recruit Knight. Especially if we get into the Asalon Knights team, we could be promoted by the end of our studies," he explained.
I remembered my time in the army.
Climbing from soldier to general was a real struggle, especially under the training of Professor Ares. That God of War had an insane training regimen.
I glanced down at my uniform and let out a small laugh.
If Ares saw the fine clothes the students of this military academy wear... he''d probably kill everyone.
We arrived at the cafeteria and grabbed our food.
¡°Nate! Today I want fish,¡± Cylla said.
As my familiar, Cylla had the right to a meal, but she always liked to ask for different things.
¡°I think you¡¯re getting old, my friend, haha,¡± Edmund teased.
¡°Old?¡±
¡°You¡¯ve got a long white strand in your hair.¡±
Damn it...
I just played it off with a laugh as we headed toward a table and sat down. My hair had grown a bit, and the longer strands were starting to stand out.
"I''m glad we''re finally getting released from the confinement period today, and we''ll be able to spend the weekend at our house in the city," Edmund commented.
The academy allowed students with homes in the city to spend the weekends with their families. However, during the week, there was a strict curfew. The academy had a rigorous military regime, and we weren''t allowed out on weekdays, especially since, as we progressed through the years, we''d have nighttime activities.
¡°Is your family staying in the city too?¡± I asked.
"Just the servants and my stepmother. I tried to visit them during the week, but our district is too far away, and it wasn¡¯t worth the trip.¡±
I found his words a bit odd.
¡°Stepmother? Did your mother... pass away?¡±
"Of course not," he laughed. "My father just has a few wives."
"I see."
Who in their right mind would want more than one wife? One must be more than enough work.
I glanced at the cat, happily munching on her fish next to me.
I still have a soul wife...
"I''m thinking of training this afternoon before heading out. Want to spar with me? I¡¯ve been curious to fight you ever since I saw you take on Professor Beatrix."
Just as I was about to answer, I noticed the students around us whispering, many casting glances in a specific direction.
¡°No way¡¡± Edmund murmured.
¡°What is it?¡± I asked, trying to see what he was looking at.
¡°One of the most beautiful girls in the academy just entered the cafeteria. Even the princesses of our kingdom don¡¯t usually eat here. Their servants, who also study at the academy, usually prepare their meals for them.¡±
It¡¯s true. I almost never see the princesses outside of class. Syvis is the only one I¡¯ve ever seen eating here.
Edmund tracked her every move with his gaze, clearly captivated. I wasn¡¯t nearly as interested, partly because my view was partially blocked by a pillar, but also because of another reason...
A certain cat was glaring at me.
Cylla had her eyes on everything, and I could feel the weight of her jealous stare.
¡°She¡¯s coming this way. Looks like she¡¯ll sit at a table near us. I¡¯ll start a conversation. Let me show you how it¡¯s done, my friend. We¡¯ve got these good looks; might as well use them,¡± Edmund said confidently.
He''s saying all this with Cylla right here... this guy''s insane.
I stroked the cat, trying to keep the peace.
She knows it¡¯s him talking, right? Not me.
¡°Oh! She¡¯s coming to our table,¡± Edmund said, nudging me with his elbow.
The girl was getting closer, but I still couldn¡¯t quite make out who it was.
¡°Excuse me, may I sit here?¡±
As soon as I saw who it was, I felt a wave of relief.
¡°Of course, Kinue,¡± I replied.
She took a seat, and I internally sighed, grateful to have dodged the jealous gaze of a certain dragon.
Cylla, realizing it was just Kinue, resumed her meal, calm once again.
176 - The Power of the Aspect of the Soul
Chapter 176 - The Power of the Aspect of the Soul
Soon after, my cousin Chloe arrived, and I noticed Edmund giving me a curious look.
"Pleasure to meet you, miss. My name is Edmund Valemont," he said confidently with a charming smile.
"Pl-pleasure..." Kinue responded shyly, clearly a bit uncomfortable.
"Kinue, this is our classmate as well. He lives in the dorm," I added, trying to ease the tension.
Edmund glanced at me for a moment, then at Kinue, as if trying to piece something together.
"You two know each other?" he asked, still intrigued.
"We grew up together... I''m one of his family''s maids," Kinue explained.
"What!?" Edmund exclaimed, visibly shocked.
He nudged me slightly with his elbow, wearing a grin that suggested he was formulating his own theory about the situation.
"Now it makes sense why you ignore the stares from the other girls..." he whispered to me.
"It''s not what you''re thinking, my dear friend," I tried to clarify.
She is a maid... but a warrior maid...
We continued eating and chatting about our weekend plans.
"And you, Kinue?" Chloe asked.
"I¡¯ll probably stay at the dorm," Kinue answered, a little hesitant.
Chloe seemed to think for a moment.
"Why don''t you come spend the weekend with us? It''ll be more fun than staying at the academy," Chloe suggested.
"Are you sure? Your Aunt Katie will be there, and I don¡¯t want to intrude on your first weekend together," Kinue replied, sounding concerned.
"It¡¯s no problem at all," Chloe reassured her with a smile.
Edmund gave me another look, this time as if he was starting to piece together more details.
"Aunt Katie?" he whispered, intrigued.
"She¡¯s my mother," I clarified.
Edmund nudged me again, this time with a mischievous grin.
"Nathan, you''re clever. I thought you were just a simple guy... but turns out I had a real contender next to me this whole time," he teased, clearly enjoying the banter.
"It¡¯s not what you¡¯re thinking..." I repeated, a bit more serious this time.
"Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t tell anyone. But it seems like everyone¡¯s looking at us anyway."
When I glanced around, I noticed that some students were indeed casting curious glances in our direction. Apparently, Kinue''s presence in the cafeteria was a rare sight.
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I got up after finishing my meal, noticing that our usual companions, Thyra and Syvis, still hadn¡¯t shown up.
They must be stuck in some practical lesson, I thought.
I dropped off my tray at the cleaning station and headed toward the bathroom to brush my teeth.
"Hello..." a girl greeted me as she passed by.
"Hello," I responded politely, not paying much attention, and continued walking.
The girl rushed back to a group of her friends, and I noticed them all whispering excitedly to each other.
I didn¡¯t understand what was going on.
***
We were waiting outside the academy for the arrival of the carriage. There was a mix of emotions in the air: the younger students were eager to reunite with their families, while the older ones, already familiar with the routine, seemed calm, ready for another weekend at home.
"Kinue, did you pack extra clothes in your storage bracelet? Don¡¯t forget anything," Chloe reminded her, always mindful of the details.
"Yes, I packed everything. I always carry emergency clothes with me," Kinue replied, holding a small bag.
Since Kinue was a demi-human, she needed clothes specially adapted for her, especially because of her tail. That made it difficult for Chloe to lend her any clothes. During our childhood, Professor Adrihna would always bring extra clothes when visiting Kinue, as it was hard to find demi-human clothing in the human kingdom. In Evenhart territory, not even in our main city were such clothes available, as we were the last civilized frontier before the Cursed Sea. Usually, demi-humans who traveled to the human kingdom stayed in the Royal Capital. Fortunately, the city of Apsalon was diverse, with shops catering to all species, making life easier for Kinue.
And then, once again, that strange sensation...
Someone was watching me. It felt as though a technique was being used, something I suspected was a lesser version or derivative of killing intent. Whoever it was, their focus was entirely on me, gradually trying to destabilize my mind and diminish my awareness of the surroundings.
This kind of technique, though inferior to real killing intent, had a clear purpose: assassination. Someone wanted to overwhelm me mentally, flooding my mind with this malicious energy like a snake paralyzing its prey with venom before striking. The assassin mage was trying to slowly numb my awareness, preparing me for the final blow.
It was a subtle and dangerous technique, meant to chip away at one¡¯s senses. I only realized I was being affected because of my past life, having been raised in an environment where death and violence were constant companions. Naturally, anyone from my family was trained not to feel primitive fears, and this technique was meant to overload the brain with a creeping sense of dread.
I continued chatting with the girls, not letting on that I was aware of the threat.
This technique might work on a normal person, but I¡¯m no ordinary person. I¡¯m the greatest user of this art that¡¯s ever existed. Even without the Aura, I master killing intent through mana. While this technique is inferior to the original power, it¡¯s still effective.
It was clear that this mage wanted to kill me.
SOUL ASPECT!
Reality shifted, and I began to see the world differently. Now, the distinct outline of my stalker stood out from the crowd walking along the street. Using the Soul Aspect, I kept the assassin in my line of sight without them knowing, ready for any sudden movements.
As I observed Cylla, who was sitting beside me in her panther cub form, I noticed that she was completely invisible to the Soul Aspect. Her mana perfectly mimicked that of a baby Carnellian panther.
The power of her Body Aspect is impressive, capable of even replicating the mana of the creature she¡¯s transformed into.
"So, you noticed¡" Cylla said to me. "The person watching us."
I hadn¡¯t mentioned anything about the stalker to her.
Part of me considered that this might be some observer from the elves or perhaps the human kingdom. I wasn¡¯t entirely sure how my diplomatic situation worked, so I hadn¡¯t acted against the stalker up until this point. But now, it was crossing a line.
Now it was clear: you want me dead. Someone merely watching wouldn¡¯t use such a specific technique. You¡¯re a trained assassin.
The carriage arrived, and I boarded, keeping the Soul Aspect active.
By coincidence, I¡¯m also an assassin¡
I focused on my pursuer, who was watching me enter the carriage. His technique had been deactivated, likely because he needed to have me in his line of sight.
But even through walls, I could still see his mana with my Soul Aspect.
Time to play with you a bit.
I rested my head against my hand.
The punishment for anyone who dares to harm me or my family is death.
177 - The Assassin Maid
Chapter 177 - The Assassin Maid
¡°My son!¡± my mother exclaimed, leaping towards me and pulling me into a tight hug.
She immediately began showering my face with affectionate kisses.
¡°Mom¡ that¡¯s enough,¡± I tried to say, uncomfortable with so much attention.
¡°It¡¯s never enough,¡± she replied, planting one last firm kiss on my cheek before finally letting go of me.
Next, she wrapped my cousin, Chloe, in an equally warm embrace.
¡°I¡¯ve missed you both so much,¡± she said, visibly emotional.
My mother then crouched down to greet Cylla, who was in her gray cat form.
¡°I¡¯ve missed you too,¡± she said, stroking Cylla¡¯s head, which earned a contented purr from her.
¡°It¡¯s only been a few days, Auntie,¡± Chloe laughed at the exaggerated reaction.
¡°For me, it felt like an eternity,¡± my mother responded, her tone full of affection.
Suddenly, she glanced behind us, her face lighting up.
¡°Kinue?¡±
¡°I came too, Auntie¡¡± Kinue replied shyly.
My mother hurried over to hug the fox girl with just as much enthusiasm.
¡°You¡¯ve grown so much these past few years. Have you been eating well? You¡¯ve got the body of a woman now,¡± my mother teased, causing Kinue to blush deeply.
¡°I¡¯m seventeen now... that¡¯s why,¡± Kinue mumbled, slightly embarrassed.
¡°I¡¯ll ask Martha to prepare something for us,¡± my mother said, heading towards the kitchen. ¡°So, how have things been at the academy?¡±
We walked into the house and began telling my mother about our daily life at the academy. Martha greeted us with a warm smile, and Kinue was especially happy to reunite with her former teacher. The two quickly dove into a conversation about battle training, discussing whether Kinue had kept up with her practice.
My mother looked genuinely proud as we recounted the wonders of the academy and everything we had learned. She never had the chance to attend a traditional academy; from what I knew, she learned magic on her own and later enlisted in the Evenhart military, where she gained her military training.
As the conversation drifted into topics full of feminine chatter I didn¡¯t quite understand, I quietly excused myself.
¡°Martha?¡± I called out as I headed toward the kitchen.
¡°Young master, do you need something?¡± Martha asked, always attentive.
¡°I need to talk to you about something private,¡± I said, my tone turning more serious.
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Martha raised an eyebrow at me.
¡°Is this about advice on how to talk to girls?¡± she teased, smirking.
¡°No¡ it¡¯s about our work. There¡¯s a little rat we need to take care of.¡±
Without hesitation, Martha grabbed a long knife from the counter, her expression instantly becoming serious.
¡°Tell me everything,¡± she said, ready for action.
Chloe Evenhart:
Kinue had gone upstairs with Cylla to find a room, and I took the opportunity, while Nate wasn¡¯t around, to have a conversation with Aunt Katie. I¡¯d been wanting to ask for her help for a long time, but I could never gather the courage.
¡°Aunt¡¡± I began hesitantly.
She was talking to me about things in the duchy, mentioning that my mother had left a few days ago to handle some important matters, probably related to Nate. My mom once told me that his situation was complicated because he was an elf.
¡°Aunt Katie, I need your help,¡± I finally said, summoning every ounce of courage I had.
My aunt frowned slightly, curious.
¡°Is it something about the academy? I can help with what I know, but I¡¯m not too familiar with other races,¡± she replied, trying to guess.
¡°No¡ it¡¯s not about classes,¡± I said, feeling my face heat up. ¡°I need help¡ with Nathan.¡±
She looked at me with a teasing smile.
¡°Oh?¡± she nudged me playfully. ¡°What kind of help?¡±
I tried to brush it off, but ended up laughing at her playful tone.
¡°You know¡ about my feelings?¡±
¡°And who doesn¡¯t?¡± she laughed.
¡°Is it really okay with you that I like him?¡± I asked nervously.
Aunt Katie glanced around, making sure we were alone.
¡°You already know what your mother and I did years ago, so you already know my answer. That decision was made when you were just five years old.¡±
¡°But it¡¯s different¡ you did that to protect us. I want to know, if that situation hadn¡¯t happened, would you still let me¡ be with him?¡±
¡°No.¡±
¡°WHAT?!¡± I asked, shocked. My heart pounded in my chest when I heard her answer.
She laughed, pinching my cheek.
"I would never let my son be with anyone," she said, smiling.
I looked down, not knowing what to say.
¡°But,¡± she continued, ¡°I¡¯ll make an exception for you. I know you¡¯ll take good care of him, and I need more eyes to watch over that boy.¡± She winked at me.
I tried to hold back my smile, but I couldn¡¯t. Happiness filled me at hearing those words. A part of me had felt guilty because of the arranged engagement, but now, I felt relieved.
¡°Aunt Katie¡ thank you,¡± I said, giving her a tight hug.
She returned the hug, kissing the top of my head.
¡°So, what kind of help do you need with him?¡± she asked, curious.
I had almost forgotten, I was so nervous, hehe.
I glanced towards the kitchen, making sure Nate wasn¡¯t around.
¡°How do I make him realize I like him?¡±
¡°Everyone realizes you like him,¡± she answered bluntly.
I felt my face flush with embarrassment.
Did she have to be that direct¡ this is so embarrassing¡ I¡¯m dying of shame.
¡°You-you know what I mean¡ how do I get him to notice me? I¡¯ve tried everything.¡±
She placed her hand on my shoulder, her expression softening.
¡°I can help you, but there¡¯s something you need to understand first,¡± she said.
¡°What?¡± I asked.
Aunt Katie glanced around again, making sure we were alone, and leaned in closer.
¡°Your mother and I considered telling him about the engagement, but we weren¡¯t sure how he would react to you.¡±
¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked, confused.
¡°Would you prefer we tell him about the engagement before you confess? That was the dilemma we faced. The moment we knew you had feelings for him, we couldn¡¯t tell him.¡±
¡°But why couldn¡¯t you tell him about the engagement? I still don¡¯t understand.¡±
Aunt Katie paused for a moment, thinking.
"Chloe, if we told Nathan, we¡¯d be overriding your feelings. You need to tell him how you feel without him knowing about the engagement. It will be much more meaningful if he responds to your true feelings without that pressure."
I understood what she meant. I didn¡¯t want Nate to respond to me just because of the engagement. I wanted him to respond based on what he truly felt.
"I think I get it, but what do you think I should do? How do I even approach something like this? I¡¯ve tried expressing my feelings a little, but it seems like he¡¯s always running away."
Aunt Katie leaned in closer.
"Then don¡¯t let him run away. Corner Nathan in a way he can¡¯t escape. It¡¯s the only way to catch a runner."
I nodded in agreement, but as I realized what I¡¯d have to do, my nerves started to kick in.
It''s the only way! I need to make that silly boy give me an answer!
178 - Testing My Assassin Stalker
Chapter 178 - Testing My Assassin Stalker
Nathan Evenhart:
We were exploring the bustling streets of Apsalon, walking down a busy avenue filled with all kinds of shops. The city was known for its many factories and companies that exported goods to the three kingdoms, with stores catering to both locals and tourists. I had never seen so many hurried people, many carrying paper bags filled with equipment or food.
My stalker is hidden somewhere in the crowd.
Unfortunately, I had to step out and expose my family to danger just to act normally while analyzing my stalker more closely. The truth is, each one of them was a deadly warrior, so I wasn¡¯t too worried. Besides, I was constantly observing them to ensure their safety. My main objective was to discover why I was being watched, what they wanted from me, and whether I was the only target.
At that moment, my mother was nervously examining my head.
¡°This is happening much faster than I thought,¡± she said, clearly worried.
We had stopped near an alley while Chloe, Kinue, and Martha went into a shop. Even Cylla went along, probably because she knew Martha would buy her some treats from the stalls if she asked.
That little cat is quite clever.
¡°Is it really that bad, Mom?¡± I asked, trying to hide my own concern.
¡°Bad? Bad doesn¡¯t even begin to cover it, it¡¯s awful,¡± she replied, her attempt to hide her worry betrayed by her smile as she showed me a strand of silver hair.
My hair was turning silver again, much faster than I¡¯d anticipated.
¡°That magical dye was supposed to last at least two months in your hair. It¡¯s barely been a month, and it¡¯s already turning silver again.¡±
The first silver strand had appeared after just over two weeks...
¡°This is really bad...¡± I muttered.
She glanced around, making sure no one was nearby, then went back to inspecting my hair.
¡°I¡¯m going to have to talk to Adrihna about this. We used the best dye available; there¡¯s nothing else in the world that works better.¡±
¡°And now?¡± I asked, feeling the weight of the situation.
She stopped messing with my hair and looked at me seriously.
¡°You¡¯re going to have to dye your hair at least every 15 days to keep it black. We¡¯ll need to buy more dye. I bought enough for two years, but at this rate, it won¡¯t last even six months,¡± she said, rubbing her temples.
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My mother took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.
¡°Every 15 days? I¡¯m doomed. I¡¯ll have to constantly dye my hair,¡± I sighed.
¡°We¡¯ll need to talk to Adrihna to figure this out. And the worst part is, I bought a two-year supply because I know the production is limited, and the demand is high...¡±
And there¡¯s the cost... I thought, calculating that it would cost me one gold coin every 15 days.
At least this won¡¯t come out of my allowance...
My mother continued to smooth my hair with her hands.
¡°How many silver strands are there?¡± I asked.
She laughed nervously.
¡°Too many! I can¡¯t even count them...¡±
Sensing my worry, she pulled me into a hug.
¡°At least now you¡¯ll always have an excuse to come spend the weekend with me. I¡¯ll have to help you dye your hair,¡± she said, trying to lighten the mood.
¡°I¡¯d always come spend the weekend with you,¡± I replied, trying to reassure her.
My mother released me from the hug, but a new concern crossed my mind.
¡°What about when I¡¯m on academy missions and need to be away for a few days?¡± I asked.
Her smile faltered for a moment.
¡°Let¡¯s hope that by the time those missions come around, we¡¯ll have sorted out your diplomatic situation,¡± she said, trying to hide her anxiety.
***
"Are you sure you''re going to eat all of that?" I asked, glancing at Chloe''s plate, which was piled high with food.
"Of course! I got a bit of everything," she replied, full of enthusiasm.
We were at a restaurant where you could build your own plate from a wide array of options, creating a personalized meal. Chloe, captivated by the variety, had loaded her plate with all sorts of meats. I did the same, though the meat I selected wasn¡¯t for me¡ªit was for the cat sitting on my lap.
¡°Girls need to eat properly,¡± Cylla said, noticing my gaze as she devoured her portion with gusto.
I glanced between the two of them, both happily savoring their meat, and I had to hold back from making a comment.
For my own sake, it¡¯s better not to mention that they look like wild cannibals.
My mother and Martha joined us with their plates, followed closely by a shy Kinue.
Kinue also likes meat, just like Thyra.
¡°I like this kind of restaurant. It feels like a feast with all those buffets,¡± my mother said, clearly enjoying herself.
Martha¡¯s plate was also piled with meat, but unlike the others, her steak was still bleeding. The sight of her smiling as blood dripped down the side of her plate reminded me of the time I saw her extracting information from someone.
She had the same smile then... I thought, trying to shake off the memory.
¡°I really like this meat. It¡¯s from an animal we don¡¯t have in our territory,¡± Martha said, satisfied.
Martha was dressed in her usual maid¡¯s uniform, something she rarely took off, even in casual situations.
¡°I¡¯ve only been here once before with Professor Adrihna. I knew this place would be a hit,¡± Kinue said, pleased with the restaurant choice.
¡°When are the girls coming back? I miss them,¡± my mother asked.
¡°If the academy schedule doesn¡¯t change, they should be back next week,¡± Martha answered.
Natty and Catty were on an excursion with some students in the demi-human kingdom. The academy liked to promote these trips to encourage cooperation between the kingdoms.
¡°Are you planning to stay here in Apsalon until the end of the year, away from Hugo?¡± Kinue asked Martha.
¡°The pain of missing someone is a kind of torture too,¡± Martha replied, laughing.
Chloe and I exchanged glances, choosing not to continue the topic. Even Kinue fell silent.
¡°He¡¯ll be visiting me soon. Hugo is coming to the city with Lady Margaery. He¡¯s dying to see the girls,¡± Martha added.
¡°Is there any chance my mom will come? I thought we wouldn¡¯t see her until the holidays,¡± Chloe asked.
Martha and my mother exchanged looks.
¡°She¡¯ll have to come to the city for a work meeting with some important people,¡± my mother replied.
¡°At least it¡¯s here in Apsalon, so we can see her,¡± I commented.
The cat casually swiped more meat from my plate, without a shred of shame.
¡°What¡¯s the meeting about? She rarely leaves the territory and usually sends someone in her place,¡± my cousin pressed.
¡°Grown-up business,¡± my mother said, clearly ending the conversation. We understood there was no point in pushing further.
179 - The High Elf Professor Visits My Home
Chapter 179 - The High Elf Professor Visits My Home
Chloe Evenhart:
We were at home, and tomorrow we would have to return to the academy. Yesterday''s outing was a lot of fun; we got to visit some tourist spots around the city. There was even a tour showcasing the magical factories in operation, but unfortunately, we couldn''t attend since it required prior booking, and the weekends were always packed.
While we were resting at home, I reflected on the conversation I had with my aunt about how to handle my feelings for Nate. I thought about inviting him to visit a shop with me, but before I could, it was already time to leave. Aunt Katie had been visibly worried when she noticed a strand of silver hair on his head.
Back in the comfort of our home, I spent some time talking with Kinue about the academy. Finally, we managed to regain the closeness we had before. For a long time, Kinue had remained distant, only communicating with us through letters, but now, the three of us were reunited once again.
My friend had always been very shy around strangers, but after living with us at the castle, she had learned to open up a bit more. Martha, inspired by the lunch we had at the restaurant, prepared a special pork dish for dinner, which even Cylla wanted to partake in. She didn¡¯t need to eat much since stabilizing her condition, but I suspected she ate more for pleasure than necessity.
¡°How did this happen, Adrihna?¡± Aunt Katie paced nervously around the room, clearly worried.
We were all in the living room while Professor Adrihna examined Nathan''s hair.
¡°It¡¯s much worse... I never imagined it would turn out like this,¡± the professor said, running her fingers through his hair.
¡°The dye was supposed to solve the problem, but it seems it only made things worse. When I checked yesterday, it wasn¡¯t this bad. Now there¡¯s a large patch of silver strands, more than before,¡± Aunt Katie added.
Nathan remained silent, allowing the professor to conduct her examination. Adrihna was using her special eyes to assess his body, even touching the spot where his Mana Gem was located.
¡°Katherine, this is new to me, so my diagnosis isn''t final,¡± the professor began.
Aunt Katie sighed and sat down, trying to calm herself.
¡°Were you able to figure out what¡¯s happening?¡± she asked.
I watched the two of them, trying to better understand the seriousness of the situation. We knew it wasn¡¯t time for Nathan to reveal his silver hair yet, but I didn¡¯t fully grasp why. Aunt Katie had once explained to Kinue and me that there were prohibitions against relationships between nobles from different kingdoms, depending on their positions. However, one of their ancestors had broken that rule to run away with the person they loved.
I found the story a bit romantic¡
I learned that Nathan was in a complicated situation because he belonged to two different political nobilities, and they were trying to announce this to the other kingdoms in a way that wouldn¡¯t seem like a political move. Unlike Aunt Katie and Kinue, who had only inherited the abilities, he had inherited not only the skills but also the silver hair of the High Elves, which could reveal his identity before any diplomatic agreements were made.
¡°Why has Nate¡¯s hair turned silver again so quickly?¡± Kinue asked, watching the professor adjust her monocle and place her hand on his abdomen.
Professor Adrihna could really stop touching him so much¡ She may be nearly 200 years old, but to us, she looks young, and on top of that, she¡¯s very beautiful¡
I chuckled internally, realizing I had just thought that.
¡°The hair of High Elves is silver due to the difference in our mana. Just as demi-humans have distinct animal traits, like ears and tails that reflect their species, common elves have pointed ears. But High Elves, besides having pointed ears, also have silver hair. This is part of the intrinsic biology of our race, and there¡¯s no way to change that. I didn¡¯t know the dye would lose its effect so quickly. No High Elf has ever dyed their hair before, so we had no knowledge this could happen,¡± the professor explained.
Professor Adrihna stood up, letting her usually tied-up hair fall loose. The long, silver-gray strands cascaded down, and they were so stunning that even I felt a tinge of envy. In that moment, my teacher truly looked radiant.
She¡¯s really beautiful¡
"The truth is, this isn¡¯t hair," she said, catching everyone off guard.
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"What do you mean?" Nathan asked, confused.
Adrihna held a strand of her hair between her fingers.
"Look at how ¡®perfect¡¯ it is by human standards. It always looks flawless, even when ¡®dirty.¡¯ That¡¯s because our hair is, in fact, mana channels."
The revelation intrigued us all.
"That¡¯s never been mentioned in class..." I murmured, feeling even more curious.
The professor smiled, shaking her head slightly.
"It¡¯s a little secret reserved for our species. We don¡¯t talk about it with just anyone. What happens is that our hair is actually physical extensions of mana channels, which instead of flowing invisibly through the soul, have become physical in a part of us¡ªour hair¡ªbecoming part of our bodies. That¡¯s why it always looks beautiful. It reflects our spiritual connection to mana," she explained.
Nathan and I exchanged confused glances, trying to process this new information.
"We, High Elves, are known for our ¡®mystical¡¯ appearance. Remember, Nathan, when I told you that all of our race are mages? This is because of our deep relationship with mana. We live far longer than other races because this connection nourishes us in a unique way. Our hair is part of this bond, a physical manifestation of our spiritual nature. It¡¯s said that originally, we were nature spirits who took on physical forms over time. But those are just legends about the origin of our species. Keep in mind, this is a closely guarded secret among High Elves. Guard this information well. I mentioned it only to explain why human logic can¡¯t always apply to Nathan, as he inherited this ¡®mystical¡¯ side. This was one of the reasons the dye failed."
Aunt Katie placed both hands on her face.
"There¡¯s also something peculiar that might have worsened the situation," Professor Adrihna added.
"What could have worsened it?" Nathan asked, while Aunt Katie also looked at the professor, anxious for answers.
The professor approached, pointing to Nathan¡¯s eyes. "That little thing on your face," she said, indicating Nathan¡¯s special eyes.
Adrihna adjusted her monocle and placed her hand on Nathan¡¯s stomach, moving it upward toward his head.
"Because of these special eyes, there¡¯s a mana channel directly connecting the gem to your brain. As I mentioned before, the hair of High Elves is silver due to our exclusive mana. This gives us our unique elements and distinct appearance."
"What does that mean?" Aunt Katie asked.
"He¡¯s a hybrid between our races and possesses the mana of a High Elf," Adrihna explained. "When he awakened his magic, and mana began circulating through his body, the process of absorbing mana through the body and hair started. It¡¯s causing physical changes, making his skin lighter than that of humans. However, the pathway formed by the gem to Nathan¡¯s special eyes is accelerating how his black hair absorbs his elven mana."
Adrihna sat down in an armchair, lighting a pipe with a small flick of magic.
"And now?" Nathan asked, trying to grasp the implications.
"The solution is to increase the frequency of the dye application, as your mother suggested," the professor replied. "The magical dye lost its effect because your hair is being influenced by the mana of our species. It may seem dire, but this is only temporary until your situation is resolved."
Aunt Katie looked at his hair, her face serious. "I hope this matter gets resolved soon."
"We have a small problem..." Nathan said hesitantly.
"What problem?" Aunt Katie asked.
Professor Adrihna stood up, seeming to already know the answer. "I imagine it¡¯s about your military task," she said, adjusting her monocle.
"I had forgotten about that," Aunt Katie murmured.
"Why did the headmistress assign us to that?" Nathan asked. "From what I understand, I¡¯ll have to spend part of my free time at the academy interacting with people we¡¯re trying to avoid."
Adrihna let out a soft laugh. "I¡¯m against it too, but it¡¯s mandatory for nobles in your position. The headmistress couldn¡¯t just ignore it because of one student. Changing an academy tradition or pulling you out without raising suspicion would be impossible. The best way was to act as if everything is normal, so when your existence is revealed, it appears neutral and impartial."
Aunt Katie fixed her gaze on Nathan. "Don¡¯t draw attention, Nate."
She¡¯s really telling him that? I bet he¡¯ll get involved in some kind of trouble, hehe.
She turned to the professor. "What exactly will they be doing?"
"The selected nobles will serve as part of Princess Elara¡¯s small special troop. It¡¯s also a leadership training exercise for the princess. In the future, she¡¯s expected to become a General," Adrihna explained.
"A General?" Nathan repeated, surprised, before sitting down to process the information.
"They plan to give her a higher position in the army as she gains experience and achieves some notable accomplishments," Adrihna concluded.
"Meow," Cylla appeared and jumped into Nathan¡¯s lap.
"So it¡¯s true!" Professor Adrihna exclaimed, approaching with curiosity. "You really have a little panther."
As Adrihna got closer, Cylla started complaining, making the professor laugh.
"The headmistress told me, and I had to pretend to be surprised. Is she the cub of that panther you have?" Adrihna asked, exchanging glances with everyone.
Right, the professor doesn¡¯t know that the kitten is actually Cylla.
"Raising a cub like that requires a lot of responsibility, and I¡¯ve heard they eat a lot of meat," Adrihna commented.
Nathan looked at the little cat in his lap and petted her. "This one eats way too much meat..."
We explained to the professor that the supposed Moon Panther cub was actually the mischievous bird she often saw flying through the hallways and occasionally stealing our food.
As the conversation continued, Aunt Katie started to relax. When the professor finished examining Nathan¡¯s hair, my aunt began preparing the dye. She asked if Adrihna wanted to help, but the High Elf visibly tensed and said that doing so would be some sort of cultural crime. She even considered leaving to avoid witnessing the scene.
I glanced at Nate, who was being dragged off to soak his hair in cold water, and couldn¡¯t hold back a laugh.
"Auntie! You forgot I can generate water and make it really cold with ice?" I suggested with a mischievous smile.
"Don¡¯t give her any ideas, Chloe!" Nate protested.
Ah, time for a little payback... for being so dense with me.
"Great idea, Chloe! With your help, this will go much faster. Nathan, take off your shirt so it doesn¡¯t get stained," Aunt Katie said.
"He¡¯s taking off his shirt!?" Kinue asked, clearly flustered.
I started feeling embarrassed too.
"Meow," Cylla hid her face in her paws, as if she didn¡¯t want to watch.
I looked at the cat and whispered, "I saw you peeking..." Cylla jumped nervously, giving herself away.
180 - The Fox Maid and the General
Chapter 180 - The Fox Maid and the General
Kinue:
It was morning, and I had woken up early to prepare breakfast for Chloe and Nathan. It had been a few days since we spent that weekend at our family mansion in the city. I always got up early to fulfill my duties¡ªa habit I had acquired working as a maid at the castle. I was thrilled that they came to the academy; sometimes, I¡¯d run into Natty and Catty, but they were a bit... different.
Whenever I encountered them, our conversations revolved around torture instruments and methods of inflicting pain. I guess it runs in the family, since Miss Martha is the same. A shiver ran down my spine as I remembered when she tried to give me a lesson about torture.
I spend two years away from Nathan and Chloe, training with Professor Adrihna to become a great light mage and with Headmistress Victoria, who helped me control my beast form. I am a rare demi-human who can transform, but I need rigorous training to maintain my sanity. It is too dangerous to use this power without total control, as I could harm someone.
Demi-humans who possess a beast form have this ability dormant until they turn 15 or 16. Usually, the transformation happens involuntarily the first few times, which is risky because the demi-human could hurt someone. That¡¯s why I had to stay away from Nathan and Chloe and couldn¡¯t visit them during the academy breaks. I might have transformed accidentally in the underground transport to the duchy.
In the demi-human kingdom, people are used to it, but in the human kingdom, there¡¯s a lot of fear and unpreparedness to handle such situations. That was one of the reasons I had to remain at the academy. Only Professor Adrihna went to the Evenhart territory, and Headmistress Victoria, my master, guided me through this process, which would normally be led by a demi-human''s parents.
Even with my beast form¡ I think I¡¯d still be afraid of the Carnellian, I thought, watching the gray kitten staring at me while I prepared breakfast.
"Good thing you¡¯re just a little bird, right?" I said to Cylla, who continued to watch me. I leaned closer to the panther cub and asked, "Are you really Cylla?" She nodded.
"That''s good," I said, relieved. "I know you¡¯re less dangerous than a panther." But she shook her head in disagreement.
"No? What do you mean?" I asked, confused. "Are you more dangerous than a Moon Panther?" Cylla nodded again.
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"Alright, silly. I believe you, hehe."
It¡¯s just Cylla, and I know she¡¯s harmless. The worst she could do is burp a fireball.
"Meow," she said, pointing with her head.
"You''re the same Cylla I know. Always asking for meat."
I grabbed the meat from the pan and tossed it to her. Leaving Cylla to eat, I left the apartment to fetch some eggs from the dormitory kitchen. The academy stocked the pantry, and we could take whatever we needed.
"What are you doing here?" a voice asked, startling me.
¡°H-hello," I turned to greet.
It was a uniformed student, and I felt confused about how to address her. Everyone living here was a high noble, and there were even two princesses in the dormitory.
"La-Lady...?" I asked, unsure.
The student laughed.
"Don''t worry, you can call me by my name. I''m Melina. I hope no boy broke the rules by bringing a girl to spend the night in his apartment."
I blushed.
"N-no, it¡¯s not like that. I received special permission and moved into this dormitory."
"Oh! I get it! You¡¯re like Thyra, then. I also live with my cousin Alice, so I understand you."
What a relief! I managed to avoid a misunderstanding.
But then I thought a bit more.
Maybe I should¡¯ve let the misunderstanding happen¡ªmight¡¯ve eliminated some competition...
Nathan Evenhart:
We were in class when a strand of my hair fell in front of my eyes. I brushed it aside, feeling relieved to see that my hair was once again completely black. I thought back to what Professor Adrihna explained about my condition, though I still felt frustrated with the limitations of my Aspect of the Soul. It doesn¡¯t allow me to see my own mana or uncover the true nature of a certain annoying woman.
¡°What is it? Lost something here?¡± asked Goddess Athena, sitting beside me with a teasing smile.
My ability doesn¡¯t let me analyze myself or this cursed presence next to me. If only this power worked for that, I¡¯d know exactly what she is.
Athena placed a hand on my shoulder, her voice laced with malicious amusement. ¡°Tough luck, Icarus,¡± she laughed.
I ignored the Goddess, trying to focus on my thoughts.
My hair is turning silver because it¡¯s absorbing elven mana from my mana gem. Every human, demi-human, and elf on this continent has mana within them, making us magical beings. Those with a high concentration of mana develop a Mana Gem and become mages. The concentration is so intense that the mana condenses into a gem, which then generates and circulates magical energy throughout the body, like a second heart.
My Mana Gem likely awakened due to the elven blood in my veins. This phenomenon granted Kinue and my mother the elemental abilities of high elves. In me, the elven mana concentration was even greater, and upon awakening my Mana Gem, it began to affect my hair, which also acts as a mana channel.
I grabbed a strand of my hair, continuing my analysis.
My hair should¡¯ve started turning silver as soon as I awakened to magic. This didn¡¯t happen immediately because I started cultivating my Special Eyes. Back then, my mana was defective and didn¡¯t circulate properly through my body. As I adapted to my Special Eyes, my hair began changing color since it was now free to absorb my elven mana.
I sighed, remembering how Kinue and Chloe seemed quite intrigued watching my mother dye my hair.
They were so attentive that they even insisted I keep my shirt off to avoid stains and stayed with me the entire time. At least now I know I can ask for their help when I need to do it alone.
181 - New Love Interest
Chapter 181 - New Love Interest
Today was the day we could go home for the weekend, so I took the chance to visit the city center and stop by the cosmetics shop to reserve more black hair dye. I felt a bit embarrassed, as the store was crowded with women, and a few older ladies made flirty jokes, saying they wanted to ''adopt'' me.
I decided to stroll around the center, as I had no classes for the rest of the day.
"A clothing store."
It had been a while since I last bought clothes for myself, as I usually had to follow the noble dress code, with my mother handling most of my orders.
That outfit in the display is quite nice.
I stepped into the store and was greeted by a tailor working on some garments.
"Good afternoon," I greeted him.
The middle-aged man looked up and gave me a warm smile.
"Good afternoon, sir. Are you here to order a suit?"
"I¡¯d like to buy that one," I pointed to the coat on the mannequin at the front of the store.
"That¡¯s a modernized overcoat. An excellent choice, with plenty of inner pockets."
I use a storage bracelet, so that doesn¡¯t matter much.
"Do you have it in black? If so, I¡¯d like to take it."
"Yes, we do. When would you like to collect it?"
"Now."
The man grinned.
"It¡¯s one gold coin. I¡¯ll need to take your measurements and verify your identity."
"Deal," I agreed.
I was in a noble area of the city, where tailors didn¡¯t sell their clothes to just anyone. Being part of the nobility wasn¡¯t just a social title; it was a status of citizenship. Upon ascending to nobility, people gained access to an exclusive market, with privileges ranging from blacksmiths and tailors to special rights, such as purchasing healing potions.
I tapped my wrist and pulled out my ID from my storage bracelet.
"Nathan Evenhart¡" he read, "High Nobility," his eyes widening.
"My apologies for not addressing you properly, sir," he bowed.
"I don¡¯t care about that sort of thing. You can treat me normally."
The tailor went to the counter and rang a bell.
"I¡¯ve called an assistant to take your measurements. I¡¯ll fetch the available overcoats for you to choose from."
"No problem," I replied, satisfied.
***
After nearly an hour, I finally left the store.
"Man... that took forever."
They spent the entire time making sure I was satisfied and making adjustments.
I laughed to myself.
I get it. If a High Noble criticizes the establishment, it could spell the end of their business. But I¡¯m not that kind of arrogant noble, so I don¡¯t care much for these formalities.
"Excuse me! Young man, could you help me? I¡¯m lost," a beautiful young woman approached me on the street.
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"I can help, but if you''d prefer, I could call a guard. They know the city better than I do."
The woman blushed and grabbed my hand.
"I¡¯d feel better if it were you¡" she said, moving closer.
I had to look away from a certain part that was attracting more attention than I¡¯d like.
Damn teenage body! That cleavage is mesmerizing...
"My name is Eliza, and I came to visit my brother. He¡¯s studying at the magic academy here. I was surprised to see what this place is like, as I¡¯m from the countryside."
"Your brother studies at the academy? I study there too," I replied, surprised.
She gave a look of astonishment.
"Then it was fate that brought me to the right person, hehe. I was exploring the city but ended up getting lost¡ I asked the carriage to wait, but I got confused with the directions." She looked genuinely embarrassed as she said this.
"I understand. I also have trouble finding my way here. I¡¯ll help you find the right direction," I said, trying to reassure her.
Eliza let out a relieved sigh.
"What¡¯s your name?"
"Nathan."
"Nice to meet you," she said with a graceful bow. "I don¡¯t usually trust strangers, but you seem like a good person. I was too embarrassed to ask for help."
I put on a reassuring smile.
"I''m used to dealing with shy people. Can you remember where your carriage was waiting?"
As we walked through the bustling streets, a thought crossed my mind.
I hope no one gets the wrong idea if they see us together.
"What year is your brother in?" I asked, trying to learn more about her.
"He¡¯s in his second year. It¡¯s my first time visiting him. Our family doesn¡¯t have many resources for frequent trips. We have a house here, but it¡¯s in a distant neighborhood."
Most residential areas were far from the busy commercial center, making things more complicated.
Eliza stopped at an ice cream stand.
"Would you like one?" she asked, pointing to the stand.
"No, but thank you for offering," I replied.
She bought an ice cream, and we continued walking, still trying to locate the street where the carriage was waiting.
"You have ice cream on your cheek," I noted, pointing.
She blushed and quickly covered her face with her hand.
"Sorry¡," she said, embarrassed.
"It¡¯s okay," I replied, laughing.
Eliza tried to play it off and wiped her cheek.
"What do you think of the academy, Nathan? It must be amazing to be a mage."
"Are you not a mage?"
Her expression turned somber.
"No, I¡¯m not. Our family is noble, but only my brother awakened to magic. He¡¯s the youngest, and I¡¯m very proud of him."
"I¡¯ve been at the academy for a month now, and I¡¯ve really enjoyed what I¡¯ve learned, especially the people. I¡¯ve met some pretty¡ peculiar individuals, but they¡¯re all good people."
I thought about the wolf girl, a bit crazy but with a good heart.
Eliza continued to ask me questions about the city and its architecture. I didn¡¯t know much either, but I tried to explain what I could.
"So you really have the lightning element? It¡¯s quite rare," she asked, surprised.
"I do," I said, showing a blue glow in the palm of my hand.
She poked my hand with her finger.
"I thought I¡¯d get shocked, hehe."
"I know how to control when it shocks," I explained.
"That¡¯s amazing, Nathan. My brother has the fire element, and I always thought it was cool when he¡¯d light a campfire with a fireball."
I remembered that I had also learned to light a campfire with lightning, but I admitted that fire was more impressive.
¡°You know what else is amazing, Nathan?¡± she asked, her gaze turning mysterious.
¡°What?¡± I asked, and at that moment, I felt something pierce my skin.
¡°This!¡± she answered with a malicious smile as I felt the pressure of the needle.
I looked down at my arm and saw her hand holding the syringe. My heart raced.
¡°Eliza¡ what are you¡?¡± The words dragged out as my vision began to blur.
¡°It¡¯s a powerful tranquilizer, meant for large animals. Judging by how quickly it¡¯s working, I got the dose just right.¡± She leaned in, gripping my arm to keep me upright. Her laughter echoed in my now-clouded mind.
I¡¯m being drugged!
In the distance, I saw a carriage approaching quickly. I glanced around, but the street was deserted. I tried to move away, but my muscles refused to respond.
¡°Y-you¡ led¡ me¡ into¡ a¡ trap?¡± My words came out disjointed, my tongue heavy in my mouth.
She still held onto my arm, keeping me upright, forcing a smile.
¡°It was a good stroll, kid. The country girl trick never fails.¡±
Eliza adjusted her neckline, buttoning it up carefully before flashing me a cold smile.
¡°Did you like what you saw? Hahaha.¡±
The carriage came to a stop beside us, and the driver, moving swiftly and efficiently, stepped down to open the door. I recognized the man immediately.
My stalker!
¡°Nathan Evenhart¡ you were troublesome,¡± he remarked, opening the carriage with a blank expression.
Now it all made sense. The killing intent technique was a bluff, a distraction meant to keep me on constant alert with him, while the real threat approached subtly. This man is a professional killer.
The door of the carriage opened, revealing a hidden compartment in the floor.
A false bottom.
¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said as they dragged me inside. I felt their hands fiddling with my arm, removing the storage bracelet. My body was completely immobilized, my muscles paralyzed by the drug coursing through my veins.
They shoved me into the compartment, and I could hear them talking as they closed the lid above me.
¡°It¡¯s going to be a long journey, kid. You¡¯re not going to like what awaits you when we get there. But don¡¯t worry about suffocating, there¡¯s air. You won¡¯t die from that. Not yet.¡±
¡°You¡¯ll die when we arrive, Nathan Evenhart,¡± she said, and the lid shut, plunging me into total darkness.
The drug is taking me down.
My body began to succumb to unconsciousness, and the last thing I felt was the cold darkness enveloping me.
I was captured!
182 - Assassin Duo
Chapter 182 - Assassin Duo
Eliza:
Ricardo and I were passing through the city checkpoint after picking up our ''package.'' I settled next to him in the carriage as he steered the horses.
¡°Stop,¡± the guard called to the carriage ahead of us.
I took the opportunity to unbutton my blouse, revealing more cleavage, and prepared for our turn. When the guard finally approached, I leaned forward slightly.
¡°Reason for leaving?¡± he asked.
¡°We just finished a sightseeing tour of the city,¡± I replied, moving a bit closer to the guard with a suggestive smile.
¡°What did you enjoy most about our city? I hope you liked Apsalon,¡± he said, with a curious look.
¡°I liked the soldier talking to me the most,¡± I winked, watching him get flustered.
I pulled back a bit, giving him a moment to recover.
¡°It¡¯s an honor to be complimented by a beautiful lady,¡± he said, still smiling, clearly flattered.
¡°Eliza, I hope you¡¯re not bothering the gentleman. He must be very busy, my niece,¡± Ricardo interrupted, pretending to be concerned.
¡°Sorry¡ uncle,¡± I replied sweetly.
The guard smiled again, shaking his head.
¡°No worries, sir. You may go,¡± he said, signaling Ricardo to proceed with the horses.
As we moved away, Ricardo couldn¡¯t help but comment, ¡°That trick always works.¡±
¡°Having a pretty face does have its perks,¡± I replied, chuckling softly.
Ricardo:
Two hours passed on the road, and we didn¡¯t exchange a word. We were alert, watching for any approaching carriages or riders. Eliza kept a friendly smile, but her eyes were sharp, always vigilant.
Eliza glanced back through the small window inside the carriage.
¡°In three hours, we¡¯ll stop and give the boy another dose. This time, we¡¯ll make him drink it,¡± I said firmly.
¡°You want to give him another dose in three hours? Are you crazy? This drug keeps someone down for at least eight hours.¡±
¡°I prefer to be cautious,¡± I replied, keeping my eyes on the road.
She didn¡¯t argue further. What we had done was a grave crime. No one dared to touch a high noble, let alone kidnap one within the city. Apsalon was known as a city solely inhabited by nobles. Committing a crime there meant facing a death sentence in all three kingdoms, especially against a high noble.
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¡°It¡¯ll be a scandal when he dies¡¡± she muttered, considering the consequences.
¡°For the amount of money we¡¯re getting, I could retire in a distant kingdom and still secure my grandchildren¡¯s future,¡± I said.
The reward offered by our client was immense, an unfathomable fortune. It was enough money for me to live a lavish life until my death and still not spend it all.
¡°Why don¡¯t we kill him now?¡± I asked. ¡°We¡¯re far from the city, and we could stage the boy¡¯s death.¡±
¡°He wants to do it himself to ensure the boy¡¯s death. We¡¯ll cover it up as a sudden demise in some brothel.¡±
"What a shame, I thought you¡¯d cut off my head and take it with you," a voice suddenly interrupted from behind us.
¡°SHIT!¡± Eliza screamed, while my heart pounded.
¡°The boy!¡± I shouted, turning around to look.
BOOM! A violent impact rocked the carriage, sending us tumbling down a steep hill. We rolled uncontrollably, crashing into the forest below.
Eliza:
My body was thrown around, colliding with the ground and slamming into trees. When I finally came to a stop, every muscle ached, pain radiating through my limbs.
¡°Damn it!¡± I muttered, trying to stand as blood trickled down my face.
¡°Don¡¯t worry about the horses. I just made the carriage fall; they¡¯re fine,¡± the boy said, sliding down the hill with an unsettling calm that only heightened our tension.
Ricardo appeared beside me, panting and confused. ¡°How are you even moving? The drug should have knocked you out!¡±
The boy flashed a cold smile. ¡°My family made me eat all sorts of plants since I was five. Anesthetic drugs don¡¯t work on me anymore. Unfortunately, that means if I ever need medical treatment, I¡¯ll have to endure the pain, as nothing can dull it. That¡¯s the side effect of ingesting poisons and anesthetics for ten years.¡±
Immune to drugs? What kind of freak is this kid?
¡°Even so, your reflexes should be slower,¡± I pointed out.
He raised his arms, and blue sparks crackled along his skin.
¡°True, it would slow me down a bit. So, I¡¯m just constantly shocking myself to keep moving.¡±
¡°Then we¡¯ll just have to break your arms and legs,¡± Ricardo growled, trying to intimidate him.
¡°Feel free to try,¡± the boy replied, cracking his neck with a nonchalant expression. ¡°Honestly, I was looking for a good workout.¡±
He raised his palm, which began to glow with lightning.
Ricardo chuckled, summoning a stone armor around his hand. ¡°We¡¯re mages too, kid. Your element can¡¯t shock me.¡±
¡°If I increase the voltage, your earth defense will crumble,¡± the boy countered, maintaining a calm demeanor.
This kid is strange. He should be running by now. Is this the difference between a noble mage and us?
I was still trying to process the situation, but something felt off.
¡°Did you know?¡± I asked, suspicion clear in my voice.
¡°Know what?¡± he asked, feigning innocence.
¡°Don¡¯t play dumb. I¡¯m asking if you knew I was an assassin from the moment we met.¡±
¡°Of course,¡± he answered without hesitation.
Ricardo laughed. ¡°He¡¯s bluffing.¡±
I stared intently at the boy, searching for any sign of doubt. But he was completely calm, as if all of this was just a game.
¡°He doesn¡¯t seem to be lying,¡± I admitted, a chill running down my spine.
¡°Actually, I lured you into a trap,¡± he revealed with a sinister grin. ¡°That was my plan all along. I needed to bring you to a place where I could let loose a bit.¡±
¡°If that were true, this place would be swarming with soldiers to kill us,¡± Ricardo argued, trying to keep control of the situation.
¡°I¡¯m all it takes,¡± the boy said, his confidence unnerving. ¡°Why do you think I bought this black coat?¡±
Ricardo and I exchanged confused glances.
¡°It''s so I can be properly dressed for your funeral,¡± he said, his blue eyes glinting with a chilling, deadly calm.
¡°You bastard,¡± Ricardo growled, readying himself for an attack.
With a swift movement, the boy drew a sword from his storage bracelet.
¡°When did you get that?¡± Ricardo asked, shocked.
¡°Does it matter?¡± he replied nonchalantly. His hand began to glow fiercely with lightning, while I readied my two daggers, feeling sweat trickle down my forehead.
¡°I¡¯ll kill you, boy. I don¡¯t care if I have to take just your head; that will be enough,¡± Ricardo vowed.
Ricardo and I sprinted toward him, attacking in perfect sync.
¡°Blazing Breeze!¡± I shouted, unleashing a massive wave of fire from my daggers in his direction.
¡°Thorns!¡± Ricardo stomped the ground, sending two massive earthen spikes flying toward the boy.
¡°Time to let loose a bit,¡± I heard him say.
Before I could even register what happened, the boy made a tremendous leap, dodging our attacks with frightening agility.
¡°May the best assassin win!¡± he taunted, and in the blink of an eye, something blue and luminous hurtled toward me, striking with brutal force and sending me flying.
183 - Lord of the Titans vs Assassin Duo
Chapter 183 - Lord of the Titans vs Assassin Duo
Nathan Evenhart:
I launched an elemental blade toward the girl, the air hissing with the sheer force of the attack.
"You''re pretty bold!" the man shouted, a wild grin spreading across his face as I landed back on the ground, readying myself for the next move. I glanced at the sword in my hand, feeling its familiar coldness and sharpness.
It¡¯s not the Cursed Blade, but it''ll do.
The man lunged forward with brutal force, swinging a massive axe at me with impressive speed. I raised my sword to block, and the impact felt like the weight of thunder.
"You really want to kill me!" I taunted, maintaining a firm stance as our eyes locked.
"I WILL kill you!" he roared, his strength fueled by seething hatred.
"Marvelous!" I replied, a smile breaking across my face. "I¡¯ll match your level. Don¡¯t worry, this is going to be fun." The thrill of real combat burned through my veins.
The man attacked with renewed fury, the axe cleaving through the air so forcefully that the ground beneath us trembled. Suddenly, a stone pillar erupted beneath my feet, launching me skyward. He followed immediately, swinging the axe toward me while three stone spikes shot up to impale me from behind.
A trap? I thought, adrenaline pumping hard. This guy is bold.
I was in free fall, with the axe closing in rapidly and the spikes nearly upon me.
Does he think he¡¯s grounded my mobility by getting me off the ground?
I channeled all my wind mana, making it flow like a torrent within me. I thinned the wind armor around my body, making it more volatile, while gathering internal strength to shatter my own defenses.
The axe¡¯s blade was inches from striking, and the spikes were almost piercing my back.
I closed my eyes, letting only the wind guide my movements.
So this is how you did it that day?
In a split second, I spun furiously in mid-air, propelling myself into a cyclone-like rotation. I unleashed all the wind pressure trapped inside me, deactivating my mana armor.
¡®BAM!¡¯ A devastating burst of wind erupted in all directions, scattering the stone spikes and axe. The 360-degree wind blast kept me suspended momentarily. I saw the man being thrown back, struck by the concentrated force of the wind explosion that emanated from me.
¡°Damn it!¡± he cursed, struggling to recover as he fell to the ground with a heavy thud.
I landed softly and pointed my sword at him. ¡°That was a technique I copied from an elf who calls herself the Goddess of Battle,¡± I taunted, a cold smile forming on my face.
He rose, his gaze now burning with pure rage, and charged again, swinging the axe with bestial strength while launching a barrage of stone-spike balls at me.
I rushed toward him, bursting wind blasts to deflect the incoming spikes that came in waves.
"You''re using another damned element?" he asked, surprise evident in his voice.
"I am!" I replied with a bold grin, spinning my sword and releasing a bolt of lightning that cut through the air toward him.
He quickly raised an earthen wall to shield himself from the attack.
"Too slow!" I mocked, but a chill shot down my spine as I sensed something behind me. A stealthy strike was about to land.
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I instinctively swung my sword, deflecting the attack and redirecting it to the side.
The woman was thrown back by the impact, momentarily losing her balance from the force of my block.
Clever! I thought, but my attention quickly shifted to the sky. A rain of fiery arrows began to pour down toward me, each one leaving a blazing trail in its wake.
I leapt to dodge, running across the battlefield as more fiery arrows fell around me.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Explosions echoed through the forest, turning the area into a chaotic scene of fire and destruction.
The fire arrows detonated all around me as I dodged them, each move calculated with deadly precision, my eyes locked on every detail of the battlefield.
"You really intend to kill me? It¡¯d be a shame if the fire left me unrecognizable," I taunted, keeping my tone calm and mocking as I weaved through the burning trees amidst the chaos.
¡°That¡¯s not a problem! We¡¯ll heal your damn corpse with a healing potion, just to make you look nice for your funeral!¡± the earth mage retorted, his voice filled with fury and determination.
"Wow, you really thought of everything..." I replied with a cynical smile, dodging more fire blasts and the stone spikes raining from above. Adrenaline surged through my veins as my mind frantically analyzed the patterns of their attacks. I was trying to understand their reactions, their techniques, and any opening that could give me an advantage. But as mages, their movements were chaotic, unpredictable, and deadly.
With these guys, I can¡¯t afford to play around. For the first time in a long while, I feel like I¡¯m in real danger...
A brief laugh escaped me as I continued to dodge the explosions, using the terrain to my advantage. Each of my movements intensified the battle.
This just makes it more fun.
I rolled to dodge a giant stone blade and threw myself backward, using a tree as cover. The female assassin appeared above me, moving with the grace of a predator. She spun her leg in a powerful kick.
I raised a wind barrier to block the attack, but she conjured a cloud of fire that engulfed my defense. I was forced to retreat, leaping back and creating a cyclone that sucked in the flames. The intense heat scorched part of my arm.
¡°Keeping silent, are we?¡± I asked, provoking her as she leaped toward me with daggers drawn. I deflected the blow with my sword, the clash echoing in the air.
"I¡¯m working here, excuse me if I can¡¯t chat," she replied coldly, her tone focused.
¡°What a cheeky brat¡¡± I commented, dodging a blade coming my way.
''Clink!'' Our swords clashed, sparks flying from the impact.
¡°Brat? I¡¯m older than you!¡± she retorted, quickly ducking and spinning to try to sweep my legs with a kick.
I propelled myself with the wind, leaping gracefully and landing in front of her. ¡°No. I¡¯m way older. From my perspective, everyone¡¯s just a kid,¡± I teased, watching a mix of confusion and fury flash in her eyes.
Suddenly, ¡®BAM!¡¯ Several stone columns erupted from the ground around us, reshaping the forest into a chaotic scene of destruction, with trees being ripped apart like twigs.
The earth mage is up to something dangerous, I thought, my senses on high alert.
A massive figure suddenly emerged, charging toward us. The girl quickly placed her hands on the ground and propelled herself with a burst of fire, increasing her speed in the air.
Damn...
A huge ball of spikes was hurtling toward me, its sheer force making the air vibrate.
¡°Lightning Beam!¡± I shouted, channeling all the power of thunder into my hand and firing a straight beam of lightning. The ball of spikes exploded into a shower of fragments, but before I could celebrate, something unexpected happened.
"SURPRISE!" the earth mage emerged from the ball of stone, his axe in hand, ready for a brutal strike.
I tried to block with my elbow, but my wind barrier failed, and the blow landed on my wrist, sending a wave of excruciating pain through my arm. Using the centrifugal force of the blade, I spun my body and dodged to the side, propelling myself backward and landing among the trees.
"Oh, you hid inside the stone ball?" I asked, slowly rising. "Bold move..."
For a moment, I realized just how close I had come to losing my arm. I glanced at my bleeding wrist and immediately used thunder to cauterize the wound. The pain was intense, but necessary.
As I caught my breath, I noticed something strange. The earth mage was approaching again, but his form was subtly changing.
He''s got more tricks up his sleeve.
His body began to expand grotesquely, as a massive stone armor enveloped his torso and limbs. The layers of rock fused with his muscles, creating jagged and angular protrusions, as if the earth itself was molding around him. Sharp stone spikes emerged from his shoulders, arms, and back, each one pulsating with raw mana, like stakes ready to impale anything in their path.
He grew taller, assuming a monstrous form, his muscles enhanced and coated by stone plates that resembled a living fortress. Only his face remained exposed, his eyes burning with cruel intensity, locked onto me like those of a relentless predator.
With a deep, thunderous roar, he gripped the axe in one hand, now even more massive in his monstrous form, as if the weight of the weapon was a natural extension of his newfound strength. His left arm transformed into a gigantic stone blade, covered in sharp, irregular spikes.
"This is my special forbidden spell," he announced, his voice echoing like an avalanche. "I call it ''Stone Beast Form.''"
His presence became overwhelming, a brutal fusion of flesh and rock that radiated crushing, primal power. Each step made the ground tremble, the cracks widening with every movement, while the axe in his right hand glinted with raw menace.
¡°Looks like this is going to be a bit more complicated than I expected¡¡± I muttered, bracing myself for what was to come.
184 - Battle Against the Stone Beast Form
Chapter 184 - Battle Against the Stone Beast Form
It¡¯s a shame that I can only use other elements as a Summoner. It would be interesting to try creating a monstrous armor like that...
I''m pulled back to reality as I dodge a heavy impact that explodes right where I was seconds ago. Moving quickly to the side, I hurl a bolt of lightning at the Earth Mage. He raises his arm to defend, and my thunder is completely absorbed by his reinforced stone armor.
His armor is an electric insulator? Damn¡ it¡¯s resistant to electricity. He developed something specifically for a Thunder Mage? The rock''s properties have been modified to handle electricity.
I leap backward, avoiding fragments that fly toward me.
"Let''s play, boy!" the mage shouts as he generates a massive boulder and hurls it in my direction.
I send a sphere of wind toward the boulder, but before my magic takes effect, he shatters the rock and rushes forward in his monstrous form, trying to strike me with all his might. I dodge at the last moment, and he slams the ground with a devastating impact, making the earth tremble.
They''ve really studied my element... whoever¡¯s trying to kill me has invested heavily in this.
I keep running, evaluating my options.
If I use the power of the Lord of the Titans and summon those golems, they won¡¯t be intelligent enough to handle enemies of this level. Moreover, embodying the elemental power of my eyes in golem form would temporarily disable my access to that element while the golem remains active. That would only make things worse.
Suddenly, the trees behind me explode under the impact of a massive spiked ball hurtling at high speed. I realize the Fire Mage is missing, likely waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
The massive spiked ball stops mid-air, revealing the Earth Mage in his Stone Beast Form.
"He can transform into a spiked ball?"
"Come on, Thunder Boy! We¡¯ve studied your element for years, gathering all the kingdom¡¯s knowledge about Thunder Mages. I am your natural enemy! Hahaha!" he taunts, advancing with a punch that sends me flying, even through my wind barrier.
The mage begins to transform again into a massive spiked ball, rolling toward me at terrifying speed.
"Fire Field!" I hear a voice shout behind me, and suddenly, I¡¯m surrounded by towering flames that leave me no escape.
I look up to see the massive spiked ball about to crush me.
I¡¯m cornered...
I take a deep breath and declare:
"In that case... I will raise my level a little more."
I extend my hand, and the ground beneath me starts to quake. At the last second, two enormous plant-made hands emerge from the earth, rising to shield me. The spiked ball collides with them, trying to crush them with its destructive force.
"Pay attention!" I shout, summoning a giant third hand of yellow energy that quickly strikes the ball, sending it flying away.
More plants begin sprouting around me, and I use their momentum to propel myself into the air, escaping the fire trap and gaining a vantage point above my enemies.
In mid-air, I clasp my hands together and invoke the spell with a powerful shout:
"Plant Art: Demeter''s Forest"
The words echoed as massive, monstrous trees erupted from the ground, accompanied by a lush green field that flooded the muddy forest. It was a display of power, a tribute to an ancient goddess of Olympus. As soon as I landed on the ground, hundreds of roots emerged, ready to obey my command.
"This is my territory," I declared firmly.
The Fire Mage had hidden herself again, but from afar, I spotted the Earth Mage in his monstrous form, charging forward and crushing my trees as he approached. He halted a few meters away, disbelief written on his face.
"How? How can you have both plant and thunder elements?" he shouted.
I raised my hands, holding a metal sword in one and a yellow sword in the other.
"A Light Sword? What are you?" he asked, bewildered.
"A High Half-Elf," I replied, letting my sword glow with a bluish layer.
¡°Impossible! A High Elf is practically a mystical being. They haven¡¯t reproduced with another species for millennia.¡±
"There''s always an exception," I replied. ¡°And this isn¡¯t just a light-element sword... it''s a light-element sword combined with thunder." I smiled, advancing toward him.
He morphed his arm into a blade and propelled himself forcefully at me. Our blades clashed, and I had to reinforce my arm with wind to withstand the monstrous impact. Using my elemental sword, I managed to wound him.
He quickly retreated, then noticed:
"My armor... you managed to break a piece of it, haha!" he laughed as his armor began to regenerate.
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I pointed my blue-glowing sword at him.
"That''s the power of elemental combination," I declared, intensifying the power of my blade until it began to smolder with concentrated energy.
"You''re worth every coin!" he shouted, transforming into a massive ball of spikes and rolling toward me.
I rushed to meet him but pulled back at the last moment. The spiked ball fired its projectiles, revealing it to be a trap. I created a wind barrier to defend myself, and he descended upon me, brandishing an axe in one hand and a stone blade in the other.
We exchanged blows, and I used my elemental sword to defend myself. Each strike dismantled part of his armor.
''BAM!'' He morphed one hand into a hammer and slammed it into the ground, causing a devastating shockwave.
Taking advantage of the moment, I landed a lightning-boosted kick, followed by a slash with my blue blade. His axe shattered under the force of my sword, but he lunged with both hands, ready to grab me.
I deactivated the elemental sword and, in a swift motion, delivered a wind-reinforced palm strike. Though it didn¡¯t damage his stone armor, the burst of wind propelled me away, saving me from his deadly grasp.
I hit the ground, now holding only the metal sword. I quickly stored it back in my storage bracelet and kept running.
"Are you giving up?" he laughed, landing heavily in front of me.
"I just wanted my hands free," I replied with a grin.
I made a quick gesture, sending a plant tentacle his way. He tried to defend himself, but the surrounding trees began to shoot high-speed roots, binding his hands, feet, and neck.
With a command, I bent the forest to my will. He struggled desperately to break free from the suffocating roots while I circled him, controlling the plants from a distance.
"This is my forest, this is my garden," I declared, stomping the ground forcefully. In response, a massive wooden fist, adorned with thorns, rose from the earth and struck him with full force, sending him flying away.
While he was falling through the air, the surrounding trees began firing high-speed spikes, as if they were alive, obeying my commands. Seizing the moment, I leaped forward, making the wood grow rapidly to strike him.
With a guttural roar, he propelled himself forward, transforming one of his arms into a colossal stone shield covered in spikes. The impact was brutal, shattering all the wood I had sent toward him as if they were mere twigs.
"Ahhh!" he roared, triggering a series of explosions as he advanced. I jumped to evade them in mid-air, but he adjusted his trajectory surprisingly well, launching himself with primal ferocity.
"Thunder..." I started to chant, but I was forced to quickly conjure a wind barrier. However, he broke through it with a brutal headbutt.
¡°Damn it!¡± I shouted, feeling the overwhelming impact. A sharp horn had sprouted from his forehead, piercing through my wind barrier and stabbing into my chest. I was thrown backward, spinning uncontrollably until I crashed among the forest trees.
''BAM!'' The sound of his landing reverberated through the ground, and he immediately began rolling at high speed, transforming into a monstrous spiked ball that grew larger as it charged toward me like a living avalanche. I quickly got back on my feet, my body aching as I considered my options.
My elemental sword was effective against his stone armor, but he was approaching with crushing speed. If he hit me, it would be over.
"Plant Art: Green Guardian¡¯s Gate!" I chanted, and a massive wooden gate erupted from the ground, sturdy spikes sprouting from its structure. The wood was dark brown, as hard as iron, inspired by a defensive technique from my grandfather, a master of the earth element. The gate bore a carved face, a fierce expression of protection.
¡®BOOM!¡¯ He collided with the gate at full force, shattering it to pieces, but his spiked form also broke apart on impact. I took advantage of the opening, feeling electricity surge through my right arm.
"Thunder Dash!" I chanted, and a burst of electric force propelled me forward in a blink, placing me directly in front of the earth mage, who was still reeling from the impact.
My entire arm emanated an intense blue energy, focusing all my mana. With a decisive motion, I delivered a brutal punch. "Thunder Art: Geodynamic Shock!" I roared, and my fist collided with his spiked armor, piercing through it with devastating force.
A massive flash of lightning followed, accompanied by a thunderous boom that echoed across the battlefield. The impact replicated tectonic energy, unleashing a wave of electricity that cracked his stone armor. The blow sent him flying backward, electricity enveloping his body, reducing his carapace to scattered fragments.
I was thrown back by the force of the explosion, but I quickly stood up, breathing heavily. I looked at my hand, two fingers broken from the impact of the punch, but the result was achieved. The earth mage fell heavily, parts of his armor missing, his body covered in cracks.
Before he could rise, I pressed on with my plan, determination burning in my eyes.
"Plant Art: Sacred Forest Flood!" I shouted with every ounce of strength, feeling mana surge fiercely through my body. The forest seemed to awaken from a deep slumber, responding instantly to my call. An ancient roar echoed through the air, and the ground beneath trembled as if the very earth was alive, ready to erupt in fury.
A colossal tsunami of roots erupted from all directions, like a green monster emerging from the depths of the forest. The roots intertwined into a twisted mass of wood, covered in thorns that glistened in the daylight, casting menacing shadows as they surged forward like a wild sea. This spell required the presence of Demeter¡¯s Forest to be cast, and now the mage was completely at its mercy.
The mage panicked, his eyes widening as he realized he was caught in a trap. Desperately, he attempted to summon stone barriers to halt the relentless advance of the vegetation, but his defenses were mercilessly shattered. Each attempt was swiftly reduced to rubble as the wave of roots pressed on, unstoppable.
He was engulfed by the wave of wood and leaves, violently tossed around. The roots coiled around him like predatory serpents, tightening as he was slammed into trees along the way. Gusts of wind, born from the spell''s momentum, lifted dry leaves into the air, creating a storm of vegetation that surrounded the battlefield.
"It¡¯s not over yet!" I declared firmly, my voice resonating with the weight of a vow. My body pulsed with energy as I channeled all my mana upwards, concentrating the light element into a specific point.
In the sky, a massive drill began to form. It was like a pillar of pure light, its intense yellow glow blinding everything around it. The light spun at high speed, emitting a sharp, piercing sound, while wooden roots coiled around it like deadly thorns, reinforcing the spell with nature¡¯s power. The fusion of the two elements resulted in a monstrous, spiked creation, primed for the final strike.
"FIRE!" I shouted, releasing the drill of light and wood. It surged forward like an unstoppable projectile, tearing through the air with a deafening hum. The drill left a trail of brightness in its wake, creating shockwaves in the air from its sheer speed.
The mage, realizing the imminent danger, rose in a panic, his wide eyes filled with utter terror. His breathing was ragged, his face etched with desperation as he frantically waved his hands, trying to raise a stone barrier in one last, desperate act of survival. But it was futile.
The drill of pure energy collided with brutal force, piercing through the stone barrier as if it were fragile paper, reducing it to mere fragments.
¡®BOOOOOOOOOM!¡¯
The sound of the impact was deafening, echoing throughout the forest like a shockwave that seemed to rip the very air apart. A blinding burst of light followed, illuminating the battlefield with an intense and almost blinding clarity. The surrounding trees swayed violently, as if shaken by an unstoppable gale, and the ground trembled with such intensity that it seemed on the verge of splitting apart.
A dense cloud of dust and stone shards rose from the point of impact, forming an opaque curtain that enveloped the entire area. The air grew heavy and suffocating as debris scattered, completely obscuring the spot where the mage had made his last desperate attempt at defense.
The sound still echoed through the field, reverberating in the aftermath, as the result of the attack became clear: shattered earth and scattered stone fragments were all that remained of the mage''s defense.
185 - A Powerful Enemy
Chapter 185 - A Powerful Enemy
The forest was plunged into utter chaos, overwhelmed by the uncontrollable fury of nature. Roots and tree trunks had twisted grotesquely, creating a wild ocean of wood and earth, a scene of sheer devastation and disorder. Each step I took crushed broken branches beneath my feet, their sinister cracks echoing through the dark surroundings. The air was dense, shrouded in an opaque mist mixed with dust from the battle, turning the forest into a desolate and claustrophobic setting, where even the ground seemed to groan under the weight of the conflict.
I moved forward slowly, my eyes as sharp as blades, scanning for any trace of the earth mage. My instincts were on high alert, whispering that he was still nearby, lurking like a wounded beast. But I knew I couldn¡¯t activate the Soul Aspect; disabling the elemental power of my special eyes at such a critical moment would leave me far too vulnerable amidst the ongoing battle.
Suddenly, a noise broke the oppressive silence¡ªthe muffled sound of shifting stones. I quickly turned, focusing my senses in that direction. Amid the debris, still soaked from the recent devastation, I saw the mage slowly emerge. His stone armor, which had once seemed like an indestructible fortress, was now reduced to scattered fragments on the ground, exposing deep gashes and gaps that revealed the extent of his injuries.
His body was covered in deep cuts, some so wide that bone was visible through the torn flesh. One of his arms was nearly destroyed, with stones hanging precariously, while the other trembled violently, barely able to support its own weight. Blood oozed from multiple wounds, staining the ground around him with dark red, mixed with dust and shattered stone. His face was marred by bruises and cuts, his left eye nearly swollen shut from the brutal impacts of the battle.
Every breath came with a painful wheeze, his lungs clearly struggling, and he stumbled with each step, his legs barely able to support his ravaged body. Fragments of his stone armor still clung to him, but most had shattered, exposing raw flesh, splintered bones, and bloody muscles.
And yet, his eyes still held a stubborn glimmer of determination¡ªa final spark of defiance that burned even in the face of imminent defeat. His breathing was labored, each breath heavy and ragged, as blood and dust coated his skin. He was standing on the edge between life and death.
¡°Well, is this the man hired to kill me?¡± I asked, settling on a high branch to assess the situation.
He stepped back, keeping his distance. In one swift motion, he pulled out a vial with red liquid from his storage bracelet.
¡°A healing potion¡¡± I murmured, standing up to get a better look.
So, the healing potion story was true...
"Only a noble can buy a healing potion. It requires a special license. These things need so much paperwork that even the black market has no access to them. Even I can¡¯t freely buy a potion without signing documents, and I''m a high-ranking noble," I continued, jumping to the ground as he finished drinking the liquid.
¡°A hired assassin and now a healing potion¡ Someone from the nobility wants me dead¡¡± I analyzed, pondering the possibilities.
Could it be someone trying to steal my special eyes? If the contractor wanted to kill me personally, perhaps it was to keep the existence of the eyes a secret, hidden even from the assassins themselves.
He threw the glass vial to the ground, sighing in relief.
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The existence of these eyes is known only to my family... and to Director Victoria... there¡¯s also the Elven Majesty. Would they try something like this? Hard to believe, after all, Adrihna is almost like an aunt to me and has known about my powers since I was 11 years old.
¡°You almost killed me, boy,¡± he said, now walking slowly in my direction. ¡°At the last moment, I had to bury myself, but the impact pressure still managed to hurt me.¡±
He kept approaching.
¡°Why did you wait for me to drink the potion?¡± he asked, still surprised.
¡°Because you altered the ground around you. If I approached, I¡¯d be caught in your trap. If I attacked from a distance, you¡¯d dodge it, and attacking would¡¯ve achieved nothing,¡± I answered calmly.
He laughed, surprised by my response.
¡°Not to mention you could¡¯ve drunk the potion while underground. Someone of your level would never lower their guard without reason.¡±
He clapped his hands in acknowledgment, still laughing.
¡°You¡¯re clever,¡± he admitted, and then fell backward. The remnants of his stone armor crumbled away, breaking into pieces.
I took a step toward him, assessing his condition.
¡°Your mana is depleted, and you¡¯re practically half-dead. You survived by a miracle. Consider yourself lucky,¡± I said, forming a yellow sword in my hands, merging it with lightning until it glowed a vibrant blue.
¡°Time to die,¡± I declared.
Suddenly, a sharp sound echoed through the area.
''GZZZZZZ!'' Flames began erupting violently from beneath me. More fire geysers burst across the terrain, rapidly exploding throughout the area.
"Looks like I¡¯m not the only one with tricks up my sleeve..." I observed, stepping back as I reassessed the new situation.
More geysers erupted around me, and I started running, dodging the columns of fire rising from the ground. As I moved, my mind raced through the possible options. I looked up at the sky, which was clear and bright.
Should I use that? No¡ it¡¯s not the right moment yet.
I glanced at the Earth Mage, still lying on the ground. He seemed defeated, his body utterly exhausted.
Sustaining that armor must have drained almost all his mana. Even I don¡¯t dare to use the Thunder Mantle for more than a few seconds. He¡¯s a talented mage. This guy really used everything he had to try to kill me.
Then, a deep roar rumbled through the arena, echoing across the battlefield.
¡®ROOOOOOAAARR!¡¯
The sound was so powerful that the ground shook beneath my feet.
The mage, still on the ground, lifted his head with a dark smile. "Hahahaha, good luck."
What was that? I thought, feeling a rising tension in the air.
At the center of the arena, a large cloud of smoke began to rise. The sound of heavy footsteps mixed with the smoke, which slowly revealed the massive figure behind it. The heat in the air increased, and it wasn¡¯t long before I understood what lay behind the smoke.
¡°You''ve got to be kidding me¡¡± I muttered as the creature formed before me.
A massive, flaming red salamander, at least 15 meters tall, stared at me with eyes full of rage. The heat radiating from it was suffocating, and the realization of what I was facing hit me like a hammer.
A Soul Golem¡
A Summoner¡¯s mana was alive, allowing them to create elemental golems as servants. Powerful Summoners could go beyond that, creating sentient golems¡ªbeings that not only existed but also thought, reasoned, and felt emotions. These sentient golems were not mere puppets; they were living beings with a consciousness of their own.
However, there were Soul Golems, considered the pinnacle of a Summoner¡¯s mastery. When a Summoner reached this level, they could personify their Mana Gem through a Soul Golem. This golem was far more than a simple servant; it acted as the guardian of its master, carrying the full power of the Summoner''s Mana Gem. A true monstrosity, the Soul Golem was the embodiment of its creator''s very soul.
Every Summoner had a dormant Soul Golem within them. Awakening this creature required a rare and unique talent, a skill that only a few could achieve. Training a Soul Golem was similar to training the bestial form of a demi-human; the dormant creature inside the Summoner had a will of its own, and the Summoner had to learn to control and guide it.
Chloe, for example, only resorted to her Soul Golem as a last resort due to the level of destruction that creature could unleash. The release of a Soul Golem was not something to be taken lightly.
Now it made sense why Eliza had disappeared during the battle.
She was summoning this monstrosity.
''ROOOOOAR!'' The salamander roared again, its sound vibrating through the arena, nearly shaking the ground beneath me.
"And now, boy. Shall we finish our little encounter?" Eliza''s voice rang out as she appeared, sitting atop the massive red salamander, a malicious grin on her lips.
186 - Battle Against a Soul Golem
Chapter 186 - Battle Against a Soul Golem
These assassin mages... they aren''t ordinary foes.
I weighed my options carefully, assessing the situation with caution.
Should I summon my Soul Golem as well?
The thought crossed my mind, but I dismissed it quickly.
Better not¡ I still can¡¯t control Chronos. If that thing is released, it¡¯ll just be another enemy I¡¯ll have to deal with.
The salamander spat fire into the air, casting a threatening glow across the area.
If I were fully human, I could combine water and wind to create ice¡ what a pity.
Thousands of strategies raced through my mind, each more desperate than the last. The reality was clear: I was at a disadvantage against the Soul Golem, and every second made the pressure mount. Before I could decide on a plan, the heavy sound of approaching footsteps echoed through the devastated forest around me.
The colossal salamander appeared, its massive body radiating unbearable heat. On top of it, Eliza stood firm, her cold and calculating gaze locked on me. She seemed to be assessing my every move, waiting for the right moment to strike.
¡°I¡¯m usually in a support role and only act as a last resort. You¡¯ve forced me to use my precious Soul Golem, so feel honored,¡± she declared, her voice dripping with defiance.
Her taunt wasn¡¯t without merit. The Soul Golem was a powerful weapon, a creature meant to be the final recourse of a summoner mage. The salamander glowed menacingly, its red skin covered in flames that shifted between red and gold, like a living inferno.
I stepped toward the creature.
¡°Twin Flame Art: Yellow Inferno,¡± Eliza chanted with precision. Instantly, the salamander opened its blazing mouth, unleashing a massive stream of yellow fire. Before I could react, Eliza amplified the attack, spewing a red jet of fire from her own mouth, merging with the creature¡¯s devastating force.
The yellow and red flames fused into a single, furious firestorm, a whirlwind of destruction hurtling toward me with relentless fury.
I raised my palms quickly, trying to create a wind barrier. Blades of air spun violently, forming a wind wall, but the force of the attack was overwhelming.
¡°Shit¡¡± I muttered, realizing I couldn¡¯t contain the destructive power.
The explosion came with crushing impact.
BOOM!
The deafening sound engulfed everything, and the surrounding forest was consumed in a wave of destruction. The fire roared loudly, spreading like a ravenous beast. The heat was so intense that I felt my body being pushed back, even behind the wind barrier.
I knew I¡¯d be consumed by the flames, so I focused all my wind mana forward, creating a cutting edge and enveloping myself in a wind armor. The impact was brutal, and I felt my body being flung through the air like a leaf in a storm.
The world around me became a maelstrom of flames and pain.
I crashed into the forest, rolling uncontrollably across the ground as the trees around me turned to ashes. The salamander''s roar echoed like a demon¡¯s bellow, and soon after, hundreds of fireballs began raining down from the sky, exploding on impact with the ground.
Each explosion felt closer than the last, and I barely had time to rise before being hit by waves of heat and debris.
The fire continued to spread, consuming everything in its path.
¡°Fuck¡¡± I muttered as I stood up, feeling the sharp pain of a burn on my leg. The heat still radiated from the wound, but I quickly conjured a stream of water, dousing the area to relieve the pain and prevent further damage.
At least I won¡¯t have to cauterize the wound...
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I tore the fabric around the burn, removing the charred cloth along with the remains of my shoe. The sensation of the cold air on the injured skin brought a momentary relief, but the situation was far from under control.
I looked around, seeing the chaos caused by the salamander¡¯s attack. The forest was ablaze, a scar of fire cutting across the earth like a mark left by hell itself. My Demeter¡¯s Forest had been devastated, the trees partially consumed by flames, and the smell of burning wood filled the air.
¡°That¡¯s the power of a damn summoner¡ the power of an army,¡± I whispered, feeling the weight of the situation. The monstrous roar of the salamander echoed again, growing louder as it approached.
¡°I have ten seconds to figure out how to defeat this Soul Golem, or I¡¯ll die,¡± I murmured, forcing my body to move. I began running toward the creature as fireballs rained down in my path. Each one descended like a meteor, exploding upon impact and spreading heat and destruction.
¡°Water Art: Flood of Destruction!¡± I chanted, placing both hands on the ground. A massive surge of water erupted around me, forming a swirling whirlpool that expanded into a devastating wave.
The salamander roared furiously, its deep voice resonating through the scorched forest. Its heavy footsteps shook the ground as it prepared to unleash a beam of fire in my direction. The pressure was crushing, and the heat radiating from the monster was unbearable.
¡°ROOOOAR!¡± The creature¡¯s roar was deafening, and I knew the impact was imminent.
¡°Thunder Dash!¡± I shouted, letting electricity surge through my body, increasing my speed in a flash. I felt the wind intensify around me, as if it too was being drawn into the battle.
The giant salamander charged, its entire body engulfed in flames, while I focused the electricity in my palm, preparing for the attack.
¡°Now!¡± I bellowed, as the waves of water converged from all directions. The impact was colossal, and the force of the waves collided with the salamander in a swirl of water and fire.
The clash was explosive ¨C the water evaporated into a dense cloud of steam, while the fire beam was swallowed by the flood. The waves enveloped the salamander, suffocating its flames and creating a chaotic storm of water and electricity.
The energies collided in absolute chaos.
¡°Whirlpool of the Waves!¡± I chanted, pouring all my strength into the spell. Tsunamis of water crashed with a deafening roar, the creature¡¯s howls amplifying the symphony of destruction. The spiraling water engulfed us, spinning in a powerful vortex as both the salamander and I were swept by the impact.
The force of the water tossed me around as I struggled desperately to swim to the surface. I used wind to propel myself upward, escaping the swirling current. Suddenly, a bright red glow filled the water, and I could see the creature glowing beneath the surface.
¡°Fire Art: Evaporative Blaze!¡± Eliza yelled, leaping into the air with flames.
The heat rose instantly, causing the water to start boiling. I was running out of time; my spell had consumed a massive amount of mana, and I couldn¡¯t afford to waste it.
I plunged back into the water, diving deeper despite the searing heat.
The water bubbled violently as the Soul Golem intensified the temperature. Steam enveloped everything, creating a thick, suffocating curtain that obscured visibility. The mixture of fire and water burst into bubbles, releasing waves of heat that scorched my skin.
Plant Art: Cemetery of Roots!
I invoked, diving further as I held my breath and used wind to propel myself downward. My hands reached the muddy ground at the bottom of the whirlpool, and immediately, thousands of roots sprouted, absorbing the surrounding water. The roots intertwined into a dense network, transforming the ground into a field of submerged thorns.
Amid the murky water, the salamander shone intensely, a core of red fury within the aquatic chaos. A sudden explosion rocked the whirlpool¡¯s bottom, sending me spiraling away in a mix of water and heat.
The impact was brutal, even in water, and I felt my spell dissipate, its energy unraveling as the ring of tsunamis crumbled. The water began to spread across the forest, losing control as it blended into the surroundings.
"I can¡¯t give up now!" I murmured as I fell, clutching my sword.
Without hesitation, I pushed myself up and dashed toward the creature, the burn¡¯s pain and fatigue becoming secondary. My only chance was now.
¡°Fire Art: Crimson Burst!¡± Eliza shouted from atop the creature. The salamander spewed a new wave of red, intense flames.
I sprinted toward the fire, my body driven purely by adrenaline. I used wind to propel myself, leaping into the air to evade the ascending burst of flames that tried to reach me. The fire was relentless, snaking behind me like a wild, hungry beast.
¡°Now let¡¯s play!¡± I yelled, wrapping my body in a layer of electricity, each spark radiating pure energy.
¡°Spark Rain!¡± I chanted the spell, and in a swift motion, pointed both hands upward. A chain of lightning was unleashed, with hundreds of bolts ripping through the air, descending like an electric storm. Each bolt was conducted by the water-soaked ground, amplifying the impact of the shocks.
¡°AAAAARRRGH!¡± The creature roared in pain, its fire burst interrupted. Its body convulsed under the impact of the lightning, and I saw Eliza getting struck by the attack, thrown away in an uncontrollable arc. She vanished into the trees, and I seized the moment to push harder.
I hit the ground with a thud, but I didn¡¯t lose momentum, channeling more energy into the ground.
I launched more lightning toward the monster, the electricity racing across the soaked ground like a lightning serpent toward the Soul Golem. The trees around us began to catch fire, struck by stray sparks.
The entire soaked environment had turned into a conductor of electricity¡ªfrom the leaves to the muddy ground and the water still flooding the area.
¡°I need to take out the Earth Mage. If he recovers, I¡¯ll be in even greater trouble!¡± I muttered to myself, running through the devastated forest, my breathing ragged and my muscles aching. My only chance was to strike with everything I had while the enemy was still destabilized.
Each step echoed against the wet ground, and the suffocating mix of burning scents and electricity filled the air.
187 - Dark Serpents Breath
Chapter 187 - Dark Serpent''s Breath
Ricardo:
I was regaining my consciousness, having blacked out from physical exhaustion and mana depletion.
Eliza¡¯s Fire Salamander attacked furiously, trying to crush the boy, but he dodged skillfully, launching thunder strikes as he sped toward me. I was still lying on the ground, nearly out of mana and exhausted from maintaining that spell for so long. Just as he was about to hurl a bolt of lightning at me, Eliza jumped in front and deflected it with her mana-infused dagger.
"Ignoring me, you little bastard?" Eliza yelled, charging at him aggressively.
"Harsh words for a beautiful lady," he replied, skillfully blocking her strike.
The two began exchanging blows in a deadly dance of blades and powers.
"You know that if I kill you, the golem disappears, right?" he taunted, dodging and countering her attacks.
"Try to kill me, then," she retorted, spitting a jet of fire that forced him to retreat.
Damn¡ I thought, struggling to get up.
"Eliza, I¡¯ll support you from a distance," I managed to say, trying to gather what little mana I had left.
The Salamander lashed out at the boy, who quickly raised a wind barrier to protect himself, while Eliza tried to strike him from another angle. He was under attack from all sides, his right hand maintaining the wind barrier against the Salamander, while his left hand parried Eliza''s attacks.
He suddenly dropped both barriers, pointing downward and creating an upward force that launched him into the air, allowing him to kick the Salamander¡¯s jaw. He then started circling the creature, trying to stay out of reach.
The golem¡¯s flaming tail whipped toward him, but the boy dodged with agility, sliding underneath it.
"Time to kick things up a notch!" he shouted, jumping into the air as a column of water surged beneath his feet, lifting him as if he were walking on it.
Water? How many elements does this boy have? I thought, stunned.
"Sea Serpent!" he yelled, and the column of water morphed into several massive serpents, a forbidden spell known for its destructive power.
The water serpents crashed into the Salamander, which roared furiously, spewing fire toward him.
The boy stood directly in the path of a colossal fire ray¡ªa blazing, relentless inferno that threatened to consume him entirely. Yet, his expression was one of unwavering determination. With a resolute gesture, he unleashed a spell of devastating power:
"Storm Art: Dark Serpent''s Breath!"
He exhaled a dense, pitch-black mass, as dark as the deepest night. It rapidly expanded into a sinister, pulsating cloud that writhed like a living entity. The Salamander''s gigantic fire blast collided with the dark cloud, generating an explosive impact that shook the ground beneath them. Azure lightning crackled within, as the cloud turned into a chaotic elemental battleground.
The Salamander roared in fury, launching relentless waves of searing fire, desperately trying to break through the dark barrier. The boy, his gaze fierce and his hands steady, commanded the growing cloud with absolute precision. The black mass expanded further, morphing into a stormy prison that enveloped the creature in a vortex of wind and electricity, as if nature itself were at war.
With a bold move, the boy extended his hands forward, condensing part of the cloud into a sphere of raw, black power. He then blew on the sphere, causing it to rapidly expand into a colossal serpent with scales made of dark clouds and eyes glowing like lightning in the darkness. The serpent rose, majestic and terrifying, and with a thunderous roar, unleashed a titanic jet of water directly at the Fire Golem.
"GRAAAAHHH!" the storm serpent roared as it coiled around the Golem, squeezing it with crushing force. The torrential water clashed violently against the creature while lightning bolts erupted within the storm prison, creating waves of vapor and raw energy. The air became saturated with electricity, and the ground cracked under the immense pressure of the clash.
The boy channeled all his mana with relentless intensity, his aura radiating a dark glow as he maintained the serpent and the storm in full fury. The Fire Golem, now completely immobilized, writhed in desperation as the lethal combination of water and lightning devastated it, corroding its fiery essence and reducing it to a mere shadow of its former power.
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He launched an elemental fusion of three elements! What kind of boy is this!? I wondered, feeling a growing sense of dread as I witnessed his power.
"Thunder Art: Sphere of Electrical Rupture!" he shouted, slamming his hand onto the ground amid the howling winds and pulsing dark clouds. The air seemed to freeze for an instant before the clouds exploded in a brilliant, blinding blue light.
¡®KABOOM!¡¯ A massive boom echoed as lightning spewed from the black clouds like spears of pure electricity, striking with unrelenting fury. The surrounding space was instantly filled with a radiant blue light, and the deafening noise was like the sky itself being torn apart.
"AAAAAAARGH!" the Soul Golem bellowed in agony, its flaming structure trembling violently as it was overwhelmed by the brutal storm. Sparks intensified, enveloped in a whirlwind of uncontrollable power that lashed the air with explosive bursts.
The boy, his eyes burning with determination, moved his hands as if dancing with chaos itself. He manipulated the wind with relentless precision, shaping it into a massive rectangular prison of cyclonic barriers. The air condensed into towering walls of swirling winds that roared like a wild tempest. Water, generated by the dark clouds and the raging serpent, flooded the enclosed space, creating a chaotic torrent that overflowed in every direction.
The Fire Salamander, now trapped within the terrifying vortex, was fully submerged in a sea of water and electricity. The crushing pressure broke down its form, as electricity surged through its body with devastating waves of energy.
The boy¡¯s aura was a pure display of raw power as he poured all his mana into sustaining the colossal barriers of wind. It was an apocalyptic spectacle, a demonstration of unstoppable destruction, where nature itself seemed to bow to his command. I stood frozen, unable to act, watching him face the Soul Golem alone amidst the chaos.
I saw Eliza rushing like a shadow towards the boy, her daggers gleaming with lethal intent. The two clashed fiercely, exchanging blows in a deadly dance of blades, each attack filled with savage intensity. The wind barrier shattered with a thunderous burst, and water began to spill freely, flooding the forest around them and turning the battlefield into a chaotic aquatic scene.
I couldn¡¯t stand still. Despite my mana being nearly depleted, I gathered what little remained and formed a massive column of earth beneath my feet, propelling me forward like an arrow. The force of the ascent nearly toppled me, but I remained determined to join the fight.
Suddenly, the Soul Golem re-emerged from the turbulent waters, a monstrous and ravaged sight. Much of its body was burned, riddled with gaping holes from electricity and fire. One of its limbs was completely destroyed, and one of its eyes was now a charred crevice, evidence of the relentless damage it had suffered. Yet, with sheer force of will, it reignited in flames, its fiery essence dancing fiercely around its body, ready to continue the fight.
The boy and Eliza continued their brutal battle; she unleashed rapid, deadly strikes with her daggers, trying to break through his defense, but the boy blocked each attempt with precise, calculated movements. The clash of blades sparked with light amidst the chaos.
Suddenly, the boy leaped into the air, spinning, and delivered a brutal kick to Eliza¡¯s face. The impact resounded like a muffled thunderclap, powerful enough to send her sliding back several meters, her eyes burning with renewed rage and determination.
"AAAAAAARGH!" the soul golem roared, swinging its flaming tail and striking the boy, sending him flying.
"We need to kill him, fast!" Eliza shouted at me as we charged toward him, determined to end this battle.
"What the hell did he just do?" I asked, trying to comprehend the situation.
The boy used wind to cushion his fall, landing softly in mid-air before jumping again, now standing before us, ready for another round.
We rushed at him, and as I advanced, I swung an extra axe, retrieved quickly from my storage bracelet. Concentrating my mana, I exploded an earth pillar beneath me, propelling myself forward to strike him with speed and force.
I aimed directly at his neck, but he blocked with precision. As our blades clashed, I looked into his face, shocked by what I saw.
THE SON OF A BITCH IS LAUGHING!?
He seemed to be enjoying himself despite the intensity of the fight. We continued exchanging rapid strikes, and Eliza, seizing the moment, attempted to stab him from behind.
"That won¡¯t work on me," he said, without even turning around, blocking her attack effortlessly.
"How did you know, damn it!?" Eliza shouted, frustrated.
The boy wielded a yellow sword in one hand and a metal sword in the other. With a disdainful tone, he explained, "I always maintain a massive wind shield around me, infused with electricity. It¡¯s an invisible protective field that keeps me aware of anything approaching."
"That''s impossible," I said, in disbelief.
He shrugged, uninterested. "Are you going to stay impressed, or are you going to try to kill me?"
"You bastard!" Eliza screamed, lunging at him with all her might. "Maximum Attack!"
At her command, Eliza''s soul golem began to swell, sucking in the surrounding air. I recognized the imminent danger.
I lunged forward, trying to strike him with the axe, but he blocked it with his metal sword, showing no signs of weakness. The pressure increased as Eliza readied her dagger for the final blow.
"I see, you¡¯re immune to your golem¡¯s fire. Looks like that thing is going to blow, taking me along with it," he said to Eliza, his voice eerily calm as he pushed my axe downward, preparing for the next move.
I began to back away, well aware of how devastating Eliza¡¯s spell could be. Her golem was swelling rapidly, on the verge of unleashing a massive explosion of energy.
"It¡¯s a pity your contractor won¡¯t be able to kill me in person," he added with an ironic smile.
Eliza leaped at him, screaming, "As long as you¡¯re dead! I don¡¯t care if it lowers the contract¡¯s pay!"
The golem was about to detonate, and the tension in the air was palpable.
Is she really going to blow this place up!? I thought, running as fast as I could to escape the imminent explosion, as her golem swelled even more, ready to unleash its overwhelming power.
188 - The Giant Fire Salamander
Chapter 188 - The Giant Fire Salamander
Ricardo:
As I tried to escape the explosion''s reach, I realized I didn¡¯t have enough mana left to use a pillar for a boost.
"Where do you think you¡¯re going?" the boy shouted. Suddenly, a vine snared my ankle, dragging me back and throwing me near him. He stomped on my chest, pinning me to the ground as roots coiled around me.
"If we''re dying, we''re all going together," he said, laughing.
Eliza leaped at him, but he deflected her attack with the metal sword, countering her with a powerful strike.
¡°Flaming Breeze!¡± she yelled, releasing a cloud of fire toward him. The boy stomped the ground, raising a barrier of water to shield himself.
He turned towards the golem and pointed his sword. Vines began to wrap around the gigantic creature, piercing through it, stopping it from inflating further.
"Scared?" she shouted, trying to kick him, but he caught her leg and spun her around, slamming her into a tree.
Eliza crashed hard and fell to the ground.
¡°Scared?¡± he repeated, advancing toward her.
Eliza stood up, blocking a kick, then managed to stab her dagger into his leg. The boy headbutted her, unfazed by the pain.
"Do I look scared?" he asked coldly, pulling the dagger from his leg and tossing it back to Eliza.
She stood, blood running down her face.
"The dagger was poisoned¡" she muttered.
"I know," he replied, ignoring the poison as he continued controlling the roots that wrapped around the golem.
The golem roared, ceasing to inflate. I noticed the roots were channeling water inside the golem, extinguishing the fire accumulating within.
Eliza, making a final attempt, launched herself with a burst of fire, surrounded by a ring of flames, but the boy ignored the fire, enduring the burns as he kicked her. The golem spat fire to aid its master, but the boy generated a wave of water with a swift stomp, colliding it with the fireball. He then delivered a powerful kick to Eliza, sending her flying.
The golem, desperate to protect its master, lunged at the boy, swinging its massive tail. Nathan raised a stone barrier, blocking the impact.
Earth element? He had that all along!
The stone barrier held against the salamander¡¯s strike, giving the boy a chance to leap towards the creature, now wielding what looked like a lightning spear. With precise aim, he drove the spear into the golem¡¯s head, causing it to roar in pain, thrashing violently to break free. The boy was thrown aside, but he landed agilely, ready for another strike.
The golem, enraged and determined to crush Nathan Evenhart, lunged with a massive leap, its gaping jaws ready to swallow the boy whole. Its massive jaws, like iron gates, came crashing down with destructive force. Nathan, however, showed not a hint of hesitation.
With swift precision, he shoved his hands inside the creature¡¯s jaws¡ªone gripping the upper jaw, the other the lower¡ªstopping the monster''s advance. His body shone with an intense blue light, as sparks of electricity snaked along his arms, illuminating the scene with a vibrant electric glow.
The soul golem began to charge energy deep within its throat, preparing a devastating fire ray.
"Not so fast!" Nathan shouted, his face contorted with the strain. Concentrating mana into his hands, he unleashed a burst of wind from his arms, forcing the golem¡¯s jaws open with a tremendous crack.
¡®CRACK!¡¯ The sound of bone echoed through the forest.
¡°ARGHHHH!¡± The golem roared in animalistic pain, its jaw hanging grotesquely.
Nathan didn¡¯t waste a second. Seizing the moment of weakness, he summoned thick roots that burst from the ground with astonishing speed. The roots coiled around the creature, invading its open mouth with a relentless surge of water, flooding the golem¡¯s interior.
With the golem paralyzed, Nathan readied his decisive blow. Gripping his azure sword firmly, he charged at blinding speed, his eyes locked on the creature¡¯s weak spot. In a swift and brutal motion, he drove the blade into the golem¡¯s face, tearing through its stony skin and ripping its cheek apart.
Simultaneously, Nathan spun through the air, his body enveloped in a surge of electricity and wind. The azure sword cut through the air on one side, while the metal sword in his other hand glowed with a menacing hue. Each rotation amplified the force of his strikes, creating a devastating vortex around the golem.
¡®SLASH! SLASH!¡¯
The slashes were swift and brutal, shredding the golem¡¯s stone flesh as thick, magical blood splattered across the battlefield. Each blow forced the beast to recoil, unable to withstand Nathan¡¯s relentless assault.
With a final, fierce yell, Nathan descended in a devastating spin, his swords glowing like beacons of pure destruction. The azure blade and metal sword cleaved through the golem¡¯s neck and jaw with a resounding crack, causing the monster¡¯s jaw to finally give way and crash heavily to the ground.
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The golem''s body trembled violently, its form collapsing under the sheer force of Nathan¡¯s assault. It let out one last roar of agony before collapsing into a heap of debris and blood.
"Now you can¡¯t bite me anymore," he said with a cold smile, waving his hands as a sea of roots and vines engulfed the golem. The earth beneath the creature opened up, sinking it into a deep, water-filled pit. The realization of what he had been doing all this time hit me. All the water generated was being absorbed by those dead roots and carried into the deep pit he had created.
He was preparing a sea of water beneath us the entire time, planning to trap the golem! This kid had a strategy to defeat the creature from the moment he saw it!
I had managed to free myself, watching and waiting for the right moment to strike, but the sight of Nathan controlling the elements so effortlessly paralyzed me with fear.
Eliza''s Soul Golem is trapped beneath the earth. I can''t make the ground split open, and the creature is weakened by the water, further immobilized by roots. Eliza has no other option but to dismiss the creature, allowing it to regenerate in its mana gem and prevent excessive mana consumption. The Soul Golem has been completely contained.
When the boy turned his back, I didn''t hesitate. I leaped forward with full force, but he reacted quickly, swinging his sword and blocking my strike with precision. Before I could retreat, he spun swiftly, grabbed my arm, and, in a brutal move, hurled me against a tree with a loud crash. Without hesitation, he drove his metal sword into my stomach, the blade piercing my flesh with searing pain.
At that moment, Eliza rushed forward, seizing what appeared to be an opening. However, he sidestepped at the last instant, grabbing her by the neck and, with overwhelming strength, hurled her directly at me, causing us to collide violently.
"Sea Serpent!" he shouted, and a colossal serpent of water emerged, slicing through the air at high speed. In an instant, we were struck by the creature''s crushing impact, flung upward like mere toys.
We were thrown far away, flying through the air for dozens of meters, the trees around us blurring past rapidly. Our bodies whipped through the wind before crashing into the highest branches, snapping them on impact. We tumbled wildly through the forest, each rotation bringing more pain as stones and roots battered us until I finally slammed into a thick trunk, my vision shaking from the impact.
I slid across the ground, still spinning amidst mud and wet leaves, until I stopped at the edge of a distant river, my entire body throbbing with pain and exhaustion. Beside me, Eliza, bloody and gasping, had also been violently thrown to the ground, yet she still managed to stand, her eyes filled with determination despite her weakened state.
"If I recall correctly, you both said you were going to kill me," the boy taunted, striding across the river''s waters with a commanding presence, his eyes locked on us with merciless disdain.
¡°Damn it... You¡¯re just a farm boy; you shouldn''t have this level of skill," Eliza muttered, struggling to catch her breath as she fought to stand. ¡°I wish I¡¯d been hired to kill you and your mother years ago, when you were still a baby. I would¡¯ve enjoyed beating her face to a pulp," she added, letting out a bitter laugh.
Before she could react and strike him with a dagger, the boy propelled himself forward with an explosive burst of wind, closing the distance at blinding speed. Eliza tried to raise her arms in defense, but it was futile. He delivered a devastating kick to her abdomen, making her double over in pain, followed by a brutal punch to the face that sent her flying backward.
Desperate, I tried to conjure a stone spike, but my mana was depleted, and the spell failed before it could form. My legs trembled from exhaustion as I watched helplessly.
¡°You said you¡¯d hurt my mother¡¯s face?¡± he asked, his voice dangerously calm. ¡°You just gave me an excellent idea.¡±
Without hesitation, the boy ran again, this time pressing Eliza¡¯s face against the rocky ground. The sound of flesh and bone grinding echoed brutally as he dragged her at high speed, propelled by fierce gusts of wind. The friction left a trail of blood and sparks along the way.
With a merciless motion, he hurled Eliza against a tree, making the trunk shudder from the impact. The tree cracked slightly, and Eliza collapsed, her body visibly battered and broken.
"Where are the two assassins who swore they''d kill me?" he taunted, his voice dripping with disdain, while keeping his hand pointed at Eliza. Bolts of electricity erupted from his palm, striking her with relentless force. She convulsed on the ground, her body trembling in agony as she tried, in vain, to escape the shock.
He then slowly turned to me, his eyes shining with a chilling coldness. He pointed his hand, and a bolt of lightning shot towards me. The electricity struck me squarely, surging through my body with excruciating pain. My muscles spasmed involuntarily as I struggled to withstand the paralyzing shock.
¡°I don¡¯t tolerate anyone harming my family,¡± he continued, his voice unyielding, resonating like a final judgment. The lightning strikes kept coming, each surge cutting through me like knives piercing my flesh.
I was already exhausted, with not enough mana to create any defense, and the shock penetrated deep into my skin, causing unbearable pain. My hands trembled, and my body felt paralyzed by the relentless attack.
"Let''s have a little chat," he said with cold calmness, before shifting his gaze away from us, as if we were no longer a threat.
Damn¡ I thought, watching him walk away.
The boy turned his back to us, resuming his walk over the river¡¯s waters with disturbing calm, as if the chaos around him was nothing more than a routine scene. In a fluid motion, he bent down and picked up his metal sword that had fallen into the water, lifting it effortlessly as the gleam of the blade reflected the sky above.
¡°Ricardo!¡± Eliza screamed, but I subtly signaled that I was still alive. Half of her face was raw and bloody, a harrowing sight.
"How many innocent people have you killed?" he asked, his voice cold and merciless as he approached her.
"Screw you!" Eliza spat in his face, but her spit was effortlessly repelled by his wind control.
He gripped her neck with a force that made me feel the imminent danger.
"I commanded you to answer!" Thunder cracked across the sky, intensifying the heavy atmosphere.
I must kill this kid!
I discreetly slipped a knife from my storage bracelet into my sleeve.
I¡¯ll have to strike from the shadows.
"I¡¯ve killed many," Eliza finally admitted, her voice a mix of pain and anger. Without hesitation, Nathan tossed her in my direction, and she tumbled across the ground, stopping next to me.
The boy advanced slowly, the sound of his steps echoing through the water, each one bringing him closer. I grabbed Eliza''s arm, trying to help her stand, but his shout froze me in place:
"Leave her!" The command reverberated in the air, leaving me paralyzed.
Nathan conjured a ball of fire in his hand, which soon shifted into an intense blue glow.
"I bet you¡¯ve abused that fire power of yours," he said, his tone a blend of sarcasm and menace.
"You have no idea¡" Eliza muttered, spitting blood into the river.
"Then I''ll give you the exact same sentence," Nathan retorted, his voice as cold as the wind that now howled fiercely around us.
Panic gripped me, and without a second thought, I grabbed Eliza, trying to drag her away as quickly as possible. But before we could escape, Nathan surged forward with terrifying speed.
In an act of pure desperation, I swung my arm, trying to stab him with the knife I had hidden in my sleeve. He, however, caught the blade with his bare hand, allowing it to pierce his skin without even using wind to defend himself.
"That was your pathetic plan?" he taunted before landing a punch that sent me sprawling.
Damn it! There''s no way!
I fell backward, struggling to rise, but my body felt heavy, and the situation seemed increasingly hopeless.
189 - Nathans Legendary Spell
Chapter 189 - Nathan''s Legendary Spell
Ricardo:
The boy advanced slowly toward Eliza, each step unleashing brutal wind blasts that tossed her around like a mere toy at the mercy of an uncontrolled force. Eliza was hurled through the air, bouncing across the water¡¯s surface, each impact reverberating with a muffled thud and leaving a trail of agony in her expression.
With a fluid and precise movement, the boy summoned a water serpent that coiled around Eliza in a relentless whirlwind, dragging her back toward him. The water swirled around her like a living maelstrom until she was flung directly into his arms.
He held her cruelly, his fingers pressing against Eliza¡¯s face with merciless force, nearly crushing her. His blue eyes, cold as ice, locked onto hers with a chilling indifference.
¡°What are your last words?¡± he asked, his voice filled with disdain.
Eliza tried to retaliate with a desperate headbutt, but she was too weak to make any impact.
¡°I don¡¯t have a brother,¡± she whispered, laughing through the pain. ¡°And I should have killed you during that date.¡±
The boy¡¯s gaze remained steady as he brought his hand closer to her face, the air around them growing hotter and more suffocating.
¡°It was a good date, each of us playing our roles. Now, go to hell already feeling its heat.¡± With these words, flickering blue flames erupted from his hand, engulfing Eliza¡¯s body. The flames were intense and unrelenting, burning mercilessly. Eliza struggled fiercely, her screams tearing through the air as she desperately tried to extinguish the fire, throwing herself into the water. But the flames persisted, dancing around her even while submerged. Each attempt to douse the fire only deepened her despair.
Finally, Eliza''s body emerged from the water, completely charred and motionless. Her skin, once marked by determination, was now nothing more than a blackened, twisted mass, an unrecognizable burnt corpse.
¡°Eliza!¡± I screamed, but the word was swallowed by the howling wind, as terror seized me. My voice faltered, filled with a visceral fear. The boy, unaffected by Eliza''s death, simply turned, his piercing blue eyes shining intensely as they fixed on me with an icy indifference that sent chills down my spine.
¡°WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU!?¡± Desperation and helplessness poured from my voice, each word a plea. His presence was suffocating, crushing any remaining will to resist.
¡°I am something you should never have provoked!¡± he declared, his voice calm yet heavy with a final verdict.
He raised his hand toward the sky, a blue light radiating from his fingers, spreading with growing intensity. The wind began to blow from all directions, like a chorus of sinister whispers rising in volume. The surrounding trees swayed violently, as if trying to resist the storm, while the river trembled, almost as if it were attempting to flee from the impending horror.
Massive clouds gathered and darkened, swirling as if the sky itself were being consumed by an abyss.
¡°This is impossible! No power can bend a natural phenomenon to its will!¡± I shouted, disbelief mixed with horror as I witnessed the impossible unfolding before me.
¡°I am the natural phenomenon,¡± he replied, his voice calm at the eye of the storm, as if the entire world were under his command. With a single step toward me, the weight of the tempest increased, and I felt my body weaken, unable to resist the overwhelming force pressing down from all sides.
As he moved, the water around him seemed to react, alive and raging. The sky above us was dominated by an immense black cloud, swirling into a sinister vortex as if nature itself obeyed his command. Every lightning bolt that split the clouds cast violent flashes across the surrounding forest, briefly illuminating the horror of the scene.
This shouldn¡¯t exist! I thought, as fear crept over me. What he was doing was beyond what any mage should be capable of.
He kept his hand raised, and the vortex in the sky responded, twisting in spirals of immeasurable power. The atmosphere was charged, the air vibrated, and an overwhelming aura of destruction loomed over us.
"There once was a man who aimed to kill a god¡" he began to chant, his voice reverberating with an authority that struck deep into my soul. Lightning burst around us, dancing with deadly brilliance as the forest was consumed by the fury of the heavens. "And to do so, he became a god¡" His words were like a decree, each syllable bearing the weight of centuries of hatred. The clouds above formed into a colossal circle, as if we were at the center of a forbidden ritual.
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"AHHH!" A scream of agony escaped my lips as a blade pierced my chest from behind. The searing metal felt like it was consuming my insides, spreading a corrosive fire that made me tremble in pain. It was as if every cell in my body was burning from within.
"Martha, what are you doing?" the boy asked, his expression showing a hint of confusion. He hadn¡¯t expected this interruption.
"Young master, that spell is far too dangerous. Your aunt forbade its use." The feminine voice that responded was calm but carried an unyielding authority.
"I just wanted to have a little fun¡ you said you wouldn¡¯t interfere," he replied, sounding somewhat petulant, like a child being scolded for mischief.
"You¡¯ve had enough fun. Don¡¯t forget that your aunt¡¯s command is absolute. I cannot allow you to disobey her."
I tried to turn around to see the source of that commanding voice, but before I could move, a brutal impact sent me flying. My body was hurled violently, landing hard on the riverbank, the impact nearly making me black out from the pain.
"AHH!" I tried to scream, but all that came out was a desperate moan, interrupted by the torment of the blade driving deeper into my chest. The sword seemed to pulse with a malevolent energy, disrupting any attempt to channel my mana.
What is this!? Make it stop! I pleaded inwardly, but the agony continued relentlessly.
"This blade is causing you so much pain that even your mana channels are blocked," said a woman with a cold expression, dressed as a maid, approaching me with slow, calculated steps. "You can try to use your magic all you want¡ but as long as it¡¯s inside you, it¡¯s useless."
Her gaze was unwavering, her eyes gleaming with an icy ruthlessness, as if my suffering was merely a trivial detail to her.
The sky above suddenly cleared, as if the storm had never existed. The dark clouds that had threatened to consume the world vanished in an instant, leaving behind a haunting emptiness. The contrast to the hellish scene that had just unfolded was unsettling, as if reality itself were mocking my agony.
Before I could comprehend what was happening, a plant-like serpent leaped from the shadows, coiling around me with crushing force. Its tendrils were like living chains, firm and unyielding. I tried to summon my earth magic, searching for any remnants of power to expel the blade from my body, but the pain was incapacitating. The metal burned my insides, blocking any attempt to control my mana.
"AHHHHHHHHHH!" A desperate scream tore from my throat, the pain so overwhelming it felt like it was consuming my very soul.
"You can struggle all you want," the boy said with terrifying calmness, his piercing blue eyes fixed on me like an executioner before his victim. "I¡¯ve driven that blade into myself before, just to test it, and tried to force it out with magic. It doesn¡¯t work. This metal is deeply cursed, even for me."
Then, from the depths of the forest, other women emerged slowly. I recognized their silhouettes instantly, and panic gripped me.
The three women stared at me.
The common mother¡ Chloe Evenhart¡ and that maid¡ the head maid of the family¡
"The first thing this metal does is burn through your mana channels," the maid explained, a cold smile curving her lips. "Then it begins to burn your flesh, and finally, your mind. The pain is unbearable, dissolving your will to fight. You become immobilized, eternally trapped between life and death as the agony consumes you completely."
"Over the years, we''ve discovered that the damage from this metal isn''t just physical," Nathan Evenhart continued, his voice devoid of any compassion. "It strikes the soul. Just touching it is enough to incapacitate us. There¡¯s no escaping it."
They stared at me, cold and unmoved, like predators watching their desperate prey. My body trembled involuntarily, and my thoughts were consumed by a primal fear. I knew, at that moment, there was no escaping this hell.
"Are you the man who tried to harm my son?" the mother asked, as the plant serpent tightened its grip, intensifying my pain.
"I''ll make him talk, Lady Katherine," the maid said, her eyes gleaming with sick satisfaction, her smile growing even more sadistic.
Chloe Evenhart, who had remained silent until then, suddenly spoke, her voice almost indifferent, yet filled with curiosity.
"I wonder who sent him?"
Her words were an insult to my dignity. They were toying with me, playing with my pain as if I were just another piece on their board.
Damn it! my mind screamed. Who are these people? They were always one step ahead of us!
"I''m sorry to disappoint you," I managed to mutter between groans of pain, my voice breaking under the torment. "I¡ will¡ not¡ reveal anything."
The maid slowly approached, her grin widening as if my defiance was a victory in itself.
"I was hoping you''d say that," she said, her voice brimming with a twisted sense of joy. "It''ll make my job that much more fun."
"Your friend was quite clever," Nathan Evenhart said, his voice laced with a chilling calmness. "She realized that provoking me into killing her was a far less painful option than living with the certainty of being tortured in every imaginable way to extract information."
His eyes were fixed on me, the blue glow radiating a cold intensity. His composed demeanor only made his words more terrifying, as if death was a calculated decision rather than an emotional one.
"But don''t worry," he continued, taking a step forward. "I never intended to capture her anyway. I definitely wouldn''t capture someone capable of summoning a Soul Golem if they managed to break free from this sword."
Chloe Evenhart stepped forward, her gaze equally cold.
"You shouldn¡¯t have messed with the Evenharts," she said, her voice icy and cutting.
She made a quick motion with her hand, and a wave of cold surged through my body. The frost spread cruelly, slowly encasing my skin, seeping into my flesh. I felt my limbs start to stiffen, my entire body freezing as if consumed from the inside out.
"Sweet dreams," Chloe whispered, her voice the last thing I heard before darkness completely swallowed me. "When you wake up, you will live a nightmare."
Those were the last words I heard before I was pulled into an abyss of darkness and cold, my body paralyzed, my mind descending into complete unconsciousness.
190 - Martha, the Torturer Maid
Chapter 190 - Martha, the Torturer Maid
Elara Asalon:
"Focus!" shouted Sebastian.
"Yes, sir!" the knights responded in unison, adjusting their stances with their swords, sweat trickling down their focused faces.
The training was taking place in a restricted area of the academy, reserved for students who accepted the rigor of enlisting in the royal army. This secluded field was surrounded by magical barriers, making the environment even more intense and challenging. These extra training sessions were essential to shape the students, honing their skills over the five-year academy course until they were ready for the rank of Recruit Knight. Every move was precise, every mistake corrected firmly, and Sebastian watched with a keen eye.
From where I stood, I observed the grueling rhythm of the training, but I soon made my way toward the Student Council room. The holidays were approaching, but for me, this period rarely meant rest. Even during breaks, work continued to chase me. My next mission, once I returned, would be to meet the first-year students selected by Director Victoria to form my small support force. They would be trained to, in the future, hold positions within the student council, a responsibility that could not be neglected.
Upon opening the door to the room, I saw my friend Rose completely immersed in a pile of documents, her serious expression reflecting the weight of the responsibilities we shared.
"Still working?" I asked, approaching her.
"Look who''s talking. I bet you''re here to do the same," she replied without looking up, tossing some papers in my direction with a tired but knowing look.
I let out a light laugh, breaking the tension a bit, and sat beside her, picking up the papers she had pushed toward me.
"Looks like we have more work ahead," she remarked while flipping through another document.
"Excursion to the Inverted Tower?" I read aloud, trying to decipher what this mission would entail. Curiosity mixed with fatigue, and once again, I realized the holidays were far from restful.
As the years progressed, academy students gained access to the mysterious dungeon, one of the most intriguing and dangerous places for training. There, they could undertake missions while honing their skills. Each floor of the dungeon was a true ecosystem, where monster nests were left to multiply naturally, providing students with constant opportunities to descend the tower¡¯s levels and face creatures bred in that environment. In addition to maintaining the balance of the monster population, this practice offered mages realistic training, preparing them for the dangers of the outside world.
Some of these creatures stood out for their strength, dominating certain floors and acting as natural leaders. These monsters were known as "Bosses," formidable challenges for the bravest and most experienced students. The dungeon, called the Inverted Tower, was a structure dating back to ancient civilization, and to this day, no one knew for sure who had built it. It was believed that in ancient times, it also served as a training ground for warriors seeking to grow stronger.
"The academy is planning a major excursion to the Inverted Tower," Rose said, interrupting my thoughts. "I heard that even first-year students will be brought along. They want us to go too."
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I sighed, reading the details on the document she handed me.
"At least it seems simple," I commented, analyzing the plan. "They¡¯ll only be in the easier floors, exploring areas that now serve as museums. Still, there will be monsters present."
Rose continued reading the document and let out a chuckle, casting a playful glance my way.
"It¡¯ll be fine. It¡¯s a team effort between classes, and the first-year students selected to participate will be excited. After all, it¡¯s a rare chance to enter the Inverted Tower ahead of schedule," she remarked with a slight smile.
I looked at the document once again, analyzing the floors that would be explored during the excursion.
"Yeah, it really seems simple," I said, tossing the document back onto the table. "A tour through the excavation museums of the Ancient Civilization."
The Inverted Tower held many relics discovered in its depths. Rooms filled with ancient furniture, paintings, stone murals written in unknown languages, and monumental statues¡ªall preserved and displayed like a museum. Interestingly, the dungeon¡¯s monsters, instead of mere threats, seemed to act as guardians of these treasures, patrolling the halls. Apparently, our role would be to act as security while the senior classes guided the younger students through the tour.
"At least there¡¯ll be a bit of action," I commented, trying to see the positive side of the mission.
Ricardo:
My body burned with constant pain, and I found myself in a miserable state. Every breath was torture, and the sword embedded in my stomach made my whole body feel like it was being corroded by acid.
My vision was blurry, but I could make out the silhouette of a woman in front of me, dressed like a maid. I tried to move, but the metal chains binding my broken, burned arms and legs made any attempt futile.
"Take it out¡ please¡" I begged, my voice barely escaping as I looked at the sword piercing my body. The pain was so overwhelming that I had lost control of my bodily functions; my pants were soaked with urine and feces.
The woman glanced at the filthy floor, her expression marked by disgust.
¡°You¡¯ve already started to soil yourself, and I haven¡¯t even started to play¡¡± she said, moving her hand slowly. A crystal-clear ball of water appeared, cleaning the mess and draining it into a nearby grate.
¡°This metal is quite useful, but it does take away some of the fun,¡± she continued with a tone of sadistic satisfaction, as she turned to pick up a wooden case. She opened it on a nearby table, revealing an array of shiny, sharp tools. Each one was examined with a sinister whistle, as if she were choosing a toy.
Two other girls, also dressed as maids, appeared beside her.
"My darlings, Mommy is going to teach you some new tricks," the woman said, her smile blending tenderness with perversity.
¡°Fuck you¡¡± I cursed, desperately trying to concentrate what little magic I had left.
"Let us have some fun too, Mommy," one of the twins pleaded, her eyes gleaming with anticipation.
The woman chuckled softly.
¡°I¡¯m very proud of you, but this is a delicate job,¡± she replied, caressing the girls¡¯ faces.
A scream of agony escaped my lips as a new wave of suffering rippled through my body. Every attempt to use my magic seemed to multiply the pain, as if my insides were being torn apart from within.
The woman then picked up a giant needle and a hammer, approaching me.
¡°You can try to use your power all you want. This metal reacts to mana¡ªit pierces your soul channels. It¡¯s a cunning creation, meant to trap magical creatures¡ or magical humans,¡± she said, her voice dripping with morbid delight.
"This is a damn enchanted relic¡" I muttered, as the pain caused me to drool uncontrollably.
"A talented mage, at 14 years old, tied his own hands and feet and asked me to drive this sword into him. The young master tried to remove it using magic and endured this same pain for quite some time. The result? He failed. If that boy couldn¡¯t use magic to pull out the sword¡ you won¡¯t even come close," she said, relishing my torment.
She leaned in closer, holding the needle in front of my face, her eyes gleaming with sadistic pleasure. With her other hand, she spun the hammer, the metallic sound cutting through the air ominously.
"The method I created to amplify the pain while you¡¯re already suffering is quite simple. I¡¯m going to carve the bones in your body. I¡¯ll break you slowly, and every little piece I shatter¡ will hurt a lot," she said, smiling.
Despair overwhelmed me.
NO! HELP! THIS WOMAN IS INSANE!
"I¡¯ll tell you¡ whatever you want¡ please," I begged, my sanity slipping away rapidly.
She simply shook her head, maintaining that disturbing smile.
"You have your job, and I have mine. Don¡¯t deprive me of my fun."
191 - Who Ordered My Assassination?
Chapter 191 - Who Ordered My Assassination?
Nathan Evenhart:
"You did what?!" the cat shouted at me.
"I explained it¡ twice¡" I tried to say, but Cylla was too angry to listen.
I recalled the trap my family and I set up to handle the assassins. They had shown interest in me throughout the week, so we created a scenario where I appeared alone and vulnerable.
The plan was for me to be captured by the assassins. My family kept watch from a distance through a bird-golem created by Chloe, hidden among the trees and rooftops. They had to act naturally, pretending to be just wandering around town while I went about my tasks, in case anyone was observing them. Once I was ''captured,'' the next phase of our plan would kick in.
We knew that if they took me out of the city, they''d likely choose one of the less-traveled roads, considered dangerous due to the monsters that inhabit the surrounding forests. Roads like these are avoided by ordinary people, making them ideal for those who don''t want to be seen. Ever vigilant about the possibility of kidnappings, my family had mapped the entire region since we moved here, anticipating scenarios like this.
We were prepared for various outcomes. If the assassins attempted to kill me within the city, I''d deal with the situation there and then. The commotion would surely draw the soldiers'' attention, forcing the attackers to flee. Another possibility was my ''abduction,'' where they could take me to a hideout and torture me for days while drugged. In that case, they would have to leave the city, because if I were reported missing, the city would be locked down, preventing any entry or exit.
They could also try to stage my death in various ways. One scenario was to make me appear in public, heavily drugged, while a lethal poison worked silently. They might arrange for me to be seen in a bar or brothel, where a sudden death could mask the fact that it was actually an assassination. After all, a noble dying of a drug overdose isn''t uncommon.
Another possibility was their interest in my special eyes. Since awakening this power, my family has been extremely cautious whenever we leave the duchy for ceremonies or social events.
There were other, more mundane scenarios we ruled out. For instance, they could try to abduct me, and while I was drugged, have a woman ''engage'' with me to conceive a child without anyone knowing. As a noble with valuable bloodline and a long lineage of mages, any child of mine would be a mage, serving as a powerful asset for someone seeking an heir. However, such mundane possibilities were unlikely.
Harming a high-ranking noble is punishable by death in all three kingdoms, condemning the perpetrator to a life of constant evasion. Therefore, these more mundane options didn''t pass my analysis. It had to be for a far stronger reason.
Once I was finally kidnapped and taken outside the city, it became clear that they were planning to fake my death.
My family watched from afar as the assassins proceeded down the deserted road. They allowed them to continue, knowing that the forest road had only one route, and I would be the one to handle them once we were far enough from the city.
My instructions were clear: I wanted to face the assassins alone to determine whether they were aware of my elemental power derived from my special eyes or if they only had access to my royal records. When I revealed my thunder element to Eliza, she feigned surprise without any sign of caution, indicating that while they didn¡¯t have full knowledge of my abilities, they knew about my thunder element, as there was no hesitation in their plan. The only way to obtain such detailed information would be through a noble with political standing or someone from an influential family.
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The contractor who wants me dead is clearly a noble...
My list of suspects is long. Over the years, I''ve actively served as an enforcer within my duchy, eliminating those guilty of heinous crimes and purging gangs. Many nobles have connections to the underworld, not just from my own duchy but from others as well, and they''ve seen their profits drastically slashed as their illegal enterprises¡ªdrug trafficking, slave trade¡ªwere cut off from our lands.
The list of those who¡¯d benefit from my death is extensive¡
Of course, most of my actions were attributed to the military and commanders of our army. I¡¯ve received no public credit or recognition. To the people, I¡¯m just a ''spoiled'' noble living in a castle; to nobles outside the duchy, I¡¯m seen as nothing more than a very wealthy farmer.
After we captured the assassin, we placed him in the carriage that Martha, my mother, and Chloe had used to travel here. I had left the Cursed Blade with Martha, as the blade''s effect immobilizes anyone in constant contact with the cursed metal. I entrusted it to her for my family¡¯s safety in case more assassins showed up or one managed to escape. No matter how powerful a mage may be, if pierced by that blade, they''re done for. This metal even managed to contain a raging phoenix¡ªhumans stand no chance against it.
I wanted to use my most powerful spell, one I¡¯d only ever used once in a remote area, which led to a strict ban on its use. But Martha stopped me, interrupting the fight.
All I intended to do was evaporate the river water¡ nothing more.
We made sure to act far from the city, allowing the assassins to take me to a designated battleground. I could have used my Celestial Eyes to end the situation quickly, but overusing that ability carries significant risks, given the immense strain it causes, and I wasn¡¯t certain if there were more assassins nearby. Still, I used it once¡ªto retrieve my storage bracelet. Attempting to use the Aspect of Time to escape wouldn''t have taken me far and would have drained my mana.
My battle with the mage assassins was observed from a distance by my family, who maintained a safe watch over the area in case more adversaries appeared. In the end, I killed one of the assassins for precautionary reasons. Capturing two mages would have been too risky, given that we only had one cursed sword to incapacitate them.
I sighed, pondering my next steps. During the battle, I even revealed my true identity as a high half-elf, hoping that this might be one of the reasons behind the attack. After all, I¡¯m a diplomatic anomaly. Perhaps someone wanted to eliminate me for that reason alone, but it seemed too far-fetched. The reality is that there are many reasons someone might want me dead, only deepening the feeling of being lost in this sea of uncertainties.
Harming a high noble is a severe incident, especially in Apsalon. The most logical course of action would be to involve the authorities and the royal family. A crime like this would not be forgiven in any of the three kingdoms, and the perpetrator would face execution without hesitation. However, the severity of such a crime brings even greater complications.
The perpetrator weighed the risks and concluded it was worth it.
That''s exactly why we decided not to alert the authorities. There is someone out there, hidden in the shadows, who assessed the risk of attacking a high noble and planned everything so that my death would appear to be an accident. Facing an unknown enemy is complicated because I still don¡¯t know exactly how my death could benefit anyone.
I touched my eyes. Maybe they were the reason.
We need to determine whether the pair of assassins knew about my Special Eyes, even if they were unaware of their full power. They wanted to deliver me to someone, complicating matters. It could be someone who discovered my eyes¡¯ existence¡ªnobles are obsessed with them. It makes sense that the assassin had access to a healing potion and my royal records; a noble must have provided these resources. Damn... there are so many possibilities that I don¡¯t know what to do anymore.
I let out another sigh.
It seems I have a more immediate danger to deal with¡
I looked at the cat glaring at me.
The scolding of a dragon¡
¡°Don¡¯t ignore me!¡± Cylla snapped.
192 - My Overprotective Dragon Wife Is Scolding Me
Chapter 192 - My Overprotective Dragon Wife Is Scolding Me
"Don''t ignore me!" Cylla snapped.
I was lying on my bed in the mansion, trying to relax after everything that had happened. Chloe had stopped by the academy to pick up Cylla, who had stayed behind since she was in that delicate period females usually go through. I knew it would be hard to hide what had happened from Cylla, but before she even saw me, she stormed into the room, probably sensing my condition with her super-sensitive nose. I had to recount the whole story to her more than once while enduring her scolding.
"Don''t worry, Cylla. Everything worked out, and we managed to capture one of them," I said, trying to calm her down.
She jumped onto the bed, getting close to my face. She lifted one of her paws and gave me a soft smack on the cheek.
"My job is to protect you! You deceived me! You said you were just going to pick up the hair dye," she complained, clearly upset.
"Technically, that''s exactly what I did..." I tried to argue, but she wasn''t buying it.
"Liar! You planned to get kidnapped and set up an ambush with Martha, Katherine, and Chloe," Cylla huffed in my face.
"In the end, it all worked out, and I''m fine," I insisted.
"Fine!?" she yelled, her voice full of anger. "Look at yourself, you idiot!"
I quickly re-evaluated my condition, and perhaps she had a point. I wasn¡¯t in great shape. I was bandaged in multiple places, having been repeatedly hit by a massive stone armor. I had broken bones, burns from fire explosions, puncture wounds from spikes on a giant stone ball, and I had almost lost an arm to an axe. My hands were raw from holding back the fiery Soul Golem''s jaws to avoid being devoured. I had also been poisoned, my left leg had torn ligaments from a stab wound by the female assassin, and my right leg was completely burnt. And, of course, one of my hands had been stabbed. Not to mention the tranquilizer and poison still in my system.
Maybe ''fine'' wasn''t the best word to describe my state.
I gently cupped the cat''s face with both hands, squeezing her furry cheeks softly to try to calm her down.
"I''m here, and it¡¯s over. It would¡¯ve been too complicated to bring you along. You¡¯d have gotten angry and probably transformed into your dragon form. What if someone saw you? I couldn''t risk that."
She looked at me with her bright, concerned eyes.
"But what if you were seriously hurt? I needed to be there."
I pulled Cylla into a tight hug, ignoring the pain that shot through my body.
"This hurts¡ you''re crushing me," she complained.
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"Now you know how I feel when you give me those bone-breaking hugs. Want me to stop?" I asked, still holding her close.
"No..." she admitted, reluctantly.
I embraced my soul companion, feeling how deeply she cared about me. It was comforting, but also a reminder of the burden I bore.
"My family was there," I tried to reassure her.
"So what? What if something unexpected happened?" she countered, still restless.
"You forgot I have the Celestial Eyes. I could save myself using the Aspect of Time¡ or the Aspect of Body," I explained, trying to sound reasonable.
In reality, I had used the Aspect of Time to retrieve my storage bracelet.
Before I could continue, Cylla cut me off.
"What you did was dangerous all the same. Your strongest spell drains you completely in a single use and leaves you practically dead afterward, your Soul Golem is a deranged monster that even wants to kill its own master, and if you overuse the Celestial Eyes, you''ll also be drained of mana and physically vulnerable to death. In short, you''re a weakling! A fragile, weak human!¡±
"Technically, I''m half-elf¡ which makes me a bit tougher than a human¡" I tried to argue.
"You''re still a weakling to me, and an idiot for putting yourself in danger," Cylla retorted.
I sighed, realizing that arguing was pointless.
"Fine¡ I promise I¡¯ll bring you along next time."
She glared at me, serious. "There won¡¯t be a next time! I¡¯ll personally handle this once I find out who ordered your kidnapping."
I took a deep breath, understanding the implications.
"I won¡¯t allow that. You¡¯ll just cause chaos."
"I don¡¯t need your permission. I am your wife and guardian," she said firmly.
"Soul wife¡" I corrected, trying to soften the meaning.
"And does that make any difference to you?" she challenged, her tone defiant.
Better not touch on that sensitive topic while she''s this mad...
"I will find whoever ordered the attack, burn them until their bones and skin turn to ash, destroy their house, their family, their children, and devour everything," she stated with chilling calm.
I scratched my head, reflecting on what I had just heard.
I let out a sigh as I watched the gray cat murmur sinister threats about how she planned to deal with our enemies.
I really need to improve her manners. Maybe she picked up some bad habits when she glimpsed parts of my former self in my soul.
"Cylla¡" I called out, trying to get her attention.
"WHAT?!" she snapped.
Without wasting time, I quickly leaned in and planted a soft kiss on her feline cheek.
"Wh-why did you do that!?" she asked, blushing instantly.
"Did you not like it?" I teased.
Her face froze, clearly caught between anger and shyness.
"I-I didn''t say that¡" she muttered, now in a softer tone.
For a moment, I thought I had calmed her down, but then she paused, thinking about what just happened.
"Hey! Don¡¯t try to change the subject!" she shouted, her irritation returning.
I couldn¡¯t help but smile, seeing her so determined. Even when she was angry, there was something about her that filled me with immense affection.
I pulled her into a tighter hug, feeling her warmth as she let out a soft complaint, though she showed no signs of trying to escape.
"Let go of me¡" she grumbled, but it was clear she had no real intention of wanting me to release her.
I laid on my side, holding her close, and started to pester her.
"Can you heal me?" I asked.
"Of course, idiot¡ but we should wait. Did Martha treat all your wounds?" she asked, more serious now.
"Yes," I replied. "She handled everything and even made me drink an entire healing potion. I have to rest for the weekend."
Cylla placed her paw on my chest, assessing the damage.
"From what I can feel, your injuries were treated well, and the potion is doing its job on your bones and internal wounds. I¡¯ll wait until it completes its effect before using my life aspect. The healing potion forces your body to regenerate flesh, ligaments, and bones, essentially restoring you from the inside out. I don¡¯t want to overwhelm your body by adding my power on top of it¡ Besides, in this form, I¡¯m also somewhat limited."
My major wounds have been treated, and within a few hours, the visible injuries will disappear. However, the recovery time for the bones is much longer. I''ll have to drink more healing potion tomorrow to continue the treatment or wait until Cylla heals me.
193 - Katherine Makes a Promise
Chapter 193 - Katherine Makes a Promise
My ''dragon wife'' had finished scolding me and was now asleep in a nearby armchair. She had mentioned not wanting to disturb me or risk bumping into any of my bandaged wounds while sleeping.
My body ached intensely, and I admit that forcing myself to hug Cylla was a painful decision. My muscles were injured, and most of my bones were likely broken internally.
During the fight, I used electrical induction to move my body. It was similar to that phenomenon where a person¡¯s muscles contract involuntarily after receiving a shock, causing their limbs to jolt suddenly. I was using it to propel myself after breaking a few bones. The situation worsened when I had to apply force to hold back the creature''s jaw, which was trying to slice me in half. I nearly rendered my arms useless in that moment and had to create a wind burst in my palms, reinforced with electricity, to generate enough momentum to break the giant salamander¡¯s jaw.
The presence of that soul golem complicated matters. The creature was incredibly powerful.
Soul golems are genuinely dangerous¡ªmonsters not to be underestimated, as they possess tremendous physical strength and access to immense magical power. A single golem like that could devastate an entire city if unleashed. Fortunately, they have a mana limitation and disappear when it runs out. But the truth is that I could have been killed by that soul golem if I had made even the slightest mistake.
Chloe and my mother are rare summoner mages, meaning their talent in magic is exceptional. This was one of the reasons why my mother attracted the attention of so many nobles when she was a soldier, besides her beauty. Anyone knew that a child she bore would be a talented mage.
I let out a small laugh, recalling how we made it back home.
¡°No one would believe this¡¡± I murmured, still chuckling.
I waited for at least two hours before finally engaging in the fight with the assassins. This interval gave me enough time to move away from the city and follow an isolated road that wound through a dense forest. There was still a chance that someone, even from a distance, could have heard the explosions and deafening sounds of the battle, increasing the risk of scouts being nearby.
To ensure a safe and discreet return home, we adopted a less conventional approach. But first, I decided to cover up the sounds of the explosions and create some setbacks for the scouts. I conjured a massive storm cloud, bringing heavy rain and deafening thunder that covered the entire area. Immediately, the heavy rain began to hinder any potential investigation, while the thunder drowned out any suspicious battle noises.
With a series of clouds created, I used the wind to guide them toward Apsalon, ensuring that the storm not only concealed our tracks but also created a natural barrier to slow down any scouts, as I caused some flooding.
Sorry, merchants, but the flow on the roads will be tough... it¡¯s for a good cause.
These intense clouds, combined with the river overflow, would buy us enough time to prevent anyone from investigating the area for a few days.
Yeah, looks like I ruined the students'' weekend¡ Apsalon is facing a storm like never before.
These are the perks of being the only mage with the Storm element in the world.
As for our return, we got even more creative. We decided to travel by carriage, but via the river. Chloe conjured a large block of ice and placed the carriage on top of it, controlling its movement with the Wind and Water elements to increase speed. We navigated along the river until we exited into a forest, where I used Earth magic to level the terrain and make it easier to reach a completely different road that would lead us back to the city.
Once we reached Apsalon, Martha presented the documents as an employee of a high-ranking noble. As usual, the documentation ensured a smooth passage, without any questioning or need for a queue.
¡°I guess this will make for some stories during the end-of-year holiday¡¡± I said, laughing, and then closed my eyes.
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I was beginning to surrender to exhaustion. After hours of being treated by Martha, with all the dressings and bandages applied, the adrenaline that had kept me alert had finally dissipated. I had to drink two liters of a disgusting tea to help my body deal with the lingering poison in my veins. In the past, whenever my family poisoned me on purpose to strengthen my immunity, I¡¯d drink this tea and spend a week peeing in different colors.
Poison... I was poisoned by that mage. Who would have thought that, in this life, it would mean almost nothing.
Still, I couldn¡¯t help but think bitterly: if Icarus had been immune to poison, maybe that tragic event would never have happened.
Since my rebirth, poison had become a common part of my life, something routine in my everyday reality. Yet, for a brief moment, a painful memory from my past surfaced, one that still lingered within me as a scar from a lost battle.
I sighed deeply.
"Ah, little sister, you know how sad I am," I murmured, sensing the presence of the carnivorous plant approaching, its ''face'' curiously tilted toward me. It sat in a pot next to my bed, a silent but constant companion.
"You and I have been through a lot over the years..." I said, extending a finger toward it and gently touching one of its fleshy leaves. The plant shifted back to its initial position, as if understanding my words.
It was more than just a plant. Created by my mother, it had been with me since the day I was born, protecting my crib from mosquitoes and unwanted insects. During the long journey to the castle, my mother, the plant, and I shared the same cramped carriage, until the phoenix arrived.
¡°You and I are great siblings,¡± I joked, creating a small water sphere in my palm and watering it. The plant''s leaves opened with a soft crackle, accepting the water.
After that, I lay back down.
¡°Finally¡ some peace,¡± I murmured to myself, feeling the weight of sleep overtaking me. ¡°I¡¯ll let the adults decide the next steps. I just want to sleep for a few days¡¡±
¡®Knock, knock.¡¯ The sound of knocking on the door made me open my eyes again, and the door slowly creaked open.
¡°Lord Nathan,¡± two voices said in unison. It was Natty and Catty, the synchronized maid sisters.
The two entered the room, each carrying a tray. Without saying much, they moved precisely to the dresser beside the bed, placing the trays there.
¡°We''ll change your bandages later,¡± Natty said calmly, with a professional tone.
Catty approached, filling a jug with water and placing it on the bedside table. ¡°And tomorrow, we¡¯ll start your physical therapy in the afternoon,¡± she added, as if it were part of a routine.
I nodded slightly, feeling the weight of sleep returning but knowing that the coming days would be filled with intense recovery.
Natty sat beside me, holding a bowl of soup and a spoon.
¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll feed you,¡± she said calmly.
¡°I can eat by myself,¡± I tried to protest.
The two shook their heads simultaneously, perfectly synchronized.
¡°We cannot allow that. You mustn¡¯t move your arms unnecessarily,¡± Catty said firmly.
I sighed, realizing it was pointless to insist. I glanced at Cylla in the armchair, who just gave me a half-closed, disapproving look.
It''s their job, you idiot... Martha has done this for me many times when I was hurt during training.
A soft knock echoed from the door. ¡®Knock, knock.¡¯
¡°Let me take care of him, girls,¡± my mother¡¯s calm voice called as she entered the room.
Natty and Catty stood up and silently nodded. Cylla, upon hearing my mother¡¯s voice, closed her eyes and went back to sleep.
Saved by the bell¡
¡°If you need anything, Lady Katherine and Lord Nathan, just call,¡± they both said, bowing before leaving the room and closing the door carefully.
My mother sat at the edge of the bed, looking at me with a mix of concern and love.
¡°My son...¡± she began, but her voice faltered, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. She moved closer, now sitting beside me. ¡°I wanted to hug you so much, but you¡¯re all hurt. So, I¡¯ll just pamper you a bit instead.¡±
She gently cradled me.
¡°Wait¡ Mother¡¡± I mumbled, embarrassed.
Ignoring my protests, she settled on the bed beside me, placing my head in her lap. As awkward as it felt, I couldn¡¯t refuse that affection. She was the one who had taught me to love again, the one who had cared for me when I needed it the most. No matter how old I got, she would always be my mother.
While stroking my hair, she murmured with a determined tone, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we will find out who ordered this attack on you. And when I do, for every wound you suffered, I¡¯ll take one head.¡±
She kissed my forehead softly.
I let her pamper me a little more. As we talked, she carefully inspected each of my injuries. At one point, I noticed she was quietly counting, truly determined to fulfill her promise of one head for each wound.
Even though she said she wouldn¡¯t hug me, she eventually wrapped me in a gentle embrace, covering my cheeks with kisses.
¡°Time to feed you now,¡± she announced, getting up to retrieve the bowl of soup from the tray. She stirred it, making sure it wasn¡¯t too hot before bringing a spoonful to my mouth.
¡°Why are you smiling like that?¡± I asked, feeling slightly embarrassed.
¡°You remind me of when you were a baby,¡± she said with a nostalgic smile. ¡°You were so curious, never staying still. I had to tie you down to a chair just to take care of you.¡±
Sorry, Mom¡ Back then, I was just trying to explore the world I was reborn into¡
She leaned closer and kissed the top of my head gently.
¡°I will always be here for you, Nate. You¡¯ll forever be my baby,¡± she said, her voice warm and affectionate as she fed me another spoonful.
I swallowed, trying to hide the embarrassment that was growing within me. But then, in a more serious tone, she added:
¡°But once you¡¯ve recovered¡ I might pull your ears a bit as punishment for not letting Chloe help you in that fight.¡±
I chuckled at her words.
¡°I figured this was coming.¡±
194 - Chloe Spends the Night Beside Nathan
Chapter 194 - Chloe Spends the Night Beside Nathan
I woke up with my body still aching, a constant reminder of what I had recently endured. My training as an assassin taught me to endure pain, but that didn¡¯t make it any less excruciating. Anesthetics didn¡¯t work on me, which made sleeping more a matter of survival than rest.
Cylla, my faithful companion, still couldn¡¯t heal me, and she wasn¡¯t yet advanced enough in the Aspect of Life to remove only my pain. Additionally, she was hiding the fact that she was exhausted. Staying in her form as a Moon Panther cub was likely draining her mana constantly to keep the Aspect of Body active. I felt guilty seeing her like this, knowing that this form demanded a lot from her. She pretended to be strong, but I knew she was tired and maybe even in pain.
It was obvious that remaining in her reduced form all the time was causing discomfort. As a phoenix, or even in her bestial dragon form, she needed to let loose every once in a while, but she maintained this smaller form to stay by my side. I had considered suggesting that she revert to her phoenix form, but deep down, I knew she probably couldn¡¯t do so without first transforming into her dragon form. She was holding herself back, and I knew that sooner or later, I¡¯d have to convince that stubborn dragon to return to the duchy.
At least there, she could transform freely inside the castle''s cavern.
I slowly opened my eyes, expecting to see Cylla beside me, but she wasn¡¯t there. Instead, by my bedside, on a chair, I saw a surprising sight. Chloe was sitting there, holding my hand while she slept.
I tried to sit up but couldn¡¯t. It wasn¡¯t because of the pain or the heaviness of my damaged muscles, but because her hand was holding mine tightly. Chloe gripped my hand as if, even in her sleep, she didn¡¯t want to let go.
I let out a small smile, seeing her like this. Sometimes, I¡¯m amazed by how much these people love me, just as much as I love them.
Chloe stretched and yawned. She slowly opened her eyes, still groggy.
¡°Good morning¡¡± I said softly.
Good morning, Nate,¡± she replied, rubbing her eye.
She paused for a moment, surveying the room, then looked down at her hand still holding mine. Her gaze lifted to meet mine.
¡°Nate!¡± She jumped and gave me a tight hug.
¡°Wait! Easy!¡± I pleaded, feeling the pressure on my injured body. ¡°My wounds¡¡±
She quickly pulled back, realizing what she had done.
¡°Sorry¡¡± she said, embarrassed.
I chuckled.
Sometimes, I forget that my cousin is a bit of a brute.
¡°I was so worried about you,¡± she confessed, holding my hand again.
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Chloe got up from the chair and, with the familiarity of someone who had always been by my side, climbed onto the bed and sat beside me. Her eyes examined my bandaged arms, and she gently ran her hand over them.
¡°You¡¯re an idiot, you know that?¡± she scolded, though her voice was soft.
Chloe rested her head on my shoulder, and I felt the comforting weight of her presence.
¡°I¡¯m in a bit of pain¡¡± I tried to say, but she ignored me, wrapping me in a gentle embrace.
¡°I know you could handle everything, but I was really worried,¡± Chloe admitted, her voice muffled against my shirt. ¡°I kept hoping you¡¯d give the signal and let me help you.¡±
I nodded, knowing she was right. With effort, I reached up and began to stroke her hair.
¡°We spent years fighting against the Legacies in life-or-death situations as training. I know when to ask for help. And you all did the most important part for me,¡± I said, trying to reassure her.
¡°I know,¡± she replied, her voice softer. ¡°We had to watch the area and look for other assassins. We couldn¡¯t reveal ourselves¡ But I was worried. I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re my personal guard; I want to protect you too.¡±
This time, Chloe hugged me tighter, and even though it caused pain to my wounds, I didn¡¯t mind. Because, in the end, the most important part wasn¡¯t to support me in case of danger. The most important part was keeping them safe, because I value all of them more than anything.
I want to know as soon as possible what Martha managed to extract from that guy.
I stroked my cousin''s head, feeling a silent relief knowing they hadn¡¯t needed to face an enemy or a second team of assassins. A part of me was glad I managed to avoid that. That¡¯s why I made sure to start the fight in a completely random location. If there was a second team, it would throw them off balance with any plan they had.
That was the reason I chose that spot for the battle. You can¡¯t walk right into an assassin¡¯s hands. You have to be unpredictable and act beyond expectations. Meanwhile, they were on standby. You might wonder why they didn¡¯t act impulsively to help me, but know that even the slightest mistake can be fatal, and we are mentally prepared for that.
