Chapter 466 Chapter464-Deepening Confusion
Ethan and the Shadow Elf, accompanied by the Prophet Magus, hurried back to the inn at the greatest possible speed.
Upon their arrival, the innkeeper's face lit up with relief at the sight of the Prophet Magus.
"At last, you're here," she exclaimed, her voice a blend of relief and urgency.
"I feel reassured now. Please, go upstairs and see for yourself. There was an incredibly powerful Cryo magus on the second floor who was mysteriously vanquished, and none of us even noticed it happening."
The innkeeper rapidly relayed the events that had transpired within her establishment.
In reality, even if she hadn't shared this information, the Prophet Magus was already aware of it.
Ethan had previously provided him with a detailed account of the situation before their arrival at the inn.
With a reassuring smile, the Prophet Magus nodded and said, "You needn't worry too much now. Now that I am here, I am certain I can help you resolve the troubles you're facing. Let's head to the second floor first. Since the incident occurred there, it's likely that we'll find numerous clues."
Having said this, the Prophet Magus promptly made his way upstairs.
Ethan, the Shadow Elf, the innkeeper, and several other guests followed closely behind.
Although the other guests hadn't sought out the Prophet Magus themselves, his arrival was a beacon of hope.
The events that had transpired were a risk to everyone present, and naturally, they were all eager to gather as much information as quickly as possible.
Upon reaching the upstairs, the Prophet Magus did not immediately proceed to the room where the Cryo magus had met his end.
Instead, he paused at the top of the staircase.
Those present could hear him muttering incantations, although the specific words were indistinct and muffled.
After completing the spell, the Prophet Magus closed his eyes and slowly turned in a circle.
Furrowing his brow in deep concentration, he seemed to be pondering something significant. After a considerable pause, he finally opened his eyes and addressed those gathered around him.
"The time when you discovered the Cryo magus had been vanquished was about an hour ago, correct? In my prophecy, I saw that he had passed this very staircase an hour before. However, he was heading downstairs at that time. That implies he should have been seen going to the first floor. Did any of you witness him descending to the first floor?"
The words of the Prophet Magus sowed a seed of confusion among all present.
Each person carefully sifted through their memories, but none could recall having seen the vanquished Cryo magus on the first floor.
Impatience began to bubble among some of the guests, who started to view the Prophet Magus's pronouncements as mere ramblings.
Skepticism towards the Prophet Magus was already present in some minds.
"Are you deliberately deceiving us?" one guest challenged outright.
"Is everything you're prophesying just made up? If it is, we shouldn't waste any more time here."
After delivering this blunt accusation, the guest turned and made their way back down to the ground floor's main hall.
There, at least, they could find some solace in the inn's beer, a tangible comfort compared to the intangible mysteries swirling around them.
Unfazed by the departure of the skeptical guest, the Prophet Magus remained calm. In his view, those who did not believe in prophecies would naturally not believe in him.
"The clues I have gathered here are not ample. I'll go to his room to investigate further. Perhaps in his room, I can uncover more leads."
Leading the remaining group, the Prophet Magus entered the Cryo magus's room.
There, he repeated the series of actions he had performed earlier.
After opening his eyes, he uttered words that deepened the mystery further.
"I have seen who vanquished the Cryo magus! It was the innkeeper! Why did you eliminate the Cryo magus? And how were you even capable of doing it?!"
The Prophet Magus turned back, his face etched with shock, as he looked at the innkeeper.
His words had cast a wave of intense surprise and further confusion over everyone present.
The innkeeper herself was utterly bewildered, considering herself a mere mortal without any magical prowess.
As an ordinary person, how could she possibly have vanquished a Cryo magus?
"Are you sure you haven't mistaken? How could I possibly eliminate a Cryo magus?" she retorted.
"Their strength is immense, something even other travelers might struggle to contend with."
Her response resonated with everyone in the room.
It was a sentiment that aligned with their understanding of the situation.
The Prophet Magus himself could not explain why his vision had led to such an improbable conclusion.
Ethan's disappointment had deepened, and he found himself doubting the capabilities of the Prophet Magus.
Turning to the Shadow Elf at his side, he expressed his frustration. "It seems our efforts have been somewhat in vain. The power of this Prophet Magus appears too weak; his prophecies are bizarre and unhelpful. He hasn't aided us in uncovering any real clues. Even if the information he's gathered from the past is accurate, what good does it do us? Does he expect us to believe his assertions? And to think he believes the innkeeper could have successfully vanquished the Cryo magus. If the innkeeper really had such power, she wouldn't need to run this small inn."
Ethan's skepticism was not unfounded, and it was a sentiment shared by the other guests, who also showed signs of impatience.
Several guests had already chosen to leave, deeming the young Prophet Magus too unreliable for their taste.
After most had departed, only a few remained upstairs: the Prophet Magus, the innkeeper, Ethan, and the Shadow Elf.
In this smaller, more intimate gathering, the Prophet Magus finally spoke up slowly.
"Everything I said earlier was a fabrication. I didn't wish to reveal what I truly saw in the River of Destiny to the other guests. I felt that some of them harbored significant hostility towards us."
This revelation sparked a renewed interest in Ethan.
He sensed that the Prophet Magus was about to share the genuine insights he had gleaned.
True to Ethan's expectations, the Prophet Magus began to divulge the real information he had observed.
"I did indeed see the Cryo magus descending the stairs, but I believe it wasn't of his own volition. Instead, he seemed to be under the influence of some other power. From the visions in the River of Destiny, it appeared he was not in a fully conscious state, almost as if he were sleepwalking."
"The scenes I witnessed in his room further suggested that he had been in a deep slumber since yesterday. He slept in his room for an entire day. It was only today that he emerged, yet he still hadn't broken free from this state of deep sleep. His actions resembled someone sleepwalking."
"He wandered to the staircase in this trance-like state, turned around in a circle, and then returned to his room. What happened next is known to all of you; he was vanquished by some unknown entity. At present, I am unable to ascertain who this entity might be. Whoever it was must possess immense power, certainly beyond my ability to confront."
The words of the Prophet Magus heightened the innkeeper's worries, casting a shadow of concern over her. She was reluctant to believe what the Prophet Magus had said.
Ethan, on the other hand, found himself inclined to believe, as he considered the God of Curses capable of such actions.
However, what puzzled Ethan was the motive behind the God of Curses' actions.
If the God of Curses intended to target him, why not attack him directly?
Why eliminate a Cryo magus instead? What could this possibly signify?
Ethan wondered if, perhaps, the now-vanquished Cryo magus would have been of great assistance to him in the future.
The entire series of events left Ethan deeply perplexed, and the current revelations only added to his confusion.
"All we can do now is take it one step at a time," said the Prophet Magus.
"I have a strong feeling that the one who vanquished the Cryo magus hasn't left the inn. At this moment, leaving would pose an immense risk, given the circumstances. Even if they did leave the inn, they would have to seek shelter in another building within the town. It's utterly impossible to leave the town while the blizzard rages on."
"During the storm, the town is completely sealed off by the powerful Power of Frost from the Glacial Peaks. No one, no entity, not even a deity, can leave the town under these conditions."
This final remark of the Prophet Magus altered Ethan's perception of him.
It made Ethan reconsider the Prophet Magus's abilities, leading him to believe that the Prophet Magus had been concealing his true power all along.
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