175 Ch. 175: Memories [9]
A/N: Kinda late but, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
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As the long, thick, white eyelashes wriggled, they slowly lifted open, revealing a pair of cerulean eyes. Blinking repeatedly to clear his hazy vision, a pitch darkness greeted him. Raising his right hand, he fixated his eyes on his pale arm, which immediately triggered a sense of annoyance. With a frustrated gesture, he brought his hand down onto his face and muttered under his breath, "Not this place again."
Removing his hand and gazing into the abyss of darkness above him, his mind raced. 'It seems I've slipped into a coma once again, huh?'
Nevertheless, he couldn't shake off the gnawing worry. Having wielded such immense raw power, he feared that his Mana Pool would be cracked or worse, broken.
Seating himself on the unseen ground, he found a white screen awaiting his attention. Immediately, it burst to life, projecting a vivid scene of a dark forest. The moonlight struggled to pierce through the dense foliage as a group of black-robed figures on horseback galloped through.
—Gallop —Gallop —Gallop The thunderous sound of hooves echoed through the surroundings, and he recognized the familiar faces leading the group. Annelise, Graham, Fredinand, and Adrian rode at the forefront. Suddenly, not too far from them, a group of black-robed men materialized behind the bushes, causing her to swiftly pull the reins, bringing the horses to a halt. The others followed suit, their gazes fixed on the newcomers. Annelise immediately inquired, "Have you found the village?"
One of the group stepped forward, nodding in affirmation. "Yes, we have." "Well done," Annelise nodded in satisfaction, acknowledging their success. Dismounting from the horse, she secured the reins to a nearby tree and the others mirrored her actions. Annelise then retrieved a large chest from her Magical Space and unlocked it, unveiling an array of swords that shimmered in the moonlight. "Here," She selected three swords and handed one to Adrian, another to Graham, and the last one to Ferdinand.
Graham arched an eyebrow in wonder, "What is this for? I have my own sword."
"Your sword won't be effective against them. They're not human," Annelise stated, retrieving a sword from the chest and staring at the blade that reflected her face. "Therefore, we require a special weapon to defeat them."
"A special sword?" Graham questioned, his forehead deeply furrowed upon examining the seemingly ordinary blade in his hand. Its dull appearance only fueled his skepticism.
Annelise turned to him and nodded, "Yes. These swords have been infused with the ancient treasure heirloom of the Kearny Kingdom. They possess an extraordinary power, specifically designed to vanquish 'them'." Intrigued, Graham pressed further, "What kind of creatures will we be facing?" "You'll find out soon enough," she replied cryptically. "The Empire has kept many secrets hidden for centuries. Prepare to be surprised~"
Graham's gaze lingered on her ruby eyes for a moment longer before he finally acquiesced, "...fine."
"I'll wait here," a voice suddenly interjected, drawing everyone's attention to the white-haired boy extending his hand; offering the sword back to Annelise. Receiving the sword, Annelise locked eyes with Adrian. "Why?"
However, instead of explaining, Adrian turned his back and mounted his horse. "I'm not in the mood to partake in the massacre of an entire village. Inform me once you're finished." With those words, he urged his horse forward and disappeared into the depths of the woods. Graham turned to Fredinand, and without needing to be asked, Fredinand swiftly climbed onto his horse, following Adrian's lead. "Haa…" The tension in the air grew palpable as Annelise let out a resigned sigh at Adrian's behavior. Ever since she saved him a year ago, Adrian's aloofness had grown uncontrollably. Despite his brilliance and strategic mind during meetings, he consistently refused to join the organization's mission and often secluded himself, burying his nose in books in his room. However, as he hadn't officially become a member of the organization, Annelise's hands were tied, unable to intervene. "Whatever." Shrugging off her concerns, Annelise refocused her attention on the mission at hand. After ensuring that all preparations were completed, she signaled for the group to move stealthily on foot toward the village.
—Pft! The moment the screen before him went blank, he couldn't help but furrow his eyebrows. "Something doesn't feel right," he muttered. He distinctly remembered that the organization's sole objective was to acquire the Sacred Orbs. So, why would they suddenly pilfer an heirloom from a kingdom?
"—no. It makes sense now," he realized, his mind racing to connect the dots.
Considering that the scene was set in the first timeline, it should be noted that the Kearny Kingdom was currently at war with the Empire. He had a hunch that the organization orchestrated a false flag to incite commotion, enabling them to steal the Kearny Kingdom's heirloom and launch an attack on the non-human village.
that the organization had prepared everything thoroughly. Nevertheless, several questions arose: What kind of creatures were they? Why did the Empire conceal its existence? What was the organization after in this village? Was it the Sacred Orb, or perhaps something else?
Before he could dwell on it, the screen flashed, displaying Adrian standing amid a clearing surrounded by the lifeless bodies of numerous monstrous creatures with the ground beneath him stained in a virescent hue. "Rooarr!" An Uxing sprinted and lunged forward, prompting Adrian to swiftly swing his sword.
—Splat!
Adrian's sword effortlessly sliced through the Uxing, causing its flesh to part with a squelch. A spray of green blood gushed out from the creature's gaping wound, splattering across Adrian's face and armor. The monster fell to the ground and convulsed violently before succumbing to its wounds. Just as Adrian wiped the creature's blood from his face, his attention was abruptly diverted by the ringing of his device. —Ring! —Ring! —Ring! Swinging his sword to remove the remaining blood on his blade, Adrian glanced at his wrist, where Annelise's name was displayed. Without much thought, he answered the call, and a woman's playful voice echoed through the device. "How is your night riding, Your Highness? Is it fun?"
Adrian, however, responded curtly. "Get to the point."
"Tsk," Annelise clicked her tongue frustratedly and retorted sarcastically, "Prince, it is such a waste of your looks if you keep that nasty personality of yours. I'm afraid you'll end up a virgin for the rest of your life."
Unfazed by her comment, Adrian remained resolute, "It is such good advice, but I don't care."
"..." Annelise's lips twitched in irritation, but she knew that the current mission took precedence over their banter. Letting out a weary sigh, she relayed, "I got the item. I'll send you the village location. Meet me there." "Alright," and the call ended. Adrian sheathed his sword and signaled to Fredinand. With a nod, they mounted their horses and set off towards the designated location, their steeds galloping through the darkened forest.
The source of this c𝐨ntent is fre𝒆w(e)bn(o)vel