In my family, a battle is sacred. For them, a fight represents two conflicting concepts: life and death. This is the core of an assassin. It doesn¡¯t matter if you eliminate your target stealthily or in a large-scale battle; it always comes down to a balance between life and death.
When I decided to face the assassins alone, my family respected my decision. However, they remained on standby, ready to intervene if things went wrong. From the start, it was clear that these mages were not ordinary. They were powerful assassins, above the usual level, which required extreme caution.
During the confrontation, they revealed their true power, which prompted us to analyze the situation carefully. We needed to gather as much information as possible. The first discovery was clear: I was the target, and they wouldn¡¯t stop until I was dead. This alone indicated the severity of the situation. Additionally, they seemed prepared to face my thunder, suggesting that the contractor was someone from the nobility with access to privileged information.
As I fought, my family remained in the shadows, watching and searching for signs of other assassins. Just as they were hidden, there could be more enemies lurking. Revealing themselves before confirming this would give a dangerous advantage to any hidden opponents, ready to launch a surprise attack. My family only emerged after I eliminated one of the assassins, confirming that, at least at that moment, there was no nearby enemy with the intent to strike.
If a second team had been lying in ambush, they would certainly have acted to prevent me from killing the female assassin. After all, in a battle between high-level mages, numerical superiority can be the decisive factor for victory.
¡°Martha didn¡¯t let me come to see you yesterday while she was treating your injuries. I was anxious, so I went to fetch Cylla, but when we arrived, I noticed she was angry, so I didn¡¯t want to interfere. I came to see you after Aunt Katie left, but you were already asleep.¡±
¡°You stayed with me all night?¡± I asked, surprised.
¡°I did¡¡± she admitted.
I wasn¡¯t sure how to respond. It was such a simple gesture, yet it carried a tremendous weight of concern and affection.
¡°And I¡¯ll stay the whole weekend too, until you¡¯re better,¡± she added, determined.
I smiled at her, unsure of what to say, but knowing that her presence made everything feel a little less painful.
Though having her head resting on my shoulder does hurt a bit¡
195 - The Price of Being a Mother
Chapter 195 - The Price of Being a Mother
Katherine Evenhart:
It was morning, and I was in the kitchen, preparing something to take to Nathan. A part of me still didn¡¯t feel comfortable sending him back to the academy. At the castle, I always had him nearby. Even though my duties there were time-consuming, I could still see him during my breaks.
Would the academy accept a summoner professor of the plant element?
I let out a small laugh at the thought, but my mind soon returned to the events of the past few days.
"I¡¯ll cut off the head of the wretch who ordered his kidnapping..." I muttered angrily, slicing through some fruit.
"It''s been a while since I¡¯ve put you to use, hasn''t it, my girl?" I said, placing my hand on my mana gem to communicate with my Soul Golem. I felt the creature stir within, as if responding to my call.
I made a promise when I lost my husband: I swore I¡¯d never be a soldier again. I didn¡¯t want to drag Nathan into that kind of life. But my trauma and weakness put my baby in danger... more than once.
I remember when he was just five years old. My son was so small, and we lived in a simple home in the village. One day, trouble knocked on our door and forced us into this noble life, where I had to tell him about his family.
Now, ten years have passed, and it feels like I''m reliving that nightmare.
Staring at the fruit, I started cutting it with a surge of anger, but soon stopped, trying to calm myself down.
I¡¯ve already lost my husband¡ and now, I almost lost my son.
I dropped what I was doing and ran to the bathroom, locking the door behind me. My heart was racing, sweat was dripping down my face, and my hands were trembling uncontrollably.
I almost lost my son¡ I almost lost my Nathan¡ Why do these things keep happening to me?
First, I lost my father, then my mother¡ then my first love¡ and now¡ it could be my son.
I had to sit on the bathroom floor to steady myself. The truth is, I''ve never forgiven myself. One of the last conversations I had with my husband was a fight, begging him to abandon the war and come home with me. And shortly after that, came the news of his death.
No one understands the burden of realizing that the last day you spent with the person you loved¡ you didn¡¯t love them enough. You didn¡¯t tell them how much they meant to you. You didn¡¯t express how much you cherished them.
This regret haunts me to this day.
Why didn¡¯t I give you one more hug? Why didn¡¯t I give you one more smile? Why didn¡¯t I tell you one more time that I love you?
I lived in bitterness, and that pain consumed me so much that, during my pregnancy, I fell ill. I almost lost my son because of that bitterness. It¡¯s yet another regret I carry within me. I blame myself for being weak at that moment, unable to care for my child.
When I was young, I was cold to others, someone who didn¡¯t value her own life. It was this feeling, this lack of purpose, that led me to become a soldier. But no one told me that having a child erases all that arrogance. No one told me that being a mother brings an overwhelming fear, a fear of losing your child so intense that just the thought of something happening to them makes a part of you die a little each time.
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¡°No one told me that having a child means experiencing the greatest joy in life while also carrying the risk of the greatest pain if something happens.¡±
I wiped away the tears that rolled down my face as I thought about the injuries I had seen on my boy''s body.
"I''m sorry, Nathan... It¡¯s my fault. Over the years, your mother has grown weak. I argue with you because the fear of something happening to you is unbearable... I''m sorry for being this way. I¡¯m so afraid of losing the one person who keeps me grounded in this world. If it hadn¡¯t been for seeing your face and hearing your cry when you were born¡ I would¡¯ve surrendered to death at that moment. It was you who kept me alive¡ and it¡¯s you who still keeps me alive."
Nathan Evenhart:
That night, I was feeling a bit better. I could move and walk, as long as I avoided sudden movements. Cylla had insisted on healing me, but I knew how exhausted she was. Even so, she healed me a little before I continued my recovery with the healing potion, a miraculous remedy in this world.
The potion had two methods of use: the fast one, where the liquid was poured directly onto the wound, and the slow one, which involved ingesting it. Though slower, this method was effective for healing internal injuries and bones.
My mother was feeling sentimental and didn¡¯t want to leave my side all afternoon. She changed my bandages and insisted on feeding me. I gave in to her demands, allowing her to take care of me, knowing that she loved me more than anything in this world, and I loved her just as deeply.
As we were having dinner, Martha emerged from the basement where the assassin was being held. Her uniform was stained with blood splatters. As soon as my mother saw her, she immediately called her over.
"What did you find out? Is it what we suspected?" my mother asked, a nervous edge to her voice.
Martha shook her head. "At no point did the assassin mention the Special Eyes. I tried various methods to extract whether he knew about this information. Curiously, it turns out that the one who hired him was another assassin."
We exchanged surprised glances.
"Wait, the contractor they were planning to deliver me to was another assassin?" I murmured, analyzing the information.
Martha nodded.
"What else?" my mother pressed.
"In short, they used those two to kidnap the young master and didn¡¯t know anything beyond that. The other contractor, from what I gathered, is also a mage-assassin, at the same power level as those two, and he¡¯s the one with the main information."
Damn... If those two were already extremely strong, now I¡¯d have to deal with a third mage-assassin of that caliber? I was fortunate to have fought them before they took me to their hideout. Facing three mage-assassins of that level at once would¡¯ve been complicated.
"Most likely, this third assassin has direct contact with the one who ordered the young master¡¯s death. Hiring an assassin to kill a high-ranking noble is not something done through intermediaries. I can say that this assassin was hired knowing he had an intermediary team, fragmenting the identity of the true client so that only one of them would know."
We all pondered over the information.
"So, there¡¯s another guy out there who wants Nate dead?" Chloe asked.
"Yes¡ and his name is Quinn. That¡¯s the identity of the third assassin," Martha replied.
But just the first name doesn¡¯t help¡ it¡¯s practically useless.
My mother was lost in thought.
"We have to find out who this noble contractor is and make him pay! The worst part is, we still don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because of his eyes," my mother said.
She was right.
If the hired assassin used two others to capture me, the real motive behind my death remains unclear. Maybe the third assassin intended to take my eyes without the team knowing. Or perhaps the contractor wanted to kill me directly, using this third assassin to ensure the job was done without arousing suspicion, only to collect my eyes afterward.
Countless possibilities ran through my mind.
These special eyes are both a blessing and a curse. They¡¯ve become objects of desire over time, and the worst part is that the human royal family covets them above all else.
"And what about the names they gave us? Was it as we suspected?" I asked.
Martha nodded.
"They were their real names¡ they¡¯re real assassins. And Ricardo even had a tooth with a messaging stone engraved with his name," she said.
I rubbed my temples.
They¡¯re trained killers, not just mere mercenaries...
Professional assassins followed a certain rule, almost like a trademark: they always revealed their true first name to the contractor and, especially, to the target. It was both a signature and a grim reminder. You¡¯d know exactly who was responsible for your death, and the assassin would bear the risk of having his identity exposed if he failed, leaving you alive. For the assassin, revealing his name was a symbol of unwavering confidence in his skills. A true assassin never considered the possibility of failure. He would pursue his target to the end, no matter the cost.
"I managed to find out the price offered for the young master¡¯s death," Martha suddenly said, catching our attention.
"How much?" my mother asked.
"35,000 gold coins."
We exchanged shocked looks, stunned by the absurd amount.
"35,000¡" my mother murmured, disbelief evident in her voice.
196 - The Smartest Woman in the World
Chapter 196 - The Smartest Woman in the World
I was in my room, reflecting on everything that had happened, while Cylla remained downstairs, eager to find out who had ordered my death. She even mentioned wanting to join the torture, which, oddly enough, reassured me¡ªat least it showed she wasn''t mad at me anymore. I went up to my room to try and organize my thoughts.
¡°What are you doing, idiot? I was still having dinner!¡± Athena suddenly complained, appearing out of nowhere.
I decided to ignore the goddess.
¡°Martha had made my favorite dish!¡± she continued, but I kept my focus, paying her no mind.
¡°The bounty for my head is 35,000 gold coins...¡± I murmured, still struggling to process the absurd amount. I used the mental exercise my family had taught Chloe and me to keep our perspective on money, despite our wealth. The technique involved comparing any large sum to how long it would take a peasant family to accumulate it.
"A farming family earns, on average, 5 gold coins per year," I calculated softly.
It would take 10 years to save up 50 gold coins, assuming they spent nothing and ignored all expenses.
I let out a small laugh of disbelief, continuing my calculations.
"It would take 100 years to save 500 gold coins... 35,000 gold coins is..." I began to calculate quickly, but was interrupted.
"Icarus," Athena''s voice chimed in, always calculated, "that would be exactly 7,000 years. That''s how long it would take a peasant family to accumulate the price on your head."
I glanced at the goddess, sitting in the armchair, and sighed.
"Thank you for stating the obvious¡"
It¡¯s an enormous amount of money...
I resumed pacing back and forth, trying to comprehend my situation. A massive fortune had been placed on my life. Even so, I knew that few would dare to accept such a job, given that the penalty for attacking a high-ranking noble was death, and the criminal''s face, if discovered, would be known throughout the continent. Additionally, the assassin himself would likely have a similar bounty placed on his head, making him a target for everyone.
I began analyzing what I knew.
The 35,000 gold coins were intended for the three mages. The third assassin, named Quinn, who knew the contractor¡¯s identity, would probably receive a significant share, perhaps half, to ensure his silence. The other two assassins would likely divide the remainder.
I weighed my options.
I doubt there are even 10 assassins on this entire continent who would dare target a high noble. Any assassin would avoid taking a contract to kill a high noble just to avoid the risk of involvement. The person who wants me dead must have gone directly to hire for my death, and they must be someone trustworthy enough that the assassins were willing to take on this crime.
I returned to contemplating the fortune.
My family generates an annual profit of around 40,000 gold coins from businesses and taxes within the duchy. Even so, any unnecessary expenditure would impact the territory¡¯s entire infrastructure: schools, security, military pensions, investments, and many others. This is because my aunt reinvests much of the profit to ensure the continuity of the duchy''s activities, given the financial crisis caused by the shortage of mages after the war.
The contractor was genuinely willing to spend an amount so enormous that even I, a high-ranking noble, was shocked.
Athena stood up, walking towards me with that keen gaze of hers.
¡°And I bet they had to pool together the fortune of an entire group along with illicit funds from the underworld to reach that sum,¡± she said.
¡°¡®Group¡¯?¡± I asked, intrigued. Knowing the Goddess of Strategy, when she says something like that, there¡¯s always a deeper meaning.
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¡°Icarus, Icarus¡ Icarus,¡± Athena repeated my name, pacing slowly beside me until she sat on my bed with that irritating smile plastered on her face.
¡°I really don¡¯t have time for your games. We¡¯ve already had dinner, and I even let you have the meal Martha made, your favorite. So why are you still here? Go away,¡± I said, waving her off.
¡°Today¡¯s meal was my favorite! I wanted more! I don¡¯t have a stomach to limit me, you idiot,¡± she complained, but I kept ignoring her.
¡°You¡¯re walking in circles,¡± she taunted. ¡°All of you are. I understand your situation...¡±
I glared at the blonde woman haunting me. ¡°I don¡¯t have the headspace to deal with your taunts right now. There¡¯s a third assassin mage who wants to kill me, putting everyone at risk. I need to plan my next steps, figure out the motive, who the client is, and why¡ I can¡¯t deal with you now, so disappear!¡±
I closed my eyes, trying to dismiss her, but when I opened them, she was still there, smiling, sitting on my bed.
¡°We haven¡¯t finished our conversation, Icarus,¡± she said nonchalantly, inspecting her nails.
I sighed, resigned. ¡°Just say what you need to... insult me, taunt me, have your fun, and then leave.¡±
She let out a laugh that echoed through the room.
¡°You¡¯re stuck, trapped in your own problems,¡± Athena began. ¡°You¡¯re like horses with blinders, focused in a single direction. The issue of you being a noble elf from another kingdom, your Special Eyes coveted by everyone, your silver hair¡ too many things are happening, and it¡¯s blinding you.¡±
She stood and approached me.
¡°Let¡¯s play a bit with the basics, my dear Icarus. Set aside all assumptions and start from scratch.¡±
¡°From scratch?¡± I asked, intrigued.
¡°Yes. Why would someone want Nathan Evenhart dead? Something quite specific, right? You even stumbled upon a possibility yesterday.¡±
¡°It could be because of my Special Eyes¡¡± I murmured, trying to piece things together.
¡°Maybe. Now, recount what you learned during the fight with those assassins. Say it out loud,¡± Athena instructed.
I focused, recalling the details. ¡°They had connections to nobility, so they knew my element was thunder.¡±
Athena nodded, encouraging me to continue.
¡°What else?¡± she pressed.
¡°The assassin had a healing potion, something only nobles can acquire.¡±
¡°Now go back and organize the reasons they might want you dead. What could they be?¡± Athena asked, observing each of my words.
I paused to reflect. ¡°The main reason could be my Special Eyes¡ Or it could be someone from the underworld, since I disrupted their operations in my duchy. But there¡¯s no way they could know it was me.¡±
¡°But the underworld connection still exists, after all, assassins were hired. Now, organize the information, without focusing on the motive. Just follow the trail of clues,¡± she advised.
I let the information flow through my mind, focusing less on the ¡®why¡¯ and more on the ¡®how¡¯ and ¡®who¡¯.
"Without a doubt, a noble is involved; that much is clear,¡± I said, still processing the information.
"Yes, there¡¯s definitely nobility involved,¡± Athena replied, her eyes shining with satisfaction. ¡°Remember, a higher-ranking noble doesn''t get corrupted by the underworld. They already receive passive income from the taxes of their territory and thus wouldn¡¯t have a strong reason to be deeply involved in criminal activities. After all, they¡¯re the ones who create the laws, and participating in such activities would be counterproductive. Additionally, they aren¡¯t chasing political positions, as they¡¯re already at the top.¡±
I pondered her words. ¡°So, it¡¯s a lower-ranking noble, someone beneath me, connected to the underworld, who hired an assassin. To target me, even if the goal is my eyes¡ it has to be someone from my duchy. Killing me would be a very specific act and would need a clear benefit.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s isolate the two main motivations,¡± Athena suggested, her voice now more serious. ¡°First, your special eyes.¡±
¡°You think that¡¯s nonsense?¡± I asked, suspicious.
She laughed, as if she knew something I hadn¡¯t considered. ¡°Let¡¯s keep analyzing. If the motivation were your eyes, it would mean that information about their capabilities had leaked. The contractor would have informed the assassins, right?¡±
I nodded. ¡°Yes, that would make sense.¡±
¡°Everyone who has seen you use your powers is dead, except your family. So, the contractor doesn¡¯t know what your eyes can do. Even if they knew you had the Special Eyes, they wouldn¡¯t be certain they¡¯re worth the risk. It¡¯s illogical to think someone would go to such extremes just for knowing you have them, without knowing their true power.¡±
She was right. The reasoning was sound.
¡°That brings us to the second motivation: the underworld,¡± I concluded.
¡°Correct,¡± Athena agreed, leaning forward. ¡°A lower-ranking noble with strong ties to the underworld, within your own duchy¡ And it¡¯s not just one noble. There are many. Do you know why I reached this conclusion, Icarus?¡±
I thought for a moment. ¡°The offered fortune¡ it¡¯s 35,000 gold coins.¡±
¡°Exactly. It¡¯s too large an amount for a single noble to move; it¡¯s a significant sum. Lower-ranking nobles don¡¯t have that kind of money readily available. So, it has to be an influential noble capable of rallying other nobles and convincing them that your death would be beneficial enough for them to pool such a huge sum together. It has to be profitable, in a way that justifies the risk of killing a higher-ranking noble. Therefore, the motive isn¡¯t your Special Eyes. A personal gain wouldn¡¯t be profitable for all the individuals involved.¡±
She then sat back in the armchair, assuming a posture that reminded me of the days I¡¯d seen her on her throne. ¡°It¡¯s a faction of nobles, allied with a powerful leader, within your duchy. Someone with enough influence in the underworld and who stands to profit immensely from your death, reaping rewards from both nobility and organized crime. Who¡¯s the only noble that fits this description?¡±
¡°Nikolaus Wolves¡¡± I replied.
¡°Exactly, Icarus. He¡¯s the son of a bitch who, if he kills you, will stop me from enjoying Martha¡¯s delicious meals,¡± Athena added.
197 - Athena, the Goddess of Strategy
Chapter 197 - Athena, the Goddess of Strategy
Damn Goddess of Strategy! She uncovered the identity of the person who wants to kill me in just five minutes of conversation!
I glanced to the side and saw Athena beaming, savoring a dessert Martha had prepared. She looked visibly happy, which, considering the situation, was almost comical.
"Oh, how wonderful this is!" she said with a mischievous smile. "Look at this frozen treat! This thing called homemade ice cream is delightful! I¡¯ll promote Martha to be my priestess!" She laughed while enjoying the dessert.
I could only sigh.
"Glutton..." I muttered, returning to my own ice cream.
Athena had the ability to create a ghost copy of anything I touched. She used it to eat, and the strangest part was that once she made a copy of the food and ate it, I couldn¡¯t generate another ghost copy of that dish for her. If she wanted more, I¡¯d have to touch a different dish.
Now, on top of everything, I¡¯m forced to pamper this crazy woman as a reward for what she¡¯s done...
I looked away, trying to avoid seeing Athena¡¯s satisfied smile while she ate. Watching my arch-enemy making happy and cute faces while enjoying herself wasn¡¯t a very pleasant sight for me.
Nikolaus Wolves... so it¡¯s you who wants me dead...
I started thinking about the 35,000 gold coins; it was a true fortune.
My family earns 40,000 gold coins annually, a considerably higher amount than the nobles around us. A marquis in an agricultural duchy can bring in up to 8,000 gold coins a year, but that figure is often reduced by land maintenance costs. A count earns between 3,000 to 5,000 gold coins, while a viscount generates between 2,000 to 3,000 coins. Meanwhile, a baron usually has an annual income of 1,000 to 2,000 gold coins.
I kept pondering.
Noble merchants, like the families of students studying in Apsalon, though they lack political nobility, can earn between 400 to 1,000 gold coins per year. With the right connections, their fortunes can grow further, rivaling the earnings of some noble titles. To amass 35,000 gold coins for my head, this faction must have pooled their wealth.
The memory of last night¡¯s conversation with my family came to mind. I had shared Athena¡¯s deduction with them, and everyone was surprised. Nikolaus Wolves had struck a peace deal with my aunt over 10 years ago and even supported her financial projects within the duchy. He even provided information on gang locations to our military, helping dismantle hideouts.
I guess he was just eliminating his competition in the duchy...
We always knew Nikolaus had ties to the underworld, but the truth is that most political nobles had some involvement in clandestine affairs. I¡¯m not talking about major crimes but smuggling cigars, wine from neighboring kingdoms, or counterfeit artworks¡ªminor offenses that were part of the noble game. My aunt often turned a blind eye to such activities, as we weren¡¯t about to pursue a noble simply for smuggling a box of wine to avoid taxes. It was considered trivial.
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Even my family produced illicit substances through Yusuf, but the goal was to strengthen me and Chloe, making us immune to addiction and poison. Raiding a noble¡¯s home just because they liked to indulge was never something we did.
Nikolaus, however, raised the flag of peace a decade ago and played a crucial role in pacifying the nobles who opposed my aunt¡¯s control over the duchy.
For years, we remained suspicious, but after my official recognition as heir by the kingdom, he could never touch me. If he dared, his entire family would face condemnation. We never expected him to be so bold, yet here we are.
Chloe was saddened to learn that the motive behind all of this... was to create the same crisis that arose when I wasn¡¯t officially recognized. With me out of the picture, and if these people could damage the duchy¡¯s economy, they might attempt to force my aunt to marry her off once again.
I hope my cousin¡¯s future husband isn¡¯t too shocked when he discovers a line of crazed nobles vying for her hand¡
I remember the look of sorrow on her face when she found out, and I sigh.
I''ll need to talk to Chloe to reassure her¡ she''s feeling guilty.
When I presented the information, we had to discuss and assess all possible scenarios. We couldn¡¯t rule out the possibility that someone was trying to interfere with the duchy, fostering internal discord. Skilled assassins from a legitimate assassin organization had many ways of destabilizing a government, and my aunt had told me stories of assassins using seduction techniques to infiltrate and manipulate nobles. However, most of these organizations were wiped out and are now just mercenaries.
Only two families still honor the old assassin rules: mine and the Asalon family with their Night Killers. They don¡¯t know my family was once an ancient organization, as all of these groups were hunted down in the past because the Founding Emperor didn''t want them among his nobility.
This was one of the main reasons why our family maintained the tradition of only marrying those within our circle. My father marrying my mother was an exception, even though my late uncle followed the rule by marrying Aunt Margie, who was a castle servant.
After we raised the possibility that someone might be trying to sabotage our duchy, Athena came to me with a suggestion. She advised me to tell my aunt to investigate the finances of all noble families within the duchy, checking for suspicious transactions. It wouldn¡¯t directly prove anything, but it could reveal which nobles had moved large sums of money recently. After all, they would need to use both illicit funds and their fortunes to gather 35,000 gold coins.
Martha, ever practical, used an expensive device reserved for political nobility¡ªa kind of magical scroll that allowed for message exchange. It was costly and had limited use, becoming useless once it reached its limit. She communicated with my aunt, shared our discoveries, and requested an investigation into the nobles'' finances. I expected it to take at least a week, but to my surprise, by this morning, after 12 intense hours of investigation, we already had an answer.
It was exactly as Athena had predicted. Significant financial movements were detected, to the point that Nikolaus Wolves himself was on the brink of financial trouble. And ironically, all the nobles who made large transactions were part of the faction that, ten years ago, wanted Chloe''s hand in marriage.
I sighed.
Damn Goddess of Strategy¡ she thought of everything¡
A shiver ran down my spine as I recalled the time I faced Athena as an enemy. Her precision was relentless. To defeat her, I gathered all the powers of Olympus, resurrected Chronos, enlisted the strength of the entire Titan race, guided by the smartest Titan, my friend Prometheus... and still, that bastard almost defeated me in the end.
"I''m not doing this for you, Icarus," she said while devouring her ice cream with a mischievous grin.
"And I don¡¯t want your friendship either, you crazy psychopath. Let me guess, you only helped me because you became a fan of Martha?"
"Of course! She¡¯s perfect. If I were a man¡ I¡¯d marry her," Athena replied with her usual taunt.
I stood up, ignoring the goddess.
I¡¯m broken inside and can barely lift a spoon¡ but she''s right, this homemade ice cream is really good¡
I had to admit that Athena was right this time.
I stop and realize that Athena solved the mystery of my enemy¡¯s identity in five minutes just because she wanted to get back to dinner.
These nobles made a mistake by messing with someone haunted by the damn Goddess of Strategy.
198 - The Third Assassin
Chapter 198 - The Third Assassin
"What happened to you?!" Kinue exclaimed upon seeing me, dropping a cup to the floor of the apartment as a worried expression spread across her face.
Chloe and I had spent the weekend at the mansion but returned early so as not to be late for our classes at the Academy. Kinue hadn¡¯t been with us during those days since she seemed to be going through a period of sensitivity. As a demi-human, her bestial form sometimes brought side effects like fatigue, pain, and drowsiness. It was a phenomenon that occurred while her body was still growing, both in her humanoid and bestial forms, until one day, as an adult, it would stop.
I had learned most of these things from living with Cylla and observing such changes in her physical and emotional state. Kinue, on the other hand, was more reserved when dealing with these crises. Sometimes, her animal instincts would flare up. I remember a time when we were younger, and she jumped on my back, pinning me to the ground. Back then, I didn¡¯t understand the reason, but now I know it was related to her instincts. My phoenix friend, on the other hand, sometimes becomes extremely jealous and territorial.
¡°You look terrible!¡± Kinue rushed over to me, her eyes fixed on my bandaged arms.
The healing potion had treated about 80% of my external injuries, but some burns still remained. Inside, I could feel my bones slowly regenerating. It was a strange sensation, hearing the cracks of my body realigning itself. Most of the pain had subsided, but a trace of discomfort lingered.
My past training as an assassin had prepared me to endure a lot of pain. They had even cut off my fingers before, only to help reattach them using a healing potion. Even so, I was always amazed by the potion¡¯s effectiveness and healing magic.
"It was a sudden mission¡" I said, trying to reassure her.
Her eyes sparkled with a mix of concern and faint sadness. She held my hand, her cold fingers contrasting with the warmth of her touch. I felt embarrassed for a moment. A part of me wanted to protect her from this world, to keep Kinue from feeling obligated to fight alongside us. Over the past two years, she had withdrawn from field missions due to the academy, and Chloe and I had promised not to burden her with these responsibilities again.
"It''s because¡" I tried to explain, but her narrowed eyes showed doubt.
"You¡¯re keeping me out, aren¡¯t you?" Her voice was laced with hurt. "I knew it!"
¡°It¡¯s not like that,¡± I tried to explain, but it was clear she wasn¡¯t convinced.
Kinue sighed, and the sadness became palpable.
"I worked so hard to get stronger¡ Am I weak? I''m sorry¡ I thought I had improved." She sat on a nearby chair, her shoulders slumped, her gaze fixed on the floor.
¡°You¡¯re not weak, Kinue; we never thought that about you.¡±
She remained silent for a few seconds, absorbing my words, but didn¡¯t seem convinced. ¡°I tried talking to Chloe about what the missions were like without me, but she always avoided the topic¡¡±
Kinue looked up, and the weight of her words hit me hard.
¡°I promised to be your personal maid, yours and hers, remember?¡± Her voice was filled with emotion, a reminder of a promise we made in the past.
¡°I remember¡¡± I replied, feeling ashamed.
She stood up and approached me with a mixture of determination and sadness. "If you think I¡¯m weak, fine¡ I¡¯ll prove you wrong and change that." Her hand gently touched my injured arm. "But until then, I''ll still be a maid¡ even if just an ordinary one."
Before I could respond, she leaned down and kissed my bandaged hand, surprising me and making me blush slightly.
"What are you doing?" I asked, feeling awkward.
"I heard it helps with healing," she said, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush. "Now, come on. I¡¯ll make you breakfast, and I¡¯ll have everything ready by the time Chloe finishes getting dressed."
She gently pushed me toward the kitchen.
"I''ll pamper you a little. If you don¡¯t see me as a warrior maid¡ then at least let me be your ordinary maid."
Quinn:
I was anxious about the silence. It had been days without any news from the other two assassins. Our mission was simple and clear: assassinate Nathan Evenhart. While they handled the abduction, I was in charge of the killing. We planned every step with precision, dividing tasks to avoid suspicion and ensuring our alibis were foolproof. After all, orchestrating the death of a high-ranking noble was a crime no one in their right mind would dare to commit on this continent.
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The plan was perfect.
Nathan Evenhart wouldn¡¯t just be killed. His death was to be staged as the result of his own vices and recklessness. First, he¡¯d disappear for a few days, drugged and kept away from prying eyes. Next, we would begin his "journey" through villages and taverns around the city of Apsalon. To the public, he¡¯d just be a wealthy young man enjoying his freedom, drinking and indulging in shady brothels. In the end, we¡¯d return to the city, and he¡¯d die of an overdose in some random street in Apsalon. The beauty of the plan lay in the doubts it would create. No one would know for certain how he really died or where he¡¯d been while he was missing.
The kingdom would surely investigate Nathan Evenhart''s sudden death, especially if it was from something as unexpected as a drug overdose. However, we had meticulously planned the scenario. As the investigation progressed, the clues would lead investigators to discover that he had spent days "enjoying" brothels and bars, always appearing drunk and drugged. Everything would be carefully staged to make it seem like Nathan Evenhart, a young noble, had succumbed to the excesses of his wealth and freedom.
To investigators, it would be a classic tale of a spoiled brat ignoring his responsibilities to indulge in worldly pleasures, only to meet a tragic and avoidable end.
The key to escaping an investigation is to ensure it happens¡ªbut that it¡¯s conducted on your own terms. Fragmenting the clues, providing just enough information to mislead investigators, and allowing them to draw false conclusions was the essence of how an assassin should operate.
Nathan Evenhart, despite being a mage with a rare element, was nothing more than an inexperienced farmer. Ricardo and Eliza, my partners, were extremely powerful mages, trained assassins with precision. Any attempt by Nathan Evenhart to face them would, at the very least, seal his death.
"At least¡ that¡¯s what I thought..." I murmured to myself, taking in the scene of devastation stretching across the forest.
The rain had been falling relentlessly for days, transforming the world around me into an ocean of darkness and chaos. Thick clouds dominated the sky, an oppressive curtain showing no signs of clearing. Lightning sliced through the air, followed by deafening thunder that reverberated across the gloomy landscape, shaking the ground and unsettling even the bravest of souls.
The journey here had been extremely challenging. The already rough roads had turned into muddy trails, with deep, treacherous puddles. Unexpected waterfalls cascaded from higher ground, forming torrents that threatened to sweep away anyone attempting to cross. The horses, usually faithful and obedient, were visibly distressed, neighing in fear at each thunderclap that exploded above our heads.
Along the way, I encountered groups of people seeking refuge in taverns and inns. The conversations were dominated by fear of the relentless storm that seemed never-ending. Men and women spoke of floods and signs of ill omen.
The forest was now enveloped in a thick fog that slithered between the tree trunks like a living creature. Visibility was limited, the air heavy with moisture, and an eerie silence lingered, broken only by the sound of heavy raindrops striking the foliage. The fog made the path even more treacherous, creating indistinct shadows and vague figures that could be either branches or something more menacing.
When I finally reached the site, I was overwhelmed by surprise and desolation. The place was in a miserable state: water had invaded every corner, turning the ground into a muddy swamp. What might have been solid terrain before was now a sea of mud and deep puddles, making each step a struggle.
The smell of dampness and slightly burned wood filled the air as the rain continued to fall mercilessly, intensifying the sense of abandonment and despair that emanated from the place. Fallen trees blocked parts of the path, their roots exposed by the force of the rushing waters, while bare branches swayed ominously under the howling wind.
The desolate landscape was a mix of darkness and devastation, and I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that the worst was yet to come.
I walked for hours, exhaustion weighing on my shoulders as I tried to map the exact site of the battle. The devastation was terrifying: trees had been uprooted, others burned to their core, while some bore strange marks on their trunks, like scars from some supernatural force. The trail of destruction was impossible to ignore; the forest seemed to have been torn from its serenity and transformed into an abandoned battlefield.
¡°There¡¯s no way Ricardo and Eliza could have lost to that boy¡¡± I murmured to myself, incredulous, as I touched a tree with a large black stain on its trunk. The wood wasn¡¯t burned, but there was something sinister about the mark¡ªas if it had been struck by a tremendous magical force.
Eliza¡¯s fire? Or maybe the boy¡¯s thunder?
The rain fell incessantly, like a cold veil that refused to relent. The heavy drops struck the leaves and the muddy ground, complicating my search for clues. Water mixed with mud, making each step a challenge, but I couldn¡¯t stop. I needed to understand what had truly happened here.
I found a wide trail of completely scorched and blackened trees, a path of destruction left by a giant fire jet.
Before me, a vast swath of completely burned and blackened trees stretched through the forest, like a deep scar on the landscape. The smell of charred wood was still pungent, even as the torrential rain tried to wash away the traces of chaos. It was as if a colossal fire jet had blazed through, mercilessly consuming everything in its path.
The scene was desolate: broken trunks, scorched to their core. Twisted trees, shredded by extreme heat, stood like black shadows against the gray mist.
Even with the flooded terrain and the marshes formed by the storm, I had no doubt who could have caused such devastation.
¡°Eliza¡¯s Soul Golem¡¡± I muttered, recognizing the familiar signature of the devastating power. That giant salamander, imbued with a unique destructive force, was capable of leaving such a fiery trail.
The path was wide and direct, a silent testament to the intense battle that must have taken place here. The Soul Golem was one of Eliza¡¯s deadliest weapons, a creature of fire and fury capable of ravaging anything in its path with its blazing power. And now, seeing the destruction before me, I feared the worst had happened.
Ricardo and Eliza fought with everything they had, I thought, trying to imagine the intensity of the confrontation.
Ricardo and Eliza were seasoned assassins, not the type of fighters who would fall easily, especially in direct combat. Our basic rule had always been to never ask about each other''s lives; it was an essential protection to keep our civilian identities intact. I was the contact, the link between them and the clients. They did the dirty work while I remained in the shadows, managing the contracts and keeping them invisible to the world.
I felt a tightness in my chest, a weight that grew heavier with each new sign of destruction. It was impossible not to be consumed by concern.
"For Nathan Evenhart¡¯s sake, I hope he¡¯s dead," I murmured. "And that my sister, Eliza, is merely missing, hiding somewhere due to severe injuries..."
199 - Quinn, Nathans Third Assassin
Chapter 199 - Quinn, Nathan''s Third Assassin
Quinn:
I continued my walk, each step weighed down with a mixture of uncertainty and worry, until I finally reached the edge of the river. The rain poured relentlessly, but something in the darkness caught my eye¡ªa faint, pale glimmer among the soaked stones.
The ring on my finger pulsed, glowing softly. It was unmistakable: its counterpart was nearby. A wave of dread hit me like a punch to the gut, and my breath grew heavier.
"Damn it..." I murmured, kneeling down slowly, my knees sinking into the mud. Eliza¡¯s ring lay there, partially buried under dirt and wet leaves, but its green pendant shimmered faintly, responding to mine.
Recognition struck instantly, and the pain went deeper than I could bear. I reached out with a trembling hand, picking up the ring, feeling the cold weight of its significance. It was a symbol of the bond we shared, a silent vow to protect each other when nothing else would.
The dread that had taken hold of me turned into unbearable anguish, a scream trapped in my chest.
"Eliza..." I whispered, gripping the ring tightly as the rain washed over my face.
If she activated the ring and left it behind, it could only mean one thing: she had encountered a powerful enemy. This was her message to me.
I poured mana into Eliza''s ring and watched the message form in the air, the letters crafted from my own energy. They shimmered for a moment before revealing the words:
''DANGER, BROTHER! NATHAN EVENHART IS DANGEROUS!''
My chest tightened further.
¡°Sister¡¡± I murmured, the weight of the revelation hitting me hard. I pocketed the ring, taking a deep breath as the reality of what had happened began to sink in. If she recorded that message, something serious must have gone wrong. Ricardo and Eliza never made mistakes, especially in a mission we had planned for two years. But something had gone terribly wrong.
¡°She must have been captured¡¡± I whispered, my mind racing in a thousand directions. Ricardo and Eliza were masters at what they did, especially when it came to abduction. They were prepared for any unforeseen events. If something went wrong, it meant that Nathan Evenhart was more than he seemed.
If someone was strong enough to face those two, the logical course of action would be to capture one of them¡ to try and uncover the reason for the abduction.
Rage began to build inside me.
¡°I have to save my sister!¡± I resolved, starting to run through the devastated forest.
If Ricardo hadn¡¯t contacted me, he might have been captured or killed.
Eliza''s message was brief but clear. If she stated that Nathan Evenhart was dangerous, it meant he could be far more skilled than we anticipated or had received unexpected help. Perhaps bodyguards, or even the intervention of another mage. She didn¡¯t have time to explain everything, but the message was clear: danger. That boy might not be the simple farmer our investigations suggested.
Over the years, the information we gathered about him indicated that it would be a straightforward mission. Nathan Evenhart came from an agricultural duchy, located in the human kingdom¡¯s interior, on the farthest edge of the continent, near the Cursed Sea. The region was isolated, made up almost entirely of dense forests and vast farmlands. From our research, we learned that he was often seen alone or accompanied by servants. Nothing unusual: no drinking habits, no visits to brothels, or any other indulgent behavior typical of the nobility.
The reports described him as someone with little ambition for a noble heir. He was often seen helping with animal births on farms or at local markets, gathering food for orphans who waited until the end of the fair to collect leftovers. He seemed¡ too ordinary, without any hint of danger.
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¡°How can that damn farmer be a threat?¡± I exclaimed aloud, stopping to catch my breath as anger began to swell within me. The image of my sister, captured and humiliated¡ it tore me apart inside. I clenched my fists tightly.
¡°If he laid a finger on my sister, he¡¯s fucking dead!¡± I swore, feeling the rage boil inside me. It was so intense that my muscles pulsed, and my steps quickened.
I resumed my run, the deafening sound of the rain matching my pace. But then, something caught my attention. A dark silhouette on the riverbank, shrouded in dense fog and the murky reflection of the water. From a distance, it looked like... a body.
My heart pounded in my chest, each beat echoing like a war drum inside me. I sprinted toward the shadowy figure, adrenaline burning through my veins. With every step, uncertainty became more suffocating, and a sense of dread grew within me.
When I finally got close, my body froze. The sight before me was pure horror.
"What the hell is this?" I muttered, disbelief etched in my voice as I stared at the charred corpse before me. The flesh was fused with what was left of the clothing, now unrecognizable, a grotesque mess of burns and deformities. The stench of burnt, rotting flesh hit me like a punch, the nauseating odor invading my nostrils. The body had been carried by the river, showing signs of fish bites and even maggots.
I nudged the corpse with my foot, trying to make sense of what I was seeing, as if the movement could clear the doubt. But what I felt was even worse: the charred flesh crumbled under the pressure, cracking like it was about to collapse.
The horror inside me grew.
The body¡ was a woman.
I lit a small flame in my hand to better illuminate the scene. A lump formed in my throat, and the desperation surged.
¡°It can¡¯t be¡ it can¡¯t be¡¡± I repeated, my hands trembling as I examined the corpse. My mind refused to accept what my eyes saw.
Kneeling beside the body, I studied the dental structure.
If it has that tooth¡ that damned tooth¡
¡°Please, don¡¯t let it be hers¡¡±
As soon as I pulled the tooth from the charred mouth, I noticed the cruel detail: the false tooth, made of metal and painted to look real, with a small message stone inside. A common method among assassins, in case our bodies were left beyond recognition. We each had a tooth with a message stone containing our name, so our partners could identify the remains.
My heart raced. The evidence was there, but I refused to accept it.
¡°It can¡¯t be her¡ it just can¡¯t¡¡± I muttered, the denial echoing within me as I poured my mana into the stone. Slowly, floating letters formed in the air, glowing with the same light as my mana.
¡®ELIZA¡¯
The letters in the air felt like a final sentence, and my body froze. Shock coursed through me, and my vision blurred. My hands trembled as I looked at the lifeless, charred body. My world collapsed right there, in front of that unrecognizable corpse. That burnt figure... was my sister. The only family I had in this world.
¡°Eliza¡¡± I murmured, kneeling beside the body. I lifted it gently, holding the unrecognizable remains in my arms, the weight of grief and loss crushing my chest. A tear fell, and I remembered her last smile before all this began.
As I cradled the body, the sound of footsteps broke through my moment of sorrow. A firm, intruding voice echoed through the relentless rain.
¡°Who are you?! What are you doing here?¡± barked a guard, his figure appearing through the heavy downpour. He looked like a patrolman, drawn by the devastation around him.
I simply stared at him, too shattered to respond. My mind was somewhere else... focused on someone else.
¡°Are you responsible for all this destruction?¡± the guard insisted, now with a tone filled with suspicion. His eyes locked onto me, trying to make sense of the scene before him.
I kissed Eliza¡¯s forehead, tasting the bitter mix of soot and tears on my lips. I closed my eyes for a brief moment, letting the weight of grief crush me from within. I gently laid my sister¡¯s body back on the ground as my throat tightened and despair threatened to overwhelm me.
¡°Answer me!¡± the guard shouted again, more impatient now, his hand gripping the hilt of his sword.
¡°Shut up!¡± I snapped brutally, my patience completely gone. Without hesitation, I suddenly conjured a tornado of fire around him. The flames rose viciously in a spiraling inferno.
The guard screamed, his cries of agony piercing through the rain, which seemed powerless to quench the wrath of the flames. He fell to the ground, writhing as the fire consumed him. I didn¡¯t look away from Eliza, even as the guard¡¯s screams grew weaker and finally fell silent.
¡°I¡¯m sorry¡¡± I whispered to Eliza¡¯s charred body, my voice trembling, each word laced with pain and regret. ¡°It was my greed¡ I thought this would be our last job¡ I thought we could start over after all of this.¡±
Rage and guilt consumed me, a whirlwind of emotions threatening to tear me apart. I clenched my fists until my fingers ached, my body as tense as a spring ready to snap.
As the guard¡¯s body disintegrated into ashes in the mud, my focus was clear.
The name of the one responsible echoed in my mind like thunder, and my hatred burned like molten lava, ready to annihilate everything in its path.
¡°NATHAN EVENHART!¡± I screamed at the sky, as lightning danced among the clouds, echoing my fury.
¡°I will do the same to you! I will take everything you hold dear, make you beg for death. I will kill those you love.¡±
200 - The Mental Connection of Husband and Wife
Chapter 200 - The Mental Connection of Husband and Wife
Nathan Evenhart:
It was pouring rain, and our outdoor classes were canceled. I¡¯ll admit, I may have gone overboard when I created the storm, but there wasn¡¯t much I could do about it now¡ªthe clouds would follow their natural course until they cleared on their own.
With few options left, my classmates and I headed to the library to finish our assignments. Unlike many other students who preferred to do their homework over the weekend, we, who spent our weekends at our homes in the city, used our free hours during the week to get everything done when we didn¡¯t have classes.
Thyra, however, doesn¡¯t do her assignments, even though she stays at the academy every weekend...
Chloe and I discovered that the library was the best place to gather, all thanks to Kinue. She showed us some quieter spots on the upper floors with tables that were perfect for studying together and working on group assignments.
"Thyra already thinks assignments are boring, and you still bring her to the library?" the wolf girl¡¯s voice sounded from a distance, approaching with the other students.
As soon as they reached our table, Syvis was the first to speak.
¡°What happened to you?¡±
¡°Are you okay?¡± Melina asked.
They both looked at my bandaged arms, and even my hand was wrapped. My skin hadn¡¯t fully healed yet, so I¡¯d requested to keep it covered. Martha had explained that the healing potion was prioritizing internal damage, so it would take a few more days for my skin to be completely restored.
¡°Just a spell accident,¡± I answered.
Thyra stared at me for a second before bursting into laughter, pointing at me with her finger.
¡°Hahaha!¡±
What could be so funny?
Chloe didn¡¯t seem to understand either.
¡°Why are you laughing?¡± I asked, genuinely confused.
¡°You boys¡¡± Thyra said, wiping away a tear from laughing so hard. ¡°Bet you¡¯re having trouble moving your arms, huh?¡±
¡°Of course¡ that¡¯s why they¡¯re wrapped,¡± I replied, still puzzled.
Thyra nudged me playfully, showing a mischievous grin.
¡°I don¡¯t get it¡¡±
¡°Let¡¯s just say it¡¯s going to be tough for you... to ¡®relieve¡¯ yourself at night,¡± she laughed again, slapping my back as she laughed uncontrollably.
This girl is insane¡ my back is still sore, and she¡¯s slapping me.
Syvis sighed in exasperation.
¡°Enough, wolf girl¡¡± Syvis said, grabbing Thyra by the collar and dragging her to sit at the table.
Chloe and I exchanged glances, then looked at the wolf girl, already familiar with her quirky humor. We pulled our books from our storage bracelets and started working on our assignments together. Coming from different races and kingdoms, we often exchanged knowledge. Whatever questions I had about elves, Syvis could clarify, and if she didn¡¯t understand something about humans, I helped her. I learned that architecture in the elven kingdom was vastly different from the standard human style, which was why Syvis struggled with construction theory classes where teachers used human models. As for our wolf girl friend, we had to coax information out of her about the demi-human realm, but most of what she knew was related to battles.
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I really can¡¯t believe she¡¯s only been interested in training since she was little... she barely knows what the world outside is like.
A little while later, we saw Edmund approaching.
¡°You look awful,¡± he commented as he took a seat.
¡°You should see the other guy,¡± I joked back.
Each of us filled in the knowledge gaps for one another. Edmund was an expert in military matters and the history of wars the kingdom had fought against other realms on the continent and along the border¡ªunsurprising, considering his father was a renowned military leader. Princess Melina added her knowledge of the royal family¡¯s history, and Chloe and I shared what we knew about agriculture, land management, river behavior, climate, and other topics related to Builder Mages, especially focused on farming.
¡°My cousin Alice won¡¯t be joining us; I forgot to mention it,¡± Melina said.
¡°Neither she nor that Viktor, it seems,¡± Syvis commented.
¡°Viktor expressed an interest in joining the kingdom¡¯s military, so Sebastian recruited him to the Knights¡¯ team. My cousin Alice is using her free time to try to communicate with her soul golem,¡± the princess explained.
The term ¡°soul golem¡± brought some recent memories to mind as I looked down at my bandaged arms.
¡°That skinny girl has a soul golem? Interesting... when she awakens it, I¡¯ll ask her to spar with it,¡± the wolf girl chimed in.
Sometimes she talks normally; other times, not so much.
Chloe, who didn¡¯t openly share that she had an awakened soul golem, chose to stay silent.
We continued studying and working on our assignments. After a while, a familiar cat appeared.
¡°Meow,¡± she greeted everyone, though to me, it sounded like, ¡°I¡¯m well-rested.¡± Cylla stretched and jumped into my lap.
¡°Your kitty is so cute,¡± Melina commented.
The princess tried to pet her, but Cylla showed her claws and growled.
¡°Sorry¡ she doesn¡¯t like strangers touching her,¡± I explained, trying to ease the situation.
Edmund observed Cylla.
¡°I¡¯ve seen a cat like that somewhere before¡ is she a magical creature?¡± he asked.
¡°She¡¯s a moon panth¡ª¡± Before Thyra could finish, Chloe nudged her lightly under the table.
¡°She¡¯s a magical cat,¡± I said to Edmund while stroking Cylla.
¡°I wish I had a familiar. My father has a wolfdog.¡±
¡°Is your dad¡¯s pet just like Thyra?¡± I asked, teasing.
The wolf girl shot me a look.
¡°Hey!¡± she protested, annoyed, and we all burst into laughter.
***
After we finished studying, we went to attend our classes for the day. I felt a bit relieved that it was raining, and that some of our outdoor classes had been canceled; at least I¡¯d get a bit of rest.
¡°Nate, let me know if you plan to go out. Don¡¯t forget,¡± Chloe reminded me.
I was under strict orders not to leave the academy alone. With a third assassin still out there who wanted me dead, we had to take extra security measures. My mother, in fact, was cultivating golems¡ªa special spell she had invented, something I¡¯d seen her do since I was a baby. Golems are monsters that drain mana from the user who summons them, but my mother enchanted carnivorous plant seeds and modified them using her plant element. This made the plants grow large and monstrous. She basically invented a way to create golems artificially. They weren¡¯t as intelligent as summoned golems, but they served their purpose.
These artificial golems stayed fixed in the ground, and my mother had to water them daily with mana-infused water to keep them alive, in addition to feeding them weekly with rats or slightly larger animals. After all, these golems were modified carnivorous plants. She surrounded the area around the castle with these golems to act as guards, which was essentially her job as a gardener. She had brought a few of them to our mansion in Apsalon, positioning them as an extra line of defense alongside the maids who patrolled as guards.
I agreed with what Chloe had said and returned to my room. I still had one more class before I was free for the day. Cylla was on the bed, either playing with my bedsheet or maybe sniffing it¡ªI wasn¡¯t exactly sure what she was doing.
Is she spreading her scent on the bed? Or smelling where I sleep?
¡®One of these days, I¡¯m definitely convincing Nate to cuddle with me.¡¯
¡°What!?¡± I asked, startled.
¡°What?¡± she responded.
¡°Nothing¡¡±
The cat happily continued rolling around on the bed.
Did she just say that in my thoughts? Or¡ did I somehow read her thoughts?
201 - Learning About Forbidden Spells
Chapter 201 - Learning About Forbidden Spells
Nathan Evenhart:
Three days had passed since studying in the library, and I was nearly fully recovered. Finally, I¡¯d rid myself of the bandages around my arms and could move normally again. The only lingering discomfort was a slight pain when swallowing, but with the ongoing healing potion treatment, that should disappear today or tomorrow. The potion is extremely expensive and accessible to only a few due to political restrictions.
Thankfully, my family is nobility.
In my lap, a cat was sleeping, occasionally snoring.
I was in a classroom, but this time, our group was divided again, with other students attending a different class.
"What¡¯s this class about? It¡¯s a new time slot we didn¡¯t have before," Chloe asked.
"Unfortunately, it looks like theory..." I replied.
The only theory class that really interested me was Professor Sinclair¡¯s, which covered the Human Empire, but her lessons were sporadic. We¡¯d had only one of her classes so far, and there was no set schedule for the next. Besides being a teacher, she served as a military consultant and historian. She was important in all three realms, despite certain restrictions. I¡¯d heard that she often attended military meetings about the border.
"Good afternoon!" The voice snapped my attention back to the class.
An elderly woman entered the room. She was an aged elf and seemed to be our new teacher.
"My name is Obana, and today I¡¯ll be giving a theory class on spells and enchantments." The teacher raised her hand, and leaves began to fall like a gentle rain.
A plant-element mage.
The only mage of this element I¡¯ve had contact with is my mother, so the prospect of meeting another plant mage, especially one who¡¯s to be my teacher, is intriguing. Plant magic has always fascinated me¡ªthe way it shapes and manipulates the essence of nature itself, controlling life around it with a gentle or devastating touch.
Then there¡¯s Syvis, of course, but asking a princess to demonstrate her abilities just because I find them interesting would be somewhat improper. She¡¯s always been generous in sharing what she knows, yet I can¡¯t take advantage of her position to satisfy my curiosity.
My mother also kept her plant element a closely guarded secret; it was something few outside the family knew. Since retiring from military life, she left her former fame and the weight of her title behind. I heard that, in her service days, she was a soldier feared by many. Her mastery of plant magic was rare among humans¡ªa skill that earned her the moniker ¡°Head Cutter.¡± Therefore, I can¡¯t go around revealing that I¡¯m the son of this famous soldier or that my mother wields the plant element.
The leaves hovered in the air and drifted toward the students.
"Please touch them lightly with your fingertips, but be careful not to hurt yourselves," the teacher directed.
The students began touching the leaves. Chloe and I brushed our fingers across a leaf floating in the air, and I was taken aback.
Sharp... this leaf feels like a blade.
Other students tested it as well, slicing through feathers with ease.
The elf snapped her fingers, and the leaves gathered, forming five birds of leaves that flew around the room.
"I am both a Summoner and an Emitter. What you¡¯ve just seen is a deadly spell known as ''Green Blade Ravens.'' It¡¯s a forbidden spell."
"Wow!" a student exclaimed, and others began whispering as the ravens disappeared when the teacher dispelled them.
"In today¡¯s lesson, I will discuss types of spells and the reasoning behind forbidden spells. How many of you can cast a spell at this level?"
Chloe and I raised our hands.
My family is one of mage assassins... so knowing spells of this caliber is the bare minimum requirement.
"So, only two students know spells of this level. I presume they are the high nobility," observed the professor.
"We are," confirmed my cousin.
The rest of my group was in another class, but I was certain they also knew how to cast forbidden spells. Chloe and I couldn¡¯t lie about it¡ªit¡¯s obligatory knowledge due to our positions in nobility.
¡°Forbidden spells are primarily used by Combat Mages and Shooter Mages. These spells are purely lethal and aren¡¯t taught to just anyone. The kingdoms strictly regulate what is taught within their armies, and these spells are restricted to ensure they don¡¯t fall into the wrong hands. Generally, only families of high nobility freely have such spells in their arsenal, passing them down to their children,¡± the teacher explained.
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There was also spell trafficking on the black market. Some spells were sold illegally, and acquiring them often involved using magical runes. These runes, sealed within books or scrolls, allowed mages to store their mana alongside the spell¡¯s formula, enabling the knowledge to be transferred to other mages who studied the rune.
Forbidden spells that had become somewhat common could be found on the black market, but the rarest ones remained restricted to noble families, especially high nobility. There were cases where nobles purchased spells from the black market to expand their family¡¯s magical arsenal. Some families were renowned for possessing secret spell knowledge unique to them due to their own inventions. The magical market was vast, encompassing everything from spell purchases to magical equipment, mostly accessible only to mages.
Professor Obana walked over to a book on the table and touched a specific page. She then approached the chalkboard, tapping it, which caused the board to display the page from the book. The page showed illustrations of two mages: one with a cheerful expression and the other with a villainous look.
¡°These spells aren¡¯t taught to just anyone because their sole purpose is death.¡±
I had learned a few forbidden spells from my family over the years, in addition to the intensive lessons from Professor Adrihna, who trained me in military magic. She¡¯d truly gone a bit overboard in what she taught my cousin and me, introducing techniques many would consider dangerous.
There are various types of mages, but it all boils down to the distinction between a common mage and a military mage. Common mages tend to focus on utility or academic magic, while military mages specialize in combat spells and magical tactics for warfare. As the daughter of a duke, Adrihna had an advanced understanding of magic, refined by her noble upbringing and the expectations that came with it. Her Special Eye, a rare gift allowing her to see beyond the ordinary, further enhanced her skills, making her teachings all the more valuable.
Though I had trained in spells across various elements, I hadn¡¯t received specific training for my primary element¡ªthunder. Thus, I created most of my thunder spells myself and even developed a few exclusive spells by combining different elements.
My most powerful spell combined the primary elements of nature, but I could only test it once, and I nearly died in the process. My aunt classified that spell as extremely dangerous and forbade me from using it again due to the risk it posed to both me and those around me¡ªI couldn¡¯t even control its aftermath.
That spell consumed all my mana instantly, leaving me on the verge of death. It¡¯s been two years since I last used it, and I¡¯m eager to test it again with my current control and mana reserves.
The professor turned the book¡¯s page, and the board displayed several sequential images. In each image, a mage was forming a ball of water, which grew larger in each subsequent frame until it became a massive sphere of water above the mage.
¡°The mastery of an elemental domain allows us to perform simple feats, but to reach greater power, we need to learn spells at different levels,¡± Obana explained, writing below each image that showed the mage and his increasingly larger water balls.
The spell levels could be classified as:
0 - Forbidden
1 - Beginner
2 - Exceptional
3 - Advanced
4 - Epic
5 - Supreme
6 - Mythical (Banned)
7 - Legendary (Banned)
" Forbidden spells belong to a special class. They can exist at any level, but their sole purpose is to kill. For instance, a mage skilled in creating rivers and artificial rain might learn a Supreme river creation spell, but there could be an even more dangerous forbidden Epic spell. These spells are classified as Level 0 precisely because they can adjust to any level, and their use is restricted due to their exclusive intent to cause death. For example, a fire mage can ignite a simple campfire, but the spell ''Red Meteor'' summons a giant fireball capable of setting an entire forest ablaze, or the spell ''Inferno Eel'' creates a fiery serpent that coils around its victim, burning them alive."
The professor turned the page, and the image on the board changed to that of a mage with his mouth open, indicating he was speaking.
"The more complex the spell, the harder it is to cast. That¡¯s why we use a process called ''chanting.'' Speaking the spell helps channel our mana, serving as a form of mana muscle memory to activate the magic."
That¡¯s exactly what I do to activate the Celestial Aspects. Because of the complexity of circulating my mana through my body while directing it to my eyes, I needed to create activation mechanisms. After all, I possess both Special Eyes and Celestial Eyes.
The professor held a wand and conjured a sphere of green leaves.
"The more you practice, the better your control over the spell becomes, and eventually, you won¡¯t need to chant it. However, the more powerful the spell, the greater the mana cost, so it¡¯s rare for mages to practice such spells casually."
Most students here were from families of common nobility, without any military tradition. For them, the path to mastering powerful spells would be long and arduous. The academy, of course, will introduce more advanced spells in the future, but I doubt it will teach anything specifically tailored to military use. After all, not every student here is interested in a career on the battlefield.
Many prefer more stable careers, aspiring to become Builder Mages or Engineer Mages, specializing in creating and maintaining magical structures and devices. There are also those with the rare gift of healing mana who pursue the path of Healer Mages, valued positions that offer a more peaceful and rewarding life without the need to wield a weapon or face the dangers of direct combat.
The variety of aspirations within the academy showed that, for many, magic was a tool for progress and creation, not for destruction
"That¡¯s why Advanced spells and above are rarely used due to their complexity. You must also be mindful of limitations. Beyond a certain level, spells become tied to specific mana categories, meaning you won¡¯t be able to cast them unless you possess the required category."
Emitter and Summoner mages have a broader range of spells, which is why they typically use wands or staffs and don¡¯t often rely on weapons. A skilled Transmitter mage can cast a fireball, but it won¡¯t reach the distance or potency of one cast by an Emitter mage, who specializes in long-range spell attacks.
As the spell level increases, it becomes tied to its mana category. I could cast a fireball or a fire serpent, but I¡¯d never be able to summon a fire golem without my special eyes, as it¡¯s a complex Summoner-class spell. Summoners are the rarest and most gifted in magic, as their mana can create living creatures made from their elemental nature.
"Always practice chanting spells in your free time and do it safely, along with mana manipulation. This is crucial for training your mind to divide attention in combat."
The professor turned the page, and the board displayed a mage surrounded by large flaming spheres of earth, hovering in the air around him.
202 - The Insane Soul Golem of Nathan
Chapter 202 - The Insane Soul Golem of Nathan
"Always practice chanting spells in your free time and do it safely, along with mana manipulation. This is crucial for training your mind to divide attention in combat."
The professor turned the page, and the board displayed a mage surrounded by large flaming spheres of earth, hovering in the air around him.
¡°Only a few mages are skilled enough to use spells above the Epic level. If a mage without enough mana tries to chant a powerful spell, they will fail. Even for those who can perform spells at this level, it¡¯s crucial to understand the risks involved. The more powerful the spell, the higher the mana cost. If you exhaust your mana, you¡¯ll be unable to perform magic and, depending on how draining the spell was, you may faint or, in the worst cases, die.¡±
Professor Obana looked around at the students, observing the mix of anxious and curious faces as she explained the complexities of advanced spells.
¡°It¡¯s possible to shorten long spells,¡± she began. ¡°First, you need to master the long chant, understanding each syllable and channeling your mana steadily. With time, you¡¯ll be able to condense these phrases into a shorter, more efficient form¡ªwhat we call a ¡®standard phrase.¡¯ This phrase acts as a mental shortcut, so to speak, allowing you to have half of the spell ready even before you fully chant it.¡±
I knew this concept well. Both Adrihna and my family had taught me this method. It was one of the cornerstones of becoming an effective military mage.
¡°Powerful mages often ¡®lock¡¯ this half of the spell into something called ¡®Elemental Art,¡¯¡± Obana continued. ¡°It¡¯s simple: you insert the desired element and chant the spell¡¯s name. For example, the crow spell I demonstrated earlier would be called Plant Art: Green Blade Ravens.¡±
The students started taking notes hurriedly, some with expressions of enlightenment, as though they had just uncovered a hidden secret.
¡°This is how mages of the past managed to reduce chanting time, turning complex spells into something practical and swift without sacrificing potency. They condensed years of knowledge and practice into simple phrases, which proved crucial in intense battles, where every second counts.¡±
She emphasized the importance of correct chanting: ¡°You can chant a spell either mentally or aloud. But keep in mind, if you do it mentally, the spell consumes twice as much mana and loses half of its potency.¡±
The professor compared this process to sword practice: ¡°Just as every sword movement requires the coordination of body, joints, and muscles, chanting a spell involves both the body and voice. Skipping any part of this process can lead to a spell that is either disastrous or less powerful. For that reason, speaking the spell is practically essential to achieve maximum effectiveness.¡±
Her words underscored the complexities involved in magical practice. Mana¡¯s language is a continuous flow of mind, body, and spirit: the way you shape your mana, how it moves through your energy channels, how your mind recalls the exact steps of the spell, and how your mana gem pumps energy through your body¡ªall of it forms an interconnected cycle, like a spark igniting a fire.
She concluded with a practical scenario: ¡°Imagine a mage in the heat of battle, trying to cast a powerful spell. If they chant mentally, they¡¯ll lose a precious amount of mana and weaken their spell. In combat, aloud chanting is an integral part of ¡®Elemental Art.¡¯ Without it, magic will never reach its full potential.¡±
Her words reinforced what I already knew: magic is as much a strategic discipline as it is a force of power.
The professor flipped another page, and the board displayed the image of a boy fallen on the ground, with someone armed with a sword standing close by.
"Using a powerful spell in battle requires caution. If it fails to achieve its purpose, you¡¯ll be left completely exhausted and vulnerable to enemy attacks. Your weakness will be such that you may not even be able to move, making you an easy target. This is how enemies kill powerful mages: by waiting for their mana to run dry. Therefore, it¡¯s crucial to manage your mana effectively so that you can cast complex spells without compromising your safety."
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Professor Obana turned to the next page, and the image on the board changed to show a sinister figure lurking in darkness.
¡°Before we move on to the next topic, does anyone have questions?¡± the elderly elf asked.
Several students raised their hands, most of them excited that the academy was finally covering advanced magic topics. The elf pointed to one of the students.
¡°Professor, why did it say ¡®banned¡¯ next to the mythical and legendary level spells?¡±
The old elf smiled as if she had been expecting this question.
¡°That¡¯s an excellent question and directly relates to our next topic. Let¡¯s discuss the dangers of using magic for malicious purposes. But to answer your question,¡± she gestured with her hand, causing numerous leaves to fall around her, ¡°these leaves are sharp and represent a forbidden spell. This spell is used exclusively to kill. Now, imagine that instead of raining blade-like leaves around me, I could make this happen in an entire village or city. The chaos and destruction would be devastating for those who aren¡¯t mages and couldn¡¯t protect themselves,¡± she explained.
The professor scanned the students'' faces, and with another gesture, she gathered all the leaves into a green sphere that floated around her.
¡°The moment a forbidden spell reaches a level of power so extreme that its potential for destruction could cause mass casualties, it is automatically classified as ¡®banned.¡¯ Such spells become weapons of war, and their use is considered a crime in all realms. Mages who master mythical and legendary level spells are fully aware of the responsibility and the weight of possessing such power. However, if they misuse it, they are immediately apprehended due to the threat they pose to society.¡±
This is one of the reasons my mother scolds me so much¡
"Banned spells don¡¯t just pose a danger to people; they can also threaten nature itself. A banned fire spell could wreak havoc on a city and its natural surroundings, wiping out all life, including plants. Even they would perish, and the soil would become infertile. Unleashing a mythical or legendary-level spell needlessly is a crime against humanity. Weapons of war should not be at the whim of just anyone.¡±
Her sphere of leaves vanished. The professor studied the students'' faces, some curious, others diligently taking notes.
"Do not worry too much about the danger. A banned spell is not easy to perform, and very few mages in the world are capable of executing one," she reassured them.
My spell, the one my aunt forbade me to use, is a banned spell¡
I actually had two banned spells, and casting them was dangerous even for me due to their destructive range.
The first was the spell that nearly killed me two years ago, which my aunt banned me from using again. The second spell was my own Soul Golem¡ªa creature that sought to destroy everything in its path.
Soul Golems occupied a delicate area in magical legislation, similar to a demi-human¡¯s bestial form¡ªa true gray zone between being considered a banned spell or not. This was due to their massive destructive potential. When a summoner activates their Soul Golem, it¡¯s akin to unleashing a demi-human¡¯s bestial form, where control becomes challenging, and the power is overwhelming.
Just like a demi-human¡¯s bestial form could unleash chaos and destruction, Soul Golems represented a similar threat. If left unchecked, they could devastate entire cities, becoming an immeasurable danger. However, unlike other banned magic, a summoner who could fully master their Soul Golem had the power to contain this destruction, restricting the creature¡¯s power within acceptable limits. This control is what places Soul Golems in that ambiguous legal zone.
While the risk was high, the potential for control made the use of these Golems a practice that, though regulated, was still permitted¡ªbut never to be used lightly. Only exceptional mages, those with deep mastery over their magic and themselves, could summon and maintain these creatures without causing massive destruction.
Despite being considered talented, I was far from the natural aptitude of Chloe or my mother. The truth is, no matter how much I train, controlling a Soul Golem is beyond my current abilities. Commanding such a creature requires almost contractual magical conditions¡ªa profound bond between summoner and golem that goes beyond mere skill. Perhaps when the academy delves deeper into summoning, I¡¯ll be able to help you understand this topic better.
The irony is that even with one of the greatest summoning mages on the continent as my personal tutor¡ªAdrihna, who also wields the light element¡ªshe hasn¡¯t been able to help me with this. The reason is simple: mastery over the Soul Golem depends solely on the summoner. It¡¯s a direct reflection of the soul of the one who conjures it, and as you already know, my soul has harbored destruction and chaos in the past. Controlling something that mirrors a soul like mine... is no easy task.
This is the most terrifying aspect of handling a Soul Golem. It embodies both the strength and the shadows of its summoner, becoming something that can completely slip out of control if there isn¡¯t balance.
203 - Assassin Organizations
Chapter 203 - Assassin Organizations
The professor gestured toward the image on the board, where we saw a shadowy figure lurking behind someone distracted by a fire.
¡°Class, now that we understand the types of spells and their dangers, let¡¯s delve into their origins, which begin with the ancient assassin organizations.¡±
The term ¡°assassin organizations¡± sparked a wave of whispers among the students.
¡°I thought they were just fairy tales,¡± commented one of them.
The professor then asked the class, ¡°What do you know about assassins?¡±
She paused, watching the students¡¯ expressions as some whispered curious questions to each other. Chloe and I exchanged a glance. We already knew a lesson on this would come up eventually, especially given my family¡¯s organization. It was a deeply rooted subject, and I was curious to see how it would be covered.
¡°Know that assassin organizations aren¡¯t mere stories or children¡¯s tales,¡± she began. ¡°These organizations were very real and extremely dangerous. An ancient assassin alone could easily face all of you in battle.¡±
She turned to the next page in her book, and the image on the board changed. Now, it showed two children¡ªone playing in a bright room, the other in a shadowy area holding a knife, their shirt stained with blood.
¡°True assassins are masters of stealth and direct combat,¡± she continued. ¡°They are trained from a very young age and see life through a distorted lens. To them, people are targets, constantly evaluating how easy or hard it would be to kill someone.¡±
I won¡¯t lie... we are taught to assess people like this, but it¡¯s for our protection...
¡°They are raised in darkness and thus can be known as ¡®Children of Shadows.¡¯ This training is intended to strip them of fear and empathy, shaping them into someone who hesitates at nothing to kill,¡± she said, pointing to the child in the darker side of the image.
¡°Teaching someone to become an assassin is strictly forbidden,¡± she emphasized. ¡°Any questions?¡±
Several students eagerly raised their hands.
¡°What¡¯s the difference between them and common criminals? Or between them and military mages? After all, we also learn how to kill,¡± one student asked.
The professor pointed to the image of the two children.
¡°The difference is immense. An assassin is raised from infancy to be a living weapon by an ancient organization. Would you trust someone who¡¯s been trained to kill from childhood, as cruelly and efficiently as possible? To them, you¡¯re merely living flesh. Assassins are molded in an environment where violence is normalized. There¡¯s no remorse. For them, killing a person is as trivial as squashing an ant. They can kill brutally at night and then sleep soundly without a trace of guilt.¡±
She flipped the page, revealing the same shadowy child standing beside an adult, both holding knives.
¡°The assassin organizations were completely outlawed. The term ¡®forbidden spell¡¯ originated from these organizations. Magic was initially created to ease daily life, but these mages repurposed it for killing.¡±
She turned back to the image, reinforcing her point.
¡°That¡¯s why the existence of assassin organizations is forbidden. True assassins, those from the old organizations, are not to be underestimated. However, you can rest assured: those that remain are just a shadow of what they once were. The ¡®Assassin¡¯ title and some of their practices have evolved into a profession among mercenaries. Now, they¡¯re merely common outlaws living outside the law.¡±
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She surveyed the class briefly.
¡°Any more questions?¡±
The students glanced at each other, and the professor pointed to one who had raised his hand.
¡°I¡¯ve read so many crazy stories. Did they really exist? I¡¯ve heard lots of wild rumors,¡± the student asked, intrigued.
¡°Of course they existed,¡± the professor replied firmly. ¡°It¡¯s no wonder that spreading the teachings of the old assassin organizations is forbidden by all three kingdoms. A true assassin can operate with stealth, but if necessary, they transform into a walking killing machine, capable of unleashing destruction on anyone in their path.¡±
She turned another page in her book, displaying an image of a crowned figure slitting the throats of the previous two assassins in the illustrations.
¡°No one can trust someone who holds the lives of others so easily in their hands and infiltrates society at will. Imagine the threat of allowing one of these ancient assassins to infiltrate the ranks of political nobility.¡±
Uh-oh...
¡°The amount of information they could gather and the influence they¡¯d wield would be incredibly dangerous. That¡¯s why not just anyone can be part of the political nobility. Leaving the whims of someone so dangerous unchecked is unthinkable. That¡¯s why the Founding Emperor banned all assassin organizations and issued a death penalty for anyone attempting to revive these practices. The Art of Assassination is forbidden and criminal. Most of these organizations were hunted down and destroyed.¡±
The professor paused, letting her words hang in the air. The students looked visibly affected. She continued, drawing them deeper into her narrative.
¡°Let¡¯s speculate even further,¡± she said, raising her voice slightly to capture the class¡¯s full attention.
¡°Imagine that these ancient assassins still exist and are here in this room. They could, if they wished, sabotage the function of the three kingdoms, sowing discord among you and causing a diplomatic incident that would lead to war. And no one would know, as we¡¯d be right in the palm of their hand.¡±
A murmur began to ripple through the class; some students exchanged uneasy glances, while others chuckled nervously to ease the tension.
¡°Well, at least those assassins don¡¯t exist anymore,¡± a student commented, sounding relieved.
"And definitely not studying here in this room," added a girl, prompting the whole class to burst into laughter.
Chloe and I stayed silent, exchanging glances.
We¡¯re not that bad...
¡°The Founding Emperor was a true hero who ended the ¡®Era of Assassins¡¯ and ushered in the ¡®Era of Diplomacy,¡¯¡± the professor continued. ¡°Dealing with a bandit or a lunatic is one thing, but handling someone trained from childhood with ancient assassination and espionage methods to become a Death Emissary is a completely different story. Allowing such a person to live freely in society is a grave mistake, let alone letting them rise to nobility. That¡¯s why they were exterminated. An assassin is less human than a wild beast.¡±
Little do they know that while the Founding Emperor hunted down all assassin organizations, he kept his own operative¡ªthe Night Killers. It seems he simply didn¡¯t want his empire to be threatened¡
Chloe and I exchanged a look, realizing that, ultimately, the material taught about assassins was slanted to reinforce the image of the Founding Emperor. For most people, the idea of an assassin organization within society could indeed seem terrifying¡ªand from a military perspective, it could even be a real threat. After all, they¡¯re living tools, devoid of emotion when it comes to killing. But contrary to this twisted image, our family upheld so many rules and codes that I was sure we spent more time tending farms than actually killing anyone. In fact, they always prioritized diplomacy and peace. When I drew my blade, it was only to eliminate those who truly deserved it.
That''s why my family treasured our friendship with Professor Adrihna so much. She knew our family¡¯s secret yet remained our friend. Both Adrihna, my mother, and Kinue were welcomed so closely into our family that they knew these secrets without ever questioning our morality.
The professor continued, ¡°Study this topic thoroughly. The content on forbidden spells and their origins in assassin organizations will be on the exam.¡±
Looks like this will be a subject I¡¯ll do well in, I thought, letting out a quiet internal chuckle.
"A little curiosity for you all," the professor added with a playful tone. "The term ''assassin'' even has roots that stretch back to the ancient civilization."
The students perked up, leaning forward in their seats, intrigued.
"In the ancient language, the word ''assassin'' was said differently," she continued, building anticipation.
¡°How was it said?¡± one student asked, curious.
The professor''s eyes gleamed slightly as she revealed the answer.
"These legendary assassin warriors were known as... ¡®Vikings.¡¯¡±
204 - Asgard, the Realm of Deities
Chapter 204 - Asgard, the Realm of Deities
Eira Green:
I continued to analyze the floating rune spheres, relics steeped in ancient magic, projecting images of murals and engravings dating back to ages past. It was both magnificent and daunting to comprehend. These records came from a time even before my own creation. Although I was young compared to some of the oldest beings, the amount of knowledge and history encapsulated in these runes was nearly unfathomable. Each one held fragments of the past that few, even among the Asgardians, could fully understand.
Many of these artifacts and rune spheres I had discovered in Sisika¡¯s laboratory. My former lady had an almost mystical obsession with the murals and records from the previous era. She would try to translate and interpret these remnants with unmatched dedication. However, even for superior beings like us, this task was challenging. The records were not only difficult to understand but also impenetrable for those who lacked the skill to interpret the language of mana at its oldest, most primal level.
Only a few Aesir, the Great Royalty of Asgard, held the right to access the complete knowledge, with the lineage of the Odinsons standing as the most powerful among them all. As Lady Sisika¡¯s assistant, I had permission to access some of these ancient runes and scrolls, though the secrets of the most potent magics remained locked away. Not even I, despite my position, could replicate any of these arts if I came across Odinson¡¯s records; only the Aesir held that power.
The mana hologram now projected a set of runes so ancient they predated even the human civilizations in the realm below on Yggdrasil. Each of these runes was a window into the past, a living record, a sort of diary left behind by ancient divine beings. However, interpreting these runes was not just a matter of literal translation; it required a rare skill, a Soul Aspect powerful enough to interpret the very essence of mana that composed them.
Unfortunately, aside from the Body Aspect, I only possessed the Life Aspect. Having more than one Aspect was a remarkable achievement, something few superior beings managed, but still, knowing that the true interpretation of these runes lay beyond my reach frustrated me.
And the Eyes of Jormungandr grant the user all six Celestial Aspects¡
I returned to the problem Sisika had left behind.
¡°Nathan Evenhart¡¡± I murmured the boy¡¯s name.
Over the past few years, we tracked him and eventually found him. I must admit, I was surprised when I saw the soul of the one my mistress was enamored with. He was just a thirteen-year-old boy the first time I laid eyes on him.
A human boy is the bearer of the eyes of that World Destroyer, and, on top of that, his soul is married to Sisika¡¯s, creating a bond between the two.
"A human becoming friends with a deity¡ more than friends¡ husband and wife¡" I murmured, rubbing my temples, trying to organize my thoughts.
Sisika had sacrificed herself prematurely to glimpse the boy''s future, and the consequence was that she could no longer coexist with her reincarnated body. Now, she was just a new being, devoid of memories. But, knowing her and her mastery of the Soul Aspect, it was possible that, somewhere deep within her new existence, she had found a way to transmit her memories. Perhaps something lay dormant, waiting for the exact conditions to awaken.
I turned my attention back to Sisika''s notes. Even if I tried, I couldn¡¯t read any of her findings without the power of her own Celestial Eyes. She had sealed everything meticulously, encoding her journal in a way that only she could decipher.
Sisika was a master of the Soul Aspect and devoted all her free time to unraveling the past. All this was driven by an ancient search, for a single person who had appeared in her dreams since childhood. All of this... for one name.
"Icarus..." I whispered, recalling how she once spoke to me. It was the only secret she had ever shared with me, a word that carried immense weight, but to me, remained a mystery.
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¡®Knock, knock.¡¯
Someone tapped softly on my door. I had been so focused that I only just noticed the sound.
"Lady Eira, I¡¯m coming in," announced Elanir, my personal attendant.
She carried a silver tray with a crystal goblet full of fresh water and a small piece of bread. Knowing her, she had likely gathered the ingredients from the mountains near the mansion. From the aroma, she must have flown at dawn, preparing the bread with utmost care. All that effort... for a piece that fit in the palm of my hand.
"You didn¡¯t have to prepare anything. I said I wanted to focus on my research," I remarked, accepting the tray Elanir brought.
"Forgive me, Lady Eira. I was just concerned. You dismissed all the servants and passed your duties onto your younger brother."
I sighed, but before she could continue, I felt another presence approaching. A phoenix landed on the balcony, visible through the window, and transformed into its humanoid form.
"Lord Lars has arrived," Elanir commented, though we both knew I had already noticed.
"I''ll need some time with him, Elanir. If he''s come directly to the balcony instead of using the main entrance¡ I can already tell I¡¯ll have more work than I planned," I said, unable to hide my exasperation.
In the next moment, I heard the rumble of thunder. Another phoenix descended at speed, erupting into a storm of dark thunder before taking humanoid form.
"Prince Thorsten¡" I murmured, realizing that things had just become even more complicated than I¡¯d anticipated.
Thorsten was the heir to one of the principal Vanir clans, an ancient and powerful lineage. Among the Vanir, each clan was comprised of multiple families, with the heir of the main family bearing the title of "prince" or "princess." His presence here could only mean one thing: this would be a high-stakes meeting, and my research into Sisika''s secrets would have to wait.
I rose from my desk, walked to the door, and stepped out onto my balcony. My private garden stretched out before me, adorning the entrance to my quarters on the two-hundredth floor of the tower. My family¡¯s mansion, imposing and solitary, rested atop this tower, rising amidst a vast, deep ocean.
Looking around, I saw floating islands scattered across the sky like suspended mirages in a magical firmament. Below, the sea roared, its waves creating a constant melody, a natural symphony that filled the air. But what fascinated me most was the sky above¡ªa true oceanic realm, reflecting light in deep aquatic hues. Within these celestial waters, some clans had their homes, entire civilizations inhabiting the sky as if it were a vast underwater kingdom.
To my right, the immense Great Verdant Forest stretched upward, inclined toward the sky-ocean, with trees growing lush and mysterious, continuing into the celestial waters. In the far northern reaches, I could see the colder regions¡ªa land of ice and snow, home to clans who preferred it, especially those who embraced their animal forms, finding a natural refuge in the tundra.
My home was far from Asgard¡¯s main city, where the royal family ruled. The view of this vast, diverse world, with its unique civilizations and landscapes, was both a comfort and a reminder of my isolation¡ªa sanctuary amid Asgard¡¯s vast and mysterious ocean.
¡°What brings you two here?¡± I asked, attempting to smile despite the apprehension gnawing at me. Prince Thorsten took a seat on a bench, clearly in a foul mood.
¡°I¡¯ve just returned from the human world,¡± Lars said, and I seized the opportunity to lighten the mood.
¡°Oh? Did you bring me a gift, Lars?¡± I teased, laughing, but he merely adjusted his gloves and gave me a serious look. Lars, with his perpetual appreciation for cleanliness, was always dressed in pristine formal attire and white gloves.
¡°He didn¡¯t tell me anything,¡± Thorsten grumbled, irritated. ¡°Ever since I was forbidden to pursue the human with Sisika, he¡¯s been keeping completely silent.¡±
At that moment, Lars decided to surprise me. ¡°I had a brief encounter with Nathan Evenhart,¡± he announced, and caught entirely off guard, I choked.
¡°You¡ªyou what?¡± I stammered, still in shock.
With his usual elegance, Lars simply conjured a bench of marble as white as snow and sat, unruffled. The marble was so pristine I could see my own reflection.
¡°Relax,¡± he continued with a faint hint of disdain. ¡°I was disguised. I accompanied Grand Lord Sigmund.¡±
A heavy silence filled the air. Thorsten, beside me, looked equally stunned.
¡°Grand Lord Sigmund¡ in person?¡± My voice came out almost as a whisper, tension evident in each word.
This wasn¡¯t just anyone. Sigmund Odinson, cousin to the Great King and a true legend of the Aesir lineage, had descended personally to the human world? This was more serious than I could have imagined.
¡°Nathan Evenhart¡ he¡¯s alive?¡± I asked, trying to keep my composure.
¡°Alive and well,¡± Lars replied. ¡°Grand Lord Sigmund went down to meet him, even going so far as to sell the boy a coat.¡±
I was floored. ¡°Wait¡ you¡¯re telling me that an Aesir deity descended to the human world and disguised himself as a clothing store vendor just to meet this boy?¡± I could barely believe it, but I knew no one here would dare joke about our rulers.
¡°What else, Lars? I need to know everything,¡± Thorsten said, impatience clear on his face. ¡°Why did he want to meet the human personally? And why did he take this task from me?¡±
Then, a cold, authoritative voice echoed behind us, freezing each of us in place. "Is there any reason more important than seeing the human who''s taking care of my niece?"
The voice belonged to someone I¡¯d never imagined would visit my home. It was Grand Lord Sigmund Odinson himself, Sisika¡¯s uncle.
205 - The Wolf Girls Rival
Chapter 205 - The Wolf Girl''s Rival
Chloe Evenhart:
Nearly two weeks had passed since we captured the kidnapper. I had reached out to Martha without Nathan knowing, feeling a pang of guilt, as the likely reason for the attack was me.
Over the weekend, we discussed this possibility without Nathan. Nikolaus Wolves knows I''m engaged, and Nathan¡¯s death would spark a major crisis for our family. It could drive Wolves to try again what he attempted last time: pressuring my mother into a marriage alliance. He might even be behind the rising violence in our duchy.
Nathan, with his sharp mind, had deduced that this faction of nobles might be involved. Even my mother was surprised by his solution of checking their financial activities. While it wouldn¡¯t legally prove anything, it had set off alarm bells: Nikolaus Wolves and his allies could very well have pooled their resources to place a bounty on Nathan''s life.
A part of me wants to personally go and end that bastard for daring to threaten my fianc¨¦!
As a precaution, we weren''t allowed to leave the academy unaccompanied. Aunt Katie and Martha remained at the mansion, with the maids doubling as guards. Aunt Katie was busy creating golems, filling the place with deadly plants.
My mother had decided not to report the assassination attempt on Nathan to the kingdom. She preferred to handle this her own way, and I knew that Nikolaus Wolves was already as good as dead. He and his faction had crossed every line, and now it was our turn to handle it in our way.
My class had ended, and I was free for the afternoon. Entering our apartment, I was surprised at what I found.
"Kinue? Looks like we''re having lunch together today," I said.
My friend was crouched down, searching through the cabinet, and turned to me with a smile.
"Chloe, I was looking for something to cook."
She stood up, and I noticed that her uniform blouse was a bit loose.
Her chest is way larger than mine¡
"Don¡¯t you wear a bra?" I asked.
"They¡¯re uncomfortable. Too tight for me."
Of course¡ with a figure like hers.
I sighed, lamenting life''s unfairness. Kinue had a lovely figure and a charming demeanor, undoubtedly a beautiful woman.
I''m only 15, and she''s 17¡ I''ll get there someday.
"Let''s have lunch in the dining hall. No need to cook; I''ll go with you today," I said, and Kinue¡¯s eyes lit up.
"Will Nate be there too?"
Hmm¡
"I¡¯m not sure. He has a class on Builder Mages, and our class was split up. Practical lessons can take forever."
"True. At first, they make us sit through all the pragmatic content, even if we don¡¯t have the element being taught."
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We left the apartment and began walking down the hall.
"Speaking of mage classes, have you chosen yours yet? You¡¯re both a transmitter and an emitter," I noted.
"I chose Shooter Mage, given my early training as a Combat Mage. Professor Adrihna is pushing me hard since she¡¯s officially taken me as her apprentice at the academy."
A solid choice.
"That makes two Shooter Mages then," I replied, showing her my wand.
As we walked down the corridor, we came across Syvis and Thyra.
¡°Fox girl!¡± Thyra muttered.
¡°Flea-ridden mutt¡¡± Kinue replied seriously.
¡°Wolf! Thyra¡¯s a wolf!¡± Thyra corrected.
What¡¯s going on here?
¡°You two know each other?¡± I asked, interrupting the exchange.
¡°Is this your other rival?¡± Syvis asked me.
¡°Rival?¡± I repeated, surprised.
Kinue shrugged.
¡°It¡¯s nothing serious, just a dog girl who tried to fight me once and ended up getting her tail kicked,¡± my friend commented.
What? They fought?
¡°You just got lucky that time, little fox! I¡¯m going to beat you, just wait and see!¡± Thyra exclaimed.
It seems like there¡¯s some kind of invisible rivalry going on here.
¡°You haven¡¯t even fully awakened your beast form¡ or maybe it¡¯s just the form of a little lap dog,¡± Kinue teased, starting to walk away.
Wow! Kinue¡¯s bold¡
¡°Take that back! Thyra¡¯s a wolf!¡± protested Thyra.
¡°I think it¡¯s better if we stop¡¡± said Syvis.
¡°I apologize for offending you¡ puppy,¡± Kinue added in a serious tone.
The two of them showed their claws, ready to spring at each other.
¡°Enough!¡± Syvis shouted, and something green wrapped around Thyra, pulling her back.
I stared, shocked. In Syvis¡¯s hand was what looked like a bamboo sword. It had extended and wrapped around Thyra like a whip, and with a flick of her wrist, Syvis pulled it back to its original form.
That was amazing. Is this her power? She¡¯s using her plant element to make the bamboo sword grow and change shape.
¡°No fighting!¡± Syvis ordered.
Kinue retracted her claws, her expression softening back to normal.
¡°My apologies¡¡± my friend murmured, now a bit shy.
¡°I knew I smelled you around here¡¡± Thyra muttered.
Syvis gave her a light tap on the head.
¡°No fighting,¡± she repeated.
¡°Thyra agrees¡¡± Thyra added with a resigned tone.
Kinue stepped back, and Syvis guided Thyra away.
¡°I¡¯ll meet you both at lunch,¡± my elven friend said, disappearing into her room.
¡°Alright,¡± I replied, rushing to catch up with Kinue.
When I reached her, I noticed her face was bright red.
¡°I¡¯m sorry, Chloe¡ I ended up showing a bad side of myself.¡±
¡°It¡¯s no problem, but you were a little intimidating.¡±
My friend hid her face in her hands, visibly embarrassed.
¡°Don¡¯t tell Nathan about this side of me¡¡±
Why is she so worried about what he thinks?
***
We arrived at the cafeteria and picked up our trays. As we chatted, my curiosity about Kinue¡¯s beast form consumed me. I remembered that during periods when she showed small reflexes of her transformation, her mood would shift a bit, but I¡¯d never had the chance to actually see her transformed form. Kinue mentioned that transforming was something that drained her and couldn¡¯t be used needlessly because of the physical toll it took. She told me she became a large fox with golden fur.
It must be really beautiful.
We sat down at our usual table, which had essentially become ¡°ours¡± by habit. Some students still watched us, curious. Kinue was something of a mysterious celebrity at the academy, only showing up for classes. Since she lived with the professor, she wasn¡¯t seen in the dorms, which only added to the fascination around her.
¡°Have you decided what you¡¯ll do next free weekend?¡± Kinue asked, interrupting my thoughts.
¡°I¡¯m not sure yet. I want to explore the city a bit,¡± I replied.
We¡¯ll need to put ourselves in controlled public spaces to try to lure out the assassin.
Though I¡¯m hoping he¡¯s given up by now.
Kinue nodded. ¡°I explored some tourist spots last year, but there are some places that are nicer to visit with company.¡±
¡°You went alone?¡± I asked.
¡°Sometimes I went with the professor, but she prefers reading. Even on outings, she¡¯d just sit on a bench and read. I didn¡¯t make enough friends to invite anyone else.¡±
It must have been hard for her.
¡°Now that Nate and I are here, we can always go out together,¡± I suggested.
Kinue¡¯s ears perked up with excitement. ¡°That would be so much fun! I know several¡ romantic places,¡± she said, her tone a bit shy.
¡°Romantic? What do you mean?¡± I asked, intrigued.
Kinue blushed. ¡°Pretty places! I meant to say pretty places!¡±
Hearing that, an idea sparked in my mind. ¡°Tell me more about these ¡®pretty places.¡¯ Do you think¡ I could¡ take someone on a date?¡±
¡°Of course! I would, too¡ if I could take a certain someone,¡± Kinue said, a sparkle in her eyes.
206 - Kinue and Chloes Love for Nathan
Chapter 206 - Kinue and Chloe''s Love for Nathan
Chloe Evenhart:
¡°Of course! I would, too¡ if I could take a certain someone,¡± Kinue said, a sparkle in her eyes.
Oh, so Kinue also has someone she¡¯s interested in.
I felt proud of her.
"But I''ll get my chance soon enough. Pink Chocolate Day is coming, and I can finally make a move¡" Kinue continued.
"Pink Chocolate Day? What''s that?" I asked, curious.
Kinue glanced around to make sure no one was nearby, then leaned in close.
"It''s a special day when girls give a treat to a friend... or to someone they like. It¡¯s a city tradition, and it¡¯s coming up soon. Then, on Blue Chocolate Day, it¡¯s their turn to give chocolates."
I had no idea.
"So, who¡¯s the guy you like?" I teased, and Kinue turned bright red.
"If you tell me who you like, I¡¯ll tell you who mine is," she replied, sounding nervous.
"What?!" I exclaimed, blushing.
I¡¯m not ready to reveal this to anyone else¡ It was incredibly hard just to tell Aunt Katie.
"See! You¡¯re nervous too," she said, laughing.
"Of course! Talking about these things makes me embarrassed," I admitted.
We stared at each other and burst into laughter.
"Alright, I won¡¯t push. How about you just tell me the first letter of the name of the guy you like?" I suggested.
"I¡¯ll do it, but only if we say it together," Kinue replied.
I thought for a moment.
"Let¡¯s say it at the same time,"
"Okay," she agreed.
We looked at each other, taking a deep breath, ready to reveal our secrets.
"The first letter of the name of the guy I like is¡"
"N," we both said in unison.
When we looked at each other, our smiles froze. Our mouths hung open for a moment, speechless. Then, our smiles faded as we stared at each other, bewildered.
"The guy you like¡ what¡¯s he like?" Kinue asked, breaking the silence.
"You first¡ tell me about yours," I replied, trying to regain some composure.
Kinue blushed, looking down. "He¡¯s really kind and always there for me when I need him," she said softly.
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"So is mine¡" I murmured, looking down as well.
"Your turn," she said, her tone filled with anticipation.
"The guy I like is a bit clumsy when it comes to romance and doesn¡¯t realize when someone likes him¡" I confessed.
"Mine too¡" Kinue sighed.
I swallowed, trying to process everything.
"Your turn¡" I managed, struggling to keep calm.
"The guy I like does little things that warm my heart¡ but he doesn¡¯t realize it," Kinue explained.
"So does mine¡" I agreed.
We looked at each other, the confusion clear in our expressions.
"He was my first friend¡" I said, feeling a pang of nostalgia.
"So was mine¡" Kinue replied, with the same emotion.
Silence fell between us, neither of us sure what to say next.
"Kinue¡" I began.
"Chloe¡" she replied.
"Could it be that we like the same person¡?"
We stared at each other, stunned by the thought.
¡°Hey, girls! Finally, I made it in time for lunch," Nathan said, sitting down beside us.
"KYA!" we screamed in unison, startled, accidentally flinging our food onto him.
Nathan Evenhart:
¡°What did I do wrong?¡± I muttered, staring at my reflection in the mirror.
As soon as I¡¯d sat down at the table with Chloe and Kinue, they¡¯d screamed and thrown food at me. Now, I was stuck cleaning my uniform in the bathroom.
"Serves you right! No one told you to be an idiot!" Cylla¡¯s voice echoed from the floor, her eyes locked on me.
¡°Still mad about my family¡¯s decision?¡±
She nodded firmly.
¡°I thought you understood our plan.¡±
¡°You already know who it was. Just let me go! I want to kill everyone involved!¡± she spat, clearly irritated.
Last weekend, my family and I had gathered to discuss our next steps. Our first option was to pursue diplomacy to gain the kingdom¡¯s permission to eliminate Nikolaus Wolves and the nobles in his faction.
The problem was, at this point, all we had were deductions pointing to Nikolaus Wolves and his faction attempting to orchestrate my death. That wasn¡¯t enough evidence to present a valid accusation to the kingdom. We needed to wait and see what the third assassin would do. If he came after me, our plan was to capture him. He was the only assassin who knew the identity of the client and could provide proof that Nikolaus Wolves was the mastermind. With this evidence, we could gain the kingdom¡¯s authorization to retaliate and eliminate Nikolaus.
In the meantime, we had to bide our time and see if the assassin would make a move. After losing his two partners, he might be more cautious. Regardless, he had two options: come after me to complete the contract or back out, which would mean Nikolaus losing his only shot at eliminating me. After all, we¡¯d found out that only these three assassins on the continent had accepted the contract. They¡¯d spent two years investigating me, planning my assassination for when I arrived at Apsalon.
There was also the possibility that the third assassin would abandon his contract after losing his two partners. In that case, we wouldn¡¯t have direct proof that Nikolaus Wolves was behind the plot against my life.
Either way, Nikolaus Wolves was doomed. We¡¯d either kill him legally, with the kingdom¡¯s permission, or my aunt would handle it, making his death look like an ¡°accident.¡± He¡¯d trapped himself by publicly presenting himself as a strong ally to our family in the kingdom over the years, giving us a perfect chance to act in secret. Just as no one would suspect him of ordering my assassination, no one would suspect my aunt of killing a powerful ally from a rival faction. In the end, he¡¯d dug his own grave.
If we handled it covertly, however, only Nikolaus Wolves would die, since it¡¯d be suspicious if several nobles suddenly suffered ¡°accidents.¡± Even then, I¡¯d feel relieved knowing he was gone¡ªit was he who¡¯d wanted me dead from the time I was five years old.
The old Emperor Icarus in me would¡¯ve wreaked havoc just hearing that an insolent mortal dared to consider harming me¡
Meanwhile, I looked down at the moody cat glaring up at me, clearly waiting for a response.
¡°What can I do to improve your mood?¡± I asked, giving her feline nose a light squeeze.
¡°I want revenge! I want to go there and kill every one of them right now. I want to devour them alive, watch as they scream in terror and burn!¡±
I chuckled inwardly at her thoughts.
Where is that wise woman who once gave me advice in that cabin?
I let out another quiet laugh. Confirming that no one was around, I replied calmly, ¡°This matter is out of my control, and you know that. My family has a plan, and I have to follow it. It¡¯s the best way to resolve things. We can¡¯t cause chaos.¡±
¡°Then I¡¯ll stay angry,¡± she huffed.
I continued to ponder my next steps.
I really need to start educating this dragon girl better. We both need to control this bloodthirsty side of ourselves.
207 - Duel Against the Veteran Students
Chapter 207 - Duel Against the Veteran Students
Nathan Evenhart:
¡°Today you all have a special class, so get used to it. It''s the duty of the older students to guide the younger ones,¡± Professor Beatrix declared authoritatively.
We were in an open field, where Professor Beatrix had called advanced students to instruct us. Recently, we¡¯d been trained by other instructors, with Professor Beatrix only occasionally giving pointers. Given the number of students, more combat teachers were necessary, but today, veteran students would assist as instructors. These students, already in leadership roles or preparing for them, came from military families and had undergone rigorous training since early childhood.
Not all first-year students were here; our class was divided into groups due to the large number of attendees.
"This is going to be boring¡¡± murmured Cylla, sitting on the ground.
Since it was a practical class, even tamed magical creatures were allowed to participate, many of which were trained to assist their owners in battle. I observed the range of animals and even caught sight of a small, green-furred bear.
A Rank C magical creature¡ interesting.
The cat beside me gave my leg a gentle nudge.
¡°Are you assessing the animals? You should know I don¡¯t even fit into human rankings¡ªI¡¯m way too powerful for that,¡± she said with pride.
I muttered under my breath, ¡°Show-off¡¡±
¡°Good morning, class. You already know me from the first day¡¯s introduction. I¡¯m Sebastian Blake, a Sky Knight in the Teresia Kingdom¡¯s army, also known as the Human Kingdom. Starting today, I and some senior students will be responsible for your practical lessons,¡± the instructor announced before stepping back into place.
Beside him, a red-haired woman stepped forward.
Do they practice this, too?
¡°I¡¯m Elara, princess of the human kingdom. I¡¯ll join the classes whenever possible. As a representative of the alliance of the three kingdoms, I want you all to know we¡¯re committed to seeing you grow into fine warriors. I hope you enjoy the training,¡± she said, then turned to the knight instructors. ¡°And go easy on them; they¡¯re just novices.¡±
Professor Beatrix stood aside, observing and evaluating the instructors¡¯ performances.
¡°Let¡¯s get started. I promise we¡¯ll be gentle with you,¡± one of the instructors said with a smile that didn¡¯t exactly inspire confidence.
So I¡¯m supposed to let them win? Great¡
¡°I know you have separate classes for magic, but we¡¯ll also assess your magical talent,¡± Sebastian added.
¡°Nathan Evenhart,¡± someone called, and I quickly looked around.
What did I do this time?
¡°You¡¯re assigned to spar with the top instructor, aside from the princess,¡± Professor Beatrix informed me, approaching and giving my shoulder a light slap.
She leaned in and whispered, ¡°I know it was you who scratched me in that last fight. It had to be you.¡±
¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about¡¡±
¡°Seems like you¡¯re not just a pretty face,¡± she said with a grin that wasn¡¯t entirely comforting.
She patted my shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m keeping an eye on you. Good luck,¡± she finished.
So much for being the invisible one¡
I looked at the cat beside me. ¡°You¡¯d better find a place to rest; this is going to take a while,¡± I said, and Cylla dashed off to a safe spot.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Sebastian Blake:
We were on our way to the training grounds to instruct the second group of first-year students. Earlier, we had taught the other half of their class.
¡°I¡¯m telling you, take it easy this time. I don¡¯t want to hear any complaints,¡± Elara insisted.
¡°Haha, I swear it wasn¡¯t on purpose. Not my fault that kid was trained to be a Shooter Mage. He should¡¯ve been prepared to wield a sword,¡± William remarked with a mischievous grin.
The princess sighed, but I could see a hidden smile forming on her face.
¡°I know it was funny, but remember to go easy. These are the ones who¡¯ll eventually fill our ranks. We have to inspire them to want to be like us, not scare them off,¡± Elara reminded us.
We kept walking.
¡°And don¡¯t forget to invite a few students to start knight training,¡± she added.
¡°When I mentioned it earlier, another student overheard and begged for the honor of joining the team,¡± William said.
¡°The promise of riding an Asalon Horse and soaring through the skies is tempting. Everyone wants that honor,¡± Elara observed.
I let out a small laugh.
¡°Too bad only a few will ever get that chance,¡± I commented.
Elara gave my arm a light smack. ¡°No need to say that out loud. Maybe some of them will rise to the challenge and earn that chance in the future. They don¡¯t need to know it¡¯s¡ almost impossible,¡± she said.
I stifled a chuckle and shrugged.
¡°Don¡¯t injure another student, William,¡± Elara warned.
¡°I¡¯ll try¡¡± William replied, barely holding back his laughter.
When we arrived, Professor Beatrix was waiting at the entrance.
Such a beautiful¡ and dangerous elf.
¡°I¡¯ve prepared the list of who you¡¯ll be sparring with. I¡¯ll be evaluating you as instructors, so please avoid injuring the students,¡± she said, handing us the list before stepping away.
¡°We¡¯ll do the same as this morning, dividing the matches to run simultaneously. Starting next week, we¡¯ll introduce advanced fencing techniques. Today, let them use magic. And remember to try recruiting a few human students; we need to begin preparing the next group of knights,¡± Elara instructed.
¡°Relax. Once the prince shows up by surprise, they¡¯ll all be in awe,¡± William added, as we approached the students.
***
¡°We only have ten instructors, so first, each of you will duel with an instructor. Afterward, we¡¯ll begin working on sword techniques. For those of you who use wands or other magical implements¡ sorry, but you¡¯ll also be required to practice with a sword, at least during this first school year,¡± I announced to the class.
As earlier, I noticed their curious expressions. They recognized our special uniforms, signifying our status as knights.
Earlier, there was that wolf girl who defeated one of our colleagues, but she¡¯s from another kingdom, so recruitment isn¡¯t an option. Besides, she doesn¡¯t even practice swordsmanship¡
We divided the students, and I approached William.
¡°You¡¯re instructing Alice, so go easy on my fianc¨¦e,¡± I said.
¡°Of course, I would never do otherwise with Her Highness Alice,¡± William replied, adding a playful tone.
Melina tried sword fighting earlier, but she didn¡¯t excel. Unfortunately, the talent for fencing lies with Elara and Duncan. Still, I hope she becomes an exceptional Shooter Mage. If she masters her fire magic further, she¡¯ll be a real force to be reckoned with.
I took my roster and reviewed the students I¡¯d be dueling with.
The last name caught my attention.
It seems I¡¯ll be paired with that Nathan Evenhart.
Beatrix:
I¡¯ve been keeping a close eye on Nathan Evenhart. Ever since that day, I¡¯ve been replaying the battle in my mind, feeling like maybe I overlooked something.
¡°Professor,¡± greeted Elara as she approached.
¡°Skipping the duels again?¡± I asked, a hint of curiosity in my tone.
¡°I can¡¯t be seen sparring with students due to my position in the army. It could affect morale if I appear weak, and if I overdo it, I might intimidate the students,¡± she replied.
¡°Must be tough being you,¡± I teased.
Elara paused, stepping closer. ¡°At least sometimes, it¡¯s fun. I¡¯ll help with fencing instruction, but I won¡¯t participate in any of the duels.¡±
I glanced over at Sebastian, who was already sparring with the students in his line.
I¡¯ve left Nathan for last¡
¡°Anyone else interesting in this class? I¡¯ve already recruited Edmund,¡± she asked.
¡°The wolf girl from earlier is good,¡± I remarked.
Elara laughed. ¡°I¡¯m talking about people I can actually recruit, Professor. I need candidates for the human army.¡±
I considered for a moment. ¡°There¡¯s Viktor, the Shooter Mage with a solid arsenal of spells, but I believe he¡¯s already been picked up by your group. What type of mage are you looking for? Shooter Mages tend to be a bit vain, given their greater magical talent, and Healers are only interested in coin.¡±
¡°I¡¯m looking for Transmitter mages, the ones the military considers standard: Combat Mages. I need those skilled in close combat. Shooter Mages often avoid fencing practice since they have the advantage of keeping enemies at a distance with their spells due to their higher mana reserves. I¡¯ve recruited a few for the knights, but I need more quality fighters. After all, for a Shooter Mage to shine and unleash their spells, they need a Combat Mage on the front lines, holding off the enemy and creating the perfect opportunity. Any student catch your eye?¡±
I looked at Nathan Evenhart, waiting patiently in line.
¡°For now, no one,¡± I replied, lying.
I need to confirm if what happened that day was just a coincidence.
¡°Easy, Princess; it¡¯s only their first year. Let¡¯s shape them into good soldiers. Just be patient,¡± I said.
¡°You know me, I have targets to meet,¡± she replied, her tone determined yet playful.
We watched a few students. Fire bolts flew through the air, and other powerful spells flared.
Most of them are using magic unnecessarily¡ and if they run low on mana mid-battle?
I sighed.
And then they say we Transmitters are just brute fighters. But what happens when the Shooter Mage runs out of mana? Will they ask their enemy to show mercy? These kids¡
208 - Nathan vs Sebastian Blake
Chapter 208 - Nathan vs Sebastian Blake
Sebastian Blake:
"Nathan Evenhart!" I called out the boy¡¯s name.
The boy from the agricultural duchy. He had the fortune of being born with the thunder element.
My opponent is one of the heirs to the eight ducal families, the elite of nobility. These families represent the pinnacle of magical lineage and prestige, bearing titles and wealth beyond what most noble families could ever dream of. Few soldiers, or even lesser noble lineages, would ever have the chance to occupy the same space as someone of his rank.
If not for the academy, we¡¯d probably never have exchanged a single word. They¡¯re distant figures, untouchable, living in their vast castles, surrounded by lands and loyal guards, keeping themselves apart from the rest of society.
"But now, I stand on equal footing with them," I murmured proudly to myself.
I watched as he approached.
I possess two elements that, if used correctly, can easily counter his. I can manipulate earth and water. As a Transmitter and Emitter, if I create a thin layer of stone reinforced with mana, I can nullify the effects of any shock that might come my way.
"For safety reasons, I won¡¯t use any offensive spells," I announced.
"I¡¯d say the same."
Is he¡ worried about me? I come from a military family in service to the royal household; he¡¯s the one who should be concerned about not getting hurt.
"Let¡¯s stick to pure swordplay," he suggested.
"No, I need to evaluate your magical performance. Come at me with your best magic, as if you really intend to kill me."
He let out a small laugh.
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely."
He might be a high noble, but his family oversees an agricultural duchy. It¡¯s time he learns a bit about how real soldiers fight in the capital.
His free hand crackled with blue sparks.
"I¡¯m the second Commanding Knight of a new army unit. We¡¯re recruiting knights, and those who perform well over the years up to graduation might have the chance to become a Sky Knight. Are you interested?"
"No."
What?! Did he just refuse?
"Hahaha, maybe you didn¡¯t hear me. I¡¯m talking about becoming a Knight who rides an Asalon Horse."
"I understand."
"We train every day. I¡¯ll make sure they send you the schedule."
"I¡¯m not interested."
I forced my expression to stay in a polite smile, hiding my anger.
Is he an idiot? Usually, people practically beg me for this offer.
"You do realize this is a real invitation, right? I¡¯m not joking. I¡¯m genuinely inviting you. Don¡¯t worry if you¡¯re afraid you¡¯re not good enough; we train swordsmanship and magic from the basics until you become a true knight."
"I¡¯m really not interested."
For a moment, I froze again, hardly able to believe what I¡¯d just heard.
¡°If it''s about the position of your duchy, don¡¯t worry. We¡¯re flexible, and I know you¡¯re not the main heir. As a Sky Knight, I can tell you that hardly anyone receives such an invitation. As a noble with political privileges, you have the right to retire whenever you choose; many noble heirs only join the army to gain experience for a few years. You have the opportunity to build a career in the army and become someone¡ important. You¡¯ll get to learn how to fight from real warriors.¡±
He seemed to consider it.
I can¡¯t believe I had to explain myself again just for this idiot to understand the honor of receiving an invitation from an official member, a Winged Knight. I know he wouldn¡¯t be able to keep up with our training regime, but at the very least, we could make him a Recruit Knight. I¡¯d even go easy on him in the army; after all, I¡¯d gain more prestige by having a high-ranking noble under my command. Viktor and Edmund come from military families, so they¡¯ll have their own squads, but this guy comes from an agricultural family, which would place him under me.
¡°I¡¯m looking for a simple life, so I¡¯ll decline,¡± he replied with unsettling calmness.
"Fine, that''s your right," I said, keeping my smile steady. But inside, I couldn¡¯t believe it.
I watched him, analyzing every detail. He seemed genuinely serious, which only fueled my frustration. Who would refuse an opportunity like this?
He¡¯s probably just someone who wants to live off the wealth of his lands while real men strive to become good soldiers.
"I¡¯ll go easy on you," I said, struggling to keep my irritation in check.
¡°Please, I ask that you fight seriously. I¡¯d be honored to be taught by a Sky Knight,¡± he replied, and something in his tone made me wonder if he was being ironic.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
I took a deep breath, sensing a hint of provocation in the air.
"We¡¯re beginning."
¡°Understood,¡± he replied calmly, raising his sword.
I drew my blade and took my combat stance, watching his movements. But before I could fully process what was happening, I felt something¡ªa wave of pure killing intent washed over me. My heart raced, and without thinking, I leapt backward, rolling to get away.
WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!
I got up, still in an attack stance, eyes fixed on him. He hadn¡¯t moved, still standing there with his sword in hand, his expression serene.
Lady Sindra!
A single name surfaced in my mind, the only one that evoked a visceral, almost primal fear. She was a woman whose presence stirred this very same unsettling feeling, a dread that seemed to crawl beneath the skin and settle deep within the soul. But it couldn¡¯t be her... There was no way she could be here.
Who on earth projected that?!
"Is something wrong?" asked Elara, approaching with Professor Beatrix.
I struggled to regain my composure.
That feeling¡
It was like my whole body wanted to flee from a suffocating presence.
"Nothing, just¡ demonstrating a retreat technique," I lied, trying to mask my reaction.
Beatrix nodded. "I¡¯ll raise a magic barrier around your fight. Whatever spells you cast will remain contained within it¡ as long as you don¡¯t go overboard, of course. Good luck," she said, stepping back.
A transparent layer of mana rose around us, forming a square that isolated us from the outside world. The barrier looked almost invisible, with a glass-like shimmer, but its energy presence was tangible, locking our arena within a magical cage.
"Your battle spirit is sharp," he remarked, with a piercing gaze. "Let¡¯s see if it¡¯s worth anything."
What did he mean by that?
"Bring it," I challenged, steady.
He advanced, and I charged to meet him. Our swords were about to clash when, in the last instant, his eyes widened, and in a swift move, he sidestepped my blade and leapt, knocking me to the ground with a clean hit.
The impact knocked the wind out of me, and I stared at the ceiling of the magic barrier above, stunned by his speed and precision.
¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± I asked.
¡°Stay down!¡± he commanded.
A surge of energy coursed through me, delivering a shock that froze me in place.
What is this guy¡?
Something massive swooped past us, barely missing us. The creature had come dangerously close to where we were.
¡°Of course, it had to be him¡¡± I muttered, pushing myself up and shoving the boy aside, already knowing who it was.
I ignored the farm boy and walked toward the creature that had just landed.
¡°Prince? You almost hit me back there.¡±
He wasn¡¯t supposed to show up now; we were planning to impress the newcomers later.
Nathan Evenhart:
A winged creature landed close to us, descending with impressive speed. I had to pull the instructor aside to avoid being hit by the impact. A young man dismounted the creature.
"Prince? You nearly injured me there,¡± the instructor complained, trying to hide his surprise.
"Ah, I was just trying to give you all a little scare, haha!" the blond boy responded with a carefree grin.
Prince?
I looked at him more carefully, trying to recall.
Could he be that guy from the party where I met the drunken king?
As students gathered around to admire the impressive winged creature, Cylla ran over to my side, positioning herself protectively as if ready to attack.
¡°If you had been hit¡ I would¡¯ve devoured that thing,¡± she grumbled, clearly irritated.
I smiled, giving her a reassuring pat on the back to calm her down.
She¡¯s still mad about the assassins¡
The creature resembled an Asalon, but it was larger and distinct in several ways. Instead of the slim body and horse-like face, it was white, muscular, with a head that looked more like a white lion. Its majestic appearance drew everyone¡¯s gaze, and quickly a crowd formed around it, admiring it.
The blond boy stepped forward, addressing the group of students who stood there, mouths agape.
"For those who don¡¯t know me, I¡¯m Duncan Asalon, the future king of the Human Kingdom,¡± he announced confidently. ¡°This creature here is an Asalon Manticore, the only one of its kind. His name is Emperor, the largest and most powerful of all Asalons. Only kings are allowed to ride him,¡± he declared, patting the creature¡¯s flank.
The students murmured in awe, moving a little closer, only to pull back when the creature growled at them.
¡°That¡¯s amazing!¡± one of them said, starstruck.
¡°Of course it is,¡± Duncan replied with a satisfied smile.
Cylla, beside me, started laughing uncontrollably, her feline eyes gleaming with amusement.
¡°Incredible? That big bird would be my lunch! Hahaha!¡± she muttered, falling to the ground as she laughed.
I had to stifle a laugh, covering my mouth with my hand.
¡°Stop¡¡± I whispered, trying to pull myself together. ¡°I need to stay serious¡¡±
Cylla continued rolling on the ground, her purrs turning into mental laughs that echoed in my head, making it even harder for me to keep a straight face. I decided to step back a bit from the crowd to avoid drawing attention with my amused expression.
Elara approached Duncan, frowning slightly. ¡°Brother, that was dangerous.¡±
Duncan shrugged, as if the incident was insignificant. ¡°Blame Emperor. I just wanted to make a grand entrance, but he suddenly got spooked,¡± he said, climbing back onto the Asalon Manticore¡¯s back.
Did he get spooked by my killing intent?
¡°To all of you humans,¡± he continued with a commanding voice, ¡°I extend an invitation to join our ranks. If you enlist, you¡¯ll get to train with us and even meet our winged steeds up close. You might even get the honor of sword training with me or stand alongside Emperor!¡± With a dramatic gesture, he slapped the creature¡¯s back, causing it to spread its massive wings.
Duncan looked at Elara with a playful grin. ¡°Was that a good recruiting speech?¡± he asked, and Emperor took off, beating his wings as everyone watched in awe. The prince and his mount soon disappeared toward the forest.
The students were mesmerized, their eyes shining as they followed his flight.
¡°That was incredible!¡± one of them exclaimed, captivated.
¡°Seeing an Asalon up close feels magical,¡± a girl said, breathless.
¡°Didn¡¯t you hear? That was a special Asalon,¡± another corrected, with an air of importance.
Elara murmured, shaking her head with a mixture of relief and pride. ¡°At least he managed to inspire some¡¡±
I stepped back from the crowd, trying to regain my composure, when Cylla followed, a mischievous feline smile lingering on her face.
Suddenly, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned to find Professor Beatrix watching me with a sharp, enigmatic gaze.
Beatrix:
"You have a lesson to finish," I said, directing myself toward him. "I still want to see if you''re really good in a fight."
He sheathed his sword into his bracelet and met my gaze, and I felt a sharp, assessing look as though he were deciding whether my presence even warranted his attention.
"Professor, if you think I''m skilled in combat¡ there''s only one way to find out," Nathan Evenhart replied. "When Thyra manages to defeat you, then I¡¯ll fight you seriously."
His words caught me off guard.
"Why would you need to wait for Thyra to defeat me?"
He regarded me with a more penetrating look. "She has a lot to learn from you, and I don¡¯t want to interfere with her growth."
I couldn¡¯t follow his reasoning. "How would fighting me first interfere with her progress?"
He stepped closer, his tone unyielding. "If I fight seriously, I¡¯ll crush your will to ever pick up a sword again. But if you truly want a duel... when the time is right, one God of Battle will face another," the boy replied, turning and walking away.
As a warrior, I could tell his words weren¡¯t spoken lightly; there was a gravity to them that sent a chill down my spine for a moment.
Why did my body just shiver?
I watched Nathan''s retreating figure and, for a fleeting moment, felt a strange regret.
"Hey, you there!" Sebastian called out, running after him.
I turned to check on the other students, and a thought crossed my mind:
Maybe it''s time I return to intense training...
209 - Sell me the Moon Panther
Chapter 209 - Sell me the Moon Panther
Sebastian Blake:
"Kid!" I exclaimed, approaching him with urgency.
This can''t be what I''m thinking.
"What is it?" he asked, visibly confused.
"This thing!" I replied, leaning down to grab the animal at his feet.
He tried to stop me, putting a hand on my arm. "Let her go!"
Ignoring him, I focused on examining the creature¡¯s face. I needed to confirm what it was.
"A white circle on its forehead..." I murmured to myself, disbelief clear in my voice.
I released the animal, and it immediately darted back to the boy, eagerly accepting his gentle strokes along its back. The creature, somewhat aggressive, continued growling and hissing at me.
"It''s okay..." the boy murmured to it soothingly.
I stared at him, completely stunned. "That''s a damn Moon Panther!" I exclaimed, incredulity dripping from each word.
No way! He managed to tame a creature like that?
The Moon Panther is infamous for its untamable temperament and deadly nature. For years, countless efforts have been made to domesticate these ferocious animals, but all failed. Known for their violent tendencies, they refuse to submit to any form of control.
Over time, the Moon Panthers started to mysteriously vanish, and sightings became exceedingly rare. When they do appear, they tend to disappear just as swiftly. There''s even a rumor that only one Moon Panther exists, roaming from kingdom to kingdom, always a step ahead of any who spot it.
No one would ever have suspected that all this time, one of these creatures has been here, right under our noses. Even the latest bestiaries have removed them from their records.
If it hadn¡¯t been for the queen¡¯s insistence that we study all the bestiaries, both current and ancient, before coming to the academy so we¡¯d know how to assess students'' animals, I¡¯d have never suspected that this little cat is, in fact, a young Moon Panther.
Nathan Evenhart:
"Who does this scum think he is, touching me like that? I''m going to kill him!" Cylla muttered, fury evident in her voice.
"It''s okay..." I said, trying to calm her down, stroking her back.
Is this guy kidding me? Who does he think he is? I¡¯ll be the one to kill him.
I looked down at the angry little feline, knowing I couldn¡¯t voice my thoughts aloud. It¡¯d set a terrible example for her.
¡°That¡¯s a damn Moon Panther!¡± Sebastian exclaimed, disbelief clear in his words.
I looked at him firmly.
"This little kitty is a girl, and I don¡¯t want you touching her again," I replied, forcing a smile that barely concealed my anger.
"Kid!" Sebastian stepped closer, his tone dripping with authority.
"How did you manage to tame a creature like that? This is a deadly beast that doesn¡¯t accept being controlled by anyone," he continued, clear disbelief in his tone.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.
"I didn¡¯t ¡®tame¡¯ her. She is, indeed, a killer beast, and if she decides to attack you, I won''t be able to stop her. This little one is stronger than me," I replied, trying to keep my cool.
"If you¡¯ve earned her trust, that means she¡¯s already tamed," Sebastian observed, leaning closer to study her face. ¡°This really is a Moon Panther cub. For years, everyone tried to domesticate one, and no one succeeded.¡±
¡°They¡¯re intelligent beings. How would you feel if you were captured and forced to obey someone?¡± I shot back.
A gray cat growled.
Sebastian seemed to consider my words before continuing.
"I''m making an offer on behalf of the royal family. I¡¯ll pay whatever price you ask. You¡¯d have the honor of personally gifting this pet to the king¡¯s family. If the panther has accepted domestication, she could be raised by us.¡±
His words were a direct insult to me and to my closest friend. I did my best to suppress the growing fury inside me.
"Tell him that if they try to tame me, I''ll kill the entire royal family," a furious Cylla told me.
I looked down, trying to steady my emotions and set a good example for my dragon companion.
¡°She¡¯s not for sale. She¡¯s not a commodity to be bought or a slave to be sold. She¡¯s a free being and someone very special to me. I''ve been with her since I was five, and she¡¯s saved my life countless times. I won¡¯t sell her,¡± I said firmly, turning to leave.
A hand gripped my shoulder, and Sebastian pressed on.
" Whatever you ask, they¡¯ll pay it. You and your duchy could receive vast riches. The royal family would thank you personally, and you¡¯d be rewarded beyond measure.¡±
Sebastian Blake:
He looked at my hand on his shoulder, and for a moment, his eyes held a glint of disgust, as if I wasn¡¯t worthy of even touching him.
¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re aware, but I¡¯m engaged to Princess Alice. That makes me part of the royal family. When I make an offer, it carries the weight of the king¡¯s family. You should be honored to serve me and your king,¡± I declared, adopting a tone of superiority.
This farm boy might come from high nobility, but my status as a member of the royal family places me well above him.
I had made an offer that people across the kingdom would dream of receiving. I¡¯ve purchased students'' animals before, but this was different. If the royal family learned of a domesticated moon panther, they would stop at nothing to possess it.
A moon panther makes the royal family¡¯s tigers look like house cats. It¡¯s a powerful, lethal, and intelligent creature. Once fully grown, its strength surpasses any ordinary beast. There are even rumors that moon panthers possess shadow magic.
¡°She¡¯s not for sale.¡± He removed my hand from his shoulder and turned to leave.
¡°You will sell her¡ Just think about it. It¡¯s in the name of your king and queen. Would you really deny them if they asked?¡±
¡°Yes,¡± he answered coolly.
The boy turned his back, walking away alongside the panther cub.
I don¡¯t know how he managed to tame her, but now that she¡¯s domesticated, it¡¯ll be easier to make her obey. Even if that means using a pain collar on the panther.
I made my way over to the soldiers reinforcing the magical barrier.
¡°Greg!¡± I called, my voice firm.
He approached quickly, his expression attentive.
¡°Find William and have him send a letter on my behalf to the queen and to my fianc¨¦e¡¯s father. Inform the grand duke Ryan that I¡¯ve found something of inestimable value.¡±
Greg looked at me, stunned, hesitating. ¡°Are you sure?¡±
¡°Of course! Tell him I discovered a domesticated moon panther cub.¡± I watched as his face registered the shock of it.
¡°Are you insane? Those are killers!¡±
I rolled my eyes, growing impatient. ¡°This one¡¯s tame, you idiot. The owner¡¯s from our kingdom, and he¡¯s refusing to sell. Include his name in the letter: Nathan Evenhart. He¡¯s a subject of the kingdom. We¡¯ll have that panther, whether he agrees or not.¡±
The mention of the name made Greg''s face go pale.
¡°Sir¡ did you say Evenhart? That¡¯s one of the Eight Governing Families of the kingdom¡ I would never dare confront them. My family holds the Sacred Families in the highest regard.¡± His voice carried a blend of reverence and fear.
I sighed, impatient. ¡°I¡¯m giving you an order, and you¡¯re considering disobeying?¡±
He swallowed hard, looking away. ¡°But sir¡ the Evenharts are superior nobles. Compared to them, we¡¯re almost nothing¡¡±
I crossed my arms, my expression hardening. ¡°Don¡¯t include me in that. I¡¯m now a member of the royal family. I stand above even the Eight Ducal Families. Go find William; he¡¯s likely in one of the duel arenas.¡±
Greg hesitated, visibly conflicted.
I rolled my eyes again. ¡°Forget it¡ I¡¯ll handle this myself. During the next holiday period, I¡¯ll deliver the news personally to the Grand Duke and the Queen.¡±
Bringing news like this to the royal family would be a testament to my value, a card up my sleeve that could cement my position. My engagement to Alice, a superior noble, wasn¡¯t going smoothly, and the shadow of a potential breakup loomed over me. I knew that, despite my efforts, the difference in status was a constant risk; one misstep could dissolve my union with Alice. But if I continued to prove my worth, I might secure my place.
Making myself indispensable in the royal family¡¯s eyes was my best chance of avoiding the fate I dreaded most: being cast aside as a dispensable pawn.
Nathan Evenhart will sell that animal, one way or another, when his king demands it.
210 - Future Excursion Mission
Chapter 210 - Future Excursion Mission
Nathan Evenhart:
As we stepped out of the carriage, finally back at our home in Apsalon for the weekend, I felt a refreshing chill in the air, and the silence was a stark contrast to the constant hum of the city.
"I promised myself I¡¯d study... but I think I¡¯ll end up napping," Kinue murmured with a tired sigh.
¡°Is third year really that tough?¡± Chloe asked, curiosity in her eyes.
Beside me, Cylla walked quietly, her gaze cast downward. She still seemed affected by what had happened earlier.
¡°From third year onward, we have monthly theoretical exams covering all the material¡¡± Kinue replied, sounding drained. I made a face, imagining the grueling hours of memorizing information ahead. Spending hours drilling that stuff into my head didn¡¯t sound like fun.
As we crossed the expansive grounds, I glanced around the neighborhood. It was a peaceful area, set back from Apsalon¡¯s center and reserved for political nobility or those with businesses tied to politics. Our mansion stood among well-tended trees and garden beds, surrounded by an extensive garden my mother meticulously cared for.
¡°AH!¡± Kinue jumped back, dodging something.
Chloe laughed. ¡°Watch out. Those plants love to grab at anyone¡¯s hair if they¡¯re not paying attention.¡±
A carnivorous plant lurked in the shadows, its slender neck stretching out of the bushes before it retreated again. I looked at it with a mix of fascination and nostalgia. When I was younger, I¡¯d spend hours playing with smaller versions of these plants, completely unafraid of their little bites.
¡°Is Aunt Katie putting more of these plants around?¡± Kinue asked.
"Ever since what happened to me, she¡¯s been creating these ¡®guards¡¯ nonstop,¡± I replied, noticing the concern in her eyes.
We¡¯d told Kinue about the attack, even though it had been more than two weeks since it happened. The third assassin seemed to have backed off for now. But feeling truly safe felt like a fantasy; being constantly on guard was our new normal.
One of the closer carnivorous plants stretched toward me, bringing its thorn-covered face close to my hair, almost as if it recognized me. I smiled as I identified this particular plant¡ªit looked far more monstrous than the others.
¡°Is it you, little sister? Looks like Mother finally put you to work,¡± I murmured, stroking its knobby surface. This one was larger and more robust than the others, having absorbed my mother¡¯s mana over the years, making it especially powerful. I remember once feeding it a monstrous rat, which it crushed within seconds.
As I petted the plant, a prickling sensation washed over me, as though a pair of eyes were watching us, tracking every move. Cylla, beside me, seemed to sense it too and took a subtle step forward, positioning herself as if ready to react.
¡°Did you guys feel that?¡± I asked, keeping my voice casual, though my hand had stopped petting the plant.
Kinue and Chloe gave me puzzled looks, but Cylla gave a slight nod, her eyes gleaming with a determined light.
I bolted towards the house, an anxious impulse coursing through me.
¡°There¡¯s a strange scent in the air¡¡± Cylla whispered, staying by my side.
¡°What¡¯s going on, Nate?¡± Chloe called, worry edging her voice.
I ignored the questions, pushing myself to run faster.
Mother! A sudden urgency to protect flooded through me. I knew I was the target, but that didn¡¯t matter. They were my priority.
As I reached the entrance to the mansion, the door swung open before I could even touch it.
¡°Welcome home, young master,¡± one of the maids greeted me with a slight bow. ¡°We have guests.¡±
A wave of relief swept through me, loosening the tension in my muscles. Moments later, Chloe and Kinue, who now had her halberd at the ready, appeared behind me.
"I think I was mistaken¡" I murmured, feeling a bit embarrassed by my overreaction.
We stepped into the mansion, and my mother came rushing toward us, her face lit up with a mix of joy and relief.
¡°Children!¡± she exclaimed, immediately pulling me into a tight embrace. She didn¡¯t hesitate to pepper my face with kisses, and each time I tried to pull back, she only held me closer.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
¡°Mom¡ enough¡¡± I tried to protest, but it seemed to encourage her even more. Finally, she stopped, giving me a thorough once-over, her hands moving over my arms as she examined my face closely.
¡°You¡¯re fully healed¡ what a relief,¡± she murmured, pulling me into an even tighter hug. ¡°I had such a terrible dream last night.¡±
¡°Aunt, who¡¯s visiting us?¡± Chloe asked.
¡°A couple of friends you all know,¡± my mother replied, moving to hug Chloe and then Kinue, who returned the gesture with a shy smile.
She knelt down to greet Cylla, but the cat brushed her off, trotting up the stairs toward our room without a second thought.
¡°What¡¯s wrong? She¡¯s usually more friendly,¡± my mother observed, a bit surprised.
¡°It seems someone touched her with bad intentions,¡± Chloe remarked.
As we walked toward the sitting room, I explained, ¡°Someone grabbed her with a greedy look, seeing her as an object. Somehow, she sensed it and got upset.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll have Martha prepare something special for her,¡± my mother said, signaling a maid who stepped forward to take my coat.
¡°Come, let¡¯s go in,¡± she guided us down the corridor, and soon we could hear voices chatting in the drawing room.
As we entered, I saw three unfamiliar faces: two adults and a girl slightly older than me, dressed in the academy¡¯s uniform. Martha was speaking with them, and I noticed Natty and Catty were there as well. Since our schedules were different, they must have arrived earlier for the weekend.
¡°Martin and Clara, look at how much they¡¯ve grown. I bet they look so different to you now!¡± my mother said with a warm smile.
At that moment, it all clicked, and I remembered who they were.
¡°Children, this is the Norfolk family. You met them when you were little, right after the prince¡¯s party at the underground transport port,¡± she explained, looking at us fondly.
They''re one of the families in charge of producing healing potions! I really need to thank them for making that miraculous liquid¡ªI feel as good as new.
¡°Pleasure to see you again,¡± Martin said, standing from the sofa to greet us, followed by his wife, Clara, and their daughter, Nora.
¡°You¡¯ve grown so much,¡± Clara remarked, smiling warmly. ¡°You two have become lovely young ladies.¡±
¡°Th-thank you,¡± Kinue replied, while Chloe, slightly embarrassed, murmured her thanks.
Nora, their daughter, approached us, her expression a mix of excitement and anticipation. ¡°I¡¯ve been a bit anxious and couldn¡¯t wait to talk with you all,¡± she said.
¡°Talk with us?¡± Chloe asked, a little surprised.
My mother stepped closer, explaining in her usual calm tone, ¡°It seems you¡¯ll be working together on an academic project soon.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll bring you something to eat,¡± Martha announced, quickly exiting the room.
We sat down and began chatting with the Norfolk family. I took the opportunity to ask a few questions about the process of making healing potions¡ªsomething that would be on the next test.
Who better to learn from than one of the experts behind the production? I thought, holding back an internal chuckle. Chloe noticed my intent and immediately joined in, asking strategic questions. Martin, visibly delighted to share his knowledge, eagerly began explaining every detail.
Martha returned with a tray of sweets and cookies, placing it on the coffee table. As I watched her, I felt an intense gaze on me.
Alright, you crazy thing, I¡¯ll touch the tray.
The moment I touched it, an identical copy appeared in Athena¡¯s hands, who chuckled, satisfied. ¡°Thanks, Icarus,¡± she said before starting to eat.
At least now a single touch duplicates the whole tray; before, I had to touch each item individually.
We continued the conversation, gradually understanding the purpose of the visit. Nora, who was a year older than Chloe and me, mentioned the upcoming collaboration between the classes.
¡°Oh, I get it. This is going to be so much fun,¡± Chloe said, visibly excited.
¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m getting ready and giving you guys a heads-up. I want to be your upperclassman guide on the excursion,¡± Nora said with a smile.
She explained that there would be a group excursion to the dungeons, a kind of practical mission allowing second-year students to invite first-years to join their teams. Nora¡¯s class had performed exceptionally well and earned this privilege, and now, as mentors, they were eager to share the experience with the newcomers.
The thought of descending into the Inverted Tower, facing challenges alongside experienced students, and learning through hands-on experience started to intrigue us all.
The inexperienced students would only explore the upper floors, known for being safer and housing museum-like areas with exhibits and archaeological remnants. Advanced students would accompany us to ensure safety and provide guidance. From what I understood, each group had to include a minimum number of students from each academic year to be approved.
¡°That¡¯s why I wanted to know if you¡¯d be interested in joining,¡± Nora asked, her gaze hopeful. ¡°We need to invite a few freshmen, as our task will be to guide you and explain the history behind some of the ancient civilization¡¯s excavations. And, to be honest, you¡¯re the only first-years I really know.¡±
These dungeons are relics from the ancient people¡ªthe same people connected to those dark figures with glowing eyes, the giant serpent sleeping inside me, and Cylla¡¯s lineage. More than ever, I need to see what information I can find down there.
¡°I¡¯d love to,¡± my cousin said, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
¡°Me too,¡± I agreed, feeling a growing curiosity.
Kinue, already familiar with the dungeon explorations, mentioned that the upper floors functioned almost like a living museum, where ancient relics and remnants of old structures mingled with smaller, relatively harmless creatures. However, she warned us that as we descended to the deeper levels, the creatures grew increasingly fierce, requiring experience and skill to face.
So, it should be perfectly safe¡ and there¡¯s a chance I could uncover more about Alfheim, Jotunheim, and Midgard. In theory, I¡¯m descended from Alfheim and Midgard. So, is Kinue¡¯s origin partly in Jotunheim? And Cylla¡ what exactly is she? Cylla can grow huge too, so maybe she¡¯s part Jotun as well?
¡°Kinue¡¯s in a more advanced class than mine, so I¡¯m not sure if she¡¯ll be able to go. We¡¯re only required to invite a few freshmen. But there will be students from all years, so there¡¯s a chance she might end up in the same group as us,¡± Nora explained.
Our fox friend looked a little disappointed but nodded in understanding.
These dungeons are at the heart of what connects the three realms and hold cultural significance from the ancient times. If the Founding Emperor drew inspiration from the ancient civilization and this place is protected by the academy as a symbol of unity between races¡ perhaps, somewhere down there, I¡¯ll find a clue about this ancient people and why my people are called the ''Norse'' by those shadowy beings.
211 - My Dragon Wife Is Feeling Down
Chapter 211 - My Dragon Wife Is Feeling Down
We spent a good while talking about life at the academy, which gave me the chance to learn more about Nora. She was part of the prince''s class in her second year and mentioned that she possessed the water element. Her dream after graduating was to become a Builder Mage and work at the healing potion factory.
The task of Builder Mages of Water was delicate and demanded absolute precision. Nora explained that potion containers, due to their fragility, could only be handled by water mages since even wind mages were considered too unstable for the job. The factory had a fully flooded area beneath its facility where the potion containers were immersed in water. Water mages like Nora controlled the flasks through this environment, guiding them through the production process with gentle, exacting care.
Additionally, the potion-making process demanded a special type of water¡ªmana-infused water generated by a mage''s own power. Purity was essential in this process, which made regular water unusable. Any contamination, no matter how minor, could ruin an entire batch, making the precision and control of water mages absolutely crucial.
Not to brag, but I think I¡¯ll do well on that healing potion exam.
My mother and Martha continued talking with the Norfolk family in the sitting room, so I decided to head up and check on a certain ¡°little one¡±. When I entered my room, I found Cylla curled up on the bed. She lay with her back to the door, staring at the wall with a posture that radiated a stormy mood.
¡°Need a hug?¡± I asked, approaching her quietly.
She glanced at me sideways, her eyes glinting slightly.
¡°Not even that¡¯s gonna fix my mood¡¡±
¡°Sorry,¡± I sighed, ¡°I shouldn''t have joked like that.¡±
She''s really feeling sensitive.
I turned to leave when, suddenly, she called out:
¡°Wait!¡±
I stopped, turning back and trying to decipher her feelings.
¡°What is it?¡±
¡°You¡ wouldn¡¯t abandon me, would you?¡± she asked softly, hiding her face in her paws.
I sat down beside her on the bed and, without hesitation, began to gently pet her head.
¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll never let anyone take you away. Whether it¡¯s a king, queen, emperor, or even a god¡ I¡¯ll never abandon the ones I love.¡±
This was a promise I held in every fiber of my being¡ªmy family came before anything, even my own life.
¡°We¡¯ll stay together until the end,¡± I added, teasing her with a gentle tweak to her tiny nose.
She let out a soft sigh, almost like a whisper.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
¡°Yeah¡ until the very end,¡± she said.
To cheer her up, I decided to do something she had once hinted at in her thoughts. I lay beside her, pulling her close in a gentle hug. It was funny how calm she looked, almost vulnerable, lying there.
¡°Can you stay with me like this tonight? I¡¯m cold¡¡± Cylla murmured.
I rolled my eyes, smiling.
¡°Liar. You¡¯re a phoenix, you don¡¯t get cold.¡±
¡®Darn¡ almost had him convinced¡¡¯ I heard her think softly, like a faint whisper.
I was surprised to realize that our bond had deepened to the point where I could hear her thoughts. This occasional telepathy was happening more often now, though I didn¡¯t fully understand how. Maybe it was best to tell her¡ªI didn¡¯t want to invade her mental space, or hear something that might embarrass us both.
Finally, Cylla''s mood seemed to have improved. Ever since the incident earlier, she¡¯d been unusually sensitive, her reactions strangely more human, as if, little by little, she was absorbing these feelings and vulnerabilities. It reminded me of how my own childlike body had affected me, shaping my mindset, and it was clear that Cylla was experiencing something similar in her current form.
That guy, Sebastian, nearly undid all the progress I¡¯ve made over these years¡ he has no idea the danger he was in.
I thought back on how much she¡¯d changed over the years. From an angry, vengeful phoenix, marked by months of imprisonment and suffering in those chains, she was now gradually allowing herself to feel and trust again. Her hatred for humans, forged in that prison, had been a barrier that I¡¯d been trying to break down with patience and care.
I understood her anger ¨C after all, I¡¯d once destroyed all of Olympus out of a festering grudge, even knowing that not all gods had wronged me directly.
¡°Can¡¯t get rid of that white mark on your forehead?¡± I asked, standing up and sitting on the edge of the bed, considering a solution. ¡°If we could remove that mark from your forehead, maybe you wouldn¡¯t be recognized as a moon panther.¡±
She shook her head, frustrated. ¡°I can¡¯t do that. My Body Aspect isn¡¯t flexible enough for that. When I tried to imitate Carnellian¡¯s form, I had to stay in dragon form for nearly a month before I could adapt it to a phoenix form.¡±
I was surprised to learn it was such a lengthy and complex process.
¡°I¡¯m constantly using the Body Aspect to maintain this phoenix appearance,¡± she continued, ¡°but my flexibility for altering details is limited. This form is an ¡®outer shell,¡¯ and my dragon form is developing inside. To modify the ¡®shell,¡¯ I¡¯d have to reverse everything and revert to dragon form.¡±
I sighed, realizing just how challenging it was for her to keep her form. Part of me had already suspected as much.
¡°Then maybe it¡¯s better to leave it as is,¡± I said, resigned. ¡°There¡¯s no way to hide a dragon in a place like this. And you don¡¯t have to pretend it¡¯s just exhaustion... I know you¡¯re like this because your mana is constantly low from sustaining this form. You¡¯re straining yourself to keep this appearance, and it¡¯s hurting you. I need to find a way to handle this.¡±
Before I could continue, she jumped into my lap, her expression distressed.
¡°Please don¡¯t send me away. I want to stay here with you¡ especially after what happened with those assassins. I don¡¯t want to lose the only person I have in this world.¡±
The sincerity in her words hit me like a punch. I looked into her eyes, now brimming with unshed tears, and the weight of her request struck me.
¡°I don¡¯t want you harming yourself by keeping your mana this low. Can you shift back into phoenix form?¡±
¡°No¡ I need to go into beast form first¡ it¡¯ll take some time before I can regain the phoenix form¡¡± she said, looking a little downcast.
I don¡¯t want to hurt her, either. Just as I care about her, Cylla also worries about me.
I thought over my options and realized there was a small window of opportunity.
¡°The academy takes a break for a few weeks to allow nobles to return to their territories, since many of them hold political positions. Normally, academy time is four years, but here it¡¯s five, specifically to include advanced content and these breaks they give. We could try shifting you back into phoenix form during that break and return to Evenhart territory.¡±
Cylla thought for a moment, looking at me with a bit more hope.
¡°All right, thank you for understanding¡ my beloved,¡± she said, resting her head on my lap.
¡°You mean ¡®beloved¡¯ in the sense of friends, right?¡±
¡°No, more than friends.¡±
I sighed.
I¡¯ll have to have a talk with her about that later¡
212 - Recovering the Cursed Blade
Chapter 212 - Recovering the Cursed Blade
The Norfolks ended up staying for dinner at our place. I learned they were our neighbors, living only a few minutes away ¡ª close enough that they¡¯d walked here. My mother stayed chatting with Clara, and I think it was good for her to have a friend outside her usual circle.
Cylla chose to eat in the room, and I respected her choice, letting her have her space.
After dinner, I went up to my room and found my phoenix friend asleep on the bed. Before lying down, I decided to check myself in the mirror for any changes.
I stared at my reflection, looking for anything new.
¡°I think my skin tone has finally settled. It¡¯s similar to Professor Adrihna''s now. As for my face, it seems mostly the same as always, just with the natural changes that come with growing up.¡±
I touched my hair, which had grown longer.
"Some silver strands have appeared¡ the dye is starting to wear off. It''s been nearly two months since I started regularly dyeing my hair, never letting the magical tint fully fade. I wonder what my natural color looks like now? Are there more silver streaks?"
Since I began to develop features of a high elf, especially after my eyes awakened, I¡¯ve been checking my appearance frequently. Beyond the hair and skin changes, I¡¯ve noticed my resilience has improved, and even my appetite seems to have shifted. I suspect I could go longer without food or water than an average person, though I haven¡¯t fully tested that yet.
Unlike me, a full high elf grows up according to their race¡¯s customs. They¡¯re accustomed to eating every five days, while humans eat at least three meals a day. Although I carry some elven heritage, I was raised at a human pace. High elves, on the other hand, often eat out of courtesy, as food doesn¡¯t mean as much to them.
I had to learn a lot of this by asking Professor Adrihna, as books and resources rarely explain the lifestyle of high elves. After all, they live secluded in the elf kingdom, rarely venturing out, making it difficult to get reliable information about them. Even common elves, who live in the elven kingdom, have limited contact with high elves, who keep to themselves in an exclusive society. In the human kingdom, some even believe high elves are nothing more than myth.
Seeing a high elf is said to be as rare as spotting a moon panther. And here in this room, there¡¯s a high half-elf and a moon panther cub¡ well, a phoenix pretending to be a moon panther cub.
Knock, knock.
Someone knocked on my door.
¡°Come in,¡± I said, my eyes still on the mirror.
Martha entered and closed the door behind her.
¡°Did something happen?¡± I asked.
She fiddled with her storage bracelet, and a sword appeared in her hand.
¡°I¡¯m returning your weapon, young master.¡±
¡°Oh, I thought you were still going to use it. Has the assassin been killed?¡±
Martha shook her head.
¡°A group of maids is traveling as we speak, delivering him to your aunt. They left a few days ago.¡±Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
¡°Isn¡¯t that risky? They don¡¯t have a way to contain his mana.¡±
I took the sword from her hand, feeling the familiar weight of the Cursed Blade.
¡°We drugged him. They monitor him constantly. Your captor has had every bone in his body broken and is down to one eye. He can barely stand, and he can¡¯t even¡ relieve himself properly, so now he has to do it in his clothes.¡±
That was¡ more information than I expected.
¡°What¡¯s going to happen to him?¡± I asked, curious, though part of me wasn¡¯t sure I wanted the answer.
¡°Your aunt will still torture him as revenge for what he did, and then Carnellian will devour him alive.¡±
Alright, I definitely shouldn¡¯t have asked.
¡°How can he even be tortured more when he¡¯s already in such a pitiful state?¡±
¡°Your aunt is¡ creative. She¡¯ll probably grind his flesh down until his arms and legs are just stumps.¡±
I really shouldn¡¯t have asked.
Quinn:
I''ve been watching the Evenhart mansion for days, observing every detail of the property¡¯s activity. Strangely, there are no visible guards; only the maids moving tirelessly through the grounds, almost as if performing surveillance. Every morning, Nathan Evenhart''s mother appears in the garden to water the plants, always accompanied by a few maids. The housekeeper, the head maid and caretaker of the household, never allows her to go out alone, following her every step closely.
These plants¡ they¡¯re magical. Does his mother possess the plant element? How is that possible? I wondered, intrigued.
The maternal side of Nathan Evenhart¡¯s family has always been shrouded in mystery, kept out of official records, likely because his mother was a commoner without any title or public role. Due to this, very little is documented about her background or activities¡ªjust fragments of rumors and stories we¡¯ve managed to gather. We do know that she worked as a gardener at the castle, a humble enough role to evade any attention from spies or investigators. Because of her apparent insignificance, we initially overlooked her. After all, what threat could someone with such a modest origin pose? But now, I realized, I needed to be more cautious.
During this period of surveillance, my objective was to identify any changes in routine, any sign that might indicate a vulnerability. But the routine remained unchanged. I saw a few maids leave in a carriage several days ago, but I had to pull back to avoid suspicion. I have no idea where they went, but the cautious way they left made me alert. Out of precaution, I observed from a greater distance.
If they¡¯re taking Ricardo, all the better for me. I¡¯m no longer interested in helping him; all I want is revenge. Going after him now would only draw attention from the family. If these maids are indeed escorting someone, they could very well be disguised military personnel. The more powerful members away from the mansion, the greater my advantage.
Yesterday, I saw Nathan Evenhart return from the academy in a carriage, looking like any ordinary young man, with no sign that would make him appear as any kind of threat. If it weren¡¯t for the message I received from my sister, I might have dismissed the idea of him being dangerous. However, there was one moment when I noticed something different. Nathan seemed to sense my presence, if only for a brief instant. That look, the way he reacted¡ maybe he isn¡¯t as harmless as he appears.
The urge to kill him filled every part of me, an intense, uncontrollable desire. I wanted to end him right there. But killing him immediately would be too easy, too much of a relief. He needs to suffer; he needs to understand loss, to feel the despair of watching those he loves torn from him, one by one.
Once I¡¯m done with what I have to do here, I¡¯ll go after Nikolaus Wolves. He had one job: to tell me everything about this boy. And he failed miserably. If I had known Nathan was dangerous, I would never have left my sister to face him alone; I would have stayed and fought by her side.
Instead, as I sat in my hiding spot, merely waiting¡ she was killed.
I place my hand over my chest, taking a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of emotions that threatens to consume me. Days have passed since I buried her, but the pain of loss is still unbearable, a vast emptiness gnawing at my soul. My sister, the only person I truly had by my side, is gone¡ and it¡¯s my fault. While she fought for her life, desperate, I was hiding, far away, letting her die.
The image of her charred body invades my mind, a vision that haunts me, as if her suffering is eternally etched into my memory.
Did you suffer? I wonder, the pain mixing with regret.
¡°I¡¯m sorry¡ this is my fault. I should have been there for you.¡±
The weight of guilt morphs into anger. I clench my fists, feeling fury pour through my veins, fueling a hatred that grows like poison.
Nikolaus Wolves, you will pay for this! You¡¯re next, and I swear, there will be no mercy.
From my hiding spot, I watch the Evenhart estate in the distance. I¡¯ve studied every detail, every step of those who reside there. I know exactly who matters to Nathan Evenhart, the ones he loves. The fox-eared girl, the young duchess¡ and his mother.
They will be next. I will make him feel the same despair, the same loss. I will kill those three women.
213 - The Young Duchess and the Darkness
Chapter 213 - The Young Duchess and the Darkness
Chloe Evenhart:
Weeks went by, and nothing happened. The third assassin remained in hiding, and we were beginning to consider the possibility that he had retreated, though we never let our guard down. We were allowed to leave the academy during the week, pretending to be more relaxed to try and lure him out, but still, nothing happened. We knew Nathan was the target, so he would walk around the city alone after classes, hoping to expose the assassin.
I felt relieved that things were finally beginning to calm down. Soon, we would be returning to the castle for the holidays. Yet, something else was making me incredibly nervous.
The Day of Chocolate¡
As we sat in the middle of a theory class, I could barely focus. The Day of Chocolate was approaching, and just thinking about it made me restless. This week, I went out and bought the chocolate I''d give Nate, but every time I touched my storage bracelet, I feared I¡¯d accidentally pull out the chocolate too soon.
This time, Nate won¡¯t get away. I¡¯m going to confess my feelings to him when I give him the chocolate.
A quiet giggle escaped me.
Knowing how silly he is, if I just handed him the chocolate, he probably wouldn¡¯t even realize it¡¯s a confession.
The Day of Chocolate is a special time at school when girls with romantic feelings confess to the boys they like. The break afterward makes it easier, as they spend a month apart, avoiding any embarrassment.
But¡ I¡¯ll be going back to the same house as the boy I like.
I couldn¡¯t help but laugh again, amused by the irony. And on top of that, I¡¯ll be spending two days in a carriage with him until we reach the Royal Capital to take the underground transport.
Just thinking about it is enough to make me blush¡ I hope he gives me the answer I¡¯ve been longing for. I¡¯ve liked him for so long, and I can¡¯t imagine being with anyone else. Besides¡ he¡¯s my fianc¨¦, even if the oblivious sweetheart still doesn¡¯t know it.
