Let’s Block the Ruined Route in Advance Chapter 111

In the plaza in front of the central temple, a woven rope of corpses’ clothing was laid out.

 

The cloak of an Imperial Templar, the robes of a Magus, and the robes of a priest, all stained red, wrapped around the statue of the Goddess Fyara.

 

“I can’t believe no one noticed this.”

 

Carlo’s face paled as he surveyed the devastation. Not that there were no guards around, but the two paladins who had been standing guard were lying beneath the statue, their hands neatly arranged as if they were asleep.

 

“They look so careful, like they’re making a sacrifice…”

 

Carlo paid his respects to the two young paladins and surveyed the situation.

 

Urzar had been so secretive, there had to be some reason for him to act so openly.

 

“What about that?”

 

Then something caught Carlo’s eye. A small letter was tied to the statue’s bosom with blood ropes.

 

Retrieving it, he carefully opened it. The other priests whispered in low voices, unable to contain themselves at the grave expression on the High Priest’s face.

 

“Be careful, sir. We don’t know what they’re up to.”

 

Nodding, Carlo pulled out the letter with a thick layer of divine power. His face turned white as he read the contents.

 

“Imperial Palace, I must go to the palace immediately!”

 

 

***

 

 

Four hours before the news of Urzar’s declaration of war spread.

 

“It’s been a long time, hasn’t it?”

 

“I don’t even remember the last time I was here.”

 

They found the botanical garden after a long time. It had been a long time since they had visited the botanical gardens.

 

“I heard it was closed for a long time because of the demon problem, but it sure is a jungle.”

 

Lucian laughed softly as he brushed the cobwebs from his face with his hilt. The mess inside reminded him of the first time Eileen had grown plants.

 

“It’s hard to forget a cosmos the size of a sunflower.”

 

Eileen also giggled as she surveyed the weedy botanical garden.

 

“At least this one has a wild flavor.”

 

They spread the rug Felix had brought on the stone floor where there was room. Cordelia blew water into the dried up tap beside him, and the deep jungle greenhouse seemed a little cozy.

 

“I knew what to expect, you’re just in a mood. Let’s eat lunch.”

 

The sandwiches and fruit she’d packed spilled out onto the mats. The four of them sat down, each taking a corner of the mat. Wiping a bluish apple on her sleeve, Cordelia asked.

 

“Where’s Laquerta?”

 

“He’s still wounded, so he’s not coming today.”

 

Nodding, Cordelia took a bite of the apple. Eileen munched on her unwrapped sandwich.

 

“I feel like we’re in a duke’s greenhouse.”

 

The three of them paused for a moment. A nostalgic scene flashed through their minds for a moment.

 

“When we used to have tea together every day. Do you remember the time I ate so many of Felix’s sweets that I threw up?”

 

“And do you remember how Lucian used to scold me for forgetting to knock every time?”

 

“Ew! Forget about that. It was fun to stay up all night talking.”

 

After a few moments of reminiscing, there was silence, and the four of them realized how much they had grown since then. No longer were they children waiting for teatime every day, but four young adults fighting to get on with their lives.

 

“Eileen.”

 

Cordelia called out to her, grabbing her hand. Eileen didn’t answer, just leaned against Cordelia’s shoulder. It was still daylight, but it was cloudy, and the unlit botanical garden was dark.

 

Felix waved his hand lightly, and a sphere of light formed in the center of the greenhouse, illuminating the darkness. As Lucian watched the light flow through the dark green plants, he remembered a day.

 

A rainy greenhouse. Children sharing dreams.

 

Cordelia had said she wanted to be an Elemental Swordsman, that she would be strong enough to protect those she loved. And Felix and Eileen.

 

‘We were thinking the same thing.’

 

He turned his head slightly and saw Eileen talking to Cordelia, staring up at the glowing ceiling, and then Felix, looking at Eileen’s side.

 

‘I liked her first.’

 

A childish thought flashed through his mind, then quickly dispersed.

 

Lucian wondered what made him different from Felix, what he had to offer Eileen. Knowing only that he had a sword and a straight path, he could only guess with near certainty that it had something to do with the two of them thinking the same thing in the greenhouse.

