A frown crept to Alana’s face as she had a lot of questions mind that needed answers.
She knew that Kei Xun wouldn’t tell her.
It has always been that way.
But for the first ti in her entire life, she was wrong regarding this.
"From the mont I surrendered my place in the race for Invincibility, the title of Scion beca nothing but an empty echo for ," Kei Xun said with solemn grace, recalling the painful past. "I may still hold a Scion’s strength... but in truth, I am no longer one."
She turned fully, eting Alana’s eyes with a steady, solemn resolve.
"And if we are to rebuild our sanctuary, then we need a Scion." She added with conviction.
"I-I apologize for being presumptuous, Divine Saintess," Alana stamred, eyes widening in complete shock. "But are you saying...?"
"Yes," Kei Xun nodded. "Let’s see if Rex can be the one for us. I’d rather submit to him than to those bastards. At least, unlike those old monsters, he’s still young and has ideals. So go and watch over him. See if he really is the one for us."
For a second there, Alana was at a loss for words.
Just a few seconds ago, she thought they were dood for a slow and painful descent to destruction.
No chance that the Divine Saintess would do anything drastic to change their predicant.
But she was instantly proven wrong.
Alana couldn’t believe the words that ca out of Kei Xun’s mouth, and one more ti, she allowed herself to hope once again. Perhaps there was another way—for them other than a slow destruction, and as Kei Xun said, they needed a Scion.
"But Divine Saintess, he already got what he needed. I fear he may return to the Mortal Realm soon."
"Don’t worry about that, Alana."
Kei Xun turned around and looked up at the sky once again, hands clasped behind her.
A growing hardness could be seen on her face.
"Can you feel it too?" She asked and paused, allowing the question to sink in. "Focus on your senses."
Despite her confusion, Alana did exactly that.
She stayed silent and put her full focus on her senses alone.
One thing that she imdiately noticed was the wind; it was blowing unnervingly hard and cold tonight.
And it was thick with sothing.
It was only then that she sucked in a cold breath.
Her widened eyes turned to look at Kei Xun again, filled with uneasiness.
"Do you feel it?"
"Yes, Divine Saintess... Blood is thick in the air. Sothing big is coming..."
Kei Xun nodded and waved her hand, signaling for her to leave.
Dutifully, Alana bowed and walked out, but she was called again when she was right by the entrance.
"Alana..." Kei Xun called. "Don’t be biased. After all, it’s better to submit to them than die."
"Yes, Divine Saintess." Alana nodded and left.
Ti passed by in a blur.
And the big day finally ca.
Princess Davina was inside the carriage alone, heading back ho.
Her eyes stared at the passing blur outside, seemingly in a daze, while her mind was soplace else.
Just like what Rex told her to do, she had been hunting the Voidal Prince she had t in the past.
Due to the peculiarity of their first eting, the two shared a common hostility.
It was the reason why she looked worn down right now, and her clothes were tattered, but everything was under control. She had steadily beco accustod to her new body, and with her imnse talent, adjusting to a new thing has never been hard for her.
Even though it was a fruitful hunt, she didn’t look satisfied.
Or rather, her mind wasn’t focused on her progress at all.
She was still thinking about what had happened earlier before she separated from Rex.
...
A few hours ago, at dawn, the long-awaited ssage from Empress Morgana finally ca.
It was an encrypted ssage that could only be received by a special item she had given Princess Davina back when she visited to get Rex’s rewards. Princess Davian didn’t give it to Rex, as there was a chance he wouldn’t tell her what the content of the ssage was.
So, she kept it to herself and only told Rex about it after she read it.
"Stop being anxious," Princess Davina handed over a glowing stone. "Here, Empress Morgana sent you a ssage."
"You kept this from ?"
"I forgot to give you. Either way, it doesn’t matter. Read it."
Rex didn’t press further as he had been waiting for this ssage for the last couple of days.
And he was anxious for it to co.
He didn’t expect Empress Morgana to give him the ssage on the day they were supposed to et.
But then again, considering that there are many eyes watching her moves, Rex understood why she was this secretive about this eting. It might even be possible that she would be the one handing over the rewards herself.
For that, absolute secrecy was necessary.
"Noon at the Tomb of Heroes...?" Rex read the ssage out loud. "Where is that?"
"It’s a place in ancient tis to bury heroes, but I thought that place was already buried. Either way, I know where it is, so I’ll take you there."
"No, you don’t need to co with ," Rex shook his head.
"Why...? I’m your fiancée and also one of your kin now, yet you’re still treating like this?"
"It’s not that. If you co, we’re going to draw more attention to ourselves, and that’s going to be bad for the empress. I’ll go alone, okay?" Rex put on an assuring smile and held her shoulder. "Besides, I’m going to instantly go back ho once I get what I need."
"But..."
"Let’s not give more trouble for the empress, okay? She’s generous enough to keep her words, so let’s lay low."
...
"Instantly go back ho, he said..." Princess Davina muttered, feeling a tightness in her chest, making it hard for her to breathe properly. "What does he an by that? Does he an... he’s going back to the Mortal Realm right after?"
Considering that the Spirit Emperor could help with retrieving Devo, it’s not impossible to do that.
Of course, he might also literally an going back to Rontera.
But the uncertainty was making her go insane.
If Rex really wanted to go back, then he should at least talk to her one last ti.