A sliver of fear crept in as I considered him rejecting me.
¡°Nate likes me¡ I think. He always gets shy when I hug him¡¡± I murmured, realizing, a little too late, that I¡¯d nearly spoken aloud in class.
Oops¡
On reflex, I slapped my hands over my mouth.
Oh, no¡ Nate¡ Now I can¡¯t stop thinking about you.
I closed my eyes, trying to empty my mind. Instead, thoughts about the future started to creep in.
What would our kids be like? Would they have that same pale complexion like he does?
Another quiet laugh bubbled up.
Would they be mischievous like me or as silly as he is?
I realized, once again, that I¡¯d completely drifted off from the lesson to think about Nate.
Wait! I¡¯ll have to do ¡®that¡¯ with him?!
Suddenly, my face heated up in embarrassment.
I¡¯m not ready for that¡ how embarrassing. And apparently, I¡¯ll have to take the initiative.
My cheeks burned even more just thinking about it.
I¡¯ll have to use my authority as a duchess¡ ¡®Lie down on the bed and take off your clothes, man, that¡¯s an order!¡¯
The idea was so ridiculous that I let out a big laugh, quickly ducking my head to avoid anyone noticing my outburst.
Nikolaus Wolves:
Weeks had passed, and all I got in return was the damn silence.
Damn it!
I threw the documents that had been scattered across the table onto the floor. My hands began to shake. I quickly moved back to the table, grabbing a bottle of liquor.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.
I committed the greatest crime on this continent!
Taking a long swig, I felt the bitter taste burn down my throat, and I sat down again, gnawing on my nails incessantly. I knew the weight of the crime I¡¯d committed, but the worst part was the silence. No one had contacted me. I had no idea what had happened.
"Nathan Evenhart isn¡¯t dead... If he had died, every noble in the duchy would have been informed," I muttered, pacing back and forth, trying to analyze the situation.
Outside, a storm was raging, the rain pelting the windows.
I threw the bottle to the floor in a fit of rage.
"Damn it!" I shouted, kicking the chair with all my strength.
"I can¡¯t even send a damn letter to anyone in Apsalon asking if a noble had shown up dead recently¡ªeveryone would be suspicious!" I picked up the chair from the ground and sat down, struggling to contain my anger.
The assassins should have contacted me through the magic device, but so far, nothing. I¡¯ve already risked too much, sending resources and documents that only political nobles have access to. And that damn communication device is so rare I can only buy three a year!
I tried to plot my next steps, but my mind was a whirlwind of uncertainties.
¡°Curse this storm!¡± I said, looking out at the lightning slicing through the sky.
I thought of the possibilities.
¡°Either they gave up on completing the contract... or they failed¡¡± The thought crept in, unsettling.
¡°How could those assassins have failed?¡±
The Evenharts are an ancient line of mages, blessed with naturally potent blood. Still, how could they have overpowered three professional assassins? That kid is just a damn student! I spent a fortune buying black market books on thunder mages so the assassins would know how to handle the situation if things got out of control.
Other possibilities started swirling in my mind as I tried to deduce what might have happened.
The damn royal guard families¡ They¡¯ve been on these lands with the Evenharts since before this little kingdom was called a duchy. Could they have a powerful arsenal of spells? Besides, they¡¯ve been trained for generations to protect the Evenharts.
I hardly know anything about those families since they all live with them in that damn castle. I can¡¯t even get close enough to try bribing someone for information. Those bastards are so loyal they¡¯re practically a cult.
I put my hand over my face and sighed.
¡°Damn it!¡± I shouted, ripping off my coat. It was cold, but nerves had me sweating non-stop.
¡°No. There¡¯s no way they could have helped. They¡¯re important figures in the duchy and stay close to the duchess. Besides, Apsalon has strict limits on how many guards a political noble can keep there, so as not to offend the honor and peace of the place.¡± I murmured, trying to reason.
That city is the safest there is, with zero crime rate. After all, no one wants to be a criminal hunted by the three realms. That¡¯s why my plan to act in Apsalon might seem risky, but the city¡¯s reputation encourages political nobles to walk around without being surrounded by guards and to live normally like any other citizen.
The Evenharts only brought maids. How could they have possibly faced those assassins?
I weighed everything I knew until the most obvious answer hit me, and I let out a bitter laugh.
"Received help! That damn place has so many powerful mages. If the assassins failed and were defeated, it¡¯s because they received aid from some powerful mage. If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯m screwed¡ although, from what Quinn told me, he¡¯d stay somewhere far from the abduction site to avoid even the slightest suspicion. Only he knows I hired him. Even if the abduction failed and his team died¡ he would¡ vanish."
So that¡¯s it. He must have disappeared. Trying to kill a high noble is so dangerous that, if he failed, he wouldn¡¯t risk contacting me and simply vanished.
I felt a slight relief.
Better to have my plan fail than for me to be exposed. If it really did fail, at least my money is safe.
"Then, I''ll have to go with the second option. I¡¯ll propose to the duchess that she allows me to father a child with Chloe Evenhart."
I began pacing, thoughts racing through my mind.
"I¡¯ll need to stay under the radar for at least a year to avoid suspicion about my sudden closeness. But I can use that time to my advantage. Continue my image as the good guy. Instead of just supplying information about gangs, I could even send my own men to deal with them. Show initiative. Maybe even forge an operation against crime to showcase my effectiveness."
A smile crept across my face. "At the same time, I¡¯ll invest a fortune in strengthening organized crime. Yes¡ the more damaged this duchy becomes, the more I appear as its savior."
The idea gleamed in my mind.
"I can try to win the hearts of the people while simultaneously damaging the duchess¡¯s image. Then, I¡¯ll swoop in as the noble knight, rallying the people to support her. That¡¯s it! I can even seal a peace deal by proposing a union, suggesting the duchess allow me to father her daughter¡¯s child, tying us together. But I must do it in a way that earns their trust."
It was a solid plan. But the recent failure loomed over me.
Damn it! If they find out I schemed against a high noble... I¡¯m dead!
I gathered the scattered documents from the floor, and there, ironically, was an image of the boy himself¡ªa black-and-white photo of Nathan Evenhart at just ten years old.
Damn you, Nathan Evenhart! If you hadn¡¯t shown up years ago, I¡¯d have secured this already...
I looked at a painting hanging on the wall, my own portrait. In a fit of rage, I threw it to the ground and used my earth magic to break open a hidden compartment in the wall. Desperation clawed at me. This was my last hope.
"There you are..." I muttered, retrieving the carefully wrapped object.
Unwrapping it, I stared at the black, glassy stone, resembling a piece of coal.
"I need your help..." I said, staring at the stone.
"My friend with eyes that shine in the darkness, give me your guidance. Everything I¡¯ve done since I bought you from that merchant has worked. The money I made in the underworld, manipulating nobles to form my faction, taking advantage of the lack of male heirs after the war. You promised to help me conquer the duchy if I followed your instructions. Dark light... speak to me, please."
The stone, silent for so long, finally responded. Two red lights appeared on its surface.
"You¡¯ve answered me! Finally!" I exclaimed, looking at it.
The red eyes stared back at me, unblinking.
"Norse..." whispered the voice. "Hold on just a bit longer... When the great conflict arises¡ you will play a vital role in your kingdom... just like the other chosen ones."
214 - Icarus and Helen
Chapter 214 - Icarus and Helen
Icarus:
It was late, and we were bathing in the river.
I was ten years old back then.
"You''re completely filthy," Helen scolded, giving me a look of disapproval.
"Sorry..." I murmured, embarrassed. There was really no excuse for what I¡¯d done.
I¡¯d been playing in the forest and accidentally fallen into a mud pit.
"Hold still. I''m scrubbing you," she said, giving me a gentle smack on the head.
Helen was washing my back, trying to scrub the dirt off.
"Don''t turn around."
"Of course I won''t turn around! I don¡¯t want to see you naked, and I definitely don¡¯t want you to see my... uh, ¡®little buddy¡¯..."
She let out a small laugh.
"Embarrassed?" Helen teased, leaning close to my ear.
"Stop it..." I protested, feeling heat rise in my cheeks.
She laughed again and went back to washing me.
"You''re always getting into trouble, Icarus. Seems like I¡¯m always helping you out of a mess."
"I told you... it was an accident. A branch broke when I was jumping, and I fell in the mud."
Helen gave me another playful smack on the head.
"And who said I''m complaining?" she chuckled. "At least you make my days a bit more interesting. But you need to be more careful. One day, I might not be here to help."
I turned around suddenly, out of reflex.
"No! That will never happen! I won¡¯t let you go!" I said, only to be met with a light smack on the cheek.
"Face forward, idiot!" she said, covering herself with her arms.
"S-sorry..." I mumbled as I turned back around.
We fell silent for a moment.
"Don¡¯t worry, Icarus. I have no intention of leaving you either. We''ll stay together till the end. That¡¯s a promise."
***
Some days had passed since I fell into that mud pit. Helen always forbade me from playing in that part of the forest because it was dangerous and because no one liked to go there.
"Which is exactly why it¡¯s fun..." I muttered to myself.
I was running through the trees, jumping from branch to branch like an animal. It was exhilarating, but I¡¯d learned it could also be dangerous. If not for the mud pit last time, I could have really hurt myself.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
When someone like me¡ªsomeone living on the streets¡ªgets hurt... it¡¯s best to hope you¡¯ll heal on your own. Otherwise, you¡¯re left to die.
Helen had stayed back at our hideout, preparing food with whatever we¡¯d managed to gather that week. Our routine was always the same: scavenge through the forest for berries and then dig through the areas where people threw out trash.
"Ouch..." I muttered, touching my stomach, which had been hurting since that morning.
I was carrying some berries I¡¯d found in the forest.
"These weird little berries grew in the area she doesn¡¯t let me go. Maybe if I show them to her, she¡¯ll let me go there more often."
The berries were incredibly bitter. I¡¯d tried a few earlier, just to make sure I hadn¡¯t picked a bad one by accident, but they all had that same awful taste.
"Well, at least I know Helen will figure out how to make them taste good, even if they¡¯re bitter, once she mixes them into our food."
I continued on my way to our hideout. Even though the sewers were a place no one wanted to go¡ªpeople thought some monster lurked down there¡ªI always made sure I wasn¡¯t being followed.
"This time, I¡¯ll surprise her."
Helen was always the best at finding food. Whenever we played a game to see who could find the best things, she always won.
"Ouch..." I mumbled, before collapsing to the ground. A sharp pain shot through my body, and for a moment, I felt really unwell. The berries I had been carrying fell a little ways off.
What¡¯s going on¡?
I lay there for a while, feeling worse with each passing second. My stomach hurt like never before, but eventually, the pain lessened.
"What¡¯s happening?" I asked myself, sitting up with difficulty. Sweat was dripping down my face, and my vision was hazy.
"I can¡¯t be late, or Helen will worry..." I told myself, gathering the berries from the ground and stuffing them into my pocket before stumbling toward our hideout.
By the time I reached the tunnel, I felt awful. The world spun, and my head was pounding with pain. I leaned against the wall to keep from falling as a wave of nausea overtook me.
"I¡¯m almost there... maybe I just need to sleep a bit," I mumbled, wiping the sweat from my forehead.
I was used to eating spoiled food, but this felt different. I¡¯d never felt such intense pain in my stomach. Every step hurt, and it felt like my body was fighting against me.
"I¡¯m almost there..." I whispered as I neared the hole in the wall that led to our hideout. But when I crouched down to crawl inside, my body gave out, and I collapsed.
What¡¯s happening to me?
I tried to get up, but my body refused to move. The nausea, the stomach pain, and a bone-deep exhaustion took over.
"Helen..." I tried to call out, looking toward the hole, but my voice barely escaped my lips.
"Icarus!" I heard someone calling me, and hurried footsteps echoed through the tunnel. Soon, Helen appeared, carrying a few mangoes in her arms.
"What happened? Why do you look like this? You¡¯re so pale!" She shook me, trying to get me to stand.
I tried to speak, but my mouth wouldn¡¯t move. My body was shutting down, and breathing was becoming harder and more painful.
"Talk to me, Icarus! Please!" Helen shook me desperately, but I had no strength to answer.
In that brief moment of clarity, I understood what was happening. Summoning the last of my strength, I reached into my pocket and showed her the small berry.
"I¡¯m... sorry..." I whispered.
Helen took the berry, and the moment she saw it, her eyes widened in horror.
"Please, Icarus!" She shook me, her voice thick with panic. "Don¡¯t tell me you ate this!"
I couldn¡¯t respond, so I just nodded weakly.
"This is belladonna! It¡¯s poisonous!" She lifted me up with all her strength and pulled me through the tunnel.
"Icarus!" she cried as she laid me down on our makeshift bed, her voice rising with fear.
"Please, don¡¯t do this to me. Don¡¯t leave me, Icarus," she whispered, her tears falling onto my face.
My vision grew blurrier, the world around me fading. The last thing I could focus on was Helen¡¯s face.
"I¡¯m sorry... I can¡¯t keep my promise..." was all I managed to say.
In a panic, Helen pressed her fingers to my throat, trying desperately to do something¡ªanything to save me.
"Spit it out!" Helen shouted, her voice shaking with desperation. "Throw up, Icarus, please! Don¡¯t leave me alone!"
I tried to force myself, but my body wouldn¡¯t respond. Helen didn¡¯t give up; she pressed down on my stomach while putting her finger down my throat.
With great effort, I managed to vomit a little onto the ground, but my vision was already fading. The world around me plunged into darkness, and even Helen¡¯s voice began to disappear. The little I could still see was her face, streaked with tears.
"My sun..." I murmured with the last ounce of strength I had.
"No... you are my sun," she whispered, holding me tightly, her voice thick with emotion.
"I¡¯m going to save you, don¡¯t worry," Helen sobbed, hugging me even tighter as my consciousness slowly slipped away. And then, I closed my eyes, falling into the darkness.
215 - Nathans Nightmare
Chapter 215 - Nathan''s Nightmare
Nathan Evenhart:
I woke up startled, clutching my mouth to keep myself from throwing up.
What was that? I thought, stumbling into the bathroom attached to my room. I shut the door behind me and activated the crystal, illuminating the light on the ceiling.
I¡ dreamed¡ I dreamed of that day¡
I looked at my reflection in the mirror, noticing tears streaming down my face without realizing it.
¡°Helen¡¡± I murmured, a name I hadn¡¯t spoken in ages. My chest tightened, heart pounding, as a deep sickness gripped me.
Unable to stay on my feet, I sank to the floor, hugging my knees as the memory of that terrible nightmare weighed on me. Her face, desperate and crying, looking at me¡ªthat image was carved into my mind.
I collapsed on the cold tiles, feeling like I couldn¡¯t breathe.
Why? Why am I dreaming of this now? Why did I have to relive the day that shattered my old life?
¡°Nathan!¡± a voice sounded from the other side of the door.
¡°Are you okay?¡± Cylla asked.
I tried to answer, but the memories surged again, crushing me. That day had changed everything for me and for Helen.
¡°NATHAN!¡± Cylla called again.
¡°I¡ I¡¯m fine,¡± I managed, sitting up on the floor. ¡°Just¡ a bad dream.¡±
I buried my face into my knees, choking back silent sobs.
¡°I¡¯m sorry, Helen¡ It was my fault¡¡± I whispered, wiping tears away with my hands.
I stayed there for a long time, my eyes closed, the image of Helen haunting my mind. The pain was so intense that I wished I could just erase it all. In the quiet of that bathroom, the only sound was the breathing from outside the door. Someone who cared for me, waiting, anxious for me to say something, to open the door¡ but I couldn¡¯t.
¡°Please¡ talk to me,¡± Cylla¡¯s soft voice came from the other side.
Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to bury those memories and stood up. I opened the door and found Cylla standing there, her face wet with tears. She looked at me, unsure how to react seeing me like this.
¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I repeated, throwing myself onto the bed. ¡°It was just a bad dream.¡±
Cylla jumped onto the bed and curled up beside me.
¡°You were shaking in your sleep¡ I got worried,¡± she said, her voice still trembling.
I closed my eyes, trying to let those memories fade. It was too late for regrets. I had failed in my past life, but I couldn¡¯t fail in this one. There were still people here that I cared for more than anything.
¡°Sorry¡¡± was all I could say to her.
I couldn¡¯t even begin to explain what had happened, nor did I want to remember it.
¡°It¡¯s okay¡ I have some bad dreams from my past life too,¡± she said, lying down beside me.
¡°Do you?¡± I asked, surprised.
She nodded.
¡°In my dreams, I¡¯m always alone in a cabin. There¡¯s no one there. I feel this enormous dread, an awful emptiness.¡± She looked at me, her eyes reflecting a soft understanding. ¡°But when I wake up and I¡¯m next to you, it comforts me.¡±
I didn¡¯t know what to say.
"Then, when you have bad dreams, remember that I¡¯m here by your side too, my beloved," she whispered, as her soft paws gently brushed over my eyebrows.
I decided to accept her comfort, closing my eyes and surrendering myself to sleep¡ªor at least trying to let it take me. What happened after that day¡ I didn¡¯t want it to happen again in this world. I couldn¡¯t bear to lose the people by my side once more.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
I sank into the darkness of sleep, hoping it would bring me anything else but those memories with Helen.
***
A few days had passed since that terrible night, and I finally felt like Nathan Everhart again. That midnight ordeal had become a memory rather than a constant nightmare. Having Cylla by my side, knowing my secrets, was a comfort. She was someone who, even aware of the things I¡¯d done in the past, still cared about me. Our friendship was unique; only the two of us knew each other¡¯s secrets. She had lived another life, just as I had, and in the end, we had become each other''s emotional anchor.
The days were busy as the break drew closer, and soon, I¡¯d return to the familiar comfort of my old room in the castle.
I think I miss having work to do¡ in the castle, there was always something to keep me occupied.
I took a short stroll through the city, a habit on days with no afternoon classes.
When I return from break, there will be that academy dungeon excursion. I¡¯d heard there were many fascinating things to see down there, even ancient stone carvings and artifacts from ancient civilizations.
I could finally understand a little of Syvis¡¯s passion for archaeology.
¡°What are you doing over break?¡± asked Edmund, joining me.
When he¡¯d seen me around the dormitory, he¡¯d wanted to tag along. I didn¡¯t mind; in fact, his presence helped make me seem like a regular student, should that third assassin still be lying in wait somewhere. The idea was to appear as a common, easy target.
¡°I¡¯ll be staying in my duchy, taking advantage of the time off,¡± I replied.
¡°Really? I thought you¡¯d have some noble duty or meetings with academy folks. I¡¯ve actually been closing some deals with noble families,¡± he said as we walked.
I glanced at Edmund as he spoke. ¡°You really do want to be a duke¡¡± I teased.
¡°I want to impress my old man,¡± he grinned. ¡°And besides, I¡¯ve already had a few marriage proposals.¡±
Man... these young nobles don¡¯t waste time. He¡¯s fifteen, and he¡¯s already getting arranged marriage proposals? That¡¯s insane¡
¡°You¡¯re already thinking about marriage?¡± I asked, genuinely surprised.
Edmund laughed. ¡°It¡¯s just business. I¡¯ll have to weigh my options. But it¡¯s my second wife that I¡¯m really aiming for. That¡¯s when I¡¯ll get to choose without any political strings attached.¡±
¡°Second wife? You¡¯re crazy¡ one woman is complicated enough,¡± I said, shaking my head.
We stopped at a little cafe and took a seat.
¡°My father insists my first wife be from an influential family. But after that, I¡¯ll have the freedom to choose anyone I want, even a commoner,¡± he explained.
Now it made sense. He¡¯d marry the first for politics, but the second would be his personal choice.
¡°Nobility really is complicated,¡± I sighed.
¡°You¡¯re lucky your duchy isn¡¯t as fixated on it, being in the countryside. The closer you are to the Royal Capital, the more political it gets. We have an image to uphold since we¡¯re near the royalty. Marriage arrangements are a headache. We live surrounded by other nobles, and we¡¯re expected to network with the families closer to the capital. Even the jewelry we wear matters¡ªif we don¡¯t wear enough, people think we¡¯re weak,¡± he elaborated.
Luckily, my duchy is mostly agricultural and far from the capital...
We chatted a while longer as we waited for our orders.
"What about your mother? Doesn¡¯t it bother her that your father has other wives?"
"My mother is the second wife," he replied. "My father loved her, but he had to marry my stepmother first."
That surprised me a bit.
"And does he love your stepmother?"
"Of course, my father loves her¡ªand his other three wives¡ªall the same."
What? His father has four wives? For a moment, I felt sorry for him, but now it seems his father might¡¯ve taken advantage of the situation.
"I wish you luck, my friend. Handling just one woman can be complicated enough¡ªimagine two..." I said, glancing to the side and spotting the goddess Athena seated nearby, while a gray cat on the street kept a steady watch on me.
¡°I¡¯ll let my father choose my first wife from among the marriage proposals, but I¡¯ve already got my eye on someone for a second.¡±
"And if your father picks someone unattractive? You¡¯d be out of luck."
Edmund chuckled. "My father has four wives, all of them beautiful. The old man has good taste," he said, laughing.
I sipped my tea, listening as he told stories about how his father met each of his wives.
"The girl I have in mind is someone you know, and I¡¯ll need your help."
"Someone I know?"
Edmund leaned closer, whispering, "Kinue."
"Oh! I see." I glanced at him, picturing Kinue.
He has good taste; Kinue really is beautiful. If I had to choose someone to marry, she¡¯d be one of my options. Actually, I realized I¡¯m surrounded by beautiful girls¡ even that lunatic Thyra is attractive.
"Do you mind if I go for her? I know you two grew up together. When I found out, I thought maybe your family owned her, but later I heard she¡¯s just a commoner working for you."
"Owned her? I hope you don¡¯t mean what I think..." I replied, feeling a bit wary.
Edmund shifted in his seat. "Don¡¯t get the wrong idea, but demi-humans are treated as slaves in some places. Not in my duchy, of course, but if your family owned her, I would¡¯ve bought her just to free her. That¡¯s why I checked beforehand."
Hearing that reassured me.
"Just so you know, Kinue is someone I care about deeply. She¡¯s a good person, and..." I stopped, realizing what was happening. "You wanted my blessing, didn¡¯t you?"
"Of course! You¡¯re my friend. I just wanted to know if you¡¯d be okay with me courting her."
At least the guy has some honor¡
"If Kinue wants to be with someone, there¡¯s nothing I can do to stop her. That¡¯s all I can say."
He scratched his head, looking puzzled. "So¡ was that a blessing?"
"Not at all," I said, laughing. "But you¡¯re free to try; I won¡¯t stop you."
He looked even more confused.
"Do you like her?"
"I don¡¯t really feel that way about anyone. Lately, I¡¯ve been thinking I don¡¯t want to marry at all."
He looked at me, surprised. "Why not?"
Because, in another life, my fianc¨¦e was killed¡
"Because¡¡±
Before I could come up with an excuse, someone approached us.
¡°Just a boys'' meeting?¡± Alice and Syvis stepped up.
Saved by the bell...
216 - The Secret Capital of the Elven Kingdom
Chapter 216 - The Secret Capital of the Elven Kingdom
My recent days had been peaceful and calm. With the holidays approaching, I was beginning to miss the peculiar, chaotic routine back in my duchy. There, my days were spent working on farms¡ªeither in my own territory or those surrounding the castle¡ªand by night, I hunted criminals when there were missions to be done. When I wasn''t out on a mission, I trained in spells or practiced my swordsmanship.
But even the routine here at the academy has its own charm...
¡°Hahahahaha!¡± My peace was abruptly interrupted by the boisterous laughter of a wolf-girl.
Oh right... I¡¯d forgotten that Thyra exists here.
She couldn¡¯t stop laughing, recalling the earlier class when the professor had drawn a weather map on the board, marking the path of seasonal rain clouds. So far, so normal. The problem was that the drawing... well, you know. The shape he¡¯d drawn looked like, well, let¡¯s just say it resembled a very large male organ. While the rest of us ignored it, you couldn¡¯t expect that kind of maturity from a wolf-girl.
¡°Hahahahahahaha!¡± She kept laughing, giving me a hearty slap on the back.
"I got it; it was funny the first 50 times you laughed about it..." I muttered, trying to hold back my own laughter.
Thyra was recounting the story for the umpteenth time while we ate in the dining hall.
Did she forget that we were in the same class?
I looked at the wolf-girl in disbelief.
¡°Hahahahahahaha!¡± There she went, laughing uncontrollably again.
She¡¯s just¡ a little bit of an idiot, isn¡¯t she?
Thyra laughed so hard that tears streamed down her cheeks, and the worst part was that her infectious laughter was actually starting to get to me, making me laugh involuntarily.
¡°We¡¯d better change the subject, or we¡¯ll get stuck in Thyra¡¯s endless laugh loop¡¡± suggested Syvis.
We all agreed and continued eating.
At the table sat Chloe, Syvis, Edmund, myself, and, of course¡ Thyra.
¡°Are you all heading straight home from the academy, or will you spend a few days in the Capital?¡± Edmund asked.
I tried to focus on the conversation, ignoring the wolf-girl, who was still fighting to contain her laughter.
¡°Hmm... I think we¡¯re going straight home. It¡¯s a three-day journey by underground transport. You¡¯re lucky your duchy is just a day away,¡± Chloe replied.
¡°I¡¯m going to the Elven Kingdom, but I might stay in your Capital for a day,¡± Syvis said.
I¡¯d always had some curiosity about the other kingdoms, and I recalled the research I¡¯d done. The three major kingdoms are located in the central half of the continent, all bordered by a shared wall. A river connects these kingdoms to the edge of each region, forming a crucial trade route. The wild lands that serve as natural borders are far too dangerous for anyone sensible to traverse. The forests are filled with deadly creatures. At the entrance to each kingdom, where the river ends, a large city has risen around the ports.
¡°I¡¯ll be taking the underground transport between kingdoms. It¡¯s a five-day trip,¡± Syvis explained.
¡°Are people free to enter the Elven Kingdom?¡± Edmund asked curiously. ¡°Professor Adrihna doesn¡¯t go into much detail on this. I read in books that people visit, but then some sources say hardly anyone actually gets inside.¡±
Syvis smiled; she loved explaining the peculiarities of her homeland.
A natural-born queen...The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
¡°Humans or demi-humans can only enter the border city,¡± she explained. ¡°It¡¯s a huge trade center where we receive goods from other kingdoms and organize shipments back through the underground transport system. The rest of the kingdom is restricted¡ªonly elves and those with royal permission are allowed beyond that point. Outsiders are strictly prohibited.¡±
I''d like to know more about what the elven kingdom is like on the inside. The only images we have are from the border city or a few rare glimpses from within the elven kingdom.
"On our wall, there''s a special enchantment that only allows an elf to open the gate," Syvis explained. "Even then, the guards don¡¯t let anyone enter without an inspection, not even other elves. My people live exclusively within our kingdom, and the farthest they go is to the border city, which is still part of the elven realm. The elves you see outside the kingdom are mostly from Apsalon, descended from noble families with homes both here and in the Elven Kingdom, or who married someone from here and chose to live outside."
Now things are starting to make sense. Even with the mix of three races in Apsalon, most of the population is still human. Professor Adrihna was right: elves prefer to live secluded in their own kingdom.
One of the things Adrihna taught me, which the academy also confirmed, is that the Elven Kingdom is a massive forest. But there¡¯s a fascinating detail: the trees are gigantic, with a minimum height of 30 meters. Branches and bridges connect the higher parts of the trees where the elves build their homes. Using their mastery over the plant element, they shape the environment without harming nature, creating structures that, while similar to human buildings at the base of the trees, are seamlessly integrated into the trunks and branches.
I learned these details from Professor Adrihna, as the academy books barely touched on this aspect. The trees are so tall they can be seen from afar when you¡¯re at the border, but only the top canopy, forming a kind of natural wall that hides the kingdom from view.
At the center of this vast forest lies the Capital, located in a large clearing. From this point on, information becomes highly restricted to anyone who isn''t an elf. Professor Adrihna could only share these secrets with me and my mother, although Kinue obviously knew as well. According to Adrihna, at the heart of the kingdom stands an enormous tree over a chasm, with its bottom filled with water. This tree houses the high-elven society, the common elven nobility, and the royal palace. Even common elves cannot cross the bridge to the Capital without permission.
Professor Adrihna, trusting me because of my elven heritage, shared these secrets with me and even gave me a house next to hers in this secret city. However, I still have no idea how I¡¯d actually get there.
¡°Want to do something together before the holidays? Alice suggested we all go out to eat somewhere,¡± Edmund said.
¡°Sounds good, but what day?¡± Syvis asked.
Edmund thought for a moment.
¡°The last day of school. It¡¯s the Day of Chocolate, so things might get busy at the academy. We could go out to lunch at a restaurant,¡± he suggested.
¡°Ch-chocolate Day¡¡± Chloe murmured.
Oh, right¡ that day.
In the city, there''s the cultural tradition of Pink Chocolate Day, when women give chocolates to their friends, and Blue Chocolate Day, when men return the favor. I heard that, at the academy, some people even use the day to confess their feelings.
I¡¯ve never tried this so-called chocolate¡ wonder if it¡¯s any good?
***
My cousin was in the apartment¡¯s living room, studying. When I saw her, I decided to slip past quietly and head to the kitchen for something to eat.
"Nate," I heard her call my name.
"Do you need something?" I asked, opening the cabinet. Everything was perfectly organized.
Kinue is way too organized, I thought. Everything was separated by type, even by color.
"It¡¯s not that. I want to know if you¡¯re okay."
"Of course, I am. After all this time thinking some assassin was going to get me, I think he¡¯s finally given up," I said, reflecting on the past months.
I¡¯ve wandered through this city so much I¡¯m almost sick of going downtown. But at least it¡¯s worth it when I need to order hair dye or pick up a delivery.
"I¡¯m not talking about that... I mean you. Lately, you¡¯ve seemed a bit off, kind of distant."
I thought about how I¡¯d been acting lately, and she was right. I really haven¡¯t been myself recently, to the point that even Athena stopped teasing me. My mind¡¯s been a mess, plagued by my own thoughts, and I think even that troublemaker noticed.
"Don¡¯t worry. Whatever was bothering me is starting to pass."
"You know you can always count on me," Chloe said, giving me a smile.
It felt good to hear that.
"You¡¯re free to have your secrets," she continued, " but if you''re hiding the fact that you''re seeing some girl... I''ll be upset.
"What?!" That caught me off guard.
She got up from her chair and came closer, squinting at me.
"I swear I¡¯m not seeing anyone."
Cylla watches me every time I leave the academy and go downtown¡ there''s no way I could be doing something like that.
"What girl? What are you talking about?" Kinue emerged from the bedroom, curious.
"Wait! You heard?" Chloe asked, surprised.
This is getting weird.
"Of course I heard; my ears are excellent. I¡¯m keeping an eye out in case anyone tries to make a move on Nathan. There are way too many pretty girls in this dorm," Kinue said.
Good thing I always seal my room with a wind barrier so she doesn¡¯t overhear.
"Wait, make a move on me doing what?" I asked, completely lost.
"NOTHING!" both of them answered in unison.
I sighed, still clueless about what was going on.
"Why are they talking about other girls with you?" Cylla appeared, rushing out of the bedroom and staring at me.
What¡¯s happening? Why are all three of them looking at me like I did something wrong?
217 - Confession Day
Chapter 217 - Confession Day
Kinue:
Today is the day. Finally, the long-awaited day. Ever since I realized how much I care for Nathan, I¡¯ve been preparing for this moment¡ªthe one where I¡¯d finally share what I feel. We demi-humans are different from humans when it comes to love. Our desire springs from something deeper, something more tied to the soul, while humans¡ perhaps they¡¯re drawn more to the body first? I can¡¯t say for sure. I¡¯ve read countless romance novels trying to understand how human minds work when it comes to love.
For us, love is about partnership and trust. It¡¯s allowing someone to see who we really are, to understand and appreciate us. To trust another to the point of being vulnerable at their side¡ªthat¡¯s deeply instinctual. Perhaps it comes from our beast side. To sleep together, to share the same den, means trusting enough to let down our guard, like a wolf lying peacefully next to another, unafraid of attack. Love, for us, is exactly that: trusting someone so deeply that you give yourself completely.
Since I met him, Nathan has been my one-wolf pack. He takes care of me, listens attentively, gives advice, and stands by my side even in my darkest moments. That¡¯s what drew me to him, what made my admiration turn into something more. He was my first friend and the one person I could trust without hesitation.
¡°Nathan doesn¡¯t know any of this. He¡¯s human¡ and I don¡¯t know how humans fall in love. I¡¯ve tried everything, read so many books, but I still don¡¯t understand¡¡± I murmured, gazing at my reflection in the mirror, as if seeking some answer that might help.
My eyes reflected doubt, and my ears drooped slightly in discouragement. I tried to understand this feeling, something that was so clear in the stories, but in real life, it seemed to slip through my fingers. Every romance I read spoke of humans and their restless hearts, of fleeting glances and unsaid words. But it all felt distant, like I was trying to decipher an unknown language.
I sighed, running my fingers through my hair to straighten it. ¡°Maybe he¡¯ll never realize¡¡± I whispered, almost resigned but with a tiny spark of hope. ¡°Or maybe he¡¯s already noticed, and his silence was the answer¡¡±
¡°He¡¯s more elf than human¡ maybe that¡¯s why.¡±
I thought about everything I¡¯d learned from reading over the years, and one thought suddenly washed over me.
What if he only likes elves? If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯m lost¡
By human standards, I know I¡¯m attractive and that my appearance catches people¡¯s attention, but none of that matters. I don¡¯t want to catch anyone¡¯s eye but his.
I sighed, taking the box of chocolates I¡¯d bought for him out of my storage bracelet. I held it for a moment, looking at the carefully chosen packaging, and a knot formed in my throat.
Since the day Nathan entered the academy, I started counting the days on my calendar. I marked each one, even knowing that special date was still far off. He has no idea how anxious and nervous I¡¯ve been for this moment. No clue of the countless books I¡¯ve read, trying to understand how humans experience this feeling called passion. And now, after all this, I¡¯m going to give up.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.
I put the box back in my bracelet, feeling a weight settle in my chest.
¡°My best friend loves my best friend,¡± I murmured, tasting the bitterness of the truth. ¡°I love them both¡ they¡¯re my family. I can¡¯t hurt Chloe¡ I don¡¯t have the heart to do that to her.¡±
I looked at my reflection in the mirror. There was something broken in my gaze, a hidden sadness.
¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I whispered, more to myself than to anyone else. ¡°I spent all this time trying to be beautiful, trying to be someone interesting, and in the end¡ all that effort was for nothing.¡±
I sat on the bed, feeling the weight of my decision, a quiet melancholy spreading through me.
¡°I just want them to be happy,¡± I whispered, as if sharing a secret with the wind. ¡°Even if that means I¡¯ll be left feeling sad.¡±
What else is there to do but stay by their side¡ and hope they¡¯ll always be my friends.
I¡¯ve had this conversation with myself so many times lately. Ever since I realized Chloe¡¯s feelings for Nathan, everything started falling into place in a different way. To me, they were always just cousins, but now, it¡¯s as clear as daylight that she sees him in a whole new light.
Leaving the room, I touched my storage bracelet instinctively, as if seeking comfort from it.
Nathan, you¡¯ll always be my first and only love. I¡¯ll stay by your side and Chloe¡¯s, protecting you both, as I promised. And because of that¡ I can¡¯t hurt my friend. You¡¯ll never know how much I love you, and that thought eats away at me¡ because if I ever lose you, I know it will hurt more than I can imagine. The irony? The pain is already here, even before anything has happened.
For a moment, a bittersweet smile crossed my face. ¡°It was nice to imagine, even if just for a second, that there might be something between us¡ but that kind of thing only happens in stories. In real life, a commoner doesn¡¯t meet her prince.¡±
Chloe Evenhart:
The day had arrived. Finally, the long-awaited day. I¡¯ve known Nate for ten years, and honestly, I can¡¯t even pinpoint when I started to like him. I was so young, and I can¡¯t remember exactly when it began, but to me, it feels like I¡¯ve always had feelings for him.
¡°Do I look pretty?¡± I asked myself, gazing into the mirror. I was trying on a few outfits for our gathering after class, when we¡¯d go to the restaurant with the others. I wanted to look a little¡ attractive for him.
Just a little? No¡ I want to look very attractive, I thought, laughing to myself.
Today is the last day of school before the month-long break.
¡°Today is Chocolate Day¡¡± I murmured, holding the box of chocolates I¡¯d prepared for him.
I¡¯d hand him the box and make my confession.
I started thinking about how I¡¯d say everything. I planned to talk about all the moments we¡¯ve shared, all the times I wanted to hug him, but he always seemed to shy away. Since I was eleven, I¡¯ve tried to make him see how much I care, but he always seemed to dodge it.
He has no idea how many times I¡¯ve tried to open up, only for him to change the subject.
Just the thought of his face made me blush.
¡°Darn it¡ Nate¡¡± I mumbled, throwing myself onto the bed and hiding under a pillow.
Do I really have to face him? Just the thought makes me embarrassed. Maybe I can confess by asking him to look the other way?
I laughed at the thought.
He¡¯s my fianc¨¦, though he doesn¡¯t know that yet.
Nate is someone I¡¯ll have to keep an eye on. He¡¯s talented and handsome¡ I¡¯ll have to be careful of any girl who gets close. Thankfully, Cylla is always nearby.
I started thinking about the future.
We¡¯re already engaged and practically adults. We¡¯re both fifteen¡ maybe we could get married soon?
I got up, feeling my face flush.
Not that I¡¯m rushing anything¡ It was just curiosity.
I went back to tidying up my uniform, trying to focus.
¡°Besides, I don¡¯t have to wait to do ¡®that¡¯ anyway. When the time is right, I¡¯ll make it happen. I just need the ideal setting. I¡¯m definitely not doing it in the castle¡ or at the academy either.¡±
Maybe I could lure him on a ¡®mission¡¯ in the duchy¡ and lead him right into a trap?
I laughed again at the thought.
¡°Kinue¡¡± I murmured, thinking of my friend who¡¯d always been by my side. A bittersweet feeling washed over me; I didn¡¯t want to hurt her.
I just have to accept it¡ I thought, trying to muster the courage.
You, as his second wife. Maybe at first, I¡¯ll feel a quiet pang of jealousy, a small sense of discomfort, but¡ you deserve happiness too.
218 - Nathan and Athena Receive Chocolate
Chapter 218 - Nathan and Athena Receive Chocolate
Nathan Evenhart:
Finally, the last day of school had arrived. Soon, I¡¯d be back in my duchy, where we¡¯d gather to discuss our plans for Nikolaus Wolves. There would be no intervention from the kingdom, no legal proceedings. We had no concrete evidence, only suspicions. But we all knew, from the clues, that he was behind everything.
It was the Goddess of Strategy who deduced it all, and that was more than enough. I might despise Athena, but I can¡¯t deny her intelligence.
Over these last few months, there was no sign of the third assassin, even after I exposed myself in deserted places around the city. All signs pointed to him giving up, likely under orders from Nikolaus Wolves. After the failed kidnapping attempt, Nikolaus probably didn¡¯t want to risk triggering the kingdom¡¯s intervention or raising suspicion.
The penalty for harming a high-ranking noble is clear and unforgiving. There¡¯s no mercy, no bargaining. Nikolaus¡¯s life would be mine, along with his family, his employees, his soldiers, his animals. I would have the right to kill them all. I could, if I wished, wipe out the entire peasant population of his region. I could even spend the rest of my life torturing Nikolaus and his men. That¡¯s the price to pay for attacking a high noble. No exceptions ¨C child, elder, or beast; all would be at my mercy.
That¡¯s the legal route¡
But without evidence, we can¡¯t take the case to the kingdom. Kidnapping Nikolaus and trying to force a confession would be pointless. He¡¯s likely already erased any traces long before the assassins acted. After all, they¡¯d been planning this for at least two years. Capturing the third assassin, if he was still under contract, was crucial. We also can¡¯t kidnap and torture Nikolaus to force a confession; the kingdom would never condone such methods. A testimony obtained through torture would be unreliable, and the kingdom requires solid proof for a crime of this magnitude. After all, it would be too easy for a high noble to fabricate a charge or eliminate a rival in their own territory.
Although my family owns the lands, we can¡¯t act freely against other nobles due to the agreement my ancestors made when they joined the Founder¡¯s Empire. Part of the political nobility in my duchy was selected by the kingdom to ensure noble laws are respected.
For this reason, we won¡¯t approach Nikolaus Wolves as the Everhart family. We¡¯ll go as assassins. He¡¯ll meet with an unfortunate ¡°accident.¡±
Does it count as an accident if he falls more than ten times from the top floor of his mansion onto a knife?
I laughed at the thought.
"Here!" said a girl, a little nervous.
"Thank you¡" I replied, watching as she hurried off.
What¡¯s going on with me? Aren''t girls only supposed to give chocolate to friends on Chocolate Day? So why were so many strangers handing me boxes of chocolate?
I continued walking down the academy hall, careful not to drop the ever-growing pile of boxes I was carrying. For some reason, various girls, their faces red, kept handing me chocolates and then running off.
I don¡¯t even know these girls¡
I kept walking, still perplexed.
"Nathan Evenhart¡" called a voice from behind me.
"Yes?" I replied, turning around.
There stood a short girl with glasses, her face slightly flushed.
"I''m a third-year¡" she said, hesitantly.
And that means¡ what? Should I congratulate her for that?
"Here," she said, handing me a box of chocolates, her hands trembling.
"Thank you¡" I said, taking the box.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
"I¡ I¡ wanted to know if you¡"
If I what?
Before I could ask, she ran off.
"Wait! At least tell me your name¡" I tried to call after her, but she¡¯d already disappeared down the hall.
I sighed, looking down at the pile of chocolates I was now holding.
Good grief¡
Everything seems to suggest that these chocolates are intended for something beyond mere friendship.
So, my face really does attract attention, I guess. Now I understand why High Elves only stay in their own society¡
"Icarus! These chocolates are divine!" Athena exclaimed, walking beside me down the hall. She¡¯d made a phantom copy of one of the boxes and was devouring its contents, looking crazed with every bite.
"Keep walking down the hall while these girls keep showing up. Don¡¯t even think about heading to the dorm. I want more chocolate," she commanded.
I¡¯m not your servant. I can¡¯t just keep accepting chocolates from teenage girls because you want them.
I tried to ignore the goddess, who was eating with exaggerated sounds of delight.
"Icarus, fuck a normal life! Let''s invade a chocolate factory, set up a throne inside, and reign over everything," she said excitedly.
You¡¯re insane! Disappear!
I kept walking as Athena muttered bizarre theories about how chocolate was made.
I told myself I wanted to live life as a human¡ but this situation is kind of funny.
"There you are, my friend," said Edmund, appearing suddenly.
"So, you¡¯re also carrying a mountain of chocolates?" I asked, noticing he was holding several boxes.
He laughed.
"Ah, the perks of our faces. I mentioned my plans for a second wife, but I wouldn¡¯t mind having over ten," he said, chuckling.
Edmund and I headed to the dorm. On the table in the living room, there was an impressive amount of chocolate boxes.
"Here, boys," said Alice, appearing and handing each of us another box.
"Thank you," we both said.
I noticed most of the boxes on the table were Alice¡¯s.
"Because I¡¯m part of the royal family, I have to give chocolates to everyone in our class to show that I¡¯m friendly with everyone," she explained.
Soon after, another girl appeared.
"H-here!" Melina said, handing me a box of chocolates and then another to Edmund.
Just as I was about to say something, Alice spoke first.
"That amount of boxes you two have is unusual," she remarked, eyeing the growing stacks. "Could they have been given with¡ other intentions?"
Edmund laughed.
"Of course."
He says that so casually¡
"HERE!" a shout from behind made me turn. It was the wolf girl.
"Thyra is giving chocolate to her friend," she said, handing me a box.
"Thank you, Thyra."
She smiled, clearly pleased with herself.
"Thyra ate half the box to make sure it was tasty," she added.
What? You ate those chocolates?
"Don''t worry. Thyra opened the others to make sure they were the same, then licked the wrappers to seal them back up."
Yeah¡ I¡¯m definitely not eating those chocolates.
"And mine?" Edmund asked, curious.
Are you seriously considering eating licked chocolates? You have strange tastes¡
"Thyra isn¡¯t your friend," she said flatly before walking off.
Edmund and I exchanged glances and burst into laughter.
"I thought I got along with everyone¡" he murmured.
"Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s just Thyra. She¡¯s¡ a little crazy," Melina said, trying to reassure him.
As I reached my apartment door, I heard another voice call out to me.
"Nathan!" Syvis approached with a box of chocolates in hand.
She tossed the box in my direction, but before I could catch it, a vine extended from her hand and pulled the box back to her.
"Hahaha," she laughed, coming closer. "Thyra taught me that trick."
I think Thyra might be a terrible influence on a future queen¡
"Here. Thanks for being my friend," she teased, finally handing me the box. "The academy¡¯s fourth top entrant that no one knows about."
"Thanks," I said, appreciating the joke.
Edmund appeared beside me, receiving a box from Syvis as well.
Just as I was about to open the apartment door, Kinue stepped out, looking a little flustered.
"Nathan¡" She met my eyes. "Here¡ thank you for being my friend and always supporting me."
She handed me a box of chocolates, then looked into my eyes for a moment before quickly glancing away, clearly nervous.
"And mine?" Edmund asked, suddenly at my side.
I saw Kinue turn bright red.
"Sorry¡ I only bought one box. I only have one guy friend¡" she said, obviously embarrassed.
I glanced at Edmund and chuckled.
"Tough luck, my friend," I teased, heading into the apartment.
I rushed to set my boxes on the kitchen table, when suddenly, a familiar figure darted out from the bedroom.
"What¡¯s all this?" Cylla asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Chocolates that I received. Want to try some?" I offered.
She sniffed the boxes, considering.
"Sure."
Kinue returned, closing the apartment door behind her.
"I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll be going to the restaurant with you guys," she said hesitantly.
"That¡¯s fine. Are you heading straight to the mansion?" I asked.
She looked at me, lowering her gaze.
"I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be going back to the duchy¡ for a while," she admitted, sounding a bit melancholic.
"But why? I thought you¡¯d already stabilized your bestial form."
Kinue looked at me, smiling, though her eyes shimmered with unshed tears.
"It¡¯s just temporary¡ I have some things to figure out internally¡"
I understand. I also have some things to work out.
"That¡¯s alright. But still, everyone misses you there. You¡¯re part of our family," I said, hoping to comfort her.
She sighed softly.
"I¡¯ll think about it¡" she replied. "Now, I¡¯m going to talk to Professor Adrihna. I¡¯ll see you later¡"
With that, she left the apartment.
"Nathan," Chloe¡¯s voice called out as she emerged from her room.
"There¡¯s something I¡¯ve been wanting to talk to you about for a long time¡" she said, looking at me seriously.
219 - Chloe Opens Her Heart
Chapter 219 - Chloe Opens Her Heart
Nathan Evenhart:
"Nathan," Chloe said as she stepped out of her room.
"There''s something I''ve wanted to talk to you about for a long time..." she said, in a tone I couldn''t quite decipher.
"Tch," Cylla clicked her tongue. "I''ll wait in the other room... I can see where this is going..." She hopped off the table and disappeared into the other room, leaving me alone with Chloe.
My cousin looked at me, and for the first time, she seemed genuinely nervous.
¡°Nate, could you come to my room? It¡¯s¡ a serious conversation.¡±she said.
I followed her, closing the door behind us. Chloe turned, took my hand, and, before I realized it, led me to sit on the bed. She locked the door, then sat on the edge, seeming to gather her thoughts.
"What are you doing?" I asked, a bit confused.
"I don¡¯t want you to run," she replied.
Run? From what exactly?
She took a deep breath and began. "Since I was five... I think it was that first night I saw you. I came into your room crying, feeling the weight of everything going on back then. And that night, when you spoke to me... I felt at peace just being next to you."
Chloe looked into my eyes, and I could feel the weight of each word.
"After that, we grew up together. We learned magic, had elemental battles, threw water at each other. We camped out, scared Carnellian, snuck candy together, hid Sifu''s practice swords, took my mother¡¯s magic books¡ pretended to be asleep just to avoid chores... We''ve done so many things together. In every memory, you''re there, right by my side."
I was starting to understand where this was going. My heart raced, and for a moment, I thought of any excuse to leave, but I couldn''t. She needed to be heard, and I couldn''t run now.
"Nathan Evenhart... it''s been ten years by your side. And I want it to stay that way. I thought of so many ways to say this, rehearsed how to open up... but in the end, I decided to drop all that. I want to be honest. It¡¯s been ten years with you, and I want it to last forever."
"Chloe..." I tried to speak, but she raised her hand, signaling me to stop.
"I''m not done yet..." she said, taking another deep breath, clearly gathering her courage.
My heart pounded, and a slight shortness of breath started to creep in.
"Nathan Evenhart... will you be my boyfriend?"
Chloe Evenhart:
The day¡¯s classes had ended, and I ran as fast as I could back to the apartment. Nate had a different schedule today.
I bet he¡¯s going to get a bunch of chocolate boxes. Ugh¡ later, I¡¯m going to make a list of every one of those shameless girls!
I rushed past the other students, my mind spinning with plans. I had to get back, shower, get ready, and put on my best outfit. I¡¯d already picked the one he couldn¡¯t stop staring at last time we went out, the one with the slightly daring neckline.
He complained about it back then, but I didn¡¯t care. I knew he couldn¡¯t take his eyes off me, hehe.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
Everything had to be perfect.
If I were a transmitter mage, I could use a mana armor and wash my hair with the water element while walking¡
I even considered making a water bubble around my hair to rinse it, but that would have drawn way too much attention.
No, I need to take a shower and smell nice.
As I approached the dormitory, my heart began pounding harder.
Nate¡ you have no idea how nervous I am right now.
I touched my storage bracelet and pulled out the box of chocolates.
¡°What kind of face will he make?¡± I wondered, smiling at the thought.
He¡¯s so adorable when he gets flustered.
I took a deep breath.
Keep it together, Chloe. Don¡¯t let the nerves win.
Thinking about Nathan used to calm me, but now it only made my nerves worse. He''s so dense... I''ve tried so many times to get him to notice me! Once, when we were playing in the forest, I even pretended to sprain my ankle just so he would carry me on his back and create a romantic moment. But the idiot didn¡¯t catch on at all and simply summoned the Stone Maiden Golem to carry me back to the castle.
Not this time!
Today was the day I¡¯d finally confess to that electrified idiot!
I ran down the hallway, completely lost in my thoughts, when I bumped into someone walking out of the dormitory.
¡°Chloe?¡± a voice said. ¡°Are you hurt?¡±
My head throbbed.
¡°Just a little¡¡± I muttered.
I looked up and realized I¡¯d collided with Viktor Saul, who was wearing full knight armor.
¡°Sorry about that,¡± he said, apologizing. ¡°I forgot I¡¯m still in my armor.¡±
I glanced at my hand and froze.
The chocolate box was gone.
Where is it?!
Panicking, I scanned the floor.
¡°Is this for me?¡± Viktor asked, holding the slightly crushed box.
¡°What?! Of course not!¡± I snapped, grabbing it back.
But as I looked at the box in my hands, I couldn¡¯t believe it.
It was squished.
Damn it¡
I clenched my fists, swallowing the surge of anger bubbling inside me.
¡°The air feels a bit colder¡¡± Viktor said, looking around uneasily.
¡°It¡¯s just your imagination,¡± I muttered, resisting the urge to launch him across the hallway with an ice spell.
Ignoring him, I swallowed my frustration and headed straight for the apartment.
Nate¡ I hope you¡¯ll forgive me for the crushed box.
***
¡°Nathan,¡± I called as soon as I heard his voice in the apartment. I had to force myself to stay calm, though I felt a nervous chill in my stomach.
"There''s something I''ve wanted to talk to you about for a long time..." I managed, trying to keep my voice steady.
A long time indeed¡ I¡¯d thought about this day for years, and now it had finally arrived.
¡°Meow,¡± Cylla added curtly, before hopping off the table and heading to the bedroom.
I¡¯ll have to ask Nate what she said later. She looked annoyed.
¡°Nate, could you come to my room? It¡¯s¡ a serious conversation.¡±
I led him into my room, watching as he closed the door behind him.
Oh! I¡¯d never invited him in here before¡ I always studied in the living room. Now I was starting to get nervous. I have one of my camisoles hanging on a hook...
Deep breath, Chloe! He¡¯s your fianc¨¦! He¡¯s going to see everything eventually¡
Once he was far enough from the door, I took his hand and pulled him toward the bed, then went back to the door and locked it, taking the key with me.
¡°What are you doing?¡± he asked, looking confused.
"I don¡¯t want you to run,"
I sat at the end of the bed, facing Nate, and memories of our time together flooded my mind. He had always been there, supporting me.
¡°Since I was five¡¡± I began, ¡°I think it was that first night I saw you. I came into your room crying, feeling the weight of everything going on back then. And that night, when you spoke to me... I felt at peace just being next to you."
I looked at him, gathering the courage to continue.
"After that, we grew up together. We learned magic, had elemental battles, threw water at each other. We camped out, scared Carnellian, snuck candy together, hid Sifu''s practice swords, took my mother¡¯s magic books¡ pretended to be asleep just to avoid chores... We''ve done so many things together. In every memory, you''re there, right by my side."
Every memory we shared crossed my mind.
"Nathan Evenhart... it''s been ten years by your side. And I want it to stay that way. I thought of so many ways to say this, rehearsed how to open up... but in the end, I decided to drop all that. I want to be honest. It¡¯s been ten years with you, and I want it to last forever."
"Chloe..." he tried to say.
"I''m not finished yet..." I interrupted, taking a deep breath.
My heart was pounding. I¡¯d planned just to tell him I liked him, but that wasn¡¯t enough. I wanted more. I wanted to build something with him, to be by his side¡
¡°Nathan Evenhart¡ will you be my boyfriend?¡±
I said it! I managed to say it!
Nathan looked stunned. I was a little surprised at my own words too. He stared at me, visibly shaken, then swallowed and looked away at the floor.
Why are you looking away? Don¡¯t do this¡ look at me.
He kept his gaze fixed on the floor as I watched him, willing him to understand everything I felt.
¡°Chloe¡¡±
Why is he choosing his words so carefully?
¡°I¡ I can¡¯t be your boyfriend. I¡¯m sorry.¡±
The words hit like a punch to my soul, shattering my world into pieces.
220 – Icarus, Helen, and Death
Chapter 220 ¨C Icarus, Helen, and Death
Icarus:
The world was dark for me. I drifted in and out of moments of clarity, slipping between a void of dreamless sleep and a suffocating consciousness. My mind would simply go dark, like I was fading away. In the few lucid moments when I managed to open my eyes, I saw Helen tending to me. Every time I caught a glimpse of her, she was crying.
¡°Drink¡ please!¡± she whispered, bringing a cup close to my lips. I could barely part my mouth to accept the liquid.
¡°Don¡¯t leave me,¡± she murmured, cradling my head in her lap.
It had been days like this, days of unbearable pain coursing through every nerve in my body. Even though I had thrown up the berries, part of the poison had already seeped in, taking hold. These were the worst days of my life. The pain was all-consuming, each breath was a battle, each exhale an impossible feat. My vision was fractured; sometimes I could only make out faint shapes or blurred contours.
¡°Icarus, please¡ don¡¯t leave me. I can¡¯t lose you,¡± Helen pleaded, spooning water into my mouth with trembling hands. It took a moment for me to understand her desperate intent¡ªshe was trying to keep me hydrated. She had prepared tea, stolen milk, and even scavenged gardens for medicinal leaves.
She was doing everything she could to keep me alive.
¡°You said you wanted to stay with me forever¡ was that a lie?¡± she asked, her voice thick with tears.
With what little strength I had left, I shook my head, hoping she¡¯d understand my answer.
¡°Stay with me, Icarus,¡± she murmured, pressing a kiss to my forehead.
Outside, I could hear the storm raging and rain pounding against the world above. In that cramped hideout, Helen kept fighting to save me, pouring all her energy into keeping me from slipping away.
¡°Helen¡¡± I whispered. The sound of her name clawed through my throat, the pain like fire. ¡°Let me¡ die¡¡±
She wept even harder, her despair raw and unguarded.
¡°It hurts¡ it hurts so much¡¡± I murmured, the words barely audible, drowned in the pain.
¡°Icarus, we made a promise. Don¡¯t leave me here¡ I have no one else. Please,¡± she begged, still trying to spoon water into my mouth.
She clung to me, trying to cool my fever with a damp cloth, pressing it against my burning skin. I was freezing on the outside, but my body felt like it was aflame with fever.
Tears slid from my eyes, each drop tearing its way out, intensifying the pain as they fell.
¡°I was happy¡¡± I murmured. ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡¡±
I closed my eyes, surrendering to the darkness that consumed me once again, pulling me into a sleep without dreams. A sleep from which I wasn¡¯t sure I¡¯d wake.
¡°Icarus, stay with me!¡± Helen screamed, but I was already drifting away into the void.
I found myself in a sea of darkness. This was where my mind took me, where I would slowly disappear. Soon, I¡¯d be part of this black ocean, gone.
I don¡¯t know how much time passed, but when I opened my eyes again, it must have been another day. Helen looked worn, utterly exhausted. Her eyes were swollen and red, and her hair was tangled and unkempt. I watched her, silently crying as she wrung out a cloth.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
She soaked it in water and came closer. I lay shirtless, my body frail and weak.
My eyes barely open, I could only watch through slits, unnoticed as Helen continued to cleanse me with the damp cloth, silent tears streaming down her face.
¡°I won¡¯t leave you,¡± she whispered, her voice cracking as she took care of me.
And as I slipped back into darkness, I closed my eyes, hoping I¡¯d find her there when I woke again.
"Please, Icarus. Don¡¯t give up! You¡¯re all I have." Helen buried her face in her hands, her tears flowing silently as she sat beside me.
My vision blurred once again, and I was swallowed by the vast sea of darkness that had become my reality.
I lingered in that shadowy abyss for what felt like an eternity. Even as I drifted in and out of unconsciousness, moments of clarity came, and with them, the painful awareness¡ªI was slipping away.
"Icarus..." a voice echoed, pulling me back from the void.
I found myself cradled in Helen¡¯s arms, her embrace trembling yet tender.
"I love you," she whispered.
I tried to open my eyes, but my body betrayed me. The darkness tugged at me with relentless force, threatening to consume what little was left of me.
"Come back to me," she pleaded, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead.
Helen continued to hold me, wrapping me tightly in a blanket as if her warmth alone could banish the cold creeping through my body. Her fingers ran through my hair, soothing, even as I heard her quiet sobs echo in the suffocating silence.
Amid the oppressive shadows, I summoned what strength I had left, forcing my eyes open, knowing it might be the last time.
"I¡¯m sorry..." I whispered weakly, my voice cracking under the weight of my pain. "It... hurts..."
"Don¡¯t leave me," she said, her forehead pressed against mine. "Stay with me. I want to grow up with you, to keep sharing this cramped little space, but together. Without you, there¡¯s no reason for me to go on. If you die, I¡¯ll go with you."
Helen¡¯s tears flowed freely now, her words heavy with desperation. I wanted to stay by her side, but the agony was unbearable, and I yearned for release. Every breath felt like knives slicing through my lungs, and I often found myself gasping, unable to draw air.
"Will you marry me, Icarus?" she asked, her voice cracking as tears streamed down her face. "We¡¯ve never had anyone else, but we can be each other¡¯s family. Will you?"
"Yes..." I whispered, the word barely audible.
"Then we¡¯ll stay together until the end," she vowed, her voice firm even as I saw her reach for one of the poisonous berries, ready to bring it to her lips.
"Stop..." I rasped, mustering all my will to beg her not to do it.
She kissed my forehead again, her lips warm against my feverish skin.
"Without my sun, there¡¯s no reason to live," she murmured.
Fatigue overwhelmed me once more, and I felt the pull of sleep dragging me under.
"I¡¯ll save you," she said as she rose to her feet. "Don¡¯t worry."
"I won¡¯t give up on you," Helen declared, her voice filled with unwavering determination as she ran out of the room, leaving me behind.
I closed my eyes, surrendering to the restless sleep that felt more like drowning than rest. The familiar darkness welcomed me back, but this time it was different. It was alive, hungrier, as if it sought to devour every fragment of my being. A suffocating weight pressed against me, making it impossible to breathe.
When I opened my eyes again, I had no sense of time. The void around me was vast and silent, its emptiness pressing against my thoughts. Helen was gone. She was somewhere out there, fighting for me... far away. But I wasn¡¯t alone.
A figure stood nearby, watching me. Its presence was heavy, almost tangible, as if it were a part of the very darkness that surrounded me. Cloaked in black, its entire form was obscured by the flowing fabric. The shadows of its hood concealed its face, yet I felt the weight of its gaze pierce through me, reaching into my soul.
I turned my head with great effort, my body stiff and unyielding, and locked eyes¡ªor what should have been eyes¡ªwith the black-clad figure that seemed to scrutinize my every breath.
"Can you see me, little one?" the figure asked, its voice echoing from everywhere and nowhere all at once.
I tried to respond, but my throat was dry, sealed shut by exhaustion. I couldn¡¯t speak. I could only stare, my gaze fixed on the figure whose presence was both distant and oppressively close.
"Ah, I see. My apologies." He took a step forward, his movements so light it seemed as though he was floating. "You¡¯re in bad shape. It must be difficult for you to even move."
He leaned in slightly, and a soft chuckle, almost casual, escaped his lips.
"You¡¯re not afraid of me? How peculiar. Most people soil themselves at the sight of me." His laugh echoed again, this time carrying a hint of dark amusement.
Without hesitation, he sat down beside my bed. The black cloak draped around him like an extension of the surrounding shadows, blending seamlessly into the darkness.
He stared at me for a moment, and though his face remained hidden, the intensity of his unseen gaze made me feel as though he was reading every part of me¡ªmy thoughts, my fears, even the secrets I kept buried deep.
"Pleased to meet you. My name is Charon," he said, his voice low, yet imbued with an inescapable weight. "But you mortals... you know me as Death."
221 – The Reason Behind Sovereign Icarus Death
Chapter 221 ¨C The Reason Behind Sovereign Icarus'' Death
Nathan Evenhart:
I got out of bed after what could barely be called sleep. Even in slumber, my mind found no peace. Beside me on the bed was a crumpled box of chocolates¡ªthe gift Chloe gave me before leaving.
I was still in the Evenhart mansion in Apsalon.
Chloe had left two days ago, right after we departed from the academy. She chose to leave without me, without even saying goodbye to our friends.
She and Kinue must already be on the underground transport heading toward the duchy.
I sighed.
I''m sorry, Chloe.
My cousin had been so upset that she refused to leave with my mother. She didn¡¯t want to see anyone and agreed to leave only if Kinue went with her.
"Even Kinue was mad at me," I muttered.
Chloe and I argued, and she demanded an explanation. But all I could manage to say was that I didn¡¯t want a relationship with her. I couldn¡¯t muster the courage to tell her about the fear that haunts me¡ªthe fear of repeating what I¡¯ve already endured once before.
"Being human again... is hard."
Having human feelings again is painful...
I could have easily justified myself by pointing out that she¡¯s 15 and, in reality, I am over 500. But if I think like that, then I¡¯ll never allow myself to have a relationship with anyone. In this world, Chloe and I are adults. Here, I¡¯m no longer Icarus¡ªI¡¯m Nathan Evenhart, a 15-year-old adult.
Lately, I¡¯ve been plagued by fears and memories of my past. Dreams of moments I desperately wanted to forget have returned to haunt me. Discovering that dark beings regarded as deities exist in this world has stirred a cascade of concerns. I feel as though I¡¯m walking on thin ice, constantly waiting for it to crack and drag everything I cherish into the depths.
I can¡¯t repeat my mistakes. I can¡¯t have Chloe by my side, nor anyone else.
I need to uncover what the Illuminated are. I need to understand the prophecy Sisika gave me before she died. She spoke of a great conflict, of the moment when those beings would reveal themselves.
Sitting on the bed, I looked outside. I chuckled at the irony of the storm raging outside.
It¡¯s always like this... I always lose the ones I love during a storm. I lost Helen... then Sisika... and now Chloe has left me.
I glanced around the room, noticing Cylla¡¯s absence. She¡¯s been avoiding me lately, spending her nights with my mother.
What do I do, Sisika? I wish I had someone who truly understood me to talk to...
"I hope you can forgive me, Chloe... but I can¡¯t lose another fianc¨¦e," I murmured.
"It was my fault... I caused Helen¡¯s death. I can¡¯t cause yours. You and our family are what I treasure most in this world. That¡¯s why I can¡¯t risk losing you. You¡¯ve given me something no power in the world could offer¡ªa home."
Chloe cried, and I couldn¡¯t do anything. I couldn¡¯t even comfort her, because I¡¯m the one who caused her pain.
How can I protect those I love when I¡¯m the one hurting them?
I stared at my hands, feeling the weight of guilt pressing down on me.
Maybe I¡¯m using these dark beings as an excuse to avoid admitting the truth. The truth buried in my heart.
I sighed, looking back outside. A deep ache tightened in my chest, a knot forming in my throat. Fighting with Chloe... hurt. It hurt my soul.
Do I deserve this? Do I deserve to move on, Helen? I don¡¯t want to replace you. You were my first love. I don¡¯t want to erase you from my life. Your soul ceased to exist; you can¡¯t even be called someone who died. Your very existence was erased by the blade of a god.
Do I deserve this? I don¡¯t want to forget the person who taught me how to love in another life.
"Without my sun, there¡¯s no reason to live¡" I murmured the words she said to me that day.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.
I wiped the tears streaming down my face.
I tried to end my life to join you, to disappear just as you did. But I couldn¡¯t even do that.
I¡¯m sorry, Helen¡ I¡¯m sorry. I failed even at erasing myself from existence.
I¡¯m not worthy of being called your sun.
***
I couldn¡¯t eat anything that day. A few maids tried to bring me something, but I refused. I stayed in bed, trapped in my own internal struggles, immersed in the storm raging within me. Ever since I was reborn, I had tried to avoid thinking about my feelings for Helen, but now... the memories hit me like a tsunami, dredging up everything I had thrown into the depths of the sea.
¡®Knock, knock.¡¯ Someone knocked on the door, but I didn¡¯t answer. I remained lying there. Night had fallen, and soon, sleep would drag me into yet another nightmare.
"Nathan¡" a gentle voice called. I turned toward the door.
"Mother? Is something wrong?" I asked, watching her step in and close the door behind her.
She walked over to the bed and sat down beside me.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
"I¡¯m fine¡" I replied, unconvincingly.
She moved closer.
"What are you doing?" I asked as she leaned nearer.
"Shush, Nate," she said, pulling me into a firm embrace.
My mother held me tightly and kissed the top of my head.
"It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m here with you. You can cry, my son."
The moment she said those words, I couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. Everything I had kept bottled up inside burst out all at once. The tears came flooding, unstoppable. All the worries, fears, doubts, and failures I carried rose to the surface. I tried to speak, to apologize to Helen, but the words came out in a jumble, and the more I tried, the more the tears fell.
I don¡¯t know how long I stayed like that, just crying while my mother held me in her arms. I cried until, at some point, I fell asleep.
She didn¡¯t complain, not even once. She stayed with me, rocking me gently and stroking my head. Even as I drifted off, I could still hear her humming a lullaby.
"My child¡" she whispered. "You are so loved, and you don¡¯t even realize it."
I was awake in her arms but stayed silent, cherishing the moment.
"I hate seeing you like this, Nate," she said, gently brushing the strands of hair from my eyes. She sighed, looking at me with such tenderness.
"Do you care about Chloe?" she asked. At that moment, I couldn¡¯t lie.
"I do¡"
She shook her head softly, as if scolding me, then chuckled.
"You¡¯re as indecisive as your mother was," she said with a wry smile. "But I¡¯m sure you have your reasons for not reciprocating Chloe¡¯s feelings."
She gave me a gentle flick on the forehead.
"My son, don¡¯t be like your mother. Don¡¯t carry regrets that will consume you."
She caressed my cheeks lovingly.
I stayed quiet, just listening.
"I lost your father, my first love, to the war," she said.
Those words struck something deep within me.
I lost my first love in the war too.
"How did you get through it?" I asked.
"I didn¡¯t," she replied. "Your mother lives with this deep pain every single day."
I haven¡¯t gotten over it either.
She took a deep breath.
"But I need to honor the memory of the person I loved. It would be selfish of me to give up on my life just because I can¡¯t cope with this pain."
Her words pierced my soul, like a thousand arrows striking my heart.
"Do you know who taught me that?" she asked.
"Who?"
She chuckled softly and touched the tip of my nose.
"You, Nathan. You were the one who taught me that."
She looked at me, her gaze distant as though recalling a memory buried deep within.
"When you were born¡ you gave me a purpose to live. Your cry brought me joy. I had already given up on my life that night, but you smiled at me when you realized I was okay. The midwives had kept you away from me all night to care for me properly, but you wouldn¡¯t stop crying, not even during the storm outside. Your cries were louder than the thunder. But the moment they brought you close to me, you stopped crying. It was as if you were relieved to see me alive. That little smile dispelled the darkness that had consumed me. That tiny baby brought the light back into my world, like a sun to me."
I was silent, unable to find words to express what I felt.
She leaned closer and kissed my forehead.
"Nathan, don¡¯t go through what your mother went through. I lost my love because I kept him away from me. But the person you love is still within your reach. Don¡¯t let her slip away. Don¡¯t let your fianc¨¦e leave."
Fianc¨¦e?
She sighed deeply.
"There was a time, when you were very young, that your aunt and I had to make a difficult decision. Back then, we were in the midst of a noble crisis, just a few years after the last war ended, and the duchy¡¯s economy was in shambles. That¡¯s what fueled the crisis. They saw our family¡¯s weakness and tried to take advantage. We couldn¡¯t let the future of our children be stolen, so we stole it ourselves. Your aunt and I signed a betrothal agreement. You and Chloe have been engaged since you were five years old."
She stopped for a moment, her gaze steady as she looked at me.
"She is your fianc¨¦e, Nathan. You can be angry at me for what I did, but that won¡¯t change anything. Do you want to hurt your fianc¨¦e? Do you want to hurt the person who loves you?"
I didn¡¯t know how to process what I had just learned, but one thing was clear: I didn¡¯t want to hurt my fianc¨¦e. I didn¡¯t want to lose her again.
"No¡ I don¡¯t want my fianc¨¦e to leave," I said firmly.
She flicked my forehead lightly.
"Nathan Evenhart, you hurt that girl¡¯s heart. In fact, you hurt three girls¡¯ hearts."
"Three?" I asked, surprised. "I don¡¯t understand."
"If you can¡¯t bring yourself to love even one, how do you think the other two feel? By denying one¡¯s love, you denied them all. You hurt Chloe, Kinue, and Cylla."
She looked at me, waiting for my reaction.
"How do you know Cylla likes me?"
"She¡¯s been sleeping by your side since you were five. Of course, she likes you."
"I see¡"
My mother chuckled softly.
"Besides¡ I¡¯ve walked into your room a few times while you were sleeping, and she was hugging you and laughing."
That¡¯s so like her¡
"Kinue and Chloe are lucky Cylla isn¡¯t human. If she were, I¡¯m pretty sure she¡¯d kidnap you and keep you all to herself," my mother said with a smirk.
She¡¯s already done that once¡
I sighed, gazing at the woman who had always been there for me. From the moment I arrived in this world, she was the one who stood by me during my darkest times, when I needed someone who truly understood me. She had always been there.
"Thank you, Mother. It feels like you always know the right thing to say," I said softly.
She pinched my nose gently.
"I have to know, Nathan. After all, I¡¯m your mother. It¡¯s my job to take care of you," she replied with a warm smile.
222 – The Heartache of Kinue and Chloe
Chapter 222 ¨C The Heartache of Kinue and Chloe
Kinue:
¡°Was it my fault?¡± my friend Chloe murmured to herself.
¡°What did I do wrong? What¡¯s wrong with me?¡± she asked, her voice breaking as tears streamed down her face.
Chloe was drowning in guilt and self-doubt, her words cutting through me like a knife. I had never seen her so devastated. She had always been so strong, yet now she was shattered by the pain of rejection. It wasn¡¯t just her heart that was broken; it was also the bond she cherished most in the world¡ªher friendship with Nathan.
Everything went wrong. It¡¯s over¡ the friendship we had is over. We¡¯ll never go back to how we were¡ I lost my family again.
As her words came out in choked sobs, my heart ached with her. I carried my own burdens too, my own hidden pains. I had given up on my feelings for Nathan to prevent something like this, to avoid hurting my friend. But seeing her like this, I realized that both of us had lost something irretrievable. In a way, I had also lost part of my family.
¡°I shouldn¡¯t have rushed things. I was so stupid. I should have¡ I should have¡¡± she said before burying her face in the blanket again.
I lay down beside Chloe, wrapping her in a firm hug, hoping my touch could somehow ease her pain. Her words felt so final, so filled with despair, that I struggled to find a response.
¡°I was so happy, thinking I could do it. I like him, Kinue. I really like him. I¡¯ve liked him ever since we were little. He¡¯s my best friend¡ my partner in crime¡ he¡¯s always been with me, even when I dragged him into trouble. He was the one who taught me not to be afraid to leave the house¡ he was always there. I¡¯ve lost a love and a friend. Now, I don¡¯t even know how I¡¯ll face him¡ what does he see me as?¡±
She told me they were engaged¡ I never even had a chance.
How do you comfort someone when you¡¯re just as broken?
¡°We¡¯ve both lost someone we care about, Chloe¡¡± I whispered.
Chloe, in a brief moment of vulnerability, peeked out from under the blanket and looked at me, her eyes swollen and red from crying.
I gave up on Nathan because I wanted to avoid a situation like this, but now¡ I¡¯m hurting too. I want to cry like her. I¡¯ve lost my family¡
¡°It was my fault¡ I rushed things. Maybe if I¡¯d waited¡ tried harder¡¡± She swallowed hard. ¡°Am I not good enough as a woman? Why doesn¡¯t he see me that way?¡±
I didn¡¯t know how to answer. I could feel her pain and my own, tangled together. The silence between us was heavy.
¡°I¡¯m sorry, Kinue, for liking the boy you like too.¡± She hugged me back, and her words felt like a dagger in my chest.
¡°I should be the one apologizing, Chloe. I¡¯m just a commoner. I shouldn¡¯t even have thought about it¡ and I¡¯m not even human. To most, I¡¯m just an animal.¡± The pain in my voice was evident, but I held back my tears. I didn¡¯t want Chloe to feel like she had to comfort me as well.
She looked at me, her tear-streaked face filled with determination.
¡°You¡¯re not an animal, Kinue. You¡¯re our friend, our family.¡±
I let out a bitter laugh. ¡°I guess we¡¯re both feeling like trash today¡¡±
She laughed softly through her tears, but then turned to hide under the blanket again.
¡°You¡¯re the duchess,¡± I tried to joke, ¡°just command him to love you.¡±
Chloe chuckled again but quickly grew quiet.
¡°It¡¯s all my fault. Nate wouldn¡¯t even have this life. I dragged him and my aunt into this¡ I stole his future. He¡¯s going to hate me when he finds out the truth.¡±
Her words lingered in the silence, weighing heavily in the room. There were no easy answers for the pain she carried.
Chloe looked at me with a deep, sorrowful gaze.
"I can fix this. I know how to break off an engagement between high nobles... I just need to have a child with someone else. I can¡¯t bear staying by Nathan''s side if he hates me after finding out he¡¯s being forced into marrying me. My heart wouldn¡¯t survive that. I¡¯ll end it all, Kinue. And you¡¯ll be free to have something with him."
She seemed resolute, but her expression was shattered.
"It¡¯s over for me. I never want to see him again¡ªnot because I¡¯m angry, but because I couldn¡¯t handle him hating me. I need to end this engagement." Her voice was steady, yet it carried the weight of finality.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
She stood up, sitting on the edge of the bed, lost in her thoughts.
"I¡¯ve lost my cousin, my friend, and the love of my life. I hate myself so much for this. I didn¡¯t even know pain like this could exist. I just... I just wanted my friend back. But if I see him again, I know I won¡¯t be able to take it. He¡¯s the one who used to be there for me in moments like this."
Chloe buried her face in her hands, her voice muffled by her tears.
"I want Nate. I don¡¯t want anyone else. Why can¡¯t he see me that way? I... I love that idiot. I love teasing him, I adore his cute reactions, the way he gets embarrassed. I love annoying him. I think about him all the time. I wanted to make him happy. I wanted to be by his side every night and wake up to his face every morning. I wanted to go through life¡¯s ups and downs with him, knowing I could always count on him. I wanted to hug him as much as I wanted, to have him lay his head in my lap while I stroked his hair. I wanted... I wanted a family with him."
She looked at me, tears brimming in her eyes.
"I¡¯m sorry... I¡¯m selfish. I shouldn¡¯t be unloading all of this onto you."
Her words hit me like a punch to the chest, and before I could stop myself, I let out the feelings I¡¯d buried deep inside.
"I wanted that too!" I confessed. "I wanted all of that with him. I wanted him to be my partner, to sleep in his arms, to breathe in his scent. I wanted to take care of him when he was hurt, to be there for him when he was sad. I wanted... to become one with him. I wanted him to be my love."
The weight of my confession crushed me. I couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore.
I sat down, burying my face in my hands, trying to hide the tears that streamed down my cheeks.
"Don¡¯t you see, Chloe? You¡¯re a high noble, a duchess. You have everything... status, wealth, beauty. And if he still rejected you... what must he think of me? To him, I¡¯m probably just trash... or worse, an animal." I sobbed, unable to contain the sadness suffocating me.
My friend tried to reach out, but I raised a hand, signaling her to stop.
"I¡¯m sorry," I said, my voice choked with emotion. "I can¡¯t look at you anymore. Every time I see you, I think of him. You were rejected, but I never even tried because I knew I didn¡¯t stand a chance. You lost a cousin, a friend, and a love... but I lost the person I wanted to build a family with. You have your mother, but I have no one. The professor is my mentor, my guardian, but one day, she¡¯ll have her own family. In the end, I¡¯ll be abandoned by everyone."
Tears streamed down my face as I spoke.
Knock, knock.
"I¡¯ll get it," I murmured.
Chloe didn¡¯t look at me; she probably felt guilty. But at that moment, I needed to let it out.
When I opened the door, I found a man standing in the hallway.
"Sorry..." I quickly wiped my tears. "We¡¯re not accepting room service right now." My voice was weak, still heavy with sorrow.
The man offered a small smile.
"You¡¯re Kinue, right? And that over there is Chloe Evenhart?"
"Yes..." I answered, confused, as I continued wiping away my tears.
"Great, I¡¯ve been trying to talk to you for a while now."
"I don¡¯t understand¡" I murmured, trying to process the situation.
That¡¯s when he reached for his storage bracelet.
"My name is Quinn," he said, his smile twisted and unnerving.
"KINUE!" Chloe screamed desperately. "Get out of there!"
Before I could react, a sharp pain pierced my stomach. I looked down and saw the bloody blade.
I was stabbed!
Shock overwhelmed me, and before my body could even respond, I was shoved backward, collapsing onto the floor. Blood poured out rapidly, staining my hands red as I tried to stop the bleeding. My mind scrambled to make sense of what was happening, but confusion and agony consumed me.
"Kinue!" Chloe''s voice tore through the air, filled with panic, yet everything around me felt distorted and distant. Pain was the only thing that felt real in that moment.
The man before us continued, his voice laced with venom. "This is all Nathan Evenhart''s fault! Remember that as you die!"
He was preparing something, and soon I saw the fireball forming in his hands, encased in swirling wind.
"This is my fire bomb!" he shouted, launching the blazing sphere into the room as though it were a death sentence, impossible to escape.
The orb¡¯s light filled the space for a brief moment, pulsating with an intense glow that seemed to drain the warmth from the room before releasing it in a devastating explosion. The fireball felt alive, throbbing like a heart on the brink of rupture. Chloe tried to move toward me, her eyes wide with terror, but before either of us could react, the spell detonated.
The explosion began with a low rumble, escalating in a single instant to an overwhelming roar. The sound was almost tangible, tearing through the air around us. The light was blinding, burning orange against my tightly shut eyelids.
Then came the heat¡ªoppressive and suffocating, as if we were trapped inside a giant furnace. The flames spread with terrifying speed, devouring everything in their path with a ferocity that seemed almost sentient. The fire clung to the walls, consuming furniture in mere seconds.
The shockwave hit next, a brutal force that ripped me off the ground as if I were a ragdoll. The sheer power slammed me against the ship¡¯s wooden planks. The walls buckled and splintered like paper, shards flying in every direction like deadly knives.
The pressure of the blast forced the air from my lungs, leaving me gasping for breath in an eternity of suffocation. The searing heat only intensified the agony, scorching my skin even from a distance.
As my body was hurled through the air, everything around me moved in slow motion. Pieces of the ceiling and walls spun through the air, some still ablaze, tumbling like deadly projectiles. The deafening roar of the explosion drowned out all other sounds, a constant, relentless cacophony.
I felt my body crash through one of the ship¡¯s walls, the wood shattering like brittle glass. Then, the sensation of falling overtook me, weightlessness pulling me downward before gravity seized me.
When I hit the subterranean river, the water felt like a solid wall, the impact so fierce that pain erupted through every inch of my body. The freezing chill of the river was a new form of torment, extinguishing the residual heat of the explosion while sapping away the last remnants of my strength.
Debris from the ship continued to rain down around me, striking the water and sinking beside me. Bubbles streamed desperately from my lips, rising toward the surface. I tried to move, but every muscle felt paralyzed, my body too heavy to respond.
The river''s current dragged me relentlessly, spinning me in its unforgiving force. My body was tossed from side to side, like a mere object at the mercy of the water. As my strength faded, only one thought remained in my mind¡ªa single name.
Nathan...
His name was the last thing I clung to, a fleeting spark of light in the overwhelming darkness. The icy grip of the subterranean river seemed to envelop me, smothering any trace of warmth or willpower I had left. The sensation of sinking deeper into the abyss felt inevitable, as if the river itself was determined to claim me.
The bottom felt unreachable, an endless void pulling me further and further from life and light. I was no more than a lost soul in its depths, drowning in a sea of regrets and words left unsaid.
223 – The Weight of Accepting Feelings
Chapter 223 ¨C The Weight of Accepting Feelings
Nathan Evenhart:
I woke up that morning with a lingering heaviness in my heart, though the conversation I¡¯d had with my mother had eased some of the guilt consuming me. I didn¡¯t want to replace Helen. I blamed myself for having the chance to experience with someone else what I had longed to share with her¡ªsomething we both desired but could never achieve.
I lifted my gaze to the sky, feeling the gentle breeze against my face.
"You will always be my first love, and I¡¯ll never forget you. I know your soul was erased from existence, but if, by some miracle, you¡¯re still out there somewhere... I hope you can forgive me." I whispered to the wind, as though my words might somehow reach her in some distant place. "I wish I could say this to you in person, but I know that wherever you are, I¡¯m not worthy of being in the same place."
I looked down at my hands and summoned a small bubble of water. Watching its fragile form, I let it trickle through my fingers, falling softly onto a sunflower at my feet.
"Let these drops represent the tears I can¡¯t bring myself to shed for you. I¡¯m sorry, Helen... but if I allow even one tear to fall now, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to stop."
I closed my eyes for a moment, feeling the emptiness within me but also the resolve to keep moving forward. In this world, there were people I needed to see¡ªpeople I owed apologies to. I needed to atone for not recognizing the depth of the love surrounding me, for failing to appreciate how much I was cared for.
"Chloe, Kinue, Cylla..." I murmured to myself as their names drifted through my thoughts. Each of them, in their own way, had placed their affection in my hands, and I, blinded by the scars of my past, had failed to see it.
"I¡¯ll make things right. I promise."
***
I sat at the academy¡¯s entrance, head lowered, letting the storm of thoughts consume my mind. The confusion of emotions grew heavier with each passing moment, making even the simple act of breathing feel burdensome. I needed to apologize. To all three of them.
My mother had left the day before with Cylla, Martha, and the maids. I had refused to go with them. I needed solitude¡ªa moment to sort through my thoughts and offer my apologies to Helen, at least in spirit. Over the past few days, I had barely seen Cylla. She was upset; that much was clear. She had always been more perceptive than I liked to admit. Perhaps, after witnessing my argument with Chloe, she understood something I was still trying to deny: I could never return the love she had for me.
Cylla knew more about my past than anyone else. She understood the shadow of Helen that lingered over me and never brought it up, respecting the depth of the pain it caused me. She had always known that, despite everything, I wasn¡¯t ready to move on. Maybe that¡¯s why she had been so uncomfortable seeing Chloe on the verge of confessing. Watching that moment likely saddened her, even though she had understood the truth from the beginning.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
The truth was, I still wasn¡¯t ready to let go of Helen. And, if I were honest with myself, I might never be.
But I also knew that, in this world, there were people who saw me as their sun. People who depended on me in ways I could no longer ignore. Cylla, Chloe, Kinue... each of them had connected to me in ways I couldn¡¯t fully reciprocate. Yet, that didn¡¯t mean I should shut myself off from them entirely. I needed to apologize to each of them. It was a debt I owed, and at that moment, I felt the weight of those unspoken words. Apologies were the least I could give them.
I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll ever be ready to love again, but I want to try¡ªstep by step¡ªwith them by my side.
I took a deep breath. Being human again wasn¡¯t easy.
¡°You look like garbage,¡± a familiar voice snapped me out of my thoughts.
Looking up, I saw my teacher and mentor in magic, Adrihna. The High Elf who had taught me to harness my special eyes and master mana as a summoner. She had become more than just a teacher¡ªI saw her as a close friend.
¡°Am I really that bad?¡± I asked, standing up slowly.
¡°I don¡¯t know. It might not even be bad enough for breaking the sweet heart of my adorable fox girl,¡± she replied, catching me off guard.
¡°I... I¡¯m on my way to fix it.¡±
Adrihna stepped closer and, in a swift motion, pulled me into a tight hug before flicking me on the head.
¡°You better. Or I¡¯ll have to tug your ears like your mother does,¡± she said, letting me go. I knew I was in the wrong, so I accepted her little scolding.
¡°Nathan, this is for you,¡± she said, pulling a small box from her storage bracelet and handing it to me.
¡°What¡¯s this?¡± I asked, eyeing it suspiciously.
¡°A box of chocolates. I was going to give it to you that day, but after that argument... well, we didn¡¯t cross paths. It¡¯s some human tradition in this city for women to give chocolates to friends or something. I still don¡¯t entirely get the custom.¡±
I looked at her and ended up laughing.
¡°I think that tradition¡¯s meant for younger girls, not... 200-year-old grandmas.¡±
Naturally, Adrihna flicked my head again.
¡°I might be almost 200, but I¡¯m still young and beautiful! Did you know I got three marriage proposals from noblemen in the city just this week?¡±
¡°Poor guys...¡± I muttered as I began walking alongside her.
¡°Look who¡¯s talking,¡± she said, stopping to glare at me. ¡°The guy who hurt the hearts of two girls who love him. Are you sure you didn¡¯t inherit the flaw of our race¡ªbeing incapable of feeling love?¡±
¡°All right, all right... I¡¯ll stop teasing you about your age. Waving the white flag here¡ªdon¡¯t hit me again.¡±
She adjusted her monocle, laughing. ¡°We¡¯re agreed then. No need to rub salt in each other¡¯s wounds.¡±
Adrihna let out a soft laugh that made me curious.
¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± I asked.
¡°You humans are far too complicated with your emotions. If you like someone, why not just be with them? If it¡¯s come to the point where a High Elf has to give you relationship advice, things are really a mess, Nathan,¡± she said, giving me a light pat on the shoulder.
We stopped in front of a carriage¡ªone that, interestingly, had no horses.
¡°You¡¯re actually giving me a ride to the Royal Capital?¡± I asked.
¡°Of course. One of my main duties is solving all your problems. Someday, I¡¯ll explain exactly why. I¡¯ll drop you off at the Underground Transport Port, and from there, I¡¯ll head to the Elven Kingdom.¡±
I stepped into the carriage and sat beside her.
¡°Why are you going to the Elven Kingdom? I thought you¡¯d take a break and enjoy your vacation.¡±
Adrihna snapped her fingers, and the carriage began moving¡ªmost likely pulled by her summoned golem horses.
¡°I¡¯m heading to the Elven Kingdom for a meeting with the elders and the king. I¡¯ll be working through my time off, all thanks to a certain boy who¡¯s guilty of being half-human and high half-elf. Know this boy?¡± she teased, flicking my forehead with a smirk.
224 – Chloe vs Quinn, the Third Assassin
Chapter 224 ¨C Chloe vs Quinn, the Third Assassin
Chloe Evenhart:
The explosion hurled me into the water with brutal force. I had tried to form an ice barrier at the last moment, but the spell hadn¡¯t completed in time. The heatwave and shards of wood struck me like blades, cutting through my skin and tearing muscles. When my body finally hit the surface of the water, pain exploded through me, as if every nerve in my body was aflame.
I sank immediately, the force of the fall dragging me into the depths of the subterranean river. The icy water pierced my battered flesh like needles, its shock almost as intense as the pain from the debris embedded in my body and the bones that had cracked under the impact. The overwhelming sensation of suffocation began to take hold as my lungs screamed for air.
¡°Ah!¡± I cried out in a desperate effort as I managed to resurface. My head broke through the water¡¯s surface, and I gasped for air, coughing violently while fighting to stay afloat amidst the waves forming around me. Debris floated everywhere¡ªshards of the ship, fragments of ice, and charred wood mixed with smoke.
Then, I noticed a piece of drifting ice, likely formed by my incomplete spell. With effort, I moved my injured body toward it, struggling against the treacherous current. My legs felt heavy, and each stroke seemed endless. Finally, with a final push, I grabbed the edge of the ice platform and dragged myself onto it.
Lying atop the ice, my breaths came in desperate gasps, each one sending a sharp pain through my chest. My left side was severely injured. My arm, burned and bloodied, was nearly useless. Patches of my skin were scraped raw, and blood trickled down, mixing with the cold water. The warmth of the viscous liquid contrasted starkly with the biting chill of the ice beneath me.
I glanced at my wrist and realized, with a jolt of panic, that my storage bracelet was gone. It had probably been lost to the dark depths of the subterranean river. My mind, still foggy from the explosion and the desperate fight for survival, latched onto one painfully clear memory.
In the final moments before the explosion, amidst the chaos consuming everything around me, a name had echoed in my mind¡ªa name that now anchored my growing rage and thirst for vengeance.
¡°Quinn¡ the third assassin,¡± I murmured.
¡°Kinue!¡± I screamed, panic surging through me as I searched desperately for my friend amidst the flaming wreckage. Each second without seeing her increased my despair. If Kinue had been knocked unconscious, she would have sunk into the dark, deep waters and drowned.
¡°Please, no¡¡± I whispered, unable to finish the thought.
¡°Kinue!¡± I yelled again, frantic, using wind magic to push the ice platform closer to the wreckage.
Nothing. I couldn¡¯t find her anywhere.
¡°You really survived¡¡± A voice cut through the noise of the river, cold and dripping with disdain.
I turned, still leaning on the ice, and saw hazy figures on the ship¡¯s distant deck, looking at the water in panic. But it was him who caught my eye: Quinn, standing on a piece of drifting debris, watching me from afar like a predator studying its prey.
¡°Quinn!¡± I shouted, my voice burning with hatred.
He raised an eyebrow, a sarcastic smile curling across his lips as his sharp eyes assessed me. ¡°Even after surviving, you look¡ pathetic. Your arm¡¯s burnt, and that wound on your stomach looks deep. You¡¯re in terrible shape. How did you manage to escape?¡±
His gaze drifted to the piece of ice supporting me, and he let out a low chuckle of understanding. ¡°Ah, I see. You must have conjured an ice wall at the last second. Clever. But even so, my bomb hit you squarely. The impact was lethal, just as I expected. Such a shame your little animal friend¡ wasn¡¯t as lucky.¡±
Hatred surged like a tidal wave within me. "I¡¯ll kill you!" I growled, blood dripping from my wounded arm onto the ice beneath me.
Quinn smirked, pulling out two gleaming daggers from his storage bracelet. His eyes carried something darker¡ªa twisted blend of vengeance and madness.
¡°These daggers¡¡± He twirled them in his hands, admiring the blades as if they were sacred relics. ¡°They belonged to my sister. I¡¯ve always kept them with me. And now, with these very blades, I¡¯ll end you.¡±
In one swift motion, he unleashed a cutting wind slash with one of the daggers, the air roaring as it raced toward me. Without thinking, I leapt to the side, freezing the water beneath my feet as I ran across the surface. Each step left a trail of ice in its wake while the wind slash narrowly missed me, slicing through the water like an invisible blade.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.
¡°Wind Slash!¡± Quinn shouted again, and another razor-sharp arc surged toward me, so close I could feel the air tearing at my skin. I dove to the icy ground, rolling before struggling to my feet. My body was weak, but my mind screamed at me to keep moving.
When I stood again, I saw him. Quinn was closing the distance with alarming speed, gliding effortlessly over the floating debris as if the chaos around him was merely an extension of his will. His daggers glinted menacingly, eager to strike.
I had to find Kinue, but Quinn refused to relent.
I pointed my hand at the water, summoning pillars of ice that shot up with explosive force. They rose from the river, creating a maze of obstacles between us. Quinn¡¯s wind blades struck one of the pillars, shattering it into fragments. He didn¡¯t slow down.
¡°You can¡¯t hide behind your ice tricks!¡± he roared, hurling another wind blade. It missed me but struck the frozen surface, sending cracks spidering beneath my feet.
I slipped but managed to stay upright, conjuring more ice as I ran. The relentless current of the subterranean river worked against me, its unyielding flow turning every step into a battle for balance.
¡°Blazing Breeze!¡± Quinn¡¯s voice thundered as a fiery gust surged forward, ravenous flames advancing toward me. Instinctively, I raised a barrier of ice, molding it quickly with the mana I could still muster. I pushed the barrier forward with a gust of wind, but my mind was elsewhere, distracted by my desperate need to find Kinue. I didn¡¯t want to fight here. I had to find her.
¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Quinn¡¯s voice carried a feral growl as he propelled himself toward me with a burst of wind magic. In the blink of an eye, he was upon me. The clash of his daggers against my ice blade echoed sharply across the subterranean river. My sword shattered into shards, leaving me defenseless. With no choice, I spun my body, narrowly evading his next strike and delivering a wind-powered kick to his jaw. The impact sent us both flying apart, but it wasn¡¯t enough to gain the upper hand.
I was cornered, running out of options. My storage bracelet was lost to the river¡¯s dark depths, taking with it all my weapons, potions, and any hope of support. Each passing second, the blood pouring from the wound in my stomach drained my strength further. Pressing my hand against the injury, I channeled my magic to freeze the area and slow the bleeding.
¡°Get back here, you bitch!¡± Quinn roared, charging at me with unrelenting fury. He hurled spheres of wind that exploded around me, forcing me to weave and dodge with desperation. Every move was a frantic attempt to survive.
I needed to escape. The open water was my only chance¡ªto find Kinue before it was too late.
My mind was in chaos, haunted by thousands of terrifying scenarios. Each step I took, the weight of fear and uncertainty pressed harder against me. ¡°Kinue!¡± I shouted, my voice echoing through the vast subterranean tunnel as I ran among the floating debris. My heart clenched tighter with every passing second.
In the distance, Quinn was closing in again, his cruel smile a clear indication that he wouldn¡¯t stop until I was eliminated. But I couldn¡¯t let that happen. If Kinue was still alive, I had to find her before he did. She was my priority, my only focus. The river was deep and treacherous, and I feared the worst.
Suddenly, a guard on the ship¡¯s deck shouted firmly, ¡°You there! Are you responsible for this attack?¡±
Quinn, wearing a cynical, disdainful grin, turned to the man. ¡°Screw you! Stay out of my way!¡± In one swift and lethal motion, he hurled a fireball that exploded as it struck the sails. Within seconds, the ship began to transform into a blazing inferno.
The water mages aboard scrambled to contain the flames, their voices echoing frantic orders amidst the chaos. I took advantage of the brief distraction to reassess my situation. I needed to draw Quinn away, lead him far from the ship, and most importantly, buy time to search for Kinue.
¡°I¡¯ll burn you alive, just like my sister was burned!¡± Quinn roared, his voice dripping with unrestrained hatred.
The weight of his words struck me like a blow. Suddenly, everything made sense. The assassin¡ she was his sister.
¡°Eliza was your sister?¡± I asked, struggling to keep my voice steady as I dodged the relentless onslaught of his wind-infused daggers.
His eyes narrowed, blazing with insane fury. ¡°She was!¡± he bellowed, hurling another volley of wind blades, their edges cutting through the air like invisible scythes.
I channeled wind magic to my feet, propelling myself into the air. Each movement was swift, narrowly avoiding the scorching heat of his fiery gusts as they rushed past me. Quinn was relentless; his intent to kill was unmistakable.
He lunged again, his daggers glinting with elemental energy. I blew on my finger, releasing a cloud of frost that quickly spread around us. The water beneath us began to freeze, transforming into an arena of ice where our footsteps echoed ominously.
Quinn hurled another dagger in my direction, but I slid across the ice, narrowly avoiding the attack. In one swift motion, I conjured a spear of ice in my hand and charged. With precision, I struck his hand, earning a guttural cry of pain.
"Die, you bastard!" he roared, the pain fueling his fury even further.
¡°Ice Art: Small Iceberg!¡± I shouted, raising my hands to summon an enormous block of ice. The iceberg came crashing down like a hammer, colliding with Quinn with a thunderous impact and plunging him into the water.
Wasting no time, I pressed my attack. ¡°Frost Breath!¡± I exhaled again, freezing the water¡¯s surface around the spot where he had fallen. Ice formed in rapid layers, sealing the area like an improvised prison.
But my heart was heavy. No matter how desperately I wanted to keep Quinn submerged, I couldn¡¯t shake the thought of Kinue. Where was she? Was she still alive? The uncertainty clawed at my chest as I cast another spell to reinforce the ice around me.
I placed a hand over my stomach, where the mana gem of my soul rested.
Are you awake? Get ready¡ I¡¯m going to need your help.
I reached out to my Soul Golem, knowing I couldn¡¯t take any further risks in this fight.
¡°I¡¯m summoning my Soul Golem and killing this son of a bitch!¡±
225 – The Duchess Assassin vs The Fire Assassin
Chapter 225 ¨C The Duchess Assassin vs The Fire Assassin
Chloe Evenhart:
I ran with every ounce of strength I had left, my heart pounding in my chest with worry. I used my control over the water element to dash across the surface without freezing it, creating whirlpools with each step. Ice spheres formed in my hands and were launched into the water, sinking and vanishing into the darkness as I prepared my next move.
The port!
The ship had been destroyed near the port of the underground city beneath the grand city of Evenhart.
I need to reach the port! I have to lure him away from where Kinue is.
"You''re dead!" Quinn''s voice boomed behind me, seething with hatred. An explosion of water echoed, and I felt the shockwave as he surged forward, using the wind to propel himself like a force of the river itself.
Flaming arrows tore through the air, grazing close enough for their heat to sear my skin. I dodged each one, my movements fueled by instinct and desperation, but the relentless pressure of his attacks was undeniable. He was closing in fast.
"Once I kill you, I''ll go after Nathan Evenhart''s mother!" he shouted.
A bitter, sarcastic laugh escaped me. "You? Against my aunt? You wouldn''t last two seconds." Despite the adrenaline coursing through me, my mind worked overtime, searching for any weakness in his assault.
"Wind Art: Great Tornado!"
Quinn invoked, and a monstrous tornado began to form behind me. The surrounding water was pulled into its growing force, creating a vortex that threatened to consume everything in its path.
"White Explosion!" I shouted. The ice spheres I had launched earlier activated, triggering a chain of simultaneous explosions. Snow from the blasts was sucked into the tornado, overwhelming it and dissipating its force in a blinding display that made the air shimmer with energy.
Taking advantage of the distraction, I increased my speed. Wind propelled my feet, carrying me like an arrow shot toward the port.
Quinn was relentless, combining fire and wind in his attacks, turning the water around us into vapor and chaos. His spells erupted with dazzling flashes, casting flickering shadows across the damp tunnel walls.
For a brief moment, our eyes locked. I saw unrestrained fury and a burning thirst for vengeance in his gaze. This wasn¡¯t just a battle of magic and strength; it was personal. And I knew there was no room for mistakes.
The faint light of the port came into view. My body screamed with exhaustion, but my resolve was stronger. I couldn¡¯t fail. Not now.
I conjured a sword of ice, and our weapons clashed in a fierce duel.
"I think I''ll bring your head as a gift for Nathan Evenhart!" he sneered, slashing at me with his knives.
"Don¡¯t you dare speak his name, you scum!" I screamed, landing a kick empowered by a burst of water, sending him flying backward.
Without hesitation, I cast another spell. "Ice Art: Cemetery of Skeletons."
A biting cold surged around us, rapidly freezing the water. From the frozen surface, figures began to emerge¡ªwater skeletons solidifying into crystalline ice forms. Dozens rose around me, their edges gleaming like diamonds in the dim light.
At my command, the skeletons advanced toward Quinn, their movements unnervingly swift for their frozen forms. Taking advantage of the distraction, I launched myself into the air, using one of the skeletons as a stepping stone. With a powerful leap, I gained altitude and prepared for my next attack.
Quinn, noticing my movements, shouted, "Great Fire Breath!" A torrent of flames erupted from his mouth, incinerating the nearest skeletons and creating a suffocating wave of heat.
"Great Snow Breath!" I countered, releasing a freezing blast that collided with Quinn¡¯s fire. The clash of our spells triggered a massive explosion of steam, shrouding the battlefield in a dense fog, obscuring everything around us.
"Sea Serpent!" I invoked, taking advantage of the cover provided by the mist. A massive serpent made of water rose from the frozen depths, slithering silently toward Quinn. Simultaneously, I commanded the remaining skeletons to press their advance, relentless like an unstoppable tide.
Quinn fought viciously, using fire spells to shatter the ice skeletons, but each one was a trap. Hidden within their icy ribcages were snow bombs, which detonated as they were destroyed, unleashing freezing bursts that shook the battlefield. Explosions of water and snow scattered shards of ice everywhere, making the terrain even more treacherous.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
Despite the chaos, Quinn endured. He raised a wind barrier, deflecting attacks and dispersing parts of the icy mist that covered the area. Even so, I could see him faltering¡ªhis breaths heavier, his movements more deliberate. The water serpent seized the moment, launching swift strikes from different angles, forcing him to stay on the defensive.
Using bursts of water from beneath my feet, I propelled myself upward, breaking free from the mist. From above, I watched Quinn moving across the frozen surface, dodging relentless attacks while conjuring fire and wind spells to eliminate the ice skeletons still emerging. His skill was evident, but the mounting pressure was taking its toll.
"Ice Ray!" I clasped my hands together, focusing my energy. A white beam shot from my fingers, freezing everything in its path as the air crackled with intense cold. Quinn dodged the attack, conjuring a wall of fire and wind that neutralized part of the ray before it could reach him.
As I descended, I shouted, "Impulse!" Jets of water and wind erupted beneath me, propelling me at high speed toward the port. My landing was far from graceful¡ªI tumbled across the ground, each roll jarring my already battered body. Pain radiated from my left side, but there was no time to wallow.
I pushed myself to my feet, my gaze locking onto the guards rushing toward me, alarmed by the chaos emanating from the ship.
"You! Mage terrorist!" one of them shouted, sword drawn.
"Shut up!" I snapped, steadying myself. "Who''s in charge here?" My voice was sharp and commanding.
The guards exchanged confused glances until I spoke the words that only those familiar with the code would understand:
"The black raven emerges at the fall of night from the silent fortress."
Their eyes widened in recognition.
"The ducal authority code¡ She¡¯s a trusted member of the duchess''s royal guard!" one of the soldiers murmured, immediately stepping back.
"I¡¯m ordering you to evacuate the area now! Get all civilians out of here immediately!" I barked, leaving no room for hesitation. Before they could respond, I snatched the sword from one of them. "This weapon will be more useful with me right now."
Turning back to face Quinn, I saw him advancing with unwavering fury, his eyes blazing with determination. He was relentless, his very presence thickening the air around him with an oppressive intensity.
I glanced over my shoulder at the guards, who were momentarily frozen with uncertainty.
"Go now!" I shouted again, my voice echoing across the port. Finally, the soldiers began to move, organizing the evacuation of civilians while I braced myself for the next clash.
At least they have some sense¡ªprioritizing the civilians, I thought, tightening my grip on the sword as I prepared for the inevitable confrontation.
Quinn was closing in now, his determination etched into every movement. My body screamed for rest, but my mind knew this wasn¡¯t the end¡ªnot until he was stopped.
I prepared the spell in my hand.
"Swarm of Blue Eagles!" I shouted, and a massive orb of water split into dozens of ethereal blue eagles, hovering in the air and awaiting my command.
I charged toward Quinn, determined to end this battle once and for all.
He didn¡¯t hesitate. "Fire Ray!" he roared, sending a blazing beam of fire straight at me. I sidestepped, creating a cyclone in my hand that sliced through the fiery attack as I pushed forward. The cyclone dissipated his spell, giving me a clear path to close the distance.
Quinn drew a massive sword from his storage bracelet, a smug grin spreading across his face. "This is a Claymore, known as the ¡®Mage Slayer!¡¯" he declared with perverse delight, swinging the weapon toward me with deadly force.
"I thought you¡¯d stick to your sister¡¯s toys," I taunted, dodging his strikes.
The sword slammed into the ground with devastating impact, sending debris flying in every direction.
He belongs to the Transmitter category, and possibly the Emitter category, or he¡¯s an exceptionally advanced Transmitter capable of projecting mana outside his body.
I focused on analyzing his fighting style. The combination of his claymore and wind manipulation made him a formidable opponent. I dashed toward him, wielding my sword, and as he attempted to strike, I spun mid-air using wind magic, staying just out of reach. I finished the maneuver with a kick, but he blocked it with a barrier of wind.
"You little pest!" he snarled, frustrated.
I blasted a jet of water from beneath my feet, propelling myself into the air, and immediately followed up with a burst of wind to launch myself directly at him.
"Ice Fist!" I invoked, summoning a massive fist of ice that collided with his claymore, throwing him off balance. Seizing the opening, I hurled my sword at him, propelling it with wind magic like a cannonball. The blade slashed across his flesh, but before he could recover, I reeled it back to me using a chain of ice tethered to the hilt.
Quinn wiped the blood from his neck, laughing. "You Evenharts... there¡¯s nothing normal about your family. Now I see. You¡¯re not just wealthy farmers. That explains why my sister lost."
He kept laughing, but his eyes burned with insanity. "You¡¯ve got impressive combat instincts for someone so young. A mere military student would¡¯ve died facing me, especially with injuries like yours."
He paced back and forth, observing me carefully, clearly waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
"This level of training... ignoring the pain wracking your body... Your arm is a mess, and yet your first thought wasn¡¯t to flee when you reached the port. Who are you, really?"
I took a deep breath, locking eyes with him. "My family has broken my bones and cut off my fingers... It¡¯ll take more than this to make me afraid."
There wasn¡¯t a flicker of doubt in my voice.
"No hesitation..." he muttered, his gaze narrowing. "You¡¯re one of them, aren¡¯t you? A Shadow Child."
"I am," I confirmed.
He laughed maniacally, pointing his sword at me. "That explains everything. A damn human weapon forged in darkness, infiltrating the nobility... That¡¯s why my sister died. She would¡¯ve been better prepared if she¡¯d known. Nikolaus Wolves gave me bad intel¡ªhe didn¡¯t even know what you were."
Nikolaus Wolves... Nathan was right about the contractor.
"But none of that matters now," Quinn said, his voice brimming with fatal resolve. "I just need to kill you, even if it costs me my life. I don¡¯t care if I make it out alive. I¡¯ll kill you, even if it means dying in the process!"
With those words, he unleashed a barrage of fireballs, charging at me with reckless abandon.
My response was unwavering. "Know this¡ªI only confirmed it because I have no intention of letting you leave here alive. We¡¯re both fighting to the death!"
226 – The Infernal Beast’s Armor
Chapter 226 ¨C The Infernal Beast¡¯s Armor
Chloe Evenhart:
There were no people around me. The port was emptying out as everyone likely retreated deeper into the city. This was the underground city beneath Evenhart.
The castle is an hour away from the city, and a messenger raven can reach it in 15 minutes. A disturbance of this magnitude in the city automatically requires the presence of one of the duchess''s royal guards. Which means my mother will send one of the Legacies. So, in less than two hours, someone will be here to handle the situation. But I can¡¯t rely on them. One day, I will be the one leading this duchy.
I stared at the man before me.
This bastard hurt Kinue... and I¡¯ll kill him myself.
He raised his hand high, a small flame flickering at his fingertips, which rapidly grew as his magic fueled it. The fireball swelled, pulsating as it absorbed oxygen, its heat making the air shimmer. The sound of crackling flames melded with the whistle of wind he summoned to amplify the inferno.
The sphere of fire radiated a menacing intensity, expanding relentlessly, its heat suffocating even at this distance. The blazing light cast erratic shadows around us, creating an almost surreal atmosphere, as though everything was at the mercy of this roaring energy.
His eyes gleamed with a mix of determination and cruelty as he held the fiery orb aloft. "Let¡¯s see if you can survive this!" he roared, his voice slicing through the dense, heated air like a blade, carried on the roar of the flames.
It¡¯s a trap. If I get closer to force him to cancel the spell, he¡¯ll detonate that thing right at me. If I let it grow any bigger, it¡¯ll wreak havoc and could even be launched toward the city. I¡¯m at an impasse. This guy doesn¡¯t care about the consequences of being captured or killed anymore. He¡¯s fighting to die, completely ignoring the aftermath.
"Judging by your face, you¡¯ve figured out the trap you¡¯re in!" he shouted, pointing at the growing inferno above his head.
¡°Grand Explosion!¡±
The flaming sphere surged forward with fury, illuminating the battlefield in a brilliant blaze. Without hesitation, I launched myself into the air, using wind to propel my ascent. My hands glowed as I conjured a wind barrier mid-motion to intercept the fireball. The heat was stifling, and the surrounding pressure threatened to crush every movement. With my other hand, I created a secondary barrier, blocking the fire from behind, quickly layering multiple shields to seal the destructive power within a magical cocoon.
"Aqua Eagles!" I shouted, summoning water creatures to dive directly into the blazing inferno. The flames began to subside, consumed by the conjured waters. But just as I started to relax, I heard Quinn¡¯s sharp laughter cut through the chaos.
¡°Hahaha! You really fell for it!¡±
Suddenly, he surged forward, using the cover of steam and destruction to close the distance, his sword gleaming with magical energy aimed directly at me. He had masked his true intention behind the initial assault.
"Ice Art: Forest of the White Winter!" My voice rang out as a wave of ice spread in all directions. Trees of frost erupted from the ground, their branches gleaming with sharp, glistening snow. The entire area transformed into a frozen wasteland. The temperature plummeted, and the frigid air was so intense it became difficult to breathe.
The cold seemed to bite into every inch of exposed skin, and the battlefield was now my domain¡ªa forest of ice, treacherous and unforgiving.
Quinn faltered, his sword striking one of the ice trees, shattering it into a thousand shards. But the forest continued to grow, surrounding him, cutting off his paths. I landed gracefully on one of the branches, my body aching but my resolve unbroken.
"Your fight ends here, Quinn," I declared, my breath visible in the freezing air.
Quinn¡¯s sword closed in on me with deadly precision. I raised a wind barrier in defense.
"Frozen Knight!" I shouted, summoning an imposing figure of ice from the snow. It wielded a crystal-like lance that shimmered brilliantly, radiating an icy aura as it charged toward Quinn.
Quinn staggered back, but not for long. He spun his blade with practiced precision, conjuring a fiery tornado.
"Crimson Vortex!" he roared. A whirlwind of flames erupted from his sword, surging forward with devastating force. It melted the ice around him and obliterated the knight in a powerful explosion.
While he was preoccupied with the golem, I seized the opportunity to activate Icy Steps, sliding swiftly across the snow-covered surface. Each movement left trails of ice in my wake, reshaping the battlefield to my advantage.
Quinn¡¯s eyes burned with fierce determination as he pursued me, his heavy breathing punctuated by increasingly aggressive attacks.
"Ice Art: Cemetery of Skeletons!" I cried, commanding the frozen ground to rise. From beneath the frost, skeletal figures of ice emerged, rigid yet relentless, advancing on Quinn from all sides.
Quinn retaliated viciously, his flaming blade slicing through the icy figures with ease. Explosions of fire shattered groups of skeletons at once, reducing them to shards. But their purpose wasn¡¯t to defeat him¡ªthey were meant to distract.
As the skeletons occupied his attention, I conjured spiraling ice pillars around him, weaving a treacherous trap. Taking aim, I launched frozen arrows, forcing Quinn to dodge with sharp, precise movements.
"Fire Tsunami!" he bellowed, slamming his foot against the ground. A massive wave of fire surged toward me, illuminating the field with its blazing glow. The oppressive heat was amplified by the gusts of wind he summoned, making the flames all the more ferocious.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
I didn¡¯t hesitate. Slamming my own foot into the ground, I conjured a wave of water to counter the inferno. The two forces collided violently at the center of the battlefield, creating a deafening explosion of steam that blanketed the area in thick fog.
As the mist began to clear, I realized too late that Quinn had used the impact to propel himself into the air. He was coming straight for me, a fire-imbued dagger in hand.
"Damn it!" I cursed, recognizing his change in strategy. With a lighter weapon, his speed and unpredictability had increased. Before I could react, he slashed my shoulder. Pain shot through me like lightning, forcing me to stagger back to avoid a fatal blow.
Quinn spun, preparing for another deadly strike.
I leapt into the air, conjuring a wind blast that condensed into a compressed air bullet. The attack struck him in the chest, sending him tumbling across the ground. He rolled but recovered almost instantly, his gaze now even more ferocious.
"You won¡¯t leave here alive!" Quinn roared, hurling a barrage of fireballs in my direction.
I dashed across the battlefield, weaving through the fiery projectiles as they exploded around me. Finding cover behind a partially destroyed carriage, I caught my breath, my shoulder bleeding profusely.
I tried to push the pain aside, assessing the situation with sharp focus. Each of Quinn¡¯s moves was calculated, designed to keep me on the defensive. But retreat wasn¡¯t an option¡ªnot now.
"Come back here, little duchess!" Quinn snarled, his voice dripping with hatred as he unleashed blasts of wind and fire. Each attack ripped through the air with violent force, erupting around me in waves of searing heat.
I was in a pitiful state. Every movement was a battle against the excruciating pain consuming my body. The wound on my abdomen bled relentlessly, forcing me to freeze it repeatedly to staunch the hemorrhage. The pain radiated with every conjuration, but the alternative was far worse. My left arm was burned and powerless, more of a burden than an aid.
I gritted my teeth, forcing myself to stand. "You think this will break me?" I muttered, clutching the hilt of my ice-forged blade.
This fight wasn¡¯t over¡ªnot yet.
My vision began to darken at the edges, my steps growing increasingly unsteady. The blood loss weakened my body with every second, and my breathing came in short, erratic gasps. My legs trembled, threatening to give out at any moment.
"Damn it¡" I muttered, tasting the metallic tang of blood rising in my throat. I spat, the crimson liquid staining the dirty snow beneath me.
The explosion from the ship had caused severe internal injuries, especially on the left side of my body. Each breath felt like a battle, as if my organs were fighting to keep functioning. The debris hadn¡¯t just left superficial wounds; the blows had inflicted deep damage, likely causing internal bleeding in multiple areas. With every movement, my body rebelled, screaming that it was at its limit.
I need to keep going, but I don¡¯t know how much longer I can hold on.
I focused, trying to quickly assess the severity of my condition. Without a healing potion, I couldn¡¯t stabilize my wounds, let alone recover enough to keep fighting.
If this keeps up, I¡¯ll bleed out, and that bastard won¡¯t even need to kill me himself.
I sighed and pushed forward, but what I saw next made me freeze in place.
Quinn was completely engulfed in flames. His figure had transformed into something terrifying, as if he had merged with the fire itself. He had forged an armor of wind and fire around him, his every movement leaving a trail of destruction. The flames danced violently across his body, illuminating his face, twisted with fury. He looked more like a demon than a man.
"This is my Infernal Beast¡¯s Armor!" he roared, his voice distorted, echoing like a monstrous growl amidst the heat and explosions. "My most dangerous spell! You won¡¯t survive!"
Before I could react, he lunged at me, a living sphere of destruction. I dodged at the last second, the searing heat passing so close it nearly burned my skin. The carriage behind me took the full impact, exploding with a deafening blast that sent shards of wood and fire flying in every direction.
"His strikes have combined explosions of wind and fire," I muttered to myself, the dread growing in my chest. He was putting everything he had into his attacks, sacrificing his own safety to take me down. It was reckless, dangerous, and utterly insane.
Quinn charged after me, each of his steps causing small tremors in the snow-covered ground. Every blow from his infernal armor triggered devastating explosions, consuming everything in voracious flames.
"AHHHHH, hahaha!" His maniacal laughter echoed, a warning that he wouldn¡¯t stop until everything was reduced to ashes.
I tried using the surrounding houses as cover, but he didn¡¯t hesitate. As I reached one, I heard the impact before feeling the ground quake.
BOOM! The entire house exploded behind me, flames and debris launching like a deadly storm. I dove through a window at the last possible second, rolling into the snow to escape the searing heat devouring everything around me.
Quinn emerged from the wreckage like an unstoppable force. Using wind to propel himself into the air, he spewed fire in every direction. The snow-covered streets melted under the intensity of the flames, and I felt trapped, my mind racing for a solution.
"Water Art: Great Blue Sea!" I shouted, summoning a massive surge of water around me. Waves rose from the frozen ground, spinning at my command as I prepared my next defense.
The clash of heat and water created thick clouds of steam that blanketed the battlefield, obscuring both our visions.
"You won¡¯t escape, little duchess!" Quinn roared, his flaming figure emerging through the mist like a vision of hell itself.
His armor blazed brighter, the air around him shimmering with raw heat. This wasn¡¯t just a battle anymore¡ªit was survival.
I clenched my fists, summoning every ounce of strength I had left.
Quinn leapt again, aiming a devastating kick at me. I raised an ice barrier at the last moment to block him. As soon as his foot connected, the barrier shattered into a violent spray of frozen fragments.
The kick still barreled toward me, but I noticed something: the barrier had slowed its speed and force significantly.
¡°What!?¡± he yelled, startled.
Without hesitation, I lunged directly into the kick, bracing myself for the pain. Heat scorched my skin as I grabbed his foot with both hands, forcing it against my already injured abdomen.
¡°You cauterized your wound using my firepower!?¡± he exclaimed, both confused and infuriated. But before he could react further, I seized the opening.
¡°Sea Serpent!¡± I shouted, conjuring a massive water serpent that surged toward him with crushing force. The impact sent him flying, but even as he was thrown back, he continued laughing.
¡°You¡¯re pathetic!¡± Quinn cackled, the flames around him roaring with even greater intensity.
Before he could recover, I unleashed another spell:
¡°Azure Swarm!¡± Tiny swallows made of water emerged in a flock, striking him with shards of ice that exploded on contact.
Quinn, though being pressed back, only intensified the flames around him, melting through my ice attacks. He charged forward like a blazing monstrosity, propelled by the wind howling behind him.
¡°Avalanche!¡± I stomped the ground with all my strength, sending a massive wave of snow surging upward like a towering white wall.
¡°Frozen Coffin!¡± With a sweep of my hand, the avalanche transformed into enormous icy hands that grabbed him, locking him inside a colossal sphere of compacted snow.
Wasting no time, I conjured a rain of ice spikes, driving them into the sphere with devastating force. The pressure was so immense that cracks began forming on the surface.
For a fleeting moment, I thought I had won.
Suddenly, the sphere erupted in a fiery explosion of blue flames that consumed the ice entirely. Quinn emerged, striding through the chaos, his infernal armor entirely intact.
¡°Is that all you¡¯ve got, duchess?¡± he mocked, laughing as he propelled himself into the air with wind, launching toward me like a flaming spear.
¡°Now!¡± I yelled at the last possible moment.
BAM!
A colossal impact slammed into Quinn from the side, hurling him violently into the nearby houses. He collided with the walls, shattering them as the structure partially collapsed around him.
"ROOOOOAAARRR!" My Soul Golem let out a deafening roar.
¡°You¡¯re late,¡± I said, panting, doing my best to hide the relief flooding through me.
227 – The Monstrous Ice Soul Golem
Chapter 227 ¨C The Monstrous Ice Soul Golem
Quinn:
I was hurled through walls of wood and stone, fragments scattering in every direction as I smashed through them. My body collided violently with the structures, breaking everything in my path until I was finally stopped by a solid wall that absorbed my momentum. The final impact left me dazed, my back pressed against the debris.
My breath came in ragged gasps, each one more painful than the last. Something sharp had pierced my back¡ªprobably a shard of wood or a jagged piece of stone. If not for the fragile remnants of my elemental armor, I would already be dead. But even with its protection, the damage was severe. My entire body throbbed, every muscle screaming for relief, but I knew I couldn¡¯t afford to stop.
A groan escaped me as I tried to move my arms, the weight of the rubble pinning me down. The acrid stench of dust and burnt wood invaded my senses, mingling with the metallic tang of blood dripping from my wounds. My vision was blurry, and each blink seemed to snuff out another flicker of consciousness.
"Damn it..." I muttered, spitting blood as the bitter taste filled my mouth. My mind drifted to the girl who had dared to face my flames, clutching my leg in a reckless, suicidal move, using my fire to survive. A bitter laugh slipped through my lips, despite the sharp pain it caused. "She¡¯s desperate, but she has no idea who she¡¯s up against."
Gathering what little strength I had left, I pressed my hands against the ground, attempting to rise. The weight of the debris doubled the already unbearable pain, but I refused to give in. With a superhuman effort, I shoved the stones and wood away, each motion tearing at my body. Finally, I freed myself.
Letting out a hoarse scream, I channeled mana to purge the pain and scatter the wreckage around me. A surge of wind and fire burst from my body, clearing the shattered remains of the destroyed structures. The energy I conjured burned with a desperate intensity, the flames around me reflecting the rage and hatred fueling my resolve.
On my feet, though staggering, I planted myself firmly, ignoring the searing pain coursing through me. Blood continued to stream from my open wounds, evaporating as it hit the heated ground. My gaze fixed on the path of destruction ahead, zeroing in on a singular goal.
"She thinks she can beat me..." I muttered, taking heavy steps forward, each movement echoing the promise that I would not stop. "But she¡¯ll pay for every second of this fight."
I will kill her. I will burn her body so Nathan Evenhart feels exactly what I felt when I saw Eliza in that state.
Using wind and fire, I propelled myself forward, sprinting through the ruined houses toward the epicenter of the battle. The scene was pure chaos: fire consumed the remnants of buildings, while other areas were frozen solid, blanketed in snow and water. The port was nearly unrecognizable, destroyed amidst the devastation. My footsteps echoed among the wreckage until a deafening roar silenced everything around me.
¡®ROOOOAAAR!¡¯
The chilling, guttural sound reverberated through the air, and the temperature plummeted instantly. My steps faltered, and a shiver ran down my spine. "No way..." I whispered as a colossal silhouette began to take shape before me, shrouded in an icy mist.
"She has one of those?" My voice barely rose above a whisper, disbelief coloring every word.
¡®Thump.¡¯ ¡®Thump.¡¯
The creature¡¯s heavy footsteps sounded like muted thunder as it advanced, the ground freezing solid beneath its immense weight. Each step left a trail of icy devastation. And then, like a hammer blow to my chest, the memory hit me: the reports. Documents Nikolaus Wolves had shared about the Evenhart family. But they mentioned nothing about this. Nothing about Chloe Evenhart being a summoner.
"She has a damn Soul Golem!" I exclaimed, my voice laced with equal parts shock and dread.
I laughed at the irony, even as the nervousness gnawed at me. "A summoner, just like Eliza! Perfect¡ the ideal payback for Nathan Evenhart."
Then I saw it up close. The gigantic creature stared at me, its presence both imposing and terrifying. In my life, I had only ever seen two Soul Golems: Eliza¡¯s, my sister¡¯s, and one other during an underground coliseum match. Knowing Chloe possessed one of these creatures was a blow to every bit of logic and predictability I relied on. The laws around unleashing one of these monsters were strict, and no one openly boasted about having one. Summoner mages were worth an obscene fortune.
A Soul Golem is born from the summoner¡¯s Gem, a physical manifestation of their life¡¯s experiences, a fragment of their soul¡ So this monstrosity came from someone raised to be a human weapon? A damn assassin girl with a beast like this.
The creature before me was unlike anything I¡¯d ever seen. Towering at nearly 15 meters tall, it resembled a nightmare given form. A hulking, fur-covered quadruped, its black body oozed an otherworldly blue liquid from holes scattered across its flesh. Everything the liquid touched froze instantly, leaving a twisted, deadly landscape in its wake.
"The horns..." I muttered, noticing the sharp, menacing points crowning its head.
If I weren¡¯t using my Infernal Armor, I would¡¯ve been skewered...
The Golem was something between death and winter itself. Its grotesque, skeletal maw drooled the same freezing blue liquid, emitting a chilling aura that cut deep into the bones. Large, twisted antlers¡ªlike those of a monstrous elk¡ªrose from its head, a macabre crown of destruction. Despite its massive size, the creature moved with an unsettling agility, each step freezing the ground beneath it.
It was like staring at the embodiment of a nightmare¡ªa creature that had no place in the mortal world. Its glowing, sinister blue eyes locked onto me, as if I¡¯d already been marked as its next prey. In that moment, I understood the countless restrictions surrounding these creatures. This wasn¡¯t merely a monster; it was a living weapon, something that should never be unleashed in battle.
"This girl..." I muttered again, as the creature took another step, the biting cold cutting through even the flames surrounding me. "She¡¯s far more dangerous than I thought."
Chloe appeared atop the creature, her gaze as icy and unyielding as the frost spreading around her.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
"Sorry for holding back earlier," Chloe said, her voice cold and precise, each word laced with confidence. "I needed to focus to summon my ¡®little pet.¡¯"
Instinctively, I intensified the flames of my armor. The heat surged, reaching a peak that briefly turned the fire a brilliant blue¡ªthe hottest flames I could muster. Yet she showed no hesitation. Her gaze was fixed, steady, as the Soul Golem roared once more, sending a wave of frost that made the air around us feel like shards of glass slicing through the skin.
"There¡¯s a legend in my duchy," Chloe began, her voice carrying the weight of a declaration. "It¡¯s told by the parents living in the snowy mountains to frighten their children. The legend speaks of a creature¡ an evil monster haunting the frozen peaks. An undead guardian of the shadowed forests. This creature is called the ¡®Wendigo.¡¯"
¡®ROOOOAAAR!¡¯ The creature¡¯s roar echoed like an icy thunderclap, the sound reverberating through my bones.
"Ironically," Chloe continued with a small, defiant smile, "my Soul Golem took on the form of the Wendigo. It suits me, doesn¡¯t it? A wicked monster that haunts the forests to protect them. Just like my family does.
Before I could react, the creature began to move, its colossal paws pounding against the frozen ground as it charged toward me with a speed that defied its massive size. The ground trembled beneath its weight, and the icy wind of its approach cut like blades.
¡°Damn it!¡± I yelled, summoning a burst of fire to propel myself away from its devastating attack.
¡°Kill him!¡± Chloe commanded, her voice dripping with authority. The Wendigo obeyed instantly, opening its monstrous maw and unleashing a blast of frigid wind directly at me. I rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the lethal current.
¡°Fire Beam!¡± I roared, firing a powerful blast of blue flames toward the Wendigo¡¯s icy assault. The clash between the two powers was violent, creating a shockwave that obliterated the remaining surroundings.
Chloe didn¡¯t waste a moment. ¡°Ice Beam!¡± she shouted, sending a second, sharper and more focused blast directly at me. The Wendigo followed her lead, intensifying the freezing gale. The combined assault created an impenetrable wall of destruction.
BOOM!
The ground quaked beneath the icy explosion. I barely managed to dodge in time, but a nearby house wasn¡¯t so lucky. It froze completely before shattering into jagged shards of ice.
I glanced at my hand and noticed something horrifying. Even with the protection of my Infernal Armor, part of my hand had been frozen solid. I tried to move it, but the ice was unyielding. Before I could process what had happened, three of my fingers snapped off, shattering like fragile glass against the frozen ground.
¡°Shit¡¡± I muttered, feeling fear creep into me for the first time. I swallowed hard, my gaze locked on the demonic creature advancing slowly, like a predator savoring the chase.
The Wendigo opened its grotesque mouth again, sending another barrage of icy winds toward me. I dodged desperately, conjuring fire shields to block the attacks, but each shield was snuffed out the moment it touched the creature¡¯s freezing aura.
Damn it! This thing is lethal¡ªif it touches me, I¡¯m done for!
¡°Great Fire Beam!¡± I screamed, pouring everything I had into my hands. A fiery beam of red-hot energy shot forward with incredible force toward the monstrous creature.
¡°AAAAARRRGH!¡± the Wendigo roared, but to my disbelief, it continued its slow advance. Everything around it was transforming into pure ice, freezing over with terrifying intensity. The heat from my beam barely seemed to graze it. My flames hit the thick mist surrounding the creature and vanished as if swallowed by an endless abyss of cold.
It stared at me with hollow, furious eyes, and the air around me began to freeze to an unbearable degree. A dense, freezing mist enveloped me, consuming everything like a deadly domain. My flames flickered weakly, and even the air I inhaled felt like it was freezing my lungs. This cold wasn¡¯t just physical¡ªit was alive, pressing against my very will to fight.
¡°I just need to raise the temperature!¡± I shouted, my heart pounding wildly. I channeled even more energy into my armor of wind and fire, forcing it to intensify the flames. The red of my flames flared into a bright yellow, fueled by the oxygen I manipulated with wind magic. The heat surged around me, my armor expanding like a fiery beast.
¡°AHHHHH!¡± A wave of heat exploded outward as I hurled myself toward the creature. But Chloe, perched atop her Wendigo, was already prepared.
¡°Ice Art: Glacial Era!¡± she cried, and from the creature¡¯s body, a dense, freezing mist erupted in all directions, snuffing out any trace of heat in the environment. The temperature plummeted alarmingly fast, and a fierce blizzard consumed the battlefield. It felt like standing in the eye of a merciless icy storm.
I pressed forward with every ounce of strength I had left. ¡°Fire Beam!¡± I roared again, conjuring another intense blast of searing heat, now tinged with yellow. But the dense mist swallowed the flames, dissipating them before they could even reach the creature. The monster didn¡¯t seem fazed in the slightest.
I need to get closer, I thought, realizing that my flames were growing far too weak.
The world around me had transformed into a nightmare of ice and snow. Visibility was almost nonexistent, and the cold cut into my skin like invisible blades. The only thing I could make out was the hulking silhouette of the creature, moving like a phantom through the blizzard.
¡°Blue Blades!¡± Chloe shouted, and jagged ice spikes began raining down from the sky in my direction. I sprinted, dodging frantically as the frozen projectiles sliced through the air around me.
¡°Yellow Burst!¡± I yelled, summoning an explosion of wind and fire to propel myself toward the Wendigo. But before I could reach it, the creature roared again and charged, its antlers tearing through everything in its path.
I channeled my power into a direct strike against the monster. My fist connected with its massive form, unleashing an explosion that caused it to stagger momentarily. But the impact flung me backward with brutal force. My body smashed through the remains of a building, and I crashed to the ground with a dull thud, pain radiating through every fiber of my being.
Gasping for air, I forced myself to stand, glancing around at the carnage. The creature continued its relentless advance, its antlers ripping through carriages and market stalls as though they were made of paper. The environment around us was utterly devastated. Every second spent near the monstrous being weakened my flames and drained my strength.
With great effort, I focused the fire in my hands, readying myself for another attack.
I looked up and locked eyes with the skeletal monstrosity. Its hollow, menacing gaze bore down on me, and its overwhelming presence threatened to crush any courage I had left.
¡°This thing is terrifying,¡± I muttered to myself as the merciless cold seeped into my very bones.
¡°ROOOOAR!¡± The creature¡¯s roar echoed, and it expelled a wave of icy mist from its maw. The chaos around me intensified. Everything became engulfed in white, as though I¡¯d been swallowed by an infinite frozen wasteland. The city had completely vanished; no signs of life or warmth remained. Only this oppressive void.
Before I could react, a massive paw struck me with crushing force. I was thrown like a rag doll, hurtling through market stalls and carriages that crumbled like toys. Each impact against the frozen ground knocked more air out of my lungs until I finally skidded to a stop, sprawled out on the ice.
I staggered to my feet, coughing up blood as a searing pain radiated through my abdomen. Glancing down, I saw a deep gash running through my Infernal Armor, now weakened and fractured.
¡°His claws¡ they cut through my armor¡¡± I muttered, my voice shaky as hot blood seeped through my fingers, which pressed desperately against the wound.
In the distance, the monster watched me, its gaze unyielding, as though it were measuring my resilience. Its claws glistened with deadly frost, and the viscous blue liquid dripping from its maw glowed with a ghostly light.
¡°Ice Art: Glacial Jet!¡± Chloe¡¯s voice rang out, echoing like a judgmental decree.
The creature moved instantly, spewing the thick, grotesque blue liquid in my direction. Each drop that hit the ground froze everything it touched with an audible crack, devouring the surrounding air with an absolute chill.
¡°Damn it!¡± I yelled, realizing that facing this head-on was suicidal. With a swift burst of wind, I dodged at the last second. Over my shoulder, I saw the liquid collide with a cart behind me. It was instantly encased in translucent ice before shattering into thousands of glittering fragments.
My breath came out in dense clouds, each exhale a fight against the cold. Every movement sent sharp pain radiating from the wound on my abdomen, but I couldn¡¯t stop. I couldn¡¯t falter. Chloe Evenhart had to die, no matter the cost.
228 – Wendigo, the Soul Golem Monster
Chapter 228 ¨C Wendigo, the Soul Golem Monster
Quinn:
I¡¯m trapped in a domain of ice! I thought, feeling panic start to grip me. The storm intensified, making the environment increasingly lethal. If my Infernal Armor failed, I would be frozen to death.
I¡¯m definitely going to be killed by this thing!
¡°Screw this!¡± I shouted, sprinting toward the commercial district and using my fire magic to propel myself faster.
If I get close to the civilians, she won''t bring that Soul Golem near them¡ªor she might end up killing people.
I glanced back and saw the horned demon-like creature, its surroundings turning an eerie shade of blue as everything around it froze solid.
There¡¯s no doubt¡ªI¡¯m dead. Is this the power of a Soul Golem with fused elements? I didn¡¯t even know such a thing could exist.
I stared at my hand, or what was left of it where my fingers had been.
If I had been directly hit by one of that monster¡¯s ice beams, I¡¯d be dead. Fusing elements makes magic exponentially more powerful. So, a Soul Golem made from fused elements¡ is far stronger than a normal Soul Golem.
I focused all the fire in my body, creating a controlled explosion at my feet that launched me into the air at high speed. The wrecked streets below blurred past as the wind cut into my exposed skin, every motion sending waves of pain through my body. As I approached a thick wall of fog ahead, I plunged into the dense brume without hesitation, the icy sensation suffocating.
The streets of the commercial district were in shambles, with shattered buildings scattered about and ice covering the ground like a shroud. I unleashed another burst of wind and fire at my feet, propelling myself forward as I tried to plan my next move.
Behind me, I felt the oppressive air shift¡ªthe threat was closing in. The dense fog began to move like a living wave, cascading down the streets with Chloe at its center. Her feet were encased in a swirling vortex of water and wind, allowing her to advance at an impossible speed, like a predator closing in on its prey.
¡°She¡¯s too fast,¡± I muttered, the heat of adrenaline barely keeping the cold at bay.
Every step I took, Chloe mirrored, her precision and control unnerving. She leapt into the air, using wind to propel herself, and landed in front of me with a force that cracked the ground beneath her. Her gaze burned with determination, and the blade in her hand gleamed with the diffused light of the surrounding ice.
She struck without hesitation. Her blade arced toward me in a lethal swing, and I barely managed to block it, the impact reverberating through my injured arm. Letting out a roar, I threw a fiery punch infused with wind, creating an explosive shockwave that obliterated everything around us. Chloe raised a barrier of ice to shield herself, but the blast was strong enough to push her back, forcing her to retreat several paces.
¡°Now!¡± she shouted with unwavering authority.
Before I could process what was happening, something massive slammed into me with crushing force. It felt like being hit by a speeding wall. My vision momentarily blacked out as my body was hurled through the air. The ground seemed to vanish beneath me as I smashed through walls and wrecked buildings until I finally came to a halt inside what was left of a tavern.
¡°Damn¡¡± I muttered through strained, raspy laughter, spitting blood as I tried to push myself up. The pain was nearly unbearable, my legs shaking under the weight of my battered body.
When I finally looked up, I saw what had struck me: a colossal snowball hurled by the Wendigo, now standing a short distance away. Its monstrous, frozen body exhaled thick, icy mist as it loomed over me.
Chloe charged toward me, her sword raised high, her eyes burning with fierce determination. ¡°Coward!¡± she shouted, her voice echoing through the ruins.
I ignored her warning, staggering away, my path deliberately aimed at the heart of the chaos¡ªthe civilians.
¡°Kill me!¡± I yelled, laughing like a lunatic as I sprinted toward the terrified crowd. ¡°Just make your monster spit something powerful at me! Hahaha!¡±
My words carried the weight of a desperate strategy. I knew that no matter how determined Chloe was to defeat me, she would hesitate to endanger innocent lives.
Ahead, soldiers formed a defensive line, their shields raised in a futile attempt to protect the panicked civilians. Chloe shouted commands for everyone to evacuate, but chaos had already taken hold, and I seized every second to sow more destruction.
¡°Blazing Breeze!¡± I roared, conjuring a wave of scorching flames that swept across the area. The soldiers raised their shields in a makeshift barrier, but I knew it wouldn¡¯t hold for long. With a leap, I launched myself at them.
Channeling power into my fists, I slammed them into the wall of shields with devastating force. The explosion sent soldiers flying, some engulfed in flames as their screams of agony echoed through the area.
¡°AH!¡± one soldier cried out as he was hurled into the wreckage, his body consumed by fire.
Chloe acted swiftly, summoning a massive wave of water to extinguish the flames on the surviving soldiers. But I was far from done.
¡°Fireball Swarm!¡± I unleashed dozens of fiery orbs in every direction, targeting soldiers, civilians, and anything in my path. The chaos escalated as I laughed, watching the crowd scatter in terror. Chloe scrambled to mitigate the destruction, conjuring more water to save whomever she could.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
She charged at me, her face a portrait of determination, but I wasn¡¯t about to make it easy for her. I leapt into the air, aiming straight for her.
¡°Where¡¯s that monster of yours now?¡± I mocked, my laughter dripping with venom.
¡°You¡¯re a coward, attacking innocent people!¡± Chloe shouted as she dodged and raised a wind barrier to shield herself. Her voice was laced with fury and contempt.
I laughed again, unleashing another torrent of fire in her direction. She evaded with precision, but the intense heat from the flames left more destruction in its wake, igniting what little was still standing.
¡°You¡¯re a Shadow Child!¡± I bellowed, my voice sharp with scorn. ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to care about these people! Come on, kill me with that ice monster of yours. I dare you¡ªtake me down, even if it means killing everyone around you!¡±
I darted toward the crowd trying to flee through the ruined streets. My body, cloaked in fire, left a trail of flames in my wake. I spotted a man fall to his knees, his face etched with pure terror.
¡°Please!¡± he begged, his hands raised in a desperate plea.
¡°Please, my ass!¡± I snarled, firing a beam of flame that struck him directly. The acrid stench of burnt flesh filled the air.
¡°Enough!¡± Chloe¡¯s voice cut through the chaos like a blade. ¡°Avalanche!¡± She stomped her foot, and a massive wave of snow surged toward me, blanketing the ground in a thick, white sheet as it sought to trap me.
¡°AHHHHH!¡± I screamed, unleashing a burst of blazing blue flames. The heat was so intense that the snow melted instantly, leaving the ground a steaming, scalding mess. My energy surged uncontrollably, a storm of fire tearing through everything around me. Civilians fled in every direction, soldiers were pushed back by the searing heat, and Chloe fought to withstand the relentless attack.
When the flames finally receded, returning to their deep red hue, the scene around me was one of utter devastation. The commercial center was nothing more than a smoldering ruin. I stood amidst the wreckage, laughing as I surveyed the destruction I had caused.
¡°Is that all you¡¯ve got, Chloe Evenhart?¡± I taunted, my voice echoing through the desolate ruins. ¡°You¡¯ll need more than that to stop me!¡±
¡°Come on, Chloe Evenhart. Aren¡¯t you the duchess of this territory?¡± I taunted, my voice dripping with venom as I scanned the panicked crowd around her. ¡°Come protect your people. Deactivate that Soul Golem, and I¡¯ll stop killing innocents.¡±
I watched her rush to shield someone amidst the chaos engulfed in flames.
Damn her, I thought bitterly. She had used the snow from the avalanche to save some of them from my fire.
Taking a closer look, I realized it wasn¡¯t just that.
When I activated the flames, she must have used some spell¡ªsimilar to the one she cast at the port¡ªsummoning the snow to contain the fire and rescue even more people.
No matter. All I have to do is target someone again and make sure this time they die.
¡°A Soul Golem can¡¯t be activated again right after it¡¯s deactivated,¡± I explained, hoping to turn the tide in my favor. ¡°If you deactivate that thing, we can settle this the way it should be. Just you and me. No interference.¡±
Chloe Evenhart was injured, gravely so. Her back was severely burned¡ªshe had probably thrown herself into the fire to shield someone. Her entire body was a wreck. She may have cauterized some wounds, but I could tell the internal bleeding persisted. Her left arm was raw, nothing but charred flesh.
But I wasn¡¯t in much better shape. The Wendigo¡¯s horn had come dangerously close to piercing my heart, and one of my lungs was damaged. I¡¯d seared my own wounds shut to stop the bleeding, but I knew my bones were fractured. Chloe Evenhart had tossed me around repeatedly, each impact pushing me closer to death.
At least she¡¯s worse off than I am. I¡¯ll die, but she¡¯s coming with me.
I charged at her, rage fueling every step, ready to end it all.
¡°Not going to say anything?¡± I asked, watching her carefully. Chloe was clearly analyzing the situation, her labored breaths a telltale sign of her worsening condition.
Was it her lung? I wondered. If her lung¡¯s even slightly punctured, she¡¯ll drown in her own blood soon enough.
I shifted my focus to a child lying amid the chaos. Her wide, terrified eyes brimmed with tears that streaked her dirty cheeks. Each of my steps made the ground creak, and her silent pleas seemed to echo in my ears. I pointed at her, my voice as cold as the ice surrounding us.
¡°Deactivate the creature, or you already know what will happen to this little girl¡ Duchess.¡±
Chloe¡¯s eyes locked on mine, a mixture of despair and fury swirling within them. Her voice trembled, barely masking the rage and anguish that threatened to break through. ¡°You¡¯ll kill her, won¡¯t you? Fine. I¡¯ll deactivate the golem. But let her go¡ I¡¯m your target.¡±
A bitter laugh escaped me as I crouched beside the trembling girl, who was too scared to react. ¡°Did my sister get that choice?¡± I asked, sarcasm and bitterness dripping from every word.
¡°That choice?¡± Chloe¡¯s voice cracked with barely contained anger. ¡°Your sister was an assassin, just like you. You both started all of this!¡±
I stood slowly, spinning the knife in my hand. ¡°So what? Screw that pathetic argument,¡± I spat, glaring at her. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll just accept it and walk away? My sister is dead, and I won¡¯t stop until you¡¯re nothing but ashes¡ just like she was.¡±
My gaze fell back to the child, her silence fueling the fire of my wrath. ¡°So, Chloe, what¡¯s it going to be? Will you let this life slip through your hands?¡±
Chloe¡¯s Soul Golem loomed in the distance, an imposing figure. She glanced at it briefly, hesitation flickering in her eyes before she muttered, ¡°Fine¡¡±
With a wave of her hand, the golem dissolved into a swirling explosion of snow that blanketed the area in frost.
¡°What a shame¡¡± I said coolly, a smirk tugging at my lips. ¡°A true Child of Shadows wouldn¡¯t have cared about such an insignificant life.¡±
Seizing the opportunity, I drew a dagger from my storage bracelet and pointed it at the crying child, whose eyes were squeezed shut in terror.
¡°This is for my sister!¡± I roared, raising the blade.
¡°Please, don¡¯t do this!¡± Chloe begged, stepping forward, her voice trembling with desperation.
"Goodbye!" I declared, my voice like a final verdict as I prepared to strike.
"No!" Chloe screamed, propelling herself toward me with a gust of wind. At the last moment, I used my own wind to pivot, redirecting my trajectory and hurling myself toward her in one swift, calculated move.
The impact felt frozen in time, an eternity compressed into a single heartbeat. Her ragged breathing mingled with my sadistic laughter. I had succeeded.
"AH!" Chloe cried out as my blade drove deep into her stomach. Blood cascaded down the blade, staining my hand crimson. She coughed up blood but still managed to lock eyes with me, her defiance unwavering.
"I warned you... for my sister..." I murmured, savoring the satisfaction of finally killing my nemesis.
But then, a sharp pain pierced through my chest. My body froze as I looked down to see the blade Chloe held embedded in my heart.
Damn it... she got me too.
"We were both meant to die... as I told you," Chloe whispered weakly, her voice a fragile echo as she collapsed backward.
I dropped to my knees, feeling the warmth of my blood mixing with the icy ground beneath me. Blood poured from my mouth as my body convulsed, the pain spreading like wildfire. The child, now free, ran off into the fog, disappearing into the shrouded battlefield.
Summoning every last ounce of mana, I forced myself to stand, my body screaming at me to give up. My eyes locked onto Chloe, lying on the ground, gasping for air, her blood pooling around her. She knew exactly what she had done. She had planned this from the start.
"Eliza..." I murmured, my vision fading as I prepared my final spell. "Just like before... before I die, I¡¯ll make sure you feel exactly what I did."
My hand trembled as I gathered the energy to summon a blue flame, my last resort. Chloe''s eyes began to flutter shut, her body surrendering to the inevitable. The stench of blood and destruction choked the air around us.
The fire danced in my hand, but my body was at its limit. Even so, I was determined to drag Chloe down with me. Chloe Evenhart''s eyes fully closed, her chest barely rising as she drowned in her own blood.
I stumbled toward her, determined to finish the job, ensuring her body would burn to ash in the flames of my vengeance.
229 – The Beast Form of the Jotun Fox
Chapter 229 ¨C The Beast Form of the Jotun Fox
Quinn:
I forced myself to stand, every fiber of my body ablaze with agony, as I concentrated the last remnants of my mana into my hand. A flickering blue flame began to form, unstable, as if mirroring my broken condition. My gaze locked onto Chloe Evenhart, sprawled on the ground. Her eyes were closed, lips stained with blood, each breath more labored than the last. She seemed resigned to death¡ªa cruel contrast to the fury burning within me.
"Goodbye..." I murmured, feeling the heat of the flame intensify. I wanted to end this, to see her body reduced to ashes.
''ROOOOAAAR!''
Before I could unleash the spell, a deafening roar tore through the air. The sound was so powerful it felt like a hammer striking my chest. My eyes widened in shock, but before I could react, something enormous and feral sank its teeth into me.
"AHHHH!" I screamed as excruciating pain flooded every nerve. The massive jaws tore into my flesh effortlessly, piercing muscles and bones like they were paper. Each bite was an indescribable torment. The creature''s maw crushed my body with brutal force, tearing chunks away with every movement.
My screams turned into a strangled gasp as the beast violently shook me, my body flailing like a ragdoll between its jaws. Each thrash sent sharp flashes of pain and panic through me. The sound of bones snapping and splintering echoed in my ears, accompanied by the metallic taste of blood flooding my mouth.
The creature finally tossed me into the air as if playing with its prey. I soared uncontrollably, crashing into a stone wall with devastating force. Bones shattered on impact, the wall collapsing as I was buried beneath the rubble.
