Chapter 654 The tip of the iceberg
[Whistlebird]
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Claude remained silent, sitting at the corner table in a restaurant. Wearing a thick cloak with a hood over his head, he glanced at the other corner, far away from his spot.
Silence enveloped the entire establishment, very unlike the usual scene one could see. And the reason for that was the presence of an arrogant noble vampire, throwing the food just because it wasn't appetizing enough in his eyes.
"This is what you call food?" Noah snorted, resting his feet up on the table like a rogue. "Surely, the Brown's thinks everyone here is just as cheap as them!"
The very few guests of the restaurant remained silent, avoiding catching the troublesome young master's attention. Claude had seen Noah a few times back when he was a child. So he wasn't surprised to see that Noah, who would become the Duke of Whistlebird, and also the person who would betray the current Duke Remington and his heir, was acting all high and mighty.
'Marquess Cameron is out of the list.' Claude mentally crossed Cameron's name in his list, investigating if he could garner some ally who could remember everything before the reversal of time. So far, he had met no one who had their memories.
The thought of it caused his jaw to tighten. He visited the capital, but he didn't meet any of his uncles and aunties. But despite that, he was certain they were the same as everyone else.
Claude closed his eyes as he breathed out deeply, hanging his head low. What he did was unforgivable. He wouldn't be this alarmed if everyone didn't have memories, because he was certain everything would follow the original course of actions.
However, his existence... this adult version of him in this place alarmed him. If time was reversed, why was he still an adult? Also, there was this strong gut feeling that he needed to make sure everyone didn't have memories of the future.
'Lord Noah is out of the list,' He whispered in his head, opening his eyes ever so slowly. 'Grimsbanne is next. As long as Auntie Lilove is there and everything is following the right course of action, I will have to meet Tilly.'
Claude rocked his head. In his mind, he didn't want to touch anything or change anything. Just one wrong move and it could affect everyone. The reason, even when Noah was humiliating someone mercilessly, Claude wasn't stepping in.
If only he knew things weren't as good as he wanted them to be, he wouldn't have time to waste. Not that he wasted a second since fleeing from Monarey.
Samael and Lilou warned him about the blood of Grimsbanne running through his veins. He listened, but the drug in his system that was injected into him by the leader of the Nightwalkers persisted longer in him. Hence, his hallucinations grew worse.
But that didn't matter now. He needed to find a solution and the only person he had in mind was Tilly. He tried moving the time forward, but alas, he failed miserably. Tilly was the only person who could help him with this.
Claude gazed at Noah once again, who was holding someone by the collar. "He's scummier than Uncle Klaus," he mumbled, pushing himself up to leave the restaurant unnoticed.
He didn't even look back at the chaos caused by Noah Remington. The latter might be acting like scum, but that was a good sign for Claude. All he would have to do was check Grimsbanne.
Deep down, he prayed that everything was also the same in that place. But there was a part of him that felt... his next stop would change everything like a nightmare devouring a beautiful dream.
*****
Meanwhile, a ship somewhere in the ocean. Law stood on the desk, letting the ocean breeze blow past him.
"Tilly, will Sunny be alright?" he inquired, turning his head to Tilly standing right beside him. "We should've taken her with us."
"Sunny is smart. If she sensed danger, I'm certain she knows what to do." Tilly cast him a quick side-eye. "For now, we should focus on Samael and Lilou."
"How can things turn back to the time I wasn't alive yet?" he asked along with a deep exhale, peeling his eyes away from her. "I don't understand, Tilly. How can I help? Claude awakened the blood of Grimsbanne in him. So, couldn't he revert everything back to normal?"
Tilly let out a shallow breath, keeping her eyes on the ocean. "Our blood is what makes us strong, Law. However, as I've said before, all powers had their laws and conditions. Our actions always had an understand, Tilly. How can I help? Claude awakened the blood of Grimsbanne in him. So, couldn't he revert everything back to normal?"
Tilly let out a shallow breath, keeping her eyes on the ocean. "Our blood is what makes us strong, Law. However, as I've said before, all powers had their laws and conditions. Our actions always had a reaction. Reversing the time for someone like Claude, who was gifted with the power of time, is easy. However, there is always an effect."
"So, is it something like a one-time thing?"
"No. If he mastered it, he can do it at will. The only catch is that the outcome of the future might be different. It can be good or worse." Tilly looked at Law once again, waiting for him to look back at her. "Now is our reality, Law. Whatever we did yesterday is something that might or might not happen ten years later. My point is, whatever actions, big or small, can affect the future."
In other words, even if Claude could change the time back to its rightful year, there was no certainty that they could return to their life before the reversal of time. There was no telling if Lilou and Samael would still end up together, or they would become enemies.
"That is why we need to find someone who can help us with this." Tilly continued, causing Law's brows to furrow.
"Someone who can help us?" he stared at her and watched her avert her eyes from him. Tilly didn't speak for quite some time, narrowing her eyes in a particular direction.
"My sister and brother," she answered after minutes of silence, listening to the soothing sound of waves. "You and Claude, together with Samael, might resolve this matter all alone. However, just to be sure... we will need their assistance for the best outcome."
A glint flickered across Tilly's soft eyes. "You will die, Law. The three of you will... without their help. That... will be the consequences and sacrifice you will have to make."
Tilly didn't know where exactly was her siblings were right now. This was the first time she left the mainland. However, her gut feeling told her that the reversal of time was just the tip of the iceberg.
Someone... something was lurking in the shadows, ready to kill every last Grimsbanne who was known as the Originals.
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