Chapter 284 Walking and Talking?
White Dragon Labyrinth Exploration Arc.
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(POV: Akashic Records)
As Lumiere and Ravenna continued their journey through the labyrinth, Lumiere suddenly felt a violent shudder coursing through his body.
"Jeez, I feel like I've been..."
He felt weirded out for some reason.
Startled, Ravenna looked over her shoulder and questioned him, "What's wrong?"
Trembling, Lumiere reassured her, "It's nothing. I've been getting these intense goosebumps ever since we entered this place."
"Was it that loud laugh we heard, or the split in space?"
"Split in...? Never mind, it's not important, maybe it's just the stress getting to me."
Naturally, Lumiere hadn't acquired the level of heightened senses that was required for such level of cosmic awareness.
The [World Acuity] skill was one way.
Ravenna?s eyes were fixed on him, thoughtful. "Maybe."
"I just hope my friends are okay..."
Understanding his unease, Ravenna explained, "It's not unusual to experience such sensations here."
"Yeah?"
"Of course, we should continue on our path."
Letting out a heavy sigh, Lumiere expressed his exhaustion.
"We've been wandering for hours, and despite not feeling tired, it's as if this labyrinth is never-ending."
Ravenna disclosed, "That's because it is."
Confused, Lumiere questioned, "What do you mean?"
Ravenna clarified, "Didn't I mention before? This labyrinth defies boundaries. Its vastness stretches beyond imagination."
"You definitely didn't..." Lumiere sighed.
As they pressed forward, Lumiere suddenly recalled something important.
"Oh! How could I forget to ask?"
"To be my boyfriend?" she chuckled, "you're quite young, to be so belligerent."
"What, no I wasn't aski—"
"You don't need to lie... I mean, it's not a bad idea," Ravenna then stopped. She placed her index finger on her lower lip, bent downward a bit with her butt pushed upwards, "Please~ Be gentle~" she then feigned a blush.
Lumiere got aggravated a bit, "Stop doing that! Who said anything about a boyfriend?!"
"I was just joking, I've never had one..."
"Hm, you seem pretty enough to have one, I find it hard to believe."
Ravenna lowered her head, her hair masking her face completely. "Yeah... It's like, every woman's dream, right?"
"Well, I guess so," Lumiere tapped his chin and looked at the ceiling. "Or maybe getting married."
"I suppose..." Ravenna?s voice was a bit sore with sadness. "It's not for every woman, some won't ever have that privilege..."
"Are you okay?"
"It's nothing..." she kept on walking.
Quickly tying to find a way to turn the tables, Lumiere's face lit up when he got the answer.
"I can't believe I didn't ask! What's your name, by the way?"
Ravenna offered a small smile and replied, "Ravenna."
Lumiere's eyes widened in recognition.
"I know I've heard that name before..."
For someone who had enhanced Hyperthymesia, Lumiere had been forgetting or taking time to remember things a lot. Which was unusual.
Or likely not.
Just as he was about to say something, Ravenna calmly interjected, "I'd assume many people know my name; after all, I'm the Immortal Curse King."
Stunned, Lumiere halted in his tracks.
Unable to contain his astonishment, he stammered, "Wait, you're truly a Curse King?"
Ravenna nodded with a bright smile. "Uh, yes."
It was a response similar to when a fan saw their celebrity role model on the road and asked "are you her" and they'd respond with an "Uh, yes."
Overwhelmed by this sudden upscale, Lumiere commented, "I thought all the Curse Kings had perished."
According to what he was told...
Ravenna chuckled softly and assured him, "Oh, you, I can't die silly, I'm immortal."
Curiosity gnawing at him, Lumiere inquired, "Do you happen to know the whereabouts of the other Curse Kings?"
Ravenna shook her head gently. "No. I've only had a brief encounter with them during a small gathering. Our paths rarely cross."
Lumiere turned his sight away slowly.
"I see..." he muttered to himself.
"Is there anything you wanna tell me?" Ravenna's voice broke the silence, her eyes fixed on Lumiere.