When I tried to move, a shiver ran down my spine as I registered the state of my body. Looking down, I saw one of my arms was simply gone, torn away in the bite. The other hung at a grotesque angle, mangled and useless. Blood gushed freely, pooling around me in a steaming crimson puddle.
My breaths came in erratic gasps, each one a grating effort that tore through my lungs.
"Damn... soul golem..." I mumbled weakly, my mind grasping at straws to understand the attack.
How is the soul golem still active? She dismissed it...
Then my eyes focused on the creature, and despair dragged me into a bottomless abyss. This wasn¡¯t Chloe Evenhart¡¯s golem.
The fox girl... she survived. And she¡¯s one of those rare, special demi-humans...
In front of me stood a towering golden fox, as imposing as any golem yet infinitely more terrifying. Its golden fur glistened in the flickering firelight, and its four glowing eyes burned with an intensity that seemed to pierce straight through my soul. Six tails swayed behind it, each one radiating a raw, destructive power that sent chills down my spine. It was monstrous.
''ROOOOAAAR!''
Another earth-shaking roar echoed, scattering the debris around me. The beast took a step forward, the ground trembling beneath its immense weight. Its eyes bore into mine, their message unmistakable: I was prey.
The massive golden fox approached slowly, each of its steps carrying the weight of the world around me. The earth quaked beneath its paws, and its hot, suffocating breath hit my face like a scorching gale. Its grotesque face lowered, four blazing eyes filled with immeasurable rage locking onto mine. I couldn¡¯t breathe, paralyzed by terror and the unbearable agony of my mutilated body.
The fox let out a huff, and a yellow glow began to form in its throat. The heat emanating from it was suffocating, threatening. I closed my eyes, accepting my end.
At least it¡¯ll be quick, I thought, trying to find some solace in the despair.
But the blow never came. The yellow light vanished, replaced by something far worse: the rising fury of the creature. I opened my eyes slowly, and the sight before me was even more terrifying. The fox wasn¡¯t just angry; it looked at me as if I were an insect to be crushed, but with an added touch of cruelty. Its gaze shifted briefly to Chloe Evenhart, lying on the ground bloodied and broken, and its rage seemed to reach a new peak.
¡°Painful¡ death¡¡± The creature¡¯s voice echoed, deep, cold, and laden with the promise of unimaginable suffering.
Before I could react, the fox lunged, opening its monstrous jaws and seizing me with its teeth.
"AHHH!" I screamed as it lifted me as if I were nothing more than a plaything. Its sharp teeth pierced my flesh, tearing through muscle and crushing bone. I felt my remaining arm ripped away with brutal force, followed by searing pain in my chest as its fangs tore into my ribcage. Each bite was calculated, cruel, as if it sought to extend my agony.
My vision began to blur as my screams echoed through the air, but the fox did not relent. Its teeth ground into my body with deliberate slowness, shattering bones and pulverizing organs with terrifying precision. I felt my skull crack under the immense pressure, and the world around me became a haze of pain and darkness.
It wasn¡¯t killing me¡ªit was destroying me, piece by piece, as if ensuring every moment would be etched into my consciousness. The pain was so overwhelming it seemed eternal, with each second stretching into an unbearable eternity.
The fox continued, relentless, chewing through my mangled body as I drowned in the torment. The only certainty that remained was that it would fulfill its promise: my death would be excruciating.
Kinue:
As my body sank into the dark, cold depths of the river, the crushing reality of my situation began to settle in. The water around me was suffocating, pulling me further into the abyss with every movement. The stabbing pain in my stomach throbbed relentlessly, intensified by the explosion that had hurled me into these icy depths. I had tried to shield myself with mana during the impact, but shards of debris had torn through my flesh, leaving my right arm shredded, bone exposed and muscles ripped apart.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.
The darkness seemed endless. I couldn¡¯t tell if it was the weight of the water or the grim embrace of death pulling me under, but I felt utterly crushed. The void began consuming my mind, and for a fleeting moment, I let myself go. I accepted that this was my end¡ªthat my body would be swallowed by the abyss.
The world around me started to fade. Yet, in that suffocating darkness, it wasn¡¯t faces I saw¡ªit was the sound of laughter, voices as familiar as the beat of my own heart. Not images, but vivid, powerful memories. Moments of joy, of trust. They pulled at me, like chains of light dragging me back from the brink. I clung to those memories, letting them anchor me.
Determination ignited within me like a roaring blaze. The last vestiges of strength I had began to converge, fueled by my mana. The agony of my human body started to fade as a transformation overtook me. First, there was heat¡ªa searing, overwhelming heat that radiated from every part of me. Mana surged through me, reshaping my very essence, unraveling the fragile body of a human and replacing it with something far greater, far more powerful.
My vision illuminated as my human form gave way to my other self. My body expanded, and six tails unfurled like a golden fan. Lustrous golden fur covered me, radiating a light that illuminated the abyss around me. My size became colossal, and the strength coursing through me was indescribable, as if the very world trembled under my presence.
¡®ROOOOAAAAR!¡¯ My roar pierced through the waters, erupting with unbridled fury. The golden glow I emanated reflected off the river''s surface, and my now four eyes scanned the world with a promise of vengeance and protection.
The ship¡¯s crew, who had been nearby, screamed in terror at the sight of me.
¡°A giant monster! A demi-human beast!¡± someone shouted. Water mages raised their hands, readying spells. But as their eyes met mine¡ªburning with pure rage¡ªthey hesitated. My gaze paralyzed them more effectively than any physical attack.
I swam fiercely toward the port, my heart heavy with anticipation. The sight that greeted me was desolate: absolute destruction. Burnt houses, snow-covered streets, and scattered debris told the story of the battle between Quinn and Chloe, leaving scars that seemed impossible to erase.
Chloe! The name echoed in my mind, laced with desperation. I tried to call her, but in my bestial form, all that came out was a furious roar reverberating through the chaos.
I need to find her!
Tearing through the wreckage, I used my massive paws to overturn debris, my breath coming in frantic puffs as I searched for any sign of life. Then, at a distance, something caught my eye¡ªthe Soul Golem of Chloe. The towering, skeletal creature with antler-like horns was unmistakable. Relief washed over me momentarily, a sign that Chloe was still alive.
But that hope shattered in an instant. The Golem, like a shadow, dissolved into snow before my eyes.
NO! My mind screamed, consumed by an overwhelming fury. It was a mixture of rage and despair. My failure had allowed this. Chloe needed me, and I wasn¡¯t there.
The anger drove me forward. I pushed on with all the strength my monstrous form could muster, ignoring the screams, the cold, even the pain. I rushed to where the Golem had vanished, and then I saw her. Chloe lay collapsed, a fragile and bloodied remnant of the warrior I knew. Her body, riddled with injuries, looked so small amidst the destruction.
Beside her stood Quinn, his hand raised, gathering mana for a fire spell. Everything else vanished for me. There was only him. Only my hate.
¡®ROOOOOOOAAAAR!¡¯ My roar ripped through the air, and before he could react, I lunged at him. His words were silenced as my jaws closed around his body. I felt the crunch of breaking bones, the warmth of his blood filling my mouth. He screamed, a sound that fed my thirst for vengeance. But it wasn¡¯t enough.
I spat Quinn out, his broken body tossed aside like a discarded toy. Yet, my rage didn¡¯t wane. I charged at him again, my gaze locked on him with unrelenting fury. I wanted to crush him, erase him from existence. Mana began to gather in my throat, glowing vibrantly with the promise of destruction.
But then, something shattered my focus¡ªChloe. The fierce glow in my eyes faltered when I looked at her. Her body, so fragile, so wounded.
My family¡ my friend¡ I¡¯m losing everything again.
The urge to annihilate Quinn, to utterly destroy him, burned like fire in my soul. But something inside me halted that impulsive rage. Killing him quickly wouldn¡¯t suffice. He didn¡¯t deserve an easy end or a swift death. He needed to feel. He needed to suffer.
¡°Painful¡ death¡¡± I murmured, the words escaping as a decree while my gaze bore into Quinn.
With a swift motion, I opened my jaws and captured him, trapping him between my teeth. His flesh gave way to the force of my bite as his bones snapped, the sound of his agony pouring out in piercing screams. I moved his body slowly, chewing with deliberate cruelty. Each bone that fractured, each piece of flesh torn by the crushing pressure of my jaws, was a testament to the torment he had inflicted.
The sound of his skull shattering was like music to my ears, a grotesque crack echoing like the pop of a wine cork. Warm blood streamed down my throat, mingled with the soft, sickening squelch of his brain slipping between my teeth¡ªa visceral reminder of his defeat. I continued to grind his body until nothing remained but a grotesque mass of flesh, fragmented bones, and blood mingled with my saliva.
With disgust, I spat the remnants onto the frozen ground. What was left of him was unrecognizable¡ªa formless heap, a testament to his insignificance in the face of my fury.
I took a deep breath, feeling energy surge through me. Shifting back into my human form would be agony, but what was pain compared to what Chloe was enduring? The transformation burned as my body became pure mana, reshaping itself until I returned to my humanoid form. The wounds I had suffered on the ship screamed in protest, my entire body a symphony of raw, excruciating pain. But I ignored it¡ªChloe needed me.
I ran to her, my heart pounding like a war drum. Chloe lay on her side, her pale face slick with sweat. Each ragged breath seemed like a battle she was barely winning, and blood pooled at the corners of her lips as she coughed weakly. Her skin bore the marks of burns, deep wounds, and dried blood.
"Kinue..." she murmured, her voice so faint it was barely audible, yet it struck me like a dagger. A weak smile played on her lips as her glazed eyes met mine, though it was weighted with pain.
I trembled, my mind a whirlwind of emotions. "Did you... drink the healing potion?" I asked, desperation lacing my voice.
"No... my bracelet... it was lost in the river," Chloe whispered, her breaths shallow and uneven.
Wasting no time, I pulled a healing potion from my own bracelet and knelt beside her. "You''re going to be fine," I said, trying more to convince myself than her. Tilting the vial to her cracked lips, I tried to make her drink, my heart pleading for this to work.
"I''m glad... you survived," Chloe murmured, her voice fragile and barely a whisper. Her heavy eyelids fluttered, and fear gripped my heart.
"Drink it!" I shouted, tipping the potion into her mouth, willing her to swallow.
"I don''t think... it''s going to work, my friend," she rasped, her words slicing through my soul like a blade.
I held her tightly, shaking her gently to keep her conscious. "Chloe, please! Stay with me!" I begged, tears streaming down my face. My trembling hands continued pouring the potion, ignoring how it spilled over her chin.
"It was Nikolaus Wolves... it¡¯s all his fault..." she murmured, her voice barely audible. Her eyelids quivered as she fought to keep her gaze on me.
Suddenly, her frail hand gripped mine with unexpected strength, her eyes burning with a determination that clashed with her condition. "Tell Nate... it''s okay," she said, each word a struggle. "Tell him... I don''t blame him... it wasn¡¯t his fault."
"Chloe, don''t say that!" My voice cracked as tears flowed freely, soaking her face. "You¡¯ll tell him yourself! Please, just drink the potion!" I tilted the vial, desperate to make her take it. "You¡¯re my family too! Don¡¯t leave me!"
Her eyes, already clouded with pain and exhaustion, glimmered one last time. "Take care of Nathan... for me... okay?" Her voice faded as her eyelids slowly closed.
"Chloe! NO!" I screamed, my voice a raw, primal cry of anguish. I clutched her frail body in my arms, shaking her, hoping against hope to pull her back.
My voice echoed into the void as I held my best friend, sobbing uncontrollably. In that moment, the world crumbled around me, leaving me drowning in an endless storm of grief and despair.
230 – Nathan Arrives at the Devastated Port
Chapter 230 ¨C Nathan Arrives at the Devastated Port
Nathan Evenhart:
For three days aboard the ship, my mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, each spiraling into futility as I tried to craft an apology. Every idea I conceived was quickly discarded. Adrihna had given me a ride to the Royal Capital, and thanks to her golems, what would¡¯ve been a two-day journey on horseback had been reduced to less than one. Yet, even with the extra time, I found myself trapped in a loop of self-recrimination.
Sitting on the bed with my hands covering my face, I struggled to find a way to make amends with Chloe.
But how can I even face her now? I thought. She must be furious with me.
I sighed, the weight of guilt pressing heavily against my chest.
And then there¡¯s Kinue...
Adrihna had revealed something I had never considered. Kinue had liked me for a long time, and every change she made in her life had been aimed at becoming someone she could be proud of, someone who would have the courage to reveal her feelings. But beyond that, she endured struggles simply for being who she was. Her demi-human appearance made her a constant target of prejudice. To some humans, she was nothing more than an animal.
I had always seen her as a close friend, but I never imagined the burden she carried silently. I never thought about how my actions could add to that weight.
My thoughts swirled, bringing me back to my argument with Chloe.
"Forgive me, Chloe," I murmured. "I like you too..."
The memory of her pained eyes and the frustration in her voice was a bitter echo in my mind. Our last exchange had been a fight¡ªthe first serious one we¡¯d ever had. And now, I understood how much it could hurt.
"To her, I¡¯m not Icarus. I¡¯m Nathan. If I stay shackled to the past, I¡¯ll never move forward. I¡¯m scared of repeating my mistakes. But because of that fear, I¡¯m failing to appreciate what I have now," I whispered aloud, giving voice to the internal battle consuming me.
Then the ship stopped abruptly, shaking me from my thoughts and dragging me back to reality.
The water and wind mages had ceased their magic. It seemed we had arrived.
But a sense of shame lingered, burning my skin as if unseen eyes were judging me. The idea of facing Chloe felt impossible. Determined to clear my head, I left my cabin and climbed the stairs toward the upper deck, only to be stopped by a staff member who approached me in haste.
¡°Lord Evenhart, there¡¯s been an issue,¡± she said nervously. ¡°We¡¯re not yet at the port. Our ship has been detained. I ask that you remain in your quarters.¡±
I frowned, sensing something amiss.
¡°Detained?¡± I asked, trying to make sense of it.
¡°Yes, sir. The port guards have halted all dockings. No ships are allowed to anchor.¡±
Is the primary trade route of the duchy being halted? Aunt Margie would never permit such a disruption without an urgent reason.
Disregarding her request, I continued up the stairs.
¡°The guards have requested that all nobles stay in their rooms,¡± she insisted. ¡°It must be a routine issue. Once they verify the passenger list, we¡¯ll be cleared. Please don¡¯t worry; I¡¯ll have food sent to you while you wait.¡±
Something¡¯s wrong.
Ignoring her words, I kept climbing. Nothing about this felt right. A route as vital as this one would never be interrupted lightly, and passenger verification was always done before boarding, not mid-journey.
Upon reaching the deck, I was met with utter chaos. High-class nobles waved their documents and tickets in the air, shouting frantic orders that the soldiers steadfastly ignored.
I don¡¯t have a ticket. This ship belongs to me...
I ignored the commotion and walked straight to the edge of the ship, wanting to see the commotion for myself. Before I could observe the scene at the harbor, a firm hand gripped my shoulder.
¡°Stop! Papers,¡± a soldier barked with authority.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.
Before I could respond, another guard quickly intervened, slapping the first one¡¯s hand away.
¡°Do you even know who he is?¡± the second guard asked, his voice dripping with disbelief.
The soldier who had grabbed me stepped back, his expression shifting to one of confusion as he gave me a once-over, trying to identify me.
Something was definitely wrong.
Ordinary soldiers don¡¯t have access to my true identity¡ªat least not until the day Chloe takes over the duchy¡¯s authority, and both she and I are introduced to the public.
¡°He¡¯s your lord! Apologies for the disrespect, Lord Nathan.¡± The second soldier stepped forward, his tone a blend of respect and unease. ¡°I am Theodore Borir, the officer in charge of this ship¡¯s inspection. Forgive the lapse in decorum, my lord. We¡¯ve been given direct orders to ensure your safety after¡ the incidents.¡±
I ignored his fumbling attempts at an explanation, turning my gaze to the subterranean river. The scene below was desolate: endless rows of stationary ships, lined up like mismatched pieces of a puzzle. The chaos was palpable, with orders being shouted across the docks and debris drifting aimlessly in the water.
¡°What happened?¡± I asked, my voice steady, though an edge of tension crept in.
¡°A terrorist attack, my lord,¡± Theodore replied. ¡°Two high-level mages engaged in a confrontation here. My orders are to escort you to safety.¡±
A terrorist attack? This is one of the most secure locations in the kingdom.
My eyes scanned the river¡¯s surface. Shattered pieces of wood and broken structures floated aimlessly. Yet, what truly caught my attention was the state of the port¡ªutterly devastated, as if a natural disaster had swept through. Among the destruction, a patch of the subterranean river was frozen solid.
¡°When did this happen?¡± I demanded, an urgency growing in my chest.
¡°It¡¯s been a few days,¡± Theodore said hesitantly.
The words hit me like a blow. My chest tightened as I jumped to the ship¡¯s edge for a better view. Snow, ice, destruction. This wasn¡¯t the result of a mere skirmish between mages; the scale of devastation pointed to something far more catastrophic.
¡°Sir, I must insist¡ªI need to escort you¡ª¡± Theodore started, but his voice faded as I tuned him out.
I don¡¯t have time for noble formalities.
Without a second thought, I leapt from the ship into the river below. Theodore¡¯s panicked shout followed me. ¡°My lord!¡±
I summoned my mana, channeling the wind to propel myself forward, running across the water¡¯s surface with speed and precision.
¡°Thunder Dash,¡± I muttered, adjusting my stance as I accelerated. Sparks of energy crackled around me, leaving faint trails on the water as I surged forward.
I reached the frozen section and stopped at the edge of the devastated port. The scene before me was apocalyptic, a chaotic mix of ice, fire, and destruction.
Every structure lay in ruins, scarred by the aftermath of a catastrophic battle.
The surrounding houses were cleaved in half, their roofs collapsed under the weight of thick ice. Some walls bore scorch marks from fire, with charred wooden beams creaking and slowly crumbling. Upturned carts, their wheels blackened, still smoldered in places, filling the air with the acrid stench of burned wood.
What once stood as proud monuments of the city¡¯s prosperity were now unrecognizable heaps of rubble, covered in jagged ice formations or split apart as if a violent explosion had torn through them.
The snow covering the plazas was stained with soot, and craters tore through the ground like open wounds, remnants of powerful explosions that had sent debris scattering in all directions. Fragments of stone and metal were strewn across the area¡ªsome embedded in the shattered walls, others buried in the ice.
Here and there, broken weapons and shattered pieces of armor lay like silent witnesses to the battle. Some areas still radiated heat from recent explosions, the contrast of fire and ice creating an eerie vapor that lingered over the ground like a ghostly lament. A mana crystal streetlight stood twisted, one half consumed by flames while the other was frozen solid¡ªa surreal tableau of clashing forces.
This wasn¡¯t a simple duel.
¡°What happened here?¡± I murmured, my voice barely cutting through the oppressive silence that blanketed the area. The destruction surrounding me was overwhelming.
Guards were scattered around the port, their faces as bewildered as mine. A few noticed me, their confusion quickly shifting to suspicion as they drew their swords.
¡°Identify yourself!¡± one of them barked.
Without hesitation, I propelled myself into the air with a burst of wind, leaping over the guard and running across conjured air platforms. I needed answers. With every step, the scale of the devastation grew clearer. Collapsed buildings, debris blanketed in ice and snow, and the complete absence of life painted a nightmarish scene.
This was a battle of immense proportions.
There was no mistaking it.
Snow and ice... Chloe.
My chest tightened, a knot forming in my throat as the worst possibilities swirled through my mind.
¡°Chloe...¡± her name escaped my lips, barely a whisper, laden with dread. The growing ache in my chest felt like an open wound, raw and unrelenting.
I ran aimlessly, trying to piece together what had happened. Leaping onto the remnants of a destroyed building, I scanned the area for a better vantage point. From this height, I saw the devastation across the subterranean city¡ªparts of it buried in snow, while other areas were reduced to smoldering ruins.
¡°Nathan!¡± A familiar voice cut through my racing thoughts, stopping my heart for a moment.
¡°Sifu.¡± I recognized the monk immediately. I quickly descended from the wreckage and approached him. Behind him, I noticed several women hiding among the debris.
Maids? Why are so many of them here?
¡°What happened?¡± I demanded, my voice trembling with urgency as I struggled to comprehend the scene before me.
Sifu¡¯s expression made my stomach sink. His usual calm demeanor was overshadowed by a rare seriousness.
¡°I came to escort you to safety,¡± he began, his voice steady but unable to conceal the gravity of the moment. ¡°I knew you¡¯d ignore the guards and head straight to the port. This was the quickest way I could reach you.¡±
My hands shook as I looked around again, trying to piece everything together. But what truly unsettled me was the way Sifu avoided meeting my gaze.
¡°Nathan... we need to talk,¡± he said, hesitating¡ªa rarity for him. ¡°Something happened to Chloe.¡±
Those words... It felt as though the ground beneath me had vanished. The world around me fell silent, leaving only an unbearable, crushing pain. A wound reopened in my soul, one I thought I had buried long ago. A pain I never wanted to feel again.
231 – The Fate of the Evenhart Family
Chapter 231 ¨C The Fate of the Evenhart Family
Nathan Evenhart:
"Why? Why did you let Chloe and Kinue return on their own? This is madness¡ªeven without a damn assassin after us!" I shouted, unable to contain my frustration and anger.
"They weren¡¯t alone," Sifu replied firmly. "A carriage of maids accompanied them to the Royal Capital. Even while traveling with other noble students, we never left them unprotected. In the capital, a team of duchy soldiers stationed at the local office took over their guard. The maids returned to meet your mother with another group because we couldn¡¯t risk anything happening on the road, so they went as reinforcements. This group of soldiers boarded the same ship as Kinue and Chloe. Before departure, the passenger list had already been thoroughly checked. But the assassin was clever. He disguised himself as a crew member and spent the entire trip monitoring the ship. He knew who the soldiers were from the list and eliminated them one by one. Fifteen men... all killed by poison."
A lump formed in my throat as I listened, the gravity of the situation sinking in.
"He probably spent days analyzing the remaining passengers, ensuring there were no other undercover agents. In the end, he didn¡¯t risk a kidnapping or serving them poisoned food. Instead, he broke into their room and tried to kill them directly."
We entered the carriage, and as it moved, I sat in silence. A deep pain consumed me, crushing my chest. Every word from Sifu felt like a blow, amplifying my guilt and helplessness. I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that this was all my fault.
When we arrived at the castle, I rushed straight to the medical wing, the weight of the last few hours pressing down on me like an anchor. Sifu¡¯s words echoed in my mind as he recounted what had happened. Chloe and Kinue had been attacked by the third assassin, a mage determined to eliminate them. Chloe fought him at the port, but the situation turned chaotic when he began threatening the innocent people around them. In the end, my cousin was gravely injured, and Kinue managed to kill him, but the cost had been far too great.
Chloe had been in a coma for days, receiving constant treatment. If not for the healing potion Kinue had managed to give her at the last moment, Chloe wouldn¡¯t have survived. The injuries were horrific, but the worst was her lung, pierced multiple times. Even after taking the potion, Chloe used the last of her mana to induce a deep sleep and freeze her body from within, preventing herself from drowning in her own blood.
"Nathan!" My mother¡¯s voice pulled me from my dark thoughts. She appeared the moment I entered the infirmary, rushing to embrace me. The warmth of her touch was like a spark, trying to ignite something within me. I tried to hold myself together, but my emotions were on the verge of collapse.
"Mother..." I whispered, my voice trembling as I held her tightly. I desperately wanted her to say everything was fine, that Chloe was stable, but I knew that wasn¡¯t the case.
My gaze was drawn to a group of maids gathered in silence around a bed. That was where Chloe was. My heart began to race, and the legs that had carried me this far felt too heavy to take another step.
"How is she?" I managed to ask, my voice breaking as my eyes remained fixed on where Chloe lay.
My mother lowered her head, and her words came like a blade, cutting through any lingering hope. "She¡¯s receiving the best treatment possible, but... now it¡¯s up to her."
It felt as if the ground had disappeared beneath my feet. A suffocating pressure gripped my chest, and drawing breath became an impossible task. My vision blurred as I absorbed her words. Helplessness and guilt consumed me, each breath a monumental effort against the despair growing within me.
"Chloe¡" I murmured, tears finally escaping, my voice barely audible as I approached, dreading what I would find.
Charon¡¯s words echoed in my mind: "A hell in which your suffering will be fearing to lose it"
I rushed past the maids, my heart pounding, my mind consumed by a single thought: seeing Chloe. When I finally laid eyes on her, my world crumbled. Chloe lay on a stone bed that resembled a shallow pool, her body submerged in healing water up to her neck. Around her, water healers worked tirelessly, their focus unwavering as they clung to the fragile thread of her life.
Her body was a map of suffering. Bandages covered extensive areas of her most damaged wounds, while severe burns marred her left arm and one of her legs. Deep cuts and scorch marks were scattered across her skin, visible even beneath the water. One of her fingers was reduced to bare bone¡ªa horrific testament to the hell she had endured. She was motionless, locked in a deep coma, her pale, serene face a stark contrast to the devastation of her body.
"We''re doing everything we can," Martha said, her voice weary, sweat dripping from her face as she continued to channel her healing magic.
I turned to her, desperation consuming me. "Please¡ tell me the truth. Will Chloe survive?" My voice trembled, threatening to break.
Martha took a deep breath before answering, her expression heavy with burden. "We¡¯re administering healing potions daily and treating her with water magic. But the potion alone isn¡¯t enough. Summoning the golem took more than she could give. Beyond the severe injuries, her mana has been completely drained. The coma is her body¡¯s way of preserving what little energy she has left."
I sank to the floor, my legs shaking, overwhelmed by the crushing weight of helplessness and loss.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
Beside Chloe, I noticed Kinue lying on another stone bed, curled up and silent. Parts of her body were burned, and one of her ears had been partially severed. The suffocating weight of reality pressed down on me.
"Kinue¡" I murmured, my gaze fixed on her as guilt clawed at me.
A maid approached, her voice calm but laced with exhaustion. "Kinue is stable. However, transforming at her age without proper bodily control has taken a severe toll. She¡¯ll need to sleep until her body fully recovers. The healing potion has already repaired much of the damage. Her burns are about 60% healed, and her ear is regenerating, but slowly."
My gaze returned to Chloe, and the weight of the moment became unbearable. Each breath was a struggle, each second a reminder of the price they had paid for something I should have prevented.
Nikolaus Wolves was behind this. The assassin was Eliza¡¯s brother. All of this¡ was because of me.
I slumped into a chair, the weight of guilt crushing me.
I¡¯m losing the people I love again¡
I stood abruptly, unable to contain the despair consuming me. The air in the infirmary felt suffocating, too heavy for me to endure another second. My body moved before my mind could catch up, and I ran out, emotions spilling over in a storm of guilt, pain, and desperate hope.
My legs carried me instinctively toward my room. I knew there was one last hope, one person who could help me. As I turned the corner, my heart clenched at the sight of her collapsed on the floor, her eyes shimmering with tears.
"Cylla!" I shouted, rushing to her side.
She lifted her tear-streaked face toward me, her eyes brimming with anguish that mirrored the torment burning inside me. Her expression¡ªa mix of pain and exhaustion¡ªwas like a reflection of my own suffering.
"Nathan¡" she murmured, her voice hoarse and broken, as a tear slipped down her cheek.
I dropped to my knees beside her, the impact reverberating through my body. Gasping for breath, I locked eyes with her, my voice trembling as my words poured out in a desperate plea.
"Please, Cylla, I know we¡¯ve talked about this before, but I need your help. Please¡ save Chloe."
Cylla looked away for a moment, taking a deep breath as her tears continued to fall. It seemed as if she were waging an internal battle, one that reflected the turmoil raging within me. She lowered her head, her tears flowing more freely now, and when she spoke, her voice trembled with the weight of her words.
"I can¡¯t, Nathan¡ I can only heal you. I¡¯m not strong enough yet to heal someone whose soul isn¡¯t linked to mine. I can only heal myself¡ and my beloved."
Her words hit me like a crushing blow. The faint ember of hope flickering within me was snuffed out. I slumped to the ground, the weight of despair making it impossible to move. Hiding my face between my knees, I let my tears fall freely.
"I can¡¯t lose her¡ I can¡¯t go through this again," I whispered, my voice weak and fractured.
Cylla tried to move closer, her expression laden with pain and guilt. But the anguish inside me was overwhelming. I stood abruptly, as if something inside me had snapped. Without thinking, I began to force the activation of the Celestial Eyes, my last desperate attempt to save Chloe. I needed to awaken the Aspect of Life.
"Don¡¯t do this!" Cylla cried, her voice filled with panic. "If you force it, it¡¯s dangerous!"
"I have to try!" I yelled back, my voice breaking with grief as my eyes burned, the pressure in my head intensifying.
In a flash, Cylla lunged at me, knocking me to the ground with the weight of her body. Her claws pressed into my shoulders, pinning me firmly. "Don¡¯t do this, my beloved. Please!" she pleaded, her voice cracking. "If you force it before the time is right, you¡¯ll die. It has to happen naturally, or your body won¡¯t survive!"
I trembled with frustration and despair, tears streaming down my face without end. "I can¡¯t lose her¡" I whispered, my voice heavy with pain. "If she dies¡ I won¡¯t want to live either."
Cylla grabbed my face with both paws, her eyes blazing with emotion and resolve. "And I can¡¯t lose you!" she shouted, her voice echoing down the corridor. "If you die, I¡¯ll fulfill my promise. I¡¯ll unleash my full power and destroy everyone, even if it kills me in the process. This world will die with you, Nathan!"
Her words stopped me in my tracks. The pain in Cylla¡¯s heart was palpable, but my own was still suffocating.
Cylla took a deep breath, struggling to hold back the tears shimmering in her eyes. Her voice softened but retained a firm edge. "You need to pull yourself together," she commanded, almost like an order. "I¡¯ve already assessed her condition. If the maids keep taking care of her, her body will stabilize over time. The healing potion is working on the critical areas while the water magic stabilizes the other severe injuries. They¡¯re in a constant battle, like a tug-of-war. As the potion heals one major area, it moves on to the next. It¡¯s like putting out a massive fire. But it¡¯s possible."
Cylla¡¯s words echoed in my mind, bringing a sliver of rationality to the chaos consuming my heart.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps approached, and soon my mother appeared, her face etched with worry.
¡°I went to get you something to eat, and suddenly you were gone,¡± my mother said, kneeling beside me, her voice trembling between relief and worry.
¡°Where¡¯s my aunt?¡± I asked, trying to suppress the whirlwind of emotions, though the anxiety slipped into my voice.
My mother let out a deep sigh. ¡°Your aunt is in terrible shape. She stayed by Chloe¡¯s side for days and eventually collapsed from exhaustion. We had to take her to her room to rest.¡±
Anger bubbled in my chest, intensifying with each passing second. I stood up, feeling the heat of indignation coursing through my body.
¡°What are we going to do about this? Our family was attacked!¡±
My mother hesitated, her eyes carrying the same frustration that burned within me. ¡°The nobles of the duchy have been informed, and, as a result, so has Nikolaus Wolves. We only disclosed that there was an assassination attempt on Chloe. The news has been confined to the political nobility. The kingdom has asked us to wait for an investigation,¡± she explained, bitterness lacing every word.
I laughed, a dry, incredulous sound. ¡°They asked us to wait?¡± I repeated, as though the words were some kind of sick joke.
My mother nodded, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. ¡°Yes¡ we told them what we discovered, but all we have is the name provided by an assassin who¡¯s already dead. It¡¯s not enough for them¡ unfortunately.¡±
¡°Fuck the kingdom,¡± I declared, my patience slipping away like sand through my fingers. ¡°We¡¯re handling this ourselves.¡±
My mother grabbed my hands, her gaze sharp and burning with restrained fury, mirroring my own. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I want! Those nobles attacked my children. But I can¡¯t. I¡¯m not the duchess of this duchy to order such actions.¡±
Before I could respond, a firm voice emerged from the shadows of the corridor, laced with authority and unshakable resolve.
¡°But I am!¡± said my aunt Margie, her presence dark and commanding. ¡°Nathan is right. Fuck the kingdom.¡±
¡°Margie,¡± my mother called, surprised. I could see plainly how devastated my aunt was. Her face bore the marks of exhaustion, her eyes swollen from endless crying. She looked on the verge of collapse, her trembling hands betraying that she likely hadn¡¯t eaten or rested in days.
¡°We¡¯ve lost our husbands, Katie. And now they¡¯ve tried to kill Nathan and my Chloe. I¡¯m done being the good duchess. The time for the Evenharts bowing to the rules of diplomacy is over.¡±
¡°Are you taking an army?¡± my mother asked, her tone heavy with both concern and anticipation.
¡°No... I¡¯m bringing something worse. It¡¯s been over 15 years since this was last done. I¡¯ve summoned the Legacy of Evenhart. We¡¯re all going together. I''m going to knock on those sons of bitches'' door personally.¡±
232 – Preparing for the Evenhart Duchy’s War
Chapter 232 ¨C Preparing for the Evenhart Duchy¡¯s War
Nikolaus Wolves:
I had been drowning in my own torment for days. Sleep had become a cruel joke¡ªI could barely manage an hour before waking up, nervous and restless. The tension in my chest grew with each passing moment, like a rope being stretched to its breaking point. We had all gathered in my fortress, and the despair was etched on every face. The air around the dining table was heavy, suffocating, thick with fear and uncertainty. No one touched the food, and the few words spoken were hollow, directionless.
"They can¡¯t trace that assassin back to us, right?" asked Baron Franklin, his voice trembling with obvious distress. "For years, we¡¯ve cooperated too much in this duchy¡ there¡¯s no way they can connect us to the assassin. Right?"
I said nothing. I didn¡¯t want to answer, and honestly, I didn¡¯t know what to say. My mind was lost in dark thoughts as my eyes wandered over the anxious faces of the other nobles. The oppressive silence hung like a noose.
"This has ruined everything!" Count Laurence suddenly exclaimed, his voice dripping with frustration. He slammed his hand on the table, making the wine glasses tremble. "Why did that damn assassin go after the duchess? I¡¯ve been living in hell ever since I found out the plan to kill the boy had failed! For a while, things seemed to calm down, and I decided to move on. I swore I¡¯d never get involved in anything like this again."
My temples throbbed with a growing headache, and my leg shook uncontrollably under the table. I had no patience for their petty arguments. We needed a plan, something concrete, but I was paralyzed, consumed by a mix of fear and frustration.
My hand trembled inside my pocket, clutching the black stone I had been carrying recently. It was an amulet that promised answers¡ªor at least some direction. But at that moment, it was as silent as the room around me. The Illuminated Ones¡ they had always been like this. They appeared sporadically, offering small hints and solutions before vanishing again, leaving me alone to face the chaos. They had helped me overthrow my father and brother, eliminating them without raising suspicion. With their aid, I rose as the head of the Wolves family. One day, they promised, I would be the next duke. But now¡ now I was here, trapped in a hell with no way out.
"You don¡¯t understand¡" I murmured, breaking the silence. My voice was low but firm, drawing everyone¡¯s attention. "We¡¯re not just dealing with the possibility of being discovered. We¡¯re facing a force that could destroy everything we¡¯ve built."
The others looked at me, confused and fearful. I didn¡¯t know if those words were meant to convince them or myself. Deep down, I knew ruin was looming.
It was my fault! They helped me after the war, but then that heir appeared, and they told me to wait for the right moment. The moment when the great conflict would come, and I could take over. I would have power beyond anyone¡¯s imagination. I had seen what they were capable of¡ and I thought everything would work out, even if I rushed things.
I didn¡¯t know how to find them, the others who served them. They had always been the ones to contact me, never the other way around. And now, with chaos approaching, I was desperate. I needed a solution, but I couldn¡¯t see a way out. The weight of my choices was suffocating me.
My eyes turned to the nobles before me. They argued fervently, their voices loud and panicked. They threw out hypotheses, desperately trying to come up with a plan. But their words were hollow, the desperation of men who knew they were standing at the edge of an abyss.
We had all received the news of the attempt on Chloe Evenhart¡¯s life. The kingdom mentioned they had a lead and that the investigation was ongoing.
What lead could they possibly have?
My stomach churned at the thought of the possibilities.
What if that bastard Quinn left something behind before he died?
I couldn¡¯t focus on the voices around the table¡ªthey blended into an indistinct hum. Fear began consuming me once again. The black stone in my pocket felt as though it weighed a ton. My hand instinctively tightened around it, as if I could wrest an answer from its silence, but silence was all I received.
Help me, my gods. Your servant is begging for your guidance! I recited mentally for what felt like the thousandth time this week, but no response came. They had always said their presence in this world was weak, that our contact would be rare. But now, when I needed them most, there was only silence.
"What do we do now?" The question lingered in the air, breaking the oppressive stillness. One noble murmured it to another, the uncertainty evident in every word. The weight of the situation was nearly tangible, pressing down on everyone like a suffocating shadow.
"They can¡¯t connect us to the incident," one suggested, his voice trembling but attempting to sound confident. "There¡¯s no concrete evidence. They might blame it on some terrorist or criminal group." He seemed to cling to a fragile hope.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.
Another noble laughed, but it came out nervous, almost hysterical, smothered by the tension. "Isn¡¯t that what we are now? A bunch of criminals funding terrorism to kill that Nathan Evenhart?" His bitter laugh hung in the air, and no one joined him. The truth cut deep, sharper than any blade.
Silence fell again, but now all eyes were on me. They were waiting¡ªfor answers, solutions, anything to lighten the crushing weight of the situation. To them, I wasn¡¯t just Nikolaus Wolves, the troublesome, addicted son who had once been a burden to my family. I was their savior.
I was the leader who had pulled them out of bankruptcy, the man who had followed the Illuminated Ones¡¯ plan and delivered them unimaginable wealth. Under my leadership, they had reached the pinnacle of their generation within their families.
But now I have no plan left! There''s only one option... I¡¯ll have to do it. My final move.
I met their eyes and sighed internally. I had to follow through with this plan, and they would have to help me¡ªthere was no turning back from what we¡¯d done.
"I don¡¯t know why that assassin went after the duchess," I began. "I would never order something like that. What I told you is the truth. He stopped contacting me and vanished. I assumed he had taken the advance payment and disappeared. But instead, he chose to act publicly, doing something unthinkable. Now, the entire political nobility knows it was an assassination attempt. Fortunately, what that man did was so random that not even the kingdom will see us as suspects¡ªdespite any lingering doubt¡ªfor two reasons."
They were attentive, hanging on every word.
"The first reason is that we¡¯ve faithfully followed the agreement we made with the kingdom¡¯s intermediary ten years ago when the heir was recognized. Thanks to our plan, we¡¯ve acted as model nobles. Even as political agents under the kingdom¡¯s thumb in this duchy, we supported Duchess Margaery¡¯s actions completely. We didn¡¯t even mount the opposition the kingdom instructed us to, which was meant to disrupt her administration and make her dependent on loans and favors. Their plan to further subjugate the duchies after the war went smoothly in other territories. But here, we acted as exemplary nobles. Because of that, not even the kingdom itself has reason to suspect us."
I paused for a moment, and their pleading eyes urged me to continue.
"The second reason is simple: what benefit would we gain from killing Chloe Evenhart? The faction supported by the kingdom was the one trying to marry her in the past. I personally made a deal with the Grand Duke, promising to cede a significant portion of the Forbidden Lands after the marriage, in exchange for them turning a blind eye to the ¡®accidents¡¯ we¡¯d cause¡ªgradually eliminating the royal guards of the Evenhart family and their kin."
I took a deep breath, the memory of the original plan flashing through my mind¡ªhow everything would have gone perfectly. I had the kingdom¡¯s incentive, the Illuminated Ones¡¯ backing, and yet it all unraveled when that cursed heir appeared.
"What advantage would we gain from killing Chloe Evenhart? It doesn¡¯t make sense for them to suspect the only faction that wanted to marry her, does it?"
They nodded in unison.
¡°You have a point,¡± Baron Franklin said, attempting to steady his nerves.
¡°But still, damn it!¡± Count Laurence burst out, furious. ¡°The kingdom suggested the political route in the past¡ªforcing the duchess to give her daughter¡¯s hand in marriage. They never encouraged assassination. And now, when they find out we were involved, we¡¯re screwed. They¡¯ll kill us without mercy!¡±
My fists clenched tightly.
Everything would have worked, damn it! It was me who wanted to push things forward. Damn it all! I had the support of the Illuminated Ones and the kingdom behind the scenes. I even promised I wouldn¡¯t mind sacrificing my son in experiments if that bitch Chloe Evenhart had a child with the Special Eyes¡ªand they laughed at the joke.
¡°There¡¯s no way they can connect this to us,¡± Baron Gideon said. ¡°The assassin is dead.¡±
You fools forget about the first two assassins who simply vanished? If they were captured and tortured¡ if they gave Quinn¡¯s name, it could be tied to the duchess¡¯s assassination attempt. If they find out the man who died fighting her was Quinn¡
My fists were clenched so hard they hurt.
That cursed assassin! I bet he had that damned tooth with his name engraved on it, like in the legends. If they inspect the corpse, even if the bastard didn¡¯t reveal his name, the stone with his name will still be there. Damn it!
¡°There¡¯s only one way out of this situation,¡± I said, breaking the tense silence, ¡°considering we¡¯re as good as dead if the kingdom supports the Evenharts¡ªand they definitely will.¡±
¡°What way?¡±
¡°War!¡± I declared, my voice echoing through the room.
They erupted into frantic discussions, nervous voices overlapping.
¡°Listen to me!¡± I shouted, silencing them. ¡°If the Evenharts suspect us, they¡¯ll retaliate. If they find proof, the kingdom will sentence us to death. If they send even one Inquisitor Mage here, we¡¯re done. The only way to survive is to act before the kingdom¡¯s investigation concludes. If the Evenharts attack us before the kingdom issues its ruling¡¡±
¡°Self-defense!¡± Count Laurence interjected.
¡°Exactly!¡± I confirmed. ¡°We¡¯ll have the right to defend ourselves against the ¡®tyrants¡¯ who came to kill us. Then we could try negotiating with the kingdom again.¡±
¡°But what if they don¡¯t attack?¡± Baron Franklin asked, breaking the flow of words with his doubt.
Silence hung in the air for a moment.
¡°The Evenharts already know,¡± I continued, the gravity of the situation clear in every word. ¡°We¡¯re playing a shadow game, and they already see us as guilty. We tried to kill the boy in the past, and now, mysteriously, someone hired a group of assassins to forge an accident to kill him. Of course, they suspect us, damn it! They kept quiet in front of the kingdom and didn¡¯t even report the first two assassins. Now, the third assassin attacked the young duchess. Even if it doesn¡¯t make sense at first glance, they¡¯ve already deduced it¡¯s us. Either way, we¡¯re screwed. They already see us as a threat and will come for revenge.¡±
The silence returned, but this time it was a silence of somber understanding.
¡°It¡¯s kill or be killed. The Evenharts will come for us, seeking blood. And even if they don¡¯t, the kingdom, once its investigation concludes, will offer our heads to the Evenharts to secure peace,¡± I said, looking each of them in the eye. ¡°What do you say? Your heads are already on the chopping block¡ªyou just haven¡¯t realized it yet.¡±
¡°War!¡± a noble exclaimed, standing up.
¡°War!¡± another echoed, fear replaced by cold determination.
¡°War! Before they eliminate us. And afterward, we¡¯ll use the future Duchess Chloe, once she¡¯s the only one left. When she bears a child and we have the Evenhart heir, it won¡¯t matter if she dies afterward,¡± Count Laurence added.
¡°Then prepare your private armies and mages. This duchy is going to war!¡± I concluded, feeling the weight of every word, knowing there was no turning back from this moment forward.
233 – Nathan Evenhart’s Sun
Chapter 233 ¨C Nathan Evenhart¡¯s Sun
Nathan Evenhart:
It had been days since I returned to the castle, and I spent most of my time in the infirmary. Chloe had finally stabilized enough to no longer require constant healing magic, though she was still under observation. She remained submerged up to her neck in a special healing water, its restorative properties reinforced hourly by a water mage, while the healing potion worked from within.
Martha, our most skilled healer, monitored her recovery tirelessly, and even Cylla was helping. Although Cylla couldn¡¯t heal, she possessed the ability to detect damage simply by touching someone, allowing us to track the progress of Chloe¡¯s recovery. Chloe remained asleep, drained by both her injuries and mana depletion. The limit she had exceeded to summon her Soul Golem had been dangerous, as her compatibility with the living mana gem was still incomplete. A powerful spell like that could be fatal for a mage who doesn¡¯t fully control their mana, and she had known the risks when she made the summoning.
Approaching Chloe¡¯s bed, I murmured, "I should have been there with you¡ I¡¯m sorry." I kissed her forehead gently, the weight of guilt pressing heavily on me.
Her body, still healing slowly, bore the marks of battle. Her mana was gradually being restored, but her wounds were severe. She remained in a critical state, unconscious, as her body struggled to repair itself and replenish its mana reserves.
I then moved to the stone bed where Kinue rested. She woke occasionally but quickly drifted back to sleep, the result of physical exhaustion and the strain of transforming into her beast form. Her resilience as a demi-human, coupled with mana reinforcement, had allowed her to survive the explosion, and shifting forms had prevented further damage to her human body. However, her inexperience in fully controlling this transformation meant the deep sleep dominated her recovery.
I looked at the burns and wounds on her body, my heart tightening. Her ear, once partially destroyed, had already been restored. The flesh on her arm, which had been partially obliterated, was slowly regenerating. Like Chloe, Kinue was submerged in the healing water, receiving half a dose of healing potion daily. Fortunately, she was no longer in life-threatening condition; now, it was only a matter of waiting for her body to complete the healing process.
For now, they were safe, but seeing them so fragile and wounded filled me with a deep ache.
"I didn¡¯t know¡" I murmured, a knot forming in my throat. "I didn¡¯t know you felt inferior for not being human."
Gently, I brushed Kinue¡¯s hair away from her forehead, revealing part of her face. The burns on her right cheek were still visible, though I could see that the healing potion was working. Soon, there would be no trace of her injuries.
"Even while hurt, you tried to hide this wound on your face, afraid that I¡¯d see it¡" I continued, my voice faltering. "You¡¯re my dear friend. I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t notice your feelings sooner¡"
I looked at Kinue and Chloe, both asleep, and felt a coldness pierce my heart. They had fought to survive, and I had done nothing. A suffocating sense of helplessness overwhelmed me. For the first time in a long while, I allowed part of what I kept buried within me to surface.
"I¡¯m terrified of this new life of mine¡" I admitted in a whisper, the words heavier than I¡¯d expected. "One of my greatest fears is becoming feared again. That¡¯s what terrifies me most: people being afraid of me. I remember how it was¡ the time when I couldn¡¯t walk the streets without people running from me or kneeling, begging for mercy."
I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of each word. It was both a relief and a painful confession.
"I¡¯m deeply afraid that time will return, that people will once again see me as the embodiment of evil. I fear no one will want to stay near me because of that constant fear, just like before. I withdrew from everyone because I hated seeing people run or bow before me. No one ever talks about it¡ about the weight that comes with power. They all trembled, pissed themselves in fear, and didn¡¯t even need to see me up close. Just sensing my presence from afar was enough to make them kneel."This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
I stepped closer to the two of them, gazing at their wounded faces. Even in the stillness, the fear of loss consumed me.
"I¡¯m terrified of being feared again¡ but what scares me more is losing you," I confessed, knowing that more than ever, I couldn¡¯t let that happen.
I looked at Chloe and Kinue¡¯s sleeping faces, their fragile states a stark contrast to the growing weight inside me. An ancient fury, long buried, began to stir.
"Those days are behind me¡" I murmured, letting the words take shape in the air. "But today¡ I¡¯ll allow myself to return to old habits. Today, I want people to fear me."
My voice solidified, transforming all my emotions into pure hatred. "Today, I want them to kneel and cry blood just from being in my presence. Today, I want them to understand the mistake they made in daring to think they could hurt my family."
I took one last look at them, my breathing heavy.
"You are my sun. And today, those people will know the true weight of facing the wrath of a god."
Without looking back, I walked out of the room. The rage I had once feared now became my ally.
Today, the Nathan Evenhart who feared being feared would give way to something far darker.
***
I entered the room, and as usual, Cylla was there, perched on the bed, watching me in her moon panther cub form. I closed the door behind me, the weight in my chest heavier than ever. Over the past few days, activity in the Wolves'' fortress had grown suspicious. Nikolaus was gathering an army alongside the nobles who feared our retaliation. The kingdom had yet to respond, and in their desperation, they were willing to fight to the bitter end.
"Nate..." Cylla called softly, her voice gentle yet laden with concern, as I sat on the bed.
Those familiar eyes observed me, and for a moment, the comfort her presence always brought tried to ease my tension. But the decision I needed to make wasn¡¯t going to be easy. I looked at my closest companion, the one who had been by my side since I was five years old. I moved closer and sat on the bed.
"Cylla, I don¡¯t want you to come with me," I said firmly.
"What? Why?" She stood up quickly and moved closer to me.
"I don¡¯t want you to go to battle. I want you to stay here," I repeated, trying to hold onto my resolve.
She leapt onto my lap, insistent. "No! I want to go with you!"
I knew what I needed to say, even though it pained me. "I¡¯m forbidding you from coming or following me."
"No! Why are you doing this? I love you! I want to protect you!" she retorted, her wide eyes filled with confusion and hurt.
With a heavy heart, I gently lifted her from my lap, trying to stay firm. "If you disobey me, I¡¯ll be disappointed in you."
"I don¡¯t care! I¡¯ll go anyway!" Cylla argued, her stubbornness unwavering.
I sighed, meeting her distressed gaze. "I¡¯m doing this for your own good. You¡¯re not going. I¡¯m forbidding it. If you truly love me, don¡¯t go. If you do¡ everything will be over. Our friendship will be over."
She fell silent, sensing the gravity of my words, and tears began to stream from her eyes. "Why? Why are you doing this to me, Nathan? Am I¡ am I not important to you? You¡¯re my beloved..."
"I¡¯m doing this because you are important to me." I moved closer, seeing the pain reflected in the tears she tried to hide.
I sighed, feeling the weight of the hurt she carried.
"One day, Nathan Evenhart will die," I began, my voice low but resolute. Cylla looked at me, surprised and distressed. "One day, I¡¯ll leave this world, and I hope it will be from old age. I¡¯m human, Cylla. Your kind lives far longer. I¡¯ll leave, but you¡¯ll remain."
Tears began to flow down her face, her eyes filled with anguish.
"Why, Nathan? Why are you telling me this? You¡¯re hurting me..." she whispered, her voice trembling with pain.
"But it¡¯s the truth." I sat beside her, hoping my words would provide some comfort. "I will die¡ it¡¯s the cycle of nature. But you¡¯ll still be here. And I want you to stay with my family. I want you to care for my children, my grandchildren, everyone who comes after me. I don¡¯t want you to be alone in this world. We both know how much it hurts to be lonely. That¡¯s why I need you to stay. I don¡¯t want your existence to be discovered."
Her tears were falling freely now, but I had to continue.
"I want you to live here, being a grandmother to my children. When I¡¯m gone, Cylla, you¡¯ll be the one to keep my memory alive in your heart."
I stood, walking toward the door, my voice beginning to falter under the weight of what I was about to say.
"But for that to happen, I need you to stay safe. I need humans to remain unaware of your existence. If you love me, please¡ respect what I¡¯m asking. I love you too, Cylla. And I can¡¯t let anyone discover you."
I left the room, my heart heavy as I heard her sobs behind me. I paused for a moment, my hand still on the doorknob, and murmured softly to myself.
"You¡¯re my sun too¡ and I don¡¯t want you to see the darkness I¡¯m about to unleash."
234 – The Evenharts Prepare for War
Chapter 234 ¨C The Evenharts Prepare for War
Hugo Riverclimb:
I was in the throne room, updating Margaery on the latest developments. Over the past week, it had become evident that the old faction of nobles was scheming something. Private armies were mobilizing toward Wolves¡¯ fortress. As a marquess, Nikolaus Wolves held a prominent position in the nobility, just below the dukes, and his fortress was strategically fortified to withstand a siege.
The armies consisted of common soldiers and mages. Their likely strategy was to assign one mage for every four soldiers, allowing them to disperse their forces while maximizing the mages¡¯ impact on the battlefield. War was on the horizon¡ªthere was no denying it.
We would march with both trusted assassins and soldiers loyal to our territory. We could try rallying other vassal nobles of the duchy, but this wasn¡¯t about politics. We were going there to kill every last one of them.
Nikolaus came from a lineage of noble mages, and his family had accumulated numerous spells over the years¡ªthrough auctions, learning from other mages, or acquiring forbidden grimoires and scrolls from the underworld. It was almost certain his personal guard included powerful mages.
The situation grew more dire with each new report. Margaery, though maintaining a composed demeanor, understood we couldn¡¯t underestimate them. After all, this was a faction of nobles united in purpose.
It remains to be seen if he has capable men who can wield powerful spells. But since he¡¯s a marquess, he himself might also be a skilled mage. Just as we¡¯ve never publicly revealed what we¡¯re truly capable of, he might be the same.
Considering our plan further, I decided to entrust leadership of the maids to my wife. As head of the maids and their combat trainer, she knew the best strategies for their deployment. While she handled that front, I would lead the soldiers on the battlefield.
There would be no mercy.
Our strategy revolved around utilizing every ounce of our magical power. This time, we wouldn¡¯t hold back. Even Katherine, who had sworn never to take up arms or return to the battlefield, had asked to join the fight.
It was war, and we all knew what was at stake.
It''s been over 15 years since she disappeared from the battlefield... I think I''ll see those terrifying creatures again. The memory of what she can do with those things doesn''t sit well with me...
I glanced down at my belly.
Damn it¡ I thought I¡¯d gotten over my trauma with plants¡ and now I¡¯m about to face that again.
"Is everything according to plan?" Margaery¡¯s voice snapped me out of my thoughts. We stood before the large strategy table, where a detailed map of Wolves¡¯ region and fortress lay spread out, surrounded by notes and diagrams.
Resting atop the table was a familiar chain¡ªthe same one the young master had found when he was just five years old.
"You¡¯re really bringing that thing?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Of course," she replied without hesitation. "I spent ten years mastering how to fight with it without it getting in my way. If I¡¯m returning to the battlefield as the ¡®Witch of Torture,¡¯ no weapon is more fitting than this."
We turned back to the map, our focus renewed.
"Nikolaus Wolves intends to hold a siege; he¡¯s already preparing his defenses. I even heard that a few days ago, he stopped the trade route to his fortress. No one is going in or out," I said, studying the possible attack and defense routes. "He¡¯s positioning part of his army outside the fortress to defend it and directly confront our advance."
Margaery scratched her chin, deep in thought. ¡°The internal army will prevent us from getting close to the walls while providing support and replacements for the forces outside. They can easily rotate and maintain resistance.¡±
¡°Defenders always have the advantage,¡± I added, my eyes fixed on the map. ¡°He¡¯ll play on both fronts, defensive and offensive. We¡¯ll have to deal with long-range attacks from the Shooter Mages on the walls and the army positioned outside. It¡¯s going to be complicated. The Shooter Mages can continuously hurl fireballs and other explosive spells to keep us from advancing on the forces outside the walls.¡±
If we attack from a distance with fire magic, they¡¯ll use water mages to defend. It seems we¡¯ll have to get close for a direct confrontation while breaching their defenses.
I paused for a moment, contemplating the gravity of the situation. Nikolaus Wolves¡¯ fortress was more than a mere military structure; it was a true bastion of war, protected by a massive circular wall. That place wasn¡¯t just a military encampment but an entire village dedicated exclusively to soldiers. Unlike our castle and village, where life was diverse and balanced, everything there revolved around preparation and combat readiness. There was no space for civilian life¡ªonly soldiers and a few essential workers.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
The Wolves¡¯ fortress functioned as a pure military garrison, something that made sense given Nikolaus¡¯ unique role as a border marquess. He wasn¡¯t like other marquesses who helped manage lands and sustain the territory. His sole concern was military defense, which made him more of an armed extension of the kingdom than an administrator. This position granted him not only authority but also significant technological advantages. The kingdom favored him with high-level magical seals and advanced technologies, likely including sophisticated mana barriers that shielded the entire fortress.
¡°Nikolaus Wolves is prepared to go all the way. He knows that, with or without the kingdom¡¯s support, we¡¯re determined to kill him. He¡¯ll want to settle everything in a decisive battle where whoever remains on the field will claim control of these lands,¡± I said.
Margaery clenched her fists, and the temperature in the room seemed to drop suddenly.
¡°He dared to harm my children. There¡¯s no forgiveness for him. He might think we¡¯ll follow standard military strategies, but we¡¯re not going there as soldiers. We¡¯re going there as assassins!¡± Margaery said, her voice thick with rage, and I felt the intensity of her fury.
I turned my attention back to the map in front of us.
¡°I¡¯ll follow the plan¡ªyours and my wife¡¯s. I¡¯ll let you and Martha initiate the first contact with the enemy while I wait with the men.¡±
Margaery nodded, agreeing with the strategy.
¡°And Katherine, where will she be positioned? Which team?¡± I asked, curious about her role.
¡°She¡¯ll go alone,¡± Margaery replied firmly.
¡°Alone? You¡¯re really going to let her handle part of the army on her own?¡±
Margaery drove an ice dagger into a point on the map, her expression resolute. ¡°Like me, she¡¯s a mother. They dared to harm our children. She asked to go alone, and I trust her. You¡¯ve seen her in the past. Do you remember what they called her? ¡®The Head Cutter.¡¯¡±
I decided not to argue. Even if I wanted to protect her, I knew she was more likely to protect me if she was determined. Katherine wasn¡¯t someone to be underestimated.
¡°When do we leave?¡± I asked.
¡°At dawn,¡± Margaery replied without hesitation.
I agreed.
¡°It will take us a few days to reach the fortress, but we can take the trails through the forbidden forests to get as close as possible. Only we know these paths and routes. I¡¯ll bring a small army of soldiers since we¡¯ll have the maids advance first. Normally, against a siege, it would be ideal to have at least five times the number of men as the army inside the walls. However, we¡¯ll rely on a strategy of efficiency and quality over quantity. We¡¯re not going there as military forces,¡± I said.
Margaery looked at me with unwavering determination, and I continued.
¡°With the Evenhart Legacy going into battle at full force, they¡¯ll learn the true power of an organization of assassins.¡±
Before I could say more, the door suddenly swung open.
¡°Nate,¡± Margaery said, and I turned to see the young master entering the room.
Nathan Evenhart:
I sighed and opened the door to the throne room.
¡°Nate,¡± my aunt called as soon as she saw me.
Hugo and she were in a private meeting. There weren¡¯t even guards outside¡ªthe preparations were well underway. We hadn¡¯t mobilized the duchy¡¯s army; this was our personal battle. Only our most trusted soldiers and servants, those who had lived in the villages surrounding the castle and served our family for generations, would be joining us. With a small contingent of 500 soldiers and 100 maids, this would be an operation of utmost trust. Naturally, the castle couldn¡¯t be left unguarded.
My mother would stay in a secluded area, but she would have people nearby to assist her, including the Legacies. We knew the strongest mages would be within the fortress, and it would be extremely dangerous to allow that internal army to launch ranged attacks without an immediate response.
The soldiers accompanying us were of high rank, but not all were mages. The maids, however, were warriors trained from a young age to be lethal assassins. While they didn¡¯t have significant offensive magical power, their skills with spears and other weapons were devastating. I looked at the strategy table, where the battlefield was laid out, and old memories washed over me.
I¡¯d been in meetings like this many times before. I never thought I¡¯d see this again in this life.
¡°Is something wrong, dear?¡± my aunt asked.
¡°I¡¯m joining the first attack,¡± I said firmly.
Hugo glanced at me, then at the strategy table, considering.
¡°We can¡¯t improvise. We need to stick to the plan. They have many soldiers and the advantage of defense,¡± he said, his voice heavy with concern.
Inside me, the fury of an old General stirred. I knew that once I was on the battlefield, facing those who had harmed my family, it would be hard to hold back.
¡°We¡¯re in a tough position. The Shooter Mages on the walls will target us the moment they see us. We won¡¯t even reach the army outside if they overwhelm us,¡± I added.
¡°Your aunt and Martha¡¯s plan already accounts for that,¡± Hugo replied.
I looked at the map again. Nikolaus Wolves had barricaded himself in the fortress, with Shooter Mages¡ªlikely fire specialists¡ªpositioned atop the walls alongside archers. Even with my aunt¡¯s strategy, those mages would wreak havoc. To Nikolaus, sacrificing his own allies outside the walls was irrelevant.
¡°I want to try something called a Trojan Horse,¡± I said.
They stared at me, confused.
¡°I¡¯ve explained it to Sifu. I didn¡¯t come to ask for permission. I¡¯m going alone,¡± I declared.
My aunt stepped closer, gripping my hand tightly.
¡°You and Chloe are my treasure. I can¡¯t let you go like this. I didn¡¯t even want you involved. I can¡¯t risk losing anyone else in our family,¡± she said, her voice trembling. ¡°But I understand your military responsibilities. Even so, as your aunt, I¡¯m telling you: you¡¯ll stay in the rear until we break the Shooter Mages¡¯ defenses.¡±
Her gaze, heavy with worry, bore into me, and I sighed.
¡°You told me that one day I would take over the military leadership of this duchy. What will my title be when that happens?¡± I asked.
¡°General,¡± she answered.
That title, so familiar, resonated deeply within me.
¡°Very well. I will go as a General.¡±
¡°No!¡± she tried to protest, but it was already too late.
ASPECT OF TIME!
The world turned a shade of blue and slowed to a crawl, as if time itself had frozen.
I freed myself from her grip and walked to the strategy table¡ªthe only area I hadn¡¯t frozen in time. I approached and knocked over all the pieces representing the fortress.
¡°This is the chaos a true General will bring!¡± I declared, turning my back and leaving the room, walking alone toward my objective.
235 – The Assassins Go to War!
Chapter 235 ¨C The Assassins Go to War!
Hugo Riverclimb:
¡°Fuck!¡± Margaery shouted. ¡°He¡¯s gone!¡±
We had searched everywhere, and the young master had vanished in the blink of an eye.
What kind of power was that? Could it be connected to him being a transmitter of the thunder element? Over all these years of training, I¡¯ve witnessed the speed he gained using the Thunder Mantle, but what I saw in the throne room was different. Nathan simply vanished.
I sighed.
Kids these days¡
We had turned the castle upside down, but Nathan had already left. When Katherine checked his room, she found only Cylla.
"My son..." Katherine murmured, her guilt evident.
¡°We can¡¯t waste any more time!¡± Margaery barked, pacing back and forth in the throne room. ¡°Nathan might be a skilled mage, but he¡¯s just one person. There¡¯s an army camped in front of that fortress, and another inside it. I know he¡¯s angry¡ªhell, I¡¯m angry too¡ªbut we had a plan for a reason!¡±
The Legacies were assembled. With me were my wife, my two daughters, Katherine, Margaery, Yusuf, Lionel, Samantha, and Bonnie. Sifu was absent, busy preparing the army.
¡°What do we do? Does anyone know what he¡¯s planning?¡± Bonnie asked, gripping her twin cleavers. Her weapons, connected by wires, were wielded with precision thanks to her affinity with the wind element. Samantha, on the other hand, used fans to manipulate wind and fire. Lionel, a fighter wielding a massive claymore, controlled the water element, while Yusuf was a skilled marksman specializing in earth manipulation.
¡°I don¡¯t know, but I¡¯m done waiting. Fuck it!¡± Margaery decided, her expression resolute. ¡°We¡¯re leaving now. Forget about setting out at dawn¡ªwe¡¯ll be walking for days anyway. I won¡¯t let my nephew pull off this madness alone!¡±
She stormed out of the throne room, leaving us behind.
¡°Wait!¡± I called after her, noticing the others following in her wake. ¡°Where are you going?¡±
¡°What¡¯s your plan, Margie?¡± Katherine asked.
¡°I¡¯m calling reinforcements! The future of our family is at stake. The entire family is going to war!¡± Margaery declared with conviction. At that moment, a shadow leapt from the wall toward us.
¡°Holy shit!¡± I exclaimed, startled.
¡°ROOOAR!¡± A gray panther materialized before us, roaring ferociously.
¡°There you are. You¡¯re coming too,¡± Margaery said to Carnellian, who nodded in agreement.
¡°Carnellian, you¡¯ve never left this castle. Are you sure about this?¡± my wife, Martha, asked. ¡°I thought you were a recluse.¡±
The panther gave a predatory grin, rising to its full height and revealing sharp claws.
¡°AAARGH!¡± Carnellian roared again, pointing to its own mouth.
¡°I see¡ You¡¯re Nathan and Chloe¡¯s guardian,¡± Martha said, understanding its intent. ¡°It looks like you¡¯re planning to deliver judgment for those who harmed your charges¡ªby devouring the enemies alive.¡±
Margaery continued down the hall, and we all followed, Carnellian by our side.
¡°Where are you going?¡± I asked as we moved through the corridors, but she ignored me.
After some time, Margaery stopped in front of a familiar door and opened it. Inside, we heard the soft sound of crying.
On the bed was a panther cub.
Don¡¯t tell me she¡¯s planning to bring that thing too.
I hadn¡¯t spoken much about it over the years, but the truth was, I was afraid of that phoenix, especially after seeing the size she reached in her dragon form.
Damn...
I glanced at the giant panther beside me, towering over me, and then at Nathan¡¯s room.
Fuck¡ good thing I¡¯m not on the other side of this war, I thought.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.
¡°And you? Are you staying here?¡± Margaery asked, sitting on the bed next to Cylla.
Cylla was still crying and only nodded, confirming silently.
Margaery sighed. ¡°I take it he forbade you from leaving...¡±
The panther cub lowered her head, looking dejected.
¡°I¡¯m that boy¡¯s second mother. I watched him grow up in these halls¡ªstealing sweets, studying books¡ªand I taught him many things myself. I taught him to read in other languages, about politics, culture, and even how to kill someone with a quill. That boy is my pride. But he also listens to me, because I¡¯m his aunt¡ªhis second mother.¡±
Margaery leaned in closer to Cylla. ¡°I¡¯m overturning his order. You¡¯re an Evenhart. You¡¯re coming with me to avenge what was done to our family.¡±
Cylla looked at her, surprised.
¡°If he gives you a hard time about it, let me know. I¡¯ll have Katherine pull his ears,¡± Margaery added, standing up. ¡°Now let¡¯s go! I need a warrior, not a crybaby!¡±
She left the room, walking past us.
***
We were walking outside the castle, where the small army was almost ready to depart. Everywhere I looked, men were adjusting their weapons, fastening belts, and checking equipment on their horses. The maids moved in perfect synchronization, some focused on wrapping metal wires around their wrists with the precision that only years of training could bring. The air buzzed with preparation, a calm before the storm.
I approached Katherine, who was busy adjusting her armor. It had been a while since I¡¯d seen her in that gear¡ªthe dark, reinforced metal contrasting sharply with the vibrant colors of her hair.
¡°Where¡¯s Cylla?¡± I asked, trying not to sound as nervous as I felt.
¡°She¡¯ll take a bit longer,¡± Katherine replied, not lifting her eyes from the buckles of her armor. ¡°She needs to switch to her beast form and stabilize her mana reserves before we leave. But since she can fly, she¡¯ll catch up with us easily. She¡¯ll probably leave in a few days but arrive slightly late.¡±
¡°Did anyone throw her some meat yet?¡± I asked.
Katherine paused and looked at me, one eyebrow raised. ¡°No. She¡¯ll feed during the war.¡±
I swallowed hard.
Damn¡ I think I¡¯m the only normal one here.
As she finished strapping on her armor, my eyes drifted to her weapon: a massive pair of gardening shears made of a greenish metal that seemed to pulse with its own energy.
¡°Are you going to summon that thing?¡± I asked, trying to mask my nervousness with curiosity.
¡°I am,¡± she said, referring to her Soul Golem, her tone calm but heavy with intensity. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since my girl and I went out for a stroll.¡±
I knew exactly what she was talking about. Katherine was the only summoner mage in our army¡ªa rarity among mages, one that made the kingdom go to great lengths to keep such individuals on their side.
¡°Looks like I¡¯ll be seeing the Head Cutter in action again,¡± I commented, attempting to ease the tension with a laugh.
She shot me a firm look, her eyes blazing with determination. ¡°They hurt my son¡ his body and his heart. I won¡¯t let a single one of them leave alive.¡±
As she adjusted her boots, the ground around her began to respond. Roots emerged, twisting and turning into plant serpents that seemed to move in rhythm with her breath.
¡°I¡¯m going to put these princesses inside every one of their stomachs!¡± Katherine declared, her fury palpable. Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked away.
I stood there, watching the plant serpents vanish into the ground, her words echoing in my mind.
Damn¡ I really thought I¡¯d gotten over my plant trauma¡
***
We were on the move. Some of our companions had already gone ahead, led by Lionel and Yusuf. The maids had vanished into the trees, likely under my wife¡¯s command, as she took the lead to finalize the details of the attack strategy.
¡°Sifu, what did he mean by something called a ¡®Trojan Horse¡¯?¡± I asked, my curiosity breaking the silence of our march.
Margaery, Katherine, and I walked alongside the monk, leaving the castle behind. Ahead of us, men held the reins of their horses, preparing to face the treacherous trails of the forbidden forests.
¡°He actually said ¡®Trojan Horse¡¯?¡± the monk asked, raising an eyebrow in intrigue.
¡°Yes, exactly that,¡± Margaery replied firmly.
Sifu grew thoughtful, his eyes taking on a distant gleam as he tried to recall something. ¡°He mentioned a story by that name once,¡± he murmured, almost to himself. ¡°I found it fascinating.¡±
Katherine, ever curious, leaned slightly toward him. ¡°And what was the story about?¡±
¡°All I can remember is that it spoke of a legendary city called Troy, known as the most fortified in the world. Its walls were so impenetrable that the Greek army, their enemies, spent years trying to conquer it without success. Then, a Greek general named Odysseus had a brilliant idea. He ordered his army to completely withdraw from the city¡¯s front, disappearing from the Trojans¡¯ sight. But before leaving, they built a massive wooden horse, hollow on the inside, and left it at the city¡¯s gates.¡±
Could it have been an army of elves manipulating the wood? Or is it just a tale? I thought but kept my silence.
¡°The Greek army, Troy¡¯s enemies, vanished overnight. By morning, the Trojans found a giant wooden horse in front of their walls. To them, it seemed like an offering of peace¡ªa gift left by the Greeks in recognition of their defeat, as the army had disappeared without a trace. Convinced the war was over, the Trojans brought the horse into their city, a trophy symbolizing their invincibility. They placed it in the city¡¯s center, a testament that Troy would never fall. After all, if even the mighty Greeks surrendered... no one would dare oppose Troy. But, under the cover of night, the unexpected happened. The impenetrable city, so proud of its fortress, fell,¡± Sifu continued, his expression pensive.
We stared at him, engrossed, waiting for him to reveal the conclusion.
¡°And then? How did Troy, with its unbreakable walls, fall?¡± I asked, the curiosity evident in my voice.
The monk offered a faint smile, clearly savoring our anticipation.
¡°The certainty of victory was their downfall. Hidden inside the massive wooden horse that General Odysseus built was an elite troop. When night fell and the Trojans slept, content with their supposed victory, the Greek soldiers emerged from their hiding place. They opened the city gates for the rest of the Greek army, which had been waiting outside. In a single night, the years-long war ended¡ªall thanks to the intelligence and strategy of a single general,¡± Sifu concluded, his voice imbued with a near-poetic reverence.
We exchanged glances, each of us reflecting on the tale.
¡°I don¡¯t see how this could be a plan¡¡± Margaery said, struggling to connect the dots.
¡°I believe, in some way, he plans to be the Trojan Horse himself and enter Nikolaus Wolves¡¯ fortress alone,¡± the monk concluded.
236 – Trojan Horse
Chapter 236 ¨C Trojan Horse
Nikolaus Wolves:
For days, I¡¯d been more on edge than ever before. I paced back and forth incessantly. Whenever I entered my office, I could barely glance at the papers. Sometimes, I¡¯d pick up a document to sign without even bothering to read it. The tension seemed to consume everyone, though most didn¡¯t truly understand the gravity of the situation. Only the most trusted men¡ªthose involved in our illicit activities¡ªknew the full truth. They were the ones working behind the scenes, our ¡°criminals.¡±
I knew that if an army invaded, no one would stop to ask questions. They¡¯d simply follow orders. These men understood the weight of the crimes we¡¯d committed, and they were well aware that if we fell, they would fall with us. But if we could defend our lands successfully¡ there was a chance.
I had made a public announcement that the Wolves Fortress was conducting its annual military exercises. I ensured that the allied nobles¡¯ soldiers traveled on public roads, escorted by patrols, to make the movement noticeable. The goal was clear: provoke them. The Evenhart family wouldn¡¯t let what happened slide. I needed them to react quickly. The sooner this confrontation started, the better.
The truth was, my position was fragile. If the kingdom lost its patience, it would take only a single troop of winged cavalry to storm my fortress. As strong as it was, against flying enemies and inquisitor mages, it would be useless. Just the thought of facing an inquisitor mage made my skin crawl. Nothing would remain of me.
A thousand possibilities ran through my mind, tormenting me. Perhaps the kingdom was deliberately taking its time, waiting for us to kill each other so they could negotiate with the survivor. Or worse, maybe the Evenharts had already received the kingdom¡¯s approval to act. Despite being a vassal of the kingdom, I knew my true place: just a marquess.
The kingdom would never choose to protect a marquess if it risked their alliance with a duke. No matter how much they downplayed the influence of the dukedoms, they knew those territories were the pillars of their strength. If even one of the eight dukedoms demanded independence, it would create a devastating domino effect. That was why they began working in the shadows, weakening the dukedoms and making them dependent.
That was the reason for the damn agreement I made years ago! If I had managed to join the Evenhart family, marrying the duchess and becoming a duke¡ I would have won. With an entire dukedom under my control and the kingdom¡¯s backing, I could have had everything in my grasp.
The anguish in my chest grew like poison, and without thinking, I downed my entire glass of wine, trying in vain to drown out the bitter taste of failure.
¡°Shall I pour you another glass, my lord?¡± the servant asked.
¡°No! Leave!¡± I snapped.
Left alone, I returned to my thoughts.
¡°If the Evenharts come,¡± I muttered, ¡°we need to crush their main forces. Once we defeat or capture their most important members, we can take their castle for ourselves.¡±
Even as I thought through our plan, anxiety gnawed at me. Nothing felt certain.
¡°Bandits, mercenaries, soldiers¡ we¡¯ve summoned everyone,¡± I continued, speaking to myself, as if to reassure myself that we were prepared.
But deep down, I knew. I knew the Evenharts were out there, waiting for the right moment.
We have to defeat the Evenharts before the kingdom intervenes.
¡°Maybe,¡± I murmured again, ¡°the kingdom truly wants us to destroy each other, to make the mistake of starting this war. If I die, I¡¯ll take with me all the secrets of what¡¯s been planned. And the kingdom could use that to subjugate the Evenharts, claiming they broke diplomatic laws. I might already be dancing in the palm of their hand with this mistake of mine¡¡±
"Fuck it!" I shouted, kicking the chair and sending the documents scattering across the desk. "I just need to survive... survive, win this war, and then I''ll take Chloe Evenhart as mine! An heir will ensure my ultimate victory."
I grabbed my head in frustration.
"Once I win, I''ll fuck Chloe Evenhart until that girl gives me a goddamned heir!"
Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out the black stone, hoping for some kind of response, some guidance... but there was only silence. The Illuminated didn¡¯t speak.
"Damn rain!" I shouted, glaring out the window. For two days, my fortress had been surrounded by dark clouds, with constant rain pouring down. It seemed as though a violent storm was brewing.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Taking a deep breath, I resumed pacing back and forth, mentally reviewing our options.
"We¡¯ve surrounded the fortress with our armies. Strengthened our defenses with the internal forces. We have mages and the ¡®Ten Fingers¡¯ to protect us."
The Ten Fingers... the most powerful mages at our disposal. They were my personal guard and that of the other nobles¡ªa handpicked elite force armed with a vast array of spells, prepared for any battle. They could decimate our enemies if the tide turned against us.
"If the situation outside becomes critical, I¡¯ll send in the Ten Fingers to secure our victory."
Leaving the office, I marched quickly toward the war room. The fortress was alive with activity. Servants scurried about, carrying out the orders of the nobles who now crowded every corner. Guards were stationed in every corridor, entire garrisons seated and waiting for orders.
The plan was clear in my mind. The external army would surround the fortress, forming our front line. Mages within their ranks would support the soldiers, while the archers and Shooter Mages atop the walls served as our trump card. If the Evenharts approached, arrows and fireballs would rain down upon them. We had even prepared a strategy to flood the area in front of the gates with waves of water, complicating any attempt to advance. Earth mages stood ready on the walls to launch spikes like arrows if necessary.
My fortress was a marvel of magical engineering, designed centuries ago by earth mages who specialized in military defenses. The walls themselves were a spectacle: they featured strategically placed openings, resembling cannon ports, allowing mages to cast spells from within while remaining protected. This was a fortress built not just to withstand attacks but to strike back¡ªa bastion of resistance against any invader.
The underground system was another crucial advantage. Tunnels and passageways connected various parts of the fortress, ensuring a steady supply of weapons and resources even during a siege. Additionally, the surrounding garrisons and houses served as strategic outposts, creating an extra layer of security.
Inside the walls, earth mages stayed on high alert, ready to rapidly repair any damage caused by enemy spells. Wind mages specialized in erecting defensive barriers. While they couldn¡¯t cover the entire span of the walls, they could react to targeted enemy spells, raising wind shields as an additional layer of protection.
Another of the fortress''s major trump cards was its water-based defense system, an emergency measure designed to devastate any army foolish enough to approach. Controlled by water mages stationed at key points, this system could unleash a massive torrent. When activated, a colossal wave of water would surge from the walls like a tsunami, crashing down with overwhelming force and sweeping away everything in its path.
This attack would not only shatter enemy formations but also throw them into complete disarray, creating chaos on the battlefield. Meanwhile, archers and mages, safely protected behind fortifications, would capitalize on the confusion to deliver precise strikes, eliminating survivors and any threat attempting to regroup.
When it came to defense, my fortress was unmatched. There was no other stronghold in the entire duchy that came close to its level of preparation, strategy, and applied magic. It wasn¡¯t just a fortress; it was a statement of power.
We were ready to deliver an unrelenting defense.
¡°Damn rain!¡± I growled, glancing out the windows at the black clouds swirling in the sky and the flashes of lightning splitting the horizon.
It was the dead of night; we should have been sleeping, but the tension in the air was suffocating. No one could relax. As I opened the door to the war room, I was met with a cacophony of shouting and heated arguments.
¡°We need to do this now!¡± one of them yelled, his face red with anger.
¡°No! Are you insane? You want to deploy a mage from the Ten Fingers outside already? They¡¯re our trump card! We can¡¯t waste them at the start!¡± retorted Count Laurence.
I pinched the bridge of my nose, feeling the weight of this endless debate. We had revisited this same argument countless times, but it seemed no one could grasp the logic.
¡°The Ten Fingers will remain inside!¡± I declared, my voice echoing through the room. ¡°We¡¯ll deploy them when the time is right¡ªand not before.¡±
I strode to the board where the massive map of the fortress and its attack and defense routes was pinned. All eyes turned toward me.
¡°Listen carefully, you idiots!¡± I said, my patience stretched to its limit. "A war isn''t won through recklessness. A war is won with patience and strategy. The symbol of my family is the Wolf. The Wolves family embodies this philosophy. A wolf doesn¡¯t attack without thought¡ªit hunts with caution. When the enemy is tired, believing they have the upper hand, that''s the moment we unleash our secret weapons. That''s the moment a wolf goes straight for the throat."
My voice was cold and calculated as I explained, ¡°The Ten Fingers and my pack of Great Wolves will only be released when the time is right. When that moment comes, we¡¯ll still have a second internal army ready for battle. It will be like a tsunami. We¡¯ll unleash everything at once. But for that to happen, the soldiers outside need to give their lives holding back the Evenhart forces. We need to draw them close to the walls, within range of our Shooter Mages. The Evenhart soldiers must be tired, their numbers severely diminished, their mages drained of mana. Only then will we act.¡±
A heavy silence settled over the room. Finally, the weight of the situation seemed to dawn on them, and the importance of the strategy sank in.
¡°My lord!¡± The door flew open, and a maid burst in, gasping for breath. I was ready to lash out for the interruption, but something in her face stopped me. It was serious.
"A boy has appeared in front of the army," she said, gasping for air.
¡°What do you mean a boy appeared?¡± I demanded. ¡°The order was to kill anyone who approached the army outside! No one should be near the fortress!¡±
¡°He said his name is Nathan Evenhart,¡± she replied.
The moment that name left her lips, a suffocating silence enveloped the room. Those around me exchanged nervous glances, panic and uncertainty spreading like wildfire.
¡°He¡¯s here! The damned army has arrived¡¡± a noble muttered, his voice trembling with despair.
¡°No, my lord. He¡¯s alone. The boy is sitting outside, right in front of our army,¡± the maid clarified.
¡°What!? You¡¯ve got to be joking!¡± I shouted, storming across the room toward her.
The heir I¡¯d spent years trying to eliminate... sitting alone in front of my army?
¡°That¡¯s impossible. Are you sure he¡¯s alone?¡± Disbelief laced my voice as I gripped the maid¡¯s shoulder, my fingers digging in with all the urgency of the moment.
"I am sure, my lord¡ and he''s asking for a duel," she replied, visibly shaken by the intensity of the situation.
237 – The War
Chapter 237 ¨C The War
Nikolaus Wolves:
¡°It can¡¯t be the heir,¡± said Baron Franklin as we walked side by side. My mind was racing with disbelief and chaotic thoughts.
¡°If it is the heir, all we need to do is capture him, and the war is over. With him as a hostage, the Evenharts will do whatever we demand. We could even insist they bring Chloe Evenhart to us and sign an agreement ensuring she bears your child, granting you control of the duchy,¡± added Count Laurence.
I could barely believe what my subordinates had just reported. Nathan Evenhart, the heir to the duchy himself, had appeared alone before my army. The news was so absurd that my mind refused to process it immediately. Yet, the details were clear: one of my commanders recognized him on sight and escorted him closer to the fortress.
Disbelief clouded my thoughts as I paced, trying to comprehend the situation.
Nathan Evenhart. Alone. Here.
It was incomprehensible. My first instinct was suspicion¡ªthis had to be some kind of strategy or trap. Yet, the possibility of capturing him, of using him as a bargaining chip, made my mind race with schemes. My men had confirmed there was only one person¡ªthere was no way a single individual could spring a trap. I had to see this for myself.
If it was true¡ªif he was truly here¡ªI had won this war before it even began. Nathan¡¯s presence, alone and vulnerable, was a gift I never expected to receive.
¡°This feels too good to be true. If it really is Nathan Evenhart, he¡¯ll be our prisoner, and the war will end. The Duchess Margaery and I will negotiate peace terms. I¡¯ll even promise not to kill the boy or her once I become duke,¡± I said, a mix of anxiety and anticipation creeping into my voice.
I stopped, trying to analyze the situation. Something wasn¡¯t adding up.
¡°It can¡¯t be the boy. I doubt it,¡± I declared, skeptical. ¡°I need to see this with my own eyes!¡±
¡°Are you sure you want to go, sir?¡± a servant asked me.
¡°I¡¯m surrounded by an army. What can a brat do?¡± I retorted.
What if it''s a powerful mage pretending to be him? My men confirmed it''s the boy, but I can''t wrap my head around the logic of him coming here, offering himself up like a lamb to the slaughter. It''s so absurd, I can hardly believe it.
Beside me, the Ten Fingers¡ªour most powerful mages¡ªwalked in silence.
¡°He¡¯s demanding a duel with me¡¡± I murmured, still struggling to process the absurdity of the situation.
¡°One of our men considered capturing or attacking him, but we confirmed his identity with the photo you provided. It¡¯s him. We let him pass, and now he¡¯s sitting on the ground, surrounded by our entire army in front of the gates,¡± a soldier explained.
As I approached the main gate of the wall, a wave of anxiety nearly overwhelmed me. The imposing structure loomed ahead, its intimidating presence enhanced by its meticulous defensive design. The massive gate, reinforced with layers of enchanted metal, seemed impenetrable¡ªa testament to the military and strategic might of this fortress.
Atop the walls, hundreds of mages and archers held their positions, as alert as hungry predators. Shooter Mages, stationed on strategically placed platforms, gripped their staffs tightly, their eyes locked onto every movement.
Every detail of the fortress screamed readiness. The tension in the air was nearly tangible, and my heart pounded as I walked toward my objective. Even from a distance, I could feel the eyes watching me, scrutinizing my every move, ready to act at the slightest hint of danger.
¡°Only the Ten Fingers and I will go,¡± I declared. ¡°The rest of you stay here!¡± I added, turning to the nobles accompanying us.
The Ten Fingers are your men as well. If we all go, their attention will be split
The massive gate groaned loudly, its deep metallic sound echoing across the camp. Dozens of men stood near the mechanism, their hands gripping large levers and cogwheels, straining in synchronized effort. Sweat ran down their faces, each coordinated motion inching the gigantic gate open.
Mages appeared amidst the activity, their wands and staffs glowing faintly with mana. They lined the newly revealed opening, forming an unyielding defensive wall, their gazes fixed beyond the fortress. Even with an army stationed outside, the golden rule of this structure¡¯s defense remained: caution above all else.
The gate finally opened fully, revealing the vast world beyond, framed by the towering walls. The tension in the air was stifling, as if the very ground was bracing itself.
We marched forward, stepping beyond the threshold that divided the fortress''s safety from the uncertainty outside.
I have an army at my side and the most powerful mages I know serving as my guards. Even if that boy wields the power of thunder, I''m protected by all these soldiers. Every one of my men is ready to raise an elemental barrier at the slightest hint of danger, and I have my own earth magic as a defense.
As I moved through the camp, muted footsteps and hushed murmurs filled the atmosphere. Soldiers sat in their tents, focused on sharpening their blades, while others huddled around steaming pots of soup that seemed as bland as the heavy mood. Farther ahead, men trudged with quivers and shields slung over their shoulders, appearing burdened not only by their equipment but also by the growing tension.
My eyes scanned every detail, but my thoughts were elsewhere, restless. Some soldiers greeted me with formal nods or quick salutes, but I didn¡¯t respond¡ªnot out of disdain, but because of the relentless anxiety gnawing at me.
I continued walking, weaving through tents and campfires, until I finally saw him.
There he was. Sitting calmly, exuding an aura of confidence and resolve. For a moment, time seemed to freeze. As he noticed us, he rose slowly, deliberately, as if completely unaffected by the palpable tension around him. His presence was both magnetic and threatening.
Immediately, my men drew their swords, the sharp sound of steel ringing through the air. Mages instinctively began channeling mana into their hands, their faces tightening with focus and unease. Every move felt like a spark teetering on the edge of igniting an explosion. The air grew heavier, laden with anticipation and fear.
"Nathan Evenhart?" I asked, still struggling to believe what I was seeing.
It¡¯s really him! Damn it! The same boy from the photo I¡¯d been given. Even though he was just 10 in that image, this face is unmistakable.
"That¡¯s me," he replied coldly, his voice devoid of any emotion. "And you must be Nikolaus Wolves."
"I am," I confirmed, casting a cautious glance at my men while weighing my options.
Should I order them to kill him? If my mages and I attack simultaneously, he¡¯ll be obliterated before he has the chance to react.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
The thought crossed my mind.
Behind me, the gate remained open. Even if, by some miracle, he managed to cause damage, I could easily retreat and seal the gate, leaving my men to deal with him.
But¡ he¡¯s my trump card.
I needed him alive.
"You chased me and my mother when I was just five years old," he began, his tone calm yet razor-sharp. "I didn¡¯t forget. I showed mercy¡ªI chose not to hold a grudge. But then you came back and tried again. You tried to kill me and tear me away from my family. And then, because of your incompetence, an assassin came after my cousin. You¡¯ve managed to become the first person in this world I hold a genuine hatred for."
As if in response to his words, a bolt of lightning split the sky, followed by a torrential downpour that grew fiercer with each passing second.
I stared at him, mulling over his words.
"So, from what I¡¯ve heard, you¡¯re challenging me to a duel?" I asked, a mix of surprise and disdain coloring my tone.
"Yes. I promise that if it¡¯s just you, many lives will be spared. I¡¯m holding back a fury inside me that you can¡¯t begin to fathom. But if it¡¯s just the two of us, fighting as warriors to the end, that rage will subside," he replied, his voice steady and unnervingly calm.
I snapped my fingers, signaling to my men. Instantly, swords and weapons were pointed at him, while the mages began charging their mana, ready to strike.
"Seize the boy!" I ordered.
The soldiers advanced, their weapons drawn.
"If you try anything, you¡¯ll die," one of the Ten Fingers said, pressing a blade against Nathan¡¯s neck.
Nathan Evenhart didn¡¯t resist. He simply looked at me with a calmness that was more unsettling than any threat he could have made.
"I thought you would accept my challenge," he said.
I laughed, mocking him. "Take him away! This idiot is just a fool playing the hero."
As he was dragged toward the gate, he muttered, "What about the duel?"
"I¡¯ll duel you... after you get through this entire army," I retorted, my voice dripping with irony, satisfied with my own provocation.
"Then you¡¯ve made your choice..." he whispered, almost to himself.
"You¡¯re coming with us, Nathan Evenhart," I declared as my men dragged him along. He remained silent but wore that same look¡ªthe one that unsettled me more than any threat he could voice.
I can''t believe this! I''ve won! It must be the world conspiring in my favor. Now the Evenharts won''t be able to attack me.
We marched quickly through the camp, the muffled sound of boots and tense murmurs filling the air around us. Dozens of soldiers surrounded us, forming a barrier of steel and shields. At the center of it all was the boy¡ªNathan Evenhart.
Mages and warriors enclosed him completely, holding him as if he were an animal being led to slaughter. He seemed small and defenseless in that moment, but I knew that even the slightest mistake could change everything.
Inside me, a tingling sense of victory grew, almost like restrained euphoria. The thought of having the heir to the Evenhart family in my grasp was a stroke of luck beyond belief. Still, I knew better than to lower my guard.
"Move faster!" I barked, my voice cutting through the tension.
The men obeyed immediately, quickening their pace toward the fortress. Each step closer to the grand gate brought a mix of anxiety and anticipation. I glanced back occasionally, ensuring he remained restrained, dragged along by the soldiers gripping his arms. Beside me, several mages maintained active wind barriers, forming an extra layer of protection around me. I wasn¡¯t about to take any unnecessary risks.
When we finally reached the fortress entrance, I exhaled, allowing myself a fleeting moment of relief. The sight of the massive gate, its magical seals faintly glowing, filled me with a sense of triumph.
"Close the gate!" I commanded as the men took their positions around the mechanism. The seals began to glow brighter as mana flowed into them. Slowly, the heavy gate creaked into motion, its gears groaning under the strain.
"Close it faster!" I shouted. "Seal the fortress gate!"
The iron gate shut with a resounding clang, the sound reverberating like a final proclamation¡ªthere was no way out. The barrier formed by the gate reinforced the sense of security, a wall between us and any external threats. For a brief moment, I felt tangible relief.
Nathan Evenhart was encircled by soldiers and mages, every one of them on high alert, ready to crush any sign of resistance.
He entered without a word, his eyes meticulously analyzing every detail around him. His gaze lingered on the massive wall, adorned with glowing runes and seals emitting a faint, pulsating light. The magical devices embedded within the structure¡ªartifacts capable of generating barriers¡ªwere impossible to ignore. He also took in the sight of the towers, where armed mages stood poised, their staffs brimming with concentrated mana, ready to unleash devastating spells at a moment''s notice.
Nathan Evenhart appeared to take in the gravity of his situation. Surrounded by an army within the fortress walls, his expression remained unshaken, though it was clear he grasped the severity of the moment. Nearby, hundreds of soldiers stood at the ready, weapons drawn, their eyes fixed on him. The tension in the air thickened as the mages began to channel spells, their hands glowing with magic.
The power and dominance of the fortress were undeniable, and the silence that followed was nearly deafening. He was, unquestionably, engulfed by a sea of hostility.
¡°If you even think about using magic, we¡¯ll break your hands and feet,¡± one of the soldiers threatened, the blade of his sword pressed firmly against the boy¡¯s neck.
Everything seemed under control until a soldier murmured, almost to himself, ¡°Weird... it¡¯s snowing¡¡± He caught a delicate flake, watching it melt in his palm with a mix of curiosity and apprehension.
My fleeting sense of relief was quickly interrupted by the unnerving shift in the atmosphere. The locked gate no longer felt like a barrier of safety but a threshold to something ominous. I turned to Nathan Evenhart, determined to crush whatever resolve he had left.
¡°After I beat the living hell out of you for all the trouble you¡¯ve caused me these past years, I¡¯ll sit down with your aunt and negotiate exactly how I¡¯ll screw your cousin,¡± I spat venomously.
And then the heavens responded.
A deafening crack of thunder roared through the sky as a massive bolt of lightning split the clouds. The wind howled with ferocity, sending trees and leaves into a chaotic frenzy.
Nathan Evenhart locked eyes with me, and his voice cut through the storm like a blade through silence.
¡°I accept your challenge, Nikolaus. After I¡¯ve dealt with this army, I¡¯ll come for you, and you won¡¯t like what¡¯s coming.¡±
I let out a mocking laugh, the sound cutting through the tense silence around us, quickly echoed by the men at my side. We all laughed as if his words were nothing more than the absurd bravado of a foolish boy.
¡°You¡¯re just one man. What can a single soldier possibly do against an army?¡± I taunted, a sneer plastered across my face.
¡°The real question is: what can you do?¡± he replied, his voice calm and icy, carrying a weight that sent an unseen but oppressive force into the air. It was as if the world around us had suddenly contracted, becoming suffocating.
I glanced around and immediately noticed something was off. The men near him looked... different. Their faces reddened, veins bulging, and their expressions twisted with pain and confusion. It was as though something had struck them all at once. The soldiers holding the boy instinctively released him, staggering back with disordered steps.
¡°What the hell are you doing, idiots?¡± I barked, irritated by their apparent hesitation.
But there was no response. Not a word, not a sound. Only the echo of an oppressive silence that seemed to choke the battlefield. Then, a singular and sinister sound broke through¡ªit was the synchronized, audible gulp of every man standing near the boy. Their weapons trembled in their hands, some slipping and clattering to the ground.
¡°I¡¯m not just a man,¡± Nathan Evenhart said, his voice sharp and cutting like a blade. In that moment, something awful stirred in the pit of my stomach. A chill ran down my spine, and the air seemed to vanish from my lungs. Against my will, the sneer fell from my face.
He stepped forward, and as if moved by an unseen force, every soldier around him recoiled in unison.
¡°I¡¯m not a soldier either,¡± he continued, advancing another step. Again, the group around him shuffled back, their retreat dictated by sheer terror. The clatter of more weapons hitting the ground echoed like a funeral bell.
¡°I am something far beyond what you can comprehend,¡± he declared. His voice, heavy with an otherworldly authority, reverberated through the air.
I scanned the faces of the soldiers around me. Pale as ghosts, their expressions bore only one emotion¡ªunrestrained fear.
¡°I am my own army. I am a General! You wanted war? It¡¯s here. I AM WAR!¡± His voice roared through the battlefield, shaking the heavens themselves. Thunder tore across the sky, illuminating the scene in blinding flashes of light.
KABOOM!
A deafening explosion of white light split the sky. In an instant, everything was gone. The world was swallowed by a blinding brilliance. There were no shadows, no colors¡ªonly an all-consuming radiance that obliterated reality itself. The explosion unleashed a devastating force, a wave of energy that struck us like a hurricane. We were hurled into the air, scattered like leaves in a storm, utterly powerless. The impact was catastrophic, and the deafening roar drowned out everything, tearing apart the very fabric of the world.
As my body was hurled through the chaos, the clattering of debris around me was drowned out by something far more profound¡ªsomething not of this world. A presence, vast and primal, reached into the core of my being.
It wasn¡¯t just fear. It was sheer, unrelenting terror.
I felt as though I were trapped in a cage, but I wasn¡¯t alone. Something enormous, unseen yet oppressively real, shared the space with me. Its presence was suffocating, its wrath palpable. A primal force of destruction radiated from it, and I knew, with chilling clarity, that it would not stop until every last trace of life was obliterated.
I couldn¡¯t see it, but I felt its weight, its fury. It was an inevitability¡ªa force beyond control or comprehension. And in that moment, I realized with horrifying certainty that we were powerless against it.
The fear that gripped me wasn¡¯t just for myself¡ªit was for the fortress, the army, and the very existence of everything around us.
We were nothing but specks of dust before the storm.
238 – Charon, the Death
Chapter 238 ¨C Charon, the Death
Icarus:
As I lay on the bed, paralyzed by the poison spreading through my bloodstream, a peculiar figure shrouded in a black cloak sat near me. I couldn¡¯t see its face, obscured as it was by the deep shadows of its hood.
"Pleased to meet you. My name is Charon," he said, his voice low, yet imbued with an inescapable weight. "But you mortals... you know me as Death."
I didn¡¯t know how to respond. Its voice was peculiar¡ªneither distinctly male nor female. The candlelight seemed to recoil from it, as though even brightness fled its presence.
The figure extended a hand. At first, it was nothing but bone, yet as it drew nearer, membranes and flesh began to materialize, wrapping around the skeletal frame until it became a gray-skinned hand.
"I feed on life, and yours seems to be nearing its end," it said, withdrawing its hand and tucking it back beneath the cloak.
"You¡¯re strange... very strange. The threads of fate are all tangled around you. There are too many..." The cloaked figure leaned closer.
"An ordinary person has a single thread of fate... someone in politics might have five at most. But you... your entire being is covered in threads, so numerous I can barely see you. Strange... very strange. Only beings like the Go...¡± The sentence stopped abruptly.
"But you¡¯re just a simple human... How is this possible? It seems even Death is surprised by you, boy."
Charon stood and began pacing.
"The threads of fate are untouched by time, for they are time itself. Perhaps this abundance of threads is merely an echo of something yet to come..." it mused aloud.
The figure in black remained motionless, studying me closely.
"It¡¯s rare for a mortal to see me before their time... and rarer still for one to continue seeing and hearing me. Usually, they catch only a shadow of me out of the corner of their eye."
It leaned in further, its unseen eyes seemingly dissecting every part of me.
"It seems even my destiny is tied to yours," it said, reaching out and placing an icy finger on my forehead.
"I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship, Icarus. Something tells me you¡¯ll lead many to meet me before their time. But that depends on your luck... if the scales of fate tip against you, I¡¯ll come for you tonight."
Charon stepped back slowly.
"I¡¯ll give you a piece of advice, Icarus: never let an oracle touch you... they won¡¯t like what they see."
Charon turned toward the darkness, a place the candlelight dared not reach. Before disappearing entirely, he glanced back one final time.
"We¡¯ll meet again sooner or later, boy, because in the end... everyone comes to me."
And with that, Charon stepped into the shadows and vanished.
***
I woke from the sea of darkness in my dreams. The room was empty and silent. The strange figure in black had vanished, and the shadow in the corner of the wall, which had seemed to watch me, was no longer there.
Was it just a dream?
I lay still, my eyes fixed on the ceiling. A heavy emptiness filled the air around me. Everything felt like a distant blur until the panic returned. That familiar, terrible sensation overtook me again. My chest tightened, and the suffocating wave hit like a storm.
It was as though I was drowning in open air. My lungs refused to obey; my throat emitted desperate gasps, but no air passed through. It was a brutal fight against my own body, and the agony consumed me.
"Icarus!" A soft, familiar voice cut through the panic.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
Helen.
She appeared through the hole in the wall and rushed to me, her eyes filled with worry.
"I''m so sorry... I left you alone," she whispered, kneeling beside me. Her presence radiated a warmth that almost made me forget my despair.
Helen leaned closer, placing a firm hand on my chest and softly kissing my forehead.
"I did it. Just like I said I would. I''m going to save you," she said, revealing a small glass vial in her hand. Its contents glowed faintly.
My strength was fading quickly. All I wanted in that moment was an end to the torture¡ªa release. For Helen to let me go, to allow the suffering to cease.
"You¡¯re going to be fine," she insisted, her voice trembling but filled with determination. She gently lifted me, resting my head in her lap. That simple act adjusted my position just enough for a sliver of air to pass through my lungs.
That shallow breath felt like a lifeline, a glimpse of hope amidst the chaos. I clung to it with every ounce of strength I had left, fighting to draw more air. Helen cradled my face, her eyes locking onto mine.
"I won''t lose you," she whispered, pressing her forehead against mine. Her voice carried both determination and desperation, as if every word bore the weight of her hopes.
"Drink this, please. It¡¯ll help, okay?" Helen said as she poured the viscous, glowing liquid into a cup. Her trembling hands steadied as she focused, pouring with great care. Her tear-streaked face revealed her anguish, but her eyes remained resolute, refusing to let me slip away.
"This is all we have. We can''t waste a drop," she murmured, almost a prayer, as she sat down beside me.
That night became one of the hardest we¡¯d ever faced. Helen¡¯s hands shook as she carefully spooned the liquid into my mouth. Every drop felt like a blade, burning my throat as it went down. The bitter, metallic taste was unbearable, yet Helen pressed on, determined to stay composed despite the torture I was enduring.
Eventually, exhaustion overcame me, and I drifted into unconsciousness. But Helen never left. She stayed by my side, gripping my hand tightly as though her presence alone kept me tethered to the world. When the chill of dawn crept in, Helen lay beside me, wrapping her arms around me to share her warmth.
The days that followed blurred into a haze of pain and fever. My sense of time dissolved entirely. Whatever Helen had given me seemed to amplify the agony before offering any relief. I burned from within as though trapped in an endless inferno. My body poured sweat, the fever consuming me and pulling me to the edge of consciousness. Through it all, Helen remained by my side, unshaken. Her hands cooled my fevered brow, and her voice whispered soothing words I could barely comprehend.
Gradually, the suffocating sensation faded. The unbearable symptoms began to relent, leaving me more lucid with each passing day. I felt my strength returning, as though I were emerging from a relentless nightmare.
When I finally opened my eyes, the room was quiet, save for the soft rhythm of Helen¡¯s breathing. She lay beside me, her face turned toward me in peaceful slumber. Her serene expression belied the exhaustion I knew she bore.
I looked at her hand, still holding mine, and something caught my attention. On the back of her hand, there was a distinct mark. An "A," as though seared into her skin with a branding iron. The scar was fresh, and I knew it hadn¡¯t been there before.
Helen noticed my gaze and, in a quick motion, tried to hide the mark with her other hand. But it was too late.
"O... what is that?" I asked weakly, my voice still raw and strained but heavy with concern.
She hesitated, her gaze faltering for a moment. Instead of answering, Helen leaned in and placed a long, silent kiss on my forehead. When she pulled away, I saw her face was streaked with tears once more. Her pain spilled over in every movement.
"It was to save you, Icarus," she whispered, her voice breaking with each word. "I told you... I would save you, no matter the cost."
Slowly, Helen raised her marked hand and showed me the scar again. The skin was still red, swollen as if from a recent burn. She seemed to want me to understand without having to explain.
"I went to a guard outpost..." she began, but her voice faltered. Helen took a deep breath before continuing, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "That¡¯s where I got the medicine. I made a deal for it..."
"A deal?" I croaked, my voice hoarse and weighted with anguish.
Helen nodded, her expression grave. "I showed them that I could wield aura. In exchange for the medicine... I am now Athena¡¯s property. I¡¯ve been conscripted into her army... and soon, I¡¯ll be sent to Agoge. I¡¯ll have to fight in the war."
Her words hit like a sharp blade, cutting deep. The mark on her hand wasn¡¯t just a symbol of sacrifice; it was a sentence. My mind spun with the implications.
Helen leaned closer, her eyes locking onto mine, overflowing with a mixture of sorrow and resolve.
"I¡¯ll stay here until you¡¯re fully recovered," she said softly, but her voice carried a crushing weight. "But this... this is goodbye, Icarus. We will never see each other again."
***
That event was the spark that ignited a chain of destruction and pain, leaving an indelible mark on my past life. Losing Helen, the only person I ever loved, felt as though the ground had been torn from beneath my feet. In her final moments, as her frail body grew weaker and her breath faltered, I held her in my arms, feeling the warmth of her life slowly fade away. The light in her eyes dimmed until there was nothing left but emptiness.
The gods¡¯ war took her from me. In their arrogance, with their petty disputes and games of power, they stole the most precious thing I had. In that moment, the world lost all meaning.
Despair quickly gave way to rage. A consuming, overwhelming rage that burned like a storm of fire in my heart. The love that once illuminated my path turned to ashes, and from those ashes, something dark was born. I wanted everything to be engulfed in flames, for the entire world to pay for what had been taken from me.
It was then, with her lifeless body still in my arms, that I made my decision. I would become the greater evil, a scourge that would obliterate everything in its path. There would be no heaven or hell that could escape my wrath. I embraced the darkness, becoming an absolute force¡ªa power that would acknowledge nothing but my own desire for destruction. If the gods saw themselves as superior to all, then I would be something above them, something even they could not hope to stop.
239 – The Battle of the Evenhart Duchy
Chapter 239 ¨C The Battle of the Evenhart Duchy
Soldier Blyn:
I could hardly believe what I was witnessing. We had been camped here for days due to the military exercise. The relentless rain that had plagued us for two days only added to the oppressive atmosphere, the somber weather mirroring the silent unease that hung over everyone. Then, breaking the monotonous tension, a boy appeared, walking calmly out of the forest toward our camp.
The alarm was immediate. Every soldier was on high alert, hands instinctively reaching for their weapons. But as we looked closer, we realized he didn¡¯t appear to be a threat. It was just a boy, perhaps 15 years old, but there was something about him, something impossible to ignore. He moved with an unsettling calm.
He stopped in front of us, his eyes, intense and stormy like the sky before a tempest, fixed on the distant fortress walls. My superior, who had initially seemed confident, froze the moment he got a good look at the boy. His eyes widened in recognition, and tension rippled through his body like a taut string about to snap.
The boy introduced himself in a firm, unwavering tone: Nathan Evenhart, one of the heirs to the duchy. At first, my comrades and I struggled to believe it. It was hard to reconcile someone so young with a figure of such significance. But my superior¡¯s reaction confirmed the boy¡¯s words. His posture, expression, and voice carried an undeniable authority.
They exchanged a few words, and even from a distance, I could catch snippets of the conversation. Nathan spoke with a chilling composure, an unnerving determination for someone his age. What I managed to understand hinted at some sort of duel.
¡°I¡¯m doing this to spare as many lives as I can. Otherwise, I¡¯d have already started destroying everything from out here¡ The men outside were sent to die. The ones inside are the real culprits.¡±
My superior glared at him with skepticism and mockery. ¡°And what are you going to do!?¡± he retorted, shoving the boy toward the fortress walls as if testing the limits of his resolve.
I watched as the two moved away. Nathan walked ahead, with my superior following behind, visibly unsettled. The distance between the camp and the fortress was considerable, yet with every step they took, the air seemed to change.
I lost track of time, but at some point, the rain that had tormented us for days began to shift as the boy approached the fortress. It was as though the storm was following him, the clouds moving in tandem with his steps.
From afar, I watched the boy disappear into the horizon. My comrades and I gathered, trying to make sense of the situation. Unusual movement near the fortress gate caught our attention. Soldiers with drawn swords surrounded what appeared to be the boy¡¯s location.
¡°Was that really an Evenhart? A duchy heir?¡± I murmured, more to myself than anyone else.
¡°Doubt it,¡± muttered the soldier beside me, shaking his head. ¡°Why would he come here alone, out of nowhere? If he were a high-ranking noble, there¡¯d be an entire retinue. I don¡¯t recall any meeting being scheduled.¡±
He had a point. Nothing about this situation made sense.
¡°And there wouldn¡¯t be a military exercise like this, either. It would offend a high noble¡¯s honor,¡± added another soldier.
¡°The nobles allied with Lord Wolves have been acting strangely lately,¡± I noted, glancing around at the nearby camps. ¡°Holding meetings with Marquis Nikolaus¡ and now this? A joint military exercise is rare.¡±
My train of thought was interrupted when I noticed soldiers around me beginning to look skyward. One of them opened his palm, examining something falling gently from above.
¡°Snow,¡± he murmured, confused.
Winter had already passed, and there was no reason for snow at this time of year. Before I could voice my disbelief, a cold flake landed on my nose. I blinked, startled, as the icy sensation spread. Looking around, I noticed thin wisps of vapor escaping each breath. The temperature was plummeting fast.
¡°This isn¡¯t normal,¡± someone muttered in the background, their voice tinged with uncertainty.
¡°What the hell is that?¡± a man shouted, pointing toward the forest.
I moved closer with a group of soldiers to figure out what was happening. About ten men were already staring in the same direction, all equally perplexed. When I looked toward the horizon, at the edge of the trees, I was left speechless by the sight that unfolded.
¡°Are those... maids?¡± I asked, incredulous.
Among the trees stood several feminine figures, motionless, staring at us from afar. They wore impeccably aligned maid uniforms, with black masks covering their noses and mouths, leaving only their eyes exposed. Each bore the traditional maid¡¯s headpiece, but what truly caught my attention were the objects in their hands.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.
¡°They¡¯re... spears,¡± someone beside me murmured, their voice barely audible.
In perfect synchronization, the maids began spinning their spears with precision. As if a single entity, they slammed the spears against the ground with force.
BAM!
The sound reverberated through the air, a deep echo that felt more like a warning than a display of power. As the sound faded, the maids turned in unison and disappeared into the trees without a trace. We stood frozen, paralyzed by the eerie silence of the forest, which now seemed even more unsettling.
¡°What the hell was that? This is insane¡¡± muttered a soldier beside me as we drew our swords, our instincts screaming danger. The enigmatic presence of those maids left a lingering sense of unease and fear that quickly spread among us.
Suddenly, a deep, distant sound pierced the air.
BUUUUUUM!
The trumpets blared, echoing through the trees with a grave, foreboding tone.
¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± a commander yelled as he ran toward us, his expression tense. More soldiers began to gather, drawn by the ominous sound that seemed to come from everywhere at once.
Looking up, I saw birds taking flight in panic, their dark silhouettes stark against the gray clouds. A suffocating silence followed, as though the world itself was holding its breath.
Then, the trumpets sounded again, louder, reverberating like a harbinger of doom. A cold wind swept through, cutting from all directions like invisible blades. The chill grew more intense, and soon snowflakes began to fall, blanketing everything in a white shroud.
¡°Grab your weapons!¡± the commander bellowed, his voice brimming with urgency. ¡°All of you, now!¡±
The silence was broken only by the howling wind, which seemed to carry distant whispers. The gentle snowfall quickly turned into a blizzard, engulfing everything in a frozen chaos.
WHOOSH!
A fierce gust tore across the field, bringing with it a biting cold that seemed to cut straight to the bone. The sudden icy onslaught was accompanied by a crushing silence, amplifying our anxiety and throwing the soldiers into high alert. Chaos erupted as we scrambled in all directions, trying to arm ourselves and prepare for the worst.
The snowstorm intensified with each passing second, and visibility vanished entirely. A dense, suffocating fog enveloped us, making it impossible to distinguish friend from foe. It felt as though we were trapped in a white nightmare, where even our own footsteps seemed like distant echoes.
¡°It¡¯s the work of a mage! Stay sharp! Take your positions!¡± the commander shouted, his voice a mix of desperation and authority.
Before we could react, CLINK! The sharp sound of metal cutting through the air rang out, followed by a sickening SQUISH, the unmistakable noise of flesh being pierced. We all turned in horror to see our commander collapse to the ground, a spear embedded squarely in his chest, piercing through part of his armor. His wide, unblinking eyes were frozen in the moment of his death.
¡°AHHHH!¡± A piercing scream broke the chaos as another soldier seemed to be dragged into the forest by an invisible force.
Panic set in. My grip tightened around the hilt of my sword as fear gnawed at every fiber of my sanity. Around me, the soldiers exchanged terrified, confused glances, resembling cornered prey with no escape.
¡°We¡¯ve lost visibility!¡± someone shouted nearby, their voice trembling.
The storm consumed us completely. The wind howled like a ghostly lament, and the snow fell so thick it felt suffocating. Screams of pain and terror erupted from all directions. Men were being struck down by an unseen enemy that seemed to toy with us, while the freezing mist became our prison.
¡°Damn it!¡± I shouted, sprinting toward the faint flicker of a nearby torch. Along the way, I saw fire mages desperately trying to respond, their hands glowing as they cast orbs of heat into the air, attempting to melt the snow and clear their vision. The flames created distorted, dancing shadows but revealed nothing of our attackers.
¡°Run!¡± someone screamed as they bolted past me in sheer terror. The soldier was missing an arm, his face twisted in agony and fear. The scene was pure chaos.
When I finally reached the heart of the commotion, the clashing of swords and anguished cries filled the air.
The visibility cleared just enough to reveal the horror before me. The battlefield had transformed into a grim spectacle of lethal precision. Maids fought with surgical skill, their spears spinning in impeccable synchrony.
Clink! The metallic ring of a parry echoed as one of them deflected a soldier¡¯s sword with the shaft of her spear. In a swift, fluid motion, she crouched, and another maid leaped over her back. Before the soldier could react, the second maid drove her spear straight into his face. The man collapsed, dead the instant the weapon pierced his skull.
All around me, the chaos was dominated by their deadly dance. The maids moved like shadows, twirling their spears with such mastery that every strike resembled a choreographed execution. Their steps were light, almost graceful, contrasting sharply with the grotesque sounds of flesh being punctured and bones shattering.
¡°No survivors!¡± a cold, commanding female voice rang out.
A commanding figure emerged among them, clearly their leader. She spun her spear with blinding speed and, with a fluid motion, unleashed sharp torrents of water that slashed through the soldiers ahead. Cries of pain and terror filled the air as bodies crumpled.
Adrenaline surged through me, and without thinking, I charged at the leader, gripping my sword tightly. But before I could even reach her flank, she turned, effortlessly intercepting my strike with the shaft of her spear. In one swift movement, she spun in the air and delivered a powerful kick that sent me flying several meters back.
The impact with the ground was brutal. Pain shot through my body as I struggled to catch my breath. Before I could rise, I heard quick footsteps in the snow. The leader approached, gliding over the icy ground like a predator stalking its prey.
I felt the tip of her spear press against my neck. ¡°AH!¡± The cry escaped my lips as the cold metal broke my skin. The pain was excruciating, but her eyes revealed that this was only the beginning. Without hesitation, she pressed harder, twisting the blade to amplify my agony before wrenching it free with cruel precision.
¡°No survivors,¡± she repeated, her voice as chilling as the snow around us. Her words felt like a final decree.
BOOM! A distant explosion echoed, but it was too late for me. My vision dimmed as the pain became unbearable. For a fleeting moment, I saw the spear¡¯s tip descending toward my eyes, and then nothing.
The world around me vanished, plunging into eternal silence.
240 – The Storm of War
Chapter 240 ¨C The Storm of War
Commander Allistor:
We were anxiously awaiting Lord Nikolaus¡¯s return. Gathered with other nobles, the atmosphere was suffused with palpable tension. War could break out at any moment, and whispers of fear echoed among those present. I was part of a special division, and my duties often involved clandestine operations. My work included escorting captured individuals, soon to become slaves, or accompanying carriages loaded with contraband, primarily drugs destined for other parts of the duchy.
¡°What have I gotten myself into¡¡± I murmured, watching the anxious nobles.
I thought about all the effort I had invested in recent years, the plans, the schemes, and the sacrifices I had made to reach this point. Everything would have worked if Nikolaus had taken control of the duchy. He was the key figure, the man who could bring order to everything. Under his leadership, I would have been in a much more advantageous position.
Nikolaus would need trusted men to manage his lands, and I could easily be one of those strategic allies. I could have played a crucial role in this region, helping to consolidate his authority, or perhaps followed him as a prestigious guard in his castle. And his nephew, Frederick? He would be nothing more than a decorative figure, a puppet manipulated by Nikolaus to serve his interests.
My loyalty, ambition, and experience should have earned me a privileged position. But now, everything is falling apart. The perfect opportunity is slipping through my fingers like sand.
It¡¯s not over yet. We can still turn the tide!
Everything happened so quickly after that I barely had time to process it. Lord Nikolaus returned, bringing with him the Evenhart heir, and my mind momentarily froze. I couldn¡¯t believe what my eyes were seeing. The boy was really there, in front of us, as if he had delivered himself on a silver platter, no resistance, no tricks.
The atmosphere around us was charged with tension, and the murmurs among the soldiers quickly turned into a nervous buzz. ¡°Is it really the heir?¡± they whispered. ¡°Why would he do something like this?¡± The incredulity was etched on everyone¡¯s faces, but as I looked at the boy, I knew instantly that it was true.
What a joke of fate, he walked right into the wolves'' den.
The Ten Fingers, the most powerful mages in the fortress, surrounded the boy in a tight circle, ready to react to any suspicious movement. The tension was suffocating. Their hands were subtly raised, each one channeling mana into creating an elemental barrier, prepared to neutralize any magic Nathan Evenhart might attempt. Any movement he made would be met with an impenetrable defense, preventing him from casting even the smallest spell.
If he so much as lifted a finger, if he dared to activate any spell, the barriers would rise instantly, and the combined power of these seasoned mages would leave no room for him to escape or fight back.
¡°We¡¯ve won!¡± I exclaimed, barely believing the words coming out of my mouth. The boy was being dragged away like a common prisoner as the fortress gates slammed shut with a heavy thud. Victory was within our grasp.
The men around us parted to let Lord Nikolaus through, while the nobles nearby appeared equally stunned. Reality began to settle in, and I couldn¡¯t contain the growing excitement in my chest. I hurried toward the tent where the garrison was stationed, the place where I had spent the last few days under unbearable tension.
Entering, I saw a few men adjusting their equipment, the metallic sound of swords and armor echoing softly in the cramped space.
¡°It¡¯s over!¡± I declared, my voice brimming with relief and euphoria. ¡°It¡¯s really the heir! We¡¯ve won. The duchy is ours now!¡±
The soldiers¡¯ faces lit up briefly with surprise, but I barely noticed.
I rushed to the table, grabbing my flask with trembling hands. Taking a generous swig, I welcomed the burning sensation of the strong alcohol coursing down my throat, warming my chest. Wiping my mouth with the back of my hand, I slammed the flask onto the table with a thud.
¡°Screw the Evenharts!¡± I laughed, a euphoric release washing over me. For days, I had felt the sharp edge of a blade pressing against my neck. Now, that oppressive weight had lifted, replaced by a liberating sense of triumph.
¡°Man¡ I¡¯m gonna enjoy myself with a woman tonight,¡± I joked, laughing uncontrollably. But then I noticed something was off. The room, which should have been filled with laughter and celebration, felt heavy, unnervingly silent.
¡°What¡¯s with those faces you¡¯re making?¡± I asked, frowning.
Everyone in the tent was pale, their eyes wide with disbelief, as if they had just witnessed the impossible. Swords began clattering to the ground as trembling hands lost their grip. One soldier, stumbling backward in panic, tripped over an armor stand, sending a cacophony of metal clanging to the ground.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.
And then I felt it.
A presence.
Something unseen swept through me, crushing the air around me with its sheer weight. My chest tightened, my lungs refusing to draw breath. It was an intangible force, but its terror was absolute, as though death itself had entered the tent.
¡°What the hell is this?¡± I muttered, feeling my body shudder involuntarily. My hands trembled violently, and an icy dread crawled down my spine.
I bolted out of the tent, heart pounding. Before I could make sense of the chaos, a scream pierced the air, sharp and cutting like a blade. Suddenly, the heavens seemed to tear open, unleashing a blinding light that carved through the stormy clouds.
¡®KABOOM!¡¯
The deafening crash of thunder roared around me. In an instant, an intense blue light descended from the sky, slamming into the earth with a cataclysmic force. It didn¡¯t end there. Successive blasts followed, each louder and more violent than the last, shaking the very ground beneath us.
A shockwave hit us like an invisible wall. I was hurled through the air like a ragdoll, crashing into a tent and tumbling uncontrollably until slamming into the side of a carriage. The tent¡¯s canvas collapsed over me as I struggled to get my bearings.
Amid the chaos, I felt it again, that oppressive, almost otherworldly force. It constricted my chest, robbing me of air as if the atmosphere itself had turned against me. My breaths came in shallow gasps, my lungs refusing to cooperate.
Pain radiated from my shoulder, throbbing with every attempted movement. But that wasn¡¯t what terrified me the most. It was the overwhelming sense of dread, the invisible monsters I could almost feel watching me, waiting for the right moment to strike.
Panicking, I forced myself to stand. My body resisted, frozen in fear. My ears rang with an unrelenting high-pitched whine, and my vision remained obscured by blotches of light from the earlier explosion.
When I finally steadied myself, the true horror unfolded before me.
The fortress gate was in ruins, utterly obliterated. Debris was scattered everywhere, smoke rising in thick plumes from the rubble. Above, dark storm clouds roiled, lightning bolts arcing wildly through the sky. Each electric strike targeted the fortress¡¯s platforms, mercilessly obliterating everything in its path.
Mages and archers, once in commanding positions atop the walls, were thrown to the ground like ragdolls. Their bodies lay crushed beneath falling stone and shattered wood, the air thick with the acrid smell of destruction and the cries of those who hadn¡¯t yet succumbed to the onslaught.
It was devastation incarnate, and it was only the beginning.
The stones supporting the structure crumbled one by one as soldiers scattered in every direction. Chaos reigned, panic etched across the faces of men who had believed themselves secure. Cries of despair echoed across the battlefield, but no one knew where to run. The destruction was relentless, the fear, all-encompassing.
I watched as the magicians of the Ten Fingers scrambled in desperation, helping the political nobles to their feet and urging them toward the castle. The explosion had sown utter disorder, and even these renowned mages, celebrated for their prowess, were visibly shaken. Some of the Ten Fingers, who had been hurled beyond the gate by the sheer force of the blast, tried to return, but a dense black cloud descended from the sky, completely sealing the area and cutting them off from the rest of the army.
Disoriented and injured, my gaze turned to Lord Nikolaus. He was terrified, running erratically toward the castle, flanked by nobles and other members of the Ten Fingers, all desperately seeking shelter. Seeing him, once so proud and commanding, now reduced to a man consumed by fear, filled me with an ominous sense of foreboding.
A sharp pain shot through my shoulder, and I realized it was dislocated. The agony was intense, but the terror I felt far surpassed any physical discomfort.
The sky, once a mere harbinger of an impending storm, was now entirely shrouded by a dome of black clouds. That oppressive barrier sealed us in, isolating us within a shadowy, suffocating space.
Wounded men staggered, leaning on each other for support, while those still able to fight scanned their surroundings with panic-stricken expressions. Doubt and fear hung thick in the air, palpable in every frantic glance and trembling hand.
At that moment, a bolt of lightning struck the earth, briefly illuminating the chaos before exploding with a deafening roar.
¡°Commander!¡± Soldiers rushed toward me, their faces mirrors of the terror I felt. ¡°What should we do?¡±
I looked at them, then at the devastation around us, and finally at the black dome encircling us. My mind resisted the reality of what was unfolding before my eyes. This wasn¡¯t natural. There shouldn¡¯t be any spell capable of summoning a storm of this magnitude.
I tried to speak, but the words caught in my throat. My gaze drifted, locked on the pulsating dome that surrounded us as if it were alive, a ravenous creature poised to devour us all.
The boy wields the lightning element... this mess has to be his doing.
¡°Find that bastard! Find Nathan Evenhart!¡± I shouted, my voice slicing through the chaos. The tension and desperation in my tone were unmistakable. ¡°This is a territory spell; we¡¯re trapped in here. We need to kill or neutralize him to break this prison!¡±
The soldiers scrambled, frantically trying to free their comrades buried beneath the rubble. Even with the magical orbs scattered across the battlefield, the storm¡¯s oppressive darkness seemed to consume everything. The crackle of lightning streaking across the sky echoed ominously, a constant, looming threat.
¡°There he is!¡± someone shouted, pointing toward the ruins.
My eyes followed the trembling hand of the soldier, and then I saw him. Sitting atop the highest pile of debris, like a king on a throne of destruction. The sight was unsettling, almost unreal. Nathan Evenhart sat there, high above us, surveying the scene with a cold, calculating demeanor. His presence was suffocating, like that of a predator watching its prey, commanding and unyielding.
¡°Before we begin,¡± Nathan said, his voice slicing through the tension like a blade, ¡°I want to make one thing clear. I¡¯ll give you one chance to leave here alive. Drop your weapons and kneel in surrender. Those who kneel will have my mercy.¡±
His words echoed across the battlefield, heavy with conviction. Soldiers and mages around me exchanged uncertain glances, struggling to comprehend the situation. Doubt hung thick in the air, yet no one moved. The silence was almost as deafening as the thunder.
Nathan Evenhart remained motionless, his figure stark against the stormy sky. He watched us, like a judge poised to deliver his verdict. Then, after several seconds of suffocating silence, he smiled, a cold, detached smile, utterly devoid of empathy.
¡°So, no one will kneel¡ perfect,¡± he said, his voice icy and defiant. Rising slowly to his feet, every movement exuded an overwhelming aura of dominance. ¡°Enjoy this night. It will be your last.¡±
241 – The Evil Power of Katherine
Chapter 241 ¨C The Evil Power of Katherine
Martha Riverclimb:
I had just eliminated a soldier when a deafening blast echoed from the fortress wall.
BOOM!
The sound reverberated, and what I saw left me speechless.
¡°It¡¯s down¡¡± I murmured to myself.
The fortress gate had been obliterated by a light resembling a thunderbolt.
Young master¡ what have you done? You¡¯ve put yourself in danger.
But we had to trust the plan, trust that it would work. Part of the problem was already solved; Nathan had caused a devastating breach in the wall. Lightning continued to erupt from that direction, accompanied by explosions. A spectacle of flashing lights illuminated the fortress interior as the mages on the walls were eliminated one by one. Overhead, a black cloud loomed, descending suddenly to engulf everything, turning the Wolves¡¯ fortress into a shrouded, ominous domain that concealed everything within. The army stationed inside was now trapped.
¡°Attention!¡± I shouted to the maids. ¡°The young master has given us an opportunity! We no longer need to worry about the Shooter Mages or archers on the walls. Let¡¯s go all in!¡±
¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± they replied in unison as we advanced.
One of the maids sounded a horn, signaling my husband. In response, our soldiers emerged from the shadows of the forest.
The enemy army was heading our way.
¡°AHHHHHHH!¡± Their war cries echoed across the field. I saw men with shields, swords, axes, and spears. Some fired arrows. The enemy forces in the field were ready to collide with ours, while the soldiers and mages on the walls were supposed to bombard us with spells and arrows. But now, with the wall neutralized, that advantage was gone.
Nathan had trapped everyone inside a storm from the heavens, locking them within that ominous place. From a distance, I saw a soldier trying to escape, but as soon as parts of his body emerged from the black fog, a bolt of lightning struck him with brutal force, exploding him instantly. It was as if the darkness itself punished anyone who dared defy its unforgiving rules, making escape impossible.
¡°Charge!¡± my husband yelled, leading our soldiers forward.
There on the battlefield, we were about to face an army five times our size, but we were not mere farmers as they believed.
¡°For the Evenhart Duchy!¡± I cried, leading the maid-soldiers who followed me with their spears raised high.
¡°No survivors!¡± they shouted back.
Massive fireballs were hurled in our direction. Acting quickly, I planted the shaft of my spear into the ground and propelled myself into the air, generating a surge of water beneath my feet.
"Great Water Wave!" I shouted, as the giant wave swept away the enemies charging toward us. I saw barriers of wind rise to counter us, but we had already reached them.
Beside me, soldiers and maids fought with relentless fury. One soldier tried to attack me.
¡°You bitch!¡± he snarled, but I sidestepped and delivered a precise kick, using my spear for balance. He was thrown backward.
¡°One less!¡± I yelled as he clutched at the wound on his neck, blood gushing from his throat. Hidden in my boot was the blade I had triggered during the kick, now dripping with blood.
¡°A maid always carries knives for emergencies,¡± I muttered before driving my spear into his face, silencing him forever.
Then, I turned to the next enemy.
Katherine Evenhart:
The battle was already in full swing, armies clashing, the sounds of magic and steel echoing across the battlefield. But my focus was locked on the Wolves'' fortress, now shrouded in a black cloud, heavy with lightning roaring like wild beasts.
Nathan... my son... I thought, my heart heavy. He had been carrying an unbearable weight, the guilt over Chloe''s condition consuming him. Seeing him like this, so engulfed in sorrow, was a torment even war couldn''t erase.
A scream tore through the air, brutal and desperate:
"Ahhh, help!"
I turned to see an enemy soldier suspended in midair, his legs kicking the void as roots burst forth from his body, snaking into his mouth and nostrils. The plant snakes, one of my darkest creations, worked quickly, carrying special seeds that would soon germinate inside him.
"Silence, trash," I muttered coldly, watching with cruel satisfaction as his body convulsed. The man''s scream became a muffled gurgle, and his stomach began to grotesquely swell. Then, CRACK! a sickening sound echoed as his skin split apart, and small, fleshy, grotesque creatures began to emerge, devouring him from within to grow.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
"Come on, my babies," I whispered, observing the birth of my carnivorous plants. Nurtured with a macabre precision, these creatures transformed their hosts into something far more useful for my cause.
Around me, more men began to scream in agony, writhing as roots and tendrils ripped through their flesh. Their bodies were violently reshaped, deformed into living vessels for my creations. Parts of their heads exploded into grotesque cavities, from which new sprouts emerged, growing frantically and writhing in the air.
"Ahhhh!" another soldier collapsed to his knees as his eyes rolled back and his veins filled with pulsating vines. His limbs twisted and contorted, his insides consumed by the rapidly germinating seeds.
I strode across the battlefield with the calm of someone who had already decided the fate of everyone there. Cries of terror and pleas for mercy echoed around me, but they were like music to my ears. The ground became a grotesque carpet of carnivorous flowers and pulsating tendrils, each born from the bodies of those who dared to face me. The larger war felt distant, but in this hellish patch of earth, I was the undisputed queen.
Suddenly, five men charged at me. Four soldiers in gleaming armor and a mage in their midst, wielding a staff radiating cold magic.
"Who are you?" one of them shouted, pointing his sword with determination. The archers accompanying him drew their arrows, aiming directly at me. The mage began casting, transforming spheres of water into sharp, gleaming ice arrows.
"Help me!" a desperate cry from one of the men ensnared by my roots broke the silence.
They didn''t wait. The arrows flew, and shards of ice cut through the air, all aimed at me. But before they could hit, one of the soldiers I had transformed threw himself in front, taking the blows meant for his creator.
"What are you doing? Have you lost your mind?" one of the knights shouted, bewildered.
The transformed soldier growled, rising with effort as tentacles burst from his deformed armor, pulsating with a life of their own. He turned to the archers, his body contorting in obedience to my will.
"Attack them!" I commanded.
Like grotesque marionettes, the other soldiers, still groaning in pain, rose and charged at the men they once called allies.
"We''re your allies!" one of them screamed, desperate. "What are you doing?"
The mage continued casting his spell, a freezing mist beginning to envelop the field. I raised my hand, and thick roots erupted from the ground like hungry serpents. They surged forward, shoving the mage back and breaking his concentration. One of the shield-bearing soldiers stepped forward, swinging his sword at the roots, but I had already turned the terrain into my weapon.
A dull thud shattered the chaos. From a distance, I saw a knight on horseback emerge, swinging a massive mace. He charged toward the mage and, with a brutal strike, crushed the man''s head in a single blow. The mage collapsed to the ground, and the horse reared, trampling the body into a pulp of flesh and ice.
The knight turned to face me, his grotesque head hosting a carnivorous plant that sprouted from a gaping hole in his skull.
"Kill them!" I commanded, and more transformed soldiers appeared, riding horses.
The battlefield descended into utter collapse. The enemy soldiers tried to flee, but my grotesque army surrounded them. Archers fired frantically, but their arrows were useless against the infested bodies. Those who attempted to run were dragged down by soldiers with tentacles and plants sprouting from their flesh.
"Stop! Whose side are you on? Traitors!" one soldier yelled, trying desperately to resist.
One of my transformed soldiers approached him, holding a writhing plant-snake in his hands. The creature was forced into the man''s mouth, and he began to scream in sheer terror. The snake squirmed as it slithered down his throat, seeking his stomach.
One by one, the soldiers were captured. The plant-snakes invaded their bodies through their mouths and nostrils. Their agonized screams blended with the grotesque sound of flesh tearing from within.
CRACK! SPLAT! The sickening sounds of stomachs bursting echoed across the battlefield. Grotesque plants emerged, their bloodied sprouts turning the soldiers'' bodies into deformed cocoons.
Screams, the crunch of bones breaking, and the wet explosions of flesh formed the macabre symphony accompanying the birth of my creations. The battlefield no longer belonged to them. It was my domain, and I was just getting started.
"You dared to harm my son!" I hissed, my voice dripping with venom. "Remember this as these creatures devour every organ inside you to grow stronger."
I left them behind, letting the sprouts continue to emerge, converting more bodies into soldiers under my control. The carnage was absolute, and my vengeance had only begun.
Margaery Evenhart:
I was drained after conjuring so much fog. The snow spell was designed to cover vast areas, typically used by Builder Mages, but it had its advantages in warfare. By creating this snowy mist, I deprived our enemies of visibility while my maids exploited the chaos to eliminate key soldiers. My plan was to maintain the fog throughout the battle, limiting the enemy''s vision and making the magical attacks from the walls far less accurate. They could launch their spells or arrows, but never with certainty of hitting their targets.
Additionally, I had layered an icy barrier above the mist to neutralize much of the destructive power of any fire magic aimed at us from above.
However, my nephew had already handled much of the problem when his storm engulfed the fortress, neutralizing the mages stationed on the walls.
¡°Nathan¡¡± I murmured, a mix of worry and exhaustion weighing on me. ¡°When you make it out of this alive, we are going to have a serious talk.¡±
I turned my attention back to the battle. "Let¡¯s move!" I commanded the maids guarding me in the forest.
By now, Katie was surely creating her plant soldiers. Her spell was so horrifying that it would likely be deemed a crime against humanity if the kingdom''s authorities ever discovered it.
"No one told them to harm our children," I muttered as I stepped toward the battlefield.
Such is the power of a banished spell.
Unfortunately, those plants have a short lifespan outside the soil and will wither within a few hours, consuming the bodies they inhabit and manipulating them like puppets. A devastating, yet temporary weapon.
As I emerged from the forest, the chaos of the battle unfolded before me, men in a frenzied struggle for survival. In the distance, I saw Lionel wielding his massive sword with precision, single-handedly taking on a squad of soldiers. He was focused, each swing of his blade felling multiple foes.
"I want to have some fun too," I muttered, feeling a surge of excitement.
I pulled a familiar chain from my storage bracelet. With a swift motion, I encased the chain in a sheath of ice, transforming it into a deadly aquatic whip. Water flowed along the length of the chain, perfectly controlled by me, ready to ensnare and annihilate any enemy foolish enough to come near.
When the whip struck a foe, the hellish enchantment within it would activate, unleashing unbearable pain as the water crushed them. The chain shimmered under the gray light of the battlefield, eager to do its work.
"Let¡¯s see how much you can endure..." I whispered, stepping into the fray.
The whip cracked through the air, the first screams of agony piercing the chaos. I had returned to the battlefield as the Witch of Torture.
242 – Wrath of a God
Chapter 242 ¨C Wrath of a God
Commander Allistor:
Thunder roared across the sky, accompanied by a torrential downpour that fell with unrelenting fury. The boy stood motionless in the center of the storm, lightning crashing down around him. Instinctively, as if orchestrated by an unseen force, every single one of us took a step back when his piercing gaze locked onto us. My entire body screamed a single, primal command: RUN!
My hands trembled uncontrollably, and I had to shout internally to suppress the terror threatening to consume me amidst the chaos.
¡°Attention!¡± I barked at the soldiers around me. ¡°Prepare for engagement! Form ranks! Combat Mages, hold your lines! Shooter Mages, ready your most powerful spells! Fight to kill!¡± My voice barely masked the fear coursing through me, but I knew there was no other choice. That boy had to be eliminated. Every instinct told me that even if a fragment of him remained, he would destroy us all.
Looking at him felt like staring into the eyes of a massive serpent ready to strike. The pressure was unbearable, and I had to force myself not to avert my gaze, even though my lungs felt as though they might collapse under the weight of it.
¡°Advance! Combat Mage Squadron!¡± another commander yelled, raising his sword to the thunderous heavens. ¡°Attack!¡±
The torrential rain blurred our vision as darkness was sporadically broken by the glow of magical orbs and scattered torches. Above us, lightning snaked through the storm clouds, illuminating the battlefield with momentary flashes of blinding brilliance.
The Combat Mage Squadrons charged en masse, surging toward the boy like a wave of impending destruction. The rhythmic pounding of boots on waterlogged ground reverberated, a chaotic drumbeat mixed with the war cries of soldiers.
And yet, alone and unarmed, he remained still, staring us down with those eyes that seemed to pierce through our very souls. His posture was calm, but it bore an indescribable weight.
Then, without hesitation, he began running toward the advancing forces.
This boy is insane! He¡¯s charging an army by himself!
The sight was surreal. The boy, barehanded, dashed toward hundreds of soldiers wielding weapons and casting spells. The rain only heightened the drama, each drop cascading off his black hair as his determined strides echoed across the drenched battlefield. He was a mere silhouette against the chaos, yet somehow, he commanded the space around him with an overwhelming presence.
From our vantage point, it looked like suicide. Every soldier in that squadron was battle-hardened. Mages were casting spells, archers loosing enchanted arrows, swordsmen forming an impenetrable line. This was the elite force, the pride of the noble armies.
And there he was, sprinting alone toward that wall of steel and magic, rain soaking his clothes but failing to diminish the intensity of his movements.
¡°Is he out of his mind?¡± someone whispered beside me, but no one answered. We were frozen, caught in the web of disbelief and mounting tension that thickened the air.
The two forces collided with a deafening crash, the impact unleashing a shockwave that rippled through the area. The boy became a blur of speed, disarming a soldier with a devastating kick to the jaw. The soldier¡¯s sword flew from his grasp, and the boy spun with unparalleled dexterity, wielding the stolen blade with lethal precision.
Every slash was exact, every movement a deadly dance of steel. His technique was flawless, merciless.
He tore through the ranks like a living storm, sidestepping strikes with inhuman agility before delivering a kick that sent a man flying like a ragdoll. In one swift motion, he severed another soldier¡¯s arm, the blood spraying through the rain like crimson mist. He moved like a force of nature, cutting down soldiers one by one without hesitation.
¡°AH!¡± A soldier was flung violently, crashing face-first into the wall beside me. The sickening crack of his skull shattering filled the air as his face disintegrated into a grotesque mess of blood and bone shards.
¡°Fuck¡¡± I muttered, unable to process the sheer brutality unfolding before me.
Chaos erupted around me as the boy continued his relentless assault against a sea of soldiers. Flaming arrows and knives streaked through the air, yet he deflected each one with precision. Wielding two swords, his movements defied comprehension. Every blade aimed at him was parried, every strike anticipated and evaded with an ease that sent chills down my spine.
He dashed forward, stepping onto a fallen sword on the ground, sending it spinning into the air. With a wind-empowered kick, he launched the blade with unerring precision, impaling a distant soldier. It was a massacre, but the cold, calculated way he carried it out was far more terrifying than the carnage itself.
Arrows and blades flew toward him, yet nothing found its mark. His movements were fluid, almost graceful, as he deflected each projectile with his swords. His fierce gaze swept across the battlefield, calm and composed amidst the chaos. When one of the soldiers shouted an order to fire, he became the next victim. The boy hurled his sword, the blade embedding itself in the man¡¯s face with lethal precision.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.
In a seamless motion, the boy snatched a knife from the air as if it were second nature and threw it into the neck of an approaching soldier. Without missing a beat, he pressed on.
A soldier propelled by fire magic charged at him with blinding speed, aiming for a lethal strike. The boy sidestepped effortlessly, as if he had anticipated the attack. With a swift motion, he locked the soldier¡¯s arm and, with a sickening crunch, broke it in half. The man¡¯s scream of agony was immediate, and I saw the jagged white of bone pierce through his flesh.
¡°You won¡¯t be needing this anymore,¡± the boy remarked nonchalantly, ripping the broken bone from the soldier¡¯s arm and wielding it as an improvised weapon.
Another soldier charged, and the boy, without hesitation, drove the bone shard into the man¡¯s eye. The agonized scream that followed was cut short as the soldier was flung back by a ferocious strike.
A towering soldier wielding a massive sword charged at him with overwhelming force. The boy dodged at the last moment, allowing the giant blade to crash into the ground. Using the sword as a ramp, he sprinted up its length. At the peak of his leap, he delivered a spinning double kick, sending the massive soldier hurtling into a wall with bone-crushing impact. In one fluid motion, the boy yanked the massive sword from the ground and hurled it like a spear, impaling the soldier through the abdomen.
The Combat Mage squadron quickly encircled him, their weapons glowing with magical energy as they formed an impenetrable ring.
¡°Attack!¡± one of the leaders shouted, and the mages, enhanced by wind magic, surged forward in a synchronized assault.
The boy snapped his fingers, and with a blinding flash, a pair of glowing yellow nunchaku materialized in his hands. The weapons pulsed with light, as if they carried the power of the sun itself, leaving trails of golden sparks with every movement.
¡°Light magic?¡± I whispered, my heart racing. ¡°That¡¯s supposed to be exclusive to High Elves¡ How does he have it?¡±
He wasted no time, spinning the nunchaku with such mastery that they became a blur of light. Each rotation formed dazzling rings of energy that blinded the soldiers, making it nearly impossible for them to close the distance.
The first soldier lunged, but the boy leapt into the air, spinning the nunchaku in a perfect arc and striking the man¡¯s face with crushing force. Before the soldier could hit the ground, the boy spun mid-air again, landing a roundhouse kick that sent another enemy sprawling.
¡°BAM!¡± A blinding explosion of light erupted as he landed, spinning the nunchaku so rapidly that they seemed to create an impenetrable shield around him.
One mage attempted to fire a wind spell, but the boy darted forward with blinding speed, dodging the attack and striking the mage across the side of the head, dropping him instantly.
Each move was deliberate, each strike absolute. The boy wasn¡¯t just fighting an army; he was dismantling it, one soldier at a time.
The boy continued to dance among his enemies like an ethereal warrior. He dodged spears and swords with breathtaking acrobatics, leaping and spinning through the air. In one swift move, he slid under a soldier''s legs, swinging his nunchaku to strike the back of the man¡¯s knees, sending him crashing down with a scream. Pivoting on one foot, he delivered a devastating kick to the chest of another soldier, launching him several meters away.
¡°Focus on him!¡± the squad leader shouted, but it was already too late.
He dodged aerial attacks with impossible leaps, using the momentum to strike downward with tremendous power. Spinning his body at incredible speed, he struck two soldiers simultaneously with his nunchaku, the force of the blows knocking both to the ground with no chance to retaliate.
A group of soldiers attempted to attack him at once, but he leapt again, spinning through the air like an arrow and landing in their midst. His nunchaku struck one soldier with brutal force while his foot drove into another¡¯s stomach, sending him crashing into his own comrades.
A group of mages began chanting in unison, their hands brimming with fiery energy. ¡°Grand Fire Barrage!¡± they shouted, unleashing a tidal wave of flames that surged toward him like an unstoppable inferno.
In response, the boy stomped on the ground, raising a massive column of stone that propelled him high into the air. The wave of fire roared upward in pursuit, but he did something unexpected. While still airborne, he exhaled a powerful blast of water, creating a tsunami that collided with the flames. The clash of the two elements triggered an explosive burst of steam, shrouding the battlefield in a dense, blinding mist.
¡°Water element¡ and earth element¡¡± a commander beside me murmured in disbelief. ¡°How is that possible?¡±
Through the dense vapor, his eyes glowed an intense blue. The fire mages, seeing that piercing light within the fog, froze in their tracks, paralyzed with fear.
¡°He stopped our spell!¡± one of the mages cried out in utter panic.
¡°Keep attacking!¡± another shouted, but the creeping terror had already taken hold. The boy, his sharp gaze and determined stride cutting through the mist, showed no sign of mercy.
The Combat Mages, bolstered by their elemental powers, charged at him with incredible speed, but his words made them falter for a split second:
"Do you think a few years of training prepare you for war against me?" he said in a menacing tone, raising his arm toward the sky. "I''ve seen larger, braver armies than yours. They fell all the same!"
And then, something utterly horrifying occurred. The rain falling on the battlefield froze midair and began to ascend, as if the heavens themselves were pulling it back. The droplets coalesced into a massive sphere above the boy, swirling slowly at first.
The dark clouds blanketing the sky started to converge, drawn toward the colossal sphere. Lightning streaked through the water, illuminating it with an eerie blue glow. The wind grew ferocious, cutting like invisible blades and kicking up dust and debris. The atmosphere became suffocatingly heavy, as if the air itself was being drained from our lungs.
The sphere spun faster and faster, its sound deafening as the roar of the wind merged with the crackling of thunder, emanating from within the swirling maelstrom. The water continued to grow, fed by the rain and drawing power from the churning black clouds above.
Soldiers around me began retreating, their faces pale with terror. I stood frozen, unable to tear my gaze away from the spectacle. The boy, standing at the epicenter of the chaos, raised his hand toward the heavens as if commanding the destructive force. His glowing eyes burned with an otherworldly intensity.
The sphere kept spinning, faster and faster, until everything around it seemed to be drawn in: air, light, even sound itself. Then, for a brief moment, the rotation slowed, like the silence before an explosion.
It was in that instant that the true nature of what he was creating became terrifyingly clear.
¡°It¡¯s a hurricane!¡± a soldier beside me screamed, his voice trembling with unrestrained fear.
243 – The Malevolent Plant Army
Chapter 243 ¨C The Malevolent Plant Army
Soldier Nestor:
I found myself in the middle of utter chaos, standing at the heart of a battlefield ripped straight from a nightmare. I¡¯d been yanked from sleep in my tent, chilled to the bone by an unnatural cold that seemed to slice through flesh. A thick fog had swallowed the camp, and everything began to unravel.
When I reached the fortress walls, I witnessed what could only be described as hell itself: an immense black cloud descended upon the fortress, smothering it in oppressive darkness. Horrifying screams echoed from within, desperate cries for mercy blending with inhuman sounds. The energy emanating from that cloud felt alive, charged with pure malice.
Now, back on the battlefield, my mind was racing, struggling to comprehend the nightmare unfolding before me.
¡°Focus!¡± the commander shouted, his voice trembling as he tried to maintain order.
¡°Yes, sir!¡± we answered in unison, but fear was etched into every face.
Our opponents weren¡¯t the enemy army we had trained to fight. They weren¡¯t regular soldiers, nor fully human anymore. They were our own men, or at least what was left of them.
One of them came at me, growling like a wild beast. His eyes were vacant, his skin marred by glowing green veins, and plants writhed from his chest and arms like serpents. He held a sword with an unnatural grip, and his movements were erratic, yet terrifyingly fast.
¡°Shit!¡± I barely dodged, slashing instinctively. My blade met resistance as he raised an arm to block, the plants strengthening his flesh. He spun, aiming a kick at me, enhanced by roots erupting from his leg to aid the motion.
¡°What¡¯s happening to them?¡± I yelled at the commander, panic thick in my voice.
Before he could respond, another soldier beside me was grabbed. A thick root burst from the ground, coiling around his leg and dragging him down as one of the transformed soldiers approached, laughing grotesquely.
¡°You¡¯re betraying us?¡± a fellow soldier screamed, struggling against a deformed enemy who had once been our comrade.
Without thinking, I rushed to help. We had to hold the line, but it was becoming impossible. They were closing in on us, slow and relentless like an unstoppable tide.
¡°Help me!¡± a soldier cried out. I turned just in time to see him being dragged away by one of those horrors. A pulsing plant extended from the deformed soldier¡¯s back, coiling around him like a snake.
¡°Hold the line!¡± I shouted desperately, hacking at the root pulling him. But it was too late. The transformed soldier drove an improvised spear through his chest, and his last words drowned in a gurgling pool of blood.
The nightmare didn¡¯t stop. Everywhere I turned, soldiers were being felled, crushed, or dragged away. The battlefield, once filled with men, was becoming a macabre garden of blood, roots, and corpses.