Eventually, she bit her lower lip and knocked on the window.
anwhile, Rontera—the duke’s residence.
A heated tension filled the main hall.
Brak!!
"Explain to how you didn’t know!!" Duke Lorcan’s voice thundered across the entire hall; his eyes glared at the person in regal and notable armor in front of him. "You’re the Ducal Marshal, the person who oversees the security of my domain, and you cannot locate my daughter?!"
"How?!"
Boom!
Under his wrath, the entire main hall quaked as the Ducal Marsha’s legs trembled under the pressure.
He was a powerful man, yet in front of Duke Lorcan, he barely amounted to anything.
Octavia, who was sitting beside the duke, was also trembling.
It was the first ti she had ever seen Duke Lorcan this furious, and in that mont, perhaps she finally saw a glimpse of who Duke Lorcan was in the past for the first ti. Even so, knowing that she was the only one who could help Ducal Marshal, she reached out her hand and clasped his hand carefully.
"Let him explain," She said, trying to calm him down.
"He must have his reasons," She continued and then glanced at the Ducal Marshal. "Right?"
The Ducal Marshal bowed his head a little, thanking Octavia for the help.
Had it not been for her, he would certainly be gravely wounded, as he could already taste blood.
"Before Princess Davina departed with Lord Rex, as per our protocol, the carriages were marked with an Echo Genesis from our trusted Seekers and also equipped with banners. That would ensure us that we can locate them at any ti," He explained clearly and carefully, recounting what had happened. "But for so reason, the signal was tampered with. The mark and banners are still active, but we can’t get them to respond."
"It’s like there’s an interference blocking our signals," He continued.
Octavia’s brows dropped into a frown.
"Are you saying soone is deliberately blocking us from reaching the princess?" She asked.
"I’m afraid so," the Ducal Marshal nodded. "We’re still in the process of locating this person."
"And where is her last location?" Duke Lorcan’s voice bood again.
"Deific Grove of Concordia. I believe she’s doing the ritual with Lord Rex there."
"Go send soone to fetch them."
"I already did. I sent the best of the best, and they should be arriving in a couple of hours."
Hearing this didn’t make Duke Lorcan feel better at all.
He leaned to the side, rubbing his throbbing forehead in concern.
’Recently, I learned Rex is not from this realm, then Lord Kaine ca and asked to et with him, and now we lost contact—with Rex and Davina,’ Duke Lorcan clenched his jaw, knowing that soone was playing them from behind. ’Just what’s going on?’
Duke Lorcan has sat in his position for far too long.
As ti passed, he naturally learned to sense when things were going to go awry.
Lord Kaine has never made a formal visit to anyone for quite a long ti.
He was exclusively stationed on the battlefield and answered only to the Spirit Emperor.
For him to co here personally to et—with Rex is out of the ordinary, and it could only an there was trouble in the royal family. ’But what...?’ Duke Lorcan contemplated further. ’Empress Morgana has established her position, so the royal family should be stable by now.’
Even though that should be the case, his guts proved otherwise.
And he also felt that whatever was going on, it wasn’t directed at Princess Davina.
It was for Rex.
"Is the Marquesses? All of them had been eyeing your position."
"No, those foxes will have to think twice, at least for the mont, with Rex around."
Duke Lorcan doesn’t feel like these were the Marquesses’ doings.
Many knew that Rex ca from the Mortal Realm, but with his exceptional talent and the fact that he was marrying Princess Davina, the marquesses needed to postpone their plans. At least until everything around Rex was clear, they would refrain from doing anything.
So, this shouldn’t be their doing.
"Then who’s behind this?" Octavia frowned, unable to think of another culprit.
Duke Lorcan raised his gaze and asked, "Is there anything noteworthy that’s going to happen soon?"
Hearing this, the Ducal Marshal and Octavia thought for a second.
But neither of them could think of anything.
Nothing big should be happening within the empire for quite so ti,
"No," the Ducal Marshal shook his head. "All of the big events were behind us. It’s a peaceful ti. But I feel the person behind this is soone powerful. Soone who does not fear you, Duke Lorcan... Or else they wouldn’t be this brazen."
Just as Duke Lorcan was about to dismiss this eting so that he could think, a figure appeared.
She appeared from the hall outside, and she seed to be eavesdropping.
"Get out!" the Ducal Marshal commanded sternly, not expecting that a servant would dare to ddle in this important matter. "This is not a matter for servants to listen!"
"Stop," Duke Lorcan raised his hand, and then looked at the servant. "Syla—do you have sothing to say?"
Hesitantly, Syla stepped into the main hall and then nodded.
"Yes, Your Highness," She nodded timidly—her gaze fixated on the ground. "I’m the princess’ personal servant, and I’ve overheard her talking about eting with the empress again when the ti cos. She already t with the empress on behalf of Lord Rex, but there was a plan for a second eting. I don’t know for sure..."
"Empress Morgana...?" Duke Lorcan’s eye narrowed.
Beside him, Octavia stood up, "Are you certain of this? You’re pointing at the empress?"
"I-I only think I should share this, my Lady..." Syla’s body trembled in fear. "I don’t an it li—"
Before she could finish, Duke Lorcan raised his hand again.
And then, he leaned forward with deliberate slowness, "Contact the castle. I want to speak with His Majesty."
User Comments
0 comments from readers