He hesitated for a moment, his mind swirling with thoughts, but finally shook his head. "No, nevermind," he muttered, slotting his hands back into his pockets. "Let's just keep going."
They stepped forward, their footsteps echoing through the otherwise quiet surroundings.
But soon, the world around them seemed to fracture, reality splintering into countless shards, and they found themselves standing in a bewildering place.
Staircases zigzagged in unorthodox manners, mirrors reflected other mirrors and their own reflections from countless angles.
It was like being trapped inside a maze of endless possibilities.
Lumiere glanced around, his gaze shifting from the disorienting staircases to the bewildering reflections in the mirrors.
"This place... it's incredibly confusing," he finally mumbled.
For someone who could talk to Lirien and understand, this place truly was one of complete perplexity.
Ravenna didn't even spare him a glance as she strode confidently forward. "Just follow me," she told him calmly.
Lumiere shrugged, his eyes still flitting from one reflective surface to another. "Sure," he muttered, attempting to regain his focus.
But as Lumiere turned his head, something caught his attention in the corner of his eye. He blinked, then quickly averted his gaze, his eyes widened for a moment. There, in one of the mirrors, he'd caught a glimpse of Ravenna's reflection – a tantalizing view of her panties.
The surreal nature of this place, where the very fabric of space was twisted, allowed such unexpected sights to manifest.
Lumiere coughed, he thought to himself why her panties could remain so pristine after so many years sealed in one place.
It was because Ravenna's attire was made of magic threads. As long as it was in a mana rich air, it would be dense enough to maintain itself.
He couldn't bring himself to look at Ravenna directly.
Hidden underneath her panties, he saw something pink peaking out a bit.
"Um, Ravenna, is something... wrong with your outfit?"
"Hmm," she raised an eyebrow and turned to him. "No? It's been my outfit for over a century..."
"And your jail uniform.."
The two laughed a bit.
"So, you wanted to ask me something?" Ravenna smiled at Lumiere with radiance.
"Ah, no nevermind..."
They continued their journey through the disorienting maze, their surroundings constantly shifting and distorting.
And then, just as suddenly as before, reality splintered once more. The world shattered around them, whisking Lumiere and Ravenna to another place entirely. Lumiere's heart pounded in his chest as he struggled to regain his bearings. His eyes widened as he took in their new surroundings - a quaint little village nestled in the midst of the labyrinth.
Lumiere's startled yelp turned heads as he hit the ground with a thud. "Ouch," he winced, rubbing his sore behind.
Ravenna followed suit, her landing far less graceful as she plopped down directly onto Lumiere's crotch.
Her black eyes met his.
"Oh my," she murmured.
She shifted her weight, rubbing her ass against Lumiere's crotch, her ass was plump enough to gently press against his cock that it felt like a cushion.
She did this twice before addressing him.
"Seems like you're quite big," she teased.
Heat rushed to Lumiere's face as he told her, "Get off..."
"Do I really have to?" Ravenna's voice took on a babyish quality, her eyes batting innocently. "You're such a spoil-sport."
"Yes, I do," Lumiere sighed, running a hand through his long hair. "You're heavy, Ravenna."
Ravenna huffed, standing up and folding her arms stubbornly.
"I'm not heavy... It's none of your business how much I weigh," she shot back defiantly.
Lumiere rose to his feet, stretching his arms as he surveyed their new surroundings. "I wonder where we are now," he mused aloud.
Ravenna shrugged, her gaze scanning the unfamiliar village.
"I have no idea," she said.
Lumiere's eyes narrowed as he observed the peculiar architecture.
"What's a village doing inside a labyrinth? It makes absolutely no sense," he pondered aloud, his brows furrowing.
Ravenna tilted her head, a thoughtful expression adorning her face.
"It could just be a mirage," she suggested.
Lumiere nodded in agreement. "That's definitely a possibility, but for some reason, the layout seems oddly familiar..."
Where were they now?
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