¡°Help me!¡± my superior screamed, as a soldier leapt on him while another grabbed his leg, dragging him away from our formation.
¡°Sir!¡± I shouted, sprinting desperately to save him. But before I could reach him, another infected soldier, twisted and grotesque with pulsating plants, pounced on him.
What I saw next froze me in my tracks, the horror seared into my mind.
The infected soldier, his body riddled with writhing tentacles and blood-soaked flowers, let out a guttural growl. From his gaping mouth, a writhing plant serpent emerged, slithering with terrifying speed.
Before my superior could react, the creature forced itself into his mouth, burrowing down his throat.
I gagged, overwhelmed by a wave of panic. My body shook as I retched on the spot, unable to contain the nausea and terror consuming me.
"Help me! It''s... it''s killing me! AHHHH!" he screamed, his voice laced with agony as his body began to contort unnaturally. His stomach grotesquely swelled, and then, with a sickening sound of flesh tearing, tentacles burst forth. Blood and viscera splattered across the ground as his screams continued.
He stood up, but the man I once knew was gone. His eyes were empty, staring into an abyss of nothingness. Tentacles emerged from his ears, back, and even the gaping wounds across his body. The top of his head began to collapse inward, as if something was growing inside. Then, a blood-soaked flower erupted from his skull, its crimson petals glistening with gore.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.
"No... no, this can''t be..." I muttered, my mind struggling to process the horror before me. Desperately searching around for help, I found no solace, only more despair.
My allies, those who had fought beside me, were now opening their mouths wide. From within, the same writhing tentacles began to slither out, ready to strike.
I was surrounded now.
"What the hell is this!?" I screamed, my voice trembling, a mix of disbelief and terror.
Then, a chilling, imperious voice echoed through the chaos.
"Come on, my little ones. There¡¯s so much more to create!"
I turned toward the voice and saw something that left me utterly dumbfounded. A woman walked calmly amidst the grotesque soldiers, who parted for her like obedient subjects. Slithering at her feet were dozens of plant-snakes, twisting and writhing with a menacing elegance.
Terror overwhelmed me completely, and my legs gave out beneath me. I fell to my knees, unable to tear my eyes away from this sinister figure.
"W-what... what are you!?" I stammered, my voice barely audible as despair consumed me.
"An angry mother," she replied, her tone as cold as death, her eyes gleaming with a calm, deadly fury. Her words snuffed out the last flicker of hope within me.
With trembling hands, I gripped the hilt of my sword. A fleeting spark of courage, or perhaps desperation, pushed me forward. I charged at her.
"Die!" I screamed, but she didn¡¯t even flinch.
Before I could reach her, I was violently shoved aside and slammed to the ground. The plant soldiers, former comrades now twisted monstrosities, surrounded me, their empty eyes staring down at me. She stood among them, serene, her demeanor exuding disdain.
"Are you an idiot?" she said, her voice dripping with icy sarcasm. "Do you really think they¡¯d let you harm their mother?"
"You witch!" I roared, forcing myself to stand despite the pain coursing through my body. "This spell is evil!"
"Witch?" She raised an eyebrow, letting out a soft laugh that only deepened my fear. "That title belongs to my best friend. I¡¯m just a simple gardener."
More soldiers appeared, rising from the shadows like the earth itself had spat them out. Their bodies were overrun with monstrous plants sprouting from within, twisted roots and glowing green tentacles pulsating with a macabre light. They surrounded the woman, forming a wall of flesh and vegetation, ready to defend her at any cost.
"I¡¯ve only used this spell once before," she continued, her voice calm, almost motherly. "And this is the second time. I know how abominable it is." Her piercing eyes met mine, and the chill I felt was deeper than the freezing winds around us.
"But you hurt my family. You tried to kill my son. The pain these men are feeling right now doesn¡¯t even begin to compare to the pain you¡¯ve caused me."
"Just kill me already! You lunatic!" I shouted, my voice breaking, the echoes of my anger mingling with the growing dread.
She laughed again, that soft yet cruel sound. "No. I already told you. These men are suffering. This spell only works on the living. They haven¡¯t died, you understand? They feel every second of the pain. They¡¯re conscious, trapped inside their own bodies while my daughters devour them from within. Roots grow from their hearts, pierce their brains. They feel every nerve being consumed, every muscle twisting. A hell you deserve."
My eyes fixed on the soldiers around me. There was something worse than the plants consuming them: their eyes. They weren¡¯t dead. Terror, pure and absolute, filled their gazes. They were aware, trapped in a torment I couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine.
I swallowed hard, my body trembling uncontrollably. Then it hit me: I realized why I was being held, why I was still alive. Panic crushed any remnants of courage I had left.
"Please! I have a family!" I begged, my voice breaking under the weight of despair.
The woman merely stared at me, her face unreadable. "I also have a family, and they¡¯re on this battlefield. Your pain will protect them, becoming part of our army."
She stepped closer, holding a large seed the size of an apple in her hand.
"NO!" I screamed, thrashing in desperation.
The soldiers, once my comrades, now under her control, held me firmly. There was no escape.
"This is a special seed," she said with chilling calmness. "Unfortunately, my snakes can¡¯t carry it due to its weight, and I¡¯ve only managed to produce one."
She leaned closer. "Open your mouth. You¡¯re about to become a much stronger soldier."
"No! NO!" I howled, struggling desperately.
"Open your mouth," she ordered, her voice eerily calm. Before I could resist further, one of the soldiers forced my head back and pried my jaws open with brute strength.
"AHHH!" I screamed, but it was futile.
The seed was shoved into my mouth. It was rough, pulsating as though it were alive. The moment it touched my tongue, it unfurled like a worm, its ends writhing and crawling down my throat.
"STOP! NO!" I tried to spit it out, forcing it back up, but it was too late. The thing had already descended, burning inside me like liquid fire, choking me with the sensation of something alive moving through my innards.
"What have you done!?" I rasped, my voice raw with desperation.
She simply watched, serene, like a mother admiring a masterpiece.
And then, the pain began.
"AHHHHH!" I screamed as an indescribable torment tore through me. It felt as though something was ripping me apart from the inside out. My stomach writhed violently, muscles tearing as I felt something pierce my organs.
Roots began to burst from my skin, erupting like ravenous parasites. Vines coiled around my arms and legs, piercing my flesh and spreading thorns that shredded me from within. I felt my fingernails pop off, replaced by wooden claws.
"What¡¯s happening to me?!" I shouted, but my voice was already muffled by the agony and horror.
My body, now unrecognizable, began moving against my will. I could see everything, feel everything, but I had no control. Every step was a new wave of agony, as though my body had become a monstrous vessel, driven by something far beyond me.
I was trapped, conscious, feeling every root consume me, every thorn tear through me. Darkness enveloped me completely, but the pain never stopped.
"Welcome to the family," I heard her cold voice echo in my ears.
My body, now a controlled monstrosity, began to move. I could feel the weight of something monstrous enveloping me, and each step I took reverberated like the toll of a death knell. I was still there, trapped in the darkness, feeling the agony every moment. Now, I was a vessel, driven by her will, while my mind remained in unending torment.
244 – Wrath of the General
Chapter 244 ¨C Wrath of the General
Commander Allistor:
The deafening sound of thunder roared around me, mingling with the desperate cries of men being dragged into the tornado. I was flung through the air like a helpless leaf, my body battered relentlessly by the storm''s unforgiving force. The cyclone, a monstrous vortex of swirling winds, devoured everything in its path. I collided violently with debris, soldiers, and even overturned carriages. Each impact was a bone-crushing blow, and every collision tore through the air with an ear-splitting crack.
Suddenly, the tornado unleashed a burst of devastating wind, hurling wreckage, bodies, and anything caught in its grasp far and wide. Amid the chaos, despair consumed me entirely. Entangled in tattered cloth, straw, and ropes, I was swept away like mere refuse in the storm''s wrath.
I tumbled uncontrollably, spinning in every direction until¡ª
"Ahhhh!" I screamed, my voice lost to the overwhelming cacophony as I crashed violently into a building.
¡®BOOM!¡¯ The wall shattered on impact, throwing me deep into the structure with bone-jarring force. I rolled across the ground, the sheer momentum carrying me through another wall, leaving behind a trail of destruction.
"Damn it..." I groaned through gritted teeth, my body still being tossed like a ragdoll. The sheer force of the impact had flung me to the top floor of the building, only for me to start falling again.
Summoning every ounce of magic I had left, I reinforced my body, attempting to control my descent. But before I could regain my balance, my fall was abruptly halted: a rope snagged my ankle, yanking me back with a brutal jolt.
¡®BAM!¡¯ My back slammed against a wall, leaving me dangling upside down. Pain shot through my body like a dagger, and I realized one of my bones had likely been dislocated. My breathing came in ragged gasps, my heart pounding wildly in my chest.
I glanced around, my vision blurry, and saw men plummeting from the sky in the distance. Their bodies fell helplessly, with no magic to soften their descent. It was a horrifying sight: those without magical defenses met their end in brutal collisions with the ground.
"Ahhhh!" Another soldier screamed as he passed by me, his eyes wide with sheer terror.
"Help!" he pleaded, but his cry was abruptly cut off by the sickening sound of his body smashing into the earth. The unmistakable, grotesque crack made me shudder.
My hands trembled as I fought to stay conscious. Somehow, I had survived, though my body felt broken from the inside out. With great effort, I pointed my hand toward the rope binding my ankle and fired a blade of stone, severing it.
I plummeted from the building, encasing myself in a water barrier to soften the landing. The impact was still agonizing, but it was far better than hitting the ground unprotected. I lay there, battered and breathless, but alive.
"Damn..." I muttered through clenched teeth, pain radiating through my body. "Shit..."
As I lay sprawled on the ground, trying to muster the strength to move, the chaos continued unabated. Soldiers rained down from the sky, their bodies hitting the ground with horrifying thuds. I spotted a few mages managing to land with the aid of their spells, though even they seemed shaken by the impact.
Above me, the top of the building I had just escaped from began to collapse.
"You¡¯ve got to be kidding me!" I shouted, forcing myself to my feet.
"Commander!" A bloodied soldier appeared at my side, yelling. "Get out of there!"
The crumbling structure gave way. Summoning what little strength I had left, I propelled myself forward with a blast of water beneath my feet, narrowly escaping the cascading rubble.
¡®BAM!¡¯ The building came crashing down, debris landing exactly where I had been moments earlier. Gasping for air, I fell to my knees, my body trembling from exhaustion and the sheer terror of the ordeal.
"Are you alright, Commander?" the soldier asked, his voice laced with concern. I could only wave him off, trying to catch my breath. Blood dripped from countless wounds across my body. I glanced at my hand. It was utterly mangled, the bones shattered, likely during the tornado. My magic had done its best to shield me, but the mere fact that I was still alive felt like a miracle.
"Report!" I barked as another soldier approached, my military instincts taking over despite the chaos.
"There''s nothing to report, sir. We have no idea what''s happening."
I let out a desperate laugh, a bitter sound escaping my lips. The automatic demand for a report, ingrained by years of training, felt almost comical in the face of our current reality.
"What was that thing?" a soldier asked, fear flickering in his eyes.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
More men were gathering, some helping the injured, others just standing there, frozen. I forced myself to refocus, trying to take control of the situation.
"Gather everyone who can still fight. Help the wounded. That tornado spell is tied to the Black Dome Scenario Spell. It''s something that can''t be used often. It damages the terrain itself. The dome is likely weaker now, and that kid must have burned through a lot of mana to pull that off. We''ll focus on breaking through the clouds and killing him," I ordered, keeping my voice steady.
But the soldiers didn¡¯t move. They remained frozen in place, paralyzed. Frustrated, I scanned their faces.
"What the hell is wrong with all of you?" I snapped, my patience thinning.
And then, I heard it. A voice that sent an icy chill racing down my spine.
"Who said they were going to kill me?"
I recognized that voice instantly. Turning slowly, I saw him. Nathan Evenhart.
He was walking among us as if he had all the time in the world, completely unbothered by the armed men surrounding him. His sharp gaze swept over the soldiers, and his presence felt suffocating. He repeated the question, his tone calm yet dripping with menace.
"Who said they were going to kill me?"
The men around me were paralyzed, some gripping their weapons tightly while others shook uncontrollably. Cold sweat trickled down my back, and my body screamed with primal instincts:
RUN! RUN! RUN!
Yet another part of me whispered:
HIDE! HIDE! HIDE!
My mind was a maelstrom of fear as Nathan moved closer, his oppressive aura consuming the very air we breathed.
"Whoever moves, dies," his voice rang out, echoing across the battlefield.
"What!?" one soldier exclaimed, confused. In the blink of an eye, Nathan surged forward, gripping the man''s neck with both hands. With a brutal motion, he crushed the soldier''s head, blood splattering across the ground. The rest of us stood frozen, unable to comprehend the sheer brutality.
"Whoever speaks, dies," he repeated, his tone devoid of emotion.
"Y-You maniac!" another soldier managed to stammer, but before he could finish his sentence, Nathan darted toward him in a flash. His fist struck the man''s stomach with such force it tore through him entirely. The soldier screamed as his body was hurled backward, slamming into a pillar before crumpling lifelessly to the ground.
"Whoever blinks, dies," Nathan said, his voice steady as he moved among us. Two soldiers collapsed instantly, their skulls crushed in a fraction of a second. They must have blinked.
"Whoever breathes, dies," he declared, circling us slowly, his gaze sharp and calculating. My body locked up entirely. No one dared to inhale. My lungs burned with the effort of holding my breath, and panic clawed at my chest. Nathan stopped in front of a soldier near me, his back to the rest of us.
"You breathed," he murmured. In an instant, he lunged, punching the man with a force so tremendous it sent him flying across the battlefield. The soldier skidded across the ground before slamming into a wall with a sickening crunch.
Nathan walked up to him, unhurried, and began to stomp on his broken body. Each strike echoed with the sound of bones shattering and flesh being pulverized.
The atmosphere was smothered by terror. No one dared to move.
Internally, I screamed, trying to suppress the rising panic. Around me, at least 200 soldiers stood frozen, paralyzed by sheer terror. Nathan stopped right in the center of us, the tension thickening with every passing second.
The boy continued to walk, his demeanor the most unnerving part of all. He moved without the slightest hint of concern, his back turned to us, every vulnerability exposed as if we were beneath his notice. Meanwhile, an entire army stood immobilized, crushed under the weight of his oppressive presence.
"Anyone feeling lucky?" he asked, his voice slicing through the silence. "I''m waiting. Whoever said they were going to kill me, come on. Say it to my face."
He strolled among the soldiers like a predator sizing up its prey, stopping in front of one man. Leaning in close, Nathan stared at him, his piercing gaze cutting straight into the soldier''s soul.
"You," he said calmly, "do you want to kill me?"
The soldier didn''t respond, his body locked in place. His hands trembled, sweat dripped from his brow, and his bloodshot eyes darted desperately. The fear etched on the man''s face was undeniable as he struggled not to collapse under Nathan''s relentless scrutiny.
"You stink of piss and fear," Nathan said with disdain, pulling back and leaving the soldier silently weeping.
Nathan continued to pace, unbothered by the terror spreading around him. Each step was deliberate, slow, yet no one dared react. My chest burned; I needed to breathe, blink, do anything to release the mounting pressure crushing my throat. But I couldn''t. Fear was absolute, and I knew any movement, no matter how small, could seal my fate.
He stopped again at the center of the group, each step echoing in the suffocating silence. The men around me were drowning in despair, mentally begging him for mercy, praying he would spare us, allow us to survive another moment.
"Let¡¯s play a game," Nathan announced, his tone chillingly light. "I¡¯ll let you all go. I promise not to harm you. All you have to do is wait until I count to one."
He raised his hand toward the sky, and a fireball began to take shape above his palm, growing larger with every second. Bits of stone swirled into the flaming sphere, which pulsed with heat so intense it felt like the air itself was burning. I wanted to glance at the other soldiers, but even shifting my gaze seemed too risky.
The fireball swelled and glowed, shifting into a vivid, incandescent blue. The flames consumed the stones, compressing into a sphere the size of an apple, the blue fire burning fiercely, radiating unbearable heat.
"This is going to explode," he said casually, tossing the fireball into the air. A barrier of wind encapsulated it, holding back the inevitable detonation for now.
"Here¡¯s the game! Whoever¡¯s lucky enough to escape survives." His voice carried an eerie cheerfulness as he began counting. "Three¡"
The first wind barrier wavered, allowing the flames to grow more volatile.
"Now for two!" The barriers shrank further, barely containing the furious blaze within. The heat became unbearable, and the final wind barrier strained to keep the explosion at bay.
"Don¡¯t move!" Nathan said, his calm voice dripping with malice. "Hold on¡ just a little longer¡"
The fireball throbbed, its blue flames growing wildly. The last barrier flickered, on the verge of collapse. The fear in the air was suffocating.
"And everyone¡ can¡ run¡ at¡ one!" As he finished, the fireball reached critical mass, glowing with a blinding blue light.
"Run!" someone screamed, and in an instant, chaos erupted. We scattered in every direction, desperate to escape. I shoved past soldiers, clawing my way toward the doorway of a building. I reached it, breathless, thinking I was safe, until I saw him.
Nathan stood there, blocking the door, a serene smile on his face. He waved at me as if bidding farewell, then slammed the door shut, locking me outside, exposed to the inevitable.
¡®BOOM!¡¯
The blue explosion consumed everything, swallowing me whole alongside the anguished screams of dying soldiers.
245 – The General’s Plant Sister
Chapter 245 ¨C The General¡¯s Plant Sister
Soldier Jorath:
Everything descended into chaos in a matter of seconds. One moment, I was sitting down, savoring my soup, and the next, the air was filled with the sound of spears slicing through the wind and magic explosions ripping the camp apart. Screams came from every direction, soldiers barking orders, commanders trying to restore order, and mages unleashing destructive spells. I barely had time to grab my sword before the battle was upon us.
The enemy¡¯s small army appeared from the last place we expected: the Forbidden Forests. A treacherous area, nearly impossible to traverse without suffering losses. They must have ridden part of the way on horseback, then continued on foot. The terrain is a trap in itself, with hidden ravines, wild animals, and whispered legends about monsters dwelling within. Some say there are secret trails and underground tunnels winding through the caves, but only the ruling family of the duchy knows of these hidden paths.
¡°Who the hell is crazy enough to challenge Marquis Nikolaus?¡± muttered the soldier beside me, his voice trembling as he ducked to avoid an arrow. ¡°This was supposed to be a military exercise, not a real battle! Who planned this mess?¡±
¡°Hell if I know!¡± I snapped back, scrambling for cover. ¡°Find the mage we¡¯re supposed to be protecting!¡±
The fight was far fiercer than it should have been. Spells tore through the sky like meteors, detonating with violent force. I saw men and horses flung through the air like ragdolls. A group of enemy mages had gathered, forming a unit to conjure a massive wave of water that swept across the battlefield, hurling soldiers and carts into disarray.
¡°Damn it! I hate mages!¡± I yelled, feeling the crushing weight of helplessness.
I wasn¡¯t gifted with magic. My only protection was my blade and the hope that my armor could withstand whatever was coming.
¡°What¡¯s happening here?¡± shouted a staggering soldier who had just joined us. ¡°Most of our mages and commanders are in the fortress! They were supposed to provide support and use the walls to bombard the enemy with spells! We had the advantage! What went wrong?¡±
Without answering, I dove behind a toppled cart, hitting the ground hard. Magical arrows zipped through the air, crackling with elemental energy that promised destruction on contact.
¡°Watch out!¡± someone screamed, but it was too late. A massive stone arrow struck our group of archers, exploding into fragments that scattered in all directions. Agonized screams erupted as the shards tore through flesh and bone. One of the archers collapsed next to me, his hand mangled by a jagged piece of stone.
The smell of blood mixed with sweat and dust was overwhelming. I gripped my sword tighter, forcing myself to ignore the rising panic threatening to consume me. Facing those mages head-on was impossible. They were tearing us apart, and we had no idea how to fight back.
I scanned the area, desperate for any sign of reinforcements from the fortress. Nothing. Only more chaos, more screams, and more death.
¡°Take the horse!¡± a young armored recruit shouted, his voice cracking with desperation. A rider nearby had been struck by fire, his body ablaze as he was dragged across the battlefield.
I peeked out from behind the cart, surveying the madness around us. We were in the middle of an improvised camp, surrounded by chaos and carnage.
Riding into battle against mages was suicide. It made you an easy target, and the cacophony of spells drove the horses mad.
¡°You!¡± I barked at the recruit. ¡°Get over here and help us! Forget that damn horse!¡±
¡°I¡¯m just a recruit, sir¡¡± he stammered, clearly regretting speaking up.
¡°You¡¯re wearing armor, but the emblem says you¡¯re a mage. At least you¡¯ll be useful for something. What element do you command?¡±
¡°The Earth element, but I¡¯m still learning. I awakened my magic two years ago. I¡¯m 17,¡± he replied.
Even an idiot managed to awaken magic, and I, unfortunately, haven¡¯t...
¡°Let¡¯s move!¡± shouted another member of my team, pointing in the opposite direction. ¡°We need to reach the cannons! There are only a few left nearby, but we might be able to provide some support.¡±
The cannons were our best chance against mages, even if they weren¡¯t entirely effective. Depending on the element they wielded, a simple stone wall could neutralize the projectiles. But at that moment, it didn¡¯t matter. There were enough targets to make the effort worthwhile.
¡°You there!¡± a firmer voice called out. I turned to locate the source of the command and immediately recognized the silver armor adorned with a wolf emblem on the chest. It was one of Lord Nikolaus¡¯s trusted men.
¡°I need you to protect me,¡± he ordered, approaching with heavy steps. His right arm was wounded, blood dripping down his armor. ¡°One of those damned maids managed to injure me, but I can still be useful. I command the Water element.¡±
¡°We¡¯re heading toward the cannons, sir,¡± I replied, trying to mask my exhaustion.
The commander scowled and spat on the ground, irritated. ¡°Most of the gunpowder and explosives have been ruined. Some damned mage conjured snow over our supplies, soaking everything and rendering it useless. It¡¯s left you with even less firepower, turning this battlefield into a nightmare for any soldier who isn¡¯t a mage.¡±
I clenched my teeth. Just another problem to add to the pile. The snow not only made the ground slippery and treacherous but had also wiped out what little chance we had to turn the tide of the battle by ruining the gunpowder.
¡°And now, sir?¡± I asked, trying to calculate our next move.
¡°Now,¡± he said coldly, ¡°you¡¯re going to keep me alive until we reach the front lines. We¡¯ll make do with whatever¡¯s left of the arsenal and pray those bastards don¡¯t have a second mage as creative as the first.¡±Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
He surveyed the camp before turning back to us.
¡°The cannonballs might still be useful. I can use my Water element to create a powerful jet to fire them. But I¡¯ll need your help to carry them to me,¡± the commander explained.
We quickly agreed to the plan, despite the growing sense that something was terribly wrong.
¡°Sir, don¡¯t you have a healing potion? Your arm looks awful,¡± the recruit beside me asked. The commander let out a bitter laugh.
¡°A healing potion? Who would be dumb enough to leave one of those lying around? Those things are scarce, kid. If we die with one of those in our storage bracelets, the enemy will take it and use it against us! The potions are with the mages who were supposed to be here with us, along with the support soldiers.,¡± he said, shaking his head in disbelief. ¡°But those bastards are all stuck in that damned black cloud.¡±
We began running through the camp, dodging injured men being carried away and disoriented soldiers. The battle hadn¡¯t fully reached us yet, but it was only a matter of time. The distant screams and the constant sound of explosions were a grim reminder of the chaos surrounding us.
¡°Get back to the fight!¡± the commander yelled at a group carrying the wounded. ¡°Forget those men, go back and fight! We don¡¯t have room for weakness right now.¡±
We headed toward a large tent, the place where the commanders gathered to plan their strategies. When we arrived, a disturbing sight greeted us.
¡°What the hell is this?¡± I murmured, my eyes fixed on what should have been a routine scene of soldiers preparing for battle. But there was no one. The entire area was deserted. In place of the soldiers, bizarre trees had sprouted, their distorted green forms standing out starkly against the surrounding darkness.
¡°Where¡¯s the injured guy?¡± asked the soldier who had been scolded earlier. ¡°I left him here just a moment ago, on the ground!¡±
A chill ran down my spine. Something was terribly wrong.
The commander raised his hand, pointing toward a tent that seemed to harbor something inside. The wind howled, making the shadows from the lights flicker on the fabric. But the shadows¡ they weren¡¯t human. They moved unnaturally, twisting and writhing in an ominous way.
Without hesitation, the commander fired a powerful jet of water toward the tent, collapsing its structure in seconds. But as the canvas fell to the ground, there was no one there. What stood in its place, partially covered by the fabric, froze us in place.
A tree.
But it wasn¡¯t a normal tree. The trunk was green, as if coated in moss or some kind of fungus, and its branches seemed to move with a life of their own.
¡°What the hell kind of tree is this?¡± the commander muttered, his voice laced with disbelief.
Before anyone could answer, a cracking noise echoed around us. The tree began to shift. It stretched, its branches rearranging themselves. The bark peeled away in plates, revealing something beneath: pulsating green tendrils.
The bizarre structure unfolded before our eyes, and what once appeared to be a tree revealed itself as a monstrous creature made of living wood and writhing vegetation. The air grew heavy, and the sensation of standing before something utterly unnatural became almost suffocating.
¡°Get ready!¡± I shouted, my hand instinctively reaching for my weapon. ¡°That thing isn¡¯t normal.¡±
¡°What the fuck!¡± screamed one of the soldiers, his voice trembling with sheer terror.
It wasn¡¯t a tree but a living, monstrous creature disguised as vegetation. The being turned toward us, revealing its true form: a quadrupedal beast made of roots and vines, covered in leaves that pulsated as though alive. On the creature''s back was something even more horrific: a massive carnivorous plant with razor-sharp teeth and a grotesque grin that seemed to mock us.
¡°Attack that thing!¡± the commander roared, firing jets and orbs of water at the beast.
¡°ARGH!¡± the creature bellowed, thrashing its body violently. The carnivorous plant on its back opened its mouth, emitting a high-pitched screech that made the ground quake. Roots erupted from the soil, snaking toward us like living serpents. By pure reflex, I dodged, barely avoiding the impact of one root as it smashed into the ground beside me.
The carnivorous plant¡¯s predatory gaze locked onto us as the monster it rode began charging. Each step was a thunderous drumbeat, amplifying the terror that gripped us. It was pure, unrelenting horror.
It lunged at us with alarming speed for something so massive. Before I could react, the beast¡¯s massive fist struck me directly, sending me flying through the air. My body collided with a tent, the impact leaving me dazed as debris rained down around me.
¡°ARGH!¡± screamed the recruit. When I turned to look, I saw the carnivorous plant stretching its grotesque neck like a serpent, biting the recruit before wrapping its tentacles around him. He screamed, struggling in vain, as it pulled him toward its gaping maw. A sickening sound echoed as the plant began to devour him.
¡°Shit!¡± yelled the commander, struggling to get back on his feet, his face twisted in desperation.
The green monstrosity roared again, charging toward us. It grabbed an abandoned carriage with its massive claws and hurled it like a toy. The carriage shattered in half as it crashed into the ground near us.
¡°Water Art: Piercing Shot!¡± the commander bellowed, his magic transforming a nearby puddle into a sharp tendril that shot toward the beast. The creature roared, crossing its arms in a rapid motion. Its roots formed a robust wooden shield, deflecting the attack as it continued to advance.
The battle felt hopeless. The creature was strong, fast, and brutally relentless. The commander fired spell after spell, desperately trying to maintain some semblance of an advantage. But then, the creature did something unexpected.
With one of its massive hands, it grabbed a cannonball from the ground and hurled it with terrifying force. The projectile tore through the air at incredible speed, striking the commander before he could evade. The impact sent him flying, his scream of agony echoing as he crashed to the ground. His already injured arm was ripped clean off, landing a few meters away. Blood gushed like a fountain, painting the ground in vivid crimson.
"Ahhhhhh!" the commander wailed, writhing on the ground, his life ebbing away with every passing second.
I stood frozen, watching the scene in sheer horror, feeling the crushing weight of the hopeless fight bear down on the last shred of courage we had left. The creature, now drenched in blood and more terrifying than ever, roared with fury as it pressed forward.
The squad of men was paralyzed, terror etched on their faces as the commander lay screaming in the dirt, his voice a haunting cry for help. Our swords trembled in our hands, and no one knew how to respond to this abomination. This wasn¡¯t a battle; it was a slaughter.
The creature moved toward the commander, who was desperately trying to summon the strength to cast another spell. But it was futile. From the monster''s green body, dozens of grotesque, thorn-covered tentacles erupted, their tips sharp like cactus spines. Before the commander could act, the tentacles coiled around him, stabbing into his flesh. His screams echoed across the battlefield as he was lifted into the air, helpless, and torn apart before our eyes.
Blood sprayed everywhere, pooling on the ground in a dark red puddle. The creature, now dripping with crimson, turned its predatory gaze toward us. The carnivorous plant on its back curled its lips into a sinister grin, baring rows of jagged teeth, as though savoring the fear it inspired.
"This is madness..." one of the soldiers muttered, instinctively stepping back.
Then, a voice broke through the chaos. Calm, yet laced with something deeply unsettling.
"It seems even you are keeping your promise to tear the heads off your enemies."
We all turned toward the voice, and there she was. A pale woman with chestnut-brown hair, walking casually toward the creature as though none of this chaos or horror fazed her. Her presence starkly contrasted with the carnage around her, as if this was just another ordinary day.
"What is that thing?" one of the soldiers shouted in pure desperation.
The woman stopped next to the monster, which seemed to recognize her.
"Just my son¡¯s little pet," she said in a tone so indifferent it felt mocking. "And it¡¯s hungry."
The creature let out a deafening roar, its blood-soaked tentacles swaying ominously in the air as it prepared to attack again. Its empty, ravenous eyes locked onto us, while the carnivorous plant on its back writhed like a serpent ready to strike.
Without warning, the creature charged at us with terrifying speed. The ground shook beneath its massive strides, and before we could react, it leapt, its shadow engulfing us completely.
246 – Wrath of Nathan Evenhart
Chapter 246 ¨C Wrath of Nathan Evenhart
Soldier Norwin Dale:
¡°Run!¡± shouted a soldier beside me, his eyes wide with panic as we fled the nightmare chasing us. At the end of the corridor, Nathan Evenhart walked calmly, wielding a sword he had picked from a corpse with unsettling ease.
¡°Shit!¡± another soldier screamed, desperately trying to put distance between himself and the boy. Nathan raised his hand, conjuring a wind barrier that slammed the soldier against the wall with crushing force. The barrier pressed tighter and tighter as the man screamed in agony, until with a sickening pop, he burst like an overripe fruit.
¡°One less,¡± Nathan said, his voice cold and devoid of emotion.
The soldiers around me scrambled to raise stone barriers in a desperate attempt to shield themselves. Massive stone walls rose in the corridor, and I, equally terrified, summoned another layer of protection. But it was all in vain.
BAM! The walls were obliterated in seconds, and Nathan continued his steady march forward, undeterred.
¡°Bastard!¡± one soldier yelled, lunging with his sword. Nathan effortlessly deflected the strike, slammed the man into the wall, and drove the blade into his chest.
¡°One less,¡± he muttered again, his tone eerily consistent.
Nathan Evenhart moved onward, unstoppable. He pointed a finger, firing a lightning bolt that struck another soldier, sending him crashing to the ground. Without breaking stride, Nathan stepped forward and, reinforcing his foot with wind magic, delivered a devastating stomp. The man¡¯s head caved in with a sickening crunch.
¡°One less,¡± Nathan repeated, advancing methodically.
I ran, driven by sheer terror, through corridors filled with horrors plucked straight from nightmares. I caught glimpses of atrocities as I fled, a woman with a body of stone and a face engulfed in flames was trampling soldiers, her fiery blade skewering them effortlessly. She hurled their charred bodies aside like discarded toys, their screams of agony reverberating in the air.
Turning into another corridor, I froze. A dog made of twisting vines and thorns gnawed on a bloody human leg.
I screamed, spinning around in panic, only to find my path blocked by a cloud of black mist. Out of the darkness, a man staggered forward, throwing himself to the ground.
¡°Help me!¡± he pleaded, but the mist dragged him back, thrashing him violently as blue flashes of lightning illuminated his mutilated form. His screams cut off abruptly, swallowed by the darkness.
Fueled by fear, I sprinted faster. Nathan¡¯s calm, deliberate footsteps echoed behind me, and his voice rang out again.
¡°One less.¡±
I began to sob uncontrollably. The wall ahead exploded with a deafening crash, and from the rubble emerged a massive yellow knight. It seized a man, flinging him across the corridor before crushing him beneath its colossal weight.
¡°This is hell! We¡¯re in hell with evil incarnate!¡± a soldier shrieked as he ran past me. I followed him, consumed by the same raw terror.
The soldier slipped on a puddle of water. I reached out to help him, but the water¡ it smiled.
¡°Help me, dammit!¡± he screamed as the water coiled around him, swallowing him inch by inch.
I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. I turned and ran, tears streaming down my face as I screamed. Behind me, I could hear more cries of pain and the relentless sound of bodies being crushed, electrocuted, and torn apart.
I reached a door and flung it open, stumbling into a room filled with an entire garrison of soldiers.
¡°What¡¯s going on?! The nobles ordered us to stay here,¡± one of them demanded, his voice tinged with confusion.
I tried to answer, but my legs shook so violently that I couldn¡¯t form words. I could only point to the door, gasping for breath, unable to convey the horror that awaited them.
¡°Close it! Seal the door with earth magic, barriers, anything you can muster!¡± I screamed, stumbling away, searching for an escape as fear consumed me.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
The doors shook violently with each impact, each thunderous thud heralding death¡¯s approach. On my knees, my legs were too weak to hold me up. Panic coursed through me, my breaths ragged and shallow.
¡°Kneel!¡± I shouted at the others, desperation cracking my voice. ¡°He said he¡¯d show mercy if everyone kneels!¡±
Confused stares turned toward me. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± one soldier asked, his tone laced with disbelief.
¡°KNEEL!¡± I screamed again, my voice breaking, drowning in terror.
The doors trembled even harder now, on the verge of giving way. I clamped my hands over my ears, bracing myself for the screams I knew would follow. The sickening crunch of bones and the wet sound of flesh being torn apart were the symphony of death I had heard too many times.
BAM! The door burst open with a deafening crash, but¡ silence followed.
For a moment, nothing moved. The oppressive stillness suffocated the room, the air growing heavier with each passing second. My wide eyes stayed fixed on the doorway as I knelt, trembling.
¡°What¡¯s happening out there? How many enemies are there?¡± a soldier asked, his voice tinged with nervousness.
¡°One!¡± I shouted, disbelief trembling in my voice. ¡°It¡¯s all the work of a single boy!¡±
The soldier blinked at me, his face contorted in confusion and ridicule. ¡°You¡¯re afraid of a boy?¡± he asked, half-laughing, half-incredulous.
I looked at him, tears streaming down my face. ¡°Don¡¯t say that¡¡± I whispered, my voice barely audible, drenched in despair. ¡°Now¡ even kneeling won¡¯t save you¡¡±
At that moment, a man came staggering in from the hallway I had fled, his body engulfed in flames. Half of him was charred beyond recognition, his arms gone. He stumbled into our midst, collapsing in a heap, his burning corpse smoldering on the ground.
¡°Less one¡¡± a chilling voice echoed from the shadows. Tears streamed down my face as my mind broke under the weight of fear.
A black smoke surged into the room, writhing like a living predator. It wasn¡¯t just ominous. It was malevolent, an extension of the boy¡¯s wrath. The cloud enveloped the room with an overwhelming presence, forcing us to huddle together like cornered prey.
¡°What the hell is that? A golem!?¡± a soldier shouted, his voice breaking as he tried to make sense of the chaos.
Emerging from the suffocating blackness, the boy walked in with slow, deliberate steps. Blood spattered his body, and his eyes scanned us with cold detachment, like a butcher choosing his next cut.
¡°I¡¯m kneeling!¡± I cried, my voice quivering, desperate to avoid his wrath. But he didn¡¯t even glance at me. I was nothing to him, a ghost in the room, as his focus shifted to the other soldiers.
¡°You¡¯re surrounded, kid!¡± a soldier bellowed, trying to sound confident. ¡°This is a full garrison, and we have mages. Surrender or die!¡±
The boy remained unfazed, his icy gaze drifting across the room as if weighing his options. Without even looking at the soldier who had dared to challenge him, he replied with chilling simplicity: ¡°You have one choice. How it ends is up to you.¡±
The soldier scoffed, laughing nervously. ¡°What choice?¡±
¡°Die¡ or die.¡±
Uneasy laughter broke the tense silence. The soldiers exchanged nervous glances, mocking the boy¡¯s threat, oblivious to the nightmare they were about to face.
I knew better. I had seen the destruction he left behind. I knew what was coming. Trembling, I wished I could burrow through the wall with my earth magic and escape. But fear of drawing his attention kept me rooted to the spot, kneeling and helpless.
¡°Have fun,¡± the boy murmured, and at his command, the black cloud advanced.
The screams started again. The creature, formed from that dense smoke, attacked with a ferocity I had never seen. Men ran, tried to react, but it was futile. Their swords sliced through the air, but they couldn''t harm the cloud. It seemed intangible, invulnerable.
Then, I watched the smoke enter a soldier''s mouth. He fell to the ground, writhing in agony, his body shaking violently before exploding from within. Parts of him flew in all directions, and the room was filled with the horrendous sound of flesh tearing.
The screams continued to echo, mingling with the sound of the smoke devouring their bodies. I remained on my knees, unable to do anything but listen, terror consuming me as I awaited my turn to become another victim of this storm of horror.
Fear paralyzed me as I watched the boy, the black cloud moving behind him like a living shadow. He approached me, each slow step carrying an oppressive tension. His cold eyes met mine, and he looked down at me, his presence overwhelming.
¡°Go!¡± he ordered, his voice low and emotionless. ¡°Tell the men to kneel and pray for my mercy.¡±
I stood up, trembling, trying to make the smallest movement possible to avoid provoking his wrath. As soon as I ran toward the door, a feminine voice rang out through the room, freezing me in place.
¡°Where do you think you''re going, soldier?¡± The voice was filled with cold malice. I turned back and saw five figures entering through the same door the boy had come from. Their energy was palpable, and I immediately recognized them. They were the Ten Fingers, the most powerful mages of this place.
¡°You must stay and fight to the death for your lord,¡± the woman laughed. The sound of her laughter was disturbing, almost insane.
One of the mages advanced. ¡°You gave us quite a blow with that lightning strike. Somehow, you had put it inside the cloud before being caught. I wanted to keep going at that moment, but my duty as a guard was to take the nobles to safety. But now... it seems like there¡¯s nothing to stop us.¡±
The boy slowly turned, his eyes fixed on the new opponents. The black cloud beside him seemed to analyze the five with the same coldness.
The boy snapped his fingers, and the black cloud golem disappeared.
¡°It seems this battle is too complicated for me to let him participate,¡± the boy said, his voice now filled with a sinister confidence.
The woman smiled bitterly. ¡°Dealing with a bunch of weak mages is one thing, kid. But we are the best mages in this place. Unfortunately, my group is divided, and part of us is outside,¡± she said, the provocation clear in her voice. ¡°But five of us... are more than enough to handle you.¡±
The mages exchanged glances, preparing for the confrontation, their hands already wrapped in magic. I, caught in the middle of this nightmare, didn¡¯t know what to do. Everything seemed beyond my comprehension. The air grew dense, the tension between the boy and the mages building with each passing second.
And then the confrontation began.
247 – War at Dawn
Chapter 247 ¨C War at Dawn
Hugo Riverclimb:
We ran side by side, Sifu and I leading a small squad of five men as we clashed with the enemy soldiers. The constant whistling of arrows cutting through the air was unnerving, but before they could find their mark, one of the maids behind us raised a barrier of wind, deflecting the deadly projectiles.
Two enemies rushed forward, their movements quick and weapons ready. "Ah!" one of them shouted, charging at me with a heavy axe. I sidestepped just in time, feeling the air from his swing brush past my face. In response, I conjured a fireball in my hand. He raised his shield just in time to block it, but I intensified the flames, focusing them into a concentrated ray that heated the metal. The unbearable heat forced him to falter, and I seized the opportunity to kick the shield with all my strength, sending him stumbling backward. Without hesitation, I struck with my sword, piercing through his weakened defense.
Before I could react to the next threat, a familiar voice called out:
"That''s not how it''s done, Dad!"
My daughters appeared, swift and fierce. They moved in perfect sync, spinning gracefully as they approached, and dropped low at the end of their spin, each wielding a hatchet. With precise strikes, they targeted the legs of the soldier beside me, cutting him down. As he fell, screaming in agony, they wasted no time finishing the job, smashing his back with coordinated blows.
"I''m so proud of you," I said with a grin, watching as they cleaned their blades.
"Fire, Dad! We only use it on the metal," Natty explained excitedly, pointing to their hatchets. "We heat the metal like in a forge, and it cuts right through the armor!"
"I see," I replied, impressed. "Though I admit, I¡¯m not as good with elemental control as you two."
"You need more practice," they said in unison, their tone playful. Their blades ignited with blue flames, energy flowing with an intensity that belied their small stature.
Without waiting for another word, they charged back into the fray, their small but determined figures blazing through the battlefield like feral, fiery predators. Enemy armor barely slowed them down, their precision and skill turning each encounter into a decisive victory. Watching them filled me with pride but also a hint of unease. They were lethal, dangerous, and I knew that one day, they¡¯d surpass even my own abilities.
No one warns you that being a father also means getting scolded by your daughters in the middle of a war¡
Turning my attention back to the chaos around me, I noticed one of our men gravely injured.
"Your shoulder¡¯s bleeding. You can barely hold your weapon. Fall back now!" I commanded firmly amidst the turmoil.
"Sir, I can keep going," he said, panting, trying to maintain his stance.
"I know you can, but this isn¡¯t the time for stubbornness. Activate the light orb on your back. One of the maids will tend to your wound," I replied before refocusing on the battlefield.
Our rescue system was simple but effective. Every armor had a crystal that activated a glowing orb on the soldier''s back and chest. If someone was severely injured, they only needed to activate it, and one of the healer mages would follow the light to provide first aid or evacuate the wounded from the field. It was a clever system, designed to maintain efficiency and minimize casualties.
"Grrr!" The sound of reinforcements advancing cut through the air, and my eyes immediately caught something wrong. Some soldiers, previously our enemies, now had writhing plant tentacles emerging from their bodies.
"These things¡ they give me chills," I muttered. "I think I¡¯ll be staying away from vegetables for a while after this."
Suddenly, an arrow shot through the air and embedded itself in my shoulder.
"Shit!" I snarled, ripping the arrow out in anger as blood streamed down my arm. Without hesitation, I cauterized the wound with fire, gritting my teeth against the searing pain, then charged toward two advancing enemies. A quick blast of flames disoriented them, and with a swift spin, I delivered precise strikes, cutting them down.
"Which army are you from?" one of the fallen enemies croaked, his voice hoarse and heavy with pain. "Why do you wear black? Where¡¯s your banner?"
I stepped closer, my gaze cold and fixed on the wounded man. "We wear black because we represent your death. The banner? It¡¯s your final scream." Without a moment¡¯s pause, I stomped hard, igniting a small explosion of fire that silenced the man¡¯s cries for good.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
"Getting scolded by your daughters in the middle of a war?" Sifu asked, chuckling as he approached.
"You heard that, huh?" I sighed, a faint smile tugging at the corner of my mouth. "One day, they¡¯re taking their first steps and learning to torture, and the next, they¡¯re teaching me how to kill. They grow up so fast."
Sifu laughed, but our focus quickly returned to the battlefield. Chaos raged on, and I watched as the monk moved fluidly through the enemy ranks. His hands were lethal weapons, striking with deadly precision. He spun with two fingers extended, slicing through soldiers and leaving deep wounds in his wake.
Five men charged him at once, but he stopped all their swords with a single finger, moving with uncanny speed. In an instant, he followed up with a kick that sent one flying.
Then, with a leap, he delivered a series of palm strikes that floored the rest with astounding ease. As he approached the fallen soldiers, he ended the fight with precise strikes to their heads, dispatching them in seconds. Wasting no time, he moved on to face more squads with the same relentless ferocity.
"Maybe I really do need to get back to training..." I muttered, recalling my daughters¡¯ words as I watched Sifu¡¯s lethal efficiency in action.
Martha Riverclimb:
I rushed toward the group of soldiers, spinning my spear with precision. It struck one of them square in the chest, his armor letting out a muffled metallic sound as he fell to his knees. I quickly withdrew the spear, pivoting to push back another soldier charging at me with a shield. His advance was halted, but more men were flanking me, their faces twisted with fury.
"You wretch!" shouted the soldier with the shield, his voice rough and dripping with contempt. "Once we disarm you and cut off your hands, I¡¯m going to have my fun with you right here in the mud!"
My reply was cold and razor-sharp, much like the steel of my weapon. "You won¡¯t even piss again after I cut off your dick."
Raising my hands, I summoned bursts of water that slammed into his shield with enough force to push him back a few steps. But he wasn¡¯t alone. The other soldiers began to encircle me, their armor gleaming as they raised their shields to trap me.
"Kill the bitch!" they shouted, advancing like an iron wall.
I spun my spear swiftly, striking their shields hard enough to keep them from closing in on me. They were relentless, but I had no intention of being an easy target. With an agile move, I channeled mana into a burst of water beneath my feet, propelling myself high into the air. Using the water to adjust my trajectory mid-flight, I launched myself behind their formation and landed smoothly.
Fiery arrows rained down around me, shot by enemy archers. I dodged the flames, feeling their heat uncomfortably close but keeping my focus.
"Get back here, you bitch!" one of the soldiers roared, turning to face me. Little did they know, I already had my next move planned.
"Tide''s Wrath!" I shouted, casting the spell and summoning a wave that propelled me at high speed. The water¡¯s force hit their shields like a battering ram, shattering their formation and sending them tumbling backward. Without giving them a chance to recover, I unleashed another spell.
"Sea Serpent!" A sinuous figure of water surged forward, striking them with unrelenting force and scattering them across the ground.
I sprinted directly toward the soldier who had dared insult me.
He lay on the ground, coughing as he struggled to get up. His eyes widened in horror as he saw me approaching, my spear steady in my hands. ¡°I told you I¡¯d cut off your dick,¡± I murmured, my voice low and dripping with disdain. With one swift motion, I drove the spear straight between his legs.
¡°AHHH!¡± His scream of agony echoed like a bitter melody amidst the chaos of the battlefield. I didn¡¯t kill him, just left him there, writhing on the ground as blood pooled beneath him.
¡°I¡¯ll kill you in a few minutes. Savor the pain,¡± I murmured coldly, my voice filled with contempt as my gaze shifted toward a fire mage approaching from a distance.
I raised barriers of water as I ran, forming shields to counter the attacks he hurled at me. ¡°Fire Wave!¡± he bellowed, unleashing a powerful torrent of flames that roared toward me.
¡°Water Beam!¡± I countered, the collision of elements creating a cloud of steam that obscured the battlefield. I charged through the mist, closing the distance as he squinted to see me. When he finally caught sight of me emerging, he hastily drew a sword and swung at me in desperation.
But I was ready. Planting my spear into the ground, I pivoted and conjured a water current that coiled around my legs. Using the momentum, I struck him squarely in the helmet. He staggered back, terror etched across his face as he raised his hands to cast another spell.
¡°Ahhh! Damn you!¡± he screamed, but his attack never came. My spear pierced through his hand, eliciting another cry of agony. Before he could react further, I drove the tip of the spear into his throat. His body crumpled lifelessly, and I had already shifted my focus to the next wave of enemies.
Four more mages emerged in a tight formation, their movements precise and coordinated. These soldiers, positioned so close to the fortress, were clearly more skilled and posed a real threat.
Suddenly, a piercing sound cut through the chaos. A brilliant white ray of ice struck the four mages, hurling them into the air. They fell like limp puppets, their armor encased in glistening crystals of frost that immobilized them.
The unmistakable sound of chains dragging across the ground followed, and I turned to see a commanding figure approaching.
¡°Lady Margaery,¡± I greeted respectfully, recognizing my duchess as a formidable presence amidst the chaos.
She offered a faint smile, her sharp eyes surveying the battlefield. ¡°It seems things are going smoothly. Katie is producing more soldiers and infiltrating their ranks to disrupt their formation,¡± she remarked, flanked by two of her maids who stood watchful, like loyal shadows.
From Margaery¡¯s shadow, a sleek gray panther leapt with deadly grace. Its eyes gleamed with a hunger for battle as it took position, awaiting orders.
¡°Go check on Katie and let me know if she needs assistance. And, of course, have some fun along the way,¡± Margaery commanded, her voice imbued with cold authority.
Carnellian acknowledged with a subtle nod before darting across the battlefield in a blur of gray.
The screams began almost immediately. Wherever Carnellian passed, lives were snuffed out with savage precision. I didn¡¯t need to watch to know she was executing her mission with brutal efficiency. The sound of flesh tearing and the panicked cries of soldiers filled the air, a grim reminder of why the moon panther was a creature of terror.
248 – The General vs 5 Mages
Chapter 248 ¨C The General vs 5 Mages
Nathan Evenhart:
In front of me stood five mages who exuded power. Judging by their stance, their leader appeared to be a demi-human woman with a confident posture and sharp eyes. I quickly assessed their abilities, analyzing each of them, and decided to dismiss my golems. I couldn¡¯t afford to waste my mana unnecessarily.
My right eye started failing again, my vision blurring and forcing me to blink repeatedly. I had pushed the limits of my special eyes far too much in recent days. Creating that colossal storm cloud had consumed two entire days of cultivation, requiring an absurd level of focus. But it had been necessary. The Storm Dome needed to be powerful enough to envelop the entire fortress, trapping the enemy army inside with me. It was the only way to ensure that the battle outside followed my family¡¯s plan.
Elsewhere on the battlefield, my mother was using her magic to infect soldiers. Slowly but surely, a significant portion of the enemy army would be turned into allies. It was a calculated risk, but one that could turn the tide in our favor.
Suddenly, my face felt warm. When I touched my right eye, I realized blood was dripping down. It wasn¡¯t just exhaustion; overusing the elements through my special eyes was taking a serious toll. Deep down, I knew I was nearing the point of no return.
Adrihna had already warned me about this; I just didn¡¯t think it would happen to me so quickly. The reason she wore a monocle was because years of constant use of her own powers had permanently damaged her vision. Now, I was facing the same risk. Every spell I cast with the help of these eyes brought me closer to potentially losing my sight forever.
I don¡¯t think I can sustain this Storm Dome much longer. At least it has served its purpose, securing a significant advantage in the war outside.
I took a deep breath, fully aware that everything from this point forward would depend on how I handled the mages standing before me.
The demi-human woman with brown dog-like ears stepped forward, keeping her sharp gaze locked on me.
¡°Pleasure to meet you. My name is Illana,¡± she said with a mocking tone. ¡°I¡¯m a user of earth and water elements. That might not seem like much to you, but for my kind, mastering these elements allows us to awaken the power of mud.¡±
As she spoke, her body began to ooze mud, and she conjured a ball of it in one hand.
Another mage stepped up right after her.
¡°I¡¯m Dudan,¡± said the man beside her. ¡°We don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening outside, but the war has likely already begun. We¡¯ve received authorization from Nikolaus Wolves to kill you. It doesn¡¯t matter whether you¡¯re alive or not; we¡¯ll just tell your family you were captured, and that¡¯ll be the end of them when negotiations fail.¡± A sphere of ice materialized in his hand, marking him as an ice mage.
An ice mage¡ and that demi-human is a mud mage. This isn¡¯t going to be easy.
¡°Name¡¯s Richard,¡± said the next one, summoning a combination of wind and fire in his hands.
Beside him was a mage whose arms were encased in a layer of earth. One arm formed a spiked ball, while the other morphed into a large drill-like tip that started spinning rapidly.
¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Bernard,¡± he said with a smug grin.
A drill arm... This is going to be really tough.
The last to introduce herself was a woman who gave me a sly smile.
"My name is Michelle. Such a pity... such a handsome face for someone about to die. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll flay your corpse carefully,¡± she said, her body completely engulfed in water, transforming into an aquatic creature.
"Is this supposed to be some kind of show? I couldn¡¯t care less about who you are."
¡°It¡¯s customary for us to introduce ourselves. We like the people we¡¯re about to kill to know our names,¡± Illana said, her voice cold and threatening.
¡°So, how¡¯s it going to be, kid?¡± asked the woman in her water-creature form, her tone dripping with provocation. ¡°Quick death or slow?¡±
I drew the Cursed Blade from my storage bracelet, feeling the familiar weight of the sword in my hand. In front of me, the demi-human woman wielded a massive axe, the fire-and-wind mage held a sword, and the ice mage gripped an iron club with a spiked metal tip.
¡°After we kill you and bring down this storm dome, we¡¯ll come for your family,¡± the demi-human woman threatened.
¡°Good luck,¡± I replied sincerely, feeling the echo of the storm around me. ¡°I can assure you, they won¡¯t fall easily.¡±
The five mages began to spread out, positioning themselves to surround me.
¡°Water Bomb!¡± The woman in the water armor rushed forward with incredible speed, forcing me to raise a wind barrier at the last second. However, she detonated herself before impact. The force of the explosion launched me into the air, and from below, I saw the demi-human firing mud bullets in my direction.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
¡°Damn it!¡± I muttered, pointing my arm upward and firing a lightning bolt that tore through the ceiling. I shot through the opening, emerging on top of the structure. Soldiers attempting to break open the black storm dome saw me and fled in panic, seeking refuge in nearby buildings.
BOOM! The ground beneath me exploded, and I barely dodged in time. The mage with the spinning drill arm emerged, shattering the earth as he leapt.
¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going, pretty boy?¡± the earth mage taunted, laughing mockingly. Rain poured heavily around us, drenching everything as we stood atop the building, the Nikolaus Wolves¡¯ castle looming in the background.
¡°I don¡¯t see a problem with causing a bit of destruction here,¡± I murmured to myself.
Sparks began to dance along my arm and sword as I charged toward the earth mage. The demi-human woman burst out of the hole with incredible speed, her axe raised for a strike. I reinforced my body with wind, and our weapons collided.
BAM! The impact shattered the glass of nearby buildings. The woman smirked.
¡°How cute. You don¡¯t even seem that strong,¡± she taunted, spinning to deliver a kick. I dodged just in time, blocking with my sword, but the impact sent me sliding back. I felt a sudden chill. A beam of ice zipped past me, freezing the ground as the ice mage attempted to corner me.
The battle was just beginning, and chaos swirled around us.
¡°Fire Ray!¡± I heard a shout from behind me. Moving quickly, I dodged the attack, rushing toward the fire mage. I conjured a wind barrier to block the direct impact while pressing forward.
¡°Thunder Dash!¡± I whispered, feeling my body accelerate in a powerful leap. I closed the distance with the fire mage, striking with my sword. He raised his weapon to block, sidestepping and firing flaming projectiles, which I deflected with my blade. In a swift move, I leapt back to gain distance.
I expelled a high-pressure jet of water from my mouth, hitting the fire mage and sending him flying.
Suddenly, a powerful kick struck my back, hurling me through the air. I couldn¡¯t fully recover in time but managed to parry the demi-human woman¡¯s axe. The impact launched me even higher, and before I could regain my balance, the water mage, cloaked in her liquid armor, leapt at me with blinding speed, landing a punch mid-air.
I was hurled into the castle, crashing through a wall and landing in a room. The impact left me stunned for a moment, but I quickly gathered my thoughts, analyzing everything I had observed about my opponents.
Chronos¡ if I summon him, he could take care of my enemies, but he¡¯d likely kill me too. I still can¡¯t control him.
This thought crossed my mind as I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth and got to my feet.
I leapt out of the room, dodging another volley of fire blasts heading my way. But a jet of mud struck my wind barrier, weakening it. Before I could reinforce the defense, the earth mage, with his spinning drill arm, lunged at me.
¡°Hahaha! Almost there!¡± he shouted, laughing as his drill spun wildly. The pressure was intense, and my barrier began to falter.
I need to think fast, or this will end badly.
I still had one trump card, but summoning the Soul Golem now could be a massive gamble.
At the last second, I dropped my barrier, catching the mage off guard. Sparks ran across my body, and in a quick movement, I struck his abdomen with all my strength. He had no time to react, and before he could recover, I grabbed him and hurled him against a wall.
Lightning surged around me, and I unleashed a thunderbolt at him. He tried to block with his arms, but his defense crumbled, and the impact sent him crashing violently into the structure, shattering it with a deafening roar.
Boom!
The water mage, encased in her shimmering liquid armor, descended upon me with terrifying speed. I rolled to the side just in time to avoid her lethal strike.
She waved her hand in the air, summoning another attack. A high-speed water sphere launched toward me, exploding nearby and throwing me backward with the force.
Before I could regain my footing, another attack was coming.
¡°Mud Cannon!¡± the demi-human shouted, firing a mud projectile directly at me. I hastily conjured a wind barrier, but the force of the impact pushed me even farther back, suspending me in the air as the pressure mounted.
f I use my strongest spell, I might die or end up so weak that anyone could finish me off¡ and I don¡¯t know how the war outside is going.
My options were shrinking, and time wasn¡¯t on my side. I glanced up at the storm dome above, feeling the strain of keeping it active.
I¡¯ve held it through an entire night¡ I can¡¯t keep feeding this any longer.
I sighed, resigning myself to the inevitable. Suddenly, a fist collided with my face, and I was thrown by the impact. I crashed onto the roof of a building, scrambling to my feet as quickly as I could. The mages appeared one by one, each taking position on the rooftops, forming a circle around me.
A lightning bolt illuminated the sky, its intense brilliance tearing through the darkness as torrential rain poured down relentlessly.
The dome was beginning to crack. Each fracture in my control over the elements increased the strain. My connection to the other elements was volatile, dangerous, leaving me with only thunder and wind as reliable allies.
I gripped my resolve tightly. Summoning a sword of wind reinforced with thunder, I held it in my hand, its electric glow pulsating around the blade. Thunder coursed through my body, not as a rigid armor but as a living, dynamic aura.
This was the Thunder Mantle, a skill only a Transmitter could achieve. I felt the tingling sensation across my skin as lightning coiled around me, like serpents hungry for destruction.
¡°What an intriguing power,¡± remarked the fire mage, conjuring a blazing sphere in his hands. The other mages readied themselves, their eyes locked onto me, analyzing my every move.
Without warning, as if a single spark had ignited the chaos, we charged at each other.
The five mages advanced together, coordinated and deadly. The water mage, cloaked in her gleaming liquid armor, led the charge, her powerful assault aimed directly at me. But before she could reach me, the piercing sound of something slicing through the air echoed. A brilliant blue light streaked across the field, swift and unavoidable.
BOOM!
The explosion was deafening. The Cursed Blade, which I had strategically positioned earlier, returned like a treacherous lightning bolt, wrapping the battlefield in thunderous chaos. The blast threw everyone back, everyone except me. I stood firm, my gaze locked on the storm of destruction, as the sword spun back into my hand, its blade still crackling with electricity.
"Five against one... still feels unfair. For you, of course," I said with a cold smile, pointing the blade toward them.
Without hesitation, I hurled the Cursed Blade like a boomerang, its spinning motion generating a storm of lightning around it. The sword tore through the air, thunder exploding with every rotation, as the mages scrambled to react.
The clash began. Every movement was an eruption of power, every strike a delicate dance between chaos and precision. Thunder roared in my veins as the battle unfolded like a relentless storm, unstoppable and devastating.
249 – The Moon Panther at War
Chapter 249 ¨C The Moon Panther at War
Sergeant Barnes:
My men and I were stationed near the wall, deep within our camp. The war raged in the distance, but chaos had already spilled over, spreading like wildfire. We sprinted through the maze of tents, where screams and the clash of swords mingled with the thunderous explosions of magic. The scene was a living nightmare.
Maids cackled with macabre delight as they slaughtered soldiers with unimaginable cruelty. Green snakes slithered through the dirt, creeping into the mouths of screaming men whose bodies convulsed as grotesque plants erupted from their skin. Warriors, turned into vegetal abominations, attacked relentlessly, like puppets.
My mind was a storm of panic. Any strategies I had planned were now useless. Everything was falling apart. Squads were divided, disorganized; everyone was fighting just to survive.
In the middle of this chaos, a gnawing unease settled among us. Every shadow felt like it hid something lethal. Soldiers from my squad began disappearing one by one. First, they vanished without a trace; then, their screams echoed like grim warnings.
We were a squad of mages, forced to band together out of sheer survival instinct. But something was terribly wrong. It felt like an invisible presence stalked us, the weight of it suffocating, sending shivers down my spine with every step.
"We need to help the other squads!" one of my men exclaimed, his voice trembling with fear.
I scanned our surroundings, trying to pinpoint the source of this oppressive feeling. All I saw were shadows and fleeting silhouettes vanishing before I could focus on them.
"We can''t waste more time here," I said, forcing my voice to remain steady despite the growing terror. "Stay close. If you sense anything, anything at all, call out immediately!"
We pushed forward through the labyrinth of tents, each of us hyper-aware of every flicker of movement, every sound. Yet, the pounding of our hearts betrayed our nerves. The intermittent silence was unnerving, broken only by the distant sounds of battle and strange rustling noises nearby.
My eyes fixed on the fortress in the distance, still shrouded by that black dome, a harbinger of death. A gut feeling told me the worst was yet to come.
Suddenly, a desperate scream tore through the air behind us. "Help me!" It was filled with sheer terror, freezing the blood in our veins.
We spun around instinctively, ready to unleash magic, but the sight before us left us frozen. One of our squad''s mages was being dragged into the shadows between the tents. His fingers clawed at the dirt as he tried to cast fire spells at whatever was pulling him with unrelenting force.
"Grab him!" I shouted, but it was too late. He disappeared into the darkness.
Then came silence, a silence so oppressive it seemed to devour even the echoes of his cries.
I swallowed hard, the fear hanging in the air becoming unbearable. Something was hunting us, and it was only a matter of time before it claimed another.
"What do we do?!" a soldier shouted, his voice cracking under the weight of panic.
"Fire your spells!" I barked without hesitation. We all aimed at the spot where the mage had vanished and unleashed a barrage of fire, illuminating the area with a fierce blaze. But as the flames died down, all that remained was emptiness. There was nothing there. Only silence and the suffocating darkness surrounding us.
"Hold your positions!" I ordered, masking my own terror. "Watch every angle!"
We formed a tight circle, our backs pressed together. It was the only defensive formation we could manage. If something approached, one of us would see it and warn the rest. No one would be taken by surprise.
The wind whispered faintly, but its sound mocked us, heightening our unease. Shadows danced with the swaying tent fabrics, morphing into shapes that seemed alive, watching us. Every movement, no matter how small, had us raising swords or preparing spells, eyes wide with tension.
"There!" one of the soldiers shouted, pointing at a shadow slipping between the tents. We all turned at once, spells at the ready. But when we focused on the indicated spot, we realized it was just a torch¡¯s reflection casting eerie, distorted shapes.
"I swear I saw something," the soldier murmured, his voice shaky.
"Back to formation!" I ordered firmly, though my heart pounded so hard it felt like it might burst. Cold sweat trickled down my face, mirroring the icy dread creeping through the camp.
And then, we heard it, faint laughter, barely audible but unmistakable. It wasn¡¯t human. It carried a low, sadistic tone, as though something was watching us, reveling in our fear.
"Did you hear that?" I asked, my voice hushed, betraying the fear that seeped into my words. The air felt heavier, as if the very atmosphere conspired against us.
"We should tighten the circle," one soldier suggested in a whisper. I nodded silently. We pressed closer together, our backs nearly touching, weapons raised, eyes scanning every direction.
Our steps became slow and deliberate, each sound amplified by the oppressive silence around us. The wind had stopped, and the world seemed to hold its breath.
Suddenly, I felt something against my back. It was cold, solid, and definitely not one of my men. My blood turned to ice.
¡°Shit! Ahhh!¡± a soldier screamed. Whirling around, I saw what froze him, and my throat went dry.
At the center of our circle, where there should have been nothing, stood a massive gray panther. Its eyes glowed like twin blades piercing the darkness. The torchlight reflected off its sleek fur, highlighting taut muscles coiled and ready to strike. Saliva dripped from its open maw, pooling on the ground in near-silent plops.
The panther didn¡¯t growl, didn¡¯t move. It simply stared at us, its gaze heavy with the knowledge that we were prey and it, the predator.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
"What the hell is that!?" one of the men screamed, his desperation echoing the terror we all felt.
"Fire your spells!" I shouted, my voice cracking under the weight of panic. A barrage of magic hurtled toward the gray beast, fire, water, wind, and earth collided in brilliant explosions, briefly illuminating the grim battlefield.
But the panther didn¡¯t flinch. It remained unmoved, staring at us as though we were nothing more than an inconvenience. The spells struck it, yet there was no reaction. No wounds. No retreat. It simply watched us, its glowing eyes filled with something beyond comprehension.
Then it smiled.
Not an animal¡¯s snarl, but a deliberate, sinister smile that froze the marrow in our bones.
"I smell fear..." a deep, drawn-out voice rumbled. It came directly from the panther. The words crushed the last vestiges of our composure. My heart seemed to stop for a beat.
"The panther... it spoke!" one of the soldiers stammered, nearly dropping to his knees, terror etched across his face.
"Hahaha..." the panther laughed, a sound so twisted it felt like it resonated inside our minds.
Before anyone could react, it leaped.
In an instant, it was upon one of the soldiers, claws tearing through his flesh. His screams were cut short by the sickening crunch of bones breaking. Blood sprayed as the beast bit deep, ripping a chunk from his torso.
"ROOOOAAAAR!"
The panther¡¯s roar echoed like a death sentence. It clamped its jaws around the soldier¡¯s head, and with a single, savage motion, crushed his skull. Bone fragments and bits of flesh splattered across the ground and onto our armor, staining the air with the sharp, metallic tang of blood.
"Fire everything you have!" I screamed, my hands shaking as I conjured a fiery blast, hurling it with every ounce of strength I had.
The panther, however, was relentless. Before anyone could react, it darted toward another soldier. He raised his sword in desperation, but before he could strike, the creature vanished, not with speed but as if it had been swallowed by the very shadow beneath him.
"Where is it!?" another man shouted, frantically searching.
It reappeared behind him, emerging from the darkness like an apparition. "ROOOAR!" It roared again, sinking its fangs into the man¡¯s back, piercing through armor and flesh. The panther shook him violently like a ragdoll before hurling his lifeless body away, his corpse landing with a sickening thud.
Every spell we cast was useless. The panther moved like a living shadow, disappearing and reappearing fluidly, striking from unexpected angles with ruthless precision. Chaos consumed us. Screams and blood were all that remained.
I ran in desperation, my mind reeling as I searched for an escape. Reaching a tent, I tried to steady myself, but there it was, waiting as if it had anticipated my every move.
"Damn it!" I shouted, stumbling to the ground. It leapt toward me, but to my shock, ignored me entirely. The panther disappeared into the shadows again, slithering away like a stream of black water.
I looked around, paralyzed, as it reappeared in another part of the battlefield. Each time it emerged, another scream echoed. Soldiers were cut down with no chance of defense. Its claws sliced like blades, and its fangs tore through lives with monstrous efficiency.
It swam through the shadows, weaving between us like an unstoppable force of nature, leaving only death and despair in its wake. Whatever this creature was, it was far beyond anything we could face.
The panther grabbed a soldier by the back, its claws sinking deep as it dragged him into the darkness. He screamed, but the sound was quickly silenced, swallowed by the very shadows that consumed him. When the creature emerged again, it was a nightmare given form, rising from the ground without warning. With a brutal swipe of its paw, it slammed another man to the ground. The impact was so devastating that he attempted to rise, but his body refused, his bones had been crushed like brittle twigs.
The beast approached him with eerie calm. Its glowing eyes reflected a cold, merciless cruelty. Without hesitation, it lowered itself over the soldier and began to devour him alive. His screams of agony pierced the air, each bite tearing through flesh and splintering bone, until silence reclaimed the space.
The remaining mages tried to fight back, casting spells in frantic desperation. "Flaming Tornado!" I roared, channeling all my mana into a powerful attack. The spell surged toward the panther, an inferno of destruction. But the creature roared in return, a deep, resonating sound that seemed to shake my very soul.
The night around us grew thicker, as if the darkness itself had taken on a life of its own, suffocating any hope of victory. I stumbled back, fear gripping my chest.
Suddenly, a new squad of mages appeared in the distance, their voices resolute. "We¡¯re here to assist!" one of them shouted.
"Kill it! Kill the panther!" I screamed, desperation thick in my voice as I tried to muster some semblance of courage. But as the mages advanced, something horrific unfolded.
The darkness around us closed in completely, swallowing everything. It wasn¡¯t mere absence of light; it was as if the very fabric of space had been consumed. The sounds of battle faded, and even our footsteps seemed muted.
"What¡¯s happening?" a soldier beside me stammered, his voice trembling with panic.
The realization hit me like a thunderclap: it was a Territory Spell. The shadows had formed an absolute domain, sealing us off completely from the outside world. Desperately, we conjured fireballs to illuminate the suffocating darkness. The flames hovered around us, casting flickering light over pale, terror-stricken faces. But the light only deepened the horror, projecting dancing shadows that surrounded us like invisible predators.
I sank to the ground, hiding behind an overturned tent. I didn¡¯t want to fight anymore. I didn¡¯t want to be seen. I just wanted to disappear. I knew the panther was out there, watching us, calculating its next move.
Then came the scream, a piercing, bloodcurdling cry that sliced through the silence like a blade. The darkness exploded with flashes of light as spells were cast wildly in every direction, desperate to hit an enemy we couldn¡¯t see. But it was futile.
The panther struck again, emerging from the shadows like a demonic specter. With its claws, it crushed soldiers as if they were mere rag dolls. With its fangs, it tore chunks of flesh, shaking bodies in the air before discarding them like broken toys.
Blood sprayed, painting the ground and the tattered tents around us. The screams were muffled by the sheer brutality of the attacks, each motion of the creature leaving a trail of destruction. The shadows seemed to press closer, as if the battlefield itself was conspiring with the beast to snuff out all hope.
I trembled, my eyes fixed on the creature that, with every strike, proved it was more than a mere beast; it was a perfect predator, a living shadow that carried death in its every movement.
The panther hurled a soldier into the air with absurd force. His body spun uncontrollably before the creature leapt to meet him mid-air. With a ferocious bite, it tore a massive chunk from his torso. Blood sprayed through the air like a macabre blur. It chewed the flesh with a calmness that was almost more terrifying than the violence itself, as if this were just another routine meal. When it was done, it spat out shards of armor with a metallic clink that echoed through the blood-soaked ground.
I watched it all, paralyzed. My heart pounded wildly, and an overwhelming sense of despair swallowed me whole. That¡¯s when I realized the grim truth: there was no one else left. I was the last.
My hand gripped my sword with trembling fingers. The blade felt impossibly heavy, weighed down by the fear that gripped me. There was no strategy, no salvation. All I could do was crouch, trying to make myself as small as possible behind a pile of collapsed tents, praying the panther wouldn¡¯t notice me.
But the silence that followed was more horrifying than the screams that had filled the battlefield moments before.
Then I felt it, hot breath behind me. My body froze. Every fiber of my being screamed at me not to turn around, but a morbid curiosity or perhaps the crushing inevitability of my fate forced me to look.
With trembling hands, I conjured a small flame at my fingertip, its flickering light cutting through the oppressive darkness.
And there she was. The panther. Standing motionless, her glowing eyes burned through the shadows, locking onto me. Her predatory grin widened with each passing second, revealing bloodstained fangs. She took a single step forward, her claws scraping against the ground with a sound that foretold death.
¡°This is for hurting my two wards,¡± she growled, her voice deep and filled with seething rage. The blood of her last victim dripped from her maw, staining the ground as her piercing gaze bore into me with cruel satisfaction.
¡°NO!¡± I screamed in desperation, raising my sword as a feeble last stand. But it was futile.
The panther leapt, a blur of deadly speed, and the world around me dissolved into utter darkness.
The last thing I heard was the sickening tear of flesh and the crunch of bones before the void consumed everything.
250 – Between the Mud and the Lightning
Chapter 250 ¨C Between the Mud and the Lightning
Nathan Evenhart:
I leaped into the air, the mages wasting no time in chasing after me. The woman in her beastly water form surged forward like a furious current, too fast for any conventional attack to land. I dashed through the sky, stepping on platforms of wind I conjured beneath my feet, while lightning crackled around me like protective sentinels.
"I don¡¯t know how you¡¯re wielding other elements, but it doesn¡¯t matter," she said, her voice reverberating like rushing water. Her arm morphed into a massive hammer of water, and she swung it with devastating force. The impact struck me, sending me hurtling downward. But before I hit the ground, I created another wind platform to cushion my fall. Using the momentum, I propelled myself back into the air, electricity coursing through me as I prepared a counterattack.
Before I could strike, a spear of fire streaked through the air and slammed into my back, burning me and sending me tumbling uncontrollably. Mid-flight, a spear of stone materialized and hurtled toward me. I tried to grab it, but as soon as I touched it, it exploded into dust and shards, blinding me momentarily.
¡°Damn it!¡± I growled, but there was no time to recover. A shadow loomed behind me, and a kick of overwhelming strength connected with my spine. The demi-human moved like a wild beast, her speed unmatched. I was sent flying like a projectile, spinning uncontrollably until a hammer of ice conjured by the mage struck me with pinpoint precision. The impact hurled me into the roof of a house, shattering it as I crashed through with a deafening explosion.
¡°I should have seen that coming¡¡± I coughed, spitting blood as I struggled to my feet. Pain seared through my body. But there was no time.
Around me, glowing blue fireballs began to rain down, their light bright and ominous. I recognized the spell instantly. ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me!¡± I muttered, throwing myself out of the house just before the fireballs detonated.
The explosion roared in my ears, and the heat licked at my back even from a distance as the house collapsed into a blazing heap of debris. I rolled through the muddy ground, scrambling to my feet amidst the chaos, only to hear the relentless sounds of war and more threats converging from every direction.
That was close, too close!
¡°Surprise!¡± a voice called out. I whipped around to face the source. The water mage, clad in her shimmering liquid armor, charged at me with a predatory grin. I reacted quickly, firing bolts of lightning her way, but too late I noticed the water beneath me moving. Like a serpent, it coiled around my ankle and tightened.
Before I could counter, I was violently yanked to the side, slamming into the wall of a house with bone-jarring force. Pain exploded through my back as the air was knocked from my lungs. Dazed, I tried to recover, but I barely had a moment to breathe before something massive came hurtling toward me: a devastating kick from the demi-human, aimed squarely at my face.
I knew that if that blow landed cleanly, it would end me. In a desperate move, I raised my arms, summoning a wind barrier at the very last moment. The impact tore through my defense with monstrous force, hurling me through the air. Walls, furniture, and debris shattered as I crashed through them, breaking everything in my path.
I finally landed inside a partially destroyed wooden structure, my body screaming in agony as I struggled to rise. But there was no reprieve. Walls of ice began to spring up around me, closing in rapidly to form a dome that trapped me inside.
Through the shattered roof, I saw the glowing blue fireballs descending again like blazing meteors, their heat growing unbearable as they approached.
"Shit!" I shouted, conjuring a wind barrier instinctively. The surge of energy shattered the ice dome around me, and I burst out in a vortex of lightning. But as soon as I escaped, another attack greeted me. Stone walls rose rapidly, forming a corridor that launched stone arrows like projectiles from a war machine.
I sprinted through the deadly gauntlet, dodging as best as I could, but a few arrows tore through my flesh, staining the ground with my blood. I leapt into the air, using wind to propel myself upward, desperate to escape the trap.
Before I could gain altitude, I felt something rush at me from the left. A burst of speed preceded a devastating punch that struck me squarely, flinging me higher into the sky. My body spun uncontrollably as fire and ice projectiles streaked toward me.
I countered with blasts of thunder, creating chaotic explosions that helped me regain some balance, but the barrage was relentless. From the ground, spikes of stone shot up with frightening speed, aiming for my predicted landing spot.
Meanwhile, the water beast bounded through the air like a predator, launching itself with increasing ferocity. I watched as it approached, its glistening form cutting through the relentless rain. I channeled lightning through my body and fired a bolt at it, but to my horror, the attack seemed ineffective. Its liquid armor absorbed the impact, dissipating the electricity as if it were nothing.
Her armor is a constant circulation of water. I suspect she¡¯s reinforcing it with pure mana underneath. I need to focus the electricity on a specific point.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.
The water mage surged closer, her armor glowing as she closed the distance. I took a deep breath, focusing. With a swift motion, I executed a kung fu strike enhanced by wind, generating a powerful gust that momentarily stabilized her in mid-air, just enough to line up my next move.
At that moment, the Cursed Blade returned, slicing through the air and slamming into her back with enough force to disrupt her stance. Wasting no time, I propelled myself with wind, closing the gap at devastating speed, and delivered a thunder-charged punch straight to her torso. The impact made her gasp in pain as her armor quivered under the pressure. She lashed out at me, but I blocked her strike in mid-air, gripping her tightly.
Our clash turned into a freefall, with electricity surging through me as I focused on breaking her armor before we hit the ground.
¡°Ahhh!¡± she screamed, a mix of pain and rage as the electricity coursed through her body. Taking advantage of her weakened state, I twisted and hurled her into a carriage, the impact reverberating through the street. Without missing a beat, I conjured a wind bomb and launched it at her, creating an explosion that hindered her armor''s regeneration.
Moving swiftly, I grabbed her by the hair and unleashed a surge of electricity, dragging her face across the ground with each step. The resistance of her mana shield faltered, and with a final effort, I flung her into a blacksmith''s shop. The thunderous crash shook the structure as I stood over her.
"That water hammer really stung," I remarked sarcastically, watching as she struggled to recover.
Before she could mount any response, I lunged, slamming her to the ground and raining down punch after punch on her face. The sharp cracks of each impact echoed, every strike amplified by the lightning coursing through me. Her resistance waned, and the sickening crunch of her skull finally signaled the end of her fight.
Barely catching my breath, I felt the walls behind me explode with staggering force. There was no time to react as a devastating kick struck me, launching me across the battlefield. Pain radiated through every bone in my body as I crashed to a halt.
Refocusing through the haze of agony, I saw the demi-human charging at me, fury etched into her face.
"Time to die!" she bellowed, wielding a massive axe, while the ice mage appeared above, a freezing beam of energy aimed directly at me.
My mind raced as I generated energy through my body, summoning a familiar spell. A whip of wind, crackling with electricity, materialized in my hands. As the ice mage launched his attack and the demi-human charged, I swung the Thunder Whip in a wide arc. The impact sent the ice mage flying backward, but the demi-human, far more resilient, caught the whip with her mud-covered hand, partially insulating the electricity.
Before I could react, she yanked me toward her with inhuman strength, pulling me at high speed. Her punch came like a hammer, striking me square in the chest and launching me backward through the air. I crashed into a pile of debris, pain radiating through my body like a tidal wave, each movement amplifying the agony.
"You''re just a bastard full of tricks!" the demi-human snarled, charging toward me with brutal speed. She unleashed a kick that collided with my wind barrier. The explosive impact sent me skidding back, even with my defenses up.
"How about this one?!" I retorted, summoning the Cursed Blade, which spun at high velocity toward her back. She turned with lightning-fast reflexes, catching the blade mid-air.
"I''ve seen this trick before!" she sneered, her feral grin widening. But in that instant, the sword exploded in a burst of thunderous energy. Seizing the opening, I surged forward, gathering every ounce of energy I could muster.
Just as I closed in, something slammed into my side, stopping me abruptly. The earth mage had appeared with his magical drill, which burrowed into my abdomen, spinning viciously. I screamed in pain but managed to grip the drill with both hands, preventing it from tearing through me completely. Acting on instinct, I headbutted the mage with all my strength, forcing him to stagger back.
"Fire Ray!" came the shout from the fire mage, followed by a blazing torrent aimed directly at my back. With no time to dodge, I spun around, using the earth mage as a shield. The flames engulfed him entirely, but in the same moment, I felt a sharp, searing pain in my back.
Looking over my shoulder, I saw the ice mage standing there, clutching a club that had pierced my flesh.
"Shit!" I cursed, the pain tearing through me, but without wasting any time, I gathered a concentration of energy and unleashed a massive electrical wave. The shockwave was so intense that it blasted the ice and earth mages away, their screams echoing as they crashed to the ground.
The fire mage, still standing, unleashed another wave of flames in my direction. I conjured a small tornado of wind, sucking in the fire and shielding myself from the impact. With the opportunity created, I called the Cursed Blade back to my hand and sprinted toward him at full speed.
As I ran, the sound of the other mages¡¯ footsteps closing in grew louder, but I pushed my body to its limit, surging with electricity. The fire mage conjured a barrier of flames, but I enveloped the sword in wind, cutting through the fiery shield like a blade through paper.
"Damn it, he¡¯s quick!" he yelled, realizing too late how close I was. In the final instant, I burst into a storm of electricity, increasing my speed exponentially. With a swift motion, I drove the blade deep into his chest.
"FUCK!" he screamed in agony, desperately trying to cast another spell, but I forced the sword deeper. The Cursed Blade''s power instantly nullified his magic.
"What...?" he stammered, his eyes wide with confusion and despair. Without hesitation, I delivered a punch to his face, shattering his nose and sending him sprawling backward.
I need to finish him off!
"It won''t be that easy to take us down!" the demi-human bellowed, her voice brimming with disdain and confidence. Before I could react, a massive wave of mud surged toward me, swift and unrelenting. Instinctively, I tried to leap out of its path, but a stone spear shot out, piercing my shoulder with brutal force. The impact threw me off balance, and the mud wave consumed me entirely.
I was swept away in the viscous current, my body spinning uncontrollably as I was hurled into debris. Each collision wrung muffled screams from me, quickly silenced as the mud filled my mouth and nose. The weight and density of the sludge dragged me deeper, the pressure mounting as if I were being buried alive.
Everything around me was darkness. I tried to explode with wind, attempting to disperse the mud, but the current was relentless. Stone spikes began to grow within that murky sea, piercing me as I was thrown back and forth. My skin burned from the cuts and the force of the impacts.
With desperate effort, I focused a wind bomb beneath my feet and propelled myself out of the muddy tide. My head broke the surface, and I gasped for air, coughing up mud and blood. But before I could even think about escaping, I felt my body lock in place.
The mud around me hardened like stone, transforming into a solid trap.
My eyes widened in panic. I was completely immobilized, like a statue trapped in a stone mold. I tried to move, but there was no way to break free. Every attempt was futile against the cruel prison that now held me at the mercy of my enemies.
251 – Katherines Monstrous Soul Golem
Chapter 251 ¨C Katherine''s Monstrous Soul Golem
Soldier Linus:
The dawn revealed a battlefield that felt like a waking nightmare. Chaos surrounded me as screams, blood, and the relentless clash of swords filled the air, while the orange-hued sky seemed to mock our misery.
¡°Hahahaha!¡± cackled a small woman, her appearance deceptively harmless at first glance. But her deranged grin and the bloodied cleavers in her hands told a far more sinister story. Her blonde hair shimmered in the morning light, a grotesque contrast to the savagery of her actions.
The cleavers were attached to wires she wielded with uncanny skill, spinning them like deadly weapons. Each rotation was a death sentence. The wires sliced through the air with a piercing whistle, and soldiers fell to pieces, their cries of agony punctuating the chaos.
¡°Come on! Step up and face the butcher of the family!¡± she screamed, her words drenched in a twisted laugh. The cleavers danced through the air, and the anguished cries of her victims echoed across the battlefield as limbs were severed and lifeless bodies dropped to the blood-soaked ground.
Further ahead, an even more grotesque sight seized my attention. A squad of mages was locked in a desperate struggle against a creature straight out of a nightmare. Quadrupedal and covered in pulsating vegetation, the monster advanced relentlessly, spreading destruction in its wake. Its body was cloaked in vines, algae, and thorn-covered roots that lashed out at anything brave or foolish enough to approach.
On its back was the most horrifying feature of all: a massive carnivorous plant with razor-sharp teeth and a twisted, devilish grin. Its tentacles writhed across the battlefield, dragging soldiers to their doom. Those who resisted were bitten, their flesh ripped apart in a savage display of brutality. Yet, as the mages¡¯ flames began to gain the upper hand, the creature roared in pain, its body slowly succumbing to the inferno.
¡°Who the hell are these maniacs?!¡± I shouted, trying to keep my distance from the woman with the cleavers. She seemed unstoppable, single-handedly dismantling an entire squad, and no one dared to approach while her lethal wires spun with supernatural precision.
Not far from her, two twin girls fought with enormous battle-axes. The blades were engulfed in blue flames that scorched everything in their path. The pair moved in perfect harmony, their movements morbidly elegant, smashing and incinerating soldiers in what resembled a choreographed dance of death.
"These damn maids are insane!" yelled a soldier next to me, his voice tinged with despair. As he spoke, I scanned the battlefield, desperately trying to make sense of the carnage.
My gaze returned to the green monstrosity. It continued its rampage, its tentacles dragging the wounded into its tooth-filled maw. That thing was the greatest threat on the field, and the mages battling it were nearing their limit. If they fell, we stood no chance.
"We can''t let the mages fall!" I shouted to the men around me. We were all exhausted, but there was no choice.
"I''m a combat mage," one soldier said, panting but resolute. "If we combine our strength, we can take that monster down!"
"Attack formation!" I commanded, mustering the last shreds of courage within me. I glanced at my comrades, bloodied, dust-covered, and terrified. But in that moment, we had no choice but to act. Together, we advanced in a final, desperate attempt to turn the tide of what felt like a lost battle.
"The plant soldiers are coming again!" someone shouted, their voice thick with urgency and fear. We instantly shifted into formation, weapons and spells at the ready to face the grotesque creatures.
The animated plant soldiers charged, their movements clumsy yet disturbingly effective.
The mage beside me raised his hands, conjuring a fiery blast that engulfed one of the infected soldiers. Another man rushed forward with his sword, slicing through writhing vines and roots that lashed out like serpents.
The mage beside me raised his hands, conjuring a fiery blast that consumed one of the infected plant soldiers. Another man lunged forward with his sword, slicing through vines and tendrils that writhed like serpents. The battle was frantic, each move a desperate attempt to survive.
¡°If the plant dies, the controlled soldier dies with it!¡± the mage shouted, his voice filled with determination. For a brief moment, hope flickered among us.
¡°You¡¯re forgetting something important¡¡± A soft yet menacing voice echoed behind us. ¡°The plants are connected. I know exactly when my daughters die.¡±
We turned as one, our breaths caught in our throats. There she stood, a woman with a haunting presence, clutching an enormous pair of gardening shears that looked more like an executioner¡¯s weapon. Her eyes glimmered with a mix of disdain and sadistic delight as she surveyed the scene. Behind her, more plant soldiers emerged, their distorted bodies covered in pulsating roots, as if they were extensions of her very being.
¡°You¡¯re the damned mage who created these things?¡± I asked, my voice betraying the fear and rage bubbling inside me.
¡°We already know how to deal with your plant soldiers!¡± the mage beside me declared firmly, attempting to rally our morale. ¡°They¡¯re not intelligent. If we stick together, we can take them down! And when we kill you, these things will fall with you!¡±
The woman tilted her head slightly, as if pondering his boldness. A dark smile curled her lips as she slowly spun the massive shears, the metallic sound slicing through the tense silence. She held the weapon with an unsettling ease, as though it were a natural extension of herself.
¡°You¡¯re quite clever,¡± she replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm and mockery. ¡°But you underestimate my daughters¡ and me.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
The plant soldiers began advancing, their movements eerily synchronized. The roots around them came alive, stretching toward us with predatory intent. The tension in the air thickened, and the sharp sound of swords being unsheathed echoed as we braced ourselves.
¡°Let¡¯s kill her!¡± one of the soldiers yelled, charging forward with reckless determination.
The woman¡¯s smile widened. She raised her gardening shears and swung them in a wide arc, the calculated motion carrying a chilling promise of death.
¡°You know¡¡± she began, her voice low but clear enough to reach us. ¡°I once swore to leave this life of battles behind.¡±
A deep sigh escaped her lips as she tightened her grip on the shears. ¡°This life¡¡± she continued, bitterness lacing her words, ¡°¡took my husband from me.¡± Her piercing gaze locked onto ours, brimming with intensity. ¡°And you dragged me back into it. Remember that.¡±
Before anyone could react, the ground beneath our feet began trembling violently.
¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± a soldier cried out, panic saturating his voice as we struggled to stay upright.
¡°It¡¯s her!¡± the mage beside me shouted, frantically attempting to cast a spell. ¡°We have to kill her before it¡¯s too late!¡±
We tried to charge, but the tremors grew stronger, breaking our formation. The earth around the woman began to rise, cracking and splintering as if something monstrous was awakening.
¡°You hurt my son¡¡± she said, her voice eerily calm amidst the chaos. ¡°And my girl and I¡ we¡¯re furious. That boy is our treasure.¡±
With those words, the ground erupted in a cataclysmic explosion of force.
¡®ROOOOOOAAAAR!¡¯
From the earth emerged a towering, colossal creature. Its roar sent shockwaves through the battlefield, shaking us to our cores.
A monstrous silhouette rose above us, a massive, grotesque scorpion-like beast with its twisted green body pulsating with life. One of its claws was enormous and muscular, built for crushing. The other was long, thin, and razor-sharp, glinting menacingly. Its thick, deadly tail swayed back and forth like a pendulum of doom, poised to strike.
"It can''t be!" shouted a soldier beside me, his voice trembling with unrestrained fear. "She''s the Head Cutter! The woman who commanded the scorpion in the last war! Everyone thought she was dead!"
Atop the monstrous scorpion, the woman stood tall and imposing, her gaze cold and unyielding. Her expression carried no trace of mercy for her victims, only a deadly determination.
The scorpion roared once more, its voice a deep, guttural sound that sent shivers down my spine. With a swift, lethal motion, its thin, razor-sharp claw darted forward. The soldier closest to the creature barely had time to react before it grabbed him. In a single, effortless motion, the claw severed his head. His lifeless body crumpled to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut, while his head rolled across the blood-soaked battlefield.
"You hurt my boy," the woman said, her voice sharp and cutting. "And now, my girl and I will take every head that dares oppose us. Run¡ or you''ll be next."
Her words ignited the spark of our retreat. Panic swept through us like wildfire, and we broke into a desperate, chaotic flight, scattering in every direction. The colossal terror chased after us with a shocking speed, its massive form crushing everything in its path. The scorpion¡¯s claws and deadly tail struck with terrifying precision, reaping lives with each swing and thrust.
Every scream, quickly drowned out by the beast''s monstrous roars, echoed the grim reality that few of us would live to recount the nightmare we faced on this battlefield.
Katherine Evenhart:
My girl and I advanced across the battlefield, tearing through the enemy squad with lethal precision. It had been so long since I¡¯d used her in combat that the sight of her in action again felt almost nostalgic. Ever since I left that war, I had only summoned my girl once to show Nate and Chloe what a Soul Golem truly was. Adrihna couldn¡¯t use hers freely due to the danger, but my girl was different. She thrived in the chaos, hunting and destroying every soldier that crossed her path.
¡°That¡¯s it! Let¡¯s take their heads!¡± I shouted, feeling my girl¡¯s roar resonate in response. We were perfectly in sync.
As we moved forward, my gaze shifted to my plant soldiers. I controlled them, sending them charging into the enemy ranks. There was a limit to how many I could keep active at once, and preparing the seeds in advance was critical. Each seed had been carefully planted and cultivated to ensure maximum efficiency on the battlefield. I had to modify the seeds to produce plants that would die, spitting out new seeds that were stronger and more attuned to my mana. The process was delicate, and I couldn¡¯t use magic to speed up their growth cycle.
The infected humans had been implanted with my special Cuscuta seed, a rare parasitic plant that I had modified using carnivorous flora. This was how I created the eggs and placed them within my plant serpents, which then carried them to the enemy and transformed them into plant soldiers.
These seeds represented the pinnacle of my parasitic spellcraft, an achievement that had taken years of refinement to perfect. The only way for them to develop faster was by feeding on their hosts, as they shared the biology of carnivorous plants. Each one was unique, a delicate work of magic and patience, and now they were wreaking chaos and devastation across the battlefield.
¡°The show is just beginning,¡± I murmured to myself.
¡®BAM!¡¯ Something leaped in front of us, and my scorpion came to an abrupt halt. Five figures stood before me, their gazes cold and determined.
¡°So, you¡¯re the one responsible for the chaos in our army,¡± one of them said, their tone dripping with disdain. ¡°Men started attacking each other while vomiting green snakes.¡±
The speaker was a demi-human, likely a mercenary.
They seem to be dangerous mages.
Two demi-humans stood among them, one man and one woman. The female demi-human cast a disdainful glance at my scorpion before locking her gaze directly on me.
¡°We¡¯re part of the Ten Fingers, the half that was pushed outside the wall,¡± she explained, her eyes fixed on my golem. ¡°A summoner¡ and skilled enough to control a Soul Golem, no less. I didn¡¯t even know a summoner with the plant element existed. I thought it was impossible. But apparently, I¡¯m looking at the impossible: a human wielding an element that belongs exclusively to the elves.¡±
The other four mages took combat stances, ready to strike. The woman continued, her voice dripping with malice:
¡°Summoners aren¡¯t good at close combat. Without a natural mana armor, you¡¯re just a regular person. You can¡¯t even reinforce your weapons. One punch from me, and you¡¯re down. And when that happens, your army of controlled soldiers dies with you.¡±
I kept my guard up while the man beside her smirked sinisterly.
¡°From what I gather, your spell only infects non-mages¡ Interesting. A rather twisted magic. Maybe, once all this is over, I¡¯ll find a fun way to repay the chaos you¡¯ve caused.¡±
¡®ROOOAR!¡¯ My scorpion let out a thunderous roar, ready for battle. I quickly assessed my options. Five powerful mages surrounded me, and I knew I¡¯d have to fight them directly. I trusted my girl¡¯s strength, but doubt lingered in my mind.
The demi-human woman formed a floating brown sphere in her hand.
¡°As a demi-human, I can fuse water and earth to unleash the mud element. Let¡¯s see if your plants survive my swamp,¡± she sneered, while the other four began circling me.
¡°You¡¯re alone! Not even your plant soldiers are nearby. If we kill you, your Soul Golem will vanish,¡± she threatened, the mud sphere in her hand growing dangerously larger.
¡°She¡¯s not alone!¡± A chain sliced through the air, wrapping around the mud sphere and shattering it into a thousand pieces.
¡°We¡¯ve got her back!¡± a firm voice declared.
I turned to see Margaery and Martha stepping onto the battlefield.
¡°Margie¡ Martha,¡± I murmured, relief washing over me at the sight of my two friends.
¡°This battle is going to be interesting!¡± one of the five mages said, a sinister smile spreading across their lips.
And so, the fight began.
252 – The General vs The Mud Mage
Chapter 252 ¨C The General vs The Mud Mage
Nathan Evenhart:
"It won''t be that easy to take us down!" the demi-human shouted. Before I could react, a massive wave of mud surged toward me. I tried to leap away, but a stone spear shot out, striking my shoulder and throwing me off balance. The wave swallowed me whole, dragging me into its brutal current. I tumbled inside the viscous vortex, struggling desperately to free myself. With one last effort, I launched myself upward, managing to break the surface and gasp for air. But before I could celebrate, the mud around me solidified into stone, trapping me completely.
What is this? I''m stuck.
¡°Hahaha!¡± A mocking laugh echoed. Turning my head as much as I could, I saw the silhouette of the demi-human rushing toward me. Before I could react, a devastating kick hit me like a sledgehammer to the head. The impact shattered the hardened mud, and my body was flung violently backward.
For a brief moment, everything went dark. When I regained consciousness, I found myself bouncing off the ground like a rag doll. Each impact sent waves of pain through my body. Before I could regain my footing, I felt a crushing grip lift me off the ground. The demi-human held me by the neck with both hands, squeezing hard enough to shatter stone.
"You humans think you''re so superior to demi-humans, but you''re weak and pathetic," she snarled, her eyes gleaming with a mix of contempt and sadistic pleasure. "We''re stronger than you in every way: better endurance, better agility, sharper vision, superior smell, better hearing. You''re fragile!"
I tried to raise my arms to push her away, but as she squeezed, a stream of mud began forming in her hands, covering my body. The mud hardened quickly, immobilizing my limbs. My breath grew shallower, my throat burned with pain, and my vision started to fade.
"Shit..." I muttered, attempting to generate electricity to free myself, but the mud blocked the conduction. Even her hands, protected by the hardened layer, were unaffected by my sparks.
"Even a demi-human child is stronger than you!" she screamed, squeezing my neck even harder as if she wanted to pop my head off my shoulders.
"You''re... right..." I murmured weakly, the pain radiating through every part of me. "You really are better at everything... even this!"
With one last desperate effort, I opened my mouth and let out a guttural scream, packed with raw electrical energy. The force of the wind amplified the sound, turning it into a monstrous roar that echoed like thunder. The demi-human cried out in agony, dropping me instantly as she clutched her ears in pain. The mud prison shattered under the sheer pressure of the energy released, crumbling like glass.
"Shove your super hearing up your ass!"I yelled, surging forward with all my strength and landing a direct punch to her face. The impact sent her flying. I didn''t hesitate. Lightning crackled across my skin as I sprinted at full speed and delivered a devastating kick. She staggered, but I was already on her, charging energy into my hand.
I unleashed a thunderbolt point-blank. The shockwave sent her hurtling backward, her screams of pain cutting through the chaos. I gave her no respite. My body surged with electricity as I closed the distance again, raining punches on her face as she fell to the ground. Each blow crackled with sparks, each hit more ferocious than the last. Her face smashed into the dirt, the dull sound of my strikes reverberating through the battlefield.
Grabbing her by the neck, I poured more electricity into her body. Her muscles convulsed uncontrollably as she screamed, and I lifted her high into the air. I looked up at the storm cloud still swirling above.
"Let''s see who can handle electricity better!" I snarled, summoning energy from the storm cloud above. A thunderbolt descended with immense force, striking her directly. The electricity surged through her body, only to return to me. I channeled the energy back into her, creating a deadly loop. Her screams grew weaker as her resistance faltered.
When I felt her body reach its limit, I hurled her with all my strength toward the castle. She crashed through a window, shards of glass scattering in every direction, landing with a resounding thud inside.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
Before I could catch my breath, a sharp, searing pain tore through my body. A stone spear shot at blinding speed and pierced my abdomen. The impact hurled me backward with brutal force, slamming me into a wall. The sound of splintering wood mixed with the choked cry that escaped my lips.
The spear shattered as I hit the ground, my body collapsing with a heavy thud. Blood poured from the wound, the pain pounding with each heartbeat.
"Shit..." I muttered, spitting blood as my vision blurred between reality and the encroaching darkness.
Looking around, I realized I had fallen near the ice mage. He was groaning in pain, unable to stand. His frail body and the earlier lightning strike had clearly incapacitated him. My breathing was a mix of fury and exhaustion, yet I forced myself to my feet and stumbled toward him.
Without hesitation, I began unleashing bolts of lightning in his direction. The mage screamed, rolling on the ground, trying to escape. I closed the distance before he could recover. Grabbing his face with both hands, I pinned him down.
"Seeing you wield this element..." I growled, my voice trembling with anger, "it reminds me of someone. Someone who''s hurting because of you bastards!" I pressed my thumbs into his eyes with all my strength.
His agonized screams echoed in my mind, fueling my fury. I channeled electricity into my hands, letting the energy surge directly into his face. The stench of burning flesh filled the air as he writhed violently beneath me, but I didn''t let go.
I watched as his face darkened, his skin charring and melting like wax. His cheek was gone, exposing his jaw as he tried to cast magic in desperation, but it was too late. Pain and destruction consumed him. My body was nearing its limit, but my rage kept me moving.
Suddenly, a shard of ice struck me, launched by the mage in a final act of defiance. The impact sent me flying backward, crashing against the wall of a house.
"Ahh!" I groaned, an unbearable pain radiating through my torso. My vision blurred, and my chest felt like it was caught in a vice. My breathing became shallow, almost nonexistent. The world around me began to fade, and a dreadful numbness seeped into every fiber of my being.
"What... is happening to me?" I murmured, trying to comprehend. My head felt impossibly heavy, and my limbs were freezing. The cold invaded every corner of my body, stealing my strength. I staggered, trying to hold myself up, but the ground came up too fast, and I fell to my knees.
I touched my stomach with trembling fingers and felt it. A layer of ice coating my skin. My senses finally registered the gravity of the situation.
"Shit... it''s hypothermia..." I whispered, panic setting in. My breathing quickened, though it felt impossible to draw air. My heart pounded erratically, as if fighting to keep going. I was dying.
Desperately, I tried to tear the ice away, but as I moved my hand, it refused to respond. My body was exhausted, utterly vulnerable. The attack had hit me squarely. Every movement was futile, and my vision darkened further.
In the distance, I noticed a figure darting between the houses.
Damn it!
Another mage was closing in on me.
My mind was racing in panic. I tried to summon fire, to tap into the power of my Special Eyes to heat my body, but nothing happened. Magic seemed to falter. My breathing grew heavier, each second making it harder to draw air.
I looked up at the storm cloud still lingering above me, my only chance. With a grim determination, I deactivated all the mana in my body, knowing the pain would be unbearable. Without hesitating, I gave the command.
A deafening ¡®KABOOM!¡¯ ripped through the sky. A piercing blue light tore down from the heavens and struck me.
"AHH!" I screamed as the lightning coursed through me. The searing energy surged through every fiber of my being.
My body reacted instinctively, leaping from the sheer force of the electricity. The ice that bound me shattered into fragments, and the deadly cold was replaced by a burning, fiery agony that engulfed me entirely.
I stood again, though barely. My body trembled, my legs weak, my skin blistered and scorched by the lightning¡¯s unforgiving embrace. Blood spewed from my mouth onto the ground, but adrenaline kept me upright.
I looked ahead. The ice mage lay sprawled on the ground, blind and screaming in agony, firing off spells erratically in every direction. Then, abruptly, his arms fell limp at his sides, and he collapsed. He might have been dead or merely unconscious, but either way, he was no longer a threat. One problem down.
I staggered, nearly collapsing again, but leaned against a wall for support, every bone in my body protesting with each move. My entire frame was wrecked, broken ribs, bleeding wounds, and an unrelenting pain that gnawed at me, threatening to pull me under.
I glanced at my wrist, where my salvation should have been: my storage bracelet.
It was cracked, broken during the fight. Its contents had spilled out, scattered somewhere amidst the chaos, including my healing potion.
"Great..." I muttered, almost laughing at the cruel irony, before crumpling to the ground. I tried to electrify my own body to force myself upright, but the strength wouldn¡¯t come.
Before I could react, an intense orange glow flared on the horizon. The fire mage¡¯s attack was headed straight for me, a blazing inferno consuming everything in its path. Houses exploded in fiery succession, the overwhelming heat swallowing the air around me.
There was no time to think. The blast reached me, and the world erupted into chaos. Everything around me was consumed by fire and destruction.
253 – Wrath of the Green Scorpion Giant
Chapter 253 ¨C Wrath of the Green Scorpion Giant
Lieutenant Benjamin:
¡°Fire Burst!¡± I shouted, unleashing blazing flames from my hands toward the monstrous green creature. The battlefield was a chaotic nightmare, and this abomination, a grotesque mass of intertwined vines and slimy algae, was wreaking havoc, hurling wagons, cannons, and even soldiers with its relentless tentacles.
¡°Focus on the plant on its back!¡± a soldier yelled, prompting a hail of arrows aimed at the grotesque parasite that appeared to control the beast.
¡°GRRRR!¡± The monster roared in fury, violently whipping its tentacles around like massive whips, toppling everything and everyone in its path. The giant carnivorous plant on its back reacted, snapping its razor-sharp teeth and emitting a sinister sound that seemed to drive the creature into an even greater frenzy.
¡°Target the plant! That¡¯s its weak spot!¡± I shouted, intensifying my flames to hit the parasite. The heat scorched parts of the creature¡¯s vines, and some started to burn, but its resilience was unnerving.
The creature, now partially engulfed in flames, charged at us, its tentacles lashing out indiscriminately. Soldiers screamed as they tried to retreat, but the monster¡¯s speed made dodging impossible.
¡°Wind Mages! Push it back!¡± I commanded, and gusts of wind magic formed barriers, temporarily forcing the creature to stagger backward. Yet it was clear that this tactic would only buy us a little time.
I kept firing fireballs, aiming directly at the plant. But the parasite moved with unsettling agility, shielding itself and making direct hits difficult.
A guttural roar echoed across the battlefield, and I instinctively turned toward the rear line. What I saw made my blood run cold.
¡°More of them!¡± someone screamed, their voice trembling with fear.
A horde of infected soldiers was advancing. At least a hundred. Their bodies were twisted and mangled, overrun with vines and tendrils. It was as though they had fully surrendered to the parasitic green plague.
¡°Hold the line!¡± I shouted, but my voice was almost drowned out by the chorus of terror.
¡°Ahhh!¡± A soldier nearby was grabbed by one of the monster¡¯s tentacles. He screamed desperately, his eyes pleading for help as the creature dragged him closer.
¡°Help me! No, no, please!¡± he begged, but his cries were abruptly silenced when the monster completely enveloped him, crushing him and feeding him to the carnivorous plant. The sound of bones snapping echoed chillingly, and blood spilled as the parasite seemed to relish its meal.
A shiver of horror shot through me as I watched what happened next.
The infected soldiers began throwing themselves at the green monster as if willingly offering their bodies to the abomination. Tentacles lashed out in all directions, connecting to the soldiers and absorbing them.
The creature started to grow. It was grotesque and horrifying. With each soldier it consumed, its form swelled, and the carnivorous plant on its back expanded, its jagged teeth gleaming ominously. The monster was now colossal, its roots spreading across the ground like a living plague, suffocating everything in its vicinity.
¡°This is impossible¡ this is a nightmare!¡± someone muttered beside me, as I desperately tried to muster what little courage remained.
That thing was no longer just a creature. It was a living calamity, and we were moments away from being consumed by it.
This is spiraling out of control! I thought, frantically searching for a solution before that monstrous entity obliterated us all.
¡°What the hell is that thing!?¡± a soldier beside me yelled, his voice filled with raw despair as the grotesque horror before us continued its terrifying transformation.
"Keep attacking!" I ordered, though my voice betrayed the weight of panic seeping into my chest. I hurled fireballs with everything I had, but it felt futile. The monstrosity only grew, absorbing the infected soldiers in a grotesque spectacle of death and fusion. Its tentacles wrapped around their bodies, dragging them into the parasite. With each fallen soldier, the creature swelled, spreading its roots and sprouting new plants around it like an insatiable plague.
The carnivorous plant on the monster''s back began to writhe, shifting grotesquely. Its head elongated and transformed into a snake-like abomination with spiked green teeth. Its thickening neck pulsed as though alive, making it a nightmarish fusion of flesh, vines, and pure malice.
"Ahhh!" A high-pitched scream erupted beside me. A soldier was snatched by a vine and dragged toward the creature. Driven by instinct, I ran to help, but froze as the horrifying scene unfolded before my eyes.
"It''s feeding on humans..." I muttered, unable to look away. "Using their bodies to grow."
I raised my hands, preparing to launch another fire blast, but my body froze. Terror gripped my heart like a vice.
"Screw this... I''m not dying here," I muttered under my breath. "They can all go to hell!"
I turned to flee. But my escape route was blocked.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
Five infected soldiers emerged, their twisted, grotesque forms lurching forward. They moved with unnatural speed, their claw-like hands seizing my arms and dragging me with overwhelming force. I struggled, setting their bodies ablaze, but they seemed impervious to pain. Two more leapt on me, pinning me down with relentless strength.
"No! Get off me! That''s an order!" I shouted, but my protests fell on deaf ears. They continued dragging me toward the monstrous creature, ignoring my desperate attempts to break free.
The carnivorous plant-serpent raised its head, its unblinking gaze fixed on me. Its spiked teeth gleamed menacingly, and for a brief moment, it seemed to smile, a sadistic, knowing grin.
"Revenge..." I whispered, realizing the meaning behind its gesture. One of the creature''s burned tentacles rose, pointing directly at me. It knew. It knew I was the one who had scorched its flesh.
"No! Stop! I command you!" I pleaded, but my voice cracked with despair as thick roots began coiling around my body. They burrowed beneath my skin, tearing through flesh and muscle.
The thick vines invaded me, devouring me alive. I felt every organ being pierced, my blood drained as pain consumed me entirely. A scream of sheer terror escaped my lips, only to be silenced by the crushing agony.
The last thing I saw was the cold, mocking gaze of the carnivorous plant-serpent before my vision darkened, and I was consumed by the monstrosity I had unwittingly helped to grow.
Katherine Evenhart:
My Soul Golem charged forward like a force of nature, relentless and fierce, against the elite magi known as Nikolaus Wolves'' Ten Fingers. Five opponents stood before us, each highly trained and deadly, but we were resolute in our mission to bring them down.
"You¡¯re going to die, you wretched woman!" roared the demi-human woman, launching torrents of mud toward my golem. It raised its massive claw like a shield, blocking the attacks with brute strength, while its thinner claw struck back with swift precision, landing devastating blows.
"It¡¯s been a while since the three of us fought together," Margie remarked, gliding gracefully along an icy path she had conjured. She dodged the water mage¡¯s attacks with infuriating ease, leaving behind the frozen, decapitated body of another mage as a testament to the seamless synergy between her and Martha.
"Go, girl!" I shouted, charging headlong toward the demi-human woman. Meanwhile, Martha was locked in combat with another demi-human mage, a wiry figure with razor-sharp claws slashing through the air like blades. My focus remained on the woman and the earth mage, and I couldn¡¯t afford even a moment of hesitation.
¡°Great Stake!¡± the earth mage roared, conjuring a colossal stone spike that hurtled toward me with deadly precision.
"Plant Wall!" I countered, swiftly clasping my hands together. A dense barrier of intertwining vines erupted from the ground, wrapping around the spike mid-air and shattering it into harmless fragments.
¡°Advance!¡± I commanded, and my Soul Golem responded with an earth-shaking roar.
"ROOAR!"
The colossal beast charged forward, its sheer mass obliterating everything in its path. The mages scrambled to evade the devastation, desperately throwing up barriers and counterspells.
From atop my golem, I surveyed the battlefield with unyielding focus. The demi-human woman began to transform, her body enveloped by living mud that seemed to pulse with its own malicious intent. She grew larger, spikes of hardened mud sprouting from her form in every direction, turning her into a walking fortress of destruction.
¡°Mud Armor!¡± she bellowed, her voice guttural and distorted. Her monstrous figure surged forward, unleashing a hail of mud spikes in all directions.
My golem took a glancing hit but continued its relentless advance, shrugging off the damage. Its razor-sharp claw lashed out with terrifying speed, narrowly missing the woman¡¯s head and forcing her to leap back.
¡°Margie! Cover the flank!¡± I called, summoning another Plant Wall to intercept the barrage of spikes.
Margie deftly moved into position, skating gracefully on a trail of ice. She blocked incoming projectiles with a flick of her hand, creating jagged barriers of frost to protect our rear.
¡°She¡¯s a transmitter powerful enough to merge her body with her element,¡± I muttered to myself, noting the demi-human¡¯s impressive mastery over her abilities.
¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± I shouted again, and my Soul Golem let out another thunderous roar, surging forward like an unstoppable force of nature. Its stinger gleamed with a lethal green aura as it delivered a devastating blow to the demi-human.
The impact was brutal. The woman was flung through the air, crashing to the ground with a resounding thud that reverberated across the battlefield.
"ROOOAR!" my golem bellowed again, its attention shifting to the earth mage who was frantically trying to defend himself.
¡°Great Stone Wall!¡± the mage yelled, summoning an immense barrier of rock to shield himself. But it was futile. My golem smashed through the wall with savage force, its claws tearing the stones apart as if they were paper.
The earth mage¡¯s eyes widened in terror as he stumbled backward.
¡°Kill him!¡± I commanded, and the golem¡¯s stinger lashed out with deadly precision, impaling the mage mid-step.
"Ahhhhhh!" The man¡¯s agonized screams echoed as his body was hoisted into the air, writhing helplessly. Dark veins began to spread across his skin as blood streamed from his eyes. His breathing turned into shallow gasps, barely audible over the chaos.
¡°The stinger of my Soul Golem is laced with a potent venom,¡± I explained coldly, watching his futile struggles. ¡°Nature provides plenty of poisonous plants and fungi.¡±
With my oversized gardening shears in hand, I approached the dying mage. His bloodshot eyes pleaded for mercy, but there was none to be found in mine.
¡°I promised my son I¡¯d sever many heads for the injuries he suffered¡ and I always keep my promises.¡±
With one clean, precise motion, the blade severed his head. It fell to the ground with a dull thud, lifeless.
¡°Throw the body away,¡± I ordered, and my golem obeyed, flicking the corpse off its stinger like discarded trash. The body tumbled across the ground before coming to a stop, lifeless and broken.
Without missing a beat, my Soul Golem turned its focus back to the demi-human woman, who was already beginning to recover. Her Mud Armor was slowly rebuilding itself, encasing her once again in that grotesque, living shell.
Suddenly, a massive wall of ice erupted beside me. I turned to see Martha leaping onto my golem, seamlessly taking her position at my side. Margie joined us moments later, her icy path cutting through the battlefield like a blade.
"Just like old times," Margie said with a grin, her breath visible in the frosty air as she prepared for the next round. Together, we faced the chaos head-on, ready to end this battle once and for all.
"I¡¯ve already killed the other mage. Only the two demi-humans are left,¡± Margie informed with her usual calm as she leaped onto my golem. ¡°But we have a problem.¡±
Before I could ask what the problem was, the massive ice wall shattered into pieces.
¡°ROOOAR!¡± A monstrous dog with brown fur burst through the broken barrier, roaring with fury.
¡°It¡¯s in its beast form. I¡¯ll need your help, Lady Katherine,¡± Martha said, readying herself for the fight.
I locked eyes with the demi-human whose armor was fully restored and nodded to Margie.
¡°I¡¯ll handle the dog. Margie, provide support for both of us. Martha, deal with the other demi-human.¡±
¡°Understood, my lady,¡± Martha replied, launching herself with her spear toward the mud-armored woman, ready for battle.
Margie, with a sharp smile, quipped, ¡°Looks like I¡¯ll need my gardening tools to take care of these pests.¡±
I let out a quick laugh, bracing myself for the fight.
¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±I shouted, and my Soul Golem roared as it charged toward the colossal beast, kicking off the brutal confrontation ahead.
254 – The Blue Hell and the Lightning Blade
Chapter 254 ¨C The Blue Hell and the Lightning Blade
Nathan Evenhart:
An orange glow cut through the rain toward me. I propelled myself with wind, dodging at the last second and crashing to the ground with difficulty. The impact was harsh, and the splashes of mud momentarily blinded me. A fire blast had struck exactly where I had been standing moments ago.
I managed to pinpoint the fire mage amidst the chaos.
Now, only the earth mage remains...
The storm dome that once enveloped the fortress had dissipated during the battle, leaving only scattered clouds in the sky. A steady drizzle mingled with the scent of burning and blood in the air. Explosions all around drowned out any sounds of the ongoing war outside the fortress. I wanted to know how the battle was progressing, but there wasn¡¯t time.
A nearby explosion forced me to sidestep, stumbling away as stone and wooden debris rained around me. Flames licked at houses, and flaming arrows fell like deadly rain, slicing through the air with a fiery hiss. In front of me, a house collapsed in a wave of fire and rubble. Shielding my face, I braced myself. The blast''s force nearly knocked me over, but I managed to stay on my feet.
Suddenly, a blue fireball tore through the darkness, slamming into the ground with a thunderous explosion that shook the earth. I conjured wind barriers, trying to contain the flames and the blast¡¯s impact, but the sheer force hurled me backward, rolling across the muddy ground. The flames grazed me, scorching my skin and tearing at my clothes as I struggled to rise.
More fireballs followed, each one more devastating than the last. I shot bolts of lightning at them, destroying some before they could reach me. A particularly close explosion forced me to retreat again. Desperate, I stomped the ground, channeling thunderous energy. The earth responded, lifting debris and fragments, which I hurled as projectiles toward the fire mage.
I rushed at him, watching as he leaped nimbly onto the top of a watchtower. From there, he unleashed another barrage of fireballs, forcing me to zigzag through the burning street. The entire area was ablaze, the oppressive heat making the air nearly unbreathable.
With no other option, I dove through the shattered window of an abandoned house. Outside, I heard the roar of another explosion, and the street I had just crossed was consumed by blue fire. The heat radiated through the walls of the house. Gasping for air, I fought against the pain and exhaustion, trying to gather my strength for the next move.
He¡¯s still on the tower¡ I need to take him down before the other mage gets here.
Bursting out of the burning house, I launched myself into the air with a burst of wind. Gathering mana in my hand, I conjured a spear of wind, its core crackling with electricity. The glowing weapon illuminated the dark battlefield, the thunderous energy coiling around it like a living force. With a firm motion, I hurled the spear at the fire mage¡¯s tower.
The weapon streaked through the air, its impact on the tower creating a deafening explosion. Debris rained down as the structure crumbled in a cloud of fire and dust. Yet, the fire mage leapt away at the last moment, landing on a nearby tower, keeping his tactical advantage intact.
"You''re no ordinary mage," he shouted from his new perch. "Who taught you magic like this? The kingdom knows nothing of your family''s magical capabilities. The Evenhart Duchy is renowned for farming, not military training."
He unleashed more fireballs and gusts of wind, each attack precise and lethal. I dodged each one, scanning for an opening to counterattack. The battlefield around me was a chaotic wasteland of craters and debris, with every second narrowing my options.
"My family knows a thing or two about magic and combat," I muttered, skillfully dodging another fireball as I analyzed my options.
"That''s against the kingdom''s regulations," the fire mage laughed, his flames illuminating the desolate battlefield. "Your family never disclosed their capabilities to the kingdom. You''re supposed to be Builders, not warriors. It is forbidden by the kingdom to possess this level of military capability without permission.¡±
"Fuck the kingdom," I replied coldly, my voice laced with contempt.
Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted the earth mage running along the ruined walls, seemingly assessing the battlefield. He had yet to engage directly, likely waiting for the right moment to act.
"I understand your disdain," the fire mage continued, his tone dripping with irony as he launched more fireballs in my direction. "The kingdom seeks to control its vassals, especially the dukes. You rule strategic territories, so any sign of power rising makes them uneasy. They keep everyone under constant surveillance, yet they can''t openly oppress you. After all, the people recognize your authority first."
I raised my hand, attempting once again to summon the Cursed Blade, but it didn¡¯t respond.
"That sword of yours is a problem," the fire mage said with a sly grin. "Your strange magnet trick won''t work. I stored it inside my storage bracelet. Once you''re dead, I''ll be more than happy to keep that enchanted relic for myself."
"I see¡" I murmured, my words heavy with frustration and exhaustion.
Without wasting time, I leapt into the air, rushing toward him as I conjured a blade of wind with thunder pulsing at its core. Each step reverberated through the air, my determination outweighing the pain my body relentlessly reminded me of.
He reacted immediately, summoning dozens of flaming birds that soared toward me, their wings leaving scorching trails in the sky. I hurled my wind-thunder blade, detonating it mid-flight. The resulting explosions tore through the air, obliterating the flaming birds one by one. Gusts of wind and bursts of electricity scattered across the battlefield, but he moved quickly, weaving through the wreckage of houses and countering with more fireballs.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
I surged forward, and so did he. We both leapt simultaneously, converging mid-air. At the moment of impact, I conjured a wind barrier in front of me. He hadn¡¯t anticipated it, and the collision caught him off guard. I seized the opportunity, rotating the barrier like a spinning shield and slamming it into him with force, sending him flying.
He hit the ground but quickly recovered, using flames to propel himself back into an attacking position. With a swift kick, he launched a boulder into the air and used fire to hurl it toward me. I narrowly dodged it and immediately sent a jolt of electricity through the water pooled around us.
He didn¡¯t see it coming. His eyes widened as the shock coursed through him. Seizing the moment, I dashed forward, ready to finish him off. At the last second, however, he erupted in a torrent of flames, forcing me to retreat. The heat was so intense it evaporated the water around us instantly. The air turned dry and suffocating, and the once-steady rain had dwindled to a sparse drizzle.
I looked up. The remaining clouds in the sky were scattered, and my control over them had slipped away. My special eyes were faltering, the pain and exhaustion taking their toll.
"Shit!" I muttered through gritted teeth, feeling the weight of fatigue and reality pressing down on me. My resources were running thin.
The fire mage stood again, his grin reflecting his growing confidence. "Looks like you''re at your limit," he taunted, his voice thick with mockery.
I charged toward the fire mage, grabbing a sword from a fallen soldier nearby. Explosions erupted around me as he continued his assault, but I dodged them, barely managing to stay protected by hastily conjured wind barriers. I climbed onto the rooftops, leaping between buildings to avoid the blistering heat that consumed the streets below.
The fire mage retreated, sending out waves of blue flames. He wasn¡¯t stupid. He knew my mana was nearly depleted and that if this dragged on, he¡¯d have the upper hand.
I surged forward, lightning propelling me with maximum speed. He raised his hand, summoning an enormous blast of blue fire that blocked my path. I focused on creating a tornado to pull the flames away, but the intensity of his fire was overwhelming. The wind couldn¡¯t contain it.
Quickly, I released a burst of energy into the ground, causing a chunk of stone to rise in front of me. The fire followed the rock like a ramp, leaving a small gap underneath. I rolled across the ground, sliding beneath the fiery barrier. The heat scorched the skin on my hands and knees, but I pressed on.
As I closed the distance, he began conjuring another fireball. I didn¡¯t give him the chance. I lunged with my sword, slashing toward him. He raised his forearm to block, but the blade tore through his flesh, leaving a deep gash that spilled blood.
"Dammit, kid!" he yelled, swinging his free hand to unleash a blast of flames. I dodged with precision and, in one swift motion, sliced off one of his fingers. His scream echoed as he stumbled back, trying to ignite himself in a fiery explosion to push me away.
I conjured a wind barrier, shielding myself from the blast and using the force to hurl him against a wall.
"AHHH!" he screamed as I drove the sword into his stomach, twisting it viciously. The sound of tearing flesh was muffled by his cries of agony.
Without hesitation, I grabbed his throat, my hand crackling with electricity. He writhed as the energy scorched his skin, the smell of burning flesh filling the air. His neck darkened, charred black, as his body convulsed.
"Enough!" he shouted desperately, conjuring one last fireball in his hand. I couldn¡¯t react in time. The explosion hurled me backward despite the wind shield I tried to summon. I tumbled across the ground, my vision spinning as the impact rattled my entire body.
I staggered to my feet, panting heavily. My right arm was burned, pain surging with every slight movement. I glared at the mage, who clutched his neck with trembling hands, his face twisted in agony. The burn on his throat was so severe he could barely produce a sound. He tried to curse at me, but only raspy, choking noises escaped.
I darted forward and delivered a sharp kick to his stomach, sending him sprawling backward. He hit the ground, but even in his battered state, he attempted to retaliate with a burst of fire. His movements were instinctual, frantic, as he fumbled with his storage bracelet. He was trying to retrieve something, likely a healing potion. Before he could fully act, he hurled another fireball at me, forcing me to retreat momentarily.
The mage struggled to his feet, stumbling toward the potion that had fallen from his bracelet. Electricity surged through my arms, and I fired. The bolt struck him square in the chest, slamming him into a nearby wall with bone-shattering force.
"Not so fun being the prey now, is it?" I sneered, walking toward him. He tried to push himself up but collapsed immediately, reduced to crawling toward the fallen potion. Desperation radiated from him as he stretched out his hand, reaching for salvation.
I stepped on his hand with all my weight, crushing his fingers beneath my boot. His eyes met mine, wide with terror and hopelessness. He wheezed, struggling to breathe, his throat too burned to function properly.
"Let me help you with that," I said coldly. "How about we open that throat a little wider?"
I flipped him onto his back with my foot and pressed my boot against his chest, pinning him to the ground. Nearby, I spotted a jagged stone and picked it up.
"Open your mouth!" I commanded, forcing the rock into his jaw. He tried to resist, but with a swift motion, I shattered his remaining hand. The stone wedged into his mouth as he struggled, his eyes bulging with panic.
"Let me help you," I murmured, raising my hand, now surrounded by swirling wind energy. With a precise strike, I drove the stone deep into his throat. His scream of pain was immediately muffled, turning into a grotesque sound of choking.
I removed my foot from his chest, watching as he writhed on the ground in agony. He tried to get up, stumbling over his own feet as he gasped desperately for air. Before he could crawl far, I fired a small bolt of lightning into his back, slamming him down again. He convulsed, his struggles accompanied by the soft patter of rain around us.
"My cousin almost died choking on her own blood, you know?" I said, my voice low and dripping with disdain as I approached him. His panic-stricken eyes locked onto mine as he thrashed helplessly on the ground, unable to make any sound beyond grotesque gurgles. His skin began turning a sickly shade of purple from the lack of oxygen.
"She suffered so much with that punctured lung," I continued, my tone now cold and merciless. "Even after the healing mages stabilized her, she spent hours fighting to breathe, choking, drowning in her own blood. Every single breath was torture. They had to watch her constantly, making sure she didn''t die while the magic worked slowly to repair the damage."
I knelt beside him, staring at him with expressionless eyes. "I want you to know exactly how she felt," I whispered. "The terror of suffocating, using every ounce of strength left to fight against something you can''t overcome. Feeling powerless. Burned by a mage while struggling to stay conscious. That¡¯s what she endured in that battle."
He thrashed violently, his body trembling as he clawed desperately at his throat, trying to dislodge the stone. I watched the terror in his eyes shift into pure despair. And it didn¡¯t stop me.
I raised my hand, summoning a small flame with immense focus. My body trembled from the effort, but I forced myself to continue, channeling the power of my special eyes to shape the fire. "Now, there¡¯s just one thing left," I said, the flame flickering between my fingers. "Burning your body while you choke."
255 – The Final Roar of Victory
Chapter 255 ¨C The Final Roar of Victory
Katherine Evenhart:
It had been some time since the dark cloud dome dissipated, but its absence only deepened my unease. The spell being undone could mean something terrible had happened to Nathan, and the possibility gripped my heart with relentless anxiety. Every fiber of my being longed to know if he was safe, but there was no time to give in to despair. The battle raged on, and I had to stay focused.
The war was nearing its end. The enemy, once numerous and threatening, had been reduced to scattered groups cornered by our soldiers and maids. Their forces were dwindling rapidly, casualties piling up like a mountain of despair on the battlefield. My spell played a crucial role in this outcome, converting enemy soldiers to our side. They fought with a fanatical devotion, ignoring even mortal wounds as they took down anyone who dared oppose us. Each movement was a grim declaration of loyalty, driven by the magic I had cast.
Victory was within our grasp. Even with the reinforcements that arrived after the dome fell, most were destroyed by my creation: my gigantic plant "daughter¡±. She had begun her incubation process, growing terrifyingly as she fed on enemy soldiers. Her form became more menacing with each passing moment, turning the battlefield into her grotesque nursery. Every scream of terror seemed like a melody to her evolution.
Despite the progress, my thoughts were elsewhere. My heart was with Nathan, wherever he was. I silently prayed for his safety.
"ROOOAR!"
The roar of the colossal brown dog echoed across the field, just as immense as my Soul Golem. The two creatures collided violently, the impact reverberating through the ground. The beast tried to sink its teeth into my scorpion, while my golem struck back with its deadly stinger. The opposing creature, however, bolstered its defenses with a natural armor of wind, becoming an almost impenetrable barrier.
"I''m almost there!" Margie shouted, sliding gracefully around the monster and firing precise ice blasts in search of a weak spot.
"AAARGH!" My golem roared as the dog bit into it. But it didn¡¯t falter. With precise aim, it drove its stinger into the beast''s flank, piercing through the wind armor and sinking into flesh.
"Yes!" I shouted, determination surging through me. "Release the venom!"
The golem''s tail began to inject its lethal poison into the creature. The dog howled in pain, its movements growing erratic as it struggled to shake off the stinger.
The dog is massive, but the venom will take effect eventually; we just need to keep piercing and poisoning it.
"Keep going, girl! Kill it!" I yelled with all the determination I could muster, and my giant scorpion roared in response. It drove its stinger even deeper into the monster while its claws fought to keep the dog¡¯s jaws at bay, locked in a brutal clash.
"I have to help..." I muttered, adrenaline surging through my veins. Without hesitation, I ran along the carapace of my golem and leapt into the air, channeling my power.
"Plant Art: Forest of Demeter!" I shouted, activating the territory spell Nathan and I had developed together. The ground around us pulsed with a glowing green light as giant, grotesque trees erupted from the earth, arming nature itself for war.
"Fury of the Vines!" I invoked the spell linked to the territory. Thick, powerful vines rose, wrapping around the beast''s body and constraining its rage.
Landing with agility, I sprinted toward Margie, who was already preparing her next attack.
"Attack, girl!" I commanded the scorpion, and it obeyed with deadly precision, driving its stinger directly into the dog''s eye.
"AAARRRGH!" The creature''s agonized roar echoed across the battlefield, but its resilience seemed endless. Even wounded, the monster thrashed violently.
"Katie! Dodge!" Margie shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos. Without a second thought, I leapt aside, narrowly avoiding the beast''s frenzied charge. While airborne, I summoned vines to propel me to safety, escaping by a hair''s breadth.
As my feet hit the ground, my determination intensified.
I conjured a spell, and a series of sharp, massive cactus thorns erupted from the ground, piercing the monster''s paws. The beast howled in pain, its body trembling from the impact. Blood poured from its pierced eye, but driven by blind rage, it charged forward.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
In a desperate move, the dog clamped its jaws around my golem''s tail, its powerful bite severing the limb with brutal force.
"No!" I screamed as the horrifying scene unfolded. The scorpion''s tail, its most lethal weapon, had been torn away.
The scorpion roared in pain but didn¡¯t falter. Even without its tail, it fought ferociously, its claws tearing into the beast''s body as I desperately searched for a solution. The battlefield was pure chaos, but hesitation wasn¡¯t an option. If my golem fell, victory would slip through our grasp.
"Attack with everything, girl!" I commanded firmly. My creature, loyal to my order, clamped its slender claw deep into the giant dog''s flank while launching bursts of algae bombs. The explosions coated the monster in a viscous liquid, further restricting its movements.
I staggered to my feet, my vision blurred from the adrenaline. Margie was beside me, spinning her chain with deadly precision. Each strike landed with brutal force, drawing pained howls from the monstrous dog.
"Water Art: Great Tsunami!" Margie cried, summoning a colossal wave. The water surged forward like an unstoppable wall, swallowing the brown monster entirely. Before the beast could react, Margie raised her hand and shouted, "Freeze!" The wave transformed into a frozen prison, encapsulating the monster in an immense crystalline mass.
"Now, Katie! Attack!" Margie yelled, urgency ringing in her voice.
"Go, girl!" I commanded again. My scorpion seized the opportunity, launching a brutal assault. Its claws tore into the icy surface, piercing the trapped monster while its immense strength crushed the frozen structure, leaving no room for escape.
I didn¡¯t hesitate. Once more, I cast my spell, reinforcing the prison with thick, pulsating vines that coiled around the monster, squeezing tighter with each passing moment. The combination of ice and plants seemed to choke the life out of the beast, its struggles growing weaker by the second.
"We''re doing it!" Margie exclaimed, her voice brimming with hope and determination. She unleashed more blasts of ice, further solidifying the prison. The dog fought back, but its strength was clearly waning.
Then, a colossal roar shattered the air.
"ROOOOAAAAR!"
In a desperate act, the monster unleashed a devastating explosion of wind. The impact threw us like ragdolls, obliterating trees, vines, and the ice that held it captive.
I felt my body tossed through the air like a leaf in a storm. Branches, trees, and vines broke my fall before I crashed to the ground with a deafening thud. Pain radiated through every inch of me, leaving me breathless and my vision spinning.
"Damn it..." I muttered, spitting blood onto my trembling hands. "Pretty sure I broke a few things..." Every breath felt like a knife tearing through my lungs. Even so, I forced myself to move, groaning with each agonizing motion.
In the distance, the brown beast spewed wind bombs at my Soul Golem, which fought valiantly to hold its ground. I felt the weight of its remaining eye fix on me, its fury palpable.
It knew.
It knew that as long as I lived, my golem would too. And now, it was coming to kill me.
"Katie!" Margie''s voice cut through the chaos as she unleashed desperate barrages of ice to halt the creature''s advance.
The giant dog surged forward with terrifying speed, crushing trees and vines as though they were paper. Gathering what little strength I had left, I tried to command the forest to slow it down. "Attack!" I screamed, as trees rose like living spears. But it was useless. The monster cloaked itself in a shield of wind, tearing through everything with brutal force.
Each step brought it closer, its overwhelming presence crushing my resolve. Pain, fear, and regret all disappeared, consumed by a single thought: Nathan.
The beast was coming to kill me. I closed my eyes, bracing for the worst, when a scorching gust of wind swept over me, forcing them open.
"ROOOOOOOAR!"
A deafening roar tore through the air, and just as the monster leapt to crush me, a colossal flame descended from the heavens. The impact was catastrophic, a wave of heat and force that sent the beast hurtling backward, its body crashing into the ground with a brutal thud.
The sunlight vanished, blocked by an enormous shadow that engulfed the battlefield. Struggling, I lifted my head and saw my savior.
"Cylla!" I whispered, relief flooding through me as I recognized the towering red dragon. She soared majestically above me, her scales glowing like living embers. Her wings stretched wide, casting an imposing shadow over the battlefield, while her blazing eyes locked onto the creature that had dared to threaten me.
"ROOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAR!"
Cylla''s roar reverberated across the field, shaking the ground beneath us. For a moment, the chaos paused. The deafening sound echoed through the air, causing weapons to clatter to the ground and freezing soldiers, friend and foe alike, in their tracks. Their faces were masks of sheer terror.
Some warriors collapsed to their knees, unable to endure Cylla''s overwhelming presence. Others dropped their weapons entirely, surrendering to their primal instinct to survive. The red dragon was an unstoppable force, a vision none dared to challenge.
Cylla landed with a thunderous impact, her wings spreading wide like a protective barrier in front of me. Each movement created gusts of wind that sent debris scattering across the field, amplifying her aura of absolute dominance. Beneath her immense shadow, I felt safe.
Margie sprinted forward, summoning an icy pillar beneath her feet to launch herself atop Cylla¡¯s head. From her vantage point, she used her wind magic to amplify her voice, projecting it like an unyielding command across the battlefield.
¡°Kneel or die!¡± Margie¡¯s voice cut through the air like a blade.
"ROOOOOOOOOOOAAAAR!" Cylla answered with another earth-shaking roar, and as if to solidify the threat, she unleashed a torrent of fire into the sky, painting it in fiery shades of orange and red.
The effect was immediate. The battlefield, once a cacophony of chaos and screams, fell into an oppressive silence. One by one, soldiers dropped to their knees, abandoning their weapons, their faces etched with despair. Those who hesitated quickly followed, unable to withstand the terrifying sight of the dragon and the crushing power that emanated from her.
256 – The Fury That Cannot Be Stopped
Chapter 256 ¨C The Fury That Cannot Be Stopped
Illana:
I struggled to stand, the world spinning around me as Bernard''s voice echoed faintly in the distance, calling my name. My ears throbbed with pain, a relentless reminder of the super scream that kid had unleashed. The sound still reverberated in my skull, like a hammer driving deeper into my torment.
And then the lightning struck. It hit me with a force that felt almost inhuman. My body convulsed under the impact, every nerve alight with an indescribable agony. It felt like my organs were being fried from the inside out, each fiber of my being incinerated. My blood boiled, and a searing pain ran down my spine, as though something was trying to rip its way out of me.
I tried to focus my vision, but everything was blurred. One of my eyes barely worked, maybe from the punches I''d taken or the lightning itself. It felt like my eye had sunk into its socket. My body trembled, every muscle exhausted and unable to bear the weight of the agony consuming me.
Looking down, I saw my left leg, a grotesque sight. Flesh had been torn away, exposing the bone beneath, a horrifying mix of raw tissue and dripping blood. My right ear was no better; it was completely destroyed, leaving an irregular hole where it used to be. I attempted to move the fingers on my right hand, only to realize that some of them were gone.
The stench of burnt flesh and blood filled the air, mingling with the rain as it futilely tried to cleanse the destruction around me. Despite everything, the pain was a brutal reminder that I was still alive, for now.
"Are you okay, Illana?" Bernard asked, his voice heavy with concern.
His chest bore a gruesome wound, and one of his hands was still encased in a stone drill-like armor. His eyes scanned the area, searching for the boy.
"Where''s Dudan?" I asked, still dazed.
"That thing beside you¡ that¡¯s Dudan," he replied grimly.
I turned to see Dudan¡¯s body, completely burned. One of his eyes dangled grotesquely from his lifeless face.
"His head was fried by the lightning. I tried to drag him to safety, but he died halfway there," Bernard explained, letting out a weary sigh. "When I found you unconscious, I thought you were dead too."
Forcing a weak smile, I pushed myself up. "Lucky I¡¯m a demi-human," I muttered, wincing as I rose to my feet.
"The dome of black storm clouds has already dispersed for a while now. That kid is out there, killing soldiers. Most of them ran into the castle in fear, while others managed to escape through the walls and into the battlefield," Bernard said, his voice tinged with frustration.
I sighed, trying to focus on the distant sounds of battle. The rain had stopped along with the storm clouds, and daylight now illuminated the scene. But with my damaged ears, I couldn¡¯t make out much.
"And the war? Has it truly begun?" I asked.
"After the black dome disappeared, I climbed the walls and saw the battlefield. The enemy has started their assault. I saw some strange things but didn¡¯t have time to investigate. I came back here to wake you up. I used our only healing potion, half for me and the other half I poured down your throat," Bernard explained, visibly worn out.
I strained to catch the echoes of combat from afar. Morning had broken, the storm now just a memory, but my battered senses betrayed me.
"We need to find Nikolaus Wolves and the other nobles," Bernard said with resolve.
"But what about the boy?" I asked.
"Forget that bastard. His mana reserves must be nearly empty by now. If we regroup with the other Ten Fingers, we can take him down easily. First, we need to warn the nobles and plan our next move. They need to know the war has already begun."
I followed Bernard, but a voice suddenly echoed through the stone walls around us.
"Perfect. So you know where Nikolaus Wolves is."
Frozen in place, we scanned our surroundings until we spotted the boy, casually leaning against the wall as though all of this were just a game. Bernard immediately activated the stone drill on his arm, encasing his other hand in solid rock. I pulled out an extra axe from my storage bracelet, gripping it in one hand while preparing to hurl a stream of mud with the other.
"I''m running out of patience," the boy began, his tone sharp and devoid of emotion. "I dismantled the black dome because I was exhausted, and I want to settle this quickly so I can help my family. I''m getting irritated, so don¡¯t test me. What I carry inside isn¡¯t meant for the likes of you. All I want is Nikolaus Wolves. Tell me where he is, and I¡¯ll spare your lives. I¡¯ll only break your arms, legs, and pelvis, leaving you immobile. Then I¡¯ll be on my way."
"You think you can talk to us like that and expect cooperation?" I retorted, gripping my axe tighter. "Human boy, don¡¯t get cocky just because you¡¯ve mastered a few elements. I''ve fought more battles than you¡¯ve lived years."Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
Hearing that, he let out a laugh that echoed throughout the space.
I exchanged a quick glance with Bernard, who was already bracing for combat, raising his arms in preparation.
Focusing my energy, I formed mud in my hands and hurled it at the boy. He dodged effortlessly, darting to the side and rushing toward us. Bernard struck the ground with force, causing massive stone spikes to erupt as he launched himself into the air with his drill.
I cast a field spell, transforming the area around us into a treacherous swamp.
The boy charged forward, meeting Bernard head-on. Their blows collided with immense power. Bernard aimed to pierce him with his drill, but the boy countered with a thunder-imbued elbow to his stomach, sending him flying.
Stomping my foot on the ground, I conjured massive waves of mud that surged toward the boy. He sprinted against the current, the waves slowing his pace but failing to stop him.
He''s coming straight for me!
"Concentration of Eels!" I shouted, stomping again to summon mud eels that leapt toward him. The boy met them head-on, destroying each one with thunderous kicks as he continued his relentless advance.
He raised his hand, firing a bolt of energy. I barely managed to dodge in time.
Swinging my axe, I launched a blade of mud at him. Bernard tried to catch him off guard with a surprise attack from behind, but the boy defended with a single kick, not even turning to look.
"Back attacks won¡¯t work on me!" he shouted, spinning to counter Bernard.
I rushed toward him, but the boy fired a lightning bolt, sending me flying backward. Bernard made another attempt to pierce him with the drill, and this time the boy did something shocking. He caught the drill with his bare hand. Blood streamed from his fingers, even as the wind reinforced his defense, but he held on, applying relentless pressure to crush the drill.
"Ahhh! Damn it!" Bernard screamed as his hand was slowly crushed. The boy pressed harder, bringing the drill to a complete stop.
"I told you not to test my patience!" The boy¡¯s voice was cold, his expression devoid of mercy. He crushed Bernard¡¯s hand completely, leaving him writhing in pain on the ground.
"Didn¡¯t you hear me? Let me clear out your ears so you can listen better," the boy said, grabbing Bernard¡¯s ears with both hands. In a brutal motion, he tore them off.
My heart stopped for a second.
This boy is insane!
Bernard screamed in agony as the boy kicked him away, his face a bloody mess. Tossing the severed ears aside, the boy turned his gaze to me.
"One of my best friends had her ear destroyed by one of your assassins," he said with disdain. "This is nothing compared to what she suffered."
Summoning all the energy I had left, I shaped a massive sphere of mud in my hand, its surface bristling with sharp stone spikes. With a swift motion, I hurled the sphere at the boy. It flew at high speed, hitting him squarely. On impact, the sphere exploded, spreading mud and spikes in all directions. But instead of dispersing, the mud began to reform, encasing him in a deadly prison.
"Mud Coffin!" That was the name of my most devastating spell. The mud prison rapidly hardened, forming a massive petrified sphere around the boy. Stone spikes continued to grow internally, piercing the space where he was trapped.
"Now he''s dead..." I murmured with a relieved sigh, feeling the weight of the battle begin to lift.
"I don''t think so." A cold voice came from behind me, shattering my fleeting sense of victory.
Impossible!
My heart raced.
Before I could react, I spun around with my axe ready to strike, but I wasn¡¯t fast enough. The blow came before I could swing, a devastating punch landed in my stomach, sending me flying. I hit the ground hard, bouncing several times before crashing violently into a wall. The impact knocked the air out of my lungs and left me stunned.
My axe fell from my hands, clattering on the ground as the boy picked it up, his gaze chilling me to my core.
"How... how did you do that?" I murmured in disbelief, struggling to stand, but my legs gave out beneath me. I was certain he had been inside the coffin, impaled by the spikes. There was no way he could have escaped.
Super speed? I thought, trying to find a logical explanation. But the speed he exhibited was so absurd it seemed more like teleportation.
It wasn¡¯t speed¡ he vanished and reappeared behind me. Teleportation doesn¡¯t exist¡ how did he do this?
"Stay quiet," he commanded, and before I could respond, the axe descended in a brutal swing.
"AHHHH!" I screamed as my legs were severed in an instant, the pain an excruciating inferno.
He punched me in the mouth, and I felt my teeth shatter.
"I told you to stay quiet."
Ignoring me entirely, he turned and walked toward Bernard, who was struggling to get up, still dazed.
"Just looking at you makes me angry," the boy said, his voice icy with disdain. "I bet you¡¯ve been serving these nobles for a long time. Maybe if I dig a little deeper, I¡¯ll find out you were one of the mages who hunted me and my mother when I was just five years old."
Bernard¡¯s eyes widened in fear, his expression a silent admission.
"Ah, judging by your reaction, it seems you were involved," the boy crouched down to look Bernard in the eyes. "Perfect."
"Wait! Don¡¯t do anything! I¡¯ll tell you where Nikolaus Wolves is!" Bernard shouted, his voice trembling with panic.
"There¡¯s a small problem. I only need one of you to talk, and there are two of you. So, one of you has to die right now," he said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Despite the unbearable pain, I forced myself to speak.
"I¡¯ll tell you where he is! Please!" I begged desperately.
"You hear that? Your friend just betrayed you. Just like Nikolaus Wolves betrayed my family. Die knowing how that feels," he said, spinning the axe and bringing it down on Bernard. But he struck with the handle, not the blade.
I turned my face away, unable to watch, but the sounds of the blows were relentless, the nauseating crunch of bones breaking as his skull caved in echoing in the air.
The boy, now drenched in blood, walked toward me, his heavy steps filling the silence.
"Now tell me, where is Nikolaus Wolves?" he demanded, dropping the axe beside me on the ground.
"I''ll tell you!" I begged, desperately trying to stop the bleeding from my legs with the mud I conjured.
Consumed by panic, I began to talk. I didn¡¯t wait for him to ask, I spilled everything, every detail, every secret, frantically trying to save myself from a grim end.
He sighed, looking at me with cold indifference, before grabbing me by the neck.
"What are you doing?" I managed to whisper, fear surging like a tidal wave.
"I said I wouldn¡¯t kill the one who told me, at that moment. But that moment has passed. The people I care about most are suffering at home or fighting on that battlefield. What would you do to someone who hurt your family? Would you let them walk away?"
His words froze my heart. Terror consumed me entirely.
"Please!" I begged again, but his hands began to tighten around my face with terrifying strength.
"Please?" he mocked. "In war, a general takes no prisoners. He kills every last enemy. That¡¯s how I was forged. You brought this destruction upon yourselves. Remember this: it was you who summoned the storm. Now endure its fury."
The pressure on my skull grew unbearable.
And then, with a sickening crack!, the pain vanished, and everything went dark forever.
257 – The Dragon Wins the War
Chapter 257 ¨C The Dragon Wins the War
Soldier Norwin Dale:
I ran through the castle, fear consuming me with every step. Every door I slammed shut, every soldier fleeing in terror, only made my heart race faster. The dread of encountering that boy again froze my every movement. He had ordered me to run and spread the message, to tell the others to kneel.
As I ran, all I could do was hope he¡¯d be killed by the mages of the Ten Fingers. There wasn¡¯t a trace of hesitation or emotion on his face as he killed. To him, we were insignificant insects. I had seen the terror in the eyes of those who died, but the boy continued, unfazed, as if he weren¡¯t human but a monster in disguise.
¡°Damn it¡ what the hell!¡± I screamed as I stumbled into a decorative suit of armor, sending it crashing to the ground with a loud clang.
Moments ago, the castle had been full of soldiers running in desperation, but now, strangely, silence filled the halls. It was as if they¡¯d all vanished into thin air.
¡°I don¡¯t want to die¡¡± I muttered, tears streaming down my sweat-soaked face. "I just need to hide¡ survive until this nightmare ends."
I ran aimlessly, desperate to find some safe corner in the maze of stone. Finally, I threw open a door amidst the darkness.
"Perfect!" I whispered, locking the door behind me. The silence inside was comforting, a fragile refuge from the storm of terror raging through the castle. I approached a button on the wall, activating the glowing orb of light on the ceiling. I needed to find a hiding spot, perhaps use my earth magic to blend into the floor or walls
As the light flickered on, my knees gave out, and I collapsed to the ground.
¡°Holy shit!¡± I screamed, horror paralyzing me.
Above me, an intricate web of threads held the bodies of dead soldiers, their blood dripping steadily. Among them, maids with vacant stares looked down at me as if I were their next victim. They stood balanced on the threads, poised like spiders ready to strike.
Suddenly, one of the threads lashed out with terrifying speed, wrapping around me tightly.
¡°No! Please!¡± I begged desperately.
I¡¯ve survived that boy twice already! Damn it! I thought I¡¯d make it out alive this time! Someone help!
Tears of despair streamed down my face as I sobbed helplessly. The maids descended from the threads with the elegance of spiders closing in on their prey.
¡°Well, well¡¡± one of them said, casually twirling an axe, her cold eyes glinting.
¡°What do you think, Natty?¡± she asked the youngest maid beside her.
