Chapter 428 Chapter429-The Meeting
With a forceful push against the ground, Howard retreated, the long blade grazing past him.
The mana vortex dissipated, forming an intersecting electric net, where silver-white electric light wove together, emitting a shrill sound to block Sorovo's pursuit.
Escaping the hall, Howard's steps didn't cease, fully mobilizing his mana for the sake of acceleration.
Sorovo, whether in terms of mana capacity or mana flux, far surpassed him, naturally extending to speed as well.
Now, if he didn't seize the opportunity to widen the gap, Howard had no chance of escape.
Almost at the moment Howard flipped onto the roof, Sorovo had already charged out of the hall with his long blade in hand.
Forcing his way through the electric net made him appear somewhat disheveled, but the paralysis of his body didn't concern him overly; such a degree of effect couldn't slow his pace.
Lifting his head to lock onto the traces left by Howard, Sorovo pursued without any hesitation.
But then… nothing.
Standing on the rooftop, Sorovo saw nothing.
...
In the alleyway, Howard rubbed his nose, glancing back with a hint of guilt.
No one had followed him.
It seemed he had successfully shaken off his pursuer.
Climbing onto the roof was indeed his action, but it was merely a diversion.
Moving on the rooftop, while unobstructed, would be extremely conspicuous, turning the chase into a contest of speed.
In such a scenario, Howard was almost certain to lose.
Therefore, Howard simply came down from the roof.
He drew Sorovo's gaze to the rooftop, then left it, blending into the crowd through the alleyways.
This tactic was foolproof when the pursuer was uncertain of Howard's identity and intentions.
Howard wasn't injured, so they could only track the traces of his movements.
But by the time they realized and caught up, Howard had already left the area, merging with the crowd.
Buying a few apples from a roadside vendor, Howard munched on the fruit while organizing the information he had gathered.
Undoubtedly, Sorovo knew what "Old Nobles" meant and had realized Harry couldn't be trusted.
Although he hadn't shown it, and didn't need to do much—just harboring suspicion was enough.
As long as he harbored doubts, Harry's actions would be directly impacted.
That was all he could do.
Blending into the crowd, Howard returned to the inn and knocked on the door of the room assigned to the men.
Footsteps approached, the door opened, and there stood the slim figure of Jelia.
"Howard!"
Seeing Howard outside, Jelia screamed and threw herself into his arms.
"I'm back."
Jelia's scream drew all eyes in the room to them, and Howard, noticing the various meaningful glances, scratched his face awkwardly.
"Good you're back," Antalya nodded.
"Now that everyone's here, we need to start the meeting."
Howard patted Jelia's hair and pushed her slightly away, taking her hand as they walked into the room, only to find that everyone was already there.
Everyone, including Greg.
Greg, who was now awake.
"You're awake."
The dwarf laughed heartily.
"Not long after you left, I woke up. I've been filled in on everything that happened while I was unconscious by Vivia. Quite a lot has happened in my absence."
"Soma is probably dead," Howard said with a smile, though he hadn't seen Soma's body.
Under those circumstances, the chances of Soma surviving were slim.
Moreover, he had learned from Antalya and Vivia that a mana collapse had indeed occurred, on a scale even larger than he had anticipated.
He didn't know how that girl had saved him, but he didn't think Soma would have been so fortunate.
"I heard about it from Vivia," the dwarf didn't react with the excitement Howard had anticipated, but instead, he sighed deeply and smiled.
"But Red Eye is still alive, and Lilianne is still in his grasp."
When Greg said this, Howard couldn't detect any peculiarity in his demeanor, though it might have been obscured by the dwarf's thick beard.
It was best, for now, to hope for the best.
"I'm sorry to have worried you all."
Stepping back, Howard bowed slightly to everyone in the room.
"But it was a decision I made on my own, and it has nothing to do with the manager."
