Noan frowned upon hearing that, his gaze fixed on Aldric as if trying to determine whether he was lying.
Aldric sighed and shook his head. "Don’t worry, I won’t deceive you. Besides, that’s the only way you can save her."
"As of now, I haven’t completed my mission either. I also need to hurry back and report to Catherine."
Noan gave a slight nod. "Why has your attitude toward changed so much?"
Aldric glanced at Noan. He wanted to say sothing, but in the end, he chose not to reveal the real reason. He rely sighed and said, "You’ll find out later. I can’t say anything for now."
Noan found it odd but didn’t press further because he knew... sotis, it’s better not to know a certain secret.
He took a deep breath. Although he wasn’t sure whether Aldric’s words were a trap, at the very least, it was the only way he had to find Vylyss again.
"Once I leave this space, I’ll co find you."
Hearing that, Aldric cast a sideways glance at him, then sighed. "Alright. There’s no need to rush. I guarantee she won’t be in any danger."
"On the contrary, if her mind is strong enough... this may be her great opportunity."
"Opportunity?" Noan frowned.
"Don’t ask too much." Aldric sighed. "Once your ti in the Chaotic Zone ends, co find ."
"Don’t worry—I won’t harm you, and I won’t set you up. I already understand what kind of person you are."
After speaking, Aldric stood up. He swung his spear, and a magic circle appeared, transforming into a swirling black vortex.
He stepped forward, preparing to enter the vortex, but then paused. Without turning around, his voice still rang out: "If one day... Vylyss is ready to destroy this world, will you protect her, or protect—"
"I’ll protect her." Before Aldric could finish, Noan cut him off firmly: "I don’t know any of you, but she’s different."
"She was by my side. She fought with . She did everything to protect . Compared to her, you all an nothing."
Aldric wasn’t angered by the answer. Instead, his face showed a hint of realization, as if he had just understood sothing.
He gave a slight nod and said, "I understand."
With that, he stepped into the black vortex and disappeared completely.
Noan let out a long sigh. He suspected Aldric’s question might have been fishing for the answer "Protect the world." Of course, Noan could have lied to gain Aldric’s favor.
But he didn’t want to lie. Whether Aldric helped him or not, he would still find a way to save Vylyss.
Just as he had said— even if Vylyss sought to destroy this world, he would still protect her.
Why?
Simple. The world ant nothing compared to her. Besides... if he were ever in danger, would this world protect him?
The answer was no. On the contrary, the danger he faced had been brought upon him by this world.
Noan shook his head, unwilling to dwell on it any further, and stepped into the shadows of the forest.
...
"Y-You..." Khorvath gritted her teeth, sitting on the ground, crawling backward. "Don’t co any closer!"
Elgar now resembled a monster. His head had transford into that of an insect, with eyes as large as a fly’s, two long antennae on his head, and both his arms and legs had beco six insect-like limbs.
He slowly walked toward Khorvath, while she, paralyzed by fear, could do nothing but retreat in terror.
"Don’t... don’t co near..." Khorvath shouted, but her body seed to have lost all strength; she could no longer run.
"Don’t worry..." Elgar said, his voice raspy and grotesque. "I’ll give you... my knowledge, everything I possess to serve them."
"My Lord... The Queen, and my King... They’ll give you everything... they..."
Suddenly, Elgar paused, lifting his head. His huge insect eyes stared toward the cave entrance.
There stood a young man, his expression full of contempt and disgust, as if he were looking at a filthy insect.
"No worries..." Noan shrugged. "Go ahead. I won’t interrupt."
"Master?!" Upon hearing his voice, Khorvath imdiately turned her head.
Seeing Noan, a wave of relief and disbelief washed over her.
"You..." Elgar said, his body trembling slightly, one of his spindly insect legs stretching toward Noan. "You’ve awakened them... you’re one of the Insect Kingdom’s mbers. I—"
"That’s enough..." Noan frowned, his gaze turning cold. "Tell ... how do I find the Insect Queen?"
"You will—"
Whoong!
Suddenly, a sound like a ringing bell echoed, accompanied by a dazzling flash of light that shot out with terrifying speed.
In an instant, Elgar felt a gust of wind pass by his body, and then—
Crack!
"Hm?!" He flinched, realizing that two of his right legs had been severed, lying on the ground.
They twitched for a mont before going still.
"You..." Elgar looked up at Noan, as blue blood flowed from his wounds like so kind of strange fluid.
"Answer my question." Noan frowned, his eyes full of killing intent as he stared at Elgar. "Where is the Insect Queen? How do I et her?"
Elgar stared back at Noan, his insectoid mouth twitching—flanked by two jagged, spiked mandibles that clicked and writhed.
"You are the chosen one... Whether you seek her or not, you... will et her soon enough."
"What do you an?" Noan frowned.
But a second later, Elgar’s body suddenly began to emit white smoke, and then—
Plop! Plop! Plop!
Pieces of insect scales fell to the ground. Inside—completely hollow. Noan frowned at the scene before him, but then, the sound of the System cut off his thoughts.
[Ding! You have completed Step 1 of the quest: Eliminate the Insect Queen.]
[Ding! Step 2 of the quest will be announced later. You will be teleported back to the Chaos Zone in 60 seconds.]
Noan read the notification from the System, his eyes sweeping over the cave as he gently waved his hand.
At that mont, a magical sigil flew out from his hand and completely vanished into the air of the cave.
"Master, you..." Khorvath wanted to say sothing, but she had no words.
Everything had happened too quickly. Even now, she still didn’t understand what was going on.
Why did Elgar transform into an insect?
Why did he say Master was the chosen one?
Who exactly is the Insect Queen?
Too many questions filled Khorvath’s mind, but she was too exhausted to speak, and her consciousness soon faded into darkness.
Noan frowned and quickly approached. After checking her condition, he realized she wasn’t seriously injured and finally let out a sigh of relief.
[Ding! Teleportation gate has opened. Please return to the Chaos Zone.]
Noan glanced around once more, then picked Khorvath up in his arms and stepped into the teleportation gate.
...
"Ha!" The mont Aldric appeared, everyone nearby stared at him in confusion.
"Huh?! This place is..." He frowned, confused by everyone’s stares. "Did I... co back to the wrong place?"
Aldric looked around. It was clearly the sa location he had left from. Their gazes puzzled him.
Catherine, standing nearby, also looked perplexed. She frowned and asked him, "Did sothing happen to you?"
"Ah! Your Majesty!" Aldric quickly bowed. "I apologize for failing the mission, however—"
"No! You..." Catherine quickly cut him off and asked with a frown, "You were only gone for one second."
"Huh?!"
Monts later, after hearing everyone’s explanation, Aldric realized... the mont he entered the spatial gate to seek the Insect Queen, he had imdiately stepped out of it again.
To be exact... all the ti he spent inside the ’Trial Space’ and that strange castle—only one second had passed in this world.
"Aldric, the mission..." Catherine asked with a deep frown, "Did you fail?"
Aldric pressed his lips together, wanting to speak, but Catherine suddenly said, "Co with ."
Though confused, he followed Catherine out of the lab.
In a hidden corner, the Grand Elder stared at Catherine and Aldric, his gaze as cold as twin blades.
"Catherine... Aldric, enjoy your laughter while it lasts..." the Grand Elder muttered in a raspy voice.
If one looked closely, they would see that his eye was made of countless tiny hexagonal fragnts.
"The Insect Kingdom... shall rise again."
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