¡°He reeks of piss¡¡± the one called Natty replied, her expressionless face filled with disdain. She leaned in closer, her lips curling into a sadistic grin. ¡°And look at that, he¡¯s pissing himself again! Hahaha!¡± Her laughter echoed through the room, dripping with cruelty.
These women are just as insane as the boy! The same empty, apathetic gaze!
The older maid pressed a knife to my lips, forcing my mouth open while looking back at the others.
¡°What do you think, ladies? Should we let this coward experience some proper torture as training for the new maids?¡± she asked with a sadistic smile.
¡°Yes, Lady Martha,¡± they answered in unison.
Martha¡¯s malicious grin widened as her cold, calculating eyes bore into me.
¡°I have a better idea. How about we feed him alive to that giant plant? I want to hear the screams of someone being devoured firsthand,¡± she said, her voice dripping with malice. Her predatory gaze never wavered as the other maids crept closer, wolves circling their prey.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
Before I could beg or react, a violent blow struck my head. Pain surged through me, and darkness swallowed everything. My body went limp as consciousness slipped away into the void.
Hugo Riverclimb:
The castle was eerily silent now, save for the sound of our boots striking the cold stone floors as we combed through every corner. The war outside had been won the moment the black dome dissipated. What remained on the battlefield were confused men, uncertain of their orders, fighting on instinct. Most seemed desperate to surrender. From what I¡¯d heard, some groups even tried, but we wouldn¡¯t have known because they were swiftly cut down. That lunatic Carnellian wasn¡¯t helping matters, he roamed the battlefield, eliminating every enemy he encountered without hesitation.
There''s still that monstrous thing of Katherine''s and her plant soldiers, who kept killing relentlessly.
I couldn¡¯t shake the memory of that colossal plant monster just outside the fortress. Katherine had warned us all to keep our distance, saying only she could approach it without being killed. And honestly, after witnessing that thing in action, I knew I¡¯d never go near it, even if she gave me permission.
Fuck... I had gotten over my fear of plants, but after this, I think I¡¯ll avoid eating any veggies for a good while.
Katherine¡¯s monster was consuming humans as it grew. Worse, it devoured the bodies of soldiers infected by parasitic plants, absorbing everything, even the flora that had been feeding on those corpses. It was as if the creature sought to take in every bit of energy around it. That monstrosity was transforming into an even more terrifying beast, growing larger with every passing second.
Thankfully, it was rooted in place, its growth confined to the corpses anchoring it. If that thing had been able to move... I can¡¯t imagine what would¡¯ve happened to us without Katherine nearby. She mentioned having spoken to the plant and learning it was in its final stages. Even so, the creature continued to devour humans, desperately clinging to life, prolonging its existence through a gruesome cycle of death and growth.
That horrific sight will haunt me for a long time.
No more salad at dinner for me.
I remembered Martha receiving a little potted plant for her birthday, a gift from Katherine. A shiver ran down my spine at the thought of sleeping near one of those creatures, perched innocently on a bedside table.
As we prepared to head toward the wall where the enemy soldiers had regrouped, an enormous red monster descended from the skies. A massive dragon, its blood-red scales covered in jagged spikes, roared ferociously. Even knowing the creature was on our side, there was no sense of safety. Fear gripped me as the beast¡¯s gaze swept over us. When I looked at the enemy soldiers, many were visibly wetting themselves in terror, and even our own men were frozen, awestruck by its sheer presence.
Everyone fell to their knees, myself included. Not just because I was among the enemies, but because the fear was real. That monstrous creature regarded us all as nothing more than insects.
The only ones who didn¡¯t kneel were my wife, Margaery, and Katherine, standing beside the dragon. Sifu also knelt, but out of respect. That old man is a bit of a lunatic and does things his own way, so I didn¡¯t think much of it. He mumbled something about his old monk friends, but I was too scared to make sense of his words.
Lady Margaery walked across the battlefield, flanked by my wife and Katherine, with the enormous dragon looming behind them. As the dragon approached, everyone bowed their heads, sweating profusely, praying to disappear or turn invisible. No one dared make a sound, each fearing they¡¯d attract the attention of that colossal creature.
If I, who¡¯d been around that phoenix since it was small and had watched it grow into this massive being, was this scared, I could only imagine the terror of those who had never known such a creature existed.
The giant brown dog, a demi-human in its bestial form, had its head melted away by Cylla''s fiery attack. It was dead.
The three women, Margaery, Katherine, and my wife, walked toward the fortress. Not a single sound was heard. The place had succumbed to an overwhelming silence, with all the soldiers too stunned to react.
High above, the enormous red dragon, Cylla, soared through the sky, just as Sifu had described long ago when the phoenix had first arrived with Nathan. The beast descended toward Nikolaus Wolves'' castle, landing beside it as though claiming the site for its new nest. And truly, no one in this world had the power to order such a creature to leave.
I swear that dragon looks even larger than the last time I saw it.
After Cylla¡¯s overwhelming display, Margaery instructed my wife to summon the rest of us, along with the maids, to search the fortress for any remaining soldiers or nobles hiding within its walls.
As we moved through the corridors, we found terrified soldiers in hiding, some imprisoned, others cowering in their makeshift shelters. None of them seemed to comprehend the imminent danger they faced with that dragon waiting outside. When I asked one of the maids about the situation beyond the fortress walls, she told me that both the enemy forces and our own soldiers remained kneeling. No one dared to rise. The fear of Cylla¡¯s wrath loomed heavy over everyone.
I have no idea how I¡¯m going to explain this to my men. The existence of that creature was supposed to be a closely guarded secret. But now? Margaery doesn¡¯t seem to care much about playing dumb anymore.
¡°We¡¯ve found the nobles,¡± one of the maids informed me. ¡°They¡¯re all hiding in a room.¡±
¡°Perfect. Let¡¯s take them to the queen. Margaery wants to have a little chat with them outside,¡± I replied. ¡°I think she wants them to meet the guardian of the boy they tried to kill.¡±
258 - Capturing the Noble Faction
Chapter 258 - Capturing the Noble Faction
Hugo Riverclimb:
As we walked through the castle corridors, the images of the devastation I witnessed upon crossing the outer walls refused to leave my mind. The journey through Nikolaus Wolves'' fortified village to reach the castle was a grim testimony to the brutal destruction that had unfolded. Every corner bore the marks of an unrelenting force, leaving behind a scene that resembled a desolate battlefield.
Pillars lay shattered, carts overturned like discarded toys, and carriages reduced to unrecognizable rubble. The once-busy streets were now engulfed in chaos. Craters and mounds of debris dominated the landscape, while gaping holes in the walls revealed the trail of havoc left behind. It was easy to spot the scorched marks characteristic of Nathan''s lightning, a clear confirmation of his presence.
The bodies scattered across the village told a horrifying tale. Many were so mangled it was hard to believe they had once been human, resembling squashed, rotten fruit. As I walked, I occasionally kicked lifeless heads that rolled in my path, startling the few remaining soldiers who still hid. The scene was grotesque, almost surreal¡ªa nightmare come to life.
It seems the young master has been keeping himself very busy.
The soldiers who hadn¡¯t fled were reduced to mere shells of themselves, hiding in makeshift shelters. Some crammed themselves into barrels, others huddled under overturned carts, while a few, in pathetic desperation, feigned death amidst the wreckage. Their proximity to terror was unmistakable¡ªthey trembled uncontrollably, their teeth chattering in an erratic rhythm, unable to utter a coherent word.
Most were in a pitiful state. Their words were fragmented by fear, their minds evidently shattered. They didn¡¯t even react to our presence; seeing human faces that weren¡¯t hostile seemed to bring immense relief. Some began sobbing at the sight of us, as if they¡¯d just been freed from an endless nightmare.
When we attempted to extract information, their shock was palpable. Slowly, they pointed trembling fingers toward the castle, as if merely mentioning the place could summon the horrors they had witnessed. Their terrified expressions were all the confirmation we needed that the true nightmare awaited inside.
The chaos intensified within the castle. Soldiers scurried aimlessly like rats trapped on a sinking ship, seeking any corner to hide. Their behavior was as strange as it was disturbing. Upon seeing us, several fell to their knees, begging to be imprisoned. It was as if they preferred the safety of a cell to the terror that seemed to permeate the place.
The castle itself had become a scene of nightmares. Broken walls, riddled with cracks and scars of destruction, told of the chaos that had erupted. Grotesque roots emerged from the ground like grasping hands, while corridors were flooded with water, likely the result of uncontrolled magic. Hastily constructed stone barriers blocked passages; some had crumbled, while others still stood.
Black scorch marks on the walls told a story of electrical destruction, where devastating lightning had scorched the stone, leaving trails of soot. The air was heavy with the stench of charred flesh and fresh blood. Corpses littered the halls: some impaled on wooden spikes that seemed to grow from the walls themselves; others dismembered, their bodies torn apart in brutal displays. Higher up, bodies hung grotesquely from the ceiling, suspended by roots dripping a thick, dark liquid.
The flames still licked parts of the corridors, with blackened walls and twisted beams marking the path of the fire that still burned in some sections. Jagged spikes protruded from the walls like lethal traps, fresh blood dripping from their tips. Portions of the floor had collapsed, revealing treacherous pits and triggered traps. The entire castle had been turned into a battlefield scarred by explosions and high-tier magic, each corner a reminder of the devastation left behind.
The nobles had been found hiding by our maids, all of them visibly shaken. The only one absent was Nikolaus Wolves, who had apparently separated from the group. When we dragged them out of their hiding places, the desperation was evident. Some didn¡¯t waste a second before surrendering outright.
"Don''t touch me, you filthy peasant servant!" shouted Count Laurence, still trying to maintain his air of superiority despite his capture.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.
Without missing a beat, I turned to the nearest maid and ordered, "Break his nose."
She didn¡¯t hesitate. With a swift punch, her fist connected squarely with his face. The crack of cartilage echoed through the hall as the Count stumbled back, clutching his face while blood gushed from his nostrils.
"How dare you!? I''m a Count!" he bellowed, his voice tinged with both pain and disbelief, yet the fear in his eyes betrayed his bravado.
"Fuck off," the maid replied flatly, shoving him back into the line of captives.
As we escorted the nobles through the castle¡¯s corridors, their constant whining continued. They invoked diplomatic immunity, demanded a fair trial with the kingdom''s approval, and insisted they were unaware of the conflict. Every step of the way, they repeated their rights, as if still clinging to the illusion of power. Some even requested the presence of their personal guards to escort them, oblivious to the fact that no loyal troops remained.
It only took a few cold, silent glares to remind them that their titles meant nothing now. They were completely at our mercy.
"What happened here?" one of the nobles demanded with a condescending tone. "I expect a full report. I have more important matters to attend to. When the kingdom hears of this, I''ll await my trial from the comfort of my estate."
I clenched my jaw, struggling to keep my composure. The arrogance of these nobles was exhausting. Even after all the chaos they''d caused, they still acted like they were untouchable.
"You initiated this conflict against us. We merely defended ourselves, and from the looks of it, we lost. That makes us the victims here," declared Baron Franklin, his voice dripping with smug superiority. "We were just attending a peaceful dinner among friends when you unlawfully broke diplomatic code by attacking us. That''s how the kingdom will view this. No matter how strong your suspicions are, in the end, that''s all they are, suspicions."
As we marched further, a commanding presence emerged from the corridor ahead. My wife, Martha, was approaching, her expression as unforgiving as a storm. Her gaze swept across the captured nobles with cold authority, making it clear she wasn''t there for polite negotiations.
"I can''t believe this," she announced, her voice echoing through the stone halls as she stepped forward.
Without hesitation, Martha drew her spear from her storage bracelet, the weapon¡¯s silver tip aimed directly at one noble¡¯s throat with deadly precision. The sharp motion froze everyone in place, the noble trembling under her glare.
"Who... who are you?" he stammered, his face pale with terror.
"Me?" Martha¡¯s voice took on a deadly, mocking sweetness, the smile on her lips anything but comforting. "I''m just a maid. But you... you''re Baron Gideon, aren''t you?"
The man gulped, visibly sweating. "I¡ªI am! But I¡¯m not even from this duchy! I had nothing to do with any of this! I¡ª"
His words died in his throat as my wife let out a cold, mocking laugh that echoed through the ruined corridors. The sound was sharp, cruel, and filled with dark amusement¡ªa laugh I knew all too well.
That laugh never meant anything good. Not for Baron Gideon, at least.
"You¡¯re the bastard who tried to kidnap our young masters years ago... and little Kinue," my wife said, her voice cold, laced with a deep-seated hatred she had clearly nurtured for a long time. "I kept your name and face burned into my heart all these years. How many nights I''ve dreamed of crushing your face into the ground beneath my feet. And look at that... fate finally delivered you."
Baron Gideon paled, his eyes wide with sheer terror. "I... I never tried to kidnap anyone from your house," he stammered, voice trembling.
"Oh, but you did," Martha replied, her smile turning sharp and venomous. "You just didn¡¯t realize it at the time. The boy who injured your hand? Remember him?"
His face contorted with realization. "No... no, don¡¯t tell me he¡¯s here!" he shouted in sheer panic, his skin turning as pale as a corpse.
"Don¡¯t worry," my wife said, her gaze colder than steel. "The young master won¡¯t waste his time on trash like you. I¡¯ll personally handle your sentence."
Without hesitation, Martha turned to the maids standing behind her. "Girls, take this one with us. Unfortunately, Baron Gideon died in a tragic accident during this battle," she declared with a twisted smile. "From now on, you¡¯re no longer Baron Gideon but our personal practice dummy. Every drop of your blood will be used to teach my lovely students the fine arts of torture."
Before the baron could protest, one of the maids struck the back of his head with the butt of her spear. His body crumpled to the ground like a discarded rag doll, unconscious. The maids, efficient and expressionless, began dragging him down the corridor as if he were no more than a piece of garbage.
"This is outrageous!" shouted Baron Franklin, his face flushed with fury. "You dare lay hands on a noble of political standing! This is an unforgivable insult to the kingdom!"
The hall fell into a tense silence. I felt the pressure mounting in my chest as I turned slowly toward him, letting my footsteps echo with measured weight. Without a word, I clenched my fist and delivered a brutal punch straight to his face. The sickening crack of impact echoed through the stone corridor, and he fell hard, clutching his nose as blood poured from his nostrils.
"I didn¡¯t lay hands on a noble of political standing, Franklin," I said, my voice calm but sharp as a blade. "I threw a punch."
The maids, unfazed, drove their spears into the backs of the other nobles, forcing them forward down the castle¡¯s darkened halls. The sound of their complaints and weak protests echoed faintly, but they were swallowed by the oppressive silence surrounding us.
The power these men once flaunted meant nothing here anymore.
259 - The Wail Before the Dragon
Chapter 259 - The Wail Before the Dragon
Count Laurence:
We were being led by the duchess¡¯s servants, forced along like prisoners. One of the maids had struck me across the nose earlier, and the pain still throbbed with each step. I could have retaliated with my wind magic, but I knew better. Resistance would only escalate things further. For now, I chose silence, hoping that my injuries could be turned into an advantage, proof of mistreatment I could report to the royal court later.
Political nobles were not allowed to act violently against other nobles. There were rules, after all. Besides, we weren¡¯t part of the duchy; we were nobles from the kingdom, sent here under royal authority.
The Evenharts might have suspected our involvement in the assassination attempt, but they had no solid proof, at least not yet. In such situations, things could become legally ambiguous. I wasn¡¯t sure how the law would apply, considering their rank as high nobles, but I still believed the kingdom would intervene to protect us. At worst, the Evenharts might face fines or be ordered to repair the damage caused here. A slap on the wrist. I didn¡¯t care what happened to them. I just wanted to leave this alive.
Nikolaus Wolves fled to take cover, but I suspect the bastard is trying to erase evidence. Why else would he keep proof of his actions? Could he be considering betraying us? Not that I can claim innocence myself. I kept some evidence too. No one would be foolish enough to commit such madness without ensuring there was something to prove we weren¡¯t acting alone.
It doesn''t matter. My share is safely stored in a storage bracelet. Even if they torture me and I confess everything, when they search my mansion, a servant already knows that if it''s not me personally, he must destroy the bracelet. I bet the others have taken similar precautions and secured their evidence just as carefully.
Despite my careful planning, fear gnawed at me. What if Nikolaus Wolves turned over evidence before we could defend ourselves? He was the one who had suggested this entire plot, but if he acted first and painted us as the true conspirators, we could all be damned.
No! The kingdom would surely be cautious... I hope. We would have a proper trial. I believe none of us would hand over anything, as we could still come out as victims in this situation. If we played the game correctly, the kingdom would have no choice but to side with us, right?
The truth was beginning to sink in. We were completely and utterly cornered. If the kingdom had to choose between sacrificing a few nobles or maintaining their alliance with the Evenharts, the outcome was obvious. Someone had to take the fall. Someone had to be made an example of.
And I had no intention of being that someone.
We were led out into the courtyard, and the sight nearly made me sick.
Blood splattered the stone. The stench of death clung to the air despite the rain. Bits of... flesh... were smeared across the wall. Yet it had been cleaned recently. There were no bodies left, just the aftermath of a massacre.
A little further ahead, I spotted the duchess seated calmly in a chair. Beside her sat the commoner with long, reddish-brown hair, whom I recognized as the mother of the heir.
The maids behind us shoved the tips of their spears into our backs, forcing us to our knees.
"Argh! Bloody hell!" I cursed, my knee hitting the ground hard.
The duchess watched us with cold, calculating eyes. A servant approached, carrying a silver tray with a wine glass, which the duchess sipped from leisurely before returning it to the tray.
Then, after a long pause, she spoke.
"I believe we can begin."
Her voice was ice.
"Please! I beg you! I''ll confess everything!" one of the nobles cried out, his voice trembling with desperation.
I stared at him in disbelief.
"Idiot!" I roared, rage boiling inside me. "They have no proof! They can''t act against us! Diplomacy protects us!" I spat, trying to maintain my composure, but the fear was palpable. Some of the nobles around me were visibly distressed, yet they remained silent, while others trembled.
"They can''t¡ª" I started again, but before I could finish, a fist struck my face with brutal force, delivered by one of the maids.
"Do not interrupt Lady Margaery," the maid said coldly.
"Girls, teach him how to respect the authority of a queen," the duchess ordered with an icy calm that sent shivers down my spine.
Without hesitation, the maids obeyed. Kicks rained down on me, and in desperation, I raised a wind barrier, trying to regain control.
"You bitch!" I screamed, lifting my hand to conjure a wind bullet aimed directly at the maid closest to me. "I''m done with this mockery!"
But when I turned, the sight before me froze my entire body. My breath caught in my throat. Every hair on my body stood on end, and a cold sweat ran down my back.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
A massive gray panther stood before me, its piercing eyes staring directly into my soul. Its presence was like a blade at my throat, silent, lethal, inevitable.
It was a Moon Panther, a deadly assassin feared across every corner of the continent.
I fell backward, collapsing onto the cold stone floor, my heart hammering in pure terror.
The nobles around me scrambled to their feet, panic consuming them as they raised their trembling hands, attempting to summon defensive spells. But deep down, we all knew the truth.
There was no hope.
Nothing. Not even magic could stop that thing.
"How... How is that beast here!?" one of the nobles stammered beside me, his voice cracking with hysteria.
The Moon Panther moved gracefully, its powerful form stalking forward until it stopped right beside the duchess and the commoner woman, standing as a silent guardian.
The duchess''s calm gaze met ours. "Think carefully before daring to raise your voices against me again," she warned, her voice soft yet filled with unspoken danger.
The panther''s eyes never left me, its unblinking, predatory stare making my throat tighten painfully.
"This... this is a Moon Panther! A killer! A monster!" Baron Franklin shouted, his voice raw with panic.
"No one can tame those beasts! How did you control it?" I managed to stammer, my voice breaking as the panic surged higher.
The duchess chuckled, a quiet, chilling laugh. Her eyes narrowed as she spoke, her voice smooth as silk but sharper than steel.
"Tamed? No. This creature is not tamed," she said, her lips curling into a dangerous smile. "She is free to go wherever she pleases, to do whatever she desires. And yet... there are only two people in this world she has chosen to protect."
The panther''s eyes bore into us, unrelenting, unyielding.
"Care to guess who those two people are?" the duchess whispered, her gaze sweeping over the group of trembling nobles.
"It can''t be...!" another noble gasped, attempting to rise to flee, but a maid was faster. She grabbed his shoulder and forced him back down to his knees with practiced efficiency.
"Kneel."
The maid''s voice was sharp, authoritative, and the noble, now pale and shaking, obeyed without resistance.
The duchess continued, her voice now colder than before. "My daughter... and my nephew. They are the ones this panther has chosen to protect. The very same people you tried to harm."
A suffocating silence fell over us.
My heart pounded so violently I thought it might burst. My body felt trapped between searing heat and icy dread. The realization was setting in. This was not a negotiation; it was a death sentence.
I could hear Baron Franklin trembling beside me, his voice barely above a whisper. "I... I don''t know what you''re talking about."
The duchess''s eyes narrowed.
"Kill him," she said, as casually as if she were discussing the weather.
"AHHHHH!" Franklin''s scream echoed across the courtyard as the panther lunged, its claws tearing through his flesh as if it were nothing but paper. The baron collapsed, blood gushing from the deep wounds as the beast''s fangs sank into his stomach, ripping him apart with brutal efficiency. His agonized cries lingered far too long, yet none of us dared to move. We were all paralyzed, consumed by absolute terror.
The panther continued its grim work, disemboweling him as casually as one might peel a fruit. The sound of flesh being torn, the wet squelching as organs spilled onto the ground, was unbearable. I tried to avert my eyes, but the horror forced its way into my vision until I doubled over, vomiting onto the stone floor.
When it was done, the panther returned to the duchess''s side, sitting calmly as if the massacre had been nothing more than a minor inconvenience. Blood dripped from its claws, staining the stones beneath it, yet it remained perfectly still, a silent predator awaiting its next command.
The duchess, seated in her ornate chair, watched us with icy detachment. Her gaze lingered for a moment, then she spoke with a voice as sharp as a blade.
"Does anyone else wish to lie to me?"
The silence that followed was deafening. The nobles around me were pale as corpses, their eyes wide with shock and fear. None of us could even muster a whisper in protest.
"You''ve committed a crime!" one of the nobles shouted, trembling, desperately clinging to the last shred of defiance he could muster. "Diplomacy doesn''t allow this!"
The duchess''s eyes narrowed dangerously. Slowly, she rose from her chair, the calm in her demeanor shifting into something far more menacing.
"Diplomacy?" she echoed, stepping forward.
Before the man could react, her hand shot out, gripping his hair and slamming his face violently against the stone floor. The sickening crack echoed through the courtyard, blood pooling instantly beneath his shattered nose.
"Fuck diplomacy!" she roared. With a brutal kick, she struck his face again, the blood dripping freely as he groaned in agony.
"Come!" she bellowed, her voice challenging the heavens themselves. "Come and seek vengeance!¡±
The air grew heavier, thick with an overwhelming energy that pressed against my chest, making it difficult to breathe. The stones beneath our feet vibrated. The castle walls groaned as if under immense pressure.
A massive shadow darkened the sun above.
"ROOOOOOOOOAAAAR!" The thunderous roar of the winged beast shook the very ground beneath us as it landed atop the fortress wall, perched like a monstrous predator surveying its prey. Its colossal form, crimson as blood, with jagged spikes protruding from its scales, spread massive wings that blotted out the sun.
In that moment, I lost all control. My body buckled under the sheer, primal terror that gripped me, and I collapsed to my knees, paralyzed. My entire being was consumed by a fear so overwhelming that humiliation twisted deep in my gut. The warm sensation spreading down my leg made it painfully clear. I had pissed myself.
It was a beast torn straight from a nightmare. Its scarlet hide, glistening with moisture, seemed carved from molten stone. Rows upon rows of jagged teeth lined its maw, each glimmering with deadly promise. But the eyes... the eyes were the worst of all. Its gaze burned with fury, and the mere presence of the creature seemed to drain the very air around us, turning the atmosphere into something suffocating, as though pure evil itself loomed before us. In that moment, I could barely breathe, my eyes locked onto the face of the colossal being watching us. Every subtle movement it made was a reminder that we stood before something capable of making the world kneel, as if it were a god. No one there was prepared to face such power.
A true... dragon!
I could hardly believe the calmness of the duchess, the common-born mother, and the maids as that monstrosity stared us down.
Fear consumed me so completely that my body gave out. I retched onto the cold stone floor, trembling so violently that my hands failed to support me. I collapsed onto my side, still vomiting, as every muscle surrendered to sheer panic.
The nobles around me were no better, frozen in place, paralyzed by terror. Some fainted on the spot, while one remained standing just long enough for his body to lock stiff, eyes wide in a vacant stare.
He didn''t blink.
It was as if the life had been drained from him entirely.
The duchess watched the scene with visible impatience, pressing her fingers against her temples.
"Wonderful..." she muttered, irritation clear in her voice as she eyed the trembling noble. "His mind collapsed from stress. Well, he''s probably gone insane now."
She exhaled in frustration, her gaze hardening. "What used to take me days of careful torture, Cylla managed with just a look."
Turning toward her maids, she waved a hand dismissively.
"He''s useless now. Nothing but an empty shell. Take him outside and feed him to the plant."
260 - Nathan Evenhart and General Icarus
Chapter 260 - Nathan Evenhart and General Icarus
Nathan Evenhart:
I walked through the castle¡¯s underground tunnels, a vast and ancient labyrinth, almost as if there were a second hidden castle beneath the main one. The rough stone walls, shaped with almost supernatural precision, displayed the unmistakable signature of the Wolves family. Masters at manipulating earth for construction, they had turned the place into a monument to their skills, an impenetrable labyrinth for those who didn¡¯t know its secrets.
I knew no one would interrupt or help me. Before descending into the depths of the dungeon, I used every ounce of effort I had and activated my special eyes, leaving a guard golem at the entrance to ensure I wasn¡¯t followed. I was prepared for whatever came next.
Each step felt like a battle against my own body. My head throbbed incessantly, as though dozens of needles were piercing my skull. The vision in my right eye was completely gone, a terrifying emptiness that left me vulnerable. The rest of my powers were also weakened, and only thunder and wind, magics directly tied to my own gem, still responded, but even they were unstable. My Special Eyes had been pushed to the limit, especially in the days prior, when I cultivated the black storm dome. The price of that effort now fell upon me, and I feared the damage to my eye might be permanent.
¡°I think I¡¯m going to¡ pass out,¡± I murmured, my voice echoing through the damp walls of the tunnel.
The air in the underground was heavy, almost suffocating, and every breath came with an acute pain radiating through my body. Moving felt like an act of torture; my broken bones protested with every step, piercing me like invisible blades. My body screamed for rest, but the strength of hatred, an insatiable flame fueled by memories of the battle and the losses I had suffered, kept me going. I couldn¡¯t stop. Not here, not now.
My mana was completely exhausted, drained to the last drop. I had used the little I had left to use the Aspect of Time to escape the mud trap and surprise the demi-human, and then to summon the golem, who was guarding the dungeon door. Even so, something primal and desperate urged me on. It was more than hatred; it was the will to survive, to take revenge, to fight against the fate that seemed determined to destroy me.
As I moved through the dimly lit corridors, my mind wavered between reality and exhaustion. The shadows on the walls seemed to take threatening forms, as if the castle itself were alive, testing my resolve. With every second that passed, the darkness seemed to swallow me more, but still, I pressed on, one step at a time, refusing to fall.
I sighed, but the throbbing pain in my head quickly brought me back to reality, cutting off any thoughts that threatened to distract me.
Something was wrong, terribly wrong. The atmosphere of the place was suffocating, as if the tunnels themselves were alive, watching every step I took. The air was dense, charged with an oppressive energy that made my skin crawl. It was a presence, or perhaps a combination of all the shadows that seemed to grow as I moved forward.
I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to relieve the pressure on my mind while my body, almost automatically, kept walking. When I opened them again, I realized I had been unconscious for a few minutes. I didn¡¯t know how long had passed, but somehow, my feet kept carrying me forward, even in the complete absence of consciousness.
¡°I¡¯m a fool¡¡± I murmured to myself, feeling the futility of continuing in this condition. No mana, with my body on the verge of collapse, heading straight toward the enemy. When I took the next step, my knee gave way, and I fell, bracing myself against the wall with effort. My hand left a red stain. I looked at my own body and confirmed the obvious: the blood was mine. My injuries were horrendous, more severe than I had admitted.
¡°Going like this? In such a deplorable state?¡± Athena¡¯s sharp voice echoed beside me, filled with disdain. When I looked, there she was. ¡°You¡¯re pathetic! Weak!¡±
I ignored her. I kept walking, or trying to, but my steps faltered. The darkness tried to pull me away, into a mental abyss where my consciousness would no longer resist. I stopped, feeling my eyes begin to close. No¡ this was limbo. The extreme mana exhaustion was pulling me into it like a magnet. A state where the mana gem forced the mage into a coma until it replenished.
¡°No!¡± I screamed to myself, a roar of the last flash of strength. My voice echoed through the tunnel, sounding as desperate as I felt. With a colossal effort, I forced my body to stay conscious.
I fell to my knees, feeling my muscles and bones scream in protest. My body was shutting down, slowly, and I knew the line between passing out and dying was becoming too thin. The healing potion I took from the fire mage had healed some superficial wounds, but the blood I had already lost could be a death sentence. Even with this in mind, I fought.
¡°Stay awake... Stay awake!¡± I told myself, trying to keep my blurry vision focused on anything. Anything that would stop me from giving in. I put strength in my arms, a strength I didn¡¯t have, but still, I tried. Each movement seemed to pierce me with needles of pain, but I forced myself to rise. A simple act, but it seemed like an impossible task.
With a muffled scream, I managed to stand, only to stumble again. I fell once more, my body crushed by the weight of exhaustion and pain. Now, lying on the cold floor, I felt my mind fading, while the line between life and death seemed more uncertain than ever.
¡°So this is how General Icarus¡¯s life will end?¡± her voice sounded, cold and full of contempt. Athena crouched, staring at me with that mocking smile. ¡°What a disappointment¡ all the effort I put into you for nothing, dying from mere wounds inflicted by mortals.¡±
¡°Shut up!¡± I screamed, trying to punch her as I stood up. But she easily dodged, stepping back with elegance, as if she were playing with me.
With effort, I rose, leaning against the wall to keep my balance. Every muscle screamed in protest, but I kept walking, ignoring her, passing right by her.
¡°Keep that attitude, Icarus. It was your stubbornness that made you lose what you loved most in your past life¡¡± Athena said, her voice echoing, before disappearing again.
The corridor ahead seemed to stretch endlessly, a path of torture where each step brought a new pain. I dragged myself along the wall, my arm already unable to support my weight. Now, my whole body depended on that cold surface to not collapse.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.
¡°Icarus¡¡± her voice came back, but it wasn¡¯t Athena. It was my own mind tormenting me with a conversation I had with the Goddess in another life, bringing buried memories. ¡°If you had served me as I wanted and accepted my offer, your fianc¨¦e would still be alive. Helen was killed, and the blame is yours¡ she took the burden that was supposed to be yours. She accepted the position of General to protect you.¡±
The words pierced my mind like sharp blades. I knew it wasn¡¯t real, but the weight of the guilt I carried made it impossible to ignore. Each room I passed revealed fragments of my life. Distorted images of moments I would rather forget.
I laughed, a bitter sound that echoed through the corridor. ¡°Illusions¡¡± I muttered, trying to ignore them. ¡°Nothing but illusions.¡± But deep down, I knew they were more than that. They were truths I didn¡¯t want to face.
With every turn I made, the memories became more vivid, more real. Until the corridor was no longer just a dark tunnel; it was my own story, forcing me to confront it.
¡°Icarus¡¡± Charon¡¯s voice came, hoarse and heavy. I saw myself, young, holding Helen¡¯s lifeless body, tears streaming down my face. ¡°There is nothing there for you to bring back¡ there is no soul for me to retrieve¡ don¡¯t try to do this, don¡¯t make a pact with a god¡¡± Charon said, his dark and inevitable presence. The memory faded like smoke before me, but its weight remained.
I kept walking, dragging my body with difficulty, trying to push the images away. But they kept coming, each one more cruel than the last.
¡°To bring Helen back to life is quite simple¡¡± Athena¡¯s voice echoed again, and I saw the scene I knew so well. Me, kneeling before her, pleading desperately. ¡°Go and kill a god for me,¡± she said.
The pain, the exhaustion, and the weight of the memories accumulated within me like a storm. I was nearing the limit, my body on the brink of collapse. But still, I kept moving. I couldn¡¯t give in. I couldn¡¯t stop. No matter how many memories haunted me, I had to keep going.
¡°If you serve me completely and worship me, I¡¯ll make you the greatest warrior who ever existed. Greater than Achilles, greater than Hercules, greater than Perseus,¡± Athena¡¯s voice echoed with a seductive, compelling tone, like the song of a siren promising what I desired most. ¡°You just need to serve me, fight for me in my war against Olympus as my champion. If you kill Hades¡ you can bring Helen back to life. That is my price, Icarus. Fight my wars, expand my empire across the world. As my influence in this world grows, so will my power, and then¡ I¡¯ll have the power to resurrect Helen.¡±
Every step I took through the tunnels seemed to bring forth vivid memories, more intense with each passing moment. Images of bloody battles formed around me, like a cruel theater of my own life. I saw myself facing armies of enemies on blazing battlefields, fighting the colossal Kraken of Poseidon, turning it to stone with the power of Medusa¡¯s head. Every fallen monster at my feet, every sacred weapon claimed... it all became part of my journey to become the greatest warrior in history, Athena¡¯s general.
¡°You¡¯re walking a dangerous path, my friend,¡± Caron¡¯s grave voice cut through the memories. I saw myself, General Icarus, surrounded by corpses on the battlefield, bloodied and solitary.
¡°Getting involved with gods¡ is asking to be used and discarded,¡± he warned, his tone heavy.
¡°Helen¡¯s soul is in the underworld¡ I¡¯ll save her and bring her back to life, no matter the cost, no matter the price. I¡¯ll fight as many wars as it takes for Athena.¡± I heard the young Icarus¡¯s voice responding with blind determination.
I kept walking, ignoring the scenes unfolding like a nightmare around me. Each memory seemed more cruel than the last, but I knew that stopping meant giving in. Giving in meant losing.
I saw Hades on the ground, covered in blood, his eyes glowing with incomprehensible madness as he laughed hysterically. ¡°You made a pact with something worse than me, the king of hell,¡± he said, each word interwoven with insane laughter as I kept punching him. Each of my blows seemed to feed his insanity even more.
¡°Gods don¡¯t like competition¡ they just want there to be one at the top¡ remember that,¡± he laughed again, until his voice was replaced by the deafening sound of thunder.
I advanced with difficulty, each step heavier than the last. The storm around me grew, lightning tearing through the sky, illuminating Athena¡¯s figure in front of me in the rain. I was kneeling before her, defeated, wounded, desolated. The weight of the truth crushed my spirit. I had confronted her, demanded answers, but her words cut deeper than any blade.
¡°Helen¡¯s soul is not in the underworld, Icarus,¡± her voice sounded almost like a triumphant whisper. ¡°She was killed by a god¡¯s blade. Her soul ceased to exist.¡±
My world collapsed around me. All my sacrifice, all my pain, all the lives I took in her name¡ all to discover that the promise was a lie, a cruel deception. The cold rain mixed with my tears as I faced the reality¡ Helen wouldn¡¯t come back to life, I had lost her forever.
But even in the face of all this bitter remembrance, I kept walking. Because stopping was never an option for me.
¡°And you believed that?¡± Athena¡¯s voice echoed, cruel and triumphant. She laughed, stepping on me while I was lying on the ground, vomiting blood. Each laugh of hers was like a knife stabbing me, each strike of her spear was a reminder of how I had been manipulated.
The young Icarus tried to react, but she grabbed him by the neck with overwhelming force, throwing him back to the ground. Her boot brutally pressed his face into the damp earth.
¡°I¡¯ll tell you something, General Icarus¡¡± she whispered in my ear, her voice dripping with contempt and malice. ¡°It wasn¡¯t Hades who killed Helen... it was me.¡±
My vision darkened for a moment, not from physical pain, but from the hatred growing within me. She laughed as she stepped away for a moment, only to return, her voice full of venom.
¡°You should¡¯ve seen how she screamed, how Helen suffered. But don¡¯t worry,¡± she continued, each word more cruel than the last, ¡°before I killed her, I made her feel¡ loved. I tied her up and had many men enjoy her. She screamed your name all night.¡±
The sound of her laughter echoed as my body trembled with rage and despair. I tried to fight, tried to get up, but she slammed my head into the ground again with a devastating blow.
¡°You only killed Hades because I made you do it,¡± she laughed. ¡°I guided you. I told you his weakness. I gave you the tools, I prepared the weapon. You¡¯re just a pawn in my game, Icarus. Don¡¯t forget that. Don¡¯t forget your pathetic place, mortal.¡±
Athena kept hitting me, landing punches and insults. ¡°Oh, Icarus... oh, my love...¡± she mocked, grotesquely imitating Helen¡¯s voice. ¡°Maybe she even liked what my men did to her. Maybe she became a real woman, delighting in pleasure.¡±
¡°ENOUGH!¡± I screamed with all my strength, and the memories shattered like broken glass. The echo of my own voice filled the void around me. Rage burned through my veins.
¡°I¡¯ll kill every last one of you!¡± I said to myself, repeating the words of General Icarus¡¯s promise. ¡°I¡¯ll kill every last god! Even if I have to destroy the world, even if I have to annihilate entire civilizations, even if I become the greatest tyrant who ever existed!¡± My voice grew louder, fueled by the same hatred from my past life.
¡°Oh, you will?¡± Athena laughed in the memory, looking at the fallen Icarus. ¡°Come... I¡¯m waiting at the top.¡±
As I walked, I didn¡¯t feel the pain from my injuries, the weight of exhaustion, or the absence of mana. On the contrary, it felt like I had never been wounded. A strange vigor coursed through my body. My slow steps began to quicken, and before I realized it, I was already running down the hallway, driven by something much deeper than rage: a hatred that burned like an immortal flame.
Suddenly, a sharp pain pierced my mind, like lightning tearing through the sky. I tried to understand what was happening and felt the mana channels pulse with an unknown force. I mentally searched for the source of that power, and to my surprise, it didn¡¯t come from my mana gem. No... it was beyond me. The flow emanated from the dragon-serpent¡¯s mana gem that slept within my soul, that being I barely understood.
My body faltered for a moment, but I kept moving forward, now feeling an intense heat in my eyes. My vision, which had once seemed blurry and limited, cleared with every step until everything around me looked unnervingly sharp. I stopped before a puddle of water, my heavy breathing echoing in the emptiness.
Then, I saw my reflection.
My eyes.
They were no longer the same. An orange, almost red glow radiated from them, intense, primal. And in their shape, there was something unmistakable: they were the eyes of a serpent.
261 - The Dragon, the Duchess, and Vengeance
Chapter 261 - The Dragon, the Duchess, and Vengeance
Hugo Riverclimb:
After handing over the nobles to the servants and watching them being taken to Margaery, I stayed to talk with my wife. Martha looked worried, still without news of Nathan.
"Still no sign of the young master," she said, her expression tense.
We had searched every corner of the castle. We captured those we didn¡¯t kill, and all prisoners were sent to wait at the front of the wall. But as soon as they saw the dragon flying overhead, they too dropped to their knees, mimicking the soldiers who remained kneeling under the sun, not daring to stand.
"Looks like he really went after Nikolaus Wolves in the dungeons..." I commented, considering what to do next.
"What should I do?" Martha asked me, waiting for an answer.
I thought for a moment. Katherine was by Margaery¡¯s side, watching the nobles. Interrupting the two of them wasn¡¯t a viable option, especially with that threatening dragon nearby. I wasn¡¯t crazy enough to go there.
Knowing Nathan, it would be best to let him take his revenge. I would do the same if they had hurt Martha or any of my daughters.
"Better let the young master handle things his way," I suggested.
Martha sighed, clearly dissatisfied with my answer.
"What is it?" I asked, teasing her a little. "Do you want me to risk going over there near that thing and talk to Katherine?"
"It¡¯s just Cylla. You¡¯re so scared," she replied, smiling playfully.
I laughed. "My love, look at the size of that thing. Just because it likes your food doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s friendly to other people."
She left laughing, and I watched her, wondering if I was truly the only sensible one there. After all, there was a giant dragon above us.
She should be supporting me, not wanting her husband to walk straight into danger...
I stayed back, watching Margaery deal with the other nobles. As a guard, it was my duty to protect her, but looking at the scene, it seemed my presence there was irrelevant.
Next to her was a Moon Panther, a lethal and deadly creature. Above us, a massive dragon ruled the skies, imposing and terrifying. And around her, Katherine, with her ability to command an army of plant-infested soldiers, seemed more than enough for any threat.
And me? I could shoot fire from my hands.
My daughters are right¡ I think I need to start training more.
I looked at Katherine, who remained silent, but from the look in her eyes, I knew she was gathering every ounce of strength she had not to kill those nobles. If someone said the wrong thing, she wouldn¡¯t hesitate to kill. Margaery, with her imposing stance, handled the nobles as though they were discarded pieces in a game she had already won. Martha, always so efficient, watched everything with cold calm, and the servants¡ well, they looked ready to act at any moment, lethal and precise.
I think Sifu is right. We¡¯re surrounded by dangerous women¡
I approached, watching the nobles slowly regain their senses. One of them wasn¡¯t so lucky; his mind had completely collapsed. His vacant gaze and frozen expression made it clear that the shock of seeing the dragon had broken something inside him. I even tried talking to him, but it was like speaking to a standing corpse. He was no longer there. We sent him as food to the giant plant. Katherine explained that it was an efficient way to dispose of bodies. The plant, which had been growing nonstop, now began to swell, absorbing all the bodies we threw into it. According to Katherine, the creature was at the end of its cycle.
I looked again at Margaery, imposing, and then at the nobles. Some of them had urinated themselves, and the dragon stared at them with rage.
¡°How is it going to be?¡± Margaery asked, her calm demeanor chilling.
The men, overwhelmed by terror, knelt down, placing their heads against the floor, trembling in fear. The silence was suffocating, and the weight of Margaery''s words made the air around us feel denser.
¡°You tried to harm my family in the past. Not a single day went by that I didn¡¯t think of exacting my revenge on you, but I was fair. I agreed to the peace treaty we signed, and at no point did I retaliate. I didn¡¯t raise taxes, I didn¡¯t sabotage your economies, and I didn¡¯t even orchestrate your murders. And I assure you, I could have done all of that,¡± her voice was cold and cutting. ¡°My family knows very well how to kill someone and make it look like an accident. But I moved on, even with my anger, and let you continue your lives.¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
The men trembled even more, lost in the agonizing silence that followed. There was no response that could save their lives in that moment.
¡°Please...¡± one of them murmured, his voice weak and desperate. ¡°I swear we didn¡¯t send that assassin to try to kill your daughter! We would never harm her.¡±
Margaery¡¯s face hardened, her expression becoming even darker. It was the same look she had when assuming the role of the feared Torture Witch.
¡°But you ordered the death of my other child!¡± she screamed, standing up with fury. ¡°You had my nephew assassinated!¡±
In a swift motion, she pulled a chain from her storage bracelet and threw it over the noble. He screamed in agony, falling to the ground, his body writhing in pain as the chain wrapped around him.
The other nobles remained still, paralyzed by fear. They didn¡¯t dare move a muscle while Margaery, with burning rage, whipped the man.
¡°You ordered the death of my child!¡± The chain cracked through the air, each strike echoing, accompanied by the desperate screams of the noble. ¡°My boy!¡± she repeated with every lash.
With a cold look, Margaery finally stopped and returned to her chair, sitting and observing the man sprawled in agony on the floor.
¡°I want to know everything! Give me everything!¡± Margaery shouted, her voice heavy with fury. ¡°If you lie, if you beat around the bush with your explanations, I will show no mercy. Don¡¯t test my patience! It¡¯s already gone!¡±
The nobles lifted their faces, hesitating, fear stamped on their expressions. They didn¡¯t know what to say, who should speak first, terrified of saying the wrong thing and worsening their chances of survival.
She sighed heavily, the tension in the air palpable.
¡°Speed up!¡± she shouted again, authority in her voice echoing through the hall. ¡°Who came up with the idea?¡±
¡°It was Nikolaus Wolves!¡± Count Laurence shouted, in a burst of desperation. ¡°He¡¯s the one who suggested killing the heir, Nathan Evenhart!¡±
The air around them seemed to heat up suddenly, the great dragon above them snorted with fury, its nostrils releasing smoke as its eyes glared at them with a threatening gleam. The nobles, terrified, immediately prostrated themselves again, fearing what might happen.
Margaery laughed bitterly. ¡°But look at this¡ a noble, leader of your faction, suggests you kill your own duke, and you just accept it!?¡± Her voice now overflowed with hatred. ¡°You¡¯re all equally guilty! All of you funded the murder of my nephew, which led to the attack on my daughter!¡±
The silence was deafening. Some of the nobles were on the brink of tears, unable to decide whether they should speak or not.
"My family has followed an ancient rule for two thousand years. We always remain humble, acting like simple people. We never show more than necessary. But you... you tried to kill the ruler! An unforgivable crime! Just thinking about it deserves a death sentence."
She stared at them coldly, causing them all to shudder under her penetrating gaze.
Margaery adjusted herself in the chair, her eyes shining with dangerous sarcasm. "But I¡¯m a good duchess, aren¡¯t I? Isn¡¯t that what you think of me? Actually, I think the term was ''foolish duchess.'' In two thousand years, this has never happened in my family, and it happened with me. I must have done something wrong, don¡¯t you agree?" She chuckled softly, the tension in the air growing.
The nobles exchanged nervous glances, unable to respond. Fear permeated each of them.
"I will be a good duchess, and I won¡¯t kill you," she said, settling calmly.
One of the men, desperate, quickly lifted his head. "Thank you!" he exclaimed, tears in his eyes.
"Who will kill you is the dragon!" Margaery completed, smiling coldly.
The massive dragon lowered its gigantic head and, before the nobles could react, grabbed one of them in its enormous jaws. Screams of terror echoed as Cylla threw the man so high into the sky that he disappeared from sight, obscured by the sunlight.
The creature stretched its neck and, in a swift and brutal motion, grabbed the noble back with a great bite. The sound of flesh tearing resonated throughout the place, followed by an explosion of flames that shot from Cylla¡¯s mouth as she chewed. The other nobles were paralyzed, in shock, watching the horror with wide eyes.
The fear was absolute.
Count Laurence fell to his knees, desperate, tears streaming down his face. "Mercy! I beg you!" he cried, and soon other nobles followed suit, sobbing and begging for forgiveness.
"Please, have mercy! I beg for your forgiveness!"
Margaery watched them for a moment, her face unyielding.
Katherine, who had been silent up until now, pointed a finger at one of them. "Kill this one too. The crying didn¡¯t convince me."
Cylla didn¡¯t hesitate. In a swift motion, she descended and grabbed a noble, who was crying and screaming desperately, begging for his life. He was thrown up like a toy. In the middle of the sky, before he could fall, Cylla opened her mouth and released an immense burst of fire. The explosion was so powerful that the sound reverberated like thunder, and all that remained were charred bone fragments falling like black ash from the sky.
The terror of the other nobles was palpable. No one dared to speak anymore, overcome by absolute fear.
Margaery looked at the kneeling, bloodied nobles with a chilling calm, while Katherine watched with a satisfied smile.
"Did the crying convince you, Katie?" Margaery asked, casually.
Katherine shook her head, without hesitation. "No! I want one more dead!" her voice was cold and unrelenting.
"You heard your mother, Cylla," said Margaery.
In response, the dragon lowered its colossal neck and, in a single motion, bit one of the nobles, crushing him between its teeth. The bloodied torso of the noble fell to the ground, splashing blood on the others, who trembled in fear. They watched her chew and eat, and the creature¡¯s face glared at them with anger as she did so.
Count Laurence screamed in desperation: "I beg you! I¡¯ll do anything! Please!"
Another noble, almost breathless from fear, joined in: "We beg! Please, have mercy!"
Margaery sighed heavily, as if tired, but a slow smile began to form on her lips. "I think now we can make some negotiations, what do you say?" she asked, laughing with a terrifying lightness, while the tension between the nobles grew and one of them froze in his position.
She sighed as she rubbed her temples.
"Great..." she muttered irritably. "Another one whose mind has collapsed..."
262 - Nathan Evenhart and Nikolaus Wolves
Chapter 262 - Nathan Evenhart and Nikolaus Wolves
Nathan Evenhart:
I ran, feeling an overwhelming rage surging within me, as if my identity as Nathan Evenhart was being overshadowed by the fury of Icarus. I wanted to find Nikolaus Wolves, I wanted to kill him more than anything in this world.
Eventually, I arrived at a long corridor that housed prison cells. What I saw there was disturbing: corpses chained, with buckets of blood beside their bodies, as if they had been used for macabre experiments and other twisted practices.
I kept exploring, passing through rooms filled with contraband drugs, weapons, and even stone blocks with ancient inscriptions, found in archaeological digs. All of these items were carefully organized, ready to be sold on the black market. The walls, covered in dust and wear, revealed a history buried for centuries, now in the hands of greedy criminals.
Among the stone blocks, some still had fragments of runes and unknown symbols, partially worn by time. I touched one of them, feeling a faint vibration, and realized there was more to this cavern than simple contraband. It was as if the place itself was connected to something bigger and darker.
Each room revealed more about the criminal operations taking place, and the air grew heavier, as though an invisible presence was watching me. The inscriptions on the stones, from a long-extinct civilization, unsettled me.
As I approached a large stone mural, something unexpected happened. The inscriptions in an ancient language, initially incomprehensible, began to glow with a faint, pulsating light. My eyes tingled slightly, and for a moment, I thought I was hallucinating. But then, the letters began to rearrange themselves, slowly shifting until, suddenly, the words carved into the stone transformed into phrases I could read, as if they were translated directly into my language.
I was stunned. I had never experienced anything like this. It was as if the mural itself was communicating with me, unlocking long-lost secrets. The words spoke of a "War of the Elves," mentioning ancient kingdoms and a "Dark Conflict" that, from what I could gather, had devastated entire civilizations.
My heart raced, and the more I read, the more the feeling that something profound and dangerous was about to be revealed grew inside me. It was as if the mural was whispering secrets from past ages, and I, somehow, had been chosen to hear them.
The realization of how I was able to read the inscriptions hit me like a bolt of lightning. It was my Celestial Eyes. Somehow, they knew this language, and now I could uncover information that no one else could. I could feel the ancient magic flowing through the mural, revealing secrets long buried. I continued moving from wall to wall, trying to understand what was there, but despite reading the words, the content still seemed disconnected. Many parts were missing, with pieces of the mural destroyed, and the runes cracked or incomplete.
I ran my hand over the inscriptions, feeling the runes light up with a pale glow, shifting as I touched them. It was as if they recognized my presence and wanted to show me something deeper. The words glowed, changing shape before my eyes. Yet everything was still an enigma.
"Elves... and Great Elf Mother," I whispered, trying to connect the fragments. "A war between elves? Or a war in which they participated?"
The disordered phrases kept appearing, loose pieces of a puzzle that seemed impossible to solve. Everything pointed to a conflict of epic proportions, but it was impossible to say against whom or why. It was as if part of the history had been erased or deliberately hidden.
There was a growing sense of something dark behind those words, an echo of a distant past that still reverberated in the present.
As the murals ended abruptly, a sense of incompleteness lingered in the air. Without the other parts of the mural, the story they were telling felt unfinished.
I decided to move forward, but something made me stop. A sharp sound echoed behind me.
¡®CAW¡¯ the caw of a crow.
I quickly turned, scanning for the bird, but there was nothing. Just the silence and darkness surrounding me.
Something on the ground caught my attention. Beneath a pile of wood and animal pelts meant for smuggling, there was another mural, partially hidden. It was smaller, a small stone slab that seemed out of place compared to the rest of the murals. That sound seemed to have appeared only to guide me to it.
With effort, I pushed the wood aside and grabbed the stone slab in my hands. As soon as I touched the runes, they glowed, as if the slab had awakened. The inscriptions began to rearrange themselves, forming a new message, and I read it aloud:
¡°Darkness always walks with the Treacherous, following their every step. Beware the great liar who whispers lies and desires you so long to hear. Beware falling into their words, lest you lose yourself.¡±
At the bottom, a subtle signature: ¡®Mimir¡¯s Journal.¡¯
These words seemed to echo inside me, like an ancient and urgent warning. It was as if something bigger, more dangerous than any previous mural, was at stake. A dark puzzle that had only just begun to reveal itself.
I continued walking, the path growing into an increasingly claustrophobic labyrinth. The headache began to intensify, and with each step, it felt like the air around me was being drained, and a faint trace of malevolence lingered in the atmosphere.
Still, I pressed on, knowing that whatever was happening here, it was far beyond simple contraband.
I arrived at my destination, feeling the fury burning within me, ready to explode. Standing at the back of that chamber was the man who had caused me so many problems since I was only five years old. The chamber was circular, its edges surrounded by a dark pool, reflecting the vaulted ceiling. To reach him, I had to cross a small stone bridge.
That place didn¡¯t seem like just a battle room.
¡°Temple!¡± I exclaimed, surprised by the revelation.
What would a temple be doing here? Humans on this continent don¡¯t worship gods.
He was facing away from me, with his personal troops, the so-called ¡®Great Wolves,¡¯ by his side, ready to defend their master. However, something in that room caught my attention. The walls were covered in drawings depicting strange and disturbing figures.
One of the stone drawings showed a tall man sitting on a throne, with an eye patch. Surrounding him were crows and other birds. But they weren¡¯t ordinary birds¡ they were phoenixes.
My head throbbed, and the familiar darkness within me stirred. The guardian was clearly disturbed.
I turned my gaze to another image on the wall. This time, it was a man holding a hammer, and next to him, a...
Serpent¡ I completed in my thoughts.
Above all of them, black ropes hung like marionette strings, controlling them. And beyond the ropes, glowing eyes in the darkness watched them from above, commanding like an invisible force.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.
¡°Grrrrr!¡± The voice of the guardian echoed in my mind, growling in irritation. Something about those black figures and the painted scene deeply unsettled him.
I felt excruciating pain, an immense pressure. I needed to focus, but I was flooded with information, and then the guardian burst out of the darkness with a loud roar. He had awoken, and in great haste, he spoke to me in the darkness of my mind, in that place where time seemed to stand still. There, he and I had a brief argument.
"Nathan Evenhart!" Nikolaus Wolves''s voice echoed through the chamber, filled with desperation and rage. He was sweating, fear clear in his eyes, but his fury was even more evident.
"It¡¯s all your fault!" he screamed, his voice trembling with frustration. "They stopped answering me! I was special! I was chosen to be someone important. But then... you showed up! They told me to wait... They said everyone would fall on the day of the great conflict! But you got in my way, stopping me from marrying Chloe and becoming the Duke!" His anger was palpable, almost suffocating, as if he was on the brink of collapse.
Nikolaus''s men, his personal troops, stood motionless, but there was something deeply wrong with them. Silently, they began to move toward me. Their bodies were deformed, with dark, decaying parts. Grotesque holes appeared in their flesh, and their eyes... completely black, lifeless, without whites, like voids staring into nothingness.
Corrupted...
I knew what they were. The information was etched in my Celestial Eyes. They were mere shadows of the humans they once were, now controlled by the corruption of their souls.
"I had to use them... my last resort! Now you will die, and I will dance on your corpse!" Nikolaus screamed, his insanity spilling over.
The corrupted began to charge toward me. Their screams were inhuman, their bodies deformed. Their mouths opened wider than should have been possible, and from their throats came distorted, beastly roars.
"Kill him!" Nikolaus roared, his voice echoing through the chamber.
I didn¡¯t hesitate. Feeling the burning rage against Nikolaus Wolves, I gathered the thunder in my hand. The energy crackled around me, accompanied by the desire for vengeance.
¡®ZAP!¡¯ The first corrupted was struck by my lightning, flying backward with a shrill scream. But others came, leaping with speed and ferocity. Dozens of creatures that were once human advanced, hungry for destruction.
"You¡¯re no longer human..." I murmured, realizing they were all coming to devour me.
Nikolaus Wolves:
I sent the men transformed into those abominations directly at the boy. I followed exactly what I was taught, using the special stones I received from that merchant, one of the Illuminated''s servants. He gave me the black stone, promising power and control. I had witnessed the power of the Illuminated up close, and I believed I would be one of the chosen. I would be at the top, ruling beside them when they came to this world.
I looked at Nathan Evenhart with hatred, but something was wrong. The boy wasn¡¯t afraid. Even as the creatures advanced toward him, his eyes remained firm, impassive. A chill ran down my spine when I saw something was off. Nathan Evenhart¡¯s eyes were glowing orange, and his pupils were strange. They were vertical, like a serpent¡¯s.
How is this possible?
The creatures advanced against him. This was my last resort. I needed to kill this boy and then use the creatures to set a trap and kill his family.
¡®Zap!¡¯ The boy shot a lightning bolt, sending one of the corrupted flying backward, but the others kept coming. He drew a sword from his storage bracelet and charged directly into the crowd of monsters.
¡°This kid is crazy!¡± I muttered, tightening the black stone in my hand.
When the abominations were born, I trembled with fear at their monstrosity, but that boy was insane. He ran toward the monsters that would make anyone piss themselves.
¡°Kill him!¡± I shouted.
The beastly creatures leaped at him, but what I saw next shocked me even more. Nathan Evenhart jumped right into the middle of them.
He drove the sword into one creature¡¯s chest and, with a strike to the hilt, sent the monster flying backward, knocking down others coming behind. More creatures jumped onto his back, but he grabbed one by the head, slamming it into the ground and landing punches so powerful that the impact cracked the floor.
Nathan Evenhart jumped, punching another creature with such force that its head flew off. He advanced like thunder through the crowd, sparks running across his body as the ground around him exploded. More monsters tried to grab him from behind, but he grabbed them by the neck and, with a brutal movement, made one of their heads explode in his hands.
One creature jumped to bite Nathan, but he locked his hands on its mouth and, with tremendous force, ripped its face in half.
¡°Aaaargh!¡± the abominations screamed around him, but the boy remained still, his body soaked in dark blood. He extended his hand, and his sword flew back to him. Nathan began to spin, and lightning shot from his sword as the creatures leaped towards him.
One of them grabbed his leg, while another tried to sink its teeth into his face. In response, Nathan Evenhart concentrated his energy, bursting into lightning that hurled the creatures away. Without wasting time, he ran, firing his sword like a cannonball, propelled by the wind, piercing two creatures at once and throwing them aside.
He grabbed one of the abominations by the stomach and, with a devastating move, split it in half over his knee, shredding it without hesitation.
I fell to the ground, watching in horror, realizing that both Nathan and the creatures were monsters.
The boy extended his hand, and the sword returned to him in a fluid motion. He kept running, firing blasts of wind and stomping on each of the creatures without showing any fear. The sword flew like a projectile, cutting through the enemies and soon returning to his hand, spinning and slicing through the enemies as if guided by unyielding magnetism.
He channeled his energy into the sword, which began to glow intensely with thunder crackling along its surface. In a swift move, he threw the spinning sword like a boomerang. The electrified blade cut through the air, crackling as it spun, decapitating the creatures that crossed its path. Snapping his fingers, he made the sword return, cutting more enemies as it came back to his hand. Without hesitation, he threw it again, the blade spinning and whirling at high speed, causing the creatures to be split in half as explosions of thunder illuminated the field. With the sword returning to him, the boy charged at the creatures, ready to continue the massacre.
When he pointed his hand at a group of creatures, I felt the air around me change, becoming heavy. Suddenly, all the abominations were sucked into a sphere of wind. With his other hand, he launched the sword, which spun towards them and exploded in thunder as it hit. The blood splattered across his body as he remained unshaken, without fear or hesitation.
He stared at me, and I, in a desperate impulse, pointed at a wall and activated my earth magic.
¡°Fuck!¡± I shouted, my voice choked and desperation overflowing. ¡°You''re fucked, kid! I saved this to finish off your family, but now this thing is going to destroy you!¡±
The walls began to shake, revealing a hidden space where I had kept something that had taken years to cultivate. This was the result of a decade of smuggling, kidnapping, and dark experiments. Humans had been transformed into monstrosities. Deformed creatures, created and cultivated in the darkness, molded for war. This was the true power the gods had granted us, an army of aberrations, obedient as long as my mana controlled them.
I touched the black stone in my pocket, my guarantee of survival. As long as I kept that artifact with me, charged with mana, they wouldn''t turn against me. The creatures began to emerge, one by one, from the deep shadows of the hole. They snarled frantically, pushing each other in their eagerness to escape. From where I stood, it seemed like the flow would never end. It was an endless river of monstrous flesh, armed with rusty swords, claws, and a primordial hatred that pulsed in every fiber of their distorted bodies.
My eyes widened for a moment as I watched their grotesque forms. The deformities were terrifying; some had multiple arms, others had exposed bones. The darkness where they were locked seemed to have fed them, turning them into something even more fearsome.
"Kill! Kill Nathan Evenhart!" I shouted, feeling my mana violently drained to give the command. The pain from the mana loss made me stagger, but the hatred and fear kept me steady. I needed to control them. This was the price for ensuring their obedience. Without my mana, these creatures would turn against me, and that would be my end.
They lined up, a horde of over 200 frenzied beasts, and charged toward the boy. Their guttural growls and screams reverberated through the tunnels.
"You¡¯re dead, Nathan Evenhart!" I shouted, my voice filled with hatred and triumph. "These things will kill you and then go after your family!"
I ran back, weaving through the creatures with the stone clenched in my hand. I held it as if it were my only lifeline. Each step I took was filled with fear, but also with sadistic pleasure. My mind boiled with the vision of Nathan being torn apart by those things.
"This place will be your tomb!" I shouted again, laughing as I watched the scene. The creatures moved quickly, their twisted bodies moving like hungry predators. Their screams echoed, filling the space:
"AARGH!"
"ROAR!"
They charged toward Nathan, more powerful and numerous than anything he had ever faced before. A tide of pure hatred and destruction.
I watched from afar, waiting for the moment he would be engulfed by the horde.
"Cry! Scream!" I yelled. "You¡¯re dead!"
Nathan Evenhart remained still, but then he opened his mouth, issuing a single command, clear and resonant:
"BODY ASPECT!"
An explosion of white light lit up the place. The impact of the light made me stumble and fall backward, my body colliding with the wall. When the light began to fade, I struggled to lift my head, trying to understand what had just happened.
And then I saw.
"Impossible..." I muttered, seeing a semi-transparent white figure beside Nathan Evenhart, identical to him, that... was a clone.
263 - Terror Unleashed by the Dragon
Chapter 263 - Terror Unleashed by the Dragon
Hugo Riverclimb:
I swallowed hard, unable to look away from the chaotic scene. In the center of it all, stood a gigantic red dragon, a creature far surpassing any beastly form of demi-human I had ever seen or even imagined. Its presence dominated the place, an overwhelming force that seemed to bend even the air around it. Every breath it exhaled reverberated a primal and terrifying sound that made my heart falter. Its eyes, glowing intensely, burned with a primitive hatred, fierce and tangible, as if piercing the soul of anyone who dared to look at it.
This dragon is much bigger than when I saw it in the cave. I think ten times bigger? No... maybe more.
I glanced at Sifu, who was a little distant, and the old man was calmly sipping his tea, watching the chaos with absurd calmness. He was even eating something, as if it were a normal, peaceful afternoon.
This monk is truly crazy.
Even knowing the dragon was on our side, I kept sweating from tension.
How can someone be so relaxed with a monster of that size nearby?
I left the nobles, trembling and wetting themselves, as they recounted the failed attempt to assassinate the young master, and I started walking toward Sifu. Even while walking, I kept my cautious gaze on the dragon, unable to fully relax.
My wife is crazy, I thought, remembering the times I saw Martha playing with the little bird, throwing meat for the phoenix.
When I finally got closer, Sifu greeted me with a slight nod of his head, not saying a word. He went back to drinking his tea, as if there wasn¡¯t a gigantic and terrifying creature lurking, or as if the world were in complete normalcy.
"I must be the only sensible one. Why aren¡¯t you scared?" I asked, still trying to understand how Sifu managed to maintain such absurd calmness.
He looked at me, letting out a light laugh. "And what¡¯s the point of being afraid? If that thing decides to kill us, we wouldn¡¯t even tickle it," he replied with unsettling tranquility.
I leaned against the wall, my back tense, and I remembered the story he told us years ago, when Nathan arrived at the castle with that little bird on his shoulder. "You told us that if the phoenix hadn¡¯t become Nathan¡¯s friend, it would have grown full of rage because of what the True Humans did to it. Our entire duchy would have become its hunting ground. Was there any way it could have changed its mind if it hadn¡¯t been saved by the young master?"
Sifu looked me in the eyes, his expression serious for a moment. "No. If it hadn¡¯t found Nathan, it would have been flying around, killing everyone."
I turned my gaze back to the giant red dragon that now inhabited the place, swallowing hard. "Good thing everything worked out in the end..." I muttered.
He laughed again, this time placing his hand on my shoulder. "There are greater forces in this world that mere mortals like us could never compare to. Don¡¯t worry about what you can¡¯t control," he said.
I sighed.
Sifu laughed, giving me a slap on the back. "Go on, stay near the queen, ¡®guard¡¯ sir, and find out what she¡¯s planning," he said, pushing me gently away.
That old man was crazy, but he wasn¡¯t dumb at all.
I took a deep breath and moved closer to the group. My wife was busy feeding the giant plant with the noble whose mind had collapsed. The men from our army had already gathered the bodies scattered around the fortress, and, one by one, they were throwing them to the plant. That creature devoured everything, from flesh to bones, except for clothes and armor, which were expelled as if completely useless. What were once bodies became just a forgotten memory, melted in acid inside that monstrous plant. When it was all over, the only proof that a battle had taken place there would be the material destruction. No corpse would remain.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.
The soldiers of the enemy army, still kneeling and tense, watched the giant plant with fear. They sweated, unsure if their fate would end as food for the plant or death by the dragon, which continued hovering above the castle, silent and threatening.
I moved closer to the group of nobles. They were confessing their crimes with a tone of desperation. With every word, they revealed what they had been plotting since before Nathan and Chloe were born. They told how, taking advantage of Margaery and the duchy being vulnerable during the war, they allied with Nikolaus Wolves, planning to take control of the territory when they learned that Margaery had given birth to a daughter. Thus, they planned to force an arranged engagement.
We already knew about this part, but we wanted to hear it straight from their mouths, to know every detail from the traitors'' perspective.
"So, when my husband and his brother died defending the border, it was at that moment you saw the opportunity to fulfill your plans, trying to secure the marriage of my newborn baby," she said, her words as sharp as blades. She punished them, and the screams of the nobles echoed as Margaery whipped each of them with the enchanted chain, each crack on the floor followed by pain and suffering. She stopped for a moment, looking at them with disdain.
They couldn¡¯t lie, the shadow of death was present in every word. None of them dared hide details, fearing that the other noble would reveal more information in an attempt to save themselves. The false loyalty crumbled there, as each one recounted the plots and secret conversations they had over the years.
Margaery sighed, staring at her nails for a moment, but the coldness in her expression remained.
"So, the kingdom was involved..." she said, and the air around seemed to freeze. Her rage was palpable.
Margaery gripped the chain so tightly that her hands were marked by the enchanted metal, even as she felt the pain pierce through her fingers. The anger burning in her chest was so intense that she hadn¡¯t ordered those men to be devoured alive by the panther or the dragon while listening to them speak.
"But I¡¯m glad they just played by the rules of diplomacy. Because if even one finger from the kingdom had been involved in the assassination attempts of my two children, I would have gone to Apsalon personally and taken the lives of their children," she said, staring at each of the nobles. The heavy silence filled the room, and their gazes faltered, swallowing hard, fearing what was yet to come.
They continued speaking, daring not to look away, detailing all of their plans.
"Looks like the kingdom honored the mediation agreement, and didn¡¯t move behind the scenes after Nathan appeared as heir," Margaery said, her voice laced with contempt. "It was just your greed."
"So it was you, the worms, who funded the gangs in my duchy," she continued, "allowing crime to grow while I tried to strengthen security. It all makes sense now. The more measures I took, the faster new gangs would pop up, like damn cockroaches! The worst part is, you knew exactly which roads to avoid and where to strike, as if you had a map of my defenses."
She glared at them.
The nobles, terrified, tried to justify their actions, but their voices barely came out. The fear was clear on their faces.
"We always suspected local nobles were involved, but we never imagined it was such a large operation, involving people like you. You allowed chaos to reign in my duchy to profit from it!" Her voice grew in fury, echoing through the castle walls.
"You didn¡¯t even need to directly finance anyone," Margaery continued, her tone acidic. "All you had to do was stop overseeing the lands, and naturally, troublesome people would emerge. The chaos was something you all nurtured, and worse, you took advantage of it."
She moved closer to the nobles, her words sharp as blades.
"And on top of that, you spread it in the underworld of other duchies. As if the Evenhart duchy was easy territory for committing crimes. And it was easy, because you, the lords of the lands, allowed it!"
Margaery could no longer contain her anger and, with a swift gesture, pointed at the nobles, one by one, ordering: ¡°Kill this one! Kill that one! Kill this one too!¡±
Upon hearing what she said, the nobles tried to flee, but they were quickly stopped by the moon panther, who jumped with agility and surrounded them. In a brutal movement, the dragon descended upon them, its enormous jaws swallowing three at once. The creature raised its neck, displaying the macabre feast for the other kneeling nobles, while blood dripped from its mouth, splattering on those left, who trembled in sheer terror.
Margaery watched the scene with relentless coldness, as the heavy silence fell over the courtyard.
"Please! Mercy! You promised you wouldn¡¯t kill us if we cooperated!" one of them cried, prostrating himself on the ground.
"And I¡¯m honoring the promise. Do you see me killing anyone? My hands are clean, it¡¯s the dragon doing the killing," Margaery replied, with a cutting coldness.
The men cried again.
"Who do you serve?" she shouted, her voice full of authority.
"To you!" they shouted in unison, desperate. "We serve you!"
Margaery snapped her chain on the ground, the sound echoing, and went back to whipping them mercilessly.
"NO! You serve the EVENHART FAMILY!" she corrected, with every word marked by the whip falling upon them.
264 - The Generals Revenge
Chapter 264 - The General''s Revenge
Nathan Evenhart:
In front of me, an army of Corrupted advanced like a tide of pure terror. Their grotesque forms, disfigured faces, and animalistic growls filled the air, like an announcement of my imminent death.
''FAST!'' the guardian''s voice roared in my mind. ''YOU HAVE TO KILL HIM NOW!''
I narrowed my eyes, irritated by his urgency. He had explained to me what was happening: I had accessed a part of his power indirectly, releasing the Life Aspect, which healed most of my injuries and regenerated 70% of my mana. However, it was a temporary effect. As soon as the Life Aspect ended, I would return to my previous state, slipping into a coma due to extreme mana exhaustion. What I had gained was not a solution, but just a few minutes of consciousness.
Why didn¡¯t you warn me about this earlier? I questioned him mentally.
''MY VOICE COULDN¡¯T REACH YOU! GO QUICKLY, YOU IDIOT!'' he shouted in my mind.
My eyes, fueled by the power of the serpent-dragon, not only saw better but felt. It was similar to the bestial transformation of a demi-human, where the body switches. But as soon as those eyes fell asleep, I would return to my previous state and pass out right here, where I would be killed.
''THEY¡¯LL FIND YOU BY NIKOLAUS WOLVES¡¯ STONE! QUICK!'' the guardian continued pressing me.
I tried to use the Time Aspect to reach Nikolaus Wolves, but I failed. The explanation came quickly and sharply.
¡®Your Life Aspect limits the other Aspects, so you can¡¯t use Time now''
Meanwhile, Nikolaus Wolves was fleeing among the creatures, running towards the hole where I knew more horrors were hidden. The Corrupted howled and growled, many wielding rusty weapons, while others just displayed grotesque claws and teeth. The dim light of the place illuminated their monstrous faces.
I knew I only had a few minutes before the Life Aspect ran out, and they would tear me apart. ¡°BODY ASPECT!¡± I shouted, and a white light appeared beside me.
The Body Aspect was my only salvation. Instead of transforming my body, it granted me the unique ability to create a clone: the Specter. Made of pure mana, white and semi-transparent, it had the same abilities as my mana gem: wind and thunder. Something that impressed Cylla.
I could see and feel everything the specter did, as if my senses were shared. It was exhausting, like looking in two opposite directions at once, but necessary. The problem was that it drained mana terrifyingly fast, and I could never keep it active for more than a few minutes.
I pulled a sword from the storage bracelet I took from the fire mage¡¯s corpse and threw it to the Specter while summoning the Cursed Blade to my hand. We both stared at the advancing army like a wave of destruction.
"Let¡¯s go!" I shouted, and with a burst of thunder, we ran together at the monsters.
My body spun among them, my sword cutting through flesh and bone while the Specter exploded with lightning, clearing a path. The creatures advanced in mass, some jumping on us, biting and tearing, but we didn¡¯t stop. The Specter released energy to push back the monsters trying to subdue it, while I spun, knocking down everything in my reach.
I advanced, cutting down every monstrosity that dared cross my path. Deformed creatures leaped at me, trying to crush me with their enormous strength. Everywhere I looked, there was chaos. Some charged at me armed with axes and swords. I kicked them, throwing them away, while electric discharges ran through their bodies, leaving a trail of paralyzed bodies and agonizing screams.
The Specter and I fired lightning without stopping, carving our way through the horde of abominations. With our hands free, we simultaneously conjured the Thunder Whip. Our movements were synchronized, destroying everything in our path. Each lash of the whips generated explosions of electrical energy, the discharges weaving through the air, hitting and immobilizing more creatures. The explosions created shockwaves that scattered the monstrosities like leaves in the wind.
The Specter blew a gale that hurled several creatures back, spinning in the middle of them, its body wrapped in lightning. I stomped the ground, sending electrical energy through the earth, causing explosions that opened craters and swallowed some of the abominations. Part of the ground caved in, creating obstacles for the monsters trying to surround me.
From a distance, I saw Nikolaus Wolves fleeing toward the hole in the wall, certainly trying to reach some exit. My anger grew as I watched him run, ignoring the chaos he himself had created.
I threw the Cursed Blade into the air, and it spun like a boomerang until it landed in the Specter''s hand. He began spinning with both swords, transforming into a tornado of wind and thunder. Meanwhile, I jumped between the creatures, generating gusts of wind that opened my path. The synchronization between us was perfect: the Specter threw the Cursed Blade back to me, and I caught it in the air, executing spins and throwing it again to him. The battlefield trembled, every movement of ours making the ground more unstable. But I could feel the mana draining quickly, my pseudo-mana already below 50%.
At this rate, I¡¯ll be dead in less than 10 minutes!
I leapt up using a wind platform, creating others in sequence as I ran through the air. The Specter remained on the ground, facing the creatures and keeping the chaos under control.
¡°Handle these things!¡± I ordered the clone, my voice filled with determination. With the Thunder Mantle activated, my body was enveloped in pure electricity, every creature that tried to touch me being thrown away by the shock. My only priority was Nikolaus Wolves.
He wouldn¡¯t escape.
Nikolaus Wolves:
His steps echoed through the tunnel like the beats of a death drum. Closer and closer. Every wall I built, every barrier I created, was reduced to nothing. He didn¡¯t stop. He didn¡¯t hesitate. He wasn¡¯t human.
"Just you and me!" he shouted, his voice filled with an almost supernatural fury. His clone stayed behind, holding off the creatures as he charged directly at me.
Damn it! Stupid, damn creatures!
I ran desperately, creating walls and sending giant thorns to block him. But each of my defenses was destroyed. Explosions of thunder and cutting winds echoed through the tunnel as he advanced. I stumbled and fell, gasping for air, but I quickly got back up. When I looked back, there he was, completely covered in blood, walking calmly towards me. That look. Those orange snake-like eyes. They paralyzed me.
"Stay away!" I shouted, throwing stone thorn balls at him. He countered with precise kicks, sending everything flying through the air. I slammed my hands on the ground, summoning a gigantic thorn next to him, but he created a wind barrier and dodged. A second thorn shot from the wall and pushed him against another wall, which I began to close to crush him.
"You and your damn family are going to die today!" I shouted, trying to convince myself that I was in control. But he stared at me with pure hatred in his eyes, and in that instant, my body betrayed my courage. I involuntarily took a step back.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
Suddenly, he exploded into blue energy. The shockwave¡¯s pressure threw me back. Before I could react, I felt something grab my ankle. I looked down and saw a rope made of thunder. I was yanked brutally, my flesh burning with electricity. My body was thrown against a wall.
The pain was excruciating. I felt broken bones, my ribs screaming in agony. As an emitter, my body had no resistance. I wasn¡¯t like the other mages who could reinforce their bodies with mana. "Shit..." I muttered, gasping, trying to get up.
He approached slowly, his snake-like eyes glowing with contempt. I knew I was finished, but desperation made me try one last time. I touched the ground, summoning a collapse. Sharp thorns would fall from the ceiling to crush him. My mana was running out, drained by the creatures, but I put everything I had left into that spell.
The ceiling collapsed with a deafening roar, stones and thorns falling to crush him. For a moment, I thought I had succeeded.
But Nathan raised both hands, and a wind barrier formed. With a fierce motion, he unleashed a lightning strike that destroyed everything in a devastating explosion.
¡°Damn you!¡± I shouted, touching the ground to create a hole, but before I could continue, I was kicked away. Just as I was about to touch the ground again, Nathan Evenhart was too fast and shoved something into my mouth¡ªthe blade of his sword. An indescribable pain surged, burning my tongue.
¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± I screamed.
¡°Shut up!¡± he said, his voice cold and indifferent.
I tried to rise, but he grabbed my face by the hair, forcing me to remain still.
¡°Now it¡¯s just you and me, no interruptions,¡± he said, and the burning in my tongue intensified, driving me to the edge of agony. The sword he wielded, an enchanted relic, burned like fire, and I was in unbearable despair.
He held me brutally, pressing my body against the floor with his foot, and without hesitation, drove his sword into one of my hands. The pain was immediate, burning like living fire. I screamed, feeling the hot blade pierce my flesh, but he just stepped on my other hand, immobilizing me.
¡°I¡¯ve thought about coming after you for a long time,¡± he said, his voice cold, ¡°but I had a peaceful life.¡±
He brought his face closer to mine, his eyes burning with overwhelming determination. ¡°For a long time, I chose to be just Nathan Evenhart. But today...¡± His voice grew darker, each word filled with a palpable threat, ¡°...he is no longer here. Today you will meet someone much worse.¡±
He stared at me up close, the intensity of his presence almost suffocating. ¡°Today you will face my judgment. You can run, you can hide behind laws, men, kings... But know this: I would walk over all of them to tear your head off.¡±
His voice reverberated with a cold fury. ¡°There is no person or god in this world who can stop me from coming to kill you.¡±
Then, he drove the sword into my eye.
¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± The scream escaped me uncontrollably as the blade burned what remained of my sight. Even so, he continued to look at me coldly, as if it was nothing. Slowly, he removed the blade, but the pain was unbearable.
¡°The judgment has begun!¡± he said. When I tried to react, he grabbed my hand, crushing my fingers with monstrous strength. I heard the sound of bones breaking and screamed again. Then, with unimaginable cruelty, he ripped my eye out, pulling along a grotesque thread of flesh.
He showed me the eye he had just ripped out, smiling cruelly, and then crushed it in his palm.
¡°For every suffering my family has had, I¡¯ll destroy a part of you,¡± he said with terrifying calm. In despair, I tried to crawl away, but he didn¡¯t give me any time.
¡°The next is your nose,¡± he stated, as I tried, in vain, to escape. With a firm step, he crushed my back, pinning me to the ground like an insect, with no chance of escaping.
He sighed, as if bored. ¡°This works too,¡± he said, and then I felt the blade tearing through my back.
¡°Stop! Help!¡± I screamed in desperation, as he continued. Each cut was meticulous, and the pain was so intense I could hardly breathe.
¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± he said with chilling calm. ¡°I know how to do this in a way that won¡¯t kill you.¡± His words were poison, and then I felt his hand entering my back, exploring my flesh.
¡°Do you know what the sound of a bone breaking is like? You should know¡ you¡¯re experienced in combat,¡± he commented, as if discussing something trivial. ¡°But do you know which bone has a peculiar sound? The spine.¡±
It was then that I felt the greatest pain of my life.
¡®Crick!¡¯ The sound of my spine breaking echoed in the air.
¡°I told you, the sound is different,¡± he said, almost amused.
I tried to scream, but the pain was so overwhelming that no sound came from my mouth. My body was paralyzed. All I could feel was the growing agony and the despair of losing all control over my own body.
He flipped me over with his foot, as easily as turning a piece of wood on the ground.
¡°Now, let¡¯s move on to the nose,¡± he said, as if it were a simple task. ¡°Did you know my cousin burned her nose? She was fighting with her assassin, Quinn.¡±
I couldn¡¯t respond, only trembling.
¡°Unfortunately, I can¡¯t use fire right now,¡± he continued, ¡°but I can burn things with electricity. Let¡¯s use a little imagination, shall we? Pretend it¡¯s the flame of fire.¡±
Then the pain came, as if my face were being consumed by an invisible furnace.
¡°Ahhhhh!¡± I screamed, unable to contain the agony.
¡°Now, the ear. Don¡¯t worry, what I¡¯m going to do is different. I want your ear canal,¡± he said coldly, inserting a finger inside without hesitation.
¡°Just one working ear to hear me is more than enough. Now listen to the thunder,¡± he murmured with sarcasm.
¡®THUD!¡¯ My ear exploded inside. The sound of ligaments tearing echoed, and soon I felt the blood trickling. The pain was indescribable. I tried to beg for mercy, but my mouth could only make weak groans.
I knew, at that moment, there was no hope. My body trembled as I stared into the boy¡¯s eyes. They glowed with an almost supernatural intensity, an incandescent orange light emanating from his irises. They weren¡¯t normal eyes. Those eyes, the color of crackling fire, were those of a serpent¡ªdeep, cold, and calculating. The kind of gaze that doesn¡¯t just observe, but devours. Looking at him was like being marked by a predator who already knew I was its prey.
¡°What are you!?¡± I shouted, my voice distorted by fear. His orange eyes locked onto me with a dark gleam.
Nathan Evenhart raised his hand, summoning a blue spark that quickly turned into wild purple electricity. ¡°BOOM!¡± The ceiling collapsed with the explosion of lightning, as purple discharges struck the clouds, forming a spiraling storm that tore the sky with thunder.
"I am the GODSLAYER! I am the SOVEREIGN!" he declared, his voice cold and merciless.
His orange eyes, cold and empty, never wavered from me. Purple energy crackled around him, radiating destruction. The weapons scattered on the ground began to slowly rise, but the only thing I could feel was the crushing despair and the excruciating pain consuming everything.
"You hurt me and my family! You harmed my fianc¨¦e!" His voice echoed alongside the thunder tearing through the skies, and the storm he conjured seemed intent on ripping the entire world from its foundation.
"You wanted to have a child with my cousin, didn''t you?"
Before I could respond, he raised his boot, positioning it above the center of my legs.
"MERCY! PLEASE!" I screamed, my voice ringing out in absolute desperation as I realized what he was about to do.
"Here''s my mercy!" he spat with disdain, bringing his boot down with force, crushing the center of my legs.
"AAAHHHHHHHH!¡± Each impact felt like pieces of my existence were being torn apart. Blood began to drip between my legs, and the pain was so unbearable that my body gave in to vomiting.
I looked down, my vision blurred by agony and horror, and saw the grotesque pool of blood, excrement, and urine. It was as if my body had been destroyed from the inside out.
He crouched down, gripping my face with a strong, merciless hand, and shoved it into that vile mixture.
"This is where you belong, drowning in filth!" he sneered, his voice dripping with contempt as he rubbed my face into the grotesque pool.
A kick followed, landing squarely on my face. I barely had time to react before another blow struck, and then he began stomping on my head, each strike forcing my face deeper into the ground.
With his foot planted firmly on my chest, he kept me pinned to the ground. The pain was overwhelming, robbing me of any chance to fight back, as the storm roared in the sky heavy with black clouds.
His hand, stretched toward the heavens, glowed even brighter, a vivid shade of purple.
"There once was a man who aimed to kill a god¡" he said, his voice low but laced with a chilling, inevitable threat, as if narrating a final sentence.
I struggled, terror sinking its claws into my soul. I tried to scream, but my voice faltered, swallowed by the crushing dread that permeated the air. It was the same overwhelming feeling of insignificance I had when I saw the Illuminated ones: a primordial fear, the fear of something incomprehensible, something that saw me as nothing more than an insect.
"And for that... he became a god," he continued, his voice steady as he chanted the spell.
The black clouds writhed like enraged serpents, and the sky split open into a jagged purple rift that throbbed with wild lightning, responding to his presence.
The air grew dense, suffocating.
"That man made the gods themselves tremble."
He stared down at me with glowing orange eyes, reflecting the fury of the storm surrounding him. Purple sparks danced around his body like ravenous predators, vibrant and alive.
¡°He didn¡¯t just kill a god... He destroyed an entire pantheon.¡±
Thunder boomed in agreement. The rift in the sky widened, growing into a hungry abyss that threatened to consume everything.
"And this..." He stepped forward. "This is but a fraction of the power he once wielded."
Then, silence fell. A silence so crushing, so absolute, it swallowed everything.
Nathan Evenhart, in a whisper that resonated louder than any thunder, declared:
"Be annihilated, you worm!"
The heavens roared in response. The rift erupted, and a purple lightning bolt descended, striking him in an explosion of blinding light. He approached me slowly, his hand outstretched, and touched me.
Energy surged from him like a living wave, tearing through my body. Every fiber of my existence shattered, consumed, as I felt myself bursting from the inside out.
And then... everything vanished. The world was ripped away from me.
265 - Long life to Nathan and Chloe
Chapter 265 - Long life to Nathan and Chloe
Hugo Riverclimb:
After some time, tired of beating them, Margaery finally sat down in a chair. The state of the nobles was deplorable, their clothes soaked with blood, their bodies trembling with pain and fear. Some could barely keep their heads up, but Margaery''s gaze, cold and relentless, forced them to stay conscious.
"I am a woman of my word," she said, her voice sharp like a blade. "I promised I would let you leave alive... I just didn''t specify which of you would leave." Her eyes gleamed with malice, a cruel smile playing on her lips. "So, keep talking. And remember: if you omit anything, one of you will certainly give the others away to save yourselves, and then death will be guaranteed."
The nobles, completely defeated, began to stammer through sobs. One by one, they recounted how Nikolaus Wolves had facilitated their schemes to amass wealth, using underworld connections to expand their businesses and consolidate their power. They described their luxurious lives, where opulent banquets and endless treasures shielded them from the suffering of others.
"Money..." Margaery murmured, her expression twisting in disdain. "All of this... for money and power." She laughed bitterly, shaking her head. "You''re pathetic. You have more than you need, yet you still bow to your basest desires." Her voice carried a tone of absolute contempt, each word weighing like iron on the hearts of the nobles.
She leaned forward, looking directly at them. "Keep going. I want every detail, from the first filthy steps you took up until now." Her presence dominated the room, making it impossible for the nobles to look away or interrupt their confessions.
As they began to recount the plans to conspire against Nathan, something shifted in the air. The atmosphere grew heavier, suffocating, as if the castle itself was holding its breath. The heat began to rise rapidly, beads of sweat running down the nobles'' already bloodstained foreheads. It was impossible to ignore: the red dragon nearby was starting to show signs of irritation.
The dragon narrowed its eyes, its pupils glowing like living flames. A gust of heat emanated from its breath, making the stone floor crackle.
"You are the noble families the kingdom chose. You are informants in my lands. You are spies. Should I allow you to stay alive?" she asked in an icy voice. They all nodded vigorously, too terrified to stop.
"There is no more diplomacy; now, only my dictatorship exists in this duchy. You will help me fix the mess you made," Margaery said, walking toward the prostrated nobles. "You will help me resolve this crisis you financed. You will invest a good portion of your fortune fixing and improving these lands. I do not want to see a single homeless person, not one unemployed peasant, and I do not want to see a single criminal. I will know everything you say when the kingdom''s intermediaries contact you. Screw diplomacy. Now I am interfering in your lands because these lands belong to my family."
The nobles remained silent, terrified.
"Is anyone against my decision?" she asked.
"No!" they answered together, in unison.
"I want all and any evidence of your involvement," Margaery continued. "You will go to the kingdom and confess your crime."
The nobles exchanged hesitant looks.
"But we will be killed..." one of them stammered, trembling.
"Did I allow you to speak?" Margaery asked, sharply, making him fall to the ground again and beg for forgiveness.
"You will confess the crime you committed in my lands, financing the underworld. Your involvement in the crime of attempting to assassinate a superior noble... they don''t need to know that. The punishment you will receive may be the loss of your political position, but the kingdom will try to make a deal with me so you can keep your positions and pay for the crime with money. This way, they won''t lose the loyal families who have served them for decades, and I will give my forgiveness while pretending to be reluctant and accepting the money," Margaery explained, her gaze cold. "Any doubts?"
The nobles remained silent, terrified.
"I want to know if there are any doubts!" she repeated, now irritated.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.
"But why? You have the chance to rid us from your duchy... or kill us," Count Laurence asked, confused.
She smiled, staring at him coldly. "Because your lives are mine now. You will no longer be the kingdom''s spies, you will be mine. I will control you now," she replied firmly. "That''s how it will work. It will be me spying on them."
Margaery sat in the chair, her posture imposing, like a true queen controlling the fate of these men.
"The story will be that Nikolaus Wolves convinced you to sabotage my lands and try to break off my daughter''s engagement. You acted out of greed, encouraging crimes in the hope of securing her engagement, aiming to restore the agreement to divide my lands for exploitation, which was made with the kingdom years ago. However, it was Nikolaus Wolves who took the initiative for the assassination. Using the underworld''s money and his access to you, he secretly masterminded the attempt on Nathan''s life," Margaery explained, her voice dark and steady.
She continued to detail the plan meticulously: "As we didn¡¯t report the first attempt on Nathan''s life to the kingdom, we¡¯ll say he was on the same ship as Chloe but was injured in the assassin mage''s attack. Chloe protected him, which led to the serious injuries she suffered."
The nobles'' expressions wavered between fear and hope as she outlined the narrative they would follow. "When they learned of the attack and suspicions were raised by me, you, as ''brave heroes,'' questioned Nikolaus Wolves and, upon discovering the truth, were shocked. As the ''heroes'' you are, you decided to go to the kingdom and confess all your underworld crimes, even knowing the risk of losing your positions and fortunes. All to help the kingdom and avoid a direct confrontation with me."
Margaery continued, never breaking her cold gaze at the terrified nobles. "Nikolaus Wolves, upon learning you disagreed with him, decided to silence you. He betrayed you during a great battle between your armies that took place one dawn. You fought bravely for the nobility, and many perished for the sake of the duchy. In the end, the few survivors went to the kingdom to report the chaos caused by Nikolaus Wolves."
She finished her explanation with a cold and determined voice: "That will be your story."
"In the end, the kingdom won''t have much choice. They will try to contain the crisis in a way that still keeps their pieces in play. I will immediately accuse you of attempting to silence Nikolaus Wolves to cover up your involvement. The kingdom, in turn, will try to protect their pieces while negotiating a punishment agreement, after all, the ''culprit'' will already be dead. You committed the crime of attacking a member of the political nobility when you killed Nikolaus Wolves, but you will hand over the evidence, and everything will be treated as ''self-defense.'' Things will have to go this way. I will remain opposed to your presence in my duchy while the kingdom will continue to try to protect its spies," Margaery said coldly.
The nobles, completely terrified, began revealing everything they knew. In their desperate confessions, they admitted how they had orchestrated every detail of the plan and, more importantly, how they had kept incriminating evidence, fearing betrayals among themselves. Instead of destroying it, as originally planned, each of them had kept their own evidence as leverage against the others.
"I accept the terms, I will do whatever you say!" one of the nobles cried, falling to the ground and pressing his forehead against the stone.
"Me too! Long live Lady Margaery!" said Count Laurence.
Margaery watched them with a look of pure contempt, letting the silence weigh for a moment. Then, with a cold smile, she asked, "Doesn¡¯t seem convincing to me. And you, Cylla, what do you think?"
The dragon lifted its massive head and roared with devastating force, unleashing flames into the air. The intense heat made the air suffocating, and the nobles paled even further.
¡°I swear! I¡¯ll do everything as you command!¡± another shouted desperately, as they all prostrated themselves to the ground in unison, their voices blending in pleas for mercy.
Margaery raised an eyebrow, clearly uninterested in their pleas. She glanced at Katherine, who remained unmoved beside her. ¡°Did it convince you, Katie?¡± she asked, with an ironic tone.
¡°No.¡± Katherine answered flatly, her voice as cold as ice.
The nobles turned their gaze toward Katherine, terror etched across their faces. ¡°Please! I beg you, I¡¯ll serve in everything you command!¡± one cried, his voice hoarse from pleading.
¡°I command you to die.¡± Katherine said, her voice eerily calm, her expression unchanged.
The silence that followed was like a knife cutting through the air. The nobles exchanged glances, unable to hide the despair that consumed them.
¡°Then you won''t do everything, will you?¡± Katherine remarked, her voice laced with contempt. Cylla snorted loudly, and the pressure in the air increased, as if death itself were about to descend upon them.
Desperate cries for mercy echoed through the place. Some were banging their heads on the ground, others were crying openly, and their voices mixed into a symphony of absolute panic.
Margaery sighed, looking at Katherine. ¡°Calm down, Katie. I want vengeance too, but vengeance doesn¡¯t always have to be through death. Now, they are our puppets.¡± She turned to Count Laurence, who was still trembling, and grabbed his hair, forcing him to look at her.
¡°I want many expensive gifts for Nathan and Chloe¡¯s wedding. Will they receive them?¡± she asked, with a calmness that only made the situation more terrifying.
¡°Of course! Anything! Whatever you want!¡± he replied, almost shouting, as tears streamed down his face.
¡°Good.¡± Margaery released him with a shove and walked back to Katherine. ¡°Now let¡¯s test if they¡¯ve learned quickly.¡± She looked at the nobles with a ruthless gaze. ¡°Long life to whom?¡±
The nobles hesitated, exchanging terrified glances, as if making a mistake would sign their own death sentences.
¡°Long life to Nathan and Chloe.¡± Margaery said calmly, but with a tone that left no room for doubt.
The nobles immediately got up, only to fall to their knees again, trying to show the most absolute submission.
¡°Long life to Nathan and Chloe!¡± they shouted in unison. ¡°Long life to Nathan and Chloe!¡±
266 - Seed of the Carnivorous Giant Plant
Chapter 266 - Seed of the Carnivorous Giant Plant
Katherine Evenhart:
After the release of the surviving nobles, we had a private meeting to discuss the next steps. Margaery was determined to maintain stability. She explained that she didn¡¯t want to create problems with the kingdom and that she would need the cooperation of the remaining nobles to preserve peace. Our family had never had the ambition to ascend to absolute power or conquer beyond what we already had. Margaery knew that, despite our strength, peace was far more valuable.
Even with Cylla, as Nathan¡¯s guardian, Margaery made it clear that she didn¡¯t intend to use this strength for subjugation or the expansion of power. She knew the risks, and she didn¡¯t want to drag the family into a large-scale war. The existence of Cylla would remain a secret. The human kingdom possessed a vast military force: inquisitor mages, an army of soldiers mounted on winged horses, an army of mages and common soldiers, as well as magical weaponry and enchanted relics. In addition, the kingdom had the support of the alliance of the three kingdoms, ensuring formidable defense against any attempt at domination.
Even as members of the royal elf family, our intention was never to claim the crown of either the human kingdom or the elves. Margaery decided to maintain things as they were because dragging Nathan and Chloe into a large-scale conflict was not an option. Therefore, we would continue keeping Cylla¡¯s existence a secret. What she truly wanted was to ensure a peaceful and secure future for our children, even if it meant using force to maintain that peace within the duchy. Her priority had always been the safety and well-being of the family.
After the meeting, we continued following Margaery¡¯s plan. The remaining enemy soldiers prostrated themselves before us, swearing never to reveal what they had seen, from Cylla to our magical military capabilities, including my own spell. To ensure they would never forget the danger they were in, Margaery made sure to give them a lesson and had them kneel before Cylla. When they saw the great dragon roaring at them, I could feel the living fear they were experiencing, and some even passed out. We then made them watch as the bodies were devoured by my giant plant, and also watched Cylla chew some corpses and spit them out for fun.
We recorded the identity of each surviving soldier, their commanders, and the nobles they served. If there was the slightest chance of any information leaking, all of them would be executed. Although they were only soldiers, following their superiors'' orders, we knew that the greatest risk of betrayal came from the nobles. However, after the terror they faced, we were confident that no one would dare speak. They were all now pieces in our own game, subdued by fear and force.
Even if, at some point, the story of what happened here leaks, it would be hard to believe reports of a dragon¡¯s existence. And if, by some chance, they do believe it... well, let them come to us, knock on our door, and question us. Because they will all be greeted by Cylla. Our goal is peace, but that doesn¡¯t mean we are cowards. If anyone dares to try something against us... they¡¯d better be prepared. Because we know exactly where they live. And I wouldn¡¯t hesitate to send a dragon to their castle if it meant protecting my family.
It¡¯s all for you, children.
I spoke those words in my heart, feeling the weight of the crime I committed. The spell I used was something that should never have been created. Years ago, I developed a magic to strengthen my plants, feeding them with what they consumed. The concept was simple: by combining carnivorous nature with other seeds, the plants evolved. Upon dying, they would generate new seeds, and each new plant was stronger than the previous one, depending on the type of meat it was nourished with. Until then, I had never fed these plants with human flesh, let alone in such large quantities as I did during the war.
Now, looking at the monster I had created, I felt immense guilt. Each new seed planted was amplified by the human sacrifice, using their body as the host. The plant that was born was no longer just an experiment, but a living weapon that I had transformed into an abomination. In the end, my giant plant fed on everything, even the other plants.
¡°What do I do with you?¡± I asked, staring at the massive seed before me. It was the size of an ox, the result of the death of my carnivorous giant plant. My heart ached knowing that something so cruel had been born from the command I gave it.
Margaery approached, watching the scene with curiosity. ¡°What will you do with this thing? Are you really going to destroy it?¡± she asked, her tone indecisive.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.
I sighed, still touching the surface of the seed. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s still my daughter, in a way... she¡¯s sleeping in there, and I feel guilty for what I did to her. Before she died, she said she would accept whatever fate I gave her.¡±
Margaery furrowed her brow, a bit confused. ¡°You really talk to these plants? I always thought that was just a joke.¡±
¡°Yes, I do,¡± I replied, gently caressing the seed. ¡°When they die, they leave a new seed and transfer everything to it. It¡¯s like a cycle of nature, something perfect. They continue to exist, one way or another.¡±
We stood there, both staring at the seed, while I pondered the fate of this new life that had been born from a tragedy.
Margaery glanced at the seed again, still not fully understanding the affection I felt for it. ¡°Is it like the Carnellian Heritage ability?¡± she asked, trying to make a connection.
¡°Yes¡¡± I replied, still touching the seed. ¡°Normally, they would live longer because they would stay in the ground, growing naturally. But I placed them in humans, and that¡¯s what killed them. This girl is a very old plant I created. Through her, I made a special seed, placed it in a human, and it created that green monster. This is the plant that spent the most time with me.¡±
Margaery stared at the dead plant and the seed, trying to understand. ¡°I still don¡¯t get it¡¡± she said, confused.
¡°This little plant has been with me for 15 years. It was born the same day Nathan was. I created this carnivorous plant to stay near his crib, to kill any insects that came near. They grew up together. Later, when we traveled with Hugo and Nathan to the castle, she came with us in the carriage. We¡¯ve always been together, and over time, she grew. It took 15 years to get to the point of creating the seed that made that green monster. That¡¯s why I can¡¯t easily make more of them. It took 15 years of feeding these plants with my mana. And now, she¡¯s all that¡¯s left. Before she died, she started the process of evolution.¡±
As I touched the seed, I felt the weight of the loss. That plant had been like a daughter to me, always present, always growing beside me and Nathan. But now, the guilt of having had her feed on people was a burden that was hard to carry.
¡°It must be painful for you¡¡± Margaery commented, observing the size of the plant. ¡°I never imagined it would get so big when you mentioned that it could grow by feeding on humans.¡±
I sighed, unsure of what to do with what I had created.
¡°Neither did I. I had never given her people to eat. She fed on many soldiers and even mages. She ate humans with mana gems, and I don¡¯t even know what that triggered in her. But before she died, she played with me, like she always did, and said that if I chose to kill her, she would accept it, and then she left and turned into a seed.¡±
Margaery approached me.
¡°You value life more than anyone here. Even though you¡¯re a ruthless woman, I know you don¡¯t like doing these things. I¡¯ll let you have your moment, and I won¡¯t force you to keep that seed just because it¡¯s in my interest,¡± she said.
I looked at her, grateful.
¡°Thank you¡¡± I said, feeling part of the weight lift from me.
She gave me a pat on the shoulder.
¡°But what do you mean by ¡®played¡¯ with you?¡± Margaery asked, trying to change the subject and calm me down.
¡°It¡¯s a silly thing I always do with my plants. When they¡¯re near death and ready to generate a new seed, they comfort me, saying it¡¯s the natural process, but that they¡¯ll come back stronger to protect me. They always tell me the new name of the plant species they¡¯ll become, but I always laugh and tell them I¡¯ll just call them my daughters.¡±
¡°And what¡¯s the name of the species of the thing inside that giant seed?¡±
I stared at the seed and ran my hand over it, caressing it gently.
¡°She told me it¡¯s called ¡®Dryad¡¯,¡± I said, a weight in my heart. ¡°A plant that came to life by feeding on normal humans and mage-humans.¡±
Margaery sighed.
¡°Dryad? I think it¡¯s better just to call it ¡®little plant,¡¯¡± she said, laughing. ¡°Katie, I¡¯ll leave her future up to you.¡±
I looked at the seed and remembered all the time we had spent together. She had been my partner in caring for Nathan. She killed every mosquito that came near his crib and was always with me. Even when I played hide and seek with baby Nathan, she would tell me where he had hidden. She was always there for me. I couldn¡¯t lose my little daughter.
¡°I¡¯ll keep her,¡± I said. ¡°When the time is right, I¡¯ll let her free from this seed. I can¡¯t lose someone from my family.¡±
Margaery gave me a gentle pat on the shoulder.
¡°I was waiting for you to say that. Do you think I¡¯d let you destroy her?¡± She laughed. ¡°Of course not. I need all the help I can get to care for our two children. I¡¯ll have this big seed sent to our family vault. One day, when you¡¯re ready, you can plant it and let her out of this cocoon,¡± my friend said.
I nodded.
¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re the only one in the world who¡¯s a user of the plant element in the summoner category. Only you can make these monstrous plants,¡± she said, laughing as she left.
As she walked away, I returned to caressing the seed.
¡°I won¡¯t abandon you, my daughter. I¡¯m sorry for making you do those things.¡±
¡®It¡¯s okay, Mom. But if you had asked me to destroy myself, I would have done it. But I¡¯m happy to stay with you and my brother.¡¯
I caressed her, and then we continued talking.
¡®When I get out of this cocoon, you¡¯ll be surprised by how I¡¯ll be, Mom. We, dryads, are the protective spirits of the children of the Great Elf Mother of Alfheim.¡¯
¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean by that, but okay. At the right time, I¡¯ll wake you up,¡± I said, touching the seed with my power and putting it to sleep while it finished developing inside.
267 - From the Ashes Rises a High Elf
Chapter 267 - From the Ashes Rises a High Elf
Katherine Evenhart:
We were in the courtyard, watching the men disperse. But my mind was elsewhere, on someone I needed to see more than anything. My son. The weight of longing squeezed my chest with every passing second he didn¡¯t show up.
"Is he still in the dungeon?" Margaery asked, her voice full of concern.
"Yes, he is. He positioned the stone woman''s golem at the door so no one can get close," Martha answered.
I sighed, a mix of relief and restlessness coursing through me. The fact that the golem was still active was a good sign. We knew Nathan was fine, especially considering the chaos he had left behind. The bodies of the Ten Fingers... Their state spoke more than any word could.
It¡¯s my fault, Nathan. All of this... The thought suffocated me. Because of my weakness, you¡¯ve suffered so much.
"My nephew must be really angry," Margie continued. "Nikolaus Wolves is already a dead man, though I wanted to take out some of my hatred. But that¡¯s Nathan¡¯s right."
"A little of your ¡®hatred¡¯? Those nobles will crap their pants every time they hear the name ¡®Evenhart,¡¯" Hugo said with a smile. We laughed, but it was a laugh heavy with exhaustion.
Cylla was hidden in the forest, out of sight, following my request to try and shrink her size.
That¡¯s when everything changed.
BOOM!
The castle shook violently, swaying as if it were about to collapse from its foundations. Structures began to crumble, and cracks snaked across the walls. Soldiers ran in a panic.
"What¡¯s happening?" Margaery shouted, as a soldier rushed toward us, panic evident on his face.
"We don¡¯t know, lady! The entire ground is emitting shocks, and lightning is exploding somewhere inside the castle!"
My heart raced.
The ground vibrated, the air growing heavier by the second.
KABOOM!
The sky erupted in thunder, and dark clouds swirled above us.
"What¡¯s going on!?" Hugo shouted, trying to be heard over the howling wind. The sky, which had been clear, was overtaken by dark clouds that seemed to consume the white ones, gathering directly over the castle.
Suddenly, a purple lightning bolt ascended from the ground near the castle, striking the clouds. They glowed intensely and began emitting purple lightning, as if they had been imbued with that strange energy.
"I don¡¯t believe it!" Margaery exclaimed, irritated. "Why is Nathan doing this? He was forbidden from using this spell!"
As soon as she spoke those words, the recognition hit me like a blow. My heart froze.
"No!" I shouted, trying to run toward the castle, but Margaery held me firmly by the arm.
The castle began vibrating even more violently. Fallen shields on the ground started to be drawn toward the walls with force, sticking as if pulled by a magnet. Soon after, swords began to be sucked in with the same terrifying speed.
"Get away, idiot!" Margaery shouted, summoning a gust of wind that pushed the soldiers away from the pull of the force. Everything around the castle was being sucked in, and some soldiers began ripping off their armor as they ran for their lives.
"We better get back!" Hugo shouted, pushing us forcefully.
"Shit! Damn!" Margaery exclaimed in frustration, but she relented, agreeing with Hugo. "If that boy dies, I swear I''ll find a way to kill him again!"
A silence took over the sky. Then, a violet light cut through the darkness, followed by a purple lightning bolt that descended at high speed, striking the castle with a devastating crash.
KABOOOOOOM!
The impact was deafening. The purple light shone with such intensity that I closed my eyes, but even so, the brightness still pierced through. A wave of air swept across the area, throwing us to the ground with brutal force. The glass of nearby buildings shattered in sync with the impact.
A buzzing echoed in my ears as I tried to recover. When the brightness dissipated, I saw that part of the castle had collapsed, falling into a massive hole that had opened in the ground. The dungeon''s foundations beneath the castle had been destroyed. Nearby houses had also sunk, and the ground seemed deformed, with parts of it raised unevenly.
A deep pain gripped me. My heart felt heavy, as though it might tear through my chest.
"Nathan!" I screamed, frantic, getting up and running toward the castle.
In the sky, I spotted Cylla flying at high speed in the same direction. The feeling of loss and fear consumed me as I ran, unsure of what I would find ahead.
Hugo Riverclimb:
We ran past the area, leaping over the debris. The destruction was evident. Katherine and Margaery led the way, moving in desperation. I struggled to keep from tripping, as the terrain was treacherous, with stones and wreckage scattered everywhere. The ground was cracked and fragmented, and part of the castle had collapsed, falling into a huge hole that had opened up in the dungeon area.
A powerful spell... a banned-level spell... the kind considered so dangerous that even a mage from the kingdom could end up in prison for using it.
We walked toward the center of the chaos, where a crater had taken the place of the ground, which had sunk into the dungeon area below.
Katherine and Margaery descended in despair, and Cylla, in her dragon form, was crouched over something at the bottom of the crater. She raised her head and let out a roar that made the ground tremble. In desperation, she lowered her head again, frantically digging through the ground.
As I approached, I saw the young master, Nathan, unconscious. His body was covered in wounds, completely covered in soot. His clothes were torn, and part of his arms was raw, with the skin exposed. The fingers on one of his hands were completely broken, the bones out of place, leaving him in a critically alarming state.
"ROOOOAAAR!" Cylla roared in desperation, her agony evident as she looked at Nathan, unconscious.
"Please, help me, Martha!" Katherine cried, holding Nathan in her arms, trembling in fear.
Margaery, trying to stay calm, created a ball of water and began to clean his face while checking to see if he was still alive.
"Help my nephew!" Margaery pleaded desperately.
"Calm down!" Martha shouted, taking Nathan from Katherine¡¯s arms. "He needs to stay flat." Placing him on the ground, her hands began to glow as she used healing water to surround Nathan¡¯s body.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.
"How is he? Please, tell me!" Katherine, panicking, couldn¡¯t take her eyes off him. Margaery, anxious, nervously bit her nail.
"It''s bad. Very bad," Martha responded, evaluating him carefully. "Everything inside him is a mess. One of his lungs stopped working, and other organs are failing. His heart is slowing down... The spell used his body as an energy conduit, and he couldn¡¯t handle it."
"Nathan is dying..." Martha completed, her voice heavy with concern.
"ROOOOOOAAAR!" Cylla''s roar echoed with desperate fury, as she pushed us away with her massive head, driving anyone attempting to approach Nathan. Katherine tried to calm her, but the dragon persisted, forcing us back with uncontrollable strength. I was thrown aside, unable to resist. Martha, determined to continue the healing, tried to return, but before she could get close, Cylla opened her mouth and unleashed a torrent of flames directly onto Nathan.
We froze, terrified, not understanding what was happening. The flames surrounded Nathan, and as they appeared, Cylla began to shrink before our eyes, her powerful flames dwindling as she returned to the dragon size she had when she was in the cave.
When it finally ceased, the fire disappearing into the air, we all stood stunned. Nathan was completely unharmed, not a single burn on him, his clothes intact, as though the flames had been nothing more than a breeze around him.
Immune...
He really is immune to her fire.
Nathan had always warned us about this, and although I had seen Cylla spitting small fireballs at him when she was just a little bird, I never imagined his immunity would reach this level.
Martha quickly ran to reevaluate him.
"He¡¯s healed..." Martha said, surrounding Nathan with healing water. "Everything¡¯s fixed, inside and out."
Cylla lowered her head and gave Nathan a gentle kiss. Shortly after, her body glowed with an intense radiance, and within seconds, she returned to the form of a small phoenix. She flew slowly to Nathan¡¯s side, gently landing beside him and fainting.
Martha placed her hand over her. "They¡¯ve both passed out completely, exhausted all their mana. They¡¯re in a critical state with their reserves. Their bodies shut down. They''ll be sleeping for a few days."
Katherine and Margaery, a mix of relief and despair, rushed to embrace Nathan, carefully placing the small red bird in his lap.
"My son..." Katherine whispered, tears streaming down as she held him lovingly in her arms.
"You only give me trouble..." Margaery murmured, her eyes welling up as she stroked Nathan¡¯s face.
He was completely covered in soot. Sifu appeared beside me, descending into the crater, probably having witnessed the destruction from afar while escorting the nobles out of the fortress region to their homes.
I stared at the young master and then at the destruction around me.
Who¡¯s more dangerous? Him or the dragon?
Margaery and Katherine began cleaning him up, creating a water bubble to remove the dirt covering his body. He was soaked in soot, and as they cleaned every detail, a small unexpected glow began to appear in his hair, catching our attention.
"It can¡¯t be..." Margaery murmured, incredulous.
"What is it?" I asked, approaching with the others.
We formed a circle around Nathan, watching carefully to see what had changed.
"The hair..." my wife said, shocked.
"Completely silver," Sifu affirmed, his voice firm, yet also surprised.
Nathan¡¯s hair, once dark, now shimmered like pure silver, not a single strand of any other color. The white-silver tone was so clear that it reflected the sunlight with a softness almost ethereal, as though he himself emitted a subtle glow.
The contrast between his silver hair and pale skin accentuated his striking appearance even more. Each lock seemed sculpted by nature itself, giving him a mystical presence.
Looking at Nathan now evoked a sense of fascination, similar to the effect Adrihna used to have on people.
"Get me a cloth! Quickly!" Margaery shouted, hurriedly. "We need to cover his head so no one outside sees him."
I doubt anyone would have the courage to tell anything we asked to keep secret...
Martha, without hesitation, fiddled with her bracelet and pulled out a towel.
We were all surprised by her readiness.
"It¡¯s a servant¡¯s duty to always be prepared," she explained practically.
Margaery quickly covered Nathan¡¯s head with the towel. "I''ve had a full day. First, I hid a war, a massacre, and then the existence of a dragon. I can¡¯t handle anything more today."
"We need to get Nathan out of here. I want to take my son to an infirmary. He... he¡¯s never drained his mana like this before..." Katherine said, her voice filled with concern.
Margaery nodded, sharing the same urgency.
The limbo state was a dangerous stage, where a mage completely exhausted their mana, falling into an uncertain sleep. In extreme cases, this state could lead to death.
I stepped forward and offered my help. "I¡¯ll carry the young master and the little phoenix. Did we manage to get a carriage? It¡¯ll be nostalgic. After all, I brought this boy to the castle years ago just like this."
Nathan Evenhart:
Fire... It holds countless nuances of power and intensity. The most common is the orange flame, but fire can be molded, elevated to a higher level, where its color transforms. A skilled fire mage can reach blue fire, a stage where the heat doesn''t just burn¡ªit destroys.
And what if this principle was applied to lightning? That¡¯s what occurred to me. After all, nature already shows this phenomenon. The interaction between positive and negative charges causes the electrical discharge that generates lightning, but under extreme conditions, it can reach a purple hue. A lightning bolt that exceeds the limits of heat and becomes something greater, something devastating.
Purple lightning is a rare phenomenon, where the temperature of the electricity becomes unbearably high. Similar to blue fire, but infinitely more chaotic. This intensity creates an explosion within the structure of the lightning itself, distorting its composition and forging its purple hue. However, to achieve this, it was necessary to create a boiling point for the electric energy.
The problem? The lightning is unstable. It dissipates before it can even be molded. The purple hue is not the result of something that happens afterward, but rather an event that occurs before, at the very instant the electricity surpasses any known limits. I needed a vessel capable of containing and concentrating the electricity until this point of rupture.
Then, I looked inward. To my own mana gem.
The mana that flows through this gem is the basis of everything. It travels through the body, adopting the elemental property. What I did was dangerous. I concentrated all the mana in my gem, forcing it to align with the electric element and amplifying its intensity. I didn''t just channel the energy¡ªI forced it to exceed its own limits while still inside the mana gem.
When I released that energy to strike the clouds, the atmospheric phenomenon reacted. The clouds were attracted and contaminated, transforming into storms of purple lightning. However, magical energy of such magnitude is not something that can be freely controlled. It always returns to its point of origin like a magnet, just as a lightning bolt always strikes down, attracted to the ground. And the point of attraction? It was me.
My body became the conductor. To transfer this electricity, I had to touch it, but the price was high. The spell consumed me from the inside, cooking my flesh and destroying my body. It was cataloged as banned, an extreme power, but self-destructive.
I knew this. I¡¯ve always known.
When I first used it, as a child, I nearly died. My organs were cooked, my blood was boiling. It was as though parts of it were evaporating. The pain was indescribable. This spell is not something you can train with. Each use takes a piece of me. And now, here I am again, paying the price.
But... why am I remembering this?
Ah... I understand now. I¡¯m in limbo. That¡¯s why everything is dark. The Aspect of Life has finished its effect. My mana has been drained to the extreme, and my mind now drifts through this eternal darkness, where time seems to not exist. Or is it... that I¡¯m dead?
The darkness... it seems alive. It pulses. It whispers... it calls me, inviting me to become part of it.
How much time has passed? Days? Years? Or was it just an instant? Who am I? What is this around me? Why was I thinking of lightning and its colors? I no longer know anything.
Am I dead? Will I be like this forever? Just a voice in the darkness?
And if this is my fate, can anyone hear me?
¡°I can¡¡± a voice echoed in the darkness, soft yet cutting. My eyes desperately searched for its source, but there was no one visible. The presence, however, was unmistakable. Someone was there, watching me. Even from a distance, that gaze weighed on me. Suddenly, the voice ceased and, like a fleeting shadow, it disappeared.
Then the pain hit me. Not a common pain, but something deep, tearing at my mind and soul. All my memories returned at once, overwhelming, relentless. Images of two lives intertwined before me, each with its beginning, its distinct paths. One life had ended, while the other had persisted. Familiar faces began to emerge from the abyss of my memory. I remembered their names, the feelings I held for each of them, the weight of each connection.
¡°Nathan Evenhart¡¡± I murmured, focusing on the sound of my own name as if rediscovering it after an eternity. ¡°I understand... I still exist. This is me.¡±
With that certainty, I felt my physical body reforming in the void of limbo. I began to fall, an endless drop in that unfathomable darkness. When I finally hit the ground, it was as if the entire impact had been absorbed by the void. I felt no pain. I was conscious, completely awake.
I¡¯m conscious in limbo... this... shouldn¡¯t be possible.
My entire body shuddered as I looked up. I was being watched. Two pairs of giant red eyes were fixed on me, hovering like flames in the dark. Before I could comprehend, another pair of eyes appeared next to them, and then another. Three pairs of crimson eyes stared at me, each pulsing with an overwhelming presence.
The darkness around began to dissipate, revealing what was once unimaginable. Three giant figures emerged, larger than a castle. They were dark entities, seated on equally massive thrones. Their faces, carved like ebony statues, seemed frozen in intense emotions: the first, marked by sadness, had a sculpted tear that would never fall. The second face emanated an inextinguishable rage, as if each line was a contained scream. The third, right in the center, displayed a disturbing smile, a reflection of distorted happiness that seemed to mock those who stared at it.
The air around trembled with their presence. It was as though reality itself was being tainted, poisoned by something primal and deeply evil. I remained still, trying to comprehend these presences.
What are these figures?
¡°They are demons¡¡± a deep voice whispered beside me. I turned, only to find the orange glow of the eyes of the massive serpent that inhabited my soul. ¡°That¡¯s what the ¡®Illuminated¡¯ really are. They are not gods. They are demonic beings.¡±
268 - Nathan Evenhart and Jormungandr
Chapter 268 - Nathan Evenhart and Jormungandr
Nathan Evenhart:
¡°They are demons¡¡± a deep voice whispered beside me. I turned, only to find the orange glow of the eyes of the massive serpent that inhabited my soul. ¡°That¡¯s what the ¡®Illuminated¡¯ really are. They are not gods. They are demonic beings.¡±
I continued to stare at the three giant figures with red eyes. As the shadows dissipated, I saw two more thrones, but they were empty.
¡°I¡¯m here, my lords,¡± said a smaller dark figure, the only visible part of it being its two vibrant pink eyes.
¡°This is just an echo of what happened¡ it¡¯s safe to observe¡¡± the voice of the serpent echoed once more throughout the space.
I watched the interaction, intrigued.
One of them brought its massive finger to the woman, and a drop of black liquid dripped from it, falling and condensing in her hand, transforming into a black stone. The same stone the dragon-serpent had told me to destroy. I was witnessing the moment that had been recorded in that stone.
After that, the memory faded, leaving only darkness.
¡°Demons¡¡± I murmured, intrigued.
Was I truly sent to a hell? If the world I was reborn into is my hell¡ then I¡¯ve just found the demons of this place¡
Only two yellow-orange glows remained in that darkness. I knew it was the giant serpent. She was there.
¡°Explain to me what those creatures are,¡± I said.
¡°They are called many names: Darkness, Demons, Illuminated, Ancient Evil¡ or Nidhogg.¡±
I tried to reason through this.
¡°Why did you make me destroy that entire ¡®temple¡¯? Why make me kill Nikolaus Wolves and destroy the stone he held? I could¡¯ve tortured him until I knew everything I needed, then killed him.¡±
A laugh echoed.
¡°You¡¯re quite hasty. For years, this has been one of the few moments we could have a conversation, and you just want answers¡¡± said the orange eyes with a hint of humor in their voice.
¡°I don¡¯t care. You made me take a hasty action, but you assured me I¡¯d get my answers. I¡¯m here demanding those answers.¡±
A crushing weight descended upon me, as if gravity itself was trying to force me to the ground. The murderous intensity of it was absurd.
¡°Enough! This doesn¡¯t work!¡± I shouted, struggling to remain standing against that relentless pressure. Suddenly, the force ceased.
A soft laugh echoed around me. Slowly, the two eyes approached from the shadows, revealing a monstrous serpent with a face that resembled a dragon¡¯s.
¡°It was just my welcome gift, bearer. As always, you¡¯re not afraid of me¡ intriguing,¡± said the creature. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since we¡¯ve seen each other ¡®personally¡¯.¡±
The serpent was gigantic, yet its size somehow made it feel close.
¡°Call me Jormungandr,¡± it said. ¡°That¡¯s one of my many names, or you can call me the Destroyer of Water, or the most beautiful serpent that ever existed,¡± it said with a laugh.
¡°Don¡¯t stall,¡± I said, staring at the immense serpent. ¡°I stopped interrogating Nikolaus Wolves because of you. I want the answers you promised me. What was that scene I saw? Explain what you know about the Nidhogg.¡±
The serpent burst into laughter, a deep sound that reverberated through the darkness.
¡°No one has ever spoken to me like that,¡± Jormungandr said, still laughing. ¡°No other bearer has dared treat me with such disdain. They all called me ¡®lord¡¯, ¡®honorable¡¯, or ¡®magnanimous¡¯.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t care about your opinion or the opinions of the other bearers. I want the answers you promised,¡± I said.
The creature stared at me with its orange eyes and then started laughing again.
"Ah, ah," it said, laughing between words. "Let me tell you something interesting first... this place, where we are, is your soul. This darkness is yours," it said, with a more serious tone.
I looked around, facing the vast emptiness that surrounded us.
"I thought it might be..." I murmured. The endless, dense, and impenetrable darkness around me felt infinite.
"I''m not complaining. I like dark places," the serpent added, showing a slight smile. "But, before we change the subject, I need to tell you something: you almost killed yourself trying to make your lightning turn purple. Don''t do that unless necessary. It brought you to the brink of death. If there''s no one to help you or if, by chance, the spell demands a higher price... you''ll die."
I remained silent, reflecting on his words. I still hadn''t found a way to fully control those purple lightning bolts, but I used that power to reduce everything to ashes in that place. Not just Nikolaus Wolves, but the temple, the creatures, the entire dungeon. I destroyed it all.
"There''s another important point: you''ve reached the critical limit in the use of your special eyes. Don''t use them more than necessary. I managed to heal your vision, but the wear and tear remains. Their power comes at a price, and if abused, it can lead to blindness and the permanent shutdown of your abilities. Your power drains the eyes seven times faster due to the elemental diversity they carry. So, save them. Use them only in future battles; you''ll need them," he told me.
"I understand... I didn''t know they wore out that quickly. My teacher is almost two hundred years old, and she''s not blind. I thought I''d live until I died of old age with my eyes still working..." I said, still trying to process all the information.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
"Stop training the Celestial Aspects," he warned firmly, with a seriousness that sent a chill down my spine. "Or you will die."
That left me unsettled. "But why? What do you mean, die?"
Jormungandr moved closer to me. "The Special Eyes use your mana to function, but they are also a physical part of your body, which wears out over time, like any organ. They consume the longevity of your eyes, and that¡¯s why blindness can occur. But what do you think the Celestial Eyes consume?"
A chill ran through my body, and then I understood. "Lifespan..." I murmured.
"Exactly." The serpent''s voice reverberated. "Every time you used the Celestial Eyes, they devoured days from your life. More precisely, the longevity of your soul. You are not like that dragon-girl you know. Her soul and mana are one, so she can regenerate. But you are ''human''; your soul and mana are separate. These eyes are not compatible with you. As the Celestial Eyes devour your soul, your lifespan is shortened; your soul does not regenerate."
I was stunned. "It was almost five years... training with the Celestial Eyes..." I began to say, feeling the weight of the revelation. "How much life have I lost?"
Jormungandr watched me for a moment. "Hmm... it took a few years for you to master them to the point where they started actively feeding on your soul. And as your mastery increased, the more your life was devoured. But in that time, you also grew stronger. Don''t worry too much; you still came out ahead. The years you lost were ''extra''. You''ll continue to live longer than an average human, thanks to the awakening of your elven blood."
I processed those words in silence. "Why didn''t you tell me this earlier?"
"I live in a dormant state," Jormungandr explained. "Rarely am I conscious. My voice couldn''t reach you. Even in the times I woke up, it was only for seconds, insufficient to explain something so complex, and for you to hear me. Now, after you''ve awakened the Aspect of Life, we can have this brief conversation."
"By the way," he added, "my Aspect of Life is not compatible with your human body, so it also has limitations. That¡¯s why, when you used it, your eyes turned orange. But don''t use my power unnecessarily, or there will come a day when there won''t be enough lifespan left to consume, and you... will die."
I understood that.
The Special Eyes drain the life of my eyes, and the Celestial Eyes drain my life... It seems I won''t be using them anymore, unless it''s absolutely necessary. I need to save that power for the future.
"Now let''s talk about the demons," I announced, turning my attention back to the giant serpent.
"Before we begin, I¡¯ll reinforce something: you are the bearer, so I cannot lie to you. If I lie, I would be breaking the original agreement that allows me to exist. But understand that there are things I will not reveal. Just as you have difficulty speaking about your past, I have the same difficulty when it comes to mine. What do you want to know about the figures you saw?"
"Everything. Especially why I had to destroy that black stone," I replied.
"The black stone was a direct channel to the beings you call ''The Illuminated¡¯. When I practically ''begged'' you to kill Nikolaus Wolves and destroy the stone, it was to prevent the demons or their subordinates on the other side from discovering your identity. Have you considered the danger these dark beings represent? If they knew you were the bearer of my eyes, they would come after you and your family."
"I need to know more. How dangerous are they? Is any negotiation possible? What are their goals? I just want peace."
He laughed, a sound that echoed in the darkness. "There''s no negotiating with them. If they offer something, always be suspicious. Manipulating is in their nature. I had you destroy everything so they wouldn''t see you, but I can tell you this: if the ''Illuminated'' were involved with Nikolaus, a great conflict is about to unfold."
His words resonated in my mind, like the prophecy Sisika had given me.
"What do you mean, a great conflict?" I asked, uneasy.
The serpent sighed, its gaze heavy upon me. "All I can tell you is that these creatures operate in the shadows, on every side of a war. They play with the desires of the living, manipulate their hearts, and use that to control them. They appear when chaos has settled, when everyone is most vulnerable. If these beings are in contact with humans, know this: at some point, a great conflict will arise. They wait for the right time to act."
His words weighed heavily on my soul as I thought about the people I loved.
"Is there any way to prevent this great conflict? Maybe by going after other followers?" I suggested, searching for a glimmer of hope.
"No," the giant serpent responded coldly. "If you cut off one head, two will grow back. Trying to put out a fire will only make it spread elsewhere. Plug a hole in the ship, and another will appear soon enough. Do you think you can contain the ocean''s water with your hands?"
I sighed. "No..."
"That''s how they play," he continued. "If you go after one of their servants, it won''t make a difference. They have many agents scattered around. It''s even possible that Nikolaus Wolves'' downfall was part of their plans. They are always a step ahead. There¡¯s no stopping them, only preparing for when they act again. And, at some point¡ they will come for your world."
"And where do they live? Where is the place they are?" I asked, eager for answers.
"Now is not the time for you to know..." he said.
I let out a bitter laugh. "Are you kidding me?"
"My silence on certain matters is a way to protect you. Don''t you realize that these eyes you have, that woman... Sisika... she gave them to you because she wanted to, not because you were chosen to bear them? If, at any point, her people come to you, I¡¯d rather they tell you what you need to know. I say this for your own good... one day you¡¯ll find out why I still exist."
I sighed. Pushing the issue further wouldn¡¯t lead anywhere. I needed to make the most of the remaining conversation to learn more about the demons.
¡°How strong are these three demons?¡± I asked.
¡°They¡¯re strong to the point where you wouldn¡¯t even be able to approach them,¡± Jormungandr said. ¡°But the most dangerous is the one they serve¡¡±
If such powerful beings were vassals to someone, it meant there was something even more terrifying, strong enough not to submit to those three creatures.
I remembered the two empty thrones I had seen. ¡°Do those... things serve someone?¡±
¡°The being they serve... I¡¯d rather not talk about it,¡± the serpent replied. ¡°But know that it is the most dangerous of them all. The darkness you saw manipulating the one-eyed man and the man with the hammer... it is him. A born manipulator, a trickster. Someone I knew. I can only tell you that¡¡±
¡°Did you fight him?¡± I ventured, searching for a glimmer of hope.
The serpent stared at me for a moment before beginning to blend into the darkness. ¡°Our conversation is over, boy.¡±
¡°Wait!¡± I shouted, trying to follow her, but she moved too quickly.
¡°I¡¯m sorry, bearer,¡± she said, her voice echoing in the gloom. ¡°I¡¯ve already said more than I should. Like you, I don¡¯t like revisiting the past. But I gave you information beyond what was in that temple or what Nikolaus Wolves could have told you. Be careful... the servants of Nidhogg might be around. In fact, I think there¡¯s one in the academy where you study; at some point, I sensed a peculiar scent in someone you know, but that presence quickly disappeared.¡±
Someone I know is a servant of the demons? Who could it be?
The serpent retreated back into the darkness, and I could only see the glow of her eyes. I felt the connection break, Jormungandr¡¯s presence slipping away.
¡°Wait! And those two men? Who were they? And why were you by the side of the man with the hammer in that image on the wall?¡±
She paused, her voice heavy as it reverberated around me:
¡°I was fighting the man with the hammer. He is my... arch-enemy. Someone who was once an old friend, but I don¡¯t want to talk about him. As for the one with the eye patch, surrounded by birds, he was someone who fell in the ancient battle against the darkness. But you... you are connected to him.¡±
¡°Connected how?¡±
¡°Well... the same scent from the one with the eye patch is on your ¡®soul wife¡¯. They are relatives. And the birds... you know what they are, one of the peoples of the ¡®ancient civilization.¡¯¡±
¡°Connected to Cylla? Explain more¡± I tried to insist, taking another step forward.
But the darkness shifted and began to collapse, becoming even denser.
¡°Be careful with the man with the hammer,¡± she warned, her voice echoing like a final echo. ¡°If he learns that you have my eyes, he will try to kill you. He is extremely dangerous... and also a thunder user.¡±
With one last breath of her presence, I was thrown out of that deep darkness, expelled back into reality.
269 - Shadows of the Ancient Sovereign
Chapter 269 - Shadows of the Ancient Sovereign
Nathan Evenhart:
I jolted awake, my heart racing and my breath ragged. The darkness I had fallen into had robbed me of any sense of time, plunging me into a deep limbo. My body, drained to its limits, simply ceased functioning, leaving me in a state of minimal existence. There were no dreams, no rest¡ªjust an absolute emptiness, as if I had been completely disconnected from reality. When I finally regained consciousness, my memories were confused, fragmented, and an overwhelming sense of despair took hold.
It felt as though I had been alone in that darkness for decades. The concept of time seemed to vanish, as if it crawled in that limbo, moving more slowly. Being alone, engulfed by darkness with only a sliver of consciousness, was suffocating.
Instinctively, I looked at my hands, checking them quickly, searching for something familiar. My chest thudded erratically, as if I needed immediate confirmation of who I was. Memories of my past life flooded my mind, and for a brief moment, I feared that life had been nothing more than a dream. But when I saw my hands¡ªNathan Evenhart¡¯s hands¡ªthe relief flooded my body. I was in my room, healed, and beside me, Cylla slept, in her form of a small phoenix.
I am me... I thought, still trying to calm my heart. As I remembered, in that vast darkness, I had dreamed of the serpent-dragon.
However, the weight of what I had done in Nikolaus Wolves'' fortress settled in. The memories of my past life, as Icarus, mixed with those of Nathan, creating a whirlwind of conflicting emotions.
Sorry, Sisika...
I had allowed my old self to take control. The images of Icarus¡¯s wars, the screams, the pleas for mercy, came back to haunt me. As Nathan, I found myself repeating acts I swore I would never commit again.
In this new life, I had decided not to do that anymore. I only killed truly evil people, beings who did not deserve to live. But in that fortress, I had taken the lives of soldiers¡ men who were just following their superiors¡¯ orders.
In my old world, I ended wars. I did that so no one would suffer as I had. And now, there, in that bed, I felt like the most vile person who ever existed. I let the darkness inside me take control. The worst part was knowing it was still there, deep and relentless, waiting for the right moment to be unleashed again.
On the wall in front of me, the shadow of a throne appeared, surrounded by fire and destruction. It was a vision that had haunted me in another life, a symbol of absolute power and the loneliness it brings. I closed my eyes, trying to push the image away, struggling to maintain control.
I need to be myself.
When I opened my eyes, Goddess Athena was there. At the foot of my bed, watching me with that enigmatic gaze. Her gentle smile contrasted with the seriousness in the depths of her eyes. She looked at the shadow of the throne on the wall, then back at me, and shook her head slightly, as if judging me.
Athena approached, her fingers trailing across the bedspread until they reached my body. She leaned closer to me, her warm breath tickling my ear.
¡°Icarus, you know we could...¡± she whispered in a sweet, seductive voice. ¡°We both, ruling together, as I suggested before... before you killed me. My dear General...¡± She smiled, her words laden with promises and dangerous memories.
I took a deep breath, struggling not to be swayed by the temptation of the darkness she brought. I can''t go back to being who I was. Not anymore.
¡°Your memory is full of flaws, Icarus...¡± she whispered, her voice dripping with venom. ¡°Sometimes you believe you invaded the underworld on your own, other times you convince yourself that it was I who sent you there. You know full well I didn¡¯t do that to Helen... that was an illusion, a falsehood created by your mind. The Sovereign that existed inside you locked away your greatest secret, layering it with trauma and illusory lies.¡±
Her cold fingers slowly slid across my forehead, the tip of her nail gently scratching my skin, almost affectionate, but with a cruel weight behind the touch.
¡°You know... deep down, you always knew.¡± Her voice was a melodic whisper, echoing as if reaching the deepest cracks in my mind.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.
¡°Remember... Remember what¡¯s buried inside you. Stop hiding behind those lies...¡±
She pressed her finger to the center of my forehead, and a sharp pain spread through my mind.
¡°Remember the truth... about that day... the day of my death.¡±
Those words from Athena triggered something terrible within me, something I had buried deeply in my past life. I felt a shiver, a cold running down my spine, as hidden, dark, and terrifying memories began to emerge. My chest tightened, and I soon started to hyperventilate. The mere glimpse of that secret, locked away even from my own consciousness, left me nauseous, as if the air around me had become poisoned. The world started spinning, and I felt my body give way, my mind teetering on the edge of an abyss I didn¡¯t want to remember.
No. I can¡¯t... I thought, struggling against the rising terror. Something I had eliminated with the powers of a Sovereign God was scratching the surface, about to emerge. A secret I had erased from my own mind, but now it was forcing its way back. The dizziness increased, and nausea overtook me as Athena laughed at me, pointing, as if she knew exactly what I was trying to forget. Because she did. She always knew.
I fell to the side, unable to move, immobilized by fear. The darkness around me began to close in, the shadows of my mind, the cracks that hid the secret I should never remember, closing in. I couldn¡¯t breathe, speak, or scream. I was trapped, reliving the deepest pains of my life as Icarus. The memories came back with overwhelming force: the poison choking me in those terrible nights, the moment I lost Helen, sent to war because of me, the despair of holding her in my arms as she died. And behind all of that, something even worse was coming, the secret I feared the most accompanied by a giant throne.
I closed my eyes, desperately trying to focus, pushing away the shadows stirring in my soul. But they were relentless.
¡°Monster! Monster!¡± the voices screamed in the darkness. ¡°Tyrant!¡±
The voices echoed closer, invading my ears as images of countless faces appeared in my mind. Each one displaying deep despair. I felt those memories pulling me down, as if they wanted to drown me in that sea of darkness.
The sound of the screams intensified, blending with the deafening clash of swords against shields. The cacophony engulfed me, and I sank into that torrent of memories, desperate to make them silent. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn¡¯t stop that terrifying clamor.
¡°My child...¡± A sweet, firm voice echoed, cutting through the living nightmare consuming me. Suddenly, everything disappeared: the shadows, the Goddess Athena, the weight of guilt. I looked around, and I only saw her ¨C my mother.
She rushed into the room, sitting beside me on the bed, pulling me into a hug. A hug that dissipated all the darkness that had inhabited my heart.
¡°Nate, my son...¡± Her voice was full of love and concern as she held me tightly. That embrace was the same one that brought me to the light when I was reborn in this world, the same warmth that surrounded me when she held me for the first time. My mother was my sun, the light that always illuminated the darkness inside me.
¡°Mom...¡± My voice came out weak, and my eyes welled up with emotion and relief as I was held in her arms. All the fear, all the pain, seemed to fade with that touch.
¡°I was so worried. You were unconscious for days.¡± Her voice trembled slightly as she kissed my forehead. ¡°My son, why did you do that? Why did you use that spell?¡±
Each word carried the weight of her concern and desperation, and I felt my heart tighten.
"Sorry." The words came out low, almost a whisper. "In that moment... I let myself be consumed by the shadows."
I felt her embrace tighten, a gesture that, though firm, brought the warmth of comfort. Being there, in her arms, was reassuring for both of us.
She kissed my head again, her affection filling the room with a calm only she knew how to create.
"A part of me died when I imagined you leaving... and I would have gone with you if that had happened." Her voice was a mixture of pain and relief as she held me close. "Don¡¯t leave me, Nathan. Please, don¡¯t abandon me."
I swallowed hard, feeling the weight of her words sink into my chest.
"Can you keep hugging me?" I asked, almost a whisper. I didn¡¯t want to return to those shadows.
"Nate, I could stay like this forever." She laughed softly, lightly tapping my cheek, and in that simple gesture, I surrendered completely to her affection. I took Cylla, who was still deeply asleep, and placed her in my lap, cradling her alongside us.
For long minutes, maybe hours, my mother didn¡¯t let go of me. Being in her arms was like sinking into a serene lake, where the temperature was perfect and the soft waters slid around me, calming my soul.
But at some point, she broke the silence.
"My child..." she murmured, as she ran her fingers through my hair. "What happened there... it needs to stay there. Don¡¯t let the weight of those memories destroy you." Her voice was gentle, but it carried a depth that touched me deeply. "I fought so hard so you wouldn''t have to live through a war, and I feel like I failed you, Nathan. Forgive me."
I opened my mouth to respond, but she placed a delicate finger over my lips, silencing me.
"I hope one day you understand when your aunt talks about the importance of politics to avoid conflict. Wars... they only bring death. There are no winners, only survivors marked forever. Children without parents, wives without husbands. And even the ''winning'' side comes back destroyed, physically and emotionally. War is devastating, not only while it''s happening, but especially in what it leaves behind. Because we will always be haunted by the lives we take. There will always be ghosts accusing us of the sins we¡¯ve committed. Don¡¯t listen to those ghosts."
She lifted my chin, making me look into her eyes, which shone with a mixture of love and sadness.
"I can¡¯t take away the weight of the shadows that chase you, but I will always be here, if you need me." A soft kiss on my forehead, and with that, any trace of darkness that might still have inhabited my heart was dissipated.
"Thank you, mom. You always know what to say to comfort me..."
She smiled, that warm smile I had always known.
"Of course, Nate. After all, I¡¯m your mom."
270 - I Can’t Accept Dating You
Chapter 270 - I Can¡¯t Accept Dating You
Nathan Evenhart:
After that moment with my mother, our worries dissipated. She made me a sandwich, and as I ate, I reflected on what had happened. I had been unconscious for a week, but now, with my mana fully replenished, I was awake. I had reached my absolute limit. My body had also been severely damaged by my spell, and it was only thanks to Cylla, who once again put herself at risk, that I was saved from the brink of death. She had saved me so many times, in so many ways. My mother told me that Cylla had woken up a few times while I was unconscious, but always returned to sleep by my side.
When mana is exhausted, the body enters a state of induced coma, where vital functions are reduced to a minimum, and even the sensation of hunger disappears. When people finally wake up, they feel hunger in a normal way, but it¡¯s never proportional to the time they spent unconscious.
However, at that moment when I should have been feeling hungry, I didn¡¯t feel hunger at all. That made me understand why. The hypothesis about my biology as a high elf was confirmed. Maybe I didn¡¯t need to eat as frequently as a human, but that didn¡¯t mean I could go as long without food as a full-fledged high elf. Still, I ate the sandwich my mother made, feeling the affection in each bite.
¡°It seems like I caused a big problem for Aunt Margie¡¡± I commented, as she laughed a little while telling me what had happened.
¡°Well, you destroyed part of Nikolaus Wolves¡¯ castle. That made things a little more complicated for your aunt, for the version of the story she created with the nobles.¡± The concern in her voice was evident.
I sighed, knowing that my impulsive act might have hurt their plan to control the nobles. Maybe it was a bit... over the top.
¡°Your aunt is ''rebuilding'' with the help of earth mages, just enough to mask the true extent of the destruction. The idea is to make it seem like everything was the result of the war between the nobles. After all, during the war, we even had a demi-human in bestial form fighting, so massive destruction could easily occur. The official story will be that the confrontation started at the fortress, with armies fighting fiercely while the ¡®brave¡¯ nobles faced off against Nikolaus Wolves.¡±
I thought about what I faced in those dungeons. Human beings corrupted into monstrosities. That wasn¡¯t something a regular person could confront. Easily one of those things could fight an entire squad of normal human soldiers. Those creatures were dangerous... and I feared that there were people out there serving the dark beings with the ability to create more of them.
I won¡¯t tell them about what I¡¯ve faced. I need to deal with it on my own, without involving them. In this world, there are demons... but I still don¡¯t know what Cylla¡¯s people really are. They are immortal beings, with powers far beyond those of a human, and can transform into powerful creatures... perhaps they are similar to deities. Could it be that, all this time, there was a race I hated and wanted to destroy in my past life? And that, without me knowing, someone from that race has been sleeping by my side since I was five years old?
¡°Mom... what color are my eyes?¡± I asked.
¡°Blue, as always. Why?¡±
¡°Nothing¡¡± I said, trying to hide it.
Then, the serpent¡¯s eyes are linked to the Life Aspect? It makes sense, after all, it messes with the biology of this body.
A light knock on the door interrupted my thoughts. My mother smiled, as if she knew exactly who was there.
¡°Nate, there are two people who want to see how you¡¯re doing,¡± my mother said, opening the door.
¡°Two people?¡±
As soon as the door opened, two familiar figures entered. They looked at me for a brief moment, but quickly looked away, staring down, with the same whirlwind of emotions that I felt. Relief, guilt, shame... and perhaps a little fear. I was immensely relieved to see them safe, but the guilt of causing them pain made me want to disappear. I didn¡¯t know how to react, even after seeing them while they were unconscious in a coma. Now, my heart was racing, and my feelings felt confused.
¡°I¡¯ll leave you two alone,¡± my mother said, leaving the room and closing the door.
¡°Nathan...¡± Kinue was the first to break the silence, but quickly looked away again.
Words wouldn¡¯t come, and the atmosphere was heavy with emotions.
¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± the three of us said at the same time, which made us stop for a moment and stare at each other, surprised.
Then, we all burst out laughing at the unexpected synchronization.
Just as I was about to say something, my cousin, Chloe, ran to me and enveloped me in a tight hug.
¡°I was so worried,¡± she said, her voice trembling with emotion.
I hugged her tightly in return.
¡°I was the one who was worried,¡± I said, pulling her back slightly and holding her by the shoulders.
¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked, curious.
I ran my hand across her face, gliding over her hair, arms, and even checking her neck. Then, I hugged her again, even tighter.
¡°Chloe, you¡¯re okay. There¡¯s no injury,¡± I said with relief, feeling the weight of my worry lift.
She returned the hug, smiling.
¡°Of course, I¡¯m okay. Do you think I¡¯d leave this world and abandon my partner in crime? I fought with everything I had to stay,¡± she replied, her words touching my heart deeply.
Meanwhile, Kinue watched us from a distance, a little withdrawn.
¡°Ki-Kinue was also worried,¡± Chloe commented as she pulled away from my lap.
I looked at Kinue, who seemed even more shy, dealing with all the emotions of the moment. For someone as naturally reserved as her, this situation must have been a whirlwind of feelings.
I went over to her and pulled her into a big hug. At first, Kinue didn¡¯t know how to react, hesitating between returning the gesture or shrinking nervously, but eventually, she hugged me back, staying silent.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
¡°I¡¯m sorry, Nathan. I¡¡± Kinue began, but soon was at a loss for words.
Before she could continue, Chloe approached.
¡°Kinue, can you give me a moment alone with Nathan? Just a few minutes. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be quick. I just need to finish a conversation with him, and after that, I¡¯ll leave you alone so you can have your time,¡± Chloe asked gently.
Our friend nodded, a bit nervous as if she was also trying to find the strength to say something to me, and then she left the room, closing the door behind her, leaving us alone.
¡°Kinue... I know your ears are good, so I¡¯ll seal the room with a wind barrier,¡± Chloe said.
¡°I would never eavesdrop on you guys,¡± Kinue replied from the other side of the door.
Chloe laughed lightly.
¡°Then how do you know I was talking to you?¡± my cousin asked.
¡°I swear it was an accident. You said it as soon as the door was closed. I didn¡¯t even have time to move away from the room,¡± Kinue answered.
Chloe chuckled lightly as she created the wind barrier in the room, ensuring Kinue couldn¡¯t hear our conversation. She then looked away, her eyes fixed on the floor for a moment, clearly nervous.
¡°Nathan, I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said, pulling me to sit next to her on the bed. ¡°The fault was mine. I forced my feelings onto you. I didn¡¯t think about what you felt, I only thought about myself.
I swallowed hard, the sincerity in her words moving me. "I didn''t think about your feelings that day either... I was too blunt," I admitted, remembering how I had responded without considering how much her words had cost her to say. I had been insensitive.
Chloe sighed, gently taking my hand. "Know that I will always love you, and I will never be with anyone else. That¡¯s why I made a decision while you were unconscious," she said, looking me in the eyes, serious.
She squeezed my hand tighter. ¡°We can''t undo what''s been done regarding our future and the engagement. At least, not without taking an extreme measure, like me having a child with someone else, but that would harm our family. Especially with everything that¡¯s happened in the past few days.¡±
She paused before continuing, as if carefully choosing her words. "So, you don¡¯t need to worry. Our engagement will just be a fa?ade. I won¡¯t interfere with your love life. I even thought that if you had a child with someone you truly love, we could lie and say it''s my heir. When they do the genetic test on the stone, they¡¯ll see that it''s an Evenhart, since it would be your child."
The sacrifice she was willing to make weighed heavily in the air, and I could see how difficult this decision had been for her.
She leaned in.
¡°I just want you to keep being my friend. Don¡¯t abandon me as a friend, okay?¡± she asked, her eyes starting to fill with tears.
I sighed deeply.
"Alright, you''ll always be my great friend." As soon as I said that, she kissed me softly on the cheek and then smiled, a smile full of emotions.
"The first kiss I gave you on your cheek was out of friendship, remember? I just wanted to do it one last time... because I know if I do it again, it won¡¯t be because I want to be your friend." She paused, and I saw the inner struggle in her eyes.
"But I need to ask one last time, so I can move on," she said, looking away for a moment before staring at me firmly.
¡°Nathan Evenhart... do you want to date me?¡± she asked.
That question hung in the air, creating a weight in the room that I couldn¡¯t ignore. The silence between us felt endless, each second dragging as if time were in slow motion. I knew how much that question meant to her, and I felt a pang of pain as I realized the courage she had to gather to ask it.
Chloe looked at me with teary eyes, trying to hide the anxiety behind a brave smile, but I knew she was hurting inside.
I looked away for a brief moment, trying to find the right words. When I looked back at her, I took a deep breath.
¡°I¡¯m sorry, Chloe. I can¡¯t accept dating you.¡±
Her tears fell silently as she lowered her head, the brave smile fading. She let out a heavy sigh, seemingly accepting the answer, even though the pain was visible.