 

‘You’re like a brother.’

 

Lucian smiled weakly as the words stuck in his mind. He would have taken up his sword to protect her, but apparently that wasn’t what she needed.

 

‘How can I confess to you after hearing that?’

 

Lucian was a master of romance, but even he knew better. It was harder to ignore the strange change in Felix and Eileen’s mood since the festival.

 

“Stupid.”

 

He lay back and covered his eyes with his arm.

 

As he listened to Cordelia and Eileen’s breathing for a long time after they had fallen asleep, Lucian decided to let his long-held feelings flow.

 

It was a decision they made as a family, so that sweet Eileen could move on with the heart she had finally made up her mind about.

 

 

***

 

 

Albert approached the entrance to the tavern with trembling steps. A cold sweat trickled down his pale face.

 

“Ian…”

 

The all-black building was Ian’s regular haunt, as it turned out, and his sudden visit to the tavern was because he couldn’t forget the look in Ian’s eyes when he’d met him in the market a few days earlier.

 

“Those cold eyes that I couldn’t believe belonged to a human.”

 

The Ian he knew was never like that, a vulnerable man who, though sharpened by inferiority complexes as he neared the end of his senior year, would say sharp things when cornered and make himself look even more hurt.

 

“I should’ve ignored him when he told me not to come over anymore.”

 

Albert knew that Ian considered him a friend, but he also envied him. He didn’t want to lose his best friend, so he tried to ignore the inferiority complex that lurked beneath his frustration.

 

“Get lost. Don’t ever come to me again, Albert. We should never have been friends in the first place.”

 

The day they finally parted ways. Ian stood up and looked terribly hurt, unlike his horse. Albert didn’t dare turn and walk away. He couldn’t stay by Ian’s side if it hurt to be with him.

 

“But if this is the result.”

 

Now that he knew that the creature of the shroud was real. Doubt was born, eating at his heart.

 

Crossing the bottle-strewn tavern, he pushed past the barkeep and entered the room at the end of the hall. The door swung open, and a bored-looking man sipping from a bottle struck a nerve.

 

“I thought I told you not to let anyone in, huh?”

 

His eyes widened at the sight of Albert. He scratched his head as if trying to remember who he was looking at, then smiled broadly.

 

“Albert, my friend.”

 

Albert’s heart sank at the response.

 

“You came because you missed me, but didn’t we promise at the end that we wouldn’t see each other anymore?”

 

A familiar face stretched out on the couch with a look that didn’t look familiar at all. The heavy bottle of liquor slipped from Ian’s hand and rolled to the corner of the room, scraping the floor.

 

“What’s that look on your face? Say something.”

 

Albert’s fierce expression quickly turned to boredom, and despair was evident in his eyes as he watched.

 

“You’re not Ian.”

 

Ian’s lips quirked up at his words.

 

“Come on, didn’t you know that the last time we met?”

 

He rose from the couch and stood to face Albert. His amusement was still evident on his face.

 

“What, are you going to say? Come on, Albert, don’t fool yourself.”

 

The back of Ian’s neck cracked and a black shadow erupted from it, as if he hadn’t been trying to hide it in the first place.

 

“Mongma…”

 

Albert turned to face him, unable to back away. Sensing danger, his spirit Alexander leapt up and bared his teeth ferociously, but Ian only seemed more amused.

 

“So now you’re ready to admit that your friend is dead and there’s a foul creature inside him? Ahahahahaha! Humans are funny, after all. I was right to follow you, Urzar. What does your nightmare taste like?”

 

Ian’s masked mongrel reached out to the stiffened Albert.

 

“I guessed it the last time I saw you, but you’re perfect material for an Athrox. So why are you here alone?”

 

A white, soft hand touched Albert’s cheek.

 

Albert’s bloodshot eyes lit up and he grabbed Ian’s wrist.

 

“You can’t have come alone!”

 

A spirit-made lightning bolt flashed to pierce Ian’s throat as someone burst into the room they were in.