"I'm not aware of the pressure the manager faced during my absence, and I know an apology now might not mean much. I don't expect forgiveness, but I want to say that if I were given another choice, I wouldn't change my decision, because then I wouldn't be me."
Everyone watched silently as Howard finished speaking.
Antalya rubbed her knuckles and showed a gentle smile: "If there's a next time, I'll have to remove you from the roster directly."
An adventure group is a team, and every member plays a crucial role and has their importance.
Acting on one's own is the worst and most irresponsible behavior.
"There won't be a next time," Howard nodded.
Such life-risking actions, once was already enough...
As for more, that would have to be figured out when the time comes.
Antalya didn't say anything more, and Howard found a place to sit down.
"Although this operation ended midway, it wasn't without its gains," Antalya began.
"Howard's return and Greg's awakening are two pieces of good news, but besides that, there's another piece of good news."
"Old Nobles," Antalya mentioned the term.
Greg and Vivia showed no reaction.
"We now understand that there are two types of nobility: Free Nobles and Kingdom Nobles. The former are not anointed by a king, typically local gentry or members of adventure groups, while the latter are appointed by the king, mostly victors of wars or scholars. However, beyond these two categories, there exists a third type of nobility: the Old Nobles."
Antalya paused, allowing everyone to digest the information.
"The news about the Old Nobles was brought back by Ali. It's Red Eye's biggest secret."
"The Old Nobles, also known as Pioneer Nobles, derived their name from the Pioneer Era. They were the vanguard of humanity's exploration of the Avala Continent. Of course, there are no true Pioneer Nobles left today. However, their descendants remain — that is, the current kings."
Kings, that is, Pioneer Nobles!
"Of course, when I say most, it means there are a few exceptions. Those who established countries that later fell, or those who failed to establish a country at all, are also considered Old Nobles."
"The Old Nobles are extremely unified internally, yet competition among them is fierce and brutal. Because all of today's achievements are the fruits of their pioneering efforts, they hold numerous secrets and resources. The influence and power of each Old Noble should not be underestimated."
"While Red Eye himself is not an Old Noble, he is backed by a descendant of one. That is to say, the one who truly desires Lorinda is not Red Eye, but that Old Noble's descendant! The reason why Red Eye's forces have swelled to their current extent is very likely due to that person's support!"
"Who exactly that person is remains unclear, but what is certain is that they dare not show themselves. Although the Old Nobles are very united, that unity is predicated on similar strengths. If they were to reveal themselves now, no one would let them off!"
"The secrets inherited from the Pioneer Era would tempt anyone!"
"This is our breakthrough strategy!"
Hearing Antalya's explanation, and recalling Sorovo's reaction to the term "Old Nobles," Howard finally understood.
The Three Knights' true target in coming here was not Red Eye, but the descendant of the Old Nobles behind him.
If they could track his movements, anything in his possession would be of immeasurable value.
This was the real intention of those from Breeze City!
"I get it now," Howard shared his realization, and while Antalya neither confirmed nor denied it outright, she did say, "It's a possibility, and a strong one at that. We don't fully understand Sorovo and their objectives. If they indeed came with that purpose, then their odd behavior could be explained."
After the Three Knights arrived in Lorinda with support from Breeze City, their search for Red Eye seemed half-hearted.
They never outright refused to participate, but their efforts were lackluster at best.
If not for Howard's direct encounter with Sorovo, who knows how long Sorovo would have continued to drag his feet.
Although Antalya had always concealed her identity as a level 3 magus, she had kept a close eye on the level 3 magi within Breeze City.
Sorovo was well-known, albeit not for the most positive reasons.
Descriptions of him were similar: a battle-crazed fanatic who relished fighting strong opponents, a purist who delighted in walking the line between life and death, verging on lawlessness.
Had Sorovo not been bound by a specific mission, his actions wouldn't have been as sluggish as they were now; likely, he would have turned Lorinda upside down within three days of arrival.
"Do we have a chance to use this to our advantage?" Greg asked.
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