"I understand... I¡¯m sorry, I just wanted to try one last time," she murmured, trying to pull away, but I held her hand before she could leave.
¡°Where are you going?¡± I asked, seeing her trying to pull away.
¡°Nate... I... I need some time, I can¡¯t look at you right now,¡± she replied, hiding her tear-streaked face.
Without letting go of her hand, I gently pulled her towards me, moving her hands from her face. She looked away to the side.
I grabbed her chin, and, surprising her, kissed her on the lips.
"Chloe Eve¡ª" Before I could finish, I received a slap.
¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked, her face completely red.
I blinked, surprised.
I rubbed my cheek, wincing a little. ¡°That slap hurt...¡± I said, but quickly returned to what I meant to say.
I took her hand firmly.
¡°Chloe Evenhart, will you marry me?¡±
Her face went through several shades. First pale, then completely red, and back to pale again when she looked at me. She looked down at her hand, where I had placed something, and then turned red again. Wordlessly, Chloe sat on the bed with wobbly legs, clearly shaken.
¡°What... what did you say?¡± Chloe asked, trembling as she held the ring in her hands.
¡°Don¡¯t you want it?¡± I asked, extending my hand to take it back, but she quickly pulled the ring to herself.
¡°Of course, I want it!¡± she said firmly.
¡°Then, what¡¯s your answer?¡± I asked.
¡°Yes!¡± she exclaimed, looking enchanted at the ring.
¡°I improvised... I swear I¡¯ll buy a real one. This one I made with earth magic, when I touched your hand and took the measurements,¡± I said, a little embarrassed.
Suddenly, Chloe jumped on top of me, knocking me onto the bed.
¡°I love it!¡± she said, covering my face with kisses.
¡°Wait, idiot!¡± I complained, turning my face to the side. ¡°You¡¯re kissing my nose, that¡¯s not how it¡¯s done,¡± I tried to correct, but she ignored me completely, continuing to shower my face with kisses.
¡°Nate!¡± she suddenly said, looking at me.
¡°What is it?¡± I asked, a bit confused.
¡°Nothing!¡± Chloe answered with a smile, resting her head on my chest. ¡°I¡¯m just happy. A happiness I don¡¯t even know how to explain.¡±
¡°Aha!¡± a voice sounded next to me, and to Chloe, it seemed to be just some strange noise.
¡°What are you doing, Nathan?¡± Cylla asked, her expression slightly irritated. ¡°Proposing to one woman in front of the woman who likes you?¡± she asked, turning her face to the side.
¡°Technically, you¡¯re already my soul wife¡¡± I tried to smooth it over.
¡°Soul wife?¡± Chloe looked surprised, glancing at Cylla and then back at me, confused.
¡°It¡¯s a long story...¡± I said, trying to ease the tension while both of them stared at me with narrowed eyes. My soul wife was glaring at me if I denied she was my ¡®wife,¡¯ and my future wife was asking if I had another wife.
¡°Chloe... I think I should call Kinue. We¡¯re taking too long here,¡± I said quickly, trying to change the subject. Chloe agreed.
She ran out of the room, red-faced and smiling.
I sighed and pointed my hand at the door, sending a small gust of wind to close it, sealing the room with a wind barrier so no sound would escape.
On my bed, the phoenix was watching me.
¡°You know I don¡¯t see you that way, right?¡± I said, sitting beside her.
¡°You told me you didn¡¯t see anyone that way... but now you made an exception for Chloe,¡± Cylla said, her voice tinged with a hint of hurt. I scratched my head, realizing she was right.
I sighed, looking at my great friend.
¡°Cylla, you know that taking this step with Chloe was something that really affected me, a decision that made me confront painful memories of someone who is still important to me. It was also a way of trying to move forward. I can¡¯t return your feelings the way you want...¡±
¡°I understand¡¡± Cylla said, her voice soft but sad.
¡°But I can try. Just like I¡¯m trying with Chloe,¡± I added, trying to be honest.
Cylla looked at me for a moment, then flew to my lap, curling up like she always did.
¡°Really?¡± she asked, her eyes sparkling with happiness.
"Yes, but just don¡¯t ask me to give you a kiss like I did with Chloe. You¡¯re still a phoenix," I said, trying to keep the tone light.
Cylla burst out laughing. "Alright, my beloved. I¡¯ll wait... When I¡¯m human, I¡¯ll want to do many things with you."
I was surprised by the response. "Are you talking about the kiss?"
"I¡¯m talking about everything..." she said, with a hint of shyness.
"Your polluted mind," I said, flicking her forehead.
She laughed again and moved closer to me, smiling.
"Thank you for returning my feelings, Nathan. Even in your own way... Know that, if you had rejected me, I would still be by your side forever. You¡¯re also my sun," she said, before throwing herself at me and hugging me.
"You¡¯re also... my... beloved..." I said, a little embarrassed.
"WHAT!?" Cylla jumped, surprised. "Did you really say that?"
"I did..."
She hid her face between her wings, visibly embarrassed. "Now, take responsibility... This carries serious weight for my kind. You were my first and only."
"What? Don¡¯t say these double entendre things, you crazy girl!" I said, lifting myself up as she laughed.
271 - Nathan Evenhart, Athena, and Kinue
Chapter 271 - Nathan Evenhart, Athena, and Kinue
Nathan Evenhart:
Cylla rolled around on my bed, laughing and sniffing my pillow, completely overjoyed, repeating the words I had said when I called her "beloved." She knew I was still here, right?
I can see you sniffing and hugging my pillow¡
I decided to ignore the phoenix¡¯s shouts of joy and focused on my thoughts.
Nikolaus Wolves served beings considered deities, and the idea of facing something so deep and hidden tormented me. At the very least, I was certain of one thing: they didn¡¯t know who I really was. The attempt to kill me with those two assassins didn¡¯t seem directly connected to the fact that I possessed the Celestial Eyes, nor did it originate from them¡ªit was something orchestrated solely by Nikolaus. If they knew I had the Celestial Eyes, they would have done things very differently, like capturing my mother or Chloe to blackmail me. The fact that I was the bearer of the eyes while they schemed in the shadows seemed to be nothing more than a coincidence.
I weighed my options and took a deep breath.
Nikolaus Wolves was just a piece on the board, a pawn that no one would have discovered if he hadn¡¯t attacked my family. If it weren¡¯t for our retaliation, I would have never known he was one of the chosen of these ''Illuminated Ones.'' This means that, somewhere out there, others like him could be operating, infiltrated in every corner.
Facing beings who played so well with the mind, always several steps ahead, was terrifying.
These guys are natural-born strategists.
The moment the word "strategy" crossed my mind, an image of someone immediately surfaced. And as if summoned by my thoughts, Athena appeared before me.
"Coward..." she said, her gaze filled with disdain. "So much wasted potential..."
ASPECT OF TIME!
In that instant, time froze around me. Even Athena seemed caught off guard.
"I see¡ you can exist here." My voice was cold. "Mana stops functioning in this space, which means you are not a being of mana."
Every time I had tested the Aspect of Time, Athena had never appeared. She had never allowed me to discover what she truly was.
"You do know¡ this is cutting away at your lifespan, right?" She tried to smile, but it was a fake one. I could see through her expression¡ªshe was nervous.
"It doesn¡¯t matter. This will be the last time I use this power unnecessarily."
I took two steps toward her, and she instinctively stepped back. For the first time, I saw Athena hesitate. Her back hit the wall of my room.
"W-what are you doing?" she asked, her voice trembling.
Without answering, I reached out and grabbed her neck, squeezing tightly.
"Disappear," I ordered, tightening my grip.
"I-I-Icarus..." she stammered, the usual confidence vanishing from her eyes.
I kept squeezing, ignoring her words, until I felt her breathing weaken, her consciousness beginning to fade. Then, I let go.
She collapsed onto the floor, coughing and gasping for air.
"You can¡¯t¡ not in this place," I said, watching her struggle to get back on her feet. "So even you are affected by these powers¡"
Athena staggered as she stood, her expression shaken.
"I¡ could kill you, you know?" she said, her voice unsteady. "I can create a copy of a sword and end you in your sleep. The touch is reciprocal. I can touch you too¡"
I sighed, staring at her without emotion.
"You won¡¯t kill me."
She fell silent, her words stuck in her throat.
"When you tried to force me into discovering my secret¡ it was a lie," I continued. "You don¡¯t want me to know. You were just playing with my mind."
Her face changed. For a moment, I saw fear.
"I-I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about¡" she tried to deny it, but even she didn¡¯t sound convinced.
"Sisika knew the secret, and you were afraid she¡¯d tell me," I said, stepping closer. "The truth, Athena, is that you fear these answers just as much as I do. Because, deep down, even you don¡¯t know why you came into this world with me. You¡¯re just as scared of the answers hidden in my mind. And that¡ that terrifies you."
I crouched down, bringing myself closer to her.
"Nothing scares me!" she shouted, her voice echoing through the room. "Nothing! Do you hear me?"
But her words didn¡¯t match her face. Her once-imposing presence was crumbling, her eyes betraying everything.
"It¡¯s not you who¡¯s haunting me¡" I realized. "It¡¯s me! I¡¯m the one haunting you, Athena. Maybe this is your hell, after all the evil you¡¯ve done¡ You¡¯re condemned to watch your greatest enemy live a new life, moving forward¡ while you¡¯re stuck watching. In the end, I am the one who is your ghost¡" My words trailed off as I reflected.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!
As I spoke, it became clear¡ªher composure was breaking apart. She feared the same secret I did. This mystery didn¡¯t just tie us together as enemies; we were two sides of the same coin. Something dark and inexplicable connected us, a bond of shared fear that not even the Goddess of Wisdom could understand.
"But don¡¯t worry," I said as I stood. "I won¡¯t chase after that secret."
"W-why?" she asked, her voice carrying a mix of surprise and unease. "You already know¡ you¡¯ve realized that I have no idea why I exist here¡ with you."
"Because I won¡¯t," I answered, turning my back to her. "I won¡¯t let the ghosts of my past haunt me anymore. I won¡¯t seek the truth of that secret¡ªnot out of fear, but because it simply doesn¡¯t matter. Icarus is gone¡ I am Nathan Evenhart. And I won¡¯t let his shadows chase me any longer."
She let out a bitter, disbelieving laugh. "And what if I just put on an act? What if this is exactly what I wanted you to do? Maybe I¡¯m manipulating you right now."
"Your fear is real," I said, turning to face her. "Just like mine. But it doesn¡¯t matter anymore."
I stepped closer, lowering myself until our eyes aligned. I grabbed her throat again, squeezing just enough for her to understand the gravity of the moment.
"But next time you create a false illusion, fabricating memories that include Helen¡ know that I won¡¯t hesitate to kill you again."
"I-I-I swear!" she cried out, her voice filled with desperation. "I swear I wasn¡¯t the one who made you see that lie! It was your mind! You unconsciously scratched the surface of that secret¡ªthat¡¯s why!"
I let go, allowing her to catch her breath.
"I¡¯ll believe you," I said, my tone cold. "But even if it¡¯s my own mind¡ if it happens again, you will die."
"Then¡ are we back to what we were?" she murmured, letting out a tired chuckle. "Enemy souls, condemned to live in this hell together?"
I stepped away, letting the silence settle between us.
"Goodbye, Athena. We won¡¯t be seeing each other¡ for a while," I finished.
"Wait!" she called, but her voice was cut off the moment I deactivated the Aspect of Time and focused, forcing her presence to disappear.
When time resumed its flow, only Cylla remained in the room with me. I sighed, letting the exhaustion wash over me.
I needed to put all these problems aside¡ªat least for a moment.
What I wanted now was to see my family, to spend time with them. My break had been ruined by dark days¡ªliving through the torment of having Chloe and Kinue in a coma, preparing for war. Then I was the one who blacked out, unconscious for a whole week.
Most likely, classes had already resumed.
But at that moment, all I needed was peace.
Because the world I was reborn into had proven to be far more complex than I had imagined. There were demons. And before Charon sent me here, he mentioned that I was heading into a hell. And in hell¡ the soul that is sent there is tormented by demons.
I had found them.
Now, the only question left was¡ when would they find me?
¡®BAM!¡¯
The door suddenly burst open, and my wind barrier shattered instantly.
"Stop it, Chloe!" Kinue shouted, being unceremoniously shoved forward by my cousin.
"Don¡¯t be so shy! I got rejected, and I still insisted!" Chloe said with a mischievous grin, forcing Kinue into my room.
The door slammed shut behind her, leaving me alone with Kinue and, of course, Cylla, who was still lost in her own world, laughing and rolling happily on the bed.
Kinue, visibly red, looked at me nervously.
"Nathan¡" she started slowly, her voice almost trembling. "There¡¯s something I¡¯ve wanted to tell you¡ for a long time."
I stared at her, unsure of how to react.
"Nathan Evenhart, I won¡¯t give up on you!" Her words were spoken with such conviction that they caught me completely off guard. And before I could even respond, she jumped on me, wrapping me in a hug so tight I could barely breathe.
"C-calm down¡" I tried to argue, but the words came out with difficulty. "You¡¯re crushing me¡ you have super strength¡"
Kinue kept hugging me tightly, her demi-human strength making it impossible for me to escape.
She looked at me with eyes full of emotion and continued without hesitation: "I¡¯ve liked you for a long time, Nathan. We demi-humans¡ we don¡¯t fall in love based on appearance like humans do. We fall in love through bonds, through trust. And you¡ you are my best friend. Do you know what that means?" She was visibly flustered, but her gaze remained firm.
I tried to process what she was saying, but her next words completely caught me off guard.
"It means that you¡¯re the one I like. It means that you¡¯re the one I want to build a family with and have my pups with."
"P-pups!?" The word got stuck in my throat, and even Cylla, who had been laughing moments ago, suddenly sat up in shock.
This was definitely heading in a direction I hadn¡¯t expected.
Kinue, however, didn¡¯t stop. "I want to build my pack with you. I want to sleep in your arms, to feel your warmth on cold nights¡ I want to be cherished by you at night¡" She paused, clearly overwhelmed with emotion, "¡I want to have lots of pups running around our home. I want to spend all my mating cycles with you¡"
I was completely speechless, trying to process everything she had just said.
The door suddenly swung open with a loud bang, the sound echoing through the room. Chloe stormed in, looking both nervous and shocked.
"What¡¯s going on here!?" she demanded, her brows furrowed. "I thought you were just going to confess, not skip straight to the final steps!"
Kinue, now completely red and visibly embarrassed, finally let go of her crushing hug. I, on the other hand, was too stunned to respond immediately. Everything Kinue had said still echoed in my mind. I had expected her to simply confess that she liked me, and I was already preparing a speech to explain that maybe what she felt was just a deep friendship. But apparently, in her race, this kind of connection was exactly what signaled that she was in love.
Kinue, still flustered, turned to Chloe. "Wait! You were eavesdropping behind the door!?"
Chloe froze, her cheeks now also flushed. ¡°Maybe¡ I was still nearby when you started saying those unbelievable things!¡± She tried to play it off, but the expression on her face made it clear¡ªshe had definitely been eavesdropping.
Kinue turned even redder but remained firm. ¡°It¡¯s not unbelievable¡ it¡¯s just how I feel.¡±
I watched the two exchange words, and before I could stop myself, I let out a laugh. The tense atmosphere eased slightly with my reaction, and for a moment, all the embarrassment gave way to a silent relief between us.
"What¡¯s your answer, Nathan?" Kinue asked, anxious.
I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of her emotions.
Helen¡ I¡¯m sure that somewhere up there, you must be laughing at all of this.
I looked at the two girls staring at me with expectation, and I couldn¡¯t hold it in. A genuine laugh escaped my lips, a laughter that seemed to come from somewhere deep inside, maybe from relief¡ªsomething that finally dissolved my internal struggles.
Helen¡ I¡¯ve found a way to accept myself and move forward. But know this¡ªeven so, I will never forget you. Wherever you are¡ I hope you continue to shine upon my new life, my beautiful and eternal sun, now turned into a brilliant star. Even in the darkness of the night, I know your light will always be there to guide me.
"I accept. I accept your feelings, Kinue."
"You¡¯re going to¡ ¡®mate¡¯ with her?" Chloe asked, surprised. "You didn¡¯t say anything like that to me¡"
I flinched slightly as Cylla collapsed onto the bed, laughing.
"What? I was talking about feelings! Calm down, that¡¯s still way too soon," I tried to clarify.
Kinue threw herself at me, hugging me tightly. "Thank you, Nathan. Just know¡ I will do my best to be an excellent wife," she said, her eyes shimmering with emotion.
"Alright¡" I replied, patting her back, realizing how deeply moved she was.
"I¡ I have a family¡ I will have a family forever," she murmured, her voice fragile¡ªlike someone who had finally found what they had always longed for.
I embraced her warmth, letting the weight of emotions and the complexity of feelings settle in that hug.
I lowered my head to place a kiss on Kinue¡¯s forehead, but the moment my hair fell over her, I jolted in shock.
"What?" I murmured, surprised. I grabbed a few strands with my hand.
My hair was white-silver.
"When? How did this happen?"
272 - I Became a High Elf
Chapter 272 - I Became a High Elf
Nathan Evenhart:
I ran my fingers through my hair, but no matter where I looked, the black strands from before were gone. I still couldn¡¯t believe what had happened to me. My heart pounded as I rushed to the nightstand beside my bed. With trembling hands, I grabbed the mirror and stared at my reflection. That was when reality finally hit me.
¡°It¡¯s¡ silver-white¡¡± I murmured in disbelief, my eyes fixed on the gleaming strands that had replaced my former hair.
"You didn¡¯t know? I thought Aunt Katie had already told you," Chloe said, watching as I examined my silver-white hair.
Kinue, standing beside her, chuckled as she stepped back.
"No. I had no idea," I admitted, still stunned.
"Well, you¡¯re in for a lot of trouble now," Kinue said, still laughing.
"What do you mean?" I asked, confused.
"You know, I played with your hair while you were unconscious," Chloe smirked, running her fingers lightly through my hair. Immediately, a faint tingling sensation ran through my scalp. When she pulled her hand away, I noticed strands of my hair clinging slightly to her palm.
"Electricity¡" I muttered, feeling the soft buzz of energy in my hair.
"Exactly like Professor Adrihna explained. The hair of your kind is magical¡ªit acts as a mana conduit," Kinue explained. "Your hair is conducting your lightning mana."
I ran my fingers through my hair, trying to comprehend it. The gentle tingling and the faint crackle of static left me even more bewildered. It was as if my hair had become an extension of my own energy.
"So¡ my hair is literally the physical manifestation of my mana?" I asked, still processing.
Kinue grinned and nodded. "Exactly. And now that it¡¯s awakened, learning to control the mana in your hair is going to be part of your training."
"I see¡" I murmured, staring at the glowing strands that carried my energy. "Looks like the professor will have to teach me how to control this too¡"
Kinue added, "You also need to figure out how to turn off whatever is making your presence feel this way. Professor Adrihna once told me that High Elves learn this as children so they don¡¯t cause trouble when walking among other elves. But since your hair just changed, you¡¯ll have to adapt quickly. They learn it as infants, but you¡ you have to catch up now."
"What do you mean? What presence?" I asked, still not entirely understanding.
Chloe rolled her eyes. "Your aura, dummy. The same mystical aura that Tiffania used during the ceremony. You need to stop the mana flow into your hair. Right now, you¡¯re constantly emanating that presence. Your hair even looks like it¡¯s glowing. If you don¡¯t learn how to suppress it, you¡¯re going to attract a lot of attention."
I took a closer look at my hair, and for the first time, I understood what they meant. There was something¡ different about it, something that made it feel like I was looking at a rare gem.
"This mystical aura is coming from the mana circulating through my hair¡ Like a delicate construct, the very essence of a High Elf¡¯s mana personified," I muttered, touching the silver strands and studying them more closely.
My hair shimmered faintly¡ªnot like a bright light, but something more ethereal, almost spiritual.
"Hum¡ The professor¡¯s doesn¡¯t glow as much, but maybe that¡¯s because yours is a lighter shade than hers," Kinue mused, examining it up close.
The glow wasn¡¯t something obvious. It wasn¡¯t a regular light but a subtle, nearly imperceptible radiance¡ªsomething that felt almost otherworldly. It had a serene quality to it, like an intricate masterpiece sculpted by nature itself. That delicate glow carried with it an air of mystery and admiration.
"I really need to learn how to control this..." I murmured, now aware of what it must feel like to be a High Elf. Maybe that¡¯s why they don¡¯t care about beauty¡ªnaturally, they emit something beautiful, something that might even be overwhelming to them.
It¡¯s the same as when I focus mana into my eyes and they start glowing. After all, my special eyes are a physical manifestation created by my mana. My hair is almost the same thing.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.
"So? Did it change?" I asked, trying to replicate the process I use to activate mana in my eyes, this time attempting to control the mana flow in my hair.
"It changed a little, it looks more normal now," Chloe said, watching me closely. "You deactivated that natural glow High Elves have, but even so, it''s still really beautiful¡"
Kinue let out a small chuckle beside her.
"We¡¯ll have to dye your hair before going back to the academy. Now that you can control the mana in your hair, maybe the dye will last longer, since you can prevent mana from flowing into it," Kinue suggested. "That way, you won¡¯t have to dye it so many times a month."
"Hope that works," I replied, really hoping her idea was right.
Kinue, who trained with Professor Adrihna in mana circulation techniques and light element manipulation, was practically an expert. If she said it might help, I trusted her judgment.
"Before, the process wasn¡¯t complete, so you didn¡¯t have full control over your hair as a mana conduit. Now, we can dye it and test if it lasts longer," Kinue explained, examining my hair with a critical eye. "Besides, I don¡¯t want you attracting other females..."
"What?" I asked, nervous.
"She¡¯s right!" Chloe immediately agreed.
"I agree too!" Cylla shouted from the bed.
I looked at the three of them, still trying to figure out if this was a joke or if they were actually serious.
They¡¯re serious. I think I¡¯m in trouble¡ a lot of trouble.
"Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m satisfied with you all in my life¡ I guess my house will always be lively," I said with a small smile. "But¡ I just ask that you all be patient with me. I need my own time to process what I feel."
Before I could think of anything else, the three of them moved in and hugged me all at once. Cylla, of course, was the first to jump onto my shoulder, and I felt her start sneakily kissing my cheek. I decided not to say anything and just enjoyed the moment.
"By the way, Nathan¡" Chloe started, her face slightly red. "About this patience thing¡ how long do you think I¡¯ll have to wait before I get another kiss?" She turned her face slightly, trying to hide her nervousness.
I thought for a moment, seriously considering the situation, then answered.
"About 200 years," I said, joking.
She laughed and gave me a light slap on the shoulder. "Idiot¡ but fine, I¡¯ll wait¡ for now," she said, hugging me again.
"Wait! What do you mean ''another kiss''?" Kinue suddenly asked, surprised. "You two already kissed?"
Chloe and I exchanged glances, unsure of what to say.
"I want a kiss too," Kinue demanded, hugging me even tighter and tilting her face dangerously close to mine, puckering her lips.
"Hey! He said to respect his pace," Chloe intervened, pulling Kinue away. I realized my cousin was using what I had said as an excuse to stop Kinue from kissing me.
"This isn¡¯t fair..." Kinue grumbled.
I looked at the two of them while Cylla laughed on my shoulder and realized my life was going to be a lot more lively¡ and full of chaos.
Eira Green:
It was nighttime in Midgard. Prince Thorsten and I stood atop a castle, parts of it shattered by a lightning strike. We observed the scene around us, where a divine presence, though faint, could still be felt.
Sisika had tapped into a fraction of her divine power.
Beside us, a raven hovered in the air. It belonged to our superior, who had investigated the area earlier and summoned us.
"A human involved with Nidhogg¡ This Nikolaus Wolves¡ he was being manipulated by them."
The prince¡¯s face was tense, more serious than usual, and I knew exactly why.
"See, Prince Thorsten? Sisika used her powers to save that human. You know what that means, right? Love," I commented.
He clicked his tongue, visibly irritated.
"She would never fall in love with a human¡" he grumbled.
Prince Thorsten had been one of Master Sisika''s students, admiring her since childhood. Perhaps that admiration had grown into something more. He had done everything to become one of the potential suitors when the Great King made the proposal to the tribal leaders.
"Well, you can deny it all you want, but the truth is right in front of you. She isn¡¯t being treated like a mascot¡ªshe¡¯s choosing to stay with the one she loves," I said, trying to make Thorsten accept reality.
He turned his back on me, too proud to admit what he knew to be true.
"I''m going to investigate the area," he muttered before transforming into a phoenix and flying away.
I sighed, frustrated.
He left all the hard work to me.
I leaped from the top of the castle and landed in the crater below. Earlier, a few human mages had been working to restore the damaged structure. Transforming into a small phoenix, I slipped through the cracks in the rubble, diving deeper into the dungeon remains. The entire place was in ruins. The lightning¡¯s energy had scorched every wall. I maneuvered through whatever openings I could find.
After some time, I finally reached the remains of the ashes. Scattered among them were the remnants of many corpses.
"The smell of¡ ancient magic," I murmured as I flew over the ashes.
Corrupted.
After investigating the area, I came to a conclusion¡ªall the evidence had been destroyed.
Did Nathan Evenhart destroy everything? Why? I thought he would have been interested in understanding the past¡ or was there simply too little left to find?
Pushing aside my thoughts, I continued flying through the dungeon toward the exit.
"Nidhogg reaching out to humans on this continent¡ Things are truly close to happening," I analyzed, feeling a rising tension. Contact with the past was limited¡ªonly the tribe leaders knew the full details of the great war. Since I was born after it, I never fully understood the past events or the secrets of my own world.
As I flew, something made me freeze. A dark figure stood in the distance. It wasn¡¯t something from this world, but rather the echo of a presence far removed from this reality. Yet somehow, it had been drawn here.
I knew exactly what it was. That presence¡ it was him, the one the Nidhogg serve.
"I can¡ I can see you¡" the voice whispered, and for a moment, I thought it was speaking to me. "I can see you¡ white-haired boy¡" it murmured to itself.
The shadowy presence vanished, dissipating like ash in the wind, banished from reality.
I approached the spot where it had stood.
"I see¡ It was a remnant of his mana," I muttered. "Not the real one¡ just an echo of his existence."
On the ground, I found a small fragment of a black stone.
"So that¡¯s why¡ A Nidhogg must have infused this stone with that being¡¯s mana," I murmured.
He still lacked the power to return, but soon, he would.
"Their Great Lord¡ is coming back."
273 - Meiling, Empress of the Song Dynasty
Chapter 273 - Meiling, Empress of the Song Dynasty
Agnes Asalon:
Outside the castle, winged horses soared through the air, training in synchronized attacks alongside soldiers on the ground. The day should have been peaceful, but my entire week was being ruined by a single cursed name.
"Nikolaus Wolves!" I screamed, knocking everything off the table onto the floor.
My brother, Ryan, looked at me in shock. Something serious had happened¡ªsomething causing me a massive headache to contain and suppress. It was a scandal shaking the kingdom¡¯s image in front of the dukes, the other realms¡ everyone. I was furious.
An attack had occurred on a ship traveling through the Underground Transport route¡ªthe first in centuries. No one had ever dared to cause an incident there. That tunnel, which led directly to the capital, represented my family¡¯s supremacy and sovereignty. It was a symbol of the security we provided to our people, our greatest source of power. And now, someone had spit on it.
"Son of a bitch!" I cursed, feeling my fist ignite with violet flames as I slammed it against the wooden table, setting it ablaze.
"They attacked a high noble within my domain!" I continued, consumed by rage. "How do you think I feel, Ryan? How do you think this will look if word gets out? It will seem like no one respects the authority of the Asalon family!"
I tried to calm myself, took a deep breath, but it was no use. Image was power. Image was sovereignty. It was because they trusted our protection that the ancient kingdoms submitted to us, becoming mere duchies. If, at any point, they started believing that protection was worthless, my entire kingdom could collapse. Even if that seemed unlikely now, all it would take was that idea taking root in the mind of one heir after another, and in a few centuries, there would be war¡ªor a rebellious alliance refusing to obey us. Being at the top meant always thinking ahead.
"S-sister¡" Ryan attempted to keep a conciliatory smile. "It¡¯s not that serious¡ okay? It was a grave crime, the most serious in recent years."
"Grave is an understatement, Ryan!" I snapped, even angrier.
"B-but that family agreed to keep everything under wraps, without making anything public. It will just be an incident on a ship¡ an explosion. And at the port, no one knows who the two mages fighting were. It¡¯s easier for the official story to be that the kingdom faced a powerful criminal, justifying the attack, rather than spreading the truth¡ªthat an assassin targeted a high noble," he explained.
"If I act too leniently, the Evenhart family will think we¡¯re afraid of them leaking the story, and we¡¯ll be at their mercy. If I come down too hard, we¡¯ll create even greater hostility. It¡¯s not simple at all!"
I paced back and forth, my mind burning with possibilities.
"Authorize them to handle the situation however they see fit regarding Nikolaus Wolves'' men and commoners. I don¡¯t care if they choose to slaughter every last one of them, enslave them, or flog them in public. Let that family exercise their right to retaliation as the law permits," I declared.
I kept pacing. "Send a letter to all the dukes. I need to warn them first. The letter must contain the official story you and Duchess Margaery signed off on. Issue an order for them to inform their political nobility to avoid scandals and gossip regarding the Wolves family. Anyone caught spreading rumors will be severely punished. Also, issue the document stripping the Wolves family of their noble status in our kingdom. They are filth now, condemned. Their status is that of commoners, and they can be killed freely¡ªwe no longer care about them," I ordered, my irritation still palpable.
"The nobles who confessed to the crimes are setting aside part of their fortunes to send to the Evenhart family," Ryan reported, "But the Evenhart family requested that all of it be used within their own duchy. They also demanded the heads of those nobles."
I sighed, displeased. ¡°I can¡¯t simply eliminate those who confessed and provided evidence. If I do that, we¡¯ll lose all our eyes and ears in that duchy. That would be foolish. Keep visiting the duchess¡¯s family and try to renegotiate terms with her. We¡¯ll need to promote one of these nobles to the rank of marquis, but with half of their territory reduced. Maybe that will please her¡¡±
¡°Which noble do you want to promote?¡± Ryan asked. Each duchy had three marquises, but according to the ancient treaty that founded our kingdom, we had the right to choose and control one of them. This was our way of ensuring the duchy wouldn¡¯t turn against us. At least 30% of the local nobility was appointed by us, with the marquis serving as the leader of this faction. Of course, we never disclosed this to the dukes¡ªfor them, it was simply ¡°administrative assistance.¡± They might have had their suspicions, but the system had worked for centuries.
The chaos caused by Nikolaus Wolves threatened our image before the other dukes. I needed to act quickly, but without appearing desperate, and show that our authority remained intact.
¡°Hmm¡ this one,¡± I said, pointing to a document on Ryan¡¯s desk. ¡°Count Laurence. His family is trustworthy.¡±
¡°Excellent choice,¡± Ryan agreed. ¡°I¡¯ll send our cousin to speak with him while I continue negotiations with the Evenharts.¡±
I sat back on the couch, watching the servants extinguish the flames on the table. Everything had to be perfect. How could I propose an arranged marriage to the elven kingdom amid this scandal?
¡°If I could, I would have killed Nikolaus Wolves with my own hands¡¡± I muttered.
From my storage bracelet, I pulled out a letter bearing the elves¡¯ crest. King Haiten had requested a personal meeting¡ªsomething unprecedented in centuries.
What could they want to discuss in person that couldn¡¯t be handled through intermediaries?
At least this was good news. A closer relationship that could favor a marriage between Duncan and Syvis¡ªthe perfect union of our kingdoms.
¡°Nothing can go wrong, and nothing can reach the public,¡± I warned Ryan. ¡°Make sure all the nobles involved understand they face the death penalty if they speak of this to anyone. Everything must be flawless.¡±If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.
As I reread the letter, a flicker of hope sparked within me. A meeting in Apsalon with the king of the elves¡ this was more than I could have wished for.
Fate is on the side of the Asalons¡
Yu Xin (Song Dynasty):
In the corner of the training hall, I sat in silence, watching the young Empress as she threw herself into combat.
"Ah!" she shouted, delivering a swift strike, only for Sidao to block it effortlessly.
"Weak! Pathetic," he barked, dodging her punches with ease.
The young Empress, now sixteen, had been trained in battle since she was three years old by the greatest aura masters. She had also studied the art of strategy under the brightest minds of the Dynasty. Sidao was reshaping the Song Dynasty with an iron grip, focusing solely on efficiency. The elders of the vassal families dared not question him, especially after being confronted with an army at their doorstep.
"I can''t do it, Master," she admitted, frustration evident in her voice. "I don''t have enough strength..."
My eyes drifted toward the massive stones she had been striking, shattering them as if they were ripe fruits.
To me, you already have more than enough strength...
"You possess Aura. You have the potential to become the greatest in the world," Sidao stated firmly. "I am nothing but a shadow before your talent. How do you think the Song Dynasty was built? Your ancestors were legendary emperors... But in your father''s generation, that potential was neglected."
Meiling listened carefully, determination flickering in her gaze.
They trained every day since she had awakened her Aura. Sidao had one goal: to forge the greatest Aura warrior to ever exist. And Meiling possessed that potential. His methods were brutal, and the witch-women of the geisha organization operated under a veil of secrecy. Those who asked too many questions vanished without a trace.
The road was harsh, but the results were beginning to show.
Even so, it terrified me. Once, I saw one of them without her makeup... What lay beneath disturbed me to my core. That hollow, grotesque face seemed to belong to something that shouldn¡¯t exist. These women were witches. Malignant witches who performed strange rituals under the cover of night. I suspected they were worshipers of the yaoguai.
The Theocracy had stopped attacking us some time ago. Ever since anomalies began appearing more frequently and with greater ferocity, they had spent the past decade dealing with those events within their own territory. However, what once seemed distant was now growing closer. The anomalies had started appearing in our lands.
Our great wall, which had protected us for centuries from creatures emerging from the sea or from the Theocracy itself, now felt useless against what we faced. If anomalies were manifesting within the Dynasty itself... then no fortress, no wall, could protect us.
That was when an envoy from the Theocracy arrived, bringing what they called a "solution." When I finally understood what that solution entailed, a chill ran down my spine. I began to seriously question the true reason behind their obsession with absolute control over the humans of that continent. Perhaps, just perhaps, if they were all exterminated, the problems would disappear.
Even if that wasn¡¯t a definitive solution, controlling those people would grant us access to the "grace" of the mysterious gods that the Theocracy worshiped so fervently. But deep inside, I wondered¡ªwere we really any different from them? Or were we simply trying to survive in a world that, little by little, was pushing us toward extinction?
"I will keep training," Meiling said, returning to her combat stance.
"That''s the spirit. You are not just anyone... You are Empress Meiling Song!" Sidao''s voice boomed with intensity. "Don''t you want revenge for what was done to your father? To achieve that, you must become the Empress of Aura!"
Meiling took her stance, muscles tensed, her gaze filled with unwavering determination. Slowly, an oppressive pressure began emanating from her, surrounding her in a golden glow. Her Aura surged, vibrant and blazing like flames around her body. Her fists, in particular, shone with even greater intensity.
"Asalon, Olarion, Saul, Valemont, Valerion, Dirtstone, and Evenhart..." she murmured, each name increasing the pressure in the room, intensifying her power.
"Fire!" Sidao commanded.
The soldiers around them lit the fuses of the cannons. The tension was palpable. The crackling fire consuming the fuses sent shivers down my spine.
"Three... two... one..."
The roar was deafening.
The cannonballs shot forward at high speed, aimed directly at Meiling. But before they could reach her, she charged toward them. With precise and relentless strikes, her Aura-clad fists shattered each projectile on impact. The air trembled with every explosion. More shots were fired¡ªdozens of cannonballs thundered across the training field. And one by one, each was obliterated by Meiling¡¯s punches, reduced to mere shards under the overwhelming force of her Aura.
Amidst the cloud of dust, a hand emerged. Meiling was gripping one of the cannonballs tightly, her body radiating absolute power. The Aura surrounding her wrapped around the ball like a golden shield, preventing it from shattering while keeping it completely under her control.
Sidao watched her with sharp eyes.
"Who are these names you keep repeating every day?" he asked, his voice cold and calculating.
Meiling met his gaze. Her eyes burned with an unquenchable hatred, a fire that could never be extinguished.
"They are the murderers of my father. Because of them, my mother took her own life," she declared without hesitation. "I will go to each of their families... and I will kill every last one of them."
Her fingers clenched around the cannonball, and with a dry snap, it turned to dust.
She was being trained in the four advanced uses of Aura¡ªknowledge that had been deliberately divided among masters and clans due to the danger of a single person mastering them all.
The first was the basic use of Aura: Enhancement, which physically strengthened the user.
The second was Specialization, allowing the Aura to be focused externally on a specific part of the body to amplify its power to the extreme.
The third was Fortification, an expansion of the Specialization principle but applied to the entire body, forming a defensive armor of energy.
The fourth¡ was the most dangerous. A technique that many believed to be a myth¡ªthe ability to project Aura outside the body in a devastating attack.
Sidao¡ had managed to teach the Empress all four.
Sindra:
My soul had been summoned, linking me to the Black Castle. My physical body remained behind while my essence emerged in that dark domain. I appeared in an ethereal form, shrouded in thick shadows, with only my eyes glowing intensely.
Around me, a long banquet table stretched into the darkness. Everyone present was equally cloaked in gloom, their eyes burning like living embers. Some had red eyes, while others, like me, had pink ones.
"Why have you called us here, Morvat?" asked one of the figures, their voice echoing with authority. Their red eyes flared even brighter as they spoke.
"The Great Lord has contacted me..." Morvat replied, his voice deep and weighted.
"What did the Great Lord say to you?" asked another red-eyed presence in the darkness.
We, the ones with pink eyes, were of lower status in this circle. We were not allowed to interact directly with the superiors, but listening was enough.
I glanced at the chair beside me. It was there, during a past meeting, that the shadowed form of the Jormungandr¡¯s bearer had appeared. Since then, I had developed a deep curiosity to uncover his identity. I was the only one who had sensed his presence¡ªperhaps due to my affinity with serpents. I had recognized the essence of that ancient and powerful creature immediately.
That shadowed form he took was unique, just like his soul. Observing his essence was like trying to decipher an impossible riddle. There was something about him... it was as if two beings coexisted within him, a man and a woman entwined in an impossible manner.
Morvat, seated at the head of the table, interrupted my thoughts. He leaned forward slightly, as if carefully weighing his words before speaking.
"The Great Lord said..." He paused, letting the weight of his words hang over us like a blade about to drop.
"It has begun."
Those words fell like a death sentence. The darkness around us seemed to tremble.
"Begun what?" another voice questioned.
Morvat raised his hand, and a sinister energy pulsed around him, almost tangible. Then, with solemnity, he declared:
"Our great war against Asgard and the two continents of Midgard has finally begun."
274 - Song of the End (End of Book 3)
Chapter 274 - Song of the End (End of Book 3)
Theodore Borir (A Few Days Ago):
" Do you even know who he is?" I asked.
The soldier looked confused.
" He¡¯s your lord! Apologies for the disrespect, Lord Nathan. I am Theodore Borir, the officer in charge of this ship¡¯s inspection. Forgive the lapse in decorum, my lord. We¡¯ve been given direct orders to ensure your safety after¡ the incidents."
He ignored us, turning his gaze toward the underground river, taking in the chaotic scene of halted ships as guards conducted inspections.
"What happened?" Nathan Evenhart asked me.
"A terrorist attack, my lord. Two high-level mages engaged in a confrontation here. My orders are to escort you to safety." I replied.
He stared at the water, watching the floating wreckage. But what truly caught his attention was the state of the port¡ªthe sheer scale of destruction. When he finally saw the shattered remains, and more importantly, the fact that the surrounding water was frozen solid, his expression changed.
"When did this happen?" he asked.
"It¡¯s been a few days," I answered.
Nathan Evenhart stepped onto the ship¡¯s railing, his gaze locked on the aftermath of the battle caused by Chloe Evenhart.
" Sir, I must insist¡ªI need to escort you¡ª," I insisted.
He looked at us for a moment before leaping into the water, dashing across its surface at incredible speed.
"My lord!" I called out, but he was already moving too fast, lightning sparking off his body as he raced toward the port.
A small smile crept onto my lips as I watched Nathan Evenhart head straight toward the underground city¡¯s harbor, eager to witness the devastation left behind by Chloe Evenhart and the assassin.
***
I walked through the ruined harbor, surveying the wreckage left behind from the battle. The heir, Nathan Evenhart, had already vanished, likely returning to his castle. I was searching for something specific amidst the chaos. Lowering myself, I pushed aside some stones until I finally found what I was looking for.
"Here it is¡" I murmured, removing a large piece of rubble to reveal what lay beneath¡ªfrozen fingers. They belonged to the assassin who had faced Chloe Evenhart, severed during their fierce battle.
"Quinn fulfilled his purpose during the years he served Nikolaus Wolves," I remarked, gripping one of the hands and carefully sliding the ring off its cold finger. "But it¡¯s a shame things had to end like this¡"
The voice in my mind answered, my lord¡¯s whisper ever sharp and ever present.
"Yes¡ fascinating how the unforeseen continues to appear," I replied in thought. "In the vision of the future, Katherine Evenhart¡¯s son should have died in childbirth along with her. That boy, Nathan, is an anomaly. But even when unforeseen events arise, the flow of the plan remains intact."
I twirled Quinn¡¯s ring between my fingers, examining it. A ring I had given to him and his sister through Nikolaus Wolves, believing it to be nothing more than a locator for the pair linked to his sister¡¯s.
"Quinn and Eliza never fully understood what they carried," I murmured, slipping the ring into my pocket. They thought it was merely a tracking device meant to locate the other half of the set, but to me, it was much more than that.
"The corrupted ring we gave Quinn served its purpose perfectly," I muttered as I strode slowly through the rubble. "It poisoned his mind little by little, inflaming his hatred and resentment until he was ready to bring chaos."
I paused, taking in the wreckage around me. ¡°Still, unforeseen events happened. But in the end, chaos was sown.¡±
"I never expected things to end like this. My plan was for his sister to be poisoned by the other ring and die¡ and for him to conclude that Nikolaus Wolves had orchestrated their deaths. By then, his mind would have been sufficiently corrupted to retaliate without thinking of the consequences. However, I never imagined that Nikolaus would try to use those two to assassinate a noble superior¡ or at least attempt to."
I kept walking, my mind racing through the events.
¡°Did his sister die because of the ring¡¯s curse? Or was it in battle? How and when did she die?¡± I murmured to myself. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter¡ unexpected things happen. My plan was always for Nikolaus to die. And after the mess he made, the kingdom won¡¯t have many options but to condemn him to death,¡± I said with a cold smile. ¡°Or will the Evenhart family take matters into their own hands?¡±
As I pondered, a grin formed on my lips. ¡°The more chaos, the better.¡±
The voice of one of my lords continued to echo in my mind¡ªmeticulous, calculated.
¡°We successfully removed key figures, provoking that war at the border years ago,¡± I murmured, recalling past events. ¡°After the conflict, our infiltrators took their positions without issue. But Nikolaus Wolves¡ he failed. He should never have kept provoking the Evenhart family. His methods attracted too much attention. He should have waited in silence until the great conflict began. He was a fool, and that¡¯s why I set Quinn up to kill him¡ but I never imagined such a turn of events would happen.¡±
I nodded as I walked, the constant whispers of my lord flowing like an endless current, always guiding me in the right direction.
I held Quinn¡¯s ring in my palm, gazing into the two red eyes glowing within the stone. They were the eyes of one of my lords, watching me through the artifact.
¡°Yes, I know¡ I might have gone a little too far,¡± I admitted, aware that I had crossed certain lines. ¡°I just wanted to have a little fun. You already amuse yourselves elsewhere, even on the other continent. I thought it would be interesting to stir things up here.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
My lord¡¯s voice grew firmer, correcting me.
¡°I merely wanted to move these defective pieces,¡± I murmured, stepping over the rubble. ¡°Nikolaus Wolves failed years ago. He proved himself pathetic and unworthy. Now, I return my focus to the real purpose of the grand day.¡±
I tucked the corrupted ring into my pocket, feeling the weight of the decisions to come.
¡°The time is almost here¡ Soon, everything will follow its natural course, and my lords will once again witness the long-awaited end.¡±
As I walked, I reflected on Nikolaus Wolves'' fate. Would he be left to rot, unpunished? Or would the heir Evenhart and his family take justice into their own hands? It didn¡¯t matter in the end. Wolves was already living on borrowed time¡ªhe would be dead soon, one way or another.
Wandering through the ruins, I began humming the great song we had all waited so long to see fulfilled¡ªa chant of chaos and destruction. The melody echoed in my mind like a shadow, waiting for the perfect moment to rise and consume the world.
Everything was aligning for the return.
"When the great day draws near,
Five heads will then appear.
The small ones will be amazed,
By the vengeful girl¡¯s fierce gaze,
The serpent¡¯s crafty, subtle play,
The devout man, and the young general''s sway.
When they sense the looming dread,
We¡¯ll toy in the field of the dead.
When darkness finally claims its part,
The new Ragnarok will start."
I stopped walking and nodded at the words whispered to me.
"Everything must be perfect for the return of the Great Lord Loki."
Yu Xin (Song Dynasty):
We walked through the dark corridors of the Song crypt, a place where only the imperial family and the highest-ranking officials of the Dynasty were allowed entry. The walls emanated a palpable chill, a sinister presence that seemed to creep through the dimly lit shadows.
¡°Are you afraid?¡± Sidao asked, his relentless eyes locked onto me.
¡°Yes¡¡± I admitted, trying to keep my composure. ¡°This place gives me a strange feeling. I mean, I respect the memory of the ancient emperors, but it¡¯s the walls that give me chills.¡±
He let out a cold laugh and continued walking with firm, resolute steps.
The young Empress was somewhere at the end of these corridors, in the midst of this suffocating, ominous atmosphere. Every time she finished her grueling training, she would come to the crypt to visit her mother¡¯s grave. The walls of the crypt were covered in macabre paintings, all hand-drawn, and the scattered torches along the corridor only intensified the sinister aura of the place. Each flame seemed to flicker under the weight of the images, making the environment even more unnerving.
I glanced at one of the paintings, feeling an even deeper chill run down my spine.
When I turned, Sidao was standing still, watching me with a piercing gaze.
¡°Macabre, isn¡¯t it?¡± he asked. ¡°Do you know the origin of these paintings on the walls?¡±
I shook my head slightly.
¡°Of course, you don¡¯t,¡± he chuckled softly, a polite smile on his face, though his eyes remained cold, as sharp as a serpent¡¯s. ¡°These and other secrets are entrusted only to the next Emperor and the Chancellor beneath him.¡± Then, he resumed walking.
I quickened my pace to keep up, not daring to ask anything else.
¡°Do you want to know who painted these walls?¡± he asked, his voice echoing eerily through the empty corridors.
¡°I don¡¯t have the authorization to know,¡± I replied hesitantly.
He laughed again, this time lower, as if amused.
¡°You¡¯re the Chancellor¡¯s assistant. Don¡¯t worry,¡± Sidao said, his voice carrying an enigmatic confidence. He continued forward, and I followed closely behind.
¡°A long time ago,¡± he began narrating, his voice reverberating in the corridor, ¡°there was a survivor from an ancient order. She was a Norn¡ªa Weaver of Fate.¡±
¡°A Weaver of Fate?¡± I repeated, surprised.
He nodded slowly.
¡°They are cursed women, gifted with the ability to dream of the future. Cursed by fate, slaves to it, destined to fulfill a purpose,¡± he explained.
¡°One of these women arrived here as a fugitive from a distant land, beyond the Cursed Sea. She claimed to have escaped and eventually found refuge on this continent. The Song Emperor at the time took her in, and she provided him with counsel that helped him overcome his enemies. Her wisdom was so great that, over time, she was promoted to Chancellor.¡±
He paused briefly, allowing his words to settle in the heavy air of the crypt.
¡°She became the second most important person in the Empire. However, one day¡ she lost her mind.¡± He stopped before a section of particularly disturbing paintings, where strange symbols and bizarre figures were mixed into distorted imagery.
¡°These eerie things on the walls,¡± he said, pointing at the grotesque paintings, ¡°were made by her during her fits of madness. On stormy nights, she would have vivid nightmares and begin painting frantically. They say she would only calm down once her insane works were finished.¡±
As we moved forward, the details in the paintings became increasingly grotesque. The scales of a gigantic serpent-dragon, the emblem of the Song Dynasty, stretched along the walls. Within the serpent, strange and senseless scenes unfolded¡ªdismembered figures, ruined kingdoms, and deformed faces frozen in silent screams.
"You know what this means?" I asked, pointing to a particularly strange image. A boy lying in a bed, with a cloaked figure standing beside him.
"No one ever knew," Sidao replied, his eyes still fixed on the paintings. "The emperor at the time made records and copied her notes, trying to interpret whether it was connected to his future. In the end, it led to nothing. All that is known is that during her episodes, she would murmur strange names while she painted."
"What names?" I asked, a cold shiver running down my spine.
Sidao seemed to reflect for a moment, as if trying to recall the details he had read.
"Icarus, Athena, Ares, Apollo, Zeus, Helen, Hades, Poseidon, Chronos," he enumerated slowly. "And other names¡ Whenever she finished murmuring, she would repeat them again, like an unending lament."
We reached a painting depicting a young boy holding a lifeless girl in his arms, his face contorted in despair.
"She used to say: ''Everything begins when he arrives, and everything ends when he departs.''" Sidao''s words echoed ominously in the chamber as I stared at the painting, feeling the weight settle in my chest.
Sidao continued walking down the path, but I remained, staring at the paintings.
One of the images on the wall showed a vivid and chaotic scene¡ªa boy with white hair and blue eyes fighting amidst a raging storm at sea. Colossal waves rose around him, as if the ocean itself was being molded by the fury of battle. Lightning split the dark sky, and the boy stood firm against the tempest with unwavering determination.
Before him, a man hovered in the air, gripping a hammer, each strike carrying the power of thunder. Lightning coiled around the weapon, casting eerie illumination over his face as he loomed over the boy.
We kept walking through the dark corridor, the thick shadows swallowing each step, and the images on the walls growing increasingly grotesque. Each painting held something new and disturbing, as if the figures depicted were on the verge of coming to life, their dark eyes and twisted mouths seeming to track our movements.
As we advanced, a chill crept down my spine. There was something unsettling, almost supernatural, about each image, as if they writhed within the stone, twisting in agony or rage. Every now and then, I could swear I saw a subtle movement, a flicker of shadow at the corners of the figures, like something struggling to break free.
The flickering torches cast an unsteady light on the walls, intensifying the effect, making every grotesque detail seem more vivid, more haunting. Each scene felt as though it was pulling me into its depths, and the air around us grew colder and heavier, as if the very corridor was breathing, absorbing our presence.
Finally, we reached the center of the crypt, where the young Empress knelt before her mother''s tomb. Sidao walked toward her, but I remained frozen, entranced by the final painting at the far end.
It was the image of the boy with white hair and blue eyes, lying in a pool of blood, his body motionless and lifeless. Dark, shadowy figures surrounded him¡ªsome laughing, others dancing in celebration of his death. Above everything, a vast darkness stretched across the painting, with black threads slithering through the scene, like puppet strings controlling fate, manipulating everyone as mere pieces in a twisted game.
"Hell of Icarus¡" I murmured, reading the words written by the Weaver of Fate beneath the painting.
Further below, scrawled in deep red ink, so dark it looked like dried blood, were the same words Sidao had whispered to me:
"Everything begins when he arrives, and everything ends when he departs."
275 - Chronos and Sovereign Icarus (BOOK 4)
Chapter 275 - Chronos and Sovereign Icarus
Chronos:
I walked through the Capital of the World, and from a distance, I could contemplate the splendor of the palace that rose as the center of all creation. Soft clouds descended from the sky and gently hovered over the palace, touching the golden domes and white marble towers. Imposing structures, sculpted from the very essence of the world, rose in glory, while majestic statues and divine sculptures adorned every street and square. The city had transformed into a celestial garden, a paradise sculpted by my own will and by the grace of my Sovereign.
The nymphs roamed the gardens as eternal caretakers, maintaining the perfection of every flower and leaf. Cylla, a city once a den of poverty and violence, had been purified. Now, it was the most beautiful of all cities, the remnants of a shattered world. Half of the world had been consumed, either by the relentless advance of the sea or by the armies during the war against the gods. What remained now was under our protection, under my watchful eye and under the absolute command of my Sovereign.
At the dawn of existence, I helped the first beings emerge from that limbo, I helped the beings that would be called ''gods.'' When I used my Divine Essence, my intention was to create balance, a perfect harmony, alongside the other first beings. But I was betrayed. Betrayed by those I helped bring to life. They imprisoned me in Tartarus, an eternal abyss of shadows and pain, so they could usurp my essence, slowly draining my power, never allowing it to replenish. The Titans, beings that emerged when my divine essence was infused into the parts of nature, were shackled and scattered across the corners of the universe, their powers exploited as mere tools.
But then he came. The only one with the courage to break the chains. The one who defies fate itself: my Sovereign Icarus. He freed me from Tartarus, destroyed the false gods who oppressed this world, and restored true order.
Now, Cylla had merged with Olympus itself. The holiest of all cities. And still, mere humans, the mortal kings, dared to walk its streets, seeking an audience with the Sovereign. But being a king now was a curse, not a blessing. After Icarus''s ascension to the position of Sovereign God, he allowed the rulers to continue their roles, but under a new paradigm. Power was no longer a symbol of glory, but of responsibility. To be a king was to be the first to answer for any crime. A king was judged alongside the thief, beheaded like any common criminal. Under the rule of the Sovereign, there was no room for corruption. There was no injustice. Only order.
"Lady Chronos," a nymph bowed deeply as she saw me pass, her voice as soft as the song of a stream.
"Is everything perfect?" I asked, my eyes scanning the details of the path paved with celestial marble. "Sovereign Icarus will leave his chambers for the first time this year. The city must be flawless to welcome him at the festival. Every petal, every light must be worthy of his presence."
"We are taking care of everything, my lady," the nymph responded with another reverence.
But I knew perfection was not enough. Not when it came to him.
I continued walking, my gaze sharp on every inch of the city. Crystal fountains poured shimmering waters, while impossible flowers bloomed on balconies. The festival I was preparing was not just a spectacle of beauty. It was a silent plea. A desperate effort.
My Sovereign, Icarus, remained on his throne. Always. Behind the divine power, there was a broken man. A being whose heart, I knew, still bled.
That¡¯s why nothing could go wrong. Not in this celebration. Not for him.
My Sovereign always remained motionless, seated on his marble throne, immersed in a silence so dense it seemed to weigh upon the entire palace. His eyes, always so imposing, now stared at his memories, trapped in recollections I dared not interrupt. He relived the past, revisiting fragments of an era when he was still human, still vulnerable. The memories of a woman whose name was almost a forbidden whisper between us... Helen.
A woman who, even before I met him, had already won his heart and defeated me.
I walked through the vast corridors, the echo of my steps resonating off the immaculate stone walls. I ran my fingers along the white marble railing, feeling the cold texture beneath my skin, searching for any trace of imperfection. A thin layer of dust brushed my hand.
"Do it again!" My voice cut through the air.
The servant trembled, bowing before me.
"Clean everything again! With no powers at all! Use your hands!" I commanded, my expression as rigid as the stone around me. "This marble came from Olympus itself! I want it flawless!"
I continued my inspection, my gaze sharp, every detail weighed under the burden of my judgment. Nothing could fall short of perfection. He deserved nothing less than absolute glory.
"Mother Chronos." A deep voice called to me, and as I turned, I saw Prometheus approaching. He was in his humanoid form, just like me. Our Sovereign, though capable of taking a colossal form of unimaginable height, still chose to remain as a human. A symbol of control, of serenity... and I, as his devotee, would never dare to appear larger in presence or stature than him.
"Ho-how is Sovereign Icarus?" Prometheus asked, hesitation in his voice revealing the respect he held. In the past, they had been close friends. Now, however, Prometheus no longer entered the Sovereign¡¯s chambers, as he felt he no longer belonged there. His admiration for Icarus kept him at a distance, becoming a guardian, even reprimanding other Titans who dared to approach.
I alone had the honor of crossing those doors. To speak, even in whispers, with Sovereign Icarus.
"Ugh... he doesn''t even pay attention to me anymore..." murmured Themis, appearing beside us with a sulking expression. "I used to enjoy drinking with the Sovereign... but now he... doesn''t even go out to party with me and hunt animals."
"Don¡¯t speak like that!" Prometheus¡¯s voice sounded sharp. "Have more respect when speaking of Sovereign Icarus! That¡¯s why I¡¯m the favorite servant. Twenty years ago, he personally asked me to fetch him coffee!" he said, puffing out his chest with pride.
Themis blushed, clenching her fists.
"S-Sovereign Icarus... once let me sit on his lap when I was sad... and talked to me until I stopped crying!" she retorted proudly, though there was a sincere gleam of nostalgia in her eyes.
"OH, YOU FOOL!" I exclaimed, fury burning in my chest. "I should be the one sitting on Sovereign Icarus¡¯s lap!"
Themis let out a mocking laugh before, in a flash of silver light, transforming into a squirrel, running across the hall with her high-pitched voice echoing, "I¡¯m his favorite!"
I gritted my teeth, watching as the small creature vanished between the columns.
Prometheus, on the other hand, was already kneeling on the floor, scrubbing the carpet with a linen cloth.
"That stupid Themis... I don¡¯t want to see A SINGLE HAIR on this carpet! Everything must be flawless for the Sovereign!"
***
I continued my task with an almost obsessive dedication, inspecting every corner of the city with sharp eyes. The crystal-clear waters were purified when I summoned the sea creatures, which swam in perfect synchrony, cleansing every trace of impurity. My whispers echoed through the winds, summoning the spirits to prevent the trees from shedding leaves onto the ground.
Everything had to be perfect.
The only place that remained untouched was the entrance to an old sewer, left undisturbed. Standing before it, I felt a chill run down my spine.
¡°This is where my Sovereign grew up¡¡± I murmured, my voice softly echoing against the damp walls.
I approached, my fingers gliding reverently over the worn stones until I reached the entrance to a small room within the tunnel. The air there felt heavier, imbued with the memories of the past.
¡°For today... this place will remain sealed.¡±
I took a step back and snapped my fingers. The stones responded to my command, moving with precision until a solid wall sealed the passage. Around me, a garden bloomed instantly: silver roses and emerald vines intertwining, transforming that forgotten space into a sanctuary.
Cylla City pulsed with celebration.
The annual festival had begun. Banquets stretched across the city, with tables laden with meticulously prepared delicacies. Music echoed through the cobbled streets, where humans danced and laughed, celebrating the greatness of our Sovereign and the city''s anniversary. But from atop the palace, I watched it all... and it still wasn¡¯t enough.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
¡°They¡¯re not happy enough!¡± I growled to myself, my hands clenched at my sides.
Below, in the royal gardens, influential human figures gathered under silk canopies, while elemental beings served as butlers, moving gracefully among the guests. Every dish, every goblet, was prepared with the finest quality: plants grown under the purest sunlight and animals raised in the perfect environment.
Still, something was missing.
¡°Do you know where Sovereign Icarus is?¡± Prometheus appeared beside me, his brow furrowed in concern.
¡°Where else would he be? In his chambers. He only comes out at the end of the party... as always,¡± I replied, though the certainty of his arrival didn¡¯t ring true in my voice.
He hesitated, uneasy.
¡°Prometheus... What is it?¡±
He took a deep breath, avoiding my gaze.
¡°Sovereign Icarus... he¡¯s already left the throne room.¡±
The reality hit me like a cold blade.
¡°Excuse me?¡±
The sharp sound of a snap echoed through the palace. Each goblet on the banquet tables cracked in unison, the crystal shattering into tiny luminous shards.
¡°Explain yourself now, Prometheus.¡±
¡°I... I went to check the hall one last time today, for the hundredth time, and... the door was open. He wasn¡¯t there.¡±
My expression hardened. The world around me seemed to freeze for a moment.
¡°Why was I not informed of this?!¡±
I strode toward a servant, my gaze fiery and relentless.
¡°Sovereign Icarus left his chambers and you didn¡¯t alert me?! What¡¯s the explanation for this failure?¡±
The servant trembled, stammering.
¡°I... I... Lady Chronos, I didn¡¯t know... I simply... felt the urge to do other tasks. I... forgot about that room...¡±
¡°Forgot? Are you telling me... you forgot your only duty?! Forgot to serve our Sovereign?!¡±
Others approached, nervous, their trembling voices echoing.
"Lady Chronos... we feel the same... as if... it were impossible to remember the room... suddenly, it... just disappeared from our minds..."
Prometheus, thoughtful, brought his hand to his chin. "It must have been... the Sovereign himself. He probably didn¡¯t want to be disturbed. He used his power to erase the presence of the servants from the room... without them noticing."
The fury in my chest subsided, turning into a wave of unease.
¡°That makes sense...¡± I whispered, clenching my fists. ¡°But... where is he now?¡±
Without waiting for a response, I began running through the hallways, the echo of my boots filling the palace. Every door, every corner, I searched with growing desperation. The royal chambers, the kitchens, the gardens... even the bathrooms.
Nothing.
¡°Sovereign Icarus... I need to find him!¡±
The entire city went into alert. Aquatic creatures emerged from the depths of the sea, while flocks of birds cut through the sky, their magical eyes scanning every inch of the land. Elemental spirits searched through the shadows, while the Titans dispersed in search of their master.
***
¡°Is he here¡?¡± I whispered, my voice barely an echo amidst the pulse of power I could feel.
The festival continued in full swing, with streets filled with civilians dancing, eating, and celebrating, oblivious to the magnitude of the one truly walking among them. But I could feel it. No matter how subtle my Sovereign¡¯s presence was, even when he deliberately suppressed his divine aura to remain hidden, I was the only one among them who could sense him.
As I moved through the crowd, I noticed the glances turning toward me. My robes, my human form, were known throughout the City of Cylla. The silver glow in my eyes, my impeccable posture ¡ª everything was a symbol of absolute power. And they knew it.
Some fell to their knees, murmuring words of devotion. Others hesitated, as if they wanted to offer me gifts but feared getting too close.
Pathetic.
I ignored them. Every single one of them. My focus was solely on finding him.
¡°Damn it!¡± I growled in frustration.
The discomfort in my chest grew, a burning heat of anger. I couldn¡¯t afford to be distracted. I closed my eyes and let the magic flow. With a single thought, I became invisible, dissolving into the shadows. But it wasn¡¯t enough.
I transformed my shape. My face altered, my skin and features molding into something unrecognizable. Now, I appeared to be just another ordinary human woman: powerless, without glory. A mere mortal.
I made myself visible again and continued moving through the people, their gazes no longer on me.
His energy was close.
I passed by dancers twirling to the music, silver trays carrying exotic fruits and wines, children running through the streets lit by golden lanterns. The whole city seemed to breathe in harmony.
But then I saw him.
Sitting.
On the steps of a stone staircase, he was there. My Sovereign.
And beside him, a human child.
The shock stole my breath. How could no one notice?! How dared they ignore the presence of the one who shaped the sky and the earth?!
¡°I¡¯m going to kill these humans!¡± I muttered through clenched teeth, my blood boiling. ¡°They should be kneeling before him!¡±
I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. No... I needed to calm down. Control my emotions. His serene presence there was enough to remind me of my place.
I straightened my shoulders.
I hardened my gaze.
And then I flashed the most charming smile I could muster.
Am I pretty enough?
Simple clothes. Human features.
Damn... I¡¯ve spent the last few moments sculpting every detail of my face as Chronos... and now he¡¯s going to see me in this pathetic form.
But none of that mattered.
I needed to reach him.
I took calculated steps toward him.
And then I saw him... smiling.
Next to him, a little girl, a mere mortal, was laughing while talking to him, as if they were... friends. A frail little girl, her hair disheveled, smiling at him as if they were... equals.
¡°The sky... I like the sky more than the sea,¡± she said innocently, swinging her feet as she spoke with him. ¡°The sky I can look at every day... but the sea is far away.¡±
He tilted his head, pondering her childish words with a patience that seemed... divine.
¡°If you want... I can bring the sea closer to the city,¡± he answered softly.
The little girl let out a crystalline giggle.
¡°That¡¯s not possible. Only those who live in that palace do those things.¡± She pointed at our palace on the horizon.
He smiled, serene as always.
¡°But I live in that palace.¡±
And she laughed at what he said, as if she didn¡¯t believe him.
She laughed!
¡°How funny you are, sir.¡±
I almost froze.
How... how dare this... this... filthy human speak to him like that? Without reverence, without fear?!
And then came the final blow.
¡°A-are you going to eat that?¡±
The wretched girl pointed at his plate.
He simply nodded, extending the plate.
¡°Would you like some? I only eat for fun. I¡¯m not hungry.¡±
NO! NO! NO!
She took something from my Sovereign¡¯s plate!
She dared... touch... the food... of my Sovereign.
My fists clenched, my teeth grinding. The air around me began to vibrate, almost distorted by the suppressed power.
I... I will kill this filthy creature.
I counted.
Twelve seconds.
TWELVE SECONDS!
That was how long she spent leaning against his arm. How dare she do that?
¡°Where do you live?¡± my Sovereign¡¯s voice echoed, soft, almost gentle.
The little girl, with her big innocent eyes, answered simply:
¡°I just live... somewhere¡±
He furrowed his brow, analyzing her words with that serene and deep gaze.
¡°You don¡¯t have a home?¡±
Before she could respond, a rough voice interrupted the moment:
"Hey! Get off my stairs! Go eat somewhere else!"
The blood in my veins boiled.
The audacity!
That filthy human dared to order my Sovereign off a stone step as if he were any beggar?
I felt the divine aura pulse within my chest, ready to reduce the entire street to ashes.
I will kill them all... Now.
But then...
He saw me.
His eyes rose in my direction, and with a simple hand gesture¡ªcalm, delicate, almost imperceptible¡ªhe commanded me not to interfere.
The fury within me silenced. Against my will, but it silenced.
The little girl stood up, pulling at the hem of her dress carelessly.
¡°We better leave, sir...¡± she said, her voice pure, not understanding the gravity of the situation.
My Sovereign rose with the same calm demeanor, taking the nearly empty plate in his hands. The two of them began walking, leaving the steps behind.
I followed, invisible among the crowd. Every fiber of my being screamed to annihilate that despicable human and the filthy girl right after. How dare they treat him like that?
But I stayed silent, watching.
They stopped in front of a trash bin. The plate they carried was emptied there, the action so mundane it felt wrong coming from him.
¡°I live in a house, but not in this city,¡± the girl explained, fiddling with her fingers. ¡°I live in a village in the forest.¡±
He looked at her, genuinely interested.
¡°How did a little girl like you end up in this city?¡±
She smiled as if it were obvious.
¡°I took a caravan for the city¡¯s anniversary. They serve free food for a week. I thought it would be fun.¡±
He shook his head, his eyes softening.
¡°And where will you stay?¡±
¡°The inns are all free here. I can choose any of them,¡± she answered, her eyes sparkling, too innocent to realize who she was talking to.
For a moment, my Sovereign smiled.
¡°Impressive¡ you thought of everything,¡± he murmured to himself.
They continued walking, the crowd around them oblivious to the presence of the greatest being alive.
¡°If you have a home,¡± he said after a while, ¡°then why did you say you just live somewhere?¡±
The little girl shrugged, starting to skip, her dress swaying with the light movement.
¡°I spend more time outside my house than at home.¡±
He frowned.
¡°Why?¡±
The girl stopped skipping, looking at the stones beneath her feet, hesitant.
¡°My father... he¡¯s not a good person.¡±
Silence fell over the scene, but my Sovereign...
He didn¡¯t hesitate.
¡°If you want, I can kill your father.¡±
The girl looked at him, surprised.
¡°That wouldn¡¯t be wise, sir. Crimes are prohibited. Sovereign Icarus would come and kill you in the worst way possible.¡±
He remained silent for a moment... then responded:
¡°But I am Sovereign Icarus.¡±
She burst into laughter.
¡°You tell a lot of jokes, sir.¡±
I wanted to scream.
She¡¯s laughing at him! HOW DARE SHE?!
But he... he almost seemed... relieved.
Her laughter seemed to disarm something inside him, a fraction of the weight he always carried.
The little girl bit her bottom lip, hesitating.
¡°I don¡¯t want anything to happen to my father,¡± she continued, her voice quieter. ¡°I just wanted... for him to be a good father. He became like this after my mother died.¡±
The expression on my Sovereign¡¯s face shifted.
Subtle, but I noticed.
That old, familiar pain resurfaced in his gaze, like a shadow haunting his immortal being.
¡°That¡¯s no excuse¡¡± he said softly, but then paused, looking at her more deeply, more humanly.
¡°How did you deal with your mother¡¯s death?¡±
She sighed, looking up at the sky.
¡°I just accepted it... but I know one day I¡¯ll see her. When I die.¡±
Ignorance...
Pure human ignorance...
¡°My mother would bring me to the city¡¯s anniversary, but when she left¡¡± she continued, a small melancholic smile forming on her face. ¡°That¡¯s why I came... and tonight... I remembered her... and it hurt...¡±
They kept walking, silence reigning.
And then she whispered, almost like a confession:
¡°That¡¯s why I like the sky... because I know she¡¯s up there.¡±
I silently raised my eyes to the same sky.
And I knew the truth.
Above the clouds, there was nothing.
No paradise. No embrace.
Above, there was only the infinite void.
Those who die do not return.
And if they do return...
They do not return as they were.
What comes back from the dead... is something broken. Deteriorated.
Death was an unbreakable cycle, a fate even the gods did not dare challenge.
That¡¯s why even they feared death.
And there, beside that ignorant human, I saw in my Sovereign¡¯s eyes the memory of a pain far too ancient to heal.
276 - Chronos, Sovereign Icarus, and Helen
Chapter 276 - Chronos, Sovereign Icarus, and Helen
Chronos:
The two continued walking through the festival, blending into the crowd that celebrated under the golden glow of torches. Laughter and music felt distant to me as I watched them, still invisible, following their every step, every gesture. They stopped at a food stall, where he picked up a small piece of bread and offered it to the little girl.
She accepted it with a shy smile, taking a bite as they kept talking, their voices soft, almost lost in the cheerful chaos of the city.
Finally, the girl stopped in front of an inn¡¯s door. Her eyes turned to him, hesitant.
"How did you know I was crying?" she asked, her delicate voice carrying the weight of quiet confusion.
He gazed at her for a moment with those ancient, profound eyes that seemed to see far beyond words.
"I told you, didn¡¯t I? Out of all the happy people in this city¡ you were the second saddest."
The little girl blinked, confused. "A-and who¡¯s the first?"
He smiled, but it wasn¡¯t a real smile.
"An old man¡ sorrowful¡ wasting his life away, rotting on a throne."
And then, as if wanting to lighten the weight of his words, he reached out and gently pinched her nose.
Her laughter rang out like a bell¡ªso pure¡ so annoyingly pure.
She opened the inn¡¯s door and hesitated, turning back one last time.
"Will I see you again at the festival tomorrow, sir?"
He crossed his arms, tilting his head slightly, as if pondering the question with a playful tease.
"Maybe¡"
She smiled, stepping inside, but then he called out:
"Wait¡ you never told me your name. What¡¯s your name?"
For a second, the girl seemed shy, adjusting her dress before answering:
"My name is¡ Helen."
The world stopped.
The air around me seemed to constrict, suffocating, as if time itself had frozen in that exact moment.
That name¡
My throat tightened.
The forbidden name.
Helen!
A million thoughts crashed into my mind. I had been meticulous, obsessive¡ personally overseeing every birth record in Cylla.
No one could have that name. No one.
The most common name in all of Greece, yes, a relic of the old legends of Troy. But I would never allow anyone to defile this city with that name.
And yet¡
There was an exception.
The festival.
The one moment when I couldn''t control every detail.
And now¡ she was here.
"M-my Sovereign¡" I tried to speak, my voice trembling as I stepped forward.
His face was expressionless.
The silence that fell between us was so dense that even the sounds of the festival felt distant, muffled. His presence, so controlled just moments ago, now pulsed around me like an unbearable weight¡ªsuffocating.
But then...
He smiled.
And that... broke something inside me.
"It was a pleasure meeting you, Helen," he said, his voice far too gentle. "My name is... Icarus."
Then he turned.
And left.
His strides were long, quick¡ªgaining speed as he moved through the crowd, distancing himself from the girl... and from me.
"Sovereign...!"
I followed him.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
But he didn¡¯t stop.
The crowd seemed to part for him, yet close in around me. I shoved past bodies, frustration burning through me as he vanished into the shadows of a narrow alley.
I ran, my heartbeat pounding in my ears.
When I reached the end of the alley...
He was gone.
***
I searched every street of the festival, every alley illuminated by golden lanterns, every plaza where music and laughter still echoed. But I couldn¡¯t find him.
My Sovereign had disappeared.
Frustration tangled with the anxiety in my chest, a suffocating weight. He never¡ never did this. And even if he did, I would always find him. Always.
Except now.
When the night finally ended, I returned to the palace, resuming my role as Lady Chronos. Before the most influential humans, I maintained flawless composure, representing my Sovereign¡¯s presence with the same unwavering pride as always¡ªeven if, deep inside, I was restless.
At the end of the gathering, Prometheus approached, his expression heavy with concern.
"The Sovereign¡ what happened to him?"
I hesitated, my gaze drifting to the grand windows of the hall, where the moon still bathed the sleeping city in silver light.
"It¡¯s¡ a long story."
As I spoke, a servant stepped forward and murmured that the Sovereign had returned and had secluded himself in his throne room.
"Just know¡ the forbidden name was spoken."
Prometheus halted mid-step.
"I see..." That was all he said, but the weight in his expression revealed that he understood exactly what it meant.
I walked alone through the silent palace, my footsteps echoing¡ªa stark reminder of the gravity of this moment.
Stopping before the massive golden doors of the throne room, I dismissed the servants with a flick of my hand and stood still for a moment. I closed my eyes, inhaling deeply, steadying my expression.
With a thought, I conjured a mirror before me and studied every detail. My face was flawless, sculpted to the perfection I had honed for centuries. The most beautiful of all. The most perfect.
For him.
I took a slow breath, then finally, I opened the door.
I was the only one who could do so. No other soul in this world would dare enter unbidden.
The doors shut behind me with a solemn, resounding thud.
My Sovereign was there¡ but he was not seated on the throne.
He was on the steps below the throne, the once-majestic figure now looking... worn. In his hands, a bottle of liquor¡ªsuch a mundane gesture. Even though I knew alcohol had no effect on him, he drank anyway.
I swallowed hard and approached, my posture flawless, my most graceful smile in place¡ªradiant enough to illuminate the hall.
His body was covered in blood. A lot of blood.
"The little girl¡¯s father will never raise his hand against her again..." he said, his voice low, but carrying a cold, unshakable resolve. "He will be a good father. And he will never forget what happened to him tonight..."
Then he fell silent, his eyes fixed on the bottle.
"D-did you enjoy this year¡¯s festival, my Sovereign?" I asked, trying to change the subject.
He remained silent for a moment, his gaze lost in the amber liquid.
"I... did."
That was all he said before taking another sip.
I stood still, waiting for praise¡ a word of approval.
Nothing came.
The silence was crushing.
"Um... I... I sculpted my face even better this year. I made it even more perfect. Did you like it¡?"
My voice sounded hesitant. Pathetically hesitant.
He lifted his gaze to me, and for a moment, the intensity in his eyes made my heart race.
"Chronos... you are even more beautiful."
But there was no warmth in his words. Only emptiness.
He took another drink.
No matter how hard I tried... no matter how much I shaped myself for him, no matter how desperately I pursued perfection... nothing seemed capable of reaching my Sovereign¡¯s wounded soul.
"T-thank you..."
The room plunged into thick silence.
I wanted to ask about that... human.
About what she had said.
About her name.
But I didn¡¯t know how.
Then, his voice cut through the silence:
"Do you think¡ there¡¯s something after true death? A ''paradise'' or a ¡®hell¡¯...?"
The bottle remained suspended halfway to his lips. He wasn¡¯t looking at me.
I knew.
He wasn¡¯t talking about ordinary death.
He wanted to know if there was something... beyond annihilation.
If there was a place Helen could have gone.
I held my breath, unable to answer right away. He already knew the truth, but maybe he sought some comfort.
But I would never lie to him.
"When one''s existence is erased... they cease to be. There is nothing beyond the other side. Only the void. An unknown, absolute void." My voice was firm, but there was no comfort in my words.
Silence returned.
I regretted it.
Regretted saying something that hurt him.
"Maybe I should try going there myself..." he muttered, a short, bitter laugh escaping him before he took another sip.
I swallowed hard. My heart pounded.
"My Sovereign, do not say that. I would be deeply saddened if such a thing happened. Besides... no one could erase your existence. There is no one in this world... with the power to do so."
He slowly turned the bottle in his hand, staring at the liquid as if searching for answers within it.
"Only me..." he murmured. "I''m the only one who can kill myself..."
The weight of his words struck me like a blade.
"M-my Sovereign..." My voice was calm, but laden with worry. "I care about you deeply. I... I hope this is just a joke."
He shrugged, letting out a laugh devoid of any joy. Then, silence consumed the room once more.
He placed the bottle on the step beside him, leaning forward and covering his face with his hands.
I watched him, and what I saw cut through me like a dagger.
This was not the Sovereign I once knew.
For years, I had been by his side. It was true that he always carried a sorrow within him, but he was also someone who, despite it all, inspired us. Before every battle, he found the right words, the fire needed to lead us. He was the beacon in the darkness.
But everything changed...
After he killed his last enemy.
After he claimed the title of God Sovereign.
Since that night¡ he had never been the same.
I took a deep breath.
Maybe this was the right moment to ask.
"My Sovereign..." I began hesitantly. "What happened that night? What happened when you entered that room¡ to kill Athena?"
He didn¡¯t move.
"What did she say to you before she died¡ that left you like this? That even after a hundred years¡ you still carry this anguish?"
He lifted his face, and for the first time in so long, I saw something I never expected to find in his eyes.
Guilt.
A guilt so deep, so consuming, it seemed to devour everything around him.
"Athena told me a truth..." he finally said, his voice hoarse, carrying a weight that seemed impossible to bear. "A truth I want to forget... but I can''t."
A shiver ran down my spine.
For years, we had all wondered what had happened in that room, what words had been exchanged between them.
But he had never answered.
Never revealed what was said.
"What truth?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
He hesitated, his gaze fixed on some distant point, as if reliving that moment.
When he finally spoke, the air around me seemed to vanish.
The truth he revealed was an abyss¡ªan unhealable wound.
And that was when I understood.
I understood that nothing in this world could erase his sorrow.
Not even me.
My Sovereign was doomed to carry that guilt forever.
As the years passed, I drifted away from him, bitter that he never returned my feelings. I fought with my Sovereign and chose to distance myself.
But when I finally returned to see him, to apologize¡
He was gone.
The only man I ever loved had left me.
And now, it was I who carried a guilt that consumed me more with each passing day.
277 - The General is 16 Years Old
Chapter 277 - The General is 16 Years Old
Nathan Evenhart:
When was the last time I talked to myself like this? It''s been a while.
It¡¯s been a year since the incident we know as the Battle of the Evenhart Duchy, though the public never learned of it. The balance of power in the duchy shifted drastically. My aunt controls the rival faction, and you already know her plans¡ªbut there are details you can only grasp by seeing them in action.
Now, let¡¯s get to the main point¡I¡¯m sixteen years old, in my second year at the academy, and at the age when nobles are expected to arrange a marriage. In my case?
I''ve been engaged since I was five.
My fianc¨¦e, Chloe, is a duchess and an ice-element mage. And yes, I have a romantic relationship with her, but nothing beyond that has happened over the past year. My soul may be 500 years old, but I genuinely feel sixteen. And honestly, it¡¯s hard not to be tempted by the idea of having beautiful fianc¨¦es...
Because, well, I don¡¯t have just one fianc¨¦e.
I have three.
My second fianc¨¦e, Kinue, is a demi-human with long blonde hair and green eyes. Officially, she¡¯s just my girlfriend, but I know how lucky I am to have her by my side.
And the third?
Well... she¡¯s a dragon. Or something close to it, since her race comes from an unknown land where powerful beings exist. Cylla believes we''re already married, and she¡¯s just as peculiar as I am. She¡¯s also been reincarnated, though she doesn¡¯t remember her past life. All I know is that at some point, she dreamed of me as Icarus and began searching for me.
Things have changed for Cylla at the academy as well. Over the past year, rumors spread that she was a Moon Panther cub after some professors specialized in magical beasts recognized her, making her somewhat famous. Because of that, more and more students started showing up to classes just to get a glimpse of her, and¡ªconsequently¡ªI ended up gaining some fame too.
But¡ I learned the hard way that not everyone approached out of genuine curiosity.
Some girls started using Cylla as an excuse¡ªpretending they wanted to talk to her, when in reality, they just wanted to get close to me.
My fianc¨¦es, of course, didn¡¯t let that slide. The moment they saw me giving too much attention to some of them, I was thoroughly scolded.
I swear I wasn¡¯t trying anything!
It was just five girls who only wanted to chat¡ How was I supposed to know the conversation would suddenly shift to them being single and looking for a noble to marry?
I continued walking, adjusting my clothes. I had just stepped off a small ship, and upon arriving, I saw that the port had been prepared for a grand feast organized by the dukes. I had spent nearly two weeks aboard, inspecting valuable artifacts and treasures for the event. The ship had traveled through all the major ports of the duchies, collecting treasures from noble vaults.
The feast, organized by the dukes, was meant to encourage cooperation among them, and the display of these treasures was a way to symbolize that unity.
I accepted the job when I learned that my aunt would be sending a team to one of the main ships.
Being a committed man is complicated; I have way too many expensive gifts to buy for my fianc¨¦es.
That night, all eight dukes were gathered in the same place¡ªa rare and historic event.
In the past, each independent kingdom signed an agreement that led to a non-aggression and cooperation pact, defining each duchy¡¯s primary role and shaping them into what they are today.
This pact put an end to territorial disputes, allowing the duchies to become essential pillars of the kingdom when it fractured from the old empire.
The main activities were divided into sectors such as Military, Agriculture, Construction, Mining, and Engineering. Among the military duchies, the Valemont and Saul families stand out.
That doesn¡¯t mean the other duchies lack armies, but their primary activities dictate their regions¡¯ structure and functionality.
For example, my family cannot shift its main focus to large-scale weapons manufacturing, just as a military duchy cannot redirect its priorities toward agriculture. Doing so would disrupt the balance that sustains the kingdom.
The agreement includes clear limitations on what each duchy can produce outside its main area, ensuring that the economic and political balance remains stable.
In practice, my family leads agricultural sovereignty across the entire kingdom, but this position comes with restrictions. We cannot have a stronger military force or invest heavily in technology.
On the other hand, commercially, we have the advantage of selling to all the duchies and to the capital, which places the agricultural dukes in an economically superior position within their regions. This land sovereignty strengthens them financially but limits their growth in other areas.
This system is, in reality, the kingdom¡¯s way of keeping everyone under control. No duchy dares to break the agreement, as that would mean economic isolation, facing a united kingdom ready to invade and oppress their lands. On the other hand, accepting the pact guarantees extreme wealth by exercising the main activity exclusively. It¡¯s a choice between money and the fear of invasion, but the result is that all the duchies ended up adhering to the agreement to put an end to the wars of the past.
After all, that was a period of carnage. Today, all the leaders of the duchies drink and laugh together¡ªsomething that, millennia ago, would have been unthinkable without them trying to kill each other.
As I walked through the event, a figure appeared in the distance, but upon seeing me, rushed toward me. It was a 15-year-old boy from the new first-year class at the academy, thin, wearing a formal outfit that looked like a butler¡¯s uniform. He was probably working at the feast, maybe near the nobles or as my aunt¡¯s assistant. He had red hair and a personality¡ cheerful? A bit silly? I don¡¯t know, but he was a good person, even if peculiar.
"I''m very happy to see you here, Lord Nathan," said the boy, bowing.
"It¡¯s a feast given by the dukes, why wouldn¡¯t I be?" I answered seriously but jokingly.
He got nervous.
"True! I¡¯m sorry, sir," he quickly corrected himself.
"It''s all right, Frederick. I¡¯m just joking with you. What are you doing here? I thought my aunt would have already dismissed you to go back home to the city. Your mother is going to scold you for getting home late."
"I¡¯m already an adult, sir¡ at least on paper. I turned 15 over the break, did you forget?" he replied, laughing.
"Sorry, Lord Wolves," I bowed playfully.
He panicked.
"Don¡¯t do that, sir! If someone of your status does that to someone like me, I¡¯m in trouble!"
I laughed.
Frederick Wolves¡ yes, he was part of Nikolaus Wolves¡¯ family¡ªor what was left of it. After Nikolaus fell, the kingdom stripped his nobility and handed over his lands, fortune, and even the lives of his descendants to my aunt. Castles, farms, businesses, inventions, inheritances¡ everything was confiscated. Harming a High Noble has severe consequences: the lives of children, grandchildren, nephews, employees, and commoners tied to the Wolves family were placed under my aunt¡¯s control, who was granted the right to decide their fates¡ªincluding execution¡ªat any time.
You know my aunt. You know what she did¡ ¡°Servitude or Death.¡± Those who worked for the Wolves family but were not directly involved in Nikolaus'' crimes were given the option of servitude. They would continue working on the same lands to keep the duchy¡¯s economy stable. As for those who were actively involved¡ they were either executed or, well, wished they had been. I won¡¯t go into details.
The Wolves were a large family, full of cousins and distant relatives. Although they lost their noble titles, my aunt did not punish those who had nothing to do with Nikolaus¡¯ crimes. She offered servitude as an alternative, and although they are bound to some conditions or could be executed at any time, my aunt was not a tyrant.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
They kept part of their fortune and certain rights as noble citizens, but under strict rules: they cannot leave the duchy without prior notice to the local baron, minor crimes result in immediate execution, and if they marry someone from outside, their children inherit the punishment.
It was a delicate situation. Technically, we could have turned all of them into slaves.
The main branch of the Wolves family was nearly wiped out when Nikolaus took over leadership after his father and brother¡¯s deaths.
The heir, Frederick, was the illegitimate son of Nikolaus'' brother and a commoner maid who suffered abuse in the Wolves household. He had been sent to a remote village and was supposed to live out his days as a local guard, but Nikolaus kept him alive for a reason.
After marrying Chloe and taking control of the Evenhart Duchy, Nikolaus planned to install Frederick as a marquis under his control, since Chloe¡¯s children would inherit the Evenhart name, not Wolves.
"I have to go, Frederick," I said, trying to end the conversation.
"Nathan¡ I mean, Lord Nathan." He seemed a bit embarrassed. "Are you still going to help me¡ with that?"
I raised an eyebrow, crossing my arms.
"Are you seriously asking me for help getting a date with Natty and Catty?"
Frederick turned red like a tomato, stepping closer in a panic.
"Please, keep your voice down!" he whispered, nervous. "I¡ I just want some tips. I want to know what Nathalie and Caitlyn like."
I paused, pretending to give it serious thought.
"Knives, axes¡ and any tool capable of causing pain."
He blinked, confused.
"I¡¯m being serious, Lord Nathan. I¡ I just wanted to try getting closer, you know? Maybe be friends with them."
I am being serious¡
I placed a hand on his shoulder, giving him the kind of look one gives to a man whose soul was already lost.
"Frederick¡ I would help you with any other single girl at the academy. Any of them. But those two¡ man, I pity what they¡¯d do to you if you tried anything."
He sighed, looking discouraged.
"I¡¯m serious, Lord Nathan¡ I really like them. I tried to find out as much as I could about them, but they¡¯re too reserved..."
I sighed as well.
"Alright¡ I¡¯ll help you. Here¡¯s what you do: go to Martha and Hugo and tell them you¡¯re interested in their daughters. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll welcome you with open arms¡ and even give you a few tips."
He gave me a wary look, trying to figure out if I was being serious or just messing with him.
"I¡ think I shouldn¡¯t do that."
I smirked.
"Yeah¡ you really think I¡¯d set up a suitor for their daughters? Did you forget I¡¯m basically their boss? Anything I say could be taken as a recommendation. Besides, that lovely woman cooks my food, cleans my room, and¡ well, she has the key to it. I have no desire to test the wrath of a mother. But look, I did promise to help you. I¡¯ll put you in the same place as them. The rest¡ is up to you."
I let out a small laugh and walked away, leaving Frederick behind.
Poor soul¡
As I walked, I kept thinking about how insane that boy was for even considering getting close to the twins. He had no idea what he was getting himself into.
Before I could move on, Frederick appeared again, stopping me in my tracks.
"Lord Nathan..." he said, bowing respectfully, though his nervousness was clear. "Please, help me. I¡¯ll do anything you ask¡ as long as it¡¯s not something wrong. I just¡ I just want to at least try being friends with the twins. And also¡ to know if their parents would approve¡ I mean¡ if they¡¯d even allow me to approach them."
He¡¯s courting death and doesn¡¯t even realize it¡
"Do you really want to know if they¡¯d approve of someone? If they¡¯d accept a boy trying to get close to their daughters and asking them out? Do you even realize what you¡¯re asking?" I questioned him.
Frederick nodded, serious.
"I beg for your help, Lord Nathan. I¡ I know they are nobles. I don¡¯t understand nobility very well, but I know parents decide their children¡¯s futures. I just want to know if I can try¡ to be their friend."
I stared at him for a moment, reflecting on the sheer insanity he was trying to throw himself into.
"Alright¡ but you do remember your last name, don¡¯t you? Wolves."
He nodded again, not quite understanding where I was going with this.
"Their family has served mine since this land was founded. You, my friend¡ are at the top of their list of people they¡¯d love to kill. Literally¡"
Frederick turned pale.
The boy lowered his head, shame evident.
"Alright¡ sorry, Lord Nathan. I¡ I didn¡¯t mean to cause trouble."
I sighed, shaking my head.
"Don¡¯t worry so much. I¡¯ll help you."
He lifted his gaze, his eyes shining with hope.
"I¡¯ll ask their mother what she thinks about some random academy student¡ let¡¯s say, taking an interest in her daughters. I won¡¯t mention it¡¯s you."
A huge smile spread across his face.
"Thank you so much, Lord Nathan!"
Then, in a moment of excitement, he placed his hands on my shoulders¡ªonly to quickly step back once he realized his mistake.
"Oh! I¡¯m sorry, Lord Nathan! I don¡¯t have permission to¡ to touch you like that."
I sighed internally.
"I don¡¯t mind, Frederick¡ but you need to understand how things work with other nobles. If you did that to someone more traditional, someone who sees themselves as superior, you could end up in a very difficult situation."
He nodded, more serious this time.
"You and I grew up among commoners. Our sense of etiquette is different. But these elitist nobles¡ they do care about these formalities. You¡¯ll have to learn if you want to avoid embarrassing yourself."
Frederick nodded again, looking a little more confident.
Even so, I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that he was diving headfirst into a viper¡¯s nest.
Frederick lost his nobility¡ªthough he barely even knew he had it. Nikolaus had forced him to live as a commoner, keeping him isolated from the family and distant relatives. When he and his mother were sentenced to death by a kingdom official, they were desperate. But my aunt¡ she forgave them. She also had to help them in other ways, since the Wolves family¡¯s reputation was in ruins among the nobility after Nikolaus¡¯ crimes. Imagine waking up one day and finding out you were going to die because of a crime committed by a distant relative?
Yeah. A lot of people wanted Frederick dead¡ªespecially once he was considered a commoner, meaning no one would care if he were assassinated.
To protect him, my aunt restored his noble status, promoting him to Baron at the age of fifteen. It was the only way to ensure safety for him and his mother. She also granted him a portion of the Wolves¡¯ inheritance, while the rest was reinvested into the duchy itself¡ªparticularly in the region he now governs. The boy inherited earth magic, a trademark of the Wolves bloodline, and was sent to study in Apsalon, since his family¡¯s fortune allowed him to receive a proper magical education.
I got closer to him during this period, as he temporarily stayed in a village near the castle while his mother handled documents with my aunt. Since I was starting to take on my role as duke, I also participated in the process.
The ceremony was simple: a few nobles from the duchy were present, and Frederick had to kneel before me, Chloe, and my aunt.
She handed him a scepter and pinned an insignia onto his ceremonial attire while delivering a formal speech about duty and protection.
I tried to pay attention, but halfway through, I have to admit¡ªmy mind wandered.
Blame Athena. She wouldn¡¯t stop whispering bullshit in my ear.
In the end, Frederick was formally named a baron, securing political protection, and became somewhat of an assistant to me.
My aunt saw this as an opportunity to teach me about administration while I helped him, since the village under his command was nearly a day''s travel away, and she wanted to invest in that region.
When he awakened the earth element, he decided to become a Builder Mage, which made sense, considering his position as an administrator.
There¡¯s an ironic detail in all of this:
One of the villages Frederick now governs is the same one that Nikolaus¡¯ men raided years ago, forcing the villagers to seek my aunt¡¯s help.
That was the night I went after the raiders with Sifu, leaving my mother behind, only to end up getting kidnapped by Sisika.
That village became special to me. And now, the heir of the Wolves family is the one taking care of it. It¡¯s hard not to see the irony in that.
Frederick grew even closer to me after joining Apsalon Academy. He¡¯s a naive kid, completely harmless. One time, I joked that he should get a hat for his horse because of the sun. He believed me. Poor guy. And to top it off, he fell for Natty and Catty.
He swears he only fell for one of them¡ªonly realizing they were twins when he saw them together.
In the end, he seems to have fallen for both.
This guy is insane. I guess that¡¯s why his last name is Wolves¡ªthat family is full of crazy ideas.
In the distance, I spotted a familiar figure at one of the main tables.The hall was grand, with nine tables standing out at the center of the massive, illuminated space. Eight of them belonged to the dukes and their families, while the ninth, at the very center, belonged to the representative of the royal family and their entourage.
At my family¡¯s table, I noticed Martha standing still beside the chairs. She was clearly holding herself back, struggling internally. My aunt had probably forbidden her from working at this event, insisting that she enjoy the occasion and let the other servants handle the service. But I knew Martha too well. She was a perfectionist. Standing around with nothing to do had to be eating her alive.
The moment she saw me, Martha rushed over, worry gleaming in her eyes.
"Young master! I¡¯m glad everything went well with your mission." Her stiff posture and restless hands showed just how much she wanted to do something. "Would you like me to fetch anything for you?"
I knew exactly what she was doing. Looking for an excuse to keep busy.
"No need, Martha. Thank you, you can rest."
A faint smile formed on my lips, but inside, I was thoroughly enjoying watching the internal conflict deepen on her face. Telling her to rest was like throwing a spark into a barrel of gunpowder. She looked even more tense, quiet frustration flashing in the way she bit the corner of her lips.
"Is everything alright, Martha?" I asked, feigning concern.
"Of course..." she replied, visibly disheartened, returning to her spot with the look of someone who had just suffered defeat.
I sighed and decided to cut her some slack.
She deserved it.
"Martha," I called again.
She turned instantly, her face lighting up with an impeccable smile.
"Would you like me to do something, young master?" The hope in her voice was palpable.
Damn¡ She¡¯s so dedicated I actually felt guilty.
"Can you show me where Kinue and Chloe are?"
Her smile widened¡ªlike I had just given her a purpose in life.
"Of course! Let me be of service!"
She immediately started guiding me through the hall, taking the opportunity to update me on the past few days. I listened to her, but something was still on my mind. And I decided to bring it up.
"By the way," I interrupted, "I found out there¡¯s a boy at the academy who wants to ask your daughters out¡ He even asked for my help to figure out what they like so he could buy them a gift."
She stopped abruptly and, to my surprise, started laughing.
A genuine laugh¡ªyet filled with a deadly undertone.
"That was funny, young master."
"I¡¯m being serious."
Martha simply shook her head, her gaze darkening slightly as she continued laughing.
"If any boy ever showed up trying something with Natty or Catty, I would torture him until he lost his memory¡ and spent the rest of his life drooling in a chair."
I subtly glanced back.
There was Frederick, hiding behind a column, watching me with an optimistic smile, flashing a thumbs-up as if to say: ¡®So? How¡¯d it go?¡¯
I just shook my head silently.
I tried, buddy. I tried.
278 - My Dragon Wife… Wants to Do Spicy Things!
Chapter 278 - My Dragon Wife¡ Wants to Do Spicy Things!
Chloe Evenhart:
The dinner continued, and the table I was at was surrounded by several nobles. It was an event to bring the duchies closer, and soon the traveling ship would arrive, bringing some of the treasures from the families.
I took a sip of wine, trying to avoid getting too involved in the conversation. Some of the nobles present had already tried flirting with me, which was starting to get annoying.
"You look beautiful," said a boy as he approached me.
"Thank you, Viktor," I replied politely, without much enthusiasm.
From across the room, I saw my mother talking to some dukes, with my aunt Katherine beside her. Before I could get distracted any further, Viktor spoke again.
"Would you like another drink? I noticed your glass is empty. I could get it for you... or maybe we could go together," he suggested with a suggestive smile.
"Lady Chloe already has someone to do that for her. If she needs anything, I¡¯ll get it myself," Kinue, who was next to me, cut in, stopping the conversation.
Viktor looked at her with disdain.
"I was talking to her, not you, you plebeian servant," he shot back arrogantly.
I was about to respond sharply when I noticed some familiar faces approaching. Our friends had arrived, and their presence broke the tension in the air.
"This event is really beautiful," Edmund commented.
"I agree, the ice decorations are stunning. These statues your mother made are perfect," Princess Melina said, admiring the surroundings.
My mother had really outdone herself, creating several ice statues and ornaments that adorned the place. Each duke had contributed in some way to the event.
"Where¡¯s Nathan?" Edmund asked, curious.
"He¡¯s... working," Kinue responded, hesitating slightly.
They looked at us with confused expressions.
"Working? Shouldn¡¯t he be enjoying the party with us?" Melina asked, surprised.
Kinue visibly blushed, and I struggled to stay calm and not blush myself. Nathan was participating in the logistics team on a ship, overseeing the entry of merchants and treasures arriving at the traveling museum. The main ship went through all eight duchies collecting treasures. This was a task only trusted people from the dukes¡¯ families could handle, and each had to assign a reliable team. He wanted to join, my mother thought it would be a good idea for him to gain more administrative experience, and he¡¯d even be paid for it, courtesy of the dukes¡¯ alliance.
Nathan had mentioned that he wanted to buy the engagement rings with his own earnings, which I found incredibly sweet and romantic.
Sometimes, he knows how to be so adorable...
"Nathan is leading our team on one of the ships," I said.
"Or maybe he¡¯s out there with some women," Viktor commented, laughing.
What an idiot...
"Master Nathan is not that kind of man," Kinue responded firmly.
Our engagement was still a secret, as was his relationship with Kinue. He could only officially propose to her after marrying me, since my position in the kingdom was superior to hers, and she couldn¡¯t officially be bound to him before me. For now, they were just secret lovers.
"But he will be here for the exhibition, just a little late," I explained, trying to maintain my composure.
"When he arrives, I¡¯ll show you some of the valuable items from my family¡¯s vault. The ship should dock soon," Viktor said, still laughing at his own unfunny joke.
I continued talking to our friends, trying to ignore the unease in my chest.
Where are you, Nate? I hope everything¡¯s going well with your work.
Marquess Laurence:
It had been some time since I was promoted to Marquess, taking control of Nikolaus Wolves'' former faction. From Count, I had risen to Marquess, becoming the kingdom''s intermediary for monitoring the Evenhart Duchy. That night, I was attending an exclusive event, reserved for the highest echelons of the nobility.
The dinner was being held outdoors, in a special hall set up at the harbor. It was a grand event, organized by the dukes to symbolize their unity while showcasing their precious treasures. The military dukes, in particular, were eager to display some of their collections, ranging from powerful spells to enchanted relics.
Meanwhile, a few noble friends from other duchies and I gathered in a private room of a building connected to the main hall. The place functioned as a hotel, but on this night, it was transformed into an exclusive meeting and gathering area for the most influential nobles.
Among us, I was the only Marquess, and they constantly tried to approach me, hoping to gain favors from the higher nobility. Only the Marquess held the privilege of freely contacting a superior noble. The others weren¡¯t worthy of stepping into their castles without being properly invited. However, I was nervous and anxious, as I feared the family I served.
"I heard the military dukes brought some impressive things. From armor from the last war to private collections of enchanted relics," commented one of the Counts, as we toasted with wine.
Information flowed between us, shared only among those with enough proximity to know the secrets of their respective dukes.
"My Duke Saul brought many valuable items, but one stands out: a supreme-level spell, considered a military secret," revealed a nobleman, leaving us all impressed.
We continued the conversation, exchanging information and speculations, while enjoying the wine of the evening. There was a subtle tension in the air, fueled by the exhibition of treasures and the ambitions of everyone present.
"Do you think there will be any beautiful demi-human or elven slaves here too?" asked one of the nobles, laughing.
"Well, the dukes will show treasures... although a beautiful woman is also a treasure," replied another, and everyone burst into laughter.
Despite the laughter, I kept my attention while one of them described a special spear, a rare piece captured in the last war, clearly a collector''s acquisition.
"And you, Laurence? Did your duchess bring anything interesting?" one of them asked, and they all looked at me expectantly.
I sighed inwardly.
"You know how it is... some weapons collected from the last war... and maybe a few old books from the founding days of the family, along with paintings from the era of the old Evenhart Kingdom. Nothing as eye-catching as a military duchy," I replied, trying to steer the conversation away from topics that could compromise me.
"I understand, you¡¯re hiding the surprises from us," said one of the nobles, as I kept a fake smile on my face.
"Isn¡¯t your duchy the one whose heir domesticated a moon panther? An incredible feat! It seems like this generation of theirs was really blessed," said another noble.
At hearing this, I felt an uncomfortable shiver. The memory of the moon panther made my stomach churn.
"Y-yes," I replied, nervously, trying to push away the unwanted memories.
"Laurence, you''re the only one among us who is a Marquess, has direct contact with superior nobles, you could introduce us to your duchess¡¯s family," commented another noble, with a smug smile. "I have some unmarried daughters."
He laughed, but his intention was clear.
"Do you know if they plan to expand the family by marrying more wives to the male heir?" he continued, jokingly, but with that unmistakable tone of someone fishing for useful information.
"I-I don¡¯t know..." I replied, trying to hide my discomfort.
"There are only two Evenharts left by blood... They should expand, have more children," another one suggested. "Do you know if the heirs have any suitors or if there''s an arranged marriage in place? As a Marquess, I imagine you have access to that kind of information."
"I do," I answered quickly, "but unfortunately, I can¡¯t share that."
"I see. If possible, introduce us to them tonight," he insisted, flashing a friendly smile¡ªbut it was clear he was after something more. "I own a land exploration company with earth mages specialized in locating minerals. Maybe the new heirs will be interested in exploiting those famous uncharted forests."
I nodded, trying to appear polite, while my mind wished to be anywhere but here.
The conversation dragged on, each of them throwing in remarks about the duchies and reminiscing about how, millennia ago, today¡¯s events would have been impossible.
"If this were the past, these duchies would be independent kingdoms, mortal enemies of one another," one of them commented. "Constant wars and invasions."
"Among the dukes, the friendliest one seems to be Duchess Margaery," another chimed in, trying to steer the conversation in a different direction.
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"Maybe because she wasn¡¯t raised to be a duchess?" someone suggested.
I barely held back a sigh.
That woman? Friendly? They''re talking nonsense¡
"Does anyone know who the woman accompanying that duchess is? She''s quite beautiful," one of the nobles asked, a sly smile on his face.
"She¡¯s the mother of the male heir," I answered, keeping my tone neutral, though I could already see where this was heading.
"Ah, so she¡¯s single then..." he said, clearly intrigued. "I¡¯ll try to approach her. If I¡¯m not mistaken, she¡¯s just a commoner who served as a surrogate, right?"
"No," I corrected. "She was married to one of the former Lord Evenharts. She was his official wife."
"I see..." He fell silent for a moment before speaking again in a casual tone. "That makes things a bit more difficult. But I think I¡¯ll send her an official dinner invitation anyway."
These guys are insane...
The conversation soon shifted as another noble started showing off his insider knowledge about some items that would be displayed in the museum. I took the chance to excuse myself and leave the room.
I walked quickly to the restroom, shut the door behind me, and locked it. My heart pounded in my chest as I began hyperventilating. Gripping the sink, I struggled to breathe, but the panic took over. My stomach twisted violently, and within seconds, I couldn¡¯t hold it back¡ªI vomited everything I had eaten that night.
Leaning against the sink, I tried to wash my face, but the panic wouldn¡¯t subside.
"Those damn bastards..." I muttered, staring at my reflection in the mirror, my own terrified expression staring back at me. "They have no idea what that family is really like."
My hands started shaking, and my legs felt weak. The fear I had been suppressing for months came rushing back with full force, more alive than ever.
"The Evenharts... they¡¯re monstrous psychopaths," I whispered before collapsing onto the floor, pressing my face against my knees. My body trembled uncontrollably as I rocked back and forth in a futile attempt to calm myself down.
"All of them¡ they¡¯re evil. None of them hesitate to kill... not a single one." The memories began suffocating me¡ªhorrible images I had fought so hard to forget. The vision of the dragon resurfaced in my mind, and I curled up on the floor, choking on my own sobs as hot tears streamed down my face.
"It¡¯s not real..." I whispered to myself, desperately trying to believe it. "It¡¯s not real... the red-winged monster is gone..."
Ever since I saw that creature, not a single night has passed without me thinking the dragon is descending upon my mansion, roaring fiercely as it devours everything and everyone in its path. Fear consumes me. I can no longer sleep with the lights off without the memory of that gray panther¡¯s sinister grin invading my mind. The sound of a skull being crushed between her teeth, as if she were savoring a sweet treat¡
After everything was "resolved," the duchess summoned me to her castle. She made me watch for hours as one of her maids tortured Baron Gideon¡ or what was left of him. I will never forget his face. One of his eyes had been gouged out, replaced by a festering hole filled with maggots that the maid had placed there, devouring him little by little, day after day. He was bound, unable to move, trapped in pure agony.
"Shit..." I suddenly stood up and rushed to the toilet, vomiting what little was left in my stomach.
I placed a hand on my head, desperately trying to pull myself together. I needed to go back to the party. I needed to keep up appearances.
"That family is full of lunatics... even the maids. They all have that empty look, like they see people as nothing more than insects¡ They¡¯re evil incarnate."
I got up and went to the sink to wash my face. The cold water did nothing to ease the terror consuming me.
"No one knows..." I murmured, staring at my pale, trembling reflection in the mirror. "No one knows, and that makes it even more terrifying. No one realizes they have the power to bring devastation upon this kingdom¡ and the only reason they haven¡¯t is sheer whim."
My hands shook as I dried my face with a towel, the weight of the truth crushing every last fragment of my sanity.
Kinue:
I was at the event as a personal servant of our family. High nobles had the privilege of bringing a few attendants to such gatherings, and that had always been my "disguise" to accompany them. I was even wearing my maid uniform. The party was dazzling, and my role was to stay close to Chloe, ready to assist her with anything she needed. But in truth, we were simply there as friends, chatting casually.
Over the past few months, Princess Melina had grown closer to us in the dormitory. Among all the high nobles, she was the most timid, and I was relieved to find that she was easy to talk to. It seemed she didn¡¯t particularly enjoy the pressure of being a princess, which made her far more approachable.
"That excursion is coming up," Edmund remarked, taking a sip of his drink. "We¡¯ll finally get to enter the Inverted Tower. I''ve been hearing stories about that place since before I even joined the academy."
"I hope I end up in the same group as you guys," I said. Since I was two years older than them, there was a chance I¡¯d be assigned as a guide.
"Syvis is excited," Chloe added with a smile. "There are so many ancient relics there, and it even has its own exhibition, almost like a museum of past discoveries."
We all agreed, remembering just how much our elven friend loved anything related to ancient civilizations.
As we talked near the fountain, a few attendants served us drinks and appetizers. The atmosphere was relaxed, and the combination of good conversation and good company made the event feel much lighter.
"Brother?" Princess Melina suddenly said, looking to the side.
"Prince Duncan?" Edmund exclaimed in surprise. "I thought only Princess Melina would be representing the royal family at this event," he said, offering the prince a slight bow in greeting.
I discreetly positioned myself behind Chloe, as a commoner like me wasn¡¯t allowed to interact with him directly. The prince acknowledged me with a mere nod, refraining from any physical contact, as was the custom among high nobles when dealing with commoners.
"I was nearby and decided to check out the event," the prince said, his eyes scanning the surroundings. "It looks beautiful."
Viktor approached with a teasing grin. "I bet what really caught your attention was the exhibition," he said, nudging the prince lightly with his elbow.
"Well... I won¡¯t deny it," Prince Duncan replied, laughing along with him.
I remained silent, knowing that, as a servant, I wasn¡¯t supposed to interrupt or engage directly in the conversation. Even though I was friends with Princess Melina and the others, I didn¡¯t know Prince Duncan, so at that moment, I had to act as a proper servant.
"Chloe," I whispered softly, "I¡¯m going to grab something to eat. Do you want anything?"
She thought for a moment before answering.
"I¡¯d love that cake with ice cream," she said with a smile. I nodded and walked away, leaving the group to continue their conversation as I headed toward the buffet table.
The grand buffet table was a sight to behold, offering a wide variety of dishes. It was beautifully decorated with signature foods from each duchy, along with famous recipes from the Royal Capital. I made my way to the dessert section, knowing how much Chloe adored sweets.
I searched for the cake with ice cream she had asked for, but there were so many options that I felt a bit lost, unsure of where to start.
Then, out of nowhere, an image flashed in my mind, and my cheeks grew warm.
"Nathan..." I murmured, feeling a small burst of happiness inside me.
"I¡¯m¡ dating him..." I whispered to myself, an involuntary smile forming on my lips.
It had been a year since he accepted my feelings, and even now, it still felt surreal. Some mornings, I would wake up, look at myself in the mirror, and wonder if I was dreaming. He had only kissed me once, always being incredibly respectful. Deep down, I wanted more kisses, more closeness, but both Chloe and I had noticed that he moved at his own pace.
It doesn¡¯t matter if it takes a little longer, I thought, my heart warming. I¡¯m his, and that¡¯s enough for me.
I picked up a plate and started selecting a few things for myself, but my thoughts kept drifting back to him. Nathan had taken on a job as part of a logistics team on a ship just to buy a ring for me and Chloe¡ªentirely through his own effort. I had told him he didn¡¯t need to buy me anything, that it was too expensive, but he had firmly insisted that I was his woman. How could I not feel special after something like that?
I sighed, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks again as thoughts of him completely took over my mind.
"He says things like that so effortlessly... and he has no idea how happy it makes me," I muttered to myself, still smiling as I continued selecting food. Finally, I found the cake Chloe wanted.
I prepared both my plate and hers. Just as I turned around, I accidentally bumped into someone.
"S-sorry!" I stammered, flustered.
"It¡¯s fine. Luckily, nothing spilled or got messy. It was just a small bump," replied a familiar voice. My face instantly paled when I saw who it was.
"P-Prince Duncan..." I murmured, feeling the weight of formality pressing down on me. "I didn¡¯t mean to..."
He let out a light chuckle. "You¡¯re my senior at the academy. There¡¯s no need to worry about it," he said with an easygoing smile.
A wave of relief washed over me as I realized he didn¡¯t mind. The last thing I wanted was to embarrass my family.
"Are you looking forward to the excursion?" he asked casually.
"A little. I¡¯ve been there a few times with my class, but now that we¡¯re going with students from different years¡ªincluding advanced classes¡ªwe¡¯ll get to see different areas," I replied, trying to maintain my composure.
He nodded. "I¡¯m a third-year, so I¡¯ll be one of the ¡®guides¡¯ for the excursion, though you¡¯ve already been there before," he commented while calmly serving himself.
"Don¡¯t worry, going down into that dungeon is always fun," I said, trying to sound enthusiastic.
His eyes shifted to the two plates I was holding. "Are those for your master?" he asked.
"Yes, I serve the Evenhart family," I explained, remembering that he hadn¡¯t interacted much with us before.
"I didn¡¯t know you were a servant. At the academy, you¡¯re quite famous," he said, chuckling as he continued serving himself.
I let out a small, shy laugh. I always felt a bit embarrassed about that "fame" at the academy.
"Your name is Kinue, right?" he asked.
"That¡¯s right," I confirmed with a smile.
"Were you bought or hired?" he asked, catching me a little off guard.
Oh, he wants to know if I¡¯m a slave¡
I paused for a moment before answering. "I¡¯m hired¡ I¡¯ve served the family since I was ten," I replied, keeping my tone polite.
He asked me a few more questions about the dungeon, and after that, the conversation naturally came to an end. I couldn¡¯t end the conversation myself¡ªthat would be disrespectful¡ªbut I felt relieved when one of the event¡¯s attendants approached and began serving the prince, apologizing for not noticing him sooner.
"Phew..." I sighed in relief as I made my way back to Chloe.
From a distance, my eyes found the one person who always made my heart race.
Nathan had finally arrived.
My heart pounded, and a wave of nervousness mixed with excitement washed over me. Even with all the noise and movement of the party, his presence somehow made the entire atmosphere feel lighter.
I smiled discreetly, trying not to seem too eager, but inside, it was impossible not to feel that burst of emotions every time I saw him.
Nathan Evenhart:
As I walked toward our friends, I spotted a gray cat lounging on a chair, her tail lazily swaying from side to side.
"Ah, you¡¯ve finally arrived, my beloved," Cylla said, lifting her head. Her relaxed posture contrasted with the curious glint in her feline eyes.
"How was your work?" she asked casually, though her gaze betrayed a hint of curiosity.
Cylla had stayed with my family in the capital these past few days.
"It was peaceful," I replied, approaching the chair where she lay. "You know how it is¡ªmonotonous work."
She narrowed her eyes, clearly skeptical.
"I didn¡¯t interact with any human females," I added quickly, trying to anticipate any potential comments from her. "Just soldiers."
Cylla tilted her head slightly as if evaluating my words. Then, she leaned in closer, sniffing the air around me with delicate precision.
"Alright..." she murmured, settling back into the chair, her eyes gleaming with a hint of satisfaction. "I believe you."
I smiled slightly and moved closer, reaching out to scratch between her ears. Her eyes half-closed, and a low purring sound escaped her¡ªa clear sign of approval.
"And you? Did you keep an eye on my mother and my aunt?" I asked, recalling our little surveillance mission.
"Of course! I did exactly as you asked. I stayed close to them, watching to see if any man dared to try anything funny," Cylla replied seriously, making me chuckle. "In fact, I¡¯m keeping an eye on them right now."
"Excellent. No one is allowed to flirt with my precious girls," I said, satisfied.
There was still the matter of keeping an eye on Kinue and Chloe, but I wasn¡¯t worried. They naturally kept others at a distance because of our relationship. My mother and my aunt, however, were single¡ªbut that didn¡¯t mean we¡¯d let just any man get close to them with ulterior motives. Those women were sacred to us.
"This decoration is quite beautiful," Cylla suddenly remarked, an unexpected gleam in her eyes. "I like it."
I stared at her, surprised. Cylla usually didn¡¯t care about things like this. She was practical, direct¡ªthis kind of detail seemed irrelevant to her.
"Really?" I asked, still processing her reaction.
Is she developing more human-like preferences?
I remembered when she once asked me to buy her a ribbon to wear on her head. Maybe this was related.
"Yes," she replied with confidence. "At our wedding ceremony, I want something just as beautiful, my beloved."
"W-w-wedding ceremony?" I stammered, completely caught off guard.
Cylla gracefully jumped down from the chair, rubbing her head against my leg in a gesture that was both affectionate and possessive.
"That¡¯s right, our wedding ceremony," she repeated with such conviction that I was left speechless.
"I think¡ that¡¯s rushing things a little too much..." I muttered, a bizarre image of myself wearing a suit next to a dragon in a wedding dress flashing through my mind.
Cylla lifted her head, her eyes gleaming with an intensity that made me even more nervous.
"My beloved, this isn¡¯t too fast. It¡¯s the perfect time. Now, all that¡¯s left is for me to imagine how our honeymoon night will be together."
"Okay, we¡¯re stopping right there!" I interrupted, waving my hands frantically.
279 - Human Empire’s War Weapon Exhibition
Chapter 279 - Human Empire¡¯s War Weapon Exhibition
Katherine Evenhart:
A short distance away, Margaery was chatting animatedly with the dukes. The atmosphere between them was light, laughter exchanged as they praised the event¡¯s success. They had planned everything together, and it seemed to have been a fun experience for them¡ªa rare relief from the constant pressures of their duties.
Observing closely over the years, I had seen how the position of duchess weighed on Margaery. She never had a moment of rest, her routine an endless cycle of responsibilities, working every single day without vacations or breaks. She had to be unshakable, emotionally strong, as she upheld the pillar of the entire duchy.
And even knowing all of this, I couldn¡¯t help but worry about Nathan and Chloe¡¯s future.
At the very least, my child won¡¯t be alone. They will share this burden together.
As these thoughts echoed in my mind, I continued sipping from my wine glass slowly, positioned in a more secluded corner.
I didn¡¯t like the clothes I was wearing.
They were too luxurious¡ªa dress so expensive it felt like a fortune, something I never would have touched in my life as a commoner. Even after all these years, I had never gotten used to it. The jeweled necklace around my neck, for example, could probably buy every house in the village where I was born.
I raised my glass to my lips again, only to realize I had finished the wine.
"I noticed your glass is empty. Would you like me to fetch another for you?" a male voice sounded beside me.
"I would love to¡" I began to respond, but then I turned and realized¡ªhe wasn¡¯t a servant.
My smile faded, turning neutral.
"No, I¡¯ll get it myself."
That approach wasn¡¯t mere courtesy. It was obvious it was an attempt at courtship¡ªone of many I had received that night.
I took a step to move away, but the man insisted, stepping closer.
"Wait, Lady¡" He hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath and continued.
"The truth is¡ I was captivated by you. I know this might sound clich¨¦, but I swear you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my entire life. I serve in the military, I¡¯ve even been to the palace, but I¡¯ve never seen anyone as stunning as you."
I stared at him, unwavering, trying not to let my growing discomfort show.
"Sorry, but I¡¯m not interested."
"Lady, at least tell me your name?" he pressed, trying to keep his composure. "Someone as young and enchanting as you clearly comes from a noble and respectable lineage. I would like to formally present a proposal to your parents for a dinner with you¡ or perhaps something more serious?"
"I have no interest in starting a relationship."
This time, my response came even colder, my tone sharp enough to sever any lingering hope.
I quickened my pace, but he still followed.
"At least your name¡"
"Ah!" he suddenly yelped in pain.
Looking down, I saw a small gray cat growling and lightly biting the man¡¯s ankle.
"Cylla¡" I muttered, sighing. "That wasn¡¯t necessary¡"
She kept growling at him, her fur bristling, ready to pounce again.
"O-okay! My apologies for bothering you¡" the man stepped back, rubbing his ankle.
"But¡ could I at least know what displeased you about me?"
I stared at him, expressionless.
"Everything."
His face paled with embarrassment.
"If you want to please me, just jump off a building or slit your own throat."
He said nothing else. He simply turned and left quickly, his hurried footsteps fading into the distance.
I crouched down and stroked Cylla, who had finally relaxed.
"Good job..." I whispered, gently running my fingers over her head.
Nathan Evenhart:
I reached my friends, who were chatting near a fountain.
"Would you like me to fetch you a drink?" I asked, slightly changing the tone of my voice to catch someone off guard.
"No..." the woman replied dryly, but as soon as she saw me, her face turned red.
"Ah, Nate. I didn¡¯t know it was you," Chloe said, embarrassed.
Offering a drink to a woman like that was often seen as a courtship gesture. Though I had done it as a joke, and our friends laughed, unaware of our relationship.
"You¡¯re late. I heard you were working," Edmund commented.
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"I was handling some administrative matters at my family¡¯s office nearby," I explained casually.
Everyone was there.
"Master Nathan," said a familiar voice, and when I turned around, I saw Kinue.
I was a little surprised.
"We¡¯re among friends, Kinue. It¡¯s not considered disrespectful to call me that," I joked, watching her face turn even redder.
"I got nervous and mixed up," she said, laughing as she realized her mistake while handing Chloe a plate with a dessert.
Athena appeared and gave me a light elbow jab while coughing dramatically.
"Ahem!" She pointed at Chloe¡¯s plate with a mischievous smile.
Damn glutton¡
I moved closer to Chloe.
"What¡¯s that?" I asked. "Looks great."
"It¡¯s cake with ice cream. It¡¯s really good," she answered, holding the plate up for me to see.
I quickly touched the bottom of the plate, and without anyone noticing, a copy appeared in Athena¡¯s hands. She immediately sat on the edge of the fountain, giggling happily as she started eating.
I deserve this¡ I thought, sighing.
"This dessert is typical of my duchy," Viktor commented.
"It really is delicious," Chloe agreed, savoring another bite.
We continued talking, and some of my friends started discussing the treasures their families had brought for the exhibition.
"What about you, Melina? Didn¡¯t the royal family contribute anything to the event?" I asked curiously.
"No. My family usually organizes an event like this only with our own items, but that only happens when a royal heir is born," she explained.
So, I must have been a baby¡ªor maybe still in my mother¡¯s womb¡ªwhen the last event took place. A shame.
Of course, I already knew that only the duchies'' items would be displayed, since I had been involved in security, but I asked out of curiosity about their treasure exhibitions.
At that moment, a servant approached Viktor and whispered something in his ear.
I was distracted, eating an appetizer one of the servants had brought earlier.
"Looks like the ship has docked, everyone. I think we¡¯ll finally get to see the exhibition," Viktor announced.
While working, I hadn¡¯t had the chance to see the items up close.
My role was to handle the security of the cargo, but the internal arrangements had been supervised by the dukes¡¯ guards.
At every stop, more treasures had been loaded onto the ship.
At that moment, the master of ceremonies took his place on stage.
Some of the nobles, eager for the event, had already begun moving the moment they saw him.
He picked up a glass and tapped it lightly with a spoon, the sound reverberating through the soundstones spread across the venue, drawing everyone¡¯s attention.
"Good evening, lords and ladies," he began in an elegant voice. "As the host of this honorable event, it is my pleasure to announce that the ship holding the exhibition is now open for visits."
His words were met with enthusiastic applause.
"The event staff is ready. Please follow the red carpet, which will lead directly to the ship, where you may admire the treasures," he concluded, gesturing toward the path.
The event staff stood aligned, indicating the direction.
The red carpet stretched through a long corridor, decorated with flowers and floating water bubbles gently drifting through the air¡ªreleased by magical items¡ªcreating a truly enchanting atmosphere.
We began walking toward the exhibition, following the red carpet as the excited murmurs of the nobles filled the air around us.
"Good evening, Princess Melina," a maid said as she approached her. "We will be at the table, arranging your dinner with your favorite dishes. But after the exhibition, you are free to return to the palace whenever you wish."
"Thank you, Joana," Melina replied.
Beside Joana stood another maid, a bit younger, who seemed to be around my age.
I observed them carefully, thoughtful.
"These are Joana and Anastasia," Melina introduced. "They are personal servants of my family."
"It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you," both said, bowing.
Could these two be Night Killers?
"These are my dormitory friends," Melina said.
"I feel like I¡¯ve seen you at the academy before," Edmund commented, addressing the younger maid.
She nodded. "Yes, I¡¯m a fourth-year student," Anastasia replied.
Princess Melina smiled.
"Anastasia is very talented. Did you know she¡¯s also a lightning user, just like Nathan?"
Another one? We¡¯re really rare.
"Really?" Edmund asked, surprised.
"I¡¯m impressed to meet another lightning user," I commented.
"Ah, you must be the one who gave that advice to Melina. She always talks about this friend," Anastasia said.
I noticed Princess Melina looking a bit nervous, silently pleading for her to stop talking.
Advice? Oh, it must be from that time Melina was crying in our first year at the academy¡ I thought.
But before I could reflect further, I noticed Kinue and Chloe narrowing their eyes at me.
I might be in a little trouble¡
At Melina¡¯s request, Anastasia stepped forward and made her hand glow blue.
"See? She¡¯s very talented," the princess commented.
"Show yours too, Nathan," Edmund suggested. "It¡¯s rare to see a lightning user, and even rarer for two of them to meet."
"Alright..." I agreed.
I raised my hand, positioning it next to Anastasia¡¯s, releasing a small burst of blue sparks.
Everyone watched with interest¡ªuntil something unexpected happened.
"Ow!" we both exclaimed at the same time, shaking our hands.
"Our energies accidentally clashed," I explained, looking at her. "Did it hurt?"
"No problem," she replied with a peculiar smile. "I like pain."
Viktor cleared his throat discreetly, clearly eager to change the subject and move things along.
He could barely wait to show us his family¡¯s arsenal.
We said our goodbyes to Anastasia and Joana as they withdrew from the area.
"I always eat with Anastasia and Elara in their private dormitory," Melina explained.
That explains why she and Alice always disappear during lunch and dinner. Their maid probably prepares meals for them in Elara¡¯s dormitory or brings food directly from the cafeteria.
We continued walking with the other nobles when a gray cat appeared, walking beside me.
"Katherine and Margaery are a bit further ahead in line for the exhibition," she discreetly told me.
The path was beautifully adorned with various magical decorations. Small water bubbles floated gently in the air, released by a magical device. Along the way, there was also an enchanted glass wall, displaying an animated painting of a stunning landscape that moved as we passed. Soft breezes were emitted by crystals on the ground, providing a refreshing coolness as we walked. Further ahead, snow began to fall delicately, creating a magical scene.
Probably my aunt¡¯s doing.
With each step, it became evident that every part of the path had been decorated by one of the dukes, making the journey even more impressive.
We kept moving forward, passing through more enchanted decorations until we reached the massive ship adapted for the exhibition. The first section showcased large war weapons¡ªimposing and well-preserved. The path continued into the interior, guided by staff, as we admired the relics.
Atop a small stage, next to a gigantic war weapon, a familiar figure stood out.
"Professor Sinclair," Chloe murmured beside me, and I recognized her instantly.
The professor was dressed in the uniform of the event staff, and I realized she was acting as a historical consultant at that moment.
"Good evening, my esteemed nobles," she said in a serene voice. "This entrance to the exhibition contains great war weapons, collected during the last great war, belonging to the True Humans."
I noticed she didn¡¯t identify herself as a True Human, which indicated that not everyone here was meant to have access to her real identity.
"This piece beside me is a Crystal Cannon," she continued, pointing to the massive, wheel-mounted cannon with an aged-gold hue. "This devastating weapon fires enchanted crystals that cause massive explosions. It was created by the True Humans and is capable of obliterating entire squadrons, even those with mages in their ranks."
Some people in the group made disgusted expressions upon hearing the term True Humans¡ªno one liked them very much, and the discomfort was palpable.
"The True Humans excel in technology. That¡¯s how they manage to keep up with our continent," she continued, maintaining her cover. "Our war remains stagnant at the border¡ªneither side advances. However, the True Humans are masters at manipulating all kinds of magical minerals and transforming them into war weapons."
She paused and, with a solemn tone, concluded:
"One of the most distinguished peoples among the True Humans is renowned for their unparalleled skill in engineering and crafting war armaments. This people is called¡ Dwarves."
280 - The Magic Weapons of the Human Empire
Chapter 280 - The Magic Weapons of the Human Empire
Nathan Evenhart:
Professor Sinclair had explained the mechanics of wartime weaponry, but unfortunately, it was useless to us. The minerals used and their functionality were based on technology from the other continent, though nobles still enjoyed collecting these relics from the last war.
She stepped down from the small stage, and the nobles began moving among the exhibits. We were only in the first section of the display, but some people were already heading to the next ones. I left my group of friends behind and walked over to where the professor stood.
"Professor Sinclair," I called as I approached.
She turned to look at me and smiled.
"Well, if it isn¡¯t Lord Nathan Evenhart."
"You can just call me Nathan, professor."
She was adjusting a plaque near the Crystal Cannon.
"That would be disrespectful to your status. We¡¯re not in the academy right now."
I moved closer to the cannon, examining it.
"Could you explain in more detail how this thing works?"
She made a thoughtful expression before answering:
"Hmm¡ There¡¯s not much to say beyond what I¡¯ve already explained. It¡¯s a cannon like any other, but adapted to fire a special type of ammunition made from a magical mineral found in a volcanic area called ¡®Surtur¡¯s Horn.¡¯ This mineral is highly unstable and prone to explosions due to its high concentration of magical energy. The dwarves turned it into projectiles, and when fired, the resulting explosion is devastating."
She hesitated for a moment.
"Beyond that, you know I¡¯m not authorized to say. This is restricted to military briefings."
I sighed, already expecting that she wouldn¡¯t tell me much. But truthfully, I was more curious about the other continent.
"Are these dwarves from the Theocracy?"
"That¡¯s right. The Theocracy is a union of small nations¡" She paused and widened her eyes. "Ah, no, you got me! You¡¯re trying to pry classified information out of me."
She laughed, and for her sake, I decided not to push further.
I had been researching the Human Empire lately, but most of the information was restricted to war councils. Even as a high noble, I didn¡¯t have full access. Only military families and the royal families were permitted to obtain more detailed knowledge. My family only had information regarding the borders¡ªanything about the other continent was extremely limited.
Maybe I could ask Adrihna about it, since she was the daughter of a military duke from the Elven Kingdom, but I hesitated to take advantage of our friendship. She had already done so much for me while I was growing up. More than just a magic instructor, she was a friend and was still helping me with my elven citizenship.
I caught up with my friends. I spotted Kinue and Melina; the two of them were observing an exhibit while an attendant¡ªa military consultant, judging by his uniform and armband¡ªexplained:
"This is called an ¡®Explosive Arrow.¡¯ It¡¯s a type of ammunition from the Theocracy that mimics a mage¡¯s power."
"What do you mean, mimics a mage¡¯s power?" someone asked.
The man pulled one of these arrows from his storage bracelet. It looked like an ordinary arrow, except for the darkened tip.
"These arrows are crafted from a magical mineral that detonates when fired from a bow or crossbow. The power comes from the mineral embedded in the tip, which reacts to magical energy."
Nearby, illustrations depicted the weapon¡¯s function. We had already studied this special arrow once in a military class about the human continent, but seeing it again was a bit nostalgic.
My cousin suddenly grabbed me by the arm, as rough as ever, but I didn¡¯t mind¡ªit was just her way.
"Here, Nate, look at this," she said, pointing at a massive war hammer.
Another staff member, responsible for the item, approached.
"This is a hammer forged by the dwarves. The head contains a special mineral that generates vibrations upon impact with the ground. Against armor, it can cause considerable damage."
"Is it like an enchanted relic?" Chloe asked.
The staff member took a moment to consider before answering:
"The term ¡®Enchanted Relic¡¯ refers to ancient magical treasures created by a civilization that mastered mana in ways we don¡¯t yet understand. These weapons from the Theocracy are called ¡®Magic Weapons¡¯ because they rely on special minerals and specific forging techniques¡ªnot on mysterious enchantments."
We continued exploring the exhibition. Most of the displayed items were standard weapons¡ªhelmets, axes, and armor. Even so, the idea that the True Humans had developed ways to counter mages was fascinating.
Think about it: if only one in a thousand people is born a mage, that single person could take on the other 999 alone¡ªespecially if they were a fire mage. But what if those 999 had bows with explosive arrows? Who would win?
That was the reality of the Red Border War.
Now, imagine applying that same principle on a military scale, with weapons like Crystal Cannons. Explosions everywhere.
And the scariest part? That wasn¡¯t even the full extent of it. The kingdom had clearly hidden even more advanced information and weaponry, allowing only a fraction of its military arsenal to be put on display.
We followed the path leading to an area with a small stage where a live demonstration was taking place.
"So, this is how a soldier of the Human Empire operates," the presenter announced, holding up an explosive arrow. He nocked it onto a bow and aimed at a distant target dummy.
"Aim¡ and fire."
The arrow soared through the air, striking the dummy and erupting into a massive fireball that charred everything around it.
The crowd gasped in awe as the presenter quickly extinguished the flames with water magic.
Then, he held up a small blue crystal.
"This is a special mineral. It¡¯s how Imperial soldiers defend themselves while advancing in battle."
He placed the crystal into a small box attached to his belt and called for an assistant. A woman stepped onto the stage, raising a bow with an explosive arrow aimed directly at him.
"Don¡¯t be alarmed, everyone¡ I¡¯ve trained for this. Or maybe I haven¡¯t. We¡¯re running low on ammunition," he joked.
The assistant fired. At the moment of impact, a semi-transparent blue barrier flared to life around the presenter. The explosion was intense, but when the smoke cleared, he stood there unharmed¡ªthough the shield was visibly cracking.
"Pretty cool, right? This is an ¡®Energy Shield,¡¯" he explained. "It functions temporarily and consumes one of these blue crystals. Once the crystal is depleted, the shield disappears. It can withstand magical attacks, though obviously not the most powerful ones. It works similarly to magical barriers created through seals and enchanted equipment, but the difference is that the Human Empire has managed to integrate this technology directly into their soldiers. They can move freely across the battlefield and, upon sensing an incoming attack, simply press a button on their belt to gain temporary protection against weaker magic. For example, fireballs cast from a distance might have little to no effect."
Some people applauded the explanation. Athena and I watched with fascination, though I already knew the goddess was scheming a thousand different ways to use that technology in combat with her psychotic strategist mind.
The border was pure chaos because of these inventions from the True Humans.
Among a thousand of our soldiers, only one was a mage. Since I constantly interacted with the high nobility, I was always surrounded by mages, which created the illusion that our entire society was composed of them. But the truth was¡ªthey were rare.
In the end, real warfare came down to our army of ordinary humans against theirs, equipped with these special weapons.
"We can¡¯t exactly demonstrate the Crystal Cannon due to the destruction it would cause," the presenter joked. "But trust me, it''s powerful enough to create a devastating explosion."
He then picked up a sword.
"This blade was forged using a special volcanic mineral."
As he swung it, the blade glowed with a warm yellow hue.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
"This mineral allows the sword to heat up like a forge, but without melting the metal, making it easier to cut through armor."
Next, someone tossed him a shield.
"This shield is made from impact-absorbing metal," he explained, striking its surface with the sword. He began hitting the shield with increasing force before turning toward a training dummy brought in by his assistant.
"Watch closely."
He raised the shield, and with a sharp sound¡ªlike a muffled clap of thunder¡ªa wave of pressure burst outward, sending the dummy flying along with the wooden structure supporting it.
"A soldier of the Human Empire wielding this can absorb impact and then release that stored power explosively against their opponent," he explained, stepping forward to show the shield up close to the audience.
"The mineral used in this shield is said to be extracted from a towering mountain."
He then returned both the shield and sword to his assistant, who carried them off the stage.
Nearby, Professor Sinclair watched the demonstration, appearing to have been responsible for opening the event and now assisting the other historians.
Is she going to take the stage?
I observed as she climbed the stairs and walked to the center of the platform.
"These two continents share something special," she began. "In each of them, there are humans with unique abilities. On our continent, there are those born with the ability to wield mana, becoming mages. Meanwhile, on the continent ruled by the Human Empire, some individuals can harness something known as Aura."
A murmur spread through the audience. Among the nobles present were merchants and diplomats, so for many, this level of detail was new information.
"Aura is the ¡®mana¡¯ of the True Humans," Professor Sinclair continued. "Just like mana, only a few are born with the ability to use it. However, Aura is the embodiment of life energy, unlike mana, which grants elemental power. What Aura does is enhance physical abilities drastically, granting superhuman strength by enveloping the user''s body in an external layer of energy¡ªalmost like an armor. It is similar to how mages channel mana into their bodies, but even more potent. Some of the most feared warriors on the enemy¡¯s side are known as the infamous Aura Swordsmen."
As she spoke, a small group of staff members carried more weapons onto the stage.
"The greatest advantage of the True Humans is their technology," Sinclair explained. "Even though not all of them can use Aura, their common soldiers are incredibly lethal thanks to the weapons you¡¯ve seen today. This gives them a vastly superior number of combatants compared to us."
Faces in the audience tensed, confusion and unease evident in their expressions.
"But don¡¯t worry," she said with a confident smile. "We have defeated them in every attempt they¡¯ve made to invade our continent. After all, we have powerful mages. What their soldiers require complex weaponry to achieve, a single mage of ours can accomplish with a simple fireball, reducing everything to ash. And, of course, we must not forget our mage knights mounted on Asalon horses. They soar above enemy armies, casting spells from the skies. Our aerial dominance ensures the sovereignty of our continent."
There were countless barriers preventing our continent from outright overwhelming the other¡ªdespite having humans capable of conjuring flames, controlling water, or manipulating the elements with devastating force.
After all, it seemed simple, didn¡¯t it? Gather an army of powerful mages, mount them on flying steeds, and march through the skies straight into enemy lands.
But reality was far more complicated than that.
There weren¡¯t nearly enough winged horses, and the few that did exist could never sustain such a long journey. Their wings would simply fail under the freezing currents that swept across those lands. The intense cold would paralyze their muscles, freezing their wings solid and making flight impossible. And even if they somehow managed to cross, what would they be? An isolated elite unit against an entire continent.
At some point, their mana would run dry. And then, they would be slaughtered.
By sea, the situation was even worse. The two continents were separated by a treacherous stretch of water¡ªa vast, deadly reef, and beyond it¡ the Cursed Sea. A liquid fury where waves rose like walls and storms materialized from nothing, swallowing entire ships without a trace. Sailing through it was nothing short of tempting fate itself.
And then, there was an even greater problem¡ªthe other continent had superior numbers. Nearly ten times more soldiers. Nearly ten times more civilians ready to take up arms.
Unlike us, they weren¡¯t as dependent on mana to wage their wars. With their vast deposits of rare minerals, they had mastered the art of crafting magical weaponry¡ªartifacts capable of devastating battlefields without requiring a single mage.
It wasn¡¯t just a difference in power. It was a difference in endurance.
Wars aren¡¯t won with grand explosions of magical might. They¡¯re won through attrition.
And the other side¡ was built to endure.
For generations, both continents had existed in this stalemate.
I let out a deep sigh, pushing those thoughts away.
Tonight was just a celebration.
I needed to set these concerns aside¡ and try to enjoy the event.
"Please, continue ahead. There is a section featuring spells, grimoires, and enchanted relics further along," the presenter announced.
***
I was admiring some beautiful paintings as I walked through the corridors.
"Nathan!" a voice called, grabbing my hand. "Come with me, I want to show you something," Kinue said, pulling me along.
Wait¡ I get it now. Are they using this as an excuse for some kind of date?
Cylla was probably with my mother and aunt, busy with her surveillance mission, so I felt at ease leaving them alone for now.
I was led into a dimly lit room, where only certain objects were illuminated. The atmosphere was darker, likely to protect the delicate, ancient paintings displayed here.
"It¡¯s a little dark..." I commented, following the faint pathways of light formed by the crystal lamps.
"I know..." she said before locking her arm around mine. "C-can we walk like this in here?"
I noticed she asked with a hint of embarrassment.
"Of course..." I tried to sound natural, though I was also feeling a bit nervous.
A small silence settled between us before Kinue rested her head on my shoulder.
"Can I¡ stay like this with you?" she asked softly.
"Of course, Kinue," I replied, gently stroking her head. Her ears twitched slightly in response to her emotions.
"Can I give you a kiss on the cheek?" she asked, leaning closer to my face.
"That¡¯s not his cheek, that¡¯s his mouth!" Chloe¡¯s voice suddenly rang out behind us.
Kinue jumped back in shock, her face turning bright red.
"Ch-Chloe!" Kinue stammered. "Were you following us?"
"Of course I was," my cousin said smugly. "No skipping ahead. I¡¯m always watching..."
Chloe moved to my other side, locking her arm around mine as well.
"Come on¡ the two of us, then¡" she said, walking forward. "Let¡¯s both give him a kiss on the cheek."
Kinue nodded shyly, and the two of them leaned in.
"Hey! What¡¯s going on here?! I leave for one second, and this happens?!"
I heard the voice¡ªbut to them, it must have sounded like nothing more than frantic meows.
"C-Cylla¡" I murmured, watching as the gray cat darted toward us, stopping in front of me and flashing her little claws.
"No betraying me, Nathan!" she declared. "You still owe me a kiss on the lips, just like you gave them! And I¡¯ve been patiently waiting for the day I become human!"
I was in a complicated situation.
"What¡¯s she saying?" Kinue asked.
"She¡¯s just meowing angrily at us," Chloe replied.
I glanced at them.
"Better if you don¡¯t know¡" I said.
"She¡¯s always so jealous," Kinue muttered.
My cousin seemed to agree.
"She¡¯s very possessive, don¡¯t you think?" Chloe added, raising an amused eyebrow.
Cylla leaped in front of her, pointing her paws accusingly.
"I¡¯m just protecting my husband! You husband thieves!" Cylla declared.
"Aww, you¡¯re so cute when you meow," Chloe cooed, petting her¡ªcompletely oblivious to the little gray cat¡¯s furious outrage.
I decided to change the subject, guiding them toward other artworks.
At some point, I¡¯d have to sit them down and explain that, technically, I was already married to Cylla.
I wanted to tell them, but that would mean revealing that I first met her as Sisika. And that would mean explaining the Celestial Eyes. And, inevitably, the shadowy figures¡ and the prophecy about the future.
It would be easier to wait until Cylla became human. Then, I could explain everything properly.
We left the dimly lit area and continued through the exhibition, admiring the other treasures. Most were true historical artifacts¡ªancient coins, jewelry, works of art, luxurious carpets, taxidermied animals, continental maps signed by prominent figures, and even old crowns from when the duchies were still independent kingdoms.
I walked alongside Kinue and Chloe while Cylla paced anxiously, darting back and forth between my aunt, my mother, and us. She clearly didn¡¯t trust my two companions very much.
At some point, we caught up with our friends.
"We¡¯re heading to the section with spell scrolls and military records," Edmund announced.
"You¡¯ll be impressed by my duchy¡¯s weapons," Viktor added, leading the group.
We followed them, while Princess Melina seemed utterly fascinated by the scrolls and ancient documents.
I watched her, wondering how involved she really was in the fact that her family had their own assassins.
To me, she just seemed like an overly shy girl¡ªhardly the heir to a deadly organization.
Then again¡ to outsiders, I probably seemed like nothing more than a wealthy farmer.
"Do you like ancient documents?" I asked, trying to start a conversation.
She flinched slightly but responded,
"I do¡ My mother always forces us to read tons of boring things. But over time, I guess I started enjoying organizing documents¡" She lowered her head, embarrassed. "A princess probably shouldn¡¯t like things like that, though..."
I smiled.
Damn¡ she seems so normal. It¡¯s hard to believe she¡¯s connected to a family of assassins.
We continued forward until we reached a more crowded hall.
Many nobles stopped to observe the exhibits while staff members explained their significance.
A long line had formed for the military scrolls room.
"Ah, I found something from our duchy," my cousin said, pointing to a display case. The items had been intentionally mixed, organized by type rather than origin.
"Look, the plaque says this was a treasure from a battle in a storm," Chloe commented.
My eyes narrowed as I recognized the sword on display.
The blade of one of the True Humans who had nearly killed me. A reminder of the night I found Cylla in chains.
Of course, my family hadn¡¯t put our greatest treasures on display¡ªno scrolls containing powerful spells, no grimoires, no trace of my sword, the infernal chain, or my mother¡¯s massive seed. Just rare artifacts and artwork, the typical possessions of an agricultural duchy.
I stared at the sword for a long moment. That night had changed my life. It was the night I found Cylla¡ and when Sisika found me.
"It was also the night we first started interacting..." Athena suddenly spoke from beside me. "How fun, this little display of war spoils."
We kept walking until we came across a painting of a familiar throne.
"That¡¯s the throne room," Kinue said, recognizing the artwork.
"That¡¯s one of the Everhart Kings, our ancestor," Chloe added.
I stopped, analyzing the image. The throne room was rarely opened¡ªconsidered sacred, access was limited. Even fewer were allowed into the Hall of Kings, an even more sacred place. Not even the maids were permitted to clean it¡ªonly Martha. The steps and the throne itself couldn¡¯t be cleaned with magic.
Once, I was given the task of cleaning that place, and I had to scrub everything with a bucket and cloth, carefully ensuring I showed the proper respect. That hall had been preserved by our family for over two thousand years. Even my own bedroom had housed many heirs before me. Everything in that place was history.
"What¡¯s this in the painting?" Kinue asked, curious.
She had never been inside the Hall of Kings. Only Chloe, my aunt, and I were allowed in. Of course, Martha as well, when she cleaned. Anyone who wasn¡¯t an heir could only enter under my aunt¡¯s supervision.
The painting depicted an ancient Everhart family. Seated on the throne was an elderly man, a baby on his lap. Beside him stood a beautiful woman with long black hair.
"I don¡¯t know what year this painting is from. The ones on the wall have an explanation with the year and the family members¡¯ names, but there¡¯s nothing here," Chloe said.
"Look, that woman appears in this other painting too. I think the king sitting there is that baby," Kinue pointed out. A large glass case protected the paintings. "Weird¡ that woman doesn¡¯t look like she¡¯s aged a single day between the two paintings."
We stepped closer.
"I think she must be the old king¡¯s wife, and the baby is her son. So she was an Everhart queen," I said, trying to analyze it. "The names were listed on the walls back home¡ I vaguely remember them."
We continued moving, observing other paintings of our family, then those of the other dukes.
"Come on!" Viktor called to our group. "The scroll and grimoire room is open now! Let¡¯s hurry before it gets too crowded!"
The others started moving ahead. I let them go first, then quickly turned back to check the painting of my ancestor.
I compared the two portraits, a habit I had developed due to my own unique dilemma¡ªa constant need to look for specific details in people¡¯s faces.
And in doing so, I noticed something surprising.
In one painting, her eyes were brown.
In the other¡
"Blue eyes..." I murmured. "The same shade as mine. You were a user of Special Eyes..."
281 - The Air Grows Heavy When He Speaks
Chapter 281 - The Air Grows Heavy When He Speaks
"This one is also considered an exclusive spell of my family," Viktor said, showing it to us.
We walked over, and he stood there with a confident smile.
"This spell is called Blazing Flame Cyclone," Viktor explained. "It creates a massive, spinning tornado of fire capable of devastating a forest¡ or a city," he added with pride.
We were inside the spell scroll and grimoire room. A scroll can contain a powerful spell, while grimoires are books holding a list of spells. Each page of a grimoire contains a rune with a spell. Usually, a mage gains access to a simple grimoire, and as they progress through the pages, they unlock stronger spells.
For example, I could go to a military shop in the kingdom, and depending on my noble rank''s military access level, I could purchase a grimoire. Let¡¯s say I buy a Water Element Grimoire¡ªit would start with basic spells like Water Ball or Water Blasts. As I master those spells from the initial pages, I would gain the foundation to learn more complex spells that are in the second half of the grimoire.
Of course, a single grimoire doesn¡¯t contain all the spells of an element. There are grimoires with specific divisions for each mage class and types of spells, such as battlefield spells, elemental materialization, long-range spells, close-range spells, animal attack spells, and many others. A grimoire could be specialized solely for Fire Blasts, containing multiple spells ranging from the simplest to the most complex within that attack category. There are also mana categories like Transmitters, Emitters, and Summoners, meaning there are countless types of teaching grimoires.
Scrolls generally contain a single specific spell, unlike a grimoire, which holds multiple. A grimoire is created with the combined efforts of a spell inventor and a spell engineer who crafts the rune, sealing the spell¡¯s knowledge within the grimoire or scroll.
I couldn¡¯t just steal that scroll and swap it with a fake one to recreate the spell. First, it would take far too long to learn the rune¡¯s knowledge. Mastering a spell isn¡¯t simple and requires extensive training. Spells have levels of learning.
Once you learn a spell with your mana, the process doesn¡¯t stop there. Initially, you have to chant long, complex phrases to execute it. Then, as your proficiency increases, you reduce it to shorter phrases. Eventually, with enough mastery, you won¡¯t need to chant at all. This happens because mana is a unique language, and chanting is a way to help it be spoken.
Another factor is that even if a mage learns a spell from a scroll, they wouldn¡¯t know how to recreate the rune, meaning they couldn¡¯t forge another scroll. This is because the spell¡¯s creator develops their own language. When they inscribe the rune to lock the spell¡¯s knowledge, the apprentice only learns the final result of a complex calculation. It would take years for someone who learned a spell through a rune to become proficient enough to engrave it onto a rune themselves with the aid of a spell engineer.
