NOVEL NEXT Chapter 41 - Tower Guardian
Chapter 41: Tower Guardian
Translator: CKtalon
Colt listened to the conversation between Vincent and William as beads of perspiration dripped down his forehead. He kept questioning himself if his choice of staying was right.
Although he didn’t understand much of their conversation, he could understand what William was saying about Vincent becoming the new ruler of the Blackwater Province.
He didn’t just understand it; he was horrified by what he heard.
Could the Blackwater Province’s Duke of Thorn be replaced just like that?
What was even more terrifying was that when the two of them were talking about this topic, they didn’t argue about the possibility. Instead, the discussion about whether they were willing or not and what meaning it had.
“I refuse…”
Vincent finally said. With that said, he raised the magical medium in his hand and assumed a combat pose.
William looked at the lightning on Vincent’s magical medium and assessed it inwardly.
The other party was probably at the level of a random high-level mage from the Mage Guild in the late stages of the game. Of course, he might have some trump cards, but in short, the battle would be over in seconds.
Therefore, he reminded him, “Are you sure you want to do this? You should know that you don’t stand a chance.”
Vincent knew that it was the truth. The other party could have treated him as target practice when he previously used Zero Entropy, giving him countless opportunities to kill him while time was stopped.
However, he retorted with a question, “I’m aware, but will you be kind enough to let me off alive after my rejection?”
“You can leave and take your time to think about it when you get back. There’s no hurry. I have plenty of patience,” William replied casually.
Vincent asked suspiciously, “Then, aren’t you afraid that I’ll tell Duke Simon of your intentions?”
William shook his head. “You’ve misunderstood.”
Looking at Vincent’s puzzled expression, he continued, “First of all, what I just said isn’t an attempt, but a fact that’s destined to happen. Secondly, I don’t care if you or anyone else ultimately takes over. You are my choice simply because I think it’s more convenient; it might stabilize the situation faster and reduce the number of innocent casualties. That’s all.”
William paused and continued, “Of course, if there’s any other reason, it might be because your daughter is a kind person. I’ll feel a little bad killing her father.”
“Liliana…”
Vincent hesitated for a few seconds before speaking.
“But!”
However, William raised his voice slightly and interrupted Vincent.
“But, my patience will remain until you attack me. I’m not magnanimous enough to let go of someone who tries to kill me. By the same logic, unless I find a better