Many noble families have their own spell knowledge. I plan to create my own scrolls in the future and store them in our vault. Unfortunately, my father passed away without leaving behind his thunder spells in our personal vault, so I had to create my own.
"Viktor¡ this is a classified military spell," Edmund said with admiration. "Was your family really authorized to display this? My family has a similar spell, but I don¡¯t think they put it here."
Viktor was smiling.
"The Saul Duchy has other powerful spells; this one is simple compared to ours," he said arrogantly. "Did you forget that I¡¯m a user of steam and scalding water? This is just a simple fire spell."
"Simple¡? I think this is quite complex," Kinue said. "It must be incredibly dangerous for just anyone to know how to do this."
He positioned himself beside the display containing the spell.
"That¡¯s why only military families have this kind of knowledge. We are superior in our capabilities¡ªeven in this," he said. "My cousin is a master of this spell. His family serves as vassals to mine, acting as our royal guards, and he even became an Inquisitor."
It reminded me of my own situation. My side of the family serves as protectors of the main branch. I was supposed to be Chloe¡¯s guardian, but now... I don¡¯t even know my role anymore, considering I¡¯m her fianc¨¦.
Either way, I¡¯ll always protect her¡ so nothing has really changed. But now, I¡¯ve become a duke¡
We continued walking through the exhibition, looking at various scrolls and even enchanted relics. Most were inside display cases, but I was surprised when one of the staff members received authorization to demonstrate one of them.
It was a spear that extended several meters at high speed when infused with mana. That could definitely do some serious damage.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
The staff member also explained another utility of the spear¡ªif the user ran and planted it into the ground while activating its extension ability, the rapid growth of the spear would launch them into the air, allowing them to leap over high walls or obstacles. Not to mention the surprise factor of attacking a distant enemy by making the spear extend suddenly at high speed.
"That¡¯s incredible," a noble next to us commented. "Are you sure it¡¯s not for sale?" he joked.
"This spear belongs to the Valemont family¡ They¡¯d never sell it. Only another duke could afford it," the staff member replied, laughing.
"That weapon belongs to my family," Edmund told us. "My grandmother used to wield it."
We watched as the staff member demonstrated the spear¡¯s functions before carefully placing it back into the display.
"I think it¡¯s really beautiful," Melina said.
"Me too," Kinue agreed. "I use a halberd, but that spear is really cool."
We continued the tour and eventually found my aunt and my mother examining rare plants from different duchies.
Lately, my aunt had been buying seeds in bulk from all over the kingdoms. She even built a laboratory for my mother in our dungeons. She wants my mother to continue producing her corpse-hosting seedlings while she experiments with different seeds to enhance their abilities using traits from other plants.
Ever since she overcame her war trauma, she¡¯s been enthusiastically tending to her bizarre plants in the lab¡ªright beside her Giant Seed, which she sometimes talks to, calling it her daughter.
Viktor Saul:
I was at the exhibition, surrounded by artifacts from various duchies, absentmindedly analyzing some of the pieces while our group of friends had dispersed. Each had gone their own way, either meeting with family members or exploring whatever caught their interest the most.
As I walked, my eyes landed on the displayed items from the Evenhart family.
"Why didn¡¯t they put that panther cub on display?" I murmured.
That family possessed something truly rare¡ªthe most coveted magical beast in the world: a Moon Panther cub.
When I first found out about it, about a year ago, I was stunned.
Something that dangerous, living so close to me.
I saw that gray cat every day, sleeping peacefully in the corner of our dormitory, and I would have never imagined what she really was.
I had heard that many scholars and professors had attempted to approach Nathan Evenhart, eager to study the habits and abilities of his magical beast.
However, he refused every single one of them.
Noticing how much this was bothering him, Headmistress Victoria eventually banned professors from using their authority in the classroom to pressure him about his familiar.
For a moment, I even considered the idea of buying that animal. But what would be the point? Money wouldn¡¯t buy the interest of a noble like him. We are wealthy, but he already has everything he could want. Why would he need more gold?
I pushed these thoughts aside as I continued walking through the exhibition, trying to focus on the event in front of me.
My eyes scanned the room in search of someone in particular, but I couldn¡¯t find them. Further ahead, I spotted the Evenhart family¡¯s demi-human servant standing in front of a display of old books. She seemed engrossed, observing them with curiosity.
"Of course, it fits perfectly with a farming duchy¡ giving jobs to talking animals," I muttered with disdain, feeling a growing sense of repulsion. It was disgusting. I still couldn¡¯t believe I had been in the same space as her, eating a meal nearby while exchanging words with our group of friends.
"This book belongs to my family," I said coldly, letting my voice sound authoritative.
She lifted her gaze, seemingly surprised. "It¡¯s very interesting, Viktor. It¡¯s a bestiary from nearly a thousand years ago. I imagine the information inside differs from what we have today, and it might even contain creatures that were removed from modern bestiaries," she responded, her voice calm but with a touch of genuine interest.
I clicked my tongue, irritated by her casual tone.
"It¡¯s Lord Viktor," I corrected with a look of superiority. "Remember that we¡¯re not among our circle of friends. In this setting, you must address me with the proper respect due to my noble status."
"But you¡¯re right," I continued with a malicious smile. "This bestiary is quite old. Who knows? Maybe your species was listed alongside the other animals, as it should be."
That¡¯s when I heard a voice rise behind me.
"Is there a problem?"
The cold tone made my skin crawl.
The instant I heard it, my entire body tensed.
I turned around, and to my surprise, it was just Nathan Evenhart.
I quickly masked my discomfort.
"No problem," I replied, trying to sound indifferent. "I was simply explaining to the servant about this book from my family. After all, I don¡¯t know if this dumb peasant can even read."
My voice carried calculated contempt, but Nathan didn¡¯t seem fazed.
He glanced at Kinue, then back at me before breaking into a smile.
But that smile¡ something about it was off. It was unnerving.
He stepped closer, casually placing a hand on my shoulder and pulling me in as if we were old friends.
"Then explain it to me too," Nathan said, his voice surprisingly gentle. "I¡¯d love to watch you try to read¡ without both of your eyes."
Did he just threaten me?
I turned to face him, ready to respond, but then¡ª
Something inside me recoiled.
My chest felt compressed, and a visceral fear coursed through every fiber of my being.
It was as if my entire body rejected the idea of confronting him.
My lungs stopped working, my hair stood on end, and my legs threatened to give out.
Nathan¡¯s smile was calm, almost friendly, but his eyes told a different story¡ªone that terrified me.
What¡¯s happening to me?
"It¡¯s okay, Nate¡" Kinue said, tugging at his arm. "I¡¯m fine. Let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s check out some other books together," she suggested, trying to dissolve the tension.
"Okay, if you say so¡" he replied.
Together, they walked away, leaving behind an atmosphere thick with something invisible yet oppressive. I glanced around and noticed others looking pale, their expressions unsettled. Some had even taken a seat on a nearby bench, trying to catch their breath.
"For some reason, I suddenly feel sick," a man muttered to a staff member who was trying to calm him down.
I chose to ignore what had just happened and continued toward my real objective. The animal servant had been a distraction, but now my mind thoughts were focused once more. There was someone I had been looking for. And I finally spotted her, catching a glimpse as she examined a collection of wands and staves. The Shooter Mage weapons gleamed under the light, showcasing an array of powerful models designed to favor specific elements.
I found you¡ Chloe Evenhart.
"Or perhaps, Chloe Saul¡" I murmured to myself, a satisfied smile spreading across my lips.
282 – Between Noble Blood and Darkness
Chapter 282 ¨C Between Noble Blood and Darkness
Viktor Saul:
The staff member was explaining the item on display to the gathered crowd.
"This wand, called Aqua-Fury, is a rare artifact. It¡¯s made from a lapis lazuli gem produced by an oyster-type monster. In its wand form, it doubles the power of a water mage, while in its staff form, it can amplify magic up to five times. This is a military-grade model and quite rare, but it has limitations. It¡¯s highly effective for simple spells, but for complex magic, it can actually hinder the user¡¯s power."
The group listened attentively, impressed.
These military items could significantly enhance a soldier¡¯s potential, especially for those who didn¡¯t yet possess a high-grade mana gem.
That¡¯s when I noticed Chloe Evenhart holding a similar wand, comparing it to the one in the exhibit. I approached, observing the object in her hands.
"I see you have one of the same model. That¡¯s a military-grade item," I remarked, drawing her attention.
"My magic teacher gave me this wand when I was eight. I knew it was a good one, but I didn¡¯t realize it was so valuable," Chloe admitted, surprised. "I only recently found out that only high-ranking military personnel can acquire it."
I nodded slightly. "Exactly. This type of wand can turn basic spells into powerful attacks, meaning even an average water mage could become a dangerous offensive force. That¡¯s why they¡¯re restricted-use items."
She stored the wand in her storage bracelet, a thoughtful expression on her face.
"I think I understand its value better now."
"Even though you¡¯re skilled enough to create golems, having a wand like this still gives you an advantage. Lower-level spells gain extra power, and the mana consumption remains the same," I added.
She nodded in understanding.
An Aqua-Fury wand in the hands of someone talented was truly a weapon to be respected¡ªespecially in the hands of Chloe.
"I lost my storage bracelet once. It fell into a river, and with it, several important things were swept away by the current. Fortunately, the bracelet broke upon impact, releasing the items into the water. I was able to recover this precious wand because it floated, thanks to the enchanted gem. It has immeasurable value to me," she said, her eyes shining as she recalled the moment.
I listened carefully, reminded of how I had spent months trying to get closer to her.
If Chloe could be so enthralled by a simple wand, imagine how she would react when she saw the vault of military treasures in my castle.
"In the Saul Duchy, we have some truly impressive military weapons¡ªeven staves made from the same stone as your wand," I remarked, trying to create a connection. "You should visit sometime to watch our water mages train. It¡¯s quite a spectacle, seeing water magic clash against fire."
Chloe gave me a confused look, clearly trying to decipher my intentions.
Her eyes gleamed with slight surprise¡ªbut also with an almost imperceptible hint of caution.
"Maybe¡ if all of our friends came along," she answered hesitantly.
"You know," I continued smoothly, not letting the conversation slip away, "as the heir of a military duchy, I have the kingdom¡¯s trust. Very few duchies have the privilege of marrying into another ducal family. It¡¯s a strategic position."
I watched her reaction closely.
"I¡ should go. I need to find my cousin," Chloe said, her gaze fixed on the exit as she began to step away.
Before she could put too much distance between us, I grabbed her arm, keeping her close.
"I¡¯m serious. I haven¡¯t approved any of the candidates for my wife yet. There¡¯s a line of women wanting to marry me, but I¡¯m selective. I filter by talent, beauty, and political power. You have strong magical blood and are exceptionally beautiful, not to mention the fact that you¡¯re a future duchess. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve thought about it¡ªafter all, you¡¯re an adult now, and soon, you¡¯ll have to consider who will stand by your side."
I adjusted my posture, making it clear exactly how I saw the two of us.
"I am one of the most talented high nobles of this generation," I began, letting my voice carry confidence. "Edmund? He¡¯s just a transmitter, which makes him a Combat Mage, but his magical bloodline is weak. You and I, on the other hand, are Shooter Mages¡ªthe strongest. And you even have the added advantage of a second mana category as a Summoner. A child of ours would be incredibly powerful."
I stepped a little closer, emphasizing the connection we could form.
"You know that, eventually, you¡¯ll have to marry. I¡¯m wealthy, powerful, and influential. With me, you could elevate that farmer duchy of yours, gradually turning it into something greater¡ªwith more cities, more technology."
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She seemed unsettled, as if searching for the right words.
"I already like someone..." she murmured.
"Don¡¯t tell me that fool Edmund has made a move already?" I asked, irritation bubbling inside me. The mere thought of it caused a sharp discomfort.
Chloe¡¯s eyes widened, and she quickly shook her head.
"No¡ I have nothing going on with him," she replied hastily.
"Chloe, you¡¯re a talented mage and the next duchess. You stand above most nobles. Marrying me would place you in an even higher position. With me, your duchy could rise to a greater status within the kingdom," I said, locking my gaze onto her, making sure she understood the seriousness of my proposal.
She took a step back.
"Think about it," I added, giving her some space. "This isn¡¯t an offer I would make to just anyone."
"I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m not interested. I already like someone," Chloe said. Without another word, she turned and left, heading in the same direction as her cousin and that demi-human servant.
I sighed, contemplating how much effort it would take to win Chloe over.
"I¡¯m actually glad she refused right away. It means she has principles. But my family is powerful¡ªshe¡¯ll understand, especially when she has to take over the duchy and realizes she needs someone strong by her side. That simplistic farmer mentality runs deep in her family. If I do manage to make her my wife one day, I¡¯ll have a lot of work ahead of me."
I started walking, already mapping out the first steps to shaping her into someone worthy of my duchy.
First and foremost, the demi-human servant would have to be dismissed.
After all, keeping a demi-human as an employee was disgusting.
I planned my approach but realized I¡¯d have to be more assertive in making Chloe recognize my superiority. Her duchy had no history of political marriages.
Perhaps I should ask my father to formally propose the arrangement to her mother. Political marriages don¡¯t require the bride and groom¡¯s consent...
"Tch!" I flinched as a sharp pain suddenly shot through my leg.
Looking down, I saw Nathan Evenhart¡¯s gray cat staring at me with narrowed, challenging eyes.
"You little brat, you hurt me," I muttered, annoyed, as she casually walked away with an air of indifference.
I glanced around, and seeing that no one was paying attention, I prepared to kick the damn thing.
The cat stopped, staring at my leg as if anticipating the strike¡ªdaring me to try it.
"You little shit," I hissed, ready to kick, but before I could move, a firm hand gripped my shoulder, stopping me in my tracks.
"What¡¯s going on?!" I snapped, turning angrily to see who dared to interfere.
Standing before me was William, a knight I recognized as being from my family, though he currently served in the royal army.
"I wouldn¡¯t do that if I were you, sir," he warned. "That cat is not just any cat. She¡¯s dangerous."
When I looked back at the cat, she simply glanced at me once before turning with disdainful elegance, disappearing into the crowd.
William¡¯s sharp gaze never left me.
William, though technically still under my family¡¯s command, was currently serving in the royal family¡¯s army¡ªa strategic favor we offered to reaffirm our loyalty to House Asalon. He had recently secured a prestigious position alongside Sebastian in a special unit under Princess Elara¡¯s command.
"I know that. It¡¯s a damn Moon Panther, but it¡¯s still just a cub," I said, adjusting my posture.
"Even so, it¡¯s not wise to provoke a creature like that. Soon enough¡ it¡¯ll have a new owner," he remarked.
"A new owner?" I asked, narrowing my eyes. "I highly doubt that family would sell their magical beast."
William chuckled.
"The royal family is interested in that beast. When they found out about the cub, Sebastian told me the king nearly choked in shock. You know how obsessed they are with having powerful magical beasts serve them."
"I see¡" I murmured. "Are they planning to make an offer?"
"That¡ I don¡¯t know. But either way, who can refuse when the king himself demands something?"
We continued walking through the exhibition, admiring the relics and weaponry. As we strolled, William shot me a curious glance.
"Did you manage to make your marriage proposal to the young duchess of the agricultural duchy?" he asked.
"Yes. I hope she has the sense to accept," I replied. "But I plan to approach her more over time. A few more conversations won¡¯t hurt."
William nodded, though I could tell he was considering something deeper.
"Do you like her? Or is it just about her magical bloodline, to give you a powerful heir? Or maybe a strategic land merger?"
His question caught me off guard, and I hesitated, struggling to find the right words.
"I¡ I like her," I muttered, embarrassed.
He chuckled, placing a hand on my shoulder.
"I had a youthful love at your age too," he said with an enigmatic smile.
"You¡¯re only a few years older than me," I replied, laughing lightly.
"Time moves fast. People like us mature quickly," he said.
I nodded in agreement.
"And what happened to your ¡®youthful love¡¯? You don¡¯t even have a girlfriend now¡"
William leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a low murmur.
"She was a commoner," he said in a grave tone. "I didn¡¯t need her permission to¡ enjoy myself at night."
Then, as if nothing had happened, he casually straightened.
"But this noble girl is different," I commented, trying to rationalize.
William stopped walking and stared at me with an intense gaze before leaning in again.
"What if I told you that, one day, there may no longer be any nobility? And when that day comes¡ whoever is on the right side will have everything they desire."
A strange unease crept up my spine. I didn¡¯t fully understand what he meant, but I was certain there was more beneath his words.
"Your father has a narrow vision of the world, my lord. But you, even at your age, could easily replace him," he said, his voice sharp and direct.
"I¡¯m well aware of that," I answered, fully confident in my own abilities.
"You¡¯re powerful, young, and the only one who has mastered your family¡¯s steam magic. You can combine water and fire, creating something unique," William said with a sly grin. "You¡¯ve always covered for my escapades to the brothels, so now, I want to invite you to something special."
"Something special?" I asked, intrigued.
He stepped closer, lowering his voice.
"You will have everything you desire when the great day arrives. I¡¯m inviting you to be part of a new society," he said, his eyes piercing into mine. "I trust you¡ªbecause we both know how to keep each other¡¯s secrets."
Then, he handed me a folded piece of paper.
What is he talking about?
"If this is some kind of joke, know that the weight of my wrath is not something you¡¯ll forget."
He simply smiled back, his eyes gleaming.
"Then let¡¯s go together, my lord. I believe you¡¯ll find more than you expect."
I glanced at the paper¡ªit was indeed an invitation.
Opening it, I found a black card adorned with the image of two crimson eyes.
"Not here, my lord," William cautioned, and I quickly tucked the invitation away.
"What is this, William?" I asked, intrigued.
"A gift¡" he murmured. "It¡¯s how I became stronger¡ªhow I turned into a more powerful mage. If you¡¯re interested, I can take you there. It¡¯s a gathering¡ always attended by other nobles."
Could it be a place where spell contraband takes place? I wouldn¡¯t mind acquiring a few.
"The watchword to enter the location is ¡®Long Live the Darkness,¡¯" he said.
283 - A Messenger of the Night
Chapter 283 - A Messenger of the Night
Nathan Evenhart:
The exhibition continued with increasingly impressive presentations. Without a doubt, the most exciting moment was the spell demonstrations performed by some of the royal guards of the dukes. When the spectacle ended, we were all guided back to the dining area. On stage, representatives of the duchies showcased their most valuable artifacts¡ªancient relics steeped in history¡ªwhile the servants moved between the tables, serving the meal.
Beyond the exhibition, the event also marked the graduation of the final-year students. I observed some of them from a distance, seated at one of the tables. There were many smiling faces, taking the opportunity to strengthen ties with the nobility of their duchies. However, not everyone was seeking political connections. Some were clearly destined for a military career. It was easy to identify them, as those who wished to stand out proudly wore the brooch of their magic class pinned to their robes.
There were two career paths for those seeking to join the military: serving as a soldier in the kingdom¡¯s army or serving in their own duchy¡¯s military.
Although they might seem like similar choices at first glance, the difference between them was considerable. For those seeking quick wealth, the kingdom¡¯s army was a tempting option. However, in the long run, this choice might not be as advantageous, depending on the individual¡¯s ambitions. The reason was simple: competition. A soldier in the kingdom¡¯s army competed for promotions with a much larger pool of candidates than a ducal soldier. And, let¡¯s be honest, in a kingdom where connections matter more than merit, who do you think the realm would choose to promote¡ªsomeone from the capital or someone from a distant duchy?
The career progression within the ducal army was more stable and promising, even though the initial salaries weren¡¯t as attractive as those in the kingdom. How did I know this? Well, don¡¯t blame me. As the future duke, it was my duty to understand these nuances.
Aunt Margie called our attention by saying, "Children, it seems we will have company soon."
I followed her gaze and saw some nobles from our duchy approaching. They stopped to greet others along the way, but it was evident they were heading toward us.
"We¡¯re not children¡" Chloe muttered.
"It¡¯s just an affectionate way of saying it, my dear," my aunt replied with a smile.
I observed the nobles for a moment, but soon returned to my meal.
Martha leaned slightly and asked, "Would you like me to ask them to come later? It is impolite to interrupt a superior noble during a meal."
"They are probably just waiting for you all to finish," Hugo commented. "Staying close is a discreet way of showing they want to talk."
We were seated at the ducal table, separate from the others. Behind me, Hugo remained standing as a guard. On my lap, a gray cat slept peacefully.
It didn¡¯t take long for one of the nobles to step forward. Hugo acted as an intermediary, granting him permission to approach. As they got closer, I recognized some of them. They were the marquesses of the Evenhart Duchy.
The duchies had three marquesses. Two of them were under the duke¡¯s command, while the third answered directly to the kingdom. The ones approaching us were the marquesses subordinate to House Evenhart.
"Tonight is truly special," commented one of the older men. His dark brown hair, streaked with gray, contrasted with his thick beard, giving him an imposing look. His direct manner of speaking revealed his origin¡ªthe northern region of the duchy.
He was Marquess Eldric Ursfeld, whose family crest bore the image of a bear. His responsibility spanned the mountains and some of the forests of the duchy.
We greeted him formally. According to noble etiquette, only we were allowed to interact with the marquesses. The rest of the table had to remain silent, without even conversing among themselves.
"I¡¯m glad you came, Eldric," my aunt said with a sharp smile. "I would hate to have to draft a document claiming that my marquess was ill or something of the sort."
The man let out a hearty laugh.
"I don¡¯t particularly enjoy being around these pompous city folks. I only came to see if my presence at this meeting could serve as a way to show the duchess that I hope she grants me the honor of taking our future rulers to the next annual gathering," he said jokingly.
Beside him stood a thin, composed man with a calm expression¡ªa stark contrast to Marquess Eldric¡¯s energetic presence.
This was Marquess Caelan Elmareth. His family¡¯s symbol was a swordfish, and he oversaw the part of my territory that bordered the sea.
"Our lively Eldric has been entertaining some rather interesting ideas since the new political shift on this continent," commented Marquess Caelan.
"Are you talking about the fourth great kingdom that emerged, the Olarion Kingdom?" my cousin asked.
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The two marquesses exchanged glances.
That was a delicate topic, one that left both the royal family and the dukes on edge.
This was one of the main reasons behind this event.
"Exactly, Lady Chloe," Caelan agreed.
In the past year, a major shift occurred on my continent, all linked to Princess Rose Olarion. The continent had long been divided into multiple kingdoms. One entire half belonged to the Alliance of the Three Kingdoms, the former Asalon Empire, while the other half consisted of numerous smaller kingdoms. Because of this, the Three Kingdoms had always maintained dominance over the continent, both economically and militarily. After all, they descended from an ancient empire. Their alliance was strong, and despite racial differences, they functioned as a unified force. This allowed them to impose many of the continent¡¯s governing policies. But a few months ago, something unexpected happened.
The other half of the continent united and formed a fourth great kingdom. This meant that the formerly fragmented lands were no longer divided, but now a single, unified nation. Although they weren¡¯t militarily superior in terms of skilled mages or flying cavalry, the sheer fact that an entire region had consolidated made them immensely powerful. This new nation was now known as the Olarion Kingdom.
Now, my continent had four great kingdoms, and the political landscape had become unstable. Olarion began operating as a unified economic alliance. Instead of each small kingdom negotiating individual trade agreements with the Alliance of the Three Kingdoms, the Three Kingdoms were now the ones forced to negotiate with Olarion. Previously, as independent kingdoms, they were weak, forced to rely on the mercy of the greater nations. But now¡ªunited¡ªthey had gained enough economic power to sustain their own market.
Rather than yielding to the pressure of the Human Kingdom, which historically held the continent¡¯s greatest military strength, Olarion began making its own demands. They demanded equal treatment, pushing for the removal of economic restrictions and the reduction of taxes and tariffs imposed on trade with the Three Kingdoms.
The past year had been tumultuous economically, largely due to the Human Kingdom, which had always looked down on those smaller nations. The problem was that there was one common factor among them all: The border with the other continent. A location that required cooperation between the kingdoms. From what I had heard, the Human Kingdom had exploited the former small kingdoms, sending their soldiers to the most dangerous frontlines, using them as disposable forces in suicidal missions without caring about their losses. Now that the balance of power had shifted, everything had become a battle of egos.
"Not here," my aunt interrupted. "Leave these matters for the annual meeting."
Marquess Eldric stepped closer to Chloe and me.
"It is an honor to see you both again. Sixteen years spent on vacation from noble responsibilities in the duchy," he chuckled. "But now, it seems that in the future, we will be constantly stuck in boring meetings."
He leaned in slightly, moving closer to both of us.
His previously lively expression changed for a brief moment.
"The Evenhart family will always come first¡ If, by any chance, you ever decide to stop calling yourselves dukes and accept the titles of king and queen¡ my blade will always be sharpened. I owe that much to your parents," he whispered before stepping back.
I understood what he meant. Eldric was an extremist, a staunch defender of old traditions and an opponent of the political nobility in the Capital. If I had to sum up what he and his family wanted, it would be for the Duchy to reclaim its status as a Kingdom. In other words, what he truly sought was Evenhart''s independence.
"Thank you for your demonstration of loyalty, Marquess. I¡¯m glad to count on your family," my cousin replied in her most political tone, offering nothing more than a neutral response.
The Marquess Caelan sighed and turned to Eldric.
"Old man¡ you¡¯re still clinging to those outdated aspirations," Caelan said.
"I must¡¯ve had too much to drink," Eldric commented, laughing.
My aunt ignored the remarks, but I noticed a faint layer of wind surrounding us, subtly filtering the sound so that certain parts of the conversation wouldn¡¯t escape.
"By the way, I want to thank you for the new seeds that have been arriving recently," Caelan said. "I¡¯ve never seen anything sprout so fast and in such quantity. I was truly impressed."
Now it was Marquess Caelan who leaned in and whispered.
"You didn¡¯t happen to kidnap an elf and magically exploit them, did you?" he asked jokingly.
"They¡¯re just some special seeds that our botanical specialist, Yusuf, has been producing," my aunt replied with a smile.
I glanced back quickly¡ªtoward the true source of those seeds¡ªmy mother. Before, she had always used her magic to enhance seeds meant for our farmlands, but lately, my aunt had been sending special shipments to these two marquesses.
Of course, no one knew that my mother was the real source of those seeds. Her elven abilities were a secret, and no one would suspect that a human commoner had access to elven magic.
The conversation between them continued, and I took the chance to discreetly slip away, taking advantage of the distraction. I felt a bit disappointed for not finding anything related to the ancient civilization among the dukes¡¯ objects. Maybe they simply didn¡¯t want to display such relics, assuming they even had any.
"Beloved," a voice called softly beside me.
Cylla approached, walking gracefully.
"Where are you going?"
"Just wandering. I want to take another look at the treasures¡ªsee if I missed any details. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to be near their collections," I responded through our mental connection.
The surroundings were still bustling. Some nobles conversed at their tables, enjoying the banquet, while others roamed the anchored ship nearby. Most of them were waiting for the final grand event of the night, when each duke would give a brief speech. While they used the occasion to strengthen political connections, my focus remained on examining those treasures once more.
"I¡¯ll stay with you. Who knows? Maybe with me around, you¡¯ll have better luck finding something," Cylla said, laughing at my side.
We entered the ship again, retracing our steps, passing by a few people. I quickly scanned the display cases. The practical demonstrations, like the one with the explosive arrow, had already ended¡ªprobably due to a limited number of arrows available.
As I walked through the corridors, I examined every detail, from sculptures to paintings. I was looking for any clue, any relevant item. I scanned everything with my eyes, but in the end, there was nothing.
"Let¡¯s go back¡" I sighed.
¡®Caw!¡¯
A sharp cawing echoed through the hall. The raven¡¯s cry reverberated off the walls, the floor, the ceiling, and even the objects around us.
"Beloved¡" Cylla turned her head, analyzing our surroundings.
"I heard it too¡"
Suddenly, a raven emerged from one of the rooms, soaring through the air. It hovered in front of us, flapping its wings slowly to remain suspended. Then, it drifted closer to me.
I stood still, unsure of how to react. The raven cawed again, giving the impression that it was trying to say something. Then, it flew off into the depths of the ship.
I was stunned to see that strange raven again. A flood of questions rushed through my mind.
How was it here?
What was it, really?
But my mind arrived at only one conclusion.
"Cylla, we need to follow it."
284 - The Raven and the Lost Secret
Chapter 284 - The Raven and the Lost Secret
Nathan Evenhart:
"Is that the same crow you saw in the underground tunnels of Nikolaus Wolves¡¯ castle?" Cylla asked, her voice cutting through the silence.
"I... don''t know. Maybe?" I replied as I walked¡ªalmost ran¡ªforward. My pace quickened, weaving between people in the crowd. The crow was a little far ahead, but we could still see it. Cylla jumped onto my shoulder.
"There it is!" she said, pointing with her paws.
No one else seemed to see or hear the crow.
Despite the ongoing banquet, the hall was still filled with nobles engaged in conversations or listening to staff explain various artifacts. I wanted to run or use magic, but I had to keep a discreet pace to avoid drawing attention.
"CAW!" The crow cawed again before flying off. It turned down a corridor, and we hurried after it.
As soon as we rounded the corner, I froze in surprise.
The corridor led to a single door¡ªan isolated room. There was no one around.
I stepped inside, still hearing the faint sound of flapping wings. But what really caught my attention were the objects surrounding me.
"I don''t remember passing by this room before¡" I murmured. "Maybe it¡¯s so out of place that I just overlooked it."
The place resembled a pawnshop, filled with display cases containing old artifacts. Most were wooden sculptures, but there were also animal skulls, round shields, and oddly shaped axes.
"These things look really different," Cylla commented.
The atmosphere had a more rustic feel compared to the rest of the event. Fur coats were displayed next to numerous paintings.
"Yeah, these are... old relics," I replied while scanning the room, still trying to locate the crow. But it was gone.
There were also fragments of scrolls protected under glass domes. Some depicted strange paintings¡ªone of which showed a grand feast.
"Oh! Looks like I have a visitor," a voice said behind me.
I turned around to see a staff member stepping out of a small room that looked like an office. He was carrying a stack of papers, and as he fumbled to reach into his pocket for his glasses, a few sheets slipped from his grasp and fell to the floor.
"Sorry, I think I came at a bad time," I said, trying to play it off.
"Nonsense," he chuckled, placing the documents on a chair.
Straightening his uniform, he approached us.
"Not many people come here. Most rush off to see the spell demonstrations and weapon showcases. Hardly anyone is interested in history," he remarked with a light laugh. "Are you lost, by any chance?"
"No. Actually, I''m interested in the objects in this room. They''re... different," I answered, still searching.
The last time I had seen that crow, it had led me to a hidden section of a mural.
Cylla leaped down and began exploring the area on her own.
"There are quite a few interesting pieces here. Well... to younger folks, they probably seem like nothing but antiques. But I find the history behind them fascinating," the man mused as he walked through the room, motioning for me to follow. "May I ask your name, young man?"
"I¡¯m Nathan Evenhart," I replied, stepping forward.
"Oh, Evenhart? One of the eight ducal families?"
"That¡¯s right."
He quickly adjusted his clothing and glasses, then ran a hand through his hair to check if it was neat.
"I would¡¯ve preferred not knowing your surname. Now I¡¯m a little nervous," he said with a chuckle.
"You can treat me normally," I replied. I was eager to learn more about some of the pieces in this little museum and didn¡¯t care much for noble formalities.
He seemed to ponder that for a moment before responding.
"I¡¯m glad to hear that."
The man moved behind the counter.
"Unfortunately, my lord is quite overprotective of his collection and wants me to start locking things up. He has a special fondness for every item in this place. I was actually heading toward the door to close up for the night when you surprised me by coming in."
"I was just exploring different areas and happened to find this secluded room," I explained.
He continued sorting through some papers.
"Feel free to browse the items. If you have any questions, just ask. But fair warning¡ªmy time is short. I need to close up soon and join the other staff for the dukes'' speech. You might not get scolded for skipping it, but I certainly will," he said with a laugh.
"I¡¯ll look for that crow," Cylla said as she padded through the room. "Maybe it¡¯s hiding somewhere around here."
"Alright, we should split up," I replied in thought.
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I glanced at the counter and noticed a few wooden carvings.
"Any recommendations on what¡¯s worth looking at?" I asked.
He gave me a knowing smile.
"The thrill of finding a treasure is in the search."
I began wandering through the space.
I passed by helmets displayed in glass cases, swords, and gauntlets. There were also several sculptures¡ªmany of them broken. One in particular caught my eye: a bust of a man. Part of his face was missing, but the remaining details were remarkably well-preserved. It had likely been damaged long before it was discovered in some excavation.
Moving to another section, I found a collection of paintings¡ªlandscapes and family portraits.
"The paintings on the left are at least five hundred years old. They document the ancient lineage of kings and queens from the Three Kingdoms. An interesting sight to behold," the man commented.
I nodded in agreement, though what I was truly looking for was something far older.
Leaving the counter, he approached as I studied the paintings.
"Did you know that the identities of all royal family members remain anonymous during their lifetime? It¡¯s a security measure for the current generation. Usually, their names are only made public fifty to a hundred years after their death," he said. "But of course, you must already know that, being a ducal heir," he added with a smirk.
"It¡¯s just another system to protect the families and their branches," I replied. "I only learned who the prince was when he turned twelve and was officially introduced at his coming-of-age ceremony."
And the princesses¡ I only met them afterward. They didn¡¯t even appear at the ceremony¡
"I was practically anonymous in my duchy as well. It wasn¡¯t until I turned fifteen that the other nobles began meeting me in person. Even now, to the public, they only know my name. My face remains unknown."
I continued wandering through the room, examining weapons, animal skulls, and even a few antique pieces of furniture.
"Do you have anything even older?" I asked.
He seemed to think for a moment.
"There are weapons from the ancient wars between the continents," he said. "I know young people tend to like weapons."
Judging by my expression, he must¡¯ve realized that answer didn¡¯t satisfy me, because he quickly reconsidered.
"Come," he finally said. "I think I have something here that might interest you."
I followed him, my eyes scanning the surroundings.
"My beloved, I feel something strange in this place," Cylla spoke through our telepathic link.
"Strange? What do you mean?"
I kept walking, following the staff member.
"Maybe something¡¯s hidden here somewhere¡" Cylla mused. From a distance, I could see her hopping around as she examined the objects scattered throughout the room.
I continued following the man until we stopped in front of a plaster model. It was impressive. The city¡¯s structure was unlike anything I had ever seen, and even the miniature people were sculpted with meticulous detail.
"This was crafted by a skilled artisan¡ªone who wasn¡¯t a mage. He did everything by hand. A remarkable man," the staff member said. "This is a faithful reproduction of a city that appears in an ancient painting. The artist managed to capture the intricacies of that civilization¡¯s details."
I stepped closer, intrigued.
The model depicted a village with wooden and thatched huts. Tiny stone figures represented people wielding axes and wearing strange helmets. There was even a tavern, where some of the miniature stone men appeared to be drinking and talking.
"Truly impressive¡" I murmured, surprised. "From what era is this?"
"I believe it dates back to a few years before the Age of the Founding Emperor."
So it¡¯s not from the Ancient Civilization¡
I glanced around, but nothing here seemed to match what I was searching for.
"You''re a tough one to please, haha," the man chuckled. "But I get it. After watching that spell demonstration, it¡¯s hard to compete."
"It¡¯s not that," I tried to explain. "I do think this is incredible, but I¡¯m looking for something¡ older. Something from the Ancient Civilization."
He scratched his head, thoughtful.
"Most people don¡¯t really care about that kind of thing. At most, they¡¯re interested in enchanted relics. But you seem to be after something purely historical," he observed with a reserved smile. "Well, I do have an old mural fragment. No one¡¯s ever shown interest in it. Would that be what you¡¯re looking for?"
I struggled to keep my excitement from showing.
"My beloved, I found the mural!" Cylla¡¯s voice rang in my mind, filled with excitement.
"I¡¯d love to see it," I said, doing my best to contain my enthusiasm.
"Great!" The staff member seemed pleased. "I think my master will be happy to know that someone besides him has an interest in these ancient murals."
We made our way down the corridor as he searched for the piece.
We passed by elaborate sets of armor and an incredibly ornate battle-axe. The place housed a wide variety of items, from traditional clothing to shelves stocked with potions and elixirs.
After a few more steps, we finally reached the mural.
The display case was strategically lit to highlight the artifact. It was a large, weathered stone slab¡ªclearly incomplete. At some point, it must have been part of a much larger mural that had been broken into pieces. Some parts had been restored and glued back together, suggesting that the noble who owned it had tried to reconstruct it as best as possible.
"This is a rare find from the Ancient Civilization," the man commented as he stepped closer. "It¡¯s worth a fortune. Though, from what I¡¯ve heard, the kingdom¡¯s authorities like to keep some of these murals for themselves," he added with a casual tone.
I continued analyzing the details. The runes were so worn down that they were barely distinguishable. Even the few legible ones didn¡¯t form complete words¡ªjust isolated letters.
"This piece was acquired at an auction," he explained. "Each noble took a fragment of the mural."
In the end, it was practically useless without the full set.
"Seems like a dead end¡" Cylla murmured in my mind.
A slight wave of disappointment settled over me.
"At least now I know there are more murals out there. I just need to keep an eye on future auctions," I said, trying to sound a bit more optimistic.
Suddenly, sounds began echoing through the room. The noise came from the hallway and even from some points in the walls of the room. They were sound stones emitting a warning, requesting the presence of everyone.
"It looks like we all need to go see the Duke''s presentation," the staff member said, rushing to the counter and grabbing a large stack of documents.
Cylla ran beside me as we followed him.
"I''ll have to organize these inventory documents before I can go. I won''t be able to join you," he said, apologizing.
"No problem. Thank you very much for your time," I replied. "What¡¯s your name?"
"My name is Siegfried Hraesvelgr VII," he replied. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Nathan."
"The pleasure was all mine. I wish I had had more time to see your collection. There are so many interesting objects. I imagine each one has an important story," I commented.
"You have no idea," he said.
"Let''s go," I said to Cylla, and we left the room.
The sound of the summons echoed through the ship. Some people were rushing in a hurry. No one wanted the shame of arriving late, as it would be disrespectful to the dukes.
"Boy!"
A voice called to me.
I turned and saw Siegfried running toward us.
"Here!" he said, handing me what looked like a letter. "Before the mural was divided, they reconstructed as much as they could and transcribed the runes onto this letter. It''s still imperfect, but at least they managed to recover as much as possible. It was left as a reminder for the nobles who bought the fragments."
I took the letter, surprised and excited.
"Are you sure? Isn¡¯t this valuable?"
"Nonsense. My master has the original document. This is just a copy. I should have left it next to the mural fragment, but I forgot," he said, laughing awkwardly. "I hope it will be a nice memento for you. Maybe one day you can see my master¡¯s entire collection."
"Thank you very much, Sir Hraesvelgr," I sincerely thanked.
"Just Siegfried is fine," he replied.
I stored the document in my storage bracelet.
"I hope it will be useful for you. Good luck," he said as he turned to walk away.
"Wait, what¡¯s the name of your master? I really hope to visit his collection one day."
He looked at me for a moment before replying.
"It¡¯s a modest noble family, but they like old things. My family has served them for a long time. I serve the Odinson family," he said with a smile before turning and continuing on his way.
285 - Who is Siegfried Hraesvelgr VII?
Chapter 285 - Who is Siegfried Hraesvelgr VII?
Nathan Evenhart:
I walked toward the dining area. That part of the event would mark the end of the night, and unfortunately, I had to stay until the very end. Fortunately, we were at the port, and a ship would take us away as soon as everything was over.
I wanted to relax my mind a bit. Truthfully, I was curious about the contents of the transcribed document.
"At least we got something useful," Cylla commented.
"Yeah, it was worth it. I was hoping for something interesting to come out of this event, but finding a mural exceeded my expectations," I replied in thought.
A part of me felt satisfied, but another couldn''t shake off the unease caused by the raven. That was the second time I had seen that creature, and the sensation of being watched by something unknown¡ªwithout understanding its origin or intent¡ªwas far from comforting.
"Aren''t you even going to peek at the document? I''m curious," Cylla said as we walked.
"I''ll take a quick look, but I don''t know what might happen if I read the runes. What if the letters float up and translate themselves automatically for me¡ªor for everyone around? I can''t risk triggering something like that here."
I took the letter from my storage bracelet. The paper was high-quality, expensive, and well-preserved. I examined the document for a moment, admiring it. But as soon as I turned the letter over to see the front, I was caught off guard. My expression shifted instantly, and I had to blink several times to make sure I wasn¡¯t seeing things.
"What is it?" Cylla asked.
"A raven¡" I replied aloud.
The letter''s seal was made of red wax, but what truly surprised me was the design of the stamp. The emblem imprinted there was a raven.
I crouched beside Cylla in a corner of the corridor to avoid blocking the flow of people.
"Could it be a coincidence?" she asked.
I didn''t answer. I immediately opened the letter, and inside the envelope, I found a folded piece of paper containing the translated document. However, something even more intriguing caught my attention. Inside the envelope, there was a handwritten message. The penmanship was refined, the ink dark.
"Look at this, Cylla," I said, holding the letter closer so she could see as well.
I held the envelope open, and together, we read the message:
"Greetings, Nathan Evenhart!
It was no mere chance that one of my creations guided you here. I needed to meet you personally, though circumstances do not yet allow me to reveal everything. My master has entrusted me with delivering something to you¡ªa fragment of knowledge, a clue to something tied to you.
But remember, nothing in this world comes without a price. My master is an admirer of riddles. What you hold in your hands will only reveal its true value once the answer is found.
The solution is the key.
Good luck, Nathan. Let¡¯s see what you''re capable of."
¡ª Siegfried Hraesvelgr VII
A strange sensation coursed through my body as I finished reading. I immediately stood up and began walking briskly down the corridor.
"Where are you going?" Cylla asked, running beside me.
"Back to that staff member," I replied, quickening my pace.
I ignored the people in my way, sidestepping and lightly pushing past some of them as I moved forward.
There was no way Siegfried had prepared that letter in the few minutes I had been out of the room¡ªthis document had already been written. That meant he had known who I was and had planned to meet me beforehand.
I analyzed the information I had.
And besides¡ the raven¡ was it his familiar?
My mind swirled with questions as I tried to piece everything together.
I was the one who wanted to search for something related to the Ancient Civilization, but it was the raven that led me to that place. So¡ was that Siegfried watching me? As soon as I find that guy, I¡¯ll have some questions for him.
Then, something happened. Something that caught me completely off guard.
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The moment I turned the corner to enter the room, an impossible scene unfolded before my eyes.
"It¡¯s gone¡" Cylla murmured.
I stopped in the middle of the corridor, stunned.
"The room¡ disappeared," I muttered.
The space where the door should have been was now just a plain wall.
The room was gone.
***
"Nate, where were you?" my mother asked.
"I went to take one last look at the exhibition," I replied.
I had returned to the dining area after several failed attempts to retrace my steps back to that room. But it was simply no longer there. As if it had never existed.
I looked for one of the staff managers, and to my surprise, there was no one named Siegfried on the list.
That guy¡ To materialize a room and then make it disappear¡ He was definitely not someone ordinary.
My mind spun with speculation as I watched Cylla jump onto a chair beside me.
Cylla''s people? They are powerful beings and even possess the Celestial Eyes.
On my way back, I considered several possibilities. But regardless of the truth, the answer¡ªor something close to it¡ªwas probably in the document I carried with me.
"Your cousin and your aunt have joined the other dukes and the main heirs," my mother commented as I sat down.
The event was reaching its most solemn moment. Each duke would give a brief speech about their duchy and the importance of unity in times of peace and war. It was also the perfect occasion to introduce the new generation of nobility¡ªthose who would eventually take on political responsibility. Each duke would step onto the stage with their heir.
Even though I was one of the heirs, I wasn¡¯t the main one. The hierarchy was similar to the relationship between Grand Duke Ryan and King Charles. Despite being cousins and members of the royal family, one belonged to the secondary branch while the other was part of the main lineage. And in high nobility, the secondary branch served the main one. That was how the system worked.
"Oh, Nathan," Kinue called as she approached. "I was looking for you."
She sat beside me, making herself comfortable in the chair.
"I was enjoying the excursion for a bit."
"You ended up missing some weird jokes and strange stories from Marquess Eldric," she said, laughing.
"He also reinforced the invitation for you to attend the duchy''s annual noble meeting," my mother added.
I pondered for a moment. I didn¡¯t like noble gatherings. They were always tedious and ceremonial, filled with people pretending to be friends and forcing laughter at the most unimpressive jokes.
"I¡¯d rather skip this opportunity, but I guess I¡¯ll have to go¡" I murmured.
My attention shifted back to the grand stage at the center of the hall. The surrounding lights gradually dimmed, darkening the environment and making the stage stand out even more.
The eight dukes were there, standing side by side, accompanied by the heirs of their respective houses.
The first to speak was Thaddeus Saul, Viktor Saul¡¯s father. His family governed the duchy closest to the capital¡ªboth geographically and in political influence. Among all the dukes, they were the ones the royal family trusted the most.
With his impeccable posture, Thaddeus Saul introduced each of the other dukes and their heirs, mentioning the names of their lineages.
The hall was filled with nobles from all the duchies. Many of them had never met in person before that night. Even I didn¡¯t know most of them.
Each of the dukes gave a speech, speaking a little about their duchies. It was a way to bring the high nobility closer to the lesser nobility spread throughout the kingdom. Even at an event restricted to the aristocracy, a baron, for example, had direct contact with the people in the villages he administered. If a high noble interacted with a baron, that connection meant that his message would reach the common people living under that baron''s jurisdiction.
"As a token of appreciation for joining us at this event, we would like to do something special for you," Thaddeus Saul announced. "The other dukes and I have pooled a bit of our wealth and influence to promote something unique."
He paused, and curiosity filled the audience.
"An auction!" he declared. "An auction featuring exclusive and unique items from each duchy. From weapons to¡ magical beasts."
Upon hearing the last part, murmurs spread through the hall. Many were excited. Magical beasts were rare and extremely difficult to tame. An adult animal would never accept a bond with a human, making it uncontrollable. Only cubs could develop bonds, and even then, only if raised from an early age alongside a human to form a connection of trust. However, obtaining a cub was nearly impossible, as these creatures hid with their parents until they were mature enough to survive on their own.
"In respect to you, the high nobles will not participate in the event," Thaddeus continued with a smile. "Otherwise, we¡¯d end up buying everything."
He let out a lighthearted laugh, and a few people joined him.
The master of ceremonies took the stage, and the dukes and their heirs sat together at a table facing the presentation. The auction began, and it was evident, from the gleam in many nobles'' eyes, that excitement dominated the atmosphere.
I had expected this. Auctions were the nobility''s favorite pastime.
Will I find another mural?
I continued eating the appetizers laid out on the table.
"I hope there aren¡¯t people," Kinue murmured beside me.
"Don¡¯t worry. There won¡¯t be slaves. Some duchies are against it, and this event is meant to reinforce harmony," I reassured her.
The slave trade varied by region. Depending on the place, a slave could be a criminal, someone in debt, or even an orphan. Many nobles saw it as a more practical solution than maintaining orphanages and offering a chance at a dignified life until the orphans could support themselves. To some, selling a child to a noble seemed like a "better" alternative than letting them starve and fall into crime. In my duchy, this practice didn¡¯t exist, but I couldn¡¯t control the laws of other territories.
I shifted my gaze to the small gray cat beside me.
"And the animals in the auction are cubs from domesticated magical beasts¡¯ litters," I added. "No one took them from the wild."
The auction continued, with bids being fiercely contested. Hugo and Martha remained standing near the table where my aunt and Chloe sat, alongside the other dukes'' attendants.
But my attention wasn¡¯t there. My mind was trapped by the letter I carried.
When I realized Siegfried wasn¡¯t an ordinary human, I had gone to a secluded place and opened the document. There was nothing¡ªit was just a blank sheet¡ and yet, there was something.
On the sheet, there was a single, solitary rune. As soon as I looked at it, the rune glowed, and words appeared before me, saying:
"I am as light as the wind, yet I do not dance with it.
I am part of all that lives, yet I am never seen.
When I leave Midgard, all things cease,
And the void takes my place.
Who am I?"
It was a riddle.
Instinctively, I knew that if I answered correctly, a secret would be revealed to me.
286 - Have Lots of Babies with Nathan
Chapter 286 - Have Lots of Babies with Nathan
Chloe Evenhart:
We were aboard the Underground Transport ship, heading back to our duchy. Unfortunately, our vacation time had been cut short because of the banquet¡ªwe hadn¡¯t even returned home after the school term ended. We would have only a brief stay at the castle before heading back to the academy. During the preparations, we had stayed at our family¡¯s estate in the Royal Capital while the dukes organized the event.
Nathan, on the other hand, had spent days away, traveling on a ship sailing along a surface river, passing through the duchies. The treasures being transported were moved via Underground Transport before being loaded onto a ship above.
I had wanted to spend more time with him.
Instead, I had helped my mother, but my main responsibility was handling the administrative side of things in the Royal Capital¡¯s office¡ªmanaging the logistics paperwork for the event and other crucial affairs of the duchy. Some of these tasks couldn¡¯t be delegated to staff, as they involved classified documents that only high-ranking nobles were authorized to access. It had been a hectic period, filled with decisions and approvals, with the weight of responsibility increasing as the banquet drew near.
Aboveground, it was probably nighttime. The underground ship moved in complete silence, its passengers immersed in their rest. Ever since Quinn¡¯s attack, our security policies had become ruthlessly strict. Now, our travels were exclusively conducted aboard our family¡¯s private Underground Transport ship. The days when we could disguise ourselves and walk freely among the common people had become nothing more than distant memories. In any public setting, we were always surrounded by guards¡ªa constant shadow following us wherever we went.
The only place where we found some semblance of peace was in Apsalon. However, even that refuge had changed. The streets of the magical city were now filled with soldiers. Apsalon had become a strategic hub for gatherings of high-ranking nobles and officials from across the continent. This past year had been especially tumultuous, marked by the establishment of the fourth kingdom and suspicious activity along the borders.
Apsalon, a city that once represented freedom and neutrality, was now the stage for heated debates, critical decisions, and strategic planning for the continent¡¯s future.
Previously, decisions involving multiple smaller kingdoms required fragmented and time-consuming negotiations. The creation of the fourth great kingdom had streamlined this process. Now, this new power had assumed the role of being the primary voice for the other half of the continent. The chaos that once plagued the minor kingdoms¡ªwhere they constantly vied for favor with the three great kingdoms¡ªhad finally ceased. I had heard that these conflicts extended beyond mere political disputes; sabotage and intrigue were common. But with the formation of the new kingdom and the rise of the Olarion royal family, these rivalries had vanished. Unity had become a necessity, and decisions now came directly from the new monarchy.
This model wasn¡¯t new to us. It had been the same since the time of the Founding Emperor. Before the Empire was established, the duchies were independent kingdoms, locked in constant, often bloody, conflicts. Unification had brought stability, ending commercial, political, and economic feuds. While some rivalries still lingered, they were far less significant. The system in place ensured that all duchies sold their goods to the kingdom, which acted as the intermediary, redistributing resources among the other duchies. This helped regulate tensions and prevented old conflicts from resurfacing.
Though it was sometimes frustrating to live as vassals of the kingdom, my mother always said that it was better than standing alone against the other seven duchies and the kingdom itself. Without support¡ªbe it commercial or military¡ªwe would be completely surrounded. She constantly reminded me that, in the grand scheme of things, it was always better to be part of the whole than to fight against it.
I stepped out of my cabin on the ship with careful movements, closing the door without making a sound. The wood creaked slightly, but the noise was lost in the silence of the late night. Everyone was in deep sleep after the exhausting banquet, and the stillness around me felt almost sacred.
A soft darkness enveloped the hallway, broken only by the lights that flickered on automatically as I walked, triggered by the embedded light crystals in the ceiling. Each step echoed faintly, making me even more cautious to avoid making noise. The ship was designed to provide comfort to the ducal family, turning it into a floating home. The hallways were spacious, lined with discreet tapestries that absorbed sound, creating a peaceful and isolated atmosphere.
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"Kinue!" I exclaimed, surprised to see her in the corridor.
She was dressed in a thin nightgown, and immediately, something caught my attention.
Damn¡ I think her breasts got bigger¡ Ugh, that¡¯s so unfair. Why isn¡¯t she wearing a bra? Oh, right. It¡¯s because she¡¯s in her sleepwear¡ That was dumb of me.
"Chloe?" Kinue reacted, just as startled, her eyes widening slightly at the sight of me. "You¡¯re still awake at this hour¡ Do you want me to prepare something for you?" She asked, trying to keep her voice neutral, but I already knew what she was up to.
I narrowed my eyes, suspicious, analyzing the situation. "Kinue¡ Where were you going?" I asked, my gaze accusatory. Instantly, she flushed and averted her eyes.
"To Nathan¡¯s room¡" she mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper. "I just wanted to sleep near him. We¡¯ve been apart for a few days¡ I missed him."
Her explanation was timid, but I wasn¡¯t buying it.
I sighed, shaking my head in disapproval. "You were trying to make a sneaky move¡ How bold," I said, attempting to sound serious, but a part of me found the situation amusing.
Kinue turned even redder, her embarrassment obvious.
"Wait¡ Where were you going, Chloe? It¡¯s really late, and the kitchen and bathroom aren¡¯t in this direction¡" she countered, narrowing her eyes at me with the same suspicion.
I froze for a moment, realizing I had been caught.
Shit.
"I¡ I was going to Nathan¡¯s room," I admitted, murmuring the last part.
Her expression shifted to one of triumph as she shook her head.
"You were trying to make a sneaky move¡ How bold," she repeated my own words back at me with a smug smile.
I fell silent, knowing I had lost. She had caught me red-handed, and there was no way out of it.
"We made a deal," I said, trying to justify myself. "We agreed not to move forward with him until we settled things¡ and we haven¡¯t even sat down to plan how it would¡ work¡ with him," I muttered, my face burning.
Just thinking about those couple things made me even more embarrassed. Kinue was just as red as I was.
"I was only going to sleep beside him," Kinue said quickly, her voice shaky as she turned an even deeper shade of crimson. "That¡¯s all. I don¡¯t have the courage to¡ do those things yet¡ especially not here. We¡¯re sleeping near his mother and your mother."
"I know¡ I wasn¡¯t implying that you were going to do that," I reassured her, trying to ease the tension. But just talking about the subject made me nervous.
Conversations about this kind of thing between the two of us were always¡ awkward.
We had tried once to discuss how things would work in bed when we got married, but we ended up more embarrassed than informed. I had so many questions. Would we all sleep together? Or would we have separate rooms? And if we did, would he sleep with one of us each night? How would the next step work¡ in bed? Which of us would be his first? We didn¡¯t want to rush things and mess up our dynamic, but just thinking about it left me completely flustered.
During that conversation, I actually had to drink a little just to talk about it without burying myself in embarrassment.
"Girls¡" a voice suddenly interrupted, making us jump in shock.
"Aunt Katie!" we exclaimed in unison, our hearts pounding.
She narrowed her eyes at us, glancing at how close we were to Nathan¡¯s room, then suddenly broke into a mischievous smile.
"It¡¯s not what you think!" I blurted out, trying to suppress the panic rising inside me.
"Yeah! We weren¡¯t going to do¡ adult things! Especially not both of us at the same time with Nathan!" Kinue added, her voice trembling as her face burned with embarrassment.
Our aunt burst into laughter, much to our absolute despair.
"Why not? I want grandkids. I figured you two were already experts at this kind of thing, practicing for a long time. You live together at the academy¡ªdon¡¯t you take advantage of that to give me grandkids?" she asked, her tone completely casual, as if she were talking about the weather.
Kinue and I froze, our faces burning hot. Talking about this between ourselves was already difficult, but having Nathan¡¯s mother¡ªour aunt¡ªask something like this¡ It felt like a punch to the stomach, leaving us completely speechless.
"Come on, I¡¯m heading to the kitchen," our aunt said, motioning for us to follow.
"We¡ we don¡¯t do those things¡" I muttered, mortified.
Our aunt glanced back at us with a knowing smile.
"Hmm¡ I want to take care of my grandkids. You two should get started soon."
"W-What!? Auntie¡ Talking about this with you is way too embarrassing¡" I stammered, feeling my face heat up even more.
She kept walking as Kinue suddenly dashed ahead, looking bolder than I expected.
"So¡ does that mean I have permission to¡ you know¡ do it with him?" Kinue asked, hesitant but clearly curious.
"Of course, dear. You¡¯re his girlfriend. I assumed you were already doing it every night," our aunt replied naturally.
"There¡¯s the issue of noise¡" Kinue mumbled.
I stared at her in shock.
Kinue! You¡ you¡¯re way too bold!
"Chloe knows how to create a wind barrier, so I¡¯m sure there won¡¯t be any noise when it¡¯s her turn. But you can ask Nathan to make one when¡ well, when you two are together. Sound doesn¡¯t pass through a wind barrier," our aunt explained, as if giving us casual advice on house chores.
"Alright, Auntie! I¡¯ll give you lots of grandkids!" Kinue declared with absolute conviction, making me even more flustered.
"Kinue!?" I gasped, my entire face burning. "Slow down! That¡¯s not what we agreed on!" I almost stuttered.
Our aunt gave me a firm look, though she was still smiling.
"You too, Chloe. You need to be more decisive. Have lots of babies with Nathan."
I just got a lot of encouragement from my aunt about this subject. I¡¯m dying of embarrassment right now¡
287 - The Challenge of Being a High Half-Elf
Chapter 287 - The Challenge of Being a High Half-Elf
Nathan Evenhart:
I was stepping out of the bath. I had woken up just a few minutes ago, and today was the day I¡¯d take the Underground Transport to travel back to Apsalon and resume my academy classes. My vacation had been a bit short¡ªI spent almost half of it working. Lucky for me, once the ship arrived in the royal capital, the dukes personally took their treasures on their own ships through the underground transport.
"I still haven¡¯t gotten used to this," I muttered, staring at my silver-white hair in the bathroom mirror as I got dressed.
I was now undeniably a High Half-Elf. I even had the ability to radiate that mystical aura of theirs if I concentrated mana into my hair. Though, even without activating it, my hair naturally attracted attention. Adrihna once told me it was beautiful, and¡ well, if a High Elf went out of their way to say that, then it probably really was.
My hair had turned like this after the Nikolaus Wolves incident. That was also when Cylla revealed her dragon form to others for the first time, though I hadn¡¯t seen it myself. I continued the process of dyeing my hair.
"Good old black," I murmured to myself.
Because I had control over the mana channels flowing outside my body¡ªspecifically through my hair¡ªthe dye lasted longer if I suppressed my mana from circulating in it. But here¡¯s a fun fact: the moment I let mana flow through my hair, the dye instantly evaporated. So, even after spending time dyeing it, if I channeled mana to activate my High Elf aura¡ my hair would turn silver-white again.
Is it fun? Absolutely. But dyeing my hair, especially with how long it is now, is a pain in the ass. So, no, it¡¯s not fun to waste hours of work for nothing.
As soon as I stepped out of the bathroom, I saw a familiar face.
"Good morning, Master Nathan."
"Good morning, Kinue," I greeted back.
Kinue, dressed in her maid outfit, was making my bed.
"You¡¯re my girlfriend¡ you know you don¡¯t have to do this, right?" I asked.
She looked at me and smiled.
"I like helping around the house. At the same time, I¡¯m honing my skills to be a good wife," she said proudly. "I¡¯m really good at housework."
Kinue stepped closer, her fox ears twitching slightly, and wrapped me in a warm embrace. I returned the gesture, sliding my hand over her head and gently stroking the space between her soft ears.
"And you don¡¯t have to keep calling me ''Master Nathan.'' We¡¯re not at a formal event," I said.
"I-I know¡" she replied, her voice quiet and hesitant. "But I don¡¯t know why¡ I just feel more comfortable saying it. Maybe it¡¯s because I spent the past year practicing so much¡ but I promise I¡¯ll try to stop."
She paused, and suddenly, her cheeks turned a deep shade of red. Her eyes widened slightly, as if she had just realized something.
"What is it?" I asked, curious about her sudden change in demeanor.
"I-it¡¯s just that¡" she began, stammering as she averted her gaze. "You know¡ you¡¯re the person I chose to be with for life¡ and¡ and to have pups with."
She blushed even harder, her tail twitching nervously behind her. "M-maybe it¡¯s just my beast side¡ since you¡¯re the leader of our pack¡"
I stayed silent for a moment.
"I see¡" I murmured, continuing to stroke her head. Her ears twitched with each motion, lowering and perking up in sync with her shifting emotions, while her tail kept swaying restlessly.
"Makes sense," I added, trying to keep my tone casual.
She buried her face against my chest, her voice muffled as she murmured something incomprehensible. I just chuckled softly, letting the moment flow as I continued to stroke her hair, which seemed to calm her.
"Do you want me to get your breakfast?" she asked.
"I''m not that hungry. I¡¯ll just grab something simple, don¡¯t worry," I replied.
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I really wasn¡¯t that hungry¡ all the time.One of the side effects of my new self as a High Half-Elf was my appetite¡ªor rather, the lack of it. I almost never felt hunger and had to force myself to eat, sticking to my usual schedule. Sometimes, I even forgot to eat, like when I was working on the ship. I went a few days without eating anything and, honestly, I didn¡¯t miss food at all. My teacher only eats once a week out of necessity, and the rest is purely indulgence. I still make an effort to eat regularly, following my human habits, but it¡¯s strange not feeling hunger. I know that in another life, I didn¡¯t need food to stay alive, but returning to being biologically human and experiencing these natural changes in my body¡ it was peculiar.
I also have more stamina than before my hair turned silver. Maybe I became naturally stronger? I can¡¯t really test that. Since I¡¯m predominantly a Transmitter-type and have been using magic since I was eight, I was already naturally stronger due to enhancing my physical attributes with mana.
My sleep patterns were also affected. High Elves can go days without sleep. Not only that, but they also possess an impressive level of natural resistance and physical enhancement, making them superior to humans in many aspects. However, because of these inborn advantages, they rarely dedicate themselves to physical training or hand-to-hand combat. The lack of motivation to train comes from the simple fact that, to them, they are already physically perfect. After all, why push themselves to the limit when they can naturally run for long periods without feeling fatigued? That¡¯s why their lifestyle is different¡ªmore focused on stability and longevity.
They¡¯re so resilient that their abilities allow them to fall from great heights without taking damage, something unthinkable for an ordinary human. But what gives me confidence is that, despite only having half of these physical advantages, I also have the human drive for combat, forged through training and discipline. This gives me a unique balance: the inherited physical prowess of a High Elf combined with the relentless determination and fighting spirit of a human. Together, they form a powerful combination.
One of my other concerns was my lifespan. Would I live as long as a High Elf? An ordinary Elf? Or just a human? I had no idea. My teacher said she would try to figure it out once I reached the Elven Kingdom, where many expert healing mages specialized in such things. She also joked that even if it didn¡¯t change much, at least by human standards, I¡¯d take a long time to age in appearance¡ªafter all, my mother didn¡¯t look anywhere near her actual age.
I kept walking, lost in thought about my upcoming tasks. Since today was my last day here, there were a few things I needed to take care of.
"I need to stop by my mother¡¯s lab," I muttered.
Whenever my mother finished her duties as a gardener and after checking if her stationary golems had captured anyone lurking outside the castle grounds, she always headed to her lab to work on her secret project with her new plants. She was gathering a collection of seeds from the duchies and other kingdoms, conducting her own experiments. But first, she needed to let the new plants grow naturally. So, she allowed the seedlings to develop as normal plants, modifying them so they didn¡¯t require her mana. They were watered daily like any other plant. However, the next generation of seeds, once harvested, would be different¡ªthose would need to be constantly watered with mana to thrive.
She had two labs¡ªone here in the castle and another in our estate in Apsalon. The second lab was where she kept the more dangerous specimens, the ones that required a constant supply of her mana.
My mother had overcome her trauma from the war and had started working with spells she once considered evil again. Since she wasn¡¯t using it on humans, the only thing she did was bury her creations in the soil and test new modifications. But I¡¯d heard that the next stage of her experiments, in collaboration with my aunt, was to try growing those things inside animals.
Imagine my mother with an army of monstrous boars or rats?
Well, for now, she was just experimenting. We had no intention of developing weapons of war. It was just a simple mother who loved plants¡ªno more, no less.
What she wanted to do was implant those things into pests that ravage crops. We already have to kill those pests anyway, so at least this way, they¡¯d be useful. The last time I went down to her lab during these holidays, she was trying to make one of the seeds hatch inside a locust, but without success. Her goal was to make it evolve, devour other locusts, and then be deployed in plantations as mobile protectors. Once that thing died after consuming the locusts, a new, more powerful seed would be generated, strengthened by everything it had consumed.
I descended the castle stairs toward the underground area.
"Shit!" Hugo stormed out of the lab door, trembling. "I hate plants¡" he muttered.
"Good morning, Hugo," I said, trying to suppress my laughter.
He shot me a look and sighed.
"Funny¡ Lucky you that those things don¡¯t attack you."
Since I was their "mother¡¯s" son, I had developed some kind of immunity.
"These holidays flew by," he sighed.
"Gonna miss your daughters?"
He laughed.
"Of course. Lucky for me, you¡¯ll be at the academy to keep an eye on them."
With their personalities, I doubt anyone would dare mess with them recklessly. Well, except for Frederick¡ but honestly, I think he¡¯s the one in danger.
Hugo stepped closer and nudged me with his elbow, flashing a mischievous grin.
"Hey, champ. If you need a good spot to take your two women out on a date¡ I know some great places in the city. There are some nice restaurants too. So when you come back for the holidays, you won¡¯t have to hold back," he said, patting my back before walking off laughing.
"Long live youth!" he exclaimed as he walked away.
I was left speechless.
"Dammit¡" I muttered.
I can¡¯t believe I feel completely at ease walking into battle but get totally nervous when it comes to this¡
I ignored what Hugo said. I still had my internal conflicts and wanted to wait a little longer. But both of them were adults, so any excuse about age I might have had to avoid taking the next step in our relationship no longer made sense.
Do they even think about this kind of thing? Probably not.
I walked up to my mother¡¯s lab door, once Cylla¡¯s old room, now transformed into a vast indoor garden with a pond.
"Mom," I called out, pushing the door open.
A carnivorous plant greeted me by tugging at my hair.
"Nathan," she responded. "I¡¯m over here."
My mother was watering a plant. At the center of the lab, a massive seed, the size of an ox, was wrapped in thick roots.
288 - Katherines Greenhouse
Chapter 288 - Katherine''s Greenhouse
Nathan Evenhart:
The garden had been completely renovated by my mother. During our time at the academy, she would occasionally return to the castle, spending a few weeks there while Chloe, Kinue, and I remained in Apsalon. Of course, she never traveled alone. She always brought the maids along, and the manor in the Royal Capital was heavily guarded, ensuring her safety the moment she arrived in the city. Additionally, she always used our private ship for travel.
I had a feeling she did this on purpose, giving the three of us a sort of "private weekend" at the Apsalon estate. But I preferred not to ask if that was truly her intention.
Here, my mother had created her own laboratory, which she had affectionately named the Carnivorous Greenhouse. The space was dedicated to her experiments with modified living plants¡ªones that didn¡¯t rely solely on her mana to survive. There was mana in the atmosphere, and summoner mages naturally had the ability to modify it using their own internal mana. Her goal was to develop plants that could absorb this environmental mana in the same way they already did with sunlight.
"I¡¯m facing the same problem as before, Nathan," she said as she watered an experimental plant.
In the soil before her was a section of land she had asked me to generate. As a High Elf with Special Eyes in the summoner category, I could create more fertile soil by combining my plant element with the earth element. This significantly accelerated plant growth and efficiency. My mother couldn¡¯t simply speed up the process with magic since it was a delicate experiment, so she needed my help to optimize the soil conditions.
Even the water used in the experiment was created by me. Since our mana had a stronger harmony with nature¡ªsomething Adrihna explained as being related to High Elves originally being ancient spirits or something like that¡ªthe entire process needed to be as pure as possible.
"Are the watermelons still exploding?" I asked, glancing at the scattered remains on the ground.
"Yes..." she sighed, visibly disappointed.
My mother was attempting to develop a type of fertilizer plant¡ªone that would act as a mana reservoir for the soil. The idea was for this plant to absorb available mana and distribute it to the surrounding flora, eliminating the need for her to manually water or infuse mana into them daily. To achieve this, she had been modifying watermelon seeds, burying the fruit in the soil, and analyzing whether it could serve as a source of nourishment for the other plants.
"The experimental watermelons are all failing..." she muttered, crossing her arms as she pondered over the ruined patch of land.
She sighed before returning to watering the other plants.
"And the sunflowers?" I asked.
She pointed to a corner of the greenhouse.
"Useless¡ so far, only fruits have shown any results," she explained.
She continued watering with a focused expression.
"For now, these are just incubator plants," she added. "I modified the seeds so they still feed on water normally. Later, they¡¯ll die and produce seeds strong enough to withstand fusion with a carnivorous plant and a cuscuta parasite."
One of the carnivorous plants raised a tendril, pointing toward the destroyed watermelon on the ground.
"Go ahead and eat it¡ it¡¯s useless anyway," my mother said.
The plant stretched its neck and devoured the watermelon pieces without hesitation.
I watched the scene, slightly confused.
"Isn¡¯t that kind of like cannibalism?" I asked, laughing.
My mother chuckled back.
After watering the plants, my mother hurried over to her workstation, which was, in fact, inside a greenhouse. Since there was a nearby lake, the plants absorbed water directly through their roots.
"Can you keep feeding the lake with your water, using a high mana concentration?" she asked.
"Of course," I replied, walking to the shore and sitting down.
She remained nearby, focused on her notes. I closed my eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. The process required precision¡ªI had to keep my mana under control. A faint warmth spread through my eyes. My Special Eyes had activated.
I knew this would shorten their longevity, but I rarely used them and always for short periods. Still, I insisted on helping, wanting to contribute alongside my mother. She rarely asked for my assistance, and as I grew older, I got the feeling that she hesitated to be too direct with me¡ªat least in front of certain people.
By law, very few people could speak to me directly or "order" me to do anything. Of course, in Apsalon, I was just another student. But in the daily life of the duchy, I would always have to be Lord Nathan. And as political responsibilities fell upon me, I suspected my mother was wary because of her status as a commoner.
One of her greatest fears had always been losing me when I was little. Technically, my aunt had "custody" over me, being both a noble and the acting duchess. If she had wanted to, she could have ordered me to be taken from my mother, and there would have been nothing my mother could do. But, obviously, our family wasn¡¯t like that¡ªthough such cases were common among the nobility.
I dipped my hand into the water, activating a magical fertilizer spell. This spell was my mother¡¯s invention, combining water, earth, and plant elements. I used the last two in small amounts while the water element carried the altered minerals from my High Elf mana into the lake, filtering and enriching it.
"What about those grasshoppers?" I asked as she reviewed her notes.
My mother¡¯s desk was covered in scribbled papers, diagrams, and detailed instructions about her plant experiments. She was testing different specimens and planning to import seeds from the elven kingdom for future projects.
"That failed too," she sighed. "The carnivorous plant kills the grasshopper in seconds, so it was useless. I need to develop something more delicate for this kind of control. And not to mention, the grasshopper flies. I don¡¯t know how the plant would react to controlling something airborne¡ It¡¯s more complex than it seems."
My mother had always loved nature. She would never experiment on living animals. Her focus was solely on creatures classified as pests¡ªironically, the ones that disrupted the natural balance.
"My aunt mentioned there are many prisoners on death row¡" I murmured.
She stopped what she was doing and looked at me.
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"No," she said firmly. "No using humans. That was a necessity, and the family¡¯s future was at stake."
I decided not to push the matter. My mother could be terrifying when she wanted to be.
She returned to writing.
"The next mana ''storage plant'' will be made from potatoes. I¡¯m going to try modifying them," she commented, jotting down her ideas.
My eyes drifted toward the enormous seed at the center of the greenhouse. Most of the water mana was directed to it. My mother wanted to keep the seed healthy, even as it remained dormant in its cocoon of roots. Every now and then, I¡¯d see her talking to the seed. But I was used to it. She had always talked to her plants since¡ well, since I was born.
"And what about my sister? When do you plan to plant her?" I asked, curious. "This definitely isn¡¯t the ideal space. That seed is going to need deep soil¡ªat the very least, a nearby forest."
She seemed to ponder for a moment.
"I still don¡¯t know how big she¡¯ll get or what she¡¯ll want to eat," my mother admitted. "If she takes too much after the carnivorous plant side, I¡¯ll have to feed her a pig every week¡ or every fifteen days, depending on her size. If she inherits traits from a normal plant, a fertile soil might be enough. Or maybe she¡¯ll need both. But when I finally plant her, I¡¯ll need to be fully focused. I can¡¯t do it while you¡¯re at the academy since I might need your help to strengthen the soil with your magic. Plus, I need to think strategically about where to place her. Maybe, in the future, I¡¯ll plant her in the castle¡¯s outer garden. With her roots covering the walls, she could become the fortress¡¯s guardian."
I looked at the massive seed, about the size of a horse.
"Damn¡ who in their right mind would even think of invading a place guarded by that thing?" I chuckled. "We already have an army living in the fortress village¡ a dragon, a Moon Panther, and now a giant plant. I don¡¯t think anyone would be dumb enough to attack this place."
My mother laughed.
"And let¡¯s not forget, we also have two summoner women who can conjure their own Soul Golems, plus another who can access her beast form," she added.
I paused for a moment, thinking.
Wait¡ is it just me, or am I constantly surrounded by extremely dangerous women?
Victoria Vargulfson:
The cold was relentless. It was always like this at the border.
This was a land unlike any other¡ªa vast stretch of ice spanning for miles, dividing the continents. The snow never ceased, no matter the season. Many claimed it was something supernatural, and I couldn¡¯t disagree. Even fire mages felt the chill cutting through to their bones. During storms, anyone left outside would certainly die within hours.
A colossal ice wall shielded our continent. Along its length, eight fortresses stood like bastions, spread far apart. These strongholds housed the soldiers guarding the frontier. The only way to travel between them was from the outside, as digging through the wall was impossible. No one truly knew who had built it¡ªonly that the being, or beings, responsible possessed incomprehensible power.
Three of the fortresses, located at the wall¡¯s center, had endured the brunt of the True Humans¡¯ attacks over the past centuries. The reason was simple: in that region, the cold was less extreme. The closer one moved toward the sea, the harsher the climate became, making the movement of armies nearly impossible.
Most soldiers stationed at the border were warriors without magic. Mages were rare on this continent¡ªI knew this better than anyone, as the headmistress of its most prestigious magic academy. Besides, few were willing to volunteer to live at the edge of the world. Serving the nobility was a far more desirable fate.
Food was scarce at the frontier. Soldiers relied entirely on supplies sent from the kingdoms. Common horses couldn¡¯t survive here, making transport a major challenge. Provisions were carried by wagon to a large base still within the continental territory. From there, the journey continued on sleds pulled by reindeer, dogs, and wolves, the only animals capable of enduring the extreme cold. Distribution was done along the protected side of the wall, ensuring that the fortresses received their supplies without having to cross into hostile territory.
The only horses that could withstand the cold were the winged ones, but their wings became compromised in the low temperatures, preventing them from flying for long. Due to military necessity, a unit of these horses was stationed at the strongholds, used only for reconnaissance flights or aerial support to preserve their health and avoid unnecessary ground travel.
A guttural scream echoed through the forest.
"Argh!"
I ran forward, sword in hand, launching myself at two creatures and cutting them down in a single motion. They collapsed to the ground, shrieking in agony before dying.
There was something few people knew.
A Millennia-Old Secret
An anomaly that had emerged in the other continent was slowly spreading to ours. We feared that soon, it would cross the wall. And worse¡ I was beginning to suspect that the ice barrier had not been built to protect us from the True Humans, but from this very anomaly.
A sudden explosion of fire erupted before me. A wave of flames consumed the creatures emerging from the rift. As the heat and light faded, the anomaly had disappeared.
"They weren¡¯t that strong," commented the inquisitor beside me, a fire mage. His name was Wilfred Saul, and the raging flames had come from his hands.
"Hmm¡ seems like they were too weak for you," responded Lillian, an elf who had just descended from her enchanted broom¡ªa magical relic that allowed her to fly.
"Too easy," Wilfred muttered.
"The problem isn¡¯t their strength," I replied. "The problem is their numbers. They¡¯re getting closer to the wall, and these incidents are happening more frequently. If this continues, people will soon learn the truth¡"
We pressed forward on our mission. We were outside the wall, far beyond the fortifications, deep into lands no ordinary soldier would dare enter¡ªeven in times of war.
The Inquisitors were the only ones with the authority to cross certain borders in this region. Even if other soldiers were permitted to come here, I doubted they would risk freezing to death or being ambushed by the True Humans, who occasionally sent patrols into this territory. Only a powerful mage could survive a snowstorm¡ªwhether by traveling great distances swiftly or by tunneling beneath the earth for shelter.
Lillian had once been my student. In fact, two of my former students had become Inquisitors, and she was one of them. As an elven mage, Lillian was one of the most important forces of her kingdom.
The Inquisitors formed an elite group, composed only of mages who had reached the Star-Level Mana Core. Very few in the world had attained this level, and most were recruited into our ranks. Officially, we were known as Battle Generals. Each of us alone was worth an entire army.
We had no subordinates or troops¡ªonly our own abilities. Our primary mission was to serve as the elite force of the Three Kingdoms. If a rebellion arose, we would be summoned to crush it. If necessary, we could suppress the military power of an entire duchy. However, in the last few centuries, our main duty had been to protect the borders.
Currently, there were only seven Inquisitors. Six of them belonged to the Three Kingdoms. The seventh, Leonhard Olarion, one of my former students, had been promoted recently. No mage from the other half of the continent had ever reached this level before, making his ascension a historic milestone.
Although the Inquisitors¡¯ mission was to guard the frontiers, my responsibilities in Apsalon often kept me away for long periods. However, the true purpose behind our existence was tied to a secret known only to those chosen to join the order.
A secret that completely changed the way we saw the world.
"Will you be able to handle things in the coming months?" I asked. "I need to return to the academy. There will be meetings in Apsalon that will decide the future of the continent¡"
"Send my regards to Prince Leon," Wilfred said. "Tell him I still want that duel."
Without waiting for a response, he ran toward the forest.
Lillian remained still, watching the trees. I noticed that a barrier of wind had formed around us, preventing any sound from escaping.
"Will you be seeing the new members of the royal family?" she asked, her gaze still fixed on the horizon.
"I will. That will also be one of the topics discussed."
"Hmm¡ I can¡¯t wait to meet them, especially the boy who inherited that sacred hair."
She crossed her arms, lost in thought.
"We were forbidden by the king from approaching them all these years, due to our military position. But it will be an honor to see them in person when the time comes."
"Unfortunately, the times we live in will not bring good news to the continent," I commented. "But at least your people have something to celebrate."
"And they will celebrate," Lillian replied with conviction. "These are the lost children of the Great Mother. They will return to their home in the elven kingdom."
"The last time I visited the council, that was the only topic under discussion," I added.
We continued walking. Our conversation was interrupted when more creatures emerged from the snow.
Another anomaly.
We attacked without hesitation. Our magic tore the monsters apart. Wilfred returned to assist, conjuring a sea of flames over them.
A different creature¡ªlarger, more resilient¡ªtried to rise despite its charred body.
It failed.
But before dying, it whispered something.
"You¡ will fall¡ Your world will fall¡"
Lillian narrowed her eyes.
"A creature that speaks¡" she murmured.
The dying monster lifted its burnt face, its voice escaping as a ragged whisper.
"When¡ the Dark Kingdom comes, this world will fall¡ Just like the others¡"
Wilfred didn¡¯t hesitate. He stomped hard on the creature¡¯s face, crushing its skull.
The moment he did, the anomaly vanished before our eyes.
For a moment, we stood in silence.
The anomaly¡ was a portal.
A portal that brought things from another world.
A world of malevolent beings.
289 - The Dragon Wife, The High Half-Elf, and the Goddess Athena
Chapter 289 - The Dragon Wife, The High Half-Elf, and the Goddess Athena
Nathan Evenhart:
I had finished my tasks with my mother and was walking through the courtyard, heading to another location, when I noticed some soldiers chatting. Groups of men ran in their heavy armor, training their endurance, while the sounds of spells echoed in the air, suggesting a magic training session was happening nearby.
¡°Lord Nathan, good morning,¡± a soldier greeted me as I passed by. Beside him, his son was practicing with a bow.
¡°The tip you gave me was really helpful, sir,¡± the boy said, smiling.
I chuckled at his simple yet earnest gratitude.
¡°It was nothing, Tanner. Your problem was just balancing your center of gravity,¡± I explained.
The boy, around six years old, was an interesting sight. Though he imitated his parents and brothers by writing with his right hand, he was naturally better with his left in more delicate tasks. A natural ambidextrous. This had caught my attention due to my old habits as an instructor. I noticed he trained with the sword in his right hand, but when handling a knife¡ªwhere precision mattered¡ªhe instinctively used his left. When shooting with a bow, his confusion was evident, unsure of which arm should pull the string and which should hold the bow steady.
¡°Are you heading to the lair today?¡± his father asked, interrupting my thoughts.
¡°I am,¡± I replied.
¡°Good luck, sir. That thing has been in a bad mood for the past three days,¡± he said with a nervous smile.
I laughed, but a slight sense of apprehension crept in. To the soldiers, Cylla was just a beast that growled and snarled. But I understood what the dragon was actually saying¡ªI could feel her emotions.
I hope she¡¯s not in one of her crazy clingy moods again¡
I kept walking, greeting some of the men along the way. Most of them had fought alongside me during the invasion of Nikolaus Wolves¡¯ fortress, so they were well-acquainted with Cylla in action. Every now and then, they mentioned how massive she had been that day. Unfortunately, I hadn¡¯t been able to see it with my own eyes. According to her, that size was just a side effect of accessing more of her power than she usually did. It had been triggered by emotions due to the situation we were in at the time. Even so, her dragon form was already large, though not as gigantic as they made it sound.
I passed through the special wall that sealed off that side of the castle courtyard and opened the door, making my way toward the entrance of a cave I had grown quite familiar with. Sighing, I continued down the dark path. As I turned a familiar corner, the sunlight gradually faded, and darkness took over. Soon, the proximity light crystals began to glow as I moved forward, illuminating just enough to guide my way.
As I ventured deeper into the cave, total darkness engulfed the space. Nothing was visible ahead. I raised a small blue sphere of electricity, letting it float around me, casting a faint glow on the path.
"Cylla¡" I called, my voice echoing against the cave walls before fading into silence.
I waited, but there was no response. The darkness felt even denser in the stillness.
"Are you mad?" I asked, letting my voice fill the empty space again.
Once again, only silence replied. I sighed, slightly frustrated.
"Alright¡ I¡¯ll leave you alone," I said, turning to walk away. But before I could take more than a few steps, something grabbed my arm, yanking me back into the darkness.
"Wait¡ idiot," I muttered, feeling the pressure of something squeezing me into what seemed like a tight embrace.
"Let me turn the lights on first¡" I tried to say, my voice slightly muffled as I struggled to break free. Before I could make a move, the light switched on by itself, and I quickly realized that Cylla had used her tail to hit the switch that controlled the glowing orb on the ceiling.
"Cylla¡" I murmured, now trapped in her arms. The massive red dragon continued to sniff me, as if confirming my presence.
"What are you doing?" I asked, trying to understand why Cylla kept sniffing me while squeezing me tightly in her massive arms.
"I''m checking to make sure no husband-stealing woman has skipped any steps with you," she replied, her rough voice tinged with jealousy.
"Don''t talk like that about my fianc¨¦es¡" I tried to argue, but she carefully set me down before I could finish.
"I''m glad you''re still pure," she said, looking almost satisfied.
I stopped to analyze what she had just said. "Wait, how would you even know if I had¡ skipped any steps?" I asked, genuinely curious.
"Secret," Cylla answered with a mysterious smile, sitting down in front of me. A massive red dragon stared at me, her gleaming eyes filled with a mischievous sparkle. For anyone else, being face-to-face with a creature like this would be the definition of panic, but to me, this monster was¡ my wife.
Before I could react, I was suddenly scooped up in her enormous claws, lifted off the ground as if I were made of paper.
"What are you doing now?" I muttered as she rubbed her huge scaly head against me.
"I''m replenishing my ''Nathan Energy,'' beloved."
"E-energy what? That¡¯s not even a real thing¡" I grumbled as she continued to nuzzle me like I was some kind of soft pillow.
Suddenly, her massive lips moved closer, and her eyes sparkled with anticipation. "Kissy time!" she announced in a playful, sing-song voice.
"No¡ wait¡ we can do that later!" I turned my head, trying to escape, but it was like trying to run from a landslide of affection.
"No stalling! I want to kiss my man right now!" And before I could protest, I felt her enormous jaws plant a loud, smacking kiss on my cheek¡ªwarm and gentle despite her sheer size.
"O-okay, that¡¯s enough!" I tried to argue, but Cylla just laughed, a sound that was almost like a deep purr, as she pulled me closer against her scaly skin.
"Nope¡ I¡¯m still feeling needy¡ I need to mark my territory a little more." She affectionately rubbed her head against my neck, her voice melting into a whiny tone. "You smell like a fox. That needs to change. Everyone has to know that this human already belongs to someone."
I let the massive dragon continue her clingy attacks.
When she was finally done, she gently placed me back on the ground.
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The huge red dragon stared at me, a sight that would terrify most.
"Beloved," she said, giving me a light pat on the head with one of her massive paws. "Is it time for our walk?"
"Yes, let¡¯s go for a walk. You¡¯ll stay in your panther cub form for a while, and we¡¯ll be away from this region for a few months," I said, inviting her to our usual walk before heading back to Apsalon.
Cylla stepped toward me, and her body began to change. The massive dragon disappeared, and before me stood a small Moon Panther cub.
"That was faster this time," I said, surprised.
"I¡¯ve improved a lot in the Body Aspect," she replied proudly, pleased with her growing strength. "Trying to become human as quickly as possible¡ so I can stay by your side¡"
***
We had arrived at a part of the forest near the castle.
The road before us cut through the forbidden woods, yet no one ever traveled it. That path was exclusive to my family. The forests surrounding it were untouched territories, places where few dared to step. The only sign of civilization in the area was the fortress on the outer wall, about half a day¡¯s journey along the road.
"I''m ready," Cylla announced, leaping off my head and darting into a clearing.
Her body began to glow, enveloped in an intense white radiance. From the center of that light, an immense red dragon emerged.
"Let''s go, Nathan," Cylla said.
I was still pondering the riddle on the document, but I tucked the paper into my storage bracelet and pulled out another¡ªa large map that unfurled in my hands.
"I''m coming up," I warned, folding the map before climbing onto her back.
Cylla lowered her body, allowing me to mount her.
"I used to ride on top of you, and now you''re the one riding me," she remarked with a soft chuckle.
"When you put it that way, you''re right," I replied, settling myself atop her scales.
She tensed for a moment, crouching low before launching forward in a powerful leap. Her wings spread wide with a majestic sweep, propelling us into the sky.
The familiar thrill surged through me. No matter how many times I did this, that sensation in my stomach never quite faded. With each passing second, the ground grew distant, the treetops shrinking into a vast green canopy below.
Animals scattered at our presence, and flocks of birds took flight, startled by our shadow.
"Can I go faster?" Cylla asked.
"Of course!"
She flapped her wings with ferocious strength, shooting forward like an arrow. The howling wind whipped around us, and I had to cling tightly to one of her spines. I had already stored the map in my storage bracelet, but I checked our route one last time before climbing aboard.
We would circle around the path to our destination, soaring above the forest where no one dared to venture, avoiding villages and any unwanted gazes.
A nostalgic place...
***
We arrived at a part of the forest near the mountains.
It was a secluded, quiet place¡ªthe kind of silence that carried an eerie sense of isolation, yet I had always found it comforting. We landed near a waterfall, one of my favorite spots to think.
"That was impressive. At this speed, you could cross the entire duchy in half an hour," I commented.
"It''s because I''m impressive," Cylla replied proudly.
I jumped off her back and took in the scenery around me. The scent of the forest mixed with the damp mist from the cascading water.
"Nate, I''m going to hunt for a bit," she announced.
"Alright. Just don¡¯t mess with the Moon Panthers," I reminded her.
She nodded in agreement.
"If anything happens, call me through our mental connection, beloved. I¡¯ll be nearby."
Without waiting for a response, she dashed into the forest, vanishing among the trees with her usual agility and speed.
Over the past few months, our mental connection had grown stronger. We could now communicate whenever we wanted, as long as we weren¡¯t too far apart. Cylla had explained that, as far as she understood, no one but her could invade my mind. Our soul bond was something unique¡ªour souls were "married" to each other.
There was no mind-reading, only a deep connection that allowed us to access each other¡¯s thoughts.
That reassured me. I had always feared that someone might be able to glimpse into my past beyond her. Cylla didn¡¯t know how she had managed to do it the first time she saw me that night on the ship, but she had only caught glimpses of certain things. After our souls bonded, she could see more, but she told me she had stopped looking into my past¡ªchoosing to respect the privacy of my former life.
Sisika, on the other hand¡ was different. She had dreamed of me even before I came into this world. That fact still unsettled me to this day.
I sighed and retrieved the letter from my storage bracelet.
"Looks like it''s just you and me," I murmured, walking toward the sound of the waterfall.
The scenery was familiar.
"This is where I spent some moments with Sisika¡"
I followed the stream until I reached the base of the waterfall.
Lifting my gaze, I saw the cliff towering above me, and the memory surfaced vividly¡ªSisika jumping from up there, pulling me along into the rushing waters.
"Every time I come here, I feel something strange," I muttered to myself.
It was a difficult feeling to describe.
Technically, I was here with Cylla. But at the same time, I was also here with Sisika.
Only she didn¡¯t remember.
I crossed the hidden trail between the rocks, a concealed path behind the curtain of falling water. The mist from the spray hung in the air, and fine droplets clung to my skin as I advanced.
Soon, I arrived at the familiar spot.
"I''m back¡" I said to myself, recalling that day.
The echo of my voice filled the cavern.
¡®Grrr!¡¯ A low growl resonated in the darkness.
My eyes caught a pair of glowing orbs deeper inside the cave. I wasn¡¯t alone¡ªthere was a creature with me.
"It¡¯s okay¡ I¡¯m just passing through," I assured, recognizing the presence in the shadows.
Raising my hand, I conjured a faint blue spark, casting a soft glow over the space.
There she was.
A Moon Panther.
She rose slowly, narrowing her eyes at me as she approached. Her movements were deliberate, fluid like the shadows themselves.
"I just came to visit a nostalgic place," I continued, keeping my voice calm. "I¡¯ll be leaving in a few hours."
The panther watched me for a moment, assessing my presence. Then, without a sound, she disappeared into the darkness, merging seamlessly with the shadows of the cave. I knew I had to be respectful¡ªthis land belonged to them.
From my bracelet, I pulled out a small light orb and placed it on the ground, illuminating the cavern.
The sphere emitted a gentle glow, pushing back the darkness.
"Time to think," I murmured, leaning against the wall.
Adjusting my posture, I sat on the ground and unfolded the document.
"I am as light as the wind, yet I do not dance with it.
I am part of all that lives, yet I am never seen.
When I leave Midgard, all things cease,
And the void takes my place.
Who am I?"
I sighed, staring at the message. The page was practically empty, containing only the large rune and the riddle, which appeared in the air whenever I focused on it. I kept analyzing the words, trying to find a pattern.
What is as light as the wind but is not the wind? It is part of all living things, yet it cannot be seen? When it leaves Midgard¡ What exactly does Midgard mean in this context? My human kingdom? When it leaves, everything ceases¡ and the void takes its place¡
I struggled to connect the clues, but the answer didn¡¯t come easily.
"Want my help?" A voice spoke beside me.
"No¡" I muttered to Athena.
She approached, her footsteps echoing lightly through the cave. "You do realize I could solve this riddle in seconds, right? All you have to do is ask, Icarus."
I ignored her offer, but she continued. "Still upset about those¡ visions? Those hallucinations from your past? You know I would never have done anything to disturb you like that."
"It¡¯s not about that," I shot back without looking at her. My voice came out cold but firm. "My revenge is complete. I killed you. But that doesn¡¯t mean I forgave you. Not then, not now, not ever."
Athena remained silent, listening.
"But carrying this hatred is a weight I don¡¯t want anymore. You¡¯re not worth my time. I have far more important things to worry about. I appreciate your help with Nikolaus Wolves back then¡ but at the first opportunity, you tried to drag me back to who I used to be. Offering me a throne. Tempting me with governance. I already told you¡ªI want nothing to do with you."
The goddess studied me, her expression unreadable.
"Giving in to the Goddess of Strategy even once is a dangerous thing," I said.
Athena smirked. "It¡¯s my nature, Icarus. Just as you have yours."
A moment of silence settled between us, broken only by the distant roar of the waterfall.
"Like it or not, I¡¯m bound to you. Our journey will be walked together until the very end, no matter where it leads."
"Unfortunately, I have no doubts about that," I muttered. "You¡¯ll haunt me until the last day of my life."
She stepped toward the cave¡¯s exit. But before vanishing into the shadows, she turned to look at me one last time.
"We both know there are hidden forces in this world¡ªdark, malevolent forces. Forces beyond our control." Her voice was different now. More¡ serious. "Do you know why I made you that offer?" She locked eyes with me. "Because if the two of us stand at the top, it means nothing will be above us. None of these forces will be able to manipulate us. No piece in this wretched game of shadowed beings will control us."
She took a step closer. "You and I have only one life. And when it ends¡ it¡¯s over. No second chances, Icarus. Think about that."
I said nothing.
"My offer will always be open to you," she continued. "I made this proposal before I died. And I¡¯m making it again now." She paused, gauging my reaction. "Let me help you with your problems. You don¡¯t have to forgive me for the past. Just accept me in the present, in this life. I am the only one who truly understands you. An enemy so intimate¡ he can become your greatest ally."
And with that, Athena disappeared into the darkness.
290 - Those Who Serve the Darkness
Chapter 290 - Those Who Serve the Darkness
Sebastian Blake:
I got up from bed and put on my pants. Walking over to the window, I cracked it open, letting a bit of sunlight in.
"I wanted to sleep a little longer..." a feminine voice murmured behind me. "How about a quickie?"
I let out a small chuckle as I glanced at her naked body.
"I¡¯ll stop by later if you''re still around," I said while she started dressing.
"You¡¯re gonna be away from my body for months. Won¡¯t you miss me? Or is that ¡®Alice¡¯ keeping you satisfied?" she teased with a smirk.
I laughed.
"If I touched her before the wedding, the Grand Duke would have me killed. I don¡¯t even know when I¡¯ll be able to take her to bed. It¡¯s an arranged engagement¡ it¡¯s gonna take a long time before she¡¯s willing to spread her legs for me."
She opened the drawer and pulled out her storage bracelet.
I tossed her a small pouch.
"Your payment," I said.
She caught the pouch, poured the coins into her hand, and started counting. "We¡¯ve been doing this for so long that ¡®client¡¯ doesn¡¯t really fit anymore," she said with a mocking laugh.
I put on my shirt.
"I pay for exclusivity," I retorted playfully.
As I started putting on my boots, I smirked.
"We¡¯re almost there, my love," I said. "The black sheep son of the second heir¡ now engaged to someone from the royal family." The thought made me grin.
Claire moved closer, pulling me back onto the bed.
"I doubt that spoiled little princess will ever be better than me in bed," she whispered, challenging me.
I climbed on top of her as she tugged my pants down.
"I just need to fuck her on the first night to seal the marriage. After that, there¡¯s no turning back. But you¡ you¡¯ll always be my favorite whore," I murmured.
She leaned into my ear and whispered, "I¡¯m excited¡ come give me a proper good morning between my legs."
***
I was walking through the corridors of my family''s mansion.
"Good morning, Lord Sebastian," one of the maids greeted me.
I simply nodded in acknowledgment.
"Good morning, Master Sebastian," a butler said.
"Good morning," I replied.
My family comes from a long line of military officers, a tradition spanning centuries. For generations, we have served the royal family as their Sky Knights, a title that carries both prestige and responsibility. This deep-rooted connection with the monarchy secured our status and respect, but it was during the last great war that our family truly rose to prominence.
My father emerged as a hero during the Red Border War, an event that profoundly reshaped the kingdom''s power structure.
The Red Border War was a turning point. Many described it as an era of chaos and destruction, but for others, it was an opportunity. Those who saw beyond the bloodshed managed to prosper. The war left behind a trail of vacant positions among nobles, military officers, and even within the royal courts. Men of great importance lost their lives, and their absence created openings for new figures to rise.
It was in this very scenario that our family rose even further. My father distinguished himself in several crucial battles. He solidified our name as an indispensable force to the kingdom. Since then, our family''s name has echoed with even greater strength, a symbol of honor and military power.
As I walked down the corridor, my footsteps echoed against the cold walls. I spotted a group of maids carrying baskets and speaking in hushed voices, but my attention was drawn to one woman in particular. She was among them, discreet, yet even from afar, I felt my heart tighten.
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"Good morning, Master Sebastian," they all greeted in unison, bowing.
"G-Good morning, Master Sebastian," one of them stammered, her voice trembling. She seemed unsure whether to meet my gaze or look away.
"Good morning," I responded briefly, continuing to walk. But my ears caught her hesitant footsteps resuming behind me, and almost instinctively, I glanced back. In that moment, I saw her back, slightly hunched, as if she carried the weight of something unseen. She felt my gaze and turned around, her eyes meeting mine. A timid, melancholic smile appeared on her face.
I immediately hardened my expression, erasing that moment as if it had never happened. I kept walking, not looking back again.
I did not treat her well. For years, I avoided any closeness. Liana was clumsy, awkward. She dropped plates, broke glasses, and her cleaning never seemed sufficient. I saw her as a walking mistake.
And yet, at some point, she had been my friend. When I was younger, she was the only one who talked to me, the only one who comforted me after my father¡¯s punishments. She always appeared at the right moments, bringing water at the end of my sword training or offering sincere advice when I was lost.
But over time, everything changed. One day, I stopped responding and began treating her as just another servant, forgetting the bond we once had. That happened after I discovered the truth: that clumsy maid was my mother.
My father told me when I was eight, in a blunt, matter-of-fact way. Since then, my relationship with her had been consumed by confusion. The shock of learning her identity was something I never fully overcame.
Among the nobility, it is common to hire commoners as surrogate mothers. They bear heirs without forcing noble families to share their wealth or status with another lineage. After birth, the mother¡¯s fate usually depends on the noble¡¯s whim. Some are paid to disappear. Others, rarely, are elevated to the status of wives or, at most, concubines. In my case, my father chose to keep her around as a servant. Perhaps as a personal trophy, perhaps as a passing whim.
When I learned that this woman, always so kind to me, was my mother, I didn''t know what to feel. I didn''t know if she was happy or sad about my existence. Maybe she stayed in that house just to see me. Or maybe I was just a convenience¡ªan opportunity for stable employment, where she had a roof, food, and a salary. Maybe that was all: just a job.
The only time I dared to investigate her was during the months my father forced me to learn about our family¡¯s finances. I checked the financial records of all employees, and of course, I looked at hers. That was when I discovered that almost all of her salary went toward paying for medical treatments at a hospital¡ªfor her mother. My grandmother.
When I learned that, something inside me broke. I felt deceived. My mother hadn¡¯t had me because she wanted to. She had me because she needed the money. And all the smiles she had given me throughout my life suddenly felt false. I was nothing more than a means to an end.
Some days, I wake up hating her, a rage burning in my chest. On others, I wake up confused, lost between resentment and guilt. But no matter how I feel, I hate all commoners. If she hadn''t been a commoner, maybe she would have had me out of love, not necessity. If she had been a noble, maybe I would have grown up with a real mother.
"Good morning, Lord Blake," a guard at the door greeted me as he opened it.
"Are they downstairs?" I asked.
"Yes, sir. They have all been gathered since early morning," the guard informed me as he opened the door leading down to the underground chamber of the mansion.
I began descending the stairs, and the door closed behind me.
As I made my way down, I clung to the identity I had built for myself. I was the pride of House Blake, and that servant was nothing more than the womb that bore me¡ªshe was nothing.
After centuries of serving merely as military pawns, House Blake had climbed the highest ranks. And through me¡ we had become, indirectly, part of the royal family. I had secured an arranged engagement with Her Highness Alice, daughter of Grand Duke Ryan. This was a reward granted to us thanks to my father.
I had fought tirelessly to be nearly perfect. I had dedicated myself as a vassal soldier to the royal family, obeying their every command without complaint, training soldiers, forming squads, and even personally acquiring magical beasts for them.
As soon as I reached the dungeon, I could hear their voices deep in discussion.
"It¡¯s just going to be another routine meeting¡" I murmured to myself, forcing a confident smile.
I reached for the door handle, but before I could touch it, an overwhelming pressure crushed down on me, paralyzing me instantly.
"What do you think you¡¯re doing?" A woman dressed in black walked toward me at a leisurely pace.
The pressure lifted as suddenly as it had appeared, and I turned my gaze to her. She stared at me expectantly, waiting for an answer, and I knew better than to hesitate.
"I was heading to my father¡¯s meeting room¡ I was informed that my presence was requested," I said.
She looked at me with amusement, flicked her wrist, and a black dagger materialized in her hand. In a single swift motion, she pressed the blade against my lips.
"W-what are you doing?" I stammered, feeling a raw, primal fear coil around my throat.
"Your father¡¯s meeting room?" she repeated mockingly. "Your presence was ''requested''? We didn¡¯t request anything. We demanded it. Do not overestimate yourself, human."
She grabbed my hair, tilting my head back slightly, and then slowly removed the dagger from my lips.
"I apologize, Lady Sindra," I said, immediately dropping to my knees.
She pointed a single finger at me, and the crushing weight returned¡ªonly this time, it was even worse.
It felt as though an immense force had pinned my body to the ground. My eyes felt like they were bulging out of their sockets. I couldn¡¯t withstand it any longer and collapsed further, unable to bear the sheer magnitude of it.
She watched me with a cruel smile, keeping her finger pointed in my direction.
"You are not even worthy of kneeling before me. This position suits you better," she mused, then finally withdrew her hand. The suffocating pressure vanished.
"Get up, fool," she ordered.
I forced myself to my feet, every muscle screaming in protest, my legs trembling from the strain.
"Look me in the eyes," she commanded.
I obeyed, locking onto her gaze¡ªher glowing pink eyes. Her face was beautiful, but her skin had a grayish hue, covered in markings that resembled black lightning scars.
A smile spread across her lips, and that smile terrified me more than anything else.
"I wonder what sound your throat will make when I rip out your vocal cords?" she mused playfully.
"P-pl-please," I began to plead.
She burst into laughter, then met my gaze once more, her eerie pink eyes gleaming with amusement.
"I''m just messing with you, boy. Now hurry up¡ªyou¡¯re delaying our meeting."
She pointed to the door, which swung open on its own. Without hesitation, I stepped inside.
291 - Echoes of a Coming Storm
Chapter 291 - Echoes of a Coming Storm
Nathan Evenhart:
I was in a carriage.
To my surprise, as soon as I arrived at the castle, I found everyone already preparing for an event that was set to take place that evening¡ªa private dinner in the city, exclusive to a select few nobles of the duchy. My aunt had taken advantage of the presence of the two marquesses in town to arrange a meeting. They had been expressing their desire to spend more time with us for some time now.
"Why do I have to wear these clothes?" I asked, feeling uncomfortable as I adjusted myself in my seat.
"Because you are no longer an anonymous noble. Now, you are one of the faces of this duchy," my aunt replied.
I lowered my gaze to what I was wearing and let out a sigh. I wasn¡¯t fond of it.
"I still think this is unnecessary¡" I muttered, examining the outfit. The ensemble was far too formal for my taste¡ªa dark blue overcoat with burgundy trim and gold details. On top of that, I had to wear white gloves, and at my belt, I carried a short silver sword. At least it didn¡¯t get in the way when I sat down.
Both Chloe and I were required to wear this sword. Even in her long dress, she had to discreetly fasten the blade to her belt. It was the Ducal Sword, a political symbol I was expected to display in public. According to the nobility''s customs, carrying a silver sword at one¡¯s waist represented the "blade of justice." The more valuable the metal of the hilt, the higher the noble¡¯s status. Mine was made of gold, signifying my place among the upper nobility.
"I think you look very handsome," my mother commented.
"I agree," Chloe and Kinue said in unison.
"You two look beautiful as well," I complimented.
Outside, the city''s streets were bustling with activity. Many citizens watched our procession with curiosity. Riding alongside our carriage, mounted soldiers formed a protective barrier, ensuring our security. We were at the center of the group, surrounded by numerous other carriages.
We approached our mansion in the city. Unlike our residence in Apsalon, this one was enormous¡ªprobably ten times larger. The reason was obvious: this was the Evenhart mansion in Evenhart City. It had to be the most luxurious and imposing of them all.
The carriage came to a stop. The clanking of armor filled the air as soldiers dismounted from their carriages. The Ducal Entourage consisted of at least fifteen carriages, carrying soldiers, officials, and castle staff¡ªincluding chefs, maids, specialized guards, and mages.
I sighed internally.
Wherever I went, this entire structure would follow.
It was ironic. If an enemy powerful enough to attack a duke¡¯s entourage truly appeared¡ in the end, I would be the one protecting everyone.
As I stepped out of the carriage, I was greeted by the sight of the awaiting staff¡ªsoldiers, butlers, attendants, and, further back, impeccably lined-up maids. Among them was even an employee whose sole duty was to hold an umbrella over me in case of sun or rain.
"Lady Margaery," a knight greeted, approaching and bowing to my aunt before turning to us.
"Lord Nathan and Lady Chloe," he said with a respectful nod.
"The duchess¡¯s entourage has arrived," one of the soldiers announced loudly.
We began walking. Our posture had to be flawless¡ªa subtle, never exaggerated smile and our heads always held high. It was meant to reflect the noble ideal that upper nobility never bowed their heads to anyone beneath them.
Now I understand why so many people love living in Apsalon¡ There, you can just be a regular noble since political ranks don¡¯t matter in that city.
We headed toward the mansion.
"Hugo and Martha are probably already welcoming our guests," Bonnie said as she approached.
She was wearing her knight''s armor and stood at the entrance, keeping watch over the area. She and a group had arrived earlier to ensure everything was ready for the reception of the entourage and the guests.
***
The guests were the two marquesses and their families. Below my lineage, they were the most important nobles of the duchy. If I had to summarize the essence of each family, I would say that the Evenharts were farmers, accustomed to living alongside nature, as well as being the duchy¡¯s primary military force. The Ursfelds were hunters, responsible for maintaining the balance of the magical beast population and other creatures within the forbidden forests. The Elmareths were fishermen, overseeing our rivers and coastline, hunting the marine creatures that occasionally emerged from the cursed sea.
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These three families were the guardians of the duchy and its traditions.
¡°Well, the latecomers have finally arrived!¡± A playful voice rang out as we entered the hall.
Marquess Eldric Ursfeld welcomed us with a grin, his laughter echoing through the luxurious room where he had been conversing with Hugo.
¡°Marquess Eldric,¡± my aunt greeted, taking the lead.
He raised an eyebrow.
¡°Marquess Eldric? That sounds like foolishness... just call me Eldric. You know how to provoke me,¡± he responded with a chuckle. ¡°I¡¯m a hunter; I hate this city nonsense.¡±
I stepped forward to greet him, but he grabbed my hand and pulled me into a tight hug.
¡°Hey¡¡± I tried to protest.
¡°Hahaha! You¡¯re as skinny as your father was. A real man needs to have a big beer belly! Northern women love it!¡± he said, patting his own stomach with pride.
¡°Right¡¡± I muttered, unsure of how to react, especially as I felt Chloe, Kinue, and Cylla¡¯s eyes on me.
¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to see you again, Eldric,¡± Chloe said, greeting him naturally.
He then turned his attention to Kinue.
¡°Lady Kinue, it¡¯s an honor to see you again. You know, you¡¯d be a huge success in my region. I bet you¡¯d win every hunting competition and be incredibly useful on night missions in the forests, thanks to your demi-human abilities.¡±
¡°I¡ I suppose so¡¡± she responded, slightly shy.
A little behind him stood his wife, Hannah, and his son, Ralph. I had seen him a few times at noble events, though, being older than me, he had spent most of his time at the academy while I attended these gatherings. That meant we rarely had the opportunity to cross paths.
¡°It¡¯s an honor to be in your presence once again,¡± Ralph greeted politely. He wore armor, making it clear that he was already well integrated into military life.
¡°My boy graduated from the academy two years ago and now serves in the duchy¡¯s army,¡± Eldric said with a hearty laugh. ¡°I¡¯m leaving all the dirty work to him.¡±
Approaching us, a slender man dressed in a perfectly tailored suit stepped forward¡ªit was Marquess Caelan. Beside him stood his daughter, Emma, who had studied alongside Ralph and also wore military armor.
¡°Lord Nathan, Lady Chloe,¡± Caelan greeted with a slight bow, his daughter following suit. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to see you both again.¡±
¡°Enough with this noble etiquette nonsense! Let¡¯s drink!¡± Eldric interrupted, grabbing Caelan¡¯s arm and dragging him away.
I turned to Chloe.
"These are the two we¡¯ll have to deal with in the future?"
She laughed.
"At least they seem lively."
***
"The dinner took place in a more private and modest room, far from the luxury of grand receptions. It was both a meal and a meeting, so we were alone¡ªno guards, no servants. Around the table, my family gathered with the marquesses and their families. My mother was feeding Cylla, who sat beside her.
Political matters were usually discussed after dinner, but since we would be departing by ship for the Capital shortly, we took this time to catch up on certain topics.
The discussion revolved around the newly formed fourth kingdom and the changes it might bring to the continent. The smaller kingdoms that made it up had existed before, but their potential entry into the alliance shifted the commercial balance. Until now, trade and agreements had always prioritized the Three Kingdoms. With a fourth player at the table, the impact on the markets could be either positive or negative, which was why the process was still under evaluation.
There were trade laws and exchange restrictions between the kingdoms to maintain equilibrium. The elves, for example, had a natural advantage in agriculture due to the high number of plant-element users. Without these restrictions, they would monopolize the sector across the Three Kingdoms. Commerce between nations operated under strict rules precisely to prevent such economic disparities.
"Hey, Margaery," Eldric interrupted, leaning back in his chair with a mug of beer in hand. "I don¡¯t know what kind of magic you pulled on those damn Wolves, but you should¡¯ve called me. Do you know how many years I¡¯ve wanted to beat the shit out of that bastard? A lot. Especially after the war."
"Believe me, that situation was something I never want to repeat," my aunt replied, her voice calm as ever. "I tried for years to coexist peacefully. I only acted then because the circumstances demanded it. And I didn¡¯t want to involve anyone else¡ it was personal."
While Eldric spoke openly, gesturing animatedly, Marquess Caelan remained the opposite¡ªreserved and discreet. He ate with subtle, elegant movements, unlike Eldric, who had no hesitation in grabbing a piece of chicken with his bare hands.
"But why leave Frederic Wolves alive?" Caelan asked without looking up. "You could have ended this story once and for all. After all, they tried to usurp the duchy in the past. You could have had him executed in the worst way possible."
"The blade of justice only falls upon those who have committed injustices," my aunt replied calmly. "Besides, the boy is now just a baron, a vassal of our family. I find it unlikely, but if he ever tries anything¡ the gallows await him."
Eldric raised his large mug and took a long drink, nodding in agreement.
"Have you heard anything new from the border, aside from the usual?" he asked, setting his drink back down.
My aunt pondered for a moment before answering.
"Our men have only reported that the presence of the Inquisitors has been unusually constant. They¡¯re practically living in the fortresses, staying far longer than they normally would."
"I¡¯ve been hearing some stories," Caelan added, interlocking his fingers over the table. "Strange stories coming from the fortifications near the sea."
"What kind of stories?" my cousin asked, intrigued.
Caelan fell silent for a moment, as if searching for the right words.
"I don¡¯t even know how to explain it¡ but it seems that some soldiers have started having nightmares."
"In that cold and unpredictable place, forced to live either trapped within walls or in constant tension¡ that¡¯s normal," my aunt commented.
He shook his head.
"It¡¯s not that. The nightmares they¡¯re having¡ they¡¯re all the same."
My aunt frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"Some men wake up in the middle of the night, disturbed, and they all report dreaming of the same thing."
"Of what?" I asked.
Caelan took a deep breath before answering.
"A shadowed man. In the dream, he just stands there, watching. He holds a hammer in one hand and, in every nightmare, he always says the same thing: ¡®I am coming.¡¯"
292 - Lady Sindra, the Demon of Pink Eyes
Chapter 292 - Lady Sindra, the Demon of Pink Eyes
Sebastian Blake:
I entered the meeting room. The space was dominated by a long table, lavishly set with a feast. At the far end of the room sat a figure¡ªthough whether it was a man was questionable. He wore black armor, his face obscured by a metal mask. He was massive, towering, his green-tinged skin betraying his non-human nature. Even with his mouth closed, I could see the large canine teeth protruding from his jaw.
He was a kind of demon known as an orc.
In both hands, he held a large black stone¡ªa conduit through which beings from the other side could observe our gathering. Staring into that stone was like gazing into an abyss, an unfathomable darkness that not even the room¡¯s lights could penetrate.
The moment my eyes locked onto that void, a primal terror surged through me. My body trembled violently, and I collapsed to the floor.
"Don¡¯t look, idiot," Sindra scoffed, striding past me without a glance.
I forced myself to my feet, trying to steady my nerves.
"Glory to the Great Lord," she declared.
At once, every person in the room rose from their seats in unison.
"Glory to the Great Lord!" they echoed.
Sindra turned her gaze to me, expectant.
"Glory to the Great Lord!" I hastily repeated before moving toward a chair. As I approached, the chair slid back on its own, inviting me to sit.
Sindra walked toward the abyss. That darkness¡ªthe very thing that sent me into fits of fear just thinking about it. The sheer horror it evoked had plagued my nightmares. The sounds it emitted were unnatural, discordant.
Yet as Sindra stepped closer, the darkness recoiled ever so slightly, as if it were alive. It withdrew just enough to reveal the far end of the table, where she gracefully took her seat.
"Lady Sindra," my father spoke, his voice careful, deliberate, as if choosing his words with the utmost caution. "Why was Sebastian required to attend? I thought¡ certain matters¡ would be discussed only among us, especially regarding what is about to happen."
She remained silent, her gaze fixed on him. My father, realizing his mistake, immediately lowered his head in apology.
Everyone at the table wore black cloaks, and some of the men concealed their faces with wooden masks to maintain anonymity. Only my father knew who they truly were.
"Are you happy, Thomas?" she asked my father.
"Of course. I owe everything to you," he answered promptly. "We have risen from being mere knights to a family of great significance since the last war. It was thanks to you that my son secured his engagement and now stands on the threshold of the royal family."
She listened, seemingly uninterested, as she studied her long, claw-like black nails. Then, rising from her seat, she walked around the table, her gaze sweeping over each person present. Without exception, every head bowed as she passed.
"Well, I am not happy," she finally said, her tone carrying a dangerous edge. "And when I am unhappy¡ I get angry. Does anyone here wish to see me angry?"
Silence filled the room. I swallowed hard.
"Bring them in," she ordered.
The door creaked open.
Two men entered, dragging with them two hooded figures. Their heads were covered with black sacks, their muffled cries barely escaping through their gags. They struggled, their bodies resisting instinctively, but the hands gripping them were firm, unyielding.
Sindra lifted a hand, gracefully brushing aside strands of her hair. Then, something stirred within the locks¡ªsomething alive.
A black serpent, adorned with crimson markings that shimmered under the dim light, slithered forth, emerging sinuously from her hair.
It moved across the table with eerie elegance, its unblinking eyes locking onto each of us, as if peering beyond flesh, beyond the soul.
The tension in the room became unbearable.
The dry sound of its scales scraping against the wood reverberated in the heavy silence.
It was impossible to look away from the serpent, whose mere presence carried an unspoken warning.
"My daughter is hungry," Sindra murmured.
The snake was small, but even looking at it sent waves of primal fear through me.
Then, suddenly¡ªSindra was behind me.
Her hand landed on my shoulder.
"What do you say, Sebastian?" Sindra asked, her voice dripping with amusement. "Will you have the honor of choosing who will be the next meal for my daughter?"
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"Me?" I asked, looking up¡ªonly to immediately recoil.
Those piercing pink eyes bore into my soul, making me instinctively shrink back.
"Choose, Sebastian¡ one of the people tied up there or your father?" she said casually.
My father¡¯s eyes widened in shock, turning to me at once.
"Lady Sindra," he tried to speak, but she simply raised a finger, silencing him.
"I¡¯m just having a bit of fun," she said with a smile. "Uncover the first one."
One of the men ripped the sack off the first prisoner¡¯s head. The moment she saw me, she tried to scream, but the gag muffled her cries.
I froze.
"Claire!" I gasped, trying to rise from my chair, but Sindra pressed her hand down, forcing me to remain seated.
"How beautiful, such young love," Sindra mused, stepping closer to Claire as the black serpent continued to fix its gaze on me.
"Sebastian¡ the girl or your father?" she asked again, her tone casual, as if we were discussing something as trivial as the weather.
I felt my entire body go cold. My heart clenched painfully in my chest.
Claire was crying as she looked at me, her entire body trembling.
Panic surged through me. Just moments ago, I had left her soaking in the bath, safe.
"Sebastian¡" Sindra murmured, moving closer, gripping my head with her cold fingers. "The girl or your father?"
I couldn¡¯t answer. My mind was in chaos. I tried to analyze the situation, but the sheer panic paralyzed me.
Silence hung thick in the air.
No one spoke.
Everyone in the room was tense, sweating.
"Let¡¯s make this more interesting, Sebastian," she said, her voice carrying an unsettling amusement. "Your father is a valuable piece¡ but the second person, on the other hand, is not. Let¡¯s raise the stakes."
She snapped her fingers.
The second hood was removed.
And when I saw who it was, my body went ice-cold.
"Mother¡" I whispered before I could stop myself.
The second prisoner was the maid¡ªLiana. My mother.
Sindra¡¯s macabre smile stretched wider as she watched my reaction with twisted delight.
"I do enjoy young love, so I¡¯ll encourage you to demonstrate your devotion," she said, savoring every word. "The girl¡¯s life¡ or your ''mother¡¯s''?"
"L-Lady Sindra," I stammered.
"Ssssss¡" the black serpent slithered closer to me.
"Answer my question, Sebastian," Sindra ordered. "But before you do, I have a little gift for you."
With a flick of her wrist, her black dagger sliced through Claire¡¯s gag.
"Sebastian!" Claire sobbed. "What¡¯s happening? Who are these people?"
Sindra¡¯s expression darkened in irritation.
"Silence!" she snapped.
A suffocating killing intent filled the air, and my entire body screamed in fear, instinctively wanting to cower.
With slow, deliberate steps, Lady Sindra walked toward my mother and cut the gag from her mouth.
Tears streamed down her face as she tried to speak, but before she could, Sindra shoved the blade inside her mouth, silencing her.
"What is your name?" Sindra asked, her voice sickeningly sweet.
"L-Liana¡" my mother stammered.
"Oh, what a lovely name. Do you know who this boy in front of you is?" Sindra continued, her tone laced with dark amusement.
My mother¡¯s eyes darted away from mine, avoiding my gaze.
"M-my son¡" she whispered.
"That¡¯s all I wanted to hear," Sindra said with a pleased smile before turning her gaze back to me.
"Answer me, Sebastian. Are you with us? Are you loyal to our cause?"
"I am with you!" I forced the words out, summoning every ounce of courage I had. "But please, they have nothing to do with this!"
Sindra shook her head as if I had disappointed her.
She stepped toward Claire.
"They have everything to do with this, Sebastian," Sindra said, her voice carrying a sinister amusement. "Choose! Your ''little girlfriend'' or your mother. Who do you value more?"
Claire looked at me, swallowing hard.
"Sebastian, please¡" she tried to say.
I remained silent, completely lost in my own confusion.
Sindra stepped closer, pressing the tip of her dagger against my throat.
"You have one second to decide, or I¡¯ll kill you," she hissed, her voice filled with irritation.
"Sebastian!" my father shouted, but Sindra silenced him with a mere gesture, pointing her finger at him.
"I choose my mother¡" I muttered, lowering my head.
"Sebastian¡" Claire whispered, her voice breaking.
Sindra walked behind me, placing her hands on my shoulders.
"Good choice, boy," she said, her voice dripping with amusement.
"Go, my daughter. Your meal is ready," she commanded.
The small serpent coiled on the table flashed a malicious grin before slithering forward.
A sudden chill ran through my entire body as I watched the tiny snake begin to grow.
It expanded, twisting and contorting, swelling in size until it became as massive as the long dining table itself.
And then it kept growing.
The monstrous serpent¡¯s body stretched toward the ceiling, its massive form looming over us all.
"This is my basilisk daughter," Sindra said, turning toward me with a grin. "Now, look at the girl."
She grabbed my head, forcing me to watch.
"Please!" Claire screamed as the snake let out a deep, guttural hiss, its massive fangs dripping saliva.
The basilisk lunged, snatching Claire in its massive jaws and shaking her violently.
Her shrill screams filled the chamber.
I watched in horror as her skin began to melt away.
"No!" Claire shrieked, thrashing desperately, but it was futile.
The snake tossed her into the air, catching her again¡ªthis time, holding her up right in front of me.
It smiled.
And then it began to chew.
Claire''s screams turned into gurgled cries, muffled by the sickening crunch of bones being crushed.
The sounds of tearing flesh and snapping bones filled the room.
Blood splattered across my face.
The room fell into a deafening silence, save for the grotesque sounds of the basilisk enjoying its meal.
I heard a faint thud.
My mother had collapsed, unconscious from the sheer horror of what she had just witnessed.
"Sebastian¡" Sindra whispered into my ear. "When the Great Lord moved his pieces, when he meticulously planned every detail to ensure your engagement to that girl¡ it took considerable effort. He is not someone who tolerates failure."
She grabbed the back of my head, forcing me to stare at the snake.
The monstrous basilisk lowered its head and spat something onto the ground.
Claire¡¯s head.
Half-melted, her face twisted in an expression of agony, her features unrecognizable.
My stomach churned, bile rising to my throat.
"This is your fault, Sebastian," Sindra whispered coldly. "You have one job to do. One mission. You are betrothed to Alice Asalon!"
Her fingers dug into my scalp, her nails sharp as claws.
"The Great Lord ensured that you and your pathetic family climbed out of the gutter where you belonged and gave you a place of honor," she spat.
She lifted Claire¡¯s head from the floor and dropped it onto my lap.
"You wanted her just to fuck, didn¡¯t you? Then enjoy what¡¯s left."
With that, she turned toward the door.
"Thomas," she called to my father. "Continue the meeting. Theodore will deliver your mission."
The massive basilisk began to shrink, its enormous form coiling in on itself until it became no larger than a small serpent once more. It slithered up Sindra¡¯s body, vanishing into the folds of her long, black hair.
The monstrous orc beside her let out a deep, rumbling laugh as he walked past me, following Sindra toward the exit.
He turned back to glance at me before stepping out of the chamber.
I sat there, frozen in shock, fighting the urge to vomit.
Claire¡¯s severed head rested in my lap, her lifeless, mangled eyes staring into nothingness.
293 - The Shadow of the Great Lord
Chapter 293 - The Shadow of the Great Lord
Nathan Evenhart:
I was lost in thought as the carriage moved along the road toward Apsalon. The journey from the Royal Capital to the academy took two days¡ªenough time to reflect on everything that had happened.
What Marquess Caelan mentioned about the man with the hammer in the soldiers'' dreams was unsettling. Jormungandr had also spoken of a man with a hammer¡ A coincidence? I wasn¡¯t sure, but I knew that nothing in this world happened by chance. As I pondered this, my concerns drifted toward the demons and the deeper mysteries of this world.
I lifted the curtain of the carriage slightly, manipulating the wind so I wouldn''t have to use my hands. Outside, other carriages followed in a line, transporting maids and a few other attendants. On my lap, Cylla slept peacefully in her feline form, curled up on my legs. Chloe rested on my right shoulder, and Kinue on my left¡ªboth having dozed off from the exhaustion of the trip.
My mother traveled separately in another carriage, accompanied by Aunt Margie. She was handling affairs with the Norfolk family, specifically regarding healing potions and, more importantly, my elven citizenship.
From what Adrihna had explained, I was about to be officially recognized as a citizen of another kingdom. I would have dual citizenship. The process had been delayed due to the political turmoil surrounding the Olarion Kingdom, which had slowed down various bureaucratic matters. Even the expedition to the Inverted Tower, which was supposed to take place last year, had been postponed. With Apsalon serving as a hub for meetings and negotiations among nobles, no one could afford to spend days inside a dungeon. Fortunately, the situation seemed more stable now, and soon, I would have the opportunity to explore the dungeon with the other students. More than that, I would finally get to see artifacts from the ancient civilization.
And then there was the riddle¡
I had spent the past few days trying to decipher it, without success. The part that intrigued me the most was:
"When I leave Midgard, all ceases, and the void takes my place."
Why would the void replace something that departs? What did "Midgard" mean in this context? Was it a human kingdom? A state of existence?
The answer seemed to contain another puzzle within itself, and without understanding it, I couldn¡¯t move forward.
I set that thought aside for now. At least I had managed to discover something interesting before leaving the castle.
The mysterious woman with long black hair and blue eyes, depicted in two portraits in my family''s Hall of Kings, was my ancestor. More than that, she had been a former wielder of Special Eyes. I had passed through that corridor only a handful of times in my life¡ªmaybe five at most¡ªand had never noticed this detail before.
Her name was not recorded. Only a generic title: Grandmother.
My family was, at its core, an organization of assassins. Perhaps she had chosen to keep her name hidden because of her abilities. Whatever the case, this confirmed something for me¡ªmy talent came from both sides of my lineage.
On my father¡¯s side, I descended from a millennia-old line of mage-kings. On my mother¡¯s side, I carried the blood of elven nobility. I was never meant to be an ordinary person. Even if I hadn¡¯t been a half-elf, my father¡¯s family had always been naturally gifted. He was a lightning user; my uncle, an earth-element Summoner. My cousin, Chloe, had inherited that summoning talent and had demonstrated impressive skill from an early age by summoning her own Soul Golem.
Compared to her, I was still far behind.
Chloe had named her summon Wendigo¡ªa powerful monster with a unique trait: it had elemental fusion with ice. That made it far stronger than conventional Soul Golems, which typically mastered only one element.
The only problem was that Chloe couldn¡¯t maintain her summon for long. Unlike me, she was a natural-born Summoner and had already developed spells in sync with Wendigo. Meanwhile, I¡ could barely summon Chronos.
I let out a sigh.
Athena had been quiet lately. Not that I missed the haunting presence of my archenemy, but after sixteen years of her constant intrusion, I had gotten used to it.
I looked outside, watching the road stretch endlessly before us. Solving that riddle was a secondary concern for now. What intrigued me more was figuring out who Siegfried Hraesvelgr truly was¡ªor rather, what he was. There were powerful beings out there somewhere. No human could alter reality like that. Only one thing was capable of such a feat.
The Celestial Eyes¡
And there was only one people capable of possessing those eyes¡ªthe people of Sisika. Or rather¡ the people of Cylla. If my suspicions were correct¡ªand I was nearly certain they were¡ªit meant that they were still out there, watching me. Or at least, staying close enough to observe certain key moments.
"Master Nathan," a soft voice pulled me out of my thoughts. I looked down and saw Kinue, still a bit drowsy.
"Sorry¡ I mean, Nathan," she corrected herself, looking slightly embarrassed.
"It¡¯s fine," I reassured her.
Because Kinue was a servant of my family, she was required to address me as ¡®Master¡¯ in certain situations, especially in ceremonies and noble gatherings. Though I wasn¡¯t particularly fond of this formality, I understood its necessity.
We had grown up together as children, always close. But now, with the responsibilities of nobility pressing down on me, that invisible line between master and servant had become more pronounced. In places like the academy or among friends, she was free to call me by my name. However, in formal settings or in the presence of other nobles, etiquette dictated that she address me as ¡®Lord¡¯ or ¡®Master.¡¯ It always made me a little uncomfortable.
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
I remembered once catching her practicing in front of a mirror, repeatedly saying, ¡®Master Nathan and Master Chloe¡¯ to drill it into her habits. That memory had stuck with me, and honestly, I found it kind of adorable.
"Are we almost there?" Kinue asked softly, her voice still tinged with drowsiness.
"Not yet," I replied. "We¡¯ll probably stop at an inn to rest before continuing."
Fatigue was creeping up on me, but the journey was far from over.
The trip took two days, mainly because we had to stop and let the horses rest. When I traveled with Professor Adrihna, we made the journey in a single day¡ªbut that was because her horses were magical golems, immune to exhaustion.
Kinue shifted closer, resting her head on my shoulder.
And then¡ a certain part of Kinue pressed against me.
I felt the weight of something large.
Soft.
Extremely soft.
And round.
I took a deep breath.
Calm down¡ General¡ I thought, trying to maintain focus.
It was hard to keep a general¡¯s composure in moments like this¡ªespecially when trapped in the body of a young man with raging hormones.
I could feel a certain part of me reacting to the situation.
"I think I bumped into something hard on your lap," Kinue muttered, confused.
I shut my eyes and tried to redirect my thoughts.
Blood, battles, death, heads flying¡ª I started mentally reciting, forcing myself to recall the horrors of war.
Damn it¡ Cylla is on my lap¡
I clenched my eyes shut and continued my internal struggle.
Blood, death, battles... eyes popping out of their sockets.
Kinue seemed to notice something. "Are you okay?" she asked softly. "Did something get in your eyes?"
"Ah¡ yeah, something did, but it¡¯s gone now," I replied, forcing a smile to cover up my internal struggle.
She pressed herself even closer against me.
"I¡¯m going to keep using you as my pillow¡" she murmured, slightly embarrassed. Then, in a whisper that was¡ surprisingly sensual, she leaned in and breathed against my ear: "If I¡¯m bothering you, let me know¡ ''Master Nathan''."
It looks like I¡¯ll need every ounce of my concentration in the next few hours to resist temptation¡
Sebastian Blake:
I remained still, holding Claire¡¯s head as the others resumed murmuring and whispering among themselves. The door was shut, and Sindra had left the room.
My father walked over to me.
¡°I¡¯ll have a servant take care of this. Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll also make sure she ¡®disappears¡¯ without raising suspicion,¡± he said.
The door opened, and several servants entered.
¡°Clean this up,¡± my father ordered.
I stayed frozen as they took Claire¡¯s head from my lap.
¡°Fix that expression, Sebastian,¡± he said, returning to his seat at the table. ¡°I warned you from the start to stop indulging in this hobby of yours¡ªmessing around with whores. This would have been a massive problem even if Lady Sindra hadn¡¯t intervened. Do you have any idea what would happen if word got out that Alice Asalon¡¯s fianc¨¦ was sneaking around with a prostitute?¡±
I remained silent.
¡°You put over fifteen years of planning at risk. You¡¯re lucky she didn¡¯t decide to kill that peasant mother of yours just for fun and settled for this whore instead.¡±
¡°Claire¡¡± I murmured. ¡°Her name was Claire¡¡±
The others kept talking amongst themselves.
¡°Cheer up, boy,¡± said another man, his face concealed behind a wooden mask. ¡°Better her dead than you.¡±
I stared at my hands, still stained with Claire¡¯s blood.
¡°You are Sebastian Blake, one of the chosen. Your family climbed from the lowest ranks of the military to the highest position of prestige,¡± he continued. ¡°This is but a small reward from the Great Lord. There is much more to come, and you know it.¡±
I looked at him and nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right¡¡± I said, composing myself.
¡°The Great Lord will grant us power. We will live longer, grow stronger, and rise to positions of immense political influence. When he returns, we will be the ones ruling at his side. No amount of wealth can buy an extended lifespan, but with him¡ we may even live forever.¡±
I agreed and forced my mind back to the meeting.
My family had come too far. I couldn¡¯t¡ªI wouldn¡¯t¡ªfail. The world would bow to the power of the dark beings, and I was fortunate enough to stand on the right side of history.
I remembered my father telling me all the things he had to do to reach this point. And because of that, we were chosen. He proved his worth, and I had the privilege of being rewarded by them. I was engaged to the daughter of the most powerful family on the continent. I had become part of the royal family. Everywhere I went, I was respected. People admired me. They wanted to be me.
I was placed at the top.
I thought of what my father had done, of the things he told me. Playing the role of the fianc¨¦ to a foolish girl was nothing compared to what he had endured.
I am Sebastian Blake. Wherever I go, others kneel at my feet. There¡¯s a line of whores begging to be fucked by me.
Claire was just another one.
I refocused. I couldn''t afford mistakes.
My father had been chosen, blessed by the Great Lord when he proved his worth. Our family had sabotaged countless key mage squads in the last war¡ªespecially the mage battalion that died fighting against the former Emperor Song. They all perished, while my father walked away as the sole survivor, claiming all the glory.
They fell¡ªjust as it was meant to happen.
The former General Valemont, uncle of Edmund Valemont. The father of Viktor Saul¡¯s cousin. The Duke Evenhart and his brother. The Queen Mother of Rose Olarion. Even key figures of the elven and demi-human armies. Every single one of them fell in that battle¡ªbecause of my father, because of my family.
We caused their deaths, sabotaging them from the shadows, ensuring they perished alongside Emperor Song. That was the price paid. But the reward¡ was immeasurable.
My family rose to power, and today, I stand in a position of true importance.
I am Sebastian Blake. I am not just anyone.
I clenched my fists.
I just have to endure that spoiled girl for a little longer. Then, when the time comes, I will have the last laugh when everything falls into the hands of the Great Lord¡ªand I will stand beside him.
¡°Are you certain?¡± my father asked Theodore Borir.
Theodore Borir¡
He was one of the more prominent leaders¡ªclose to Lady Sindra. I didn¡¯t know much about him, but I was sure his name was fake. Theodore was far too common, and Borir was a surname frequently found among commoners. His identity was built from banal, forgettable information¡ªdefinitely fabricated.
He always wore a mask, but I remembered something¡ªat a different meeting, I had encountered another man using the same first name or surname. Was it a coincidence? Or was Theodore Borir a position, not a person?
I forced myself out of my thoughts and focused on the meeting again.
Everyone was holding documents, reading them carefully. A few lay in front of me, waiting to be picked up. I reached for them, flipping through the pages¡ª
And I couldn¡¯t believe what I was reading.
These are documents from Apsalon Academy¡
I kept scanning through them.
Information about the Inverted Tower. Its floors. The campus. The class divisions. These weren¡¯t reports just anyone could obtain. They had to come from someone inside the academy¡ or from high-ranking political figures.
Just how many people out there serve the Great Lord?
¡°The Great Lord has a mission for you, boy,¡± Theodore Borir said.
¡°For me?¡± I asked, unable to hide my shock.
"Yes. He wants to stir things up even further, and it all begins at the academy. More specifically, things will start escalating during your upcoming excursion to what you people call¡ ¡®The Inverted Tower.¡¯"
My pulse quickened.
¡°What do you need me to do?¡± I asked.
Borir¡¯s masked face tilted slightly.
¡°Just be in the right place¡ at the right time¡ when a demon arrives.¡±
294 - Potions, Politics, and Secrets
Chapter 294 - Potions, Politics, and Secrets
Nathan Evenhart:
We arrived at our mansion in Apsalon over the weekend, giving us at least a day of rest before returning to our classes.
"My dears, I¡¯ll be having a small meeting tonight with the Norfolk family regarding the management of the healing potion stocks in the duchy. I¡¯ll need you all to avoid disturbing us in the second lounge while we discuss things," my aunt said during breakfast. We simply nodded in acknowledgment.
"I''ll start planning the exclusive dinner for the meeting," Martha added as she placed several pitchers of juice on the table.
We continued eating, except for Cylla, who was still fast asleep on the chair beside me.
"Would you like me to help?" Kinue offered.
"Another maid will assist me, don''t worry," Martha replied with a reassuring smile.
My aunt flipped through a copy of the Apsalon News, a new way of delivering the latest happenings in the city, compiled on paper. It worked well in Apsalon due to the city''s smaller scale and extensive use of magical devices. Once a week, copies were delivered to noble estates, and from what I had heard, the idea was being considered for implementation in the Royal Capital as well.
"By the way, Nora will be joining us later, so you all can talk about the upcoming excursion," my aunt mentioned casually.
"Oh, that¡¯s right!" Chloe exclaimed, her excitement evident.
I kept eating my eggs and bacon, observing their conversation from a distance.
"I just hope it¡¯s not too dangerous," my mother said, sounding a bit concerned.
"Katie, let¡¯s be honest¡ªit would have to be truly dangerous to pose a real threat to our young ones," Aunt Margie chuckled.
Kinue¡¯s fox ears twitched slightly.
"Don¡¯t worry, Auntie," Kinue reassured her. "I¡¯ve been to the dungeons a few times before. They¡¯re just places where various magical beasts make their nests, but since we always go in groups and follow proper formations, we stick to floors suited for each academic year. There are monsters, of course, but everything is well-supervised."
I had tried asking Kinue about the dungeon¡¯s environment before, but she always refused to give details, saying she didn¡¯t want to spoil the surprise.
"The last time I went, I stopped at a floor that functioned like a mine. There were even people mining, trying to gather minerals to complete an assignment from the professor," Kinue said casually.
My mother seemed a bit more at ease with the explanation.
We had never been to a dungeon before. Some were quite famous¡ªlike the Labyrinth of the Curious in the Royal Capital, which explained the constant influx of adventurers in the area. Each of the three kingdom capitals had massive dungeons filled with valuable resources, attracting countless explorers. Smaller dungeons also existed, but the ones within the capitals were colossal.
That was likely one of the reasons my ancestor on my mother''s side ventured into the elven kingdom. It was there that she met our High Elf relative.
Things must have been very different back then. Nowadays, special authorization is required to enter the elven kingdom, and very few outsiders know what its hidden capital looks like. Yet, somehow, our ancestor obtained that permission, and it was there that she met my High Elf ancestor. You already know the rest: the two fell in love and fled together to the Evenhart Duchy. She left behind her life as an adventurer, and he abandoned his noble standing among the elves. Some of their descendants remained in the duchy, leading all the way to my mother. She met my father, and eventually¡ I was born.
***
"I think this looks absolutely adorable on you," my mother said, holding up a piece of clothing for me to see.
"Mom¡ that''s a pajama set," I tried to argue, but it was no use.
She examined the pajamas more closely, seemingly unimpressed by my protest.
"So what? You can look cute even when you''re sleeping," she insisted, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
We were strolling through the city while my Aunt Margie was busy with her meeting back at the mansion.
"I think it looks really nice," commented Clara, Marvin¡¯s wife, who had decided to join us.
"See?" my mother beamed. "Even another adult agrees with me!"
I sighed in defeat.
Clara had decided to tag along while Marvin and my aunt were discussing the details of the healing potion stock for the duchy with factory staff and other officials. They had to organize the shipments and inventory control for the coming months. Strict limits were in place regarding how many potions each noble could purchase based on their rank, with only the dukes having access to substantial reserves. It was an expensive process, and careful oversight was crucial.
Women take forever when shopping for clothes.
Chloe, Kinue, and Nora were in another section of the store, browsing for their own outfits, while my mother¡ªrather inexplicably¡ªwas looking at baby clothes.
I think she''s really determined to have grandchildren soon.
Resigning myself to the situation, I sat down to wait, trying to be as patient as possible.
"This is taking too long..." muttered the gray cat sitting beside me.
"Agreed, Cylla," I sighed.
She glanced at the women¡¯s clothing racks with a hint of curiosity.
"Good thing I don¡¯t need any of this. I¡¯m always naked," she remarked nonchalantly, catching me completely off guard.
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"Hey, what?! Don¡¯t say stuff like that! I sleep next to you every night!"
"But it¡¯s true. I¡¯m always naked in my animal form," she replied.
I rubbed my temples, trying not to think too hard about it.
This girl¡
Leaving my mother and the others to their shopping, I decided to explore Apsalon¡¯s commercial district on my own. The city was already a hub of magical and technological innovation, serving as the center of trade for the Three Kingdoms, but its marketplace was even livelier¡ªevery street corner packed with shopfronts and street vendors selling their wares. Nearby factories churned out everything from potions to magical devices.
As I walked through the bustling streets, I kept a vigilant eye out for crows.
If I see one, I¡¯m trapping it in a wind barrier.
"Hey, Nathan. Can you buy me something to eat?" Cylla asked, padding along beside me.
"Something to eat? You don¡¯t usually ask me for that," I replied, a little surprised.
"I eat mostly for the taste. You should learn to do the same¡ªfocus on the pleasure of eating instead of just treating it as a necessity. You barely need food now, anyway," she said matter-of-factly.
I nodded, considering her words.
"But I¡¯ve seen you eat some huge portions before¡ and then ask for seconds," I teased.
"That was my dragon hunger. But in this panther cub form, I¡¯m more restrained," she explained.
As we continued walking, I glanced around for something to buy her.
"There are some food stalls up ahead selling grilled meat skewers. I heard they use some pretty interesting sauces," I suggested.
Her ears perked up immediately.
"Sounds good. Let¡¯s go."
As we walked, I observed the movement around us. Many young people filled the streets¡ªsome probably just returning from their vacations, while others may not have gone home at all. It wasn¡¯t uncommon for students from less wealthy families to stay in Apsalon year-round since underground transport was expensive. Many of them had scholarships to study here, hoping to secure a promising career¡ªwhether in the military or in a well-paid position after graduation. The idea of earning 25 gold coins per month as a Recruit Knight was tempting for those from more modest noble families.
"That smells really good. So good that it''s pulling me in," Cylla muttered, her feline eyes locked onto a food stall selling skewers.
I glanced around, scanning the nearby trees, searching for any crows.
"Relax. I¡¯m on full alert. If anyone were watching us through a crow, I¡¯d have already noticed it," she reassured me.
"Yeah¡ you¡¯re probably right. I don¡¯t see any crows either. Whoever Siegfried is, and whoever his master might be¡ looks like they¡¯ve disappeared again," I replied.
As we approached the stall, I noticed something peculiar. It was different from the others¡ªnot just in design, but in the fact that it was completely empty. Despite displaying fresh and appetizing meats, not a single customer stood in line.
"Good evening, sir. Would you like something to eat?" The vendor, a woman with a warm smile, greeted me.
I glanced at Cylla, who sat at my feet, practically drooling.
"I''ve never seen this kind of meat here before. The smell is amazing," I commented, taking a closer look at the skewers. "And the price is surprisingly good."
The woman chuckled.
"I¡¯m a traveler¡ªI bring meats from places you wouldn¡¯t even imagine," she said playfully, giving me a small wink.
"I want that one. The red meat," Cylla declared, pointing with her tiny paw.
"We¡¯ll take the red meat," I relayed to the vendor.
She started preparing fresh skewers, and the rich aroma of sizzling meat quickly filled the air. Cylla watched in pure anticipation, her nose twitching as the scent intensified.
"Your little friend is adorable," the vendor commented. "I¡¯ll prepare something special for her. A growing kitten needs to be strong and healthy."
I smirked, glancing at Cylla, who was now practically vibrating with excitement.
"I¡¯d say this little one is already strong enough," I joked.
I reached into my coat and pulled out a silver coin to pay.
"What¡¯s your name?" the woman suddenly asked.
"Nathan," I replied.
She took the coin from my hand, tossed it into the air and it vanished.
"Just a little trick, Nathan," she said with an amused smile. "Tell me your kitten¡¯s name, and I¡¯ll tell you where I put your coin."
A trick?
"Her name is Cylla," I answered, feeling no reason to hide it.
The woman leaned forward, placing a plate with the skewer right in front of Cylla.
"Nice to meet you, Cylla," she said warmly. "My name is Eira Green."
I watched as Cylla eagerly dug into her meal, completely absorbed in the simple joy of eating. Seeing her like that made me smile.
Then, Eira stood back up and turned to me.
"Nathan, I hope you continue taking good care of Cylla," she said.
She stepped back behind the stall, adjusting some of her supplies.
"Your coin is in your pocket. The inner pocket of your coat, to be precise," she added nonchalantly.
¡In my pocket?
I reached inside and couldn''t believe it; the silver coin was right there.
"How did you do that?" I asked, genuinely surprised.
"Just a little trick, Nathan. You don¡¯t need to pay for her meal," she said casually.
I got curious about magic. I had seen a few performances before, and the secret behind them was always about diverting the audience¡¯s attention.
Did she slip it into my pocket when she came over to serve Cylla¡¯s plate? If she¡¯s a wind mage, she could¡¯ve easily made the coin float into my pocket without me noticing.
¡°Battle partner!¡± I heard a familiar voice right before feeling a heavy slap on my back.
¡°Damn it¡¡± I groaned, feeling the pain radiate through me.
I turned to the source of the voice.
¡°Hahaha!¡± laughed Thyra, the wolf girl, with that rough and peculiar energy I had grown used to.
¡°What are you doing out here, Thyra? I thought you weren¡¯t allowed to walk around town,¡± I asked, still recovering from the impact.
She puffed out her chest with pride. ¡°Thyra got permission from Aunt Victoria! Thyra has gotten much better at controlling her beast form,¡± she declared smugly.
Over the past few months, Thyra had been going through a phase where her body would involuntarily shift into her beast form. I learned that for demi-humans like her, who possessed such an ability, studying in Apsalon required special authorization from the headmistress. Between the ages of fifteen and seventeen, a demi-human¡¯s body underwent involuntary transformations, making them potentially dangerous if they weren¡¯t within the controlled grounds of the academy. In the demi-human kingdom, they had their own ways of handling these youths, but here, the rules were strict¡ªno leaving the academy, not even during breaks, until they could fully control their transformations.
¡°Thyra has already learned to control the transformation,¡± she continued. ¡°Now, Thyra just needs to learn how to fight in that form! When Thyra¡¯s aunt gives her permission to fight transformed, Thyra wants to challenge her battle partner!¡± she announced eagerly.
I could only sigh.
A demi-human naturally becomes wilder when they transform, as the primal instincts of their beast body take over. In Thyra¡¯s case, the problem was even worse. She was already wild by nature, bursting with energy and always ready to fight. Now, imagine what happens when she transforms¡ She turns into an uncontrollable beast, overflowing with adrenaline, ready to attack anything that moves. It¡¯s like all her instincts multiply, making it impossible to predict or restrain her.
The two times I saw her lose control and shift into her beast form, things got tense for the students. The first time was during training, and the second was at an academy event. Both times, Headmistress Victoria¡ªwho seems to be the only person capable of handling Thyra in that state¡ªhad to step in. And the way she handled it was¡ well, let¡¯s just say it was brutal. With a single punch, she knocked the wolf girl unconscious, instantly stopping her rampage.
I don¡¯t know much about Headmistress Victoria¡¯s full powers, but what I¡¯ve gathered so far is enough to understand that she¡¯s on a completely different level. She¡¯s classified as a Transmitter Mana user, a Combat Mage. However, her true strength lies in her absolute control over pure mana.
Victoria is already naturally stronger due to her demi-human lineage, but what makes her truly terrifying is how she combines that strength with her mastery over mana manipulation. She can concentrate raw mana into her punches, amplifying her strength to the point where she can knock out a transformed demi-human in a single hit. Every time I¡¯ve seen her fight, she¡¯s never used complex magic¡ªjust raw power and precise mana control.
They say she¡¯s famous for mastering the mud element, which makes me suspect that, aside from her devastating punches, she can probably create an armor of hardened mud. The sheer power of this woman is no joke. No wonder no one dares to mess with Victoria. She¡¯s become a living legend among those who know her abilities, and now that I¡¯ve witnessed a glimpse of her power, I understand why.
¡°Hey, Thyra¡¯s friend, are you gonna buy her a snack?¡± Thyra asked, giving me a few more slaps on the back.
I sighed again. ¡°I¡¯ll take another skewer¡¡± I told the stall vendor, resigning myself to my fate.
¡°Thyra wants two skewers!¡± she added excitedly, still smacking my back.
Despite her peculiar ways, she had remembered me on last year¡¯s Chocolate Day¡ªand this year too¡ªgiving me a box of chocolates that¡ well, half were missing because she ate them, and the rest she licked to ¡®test¡¯ if they tasted good. But¡ deep down, she¡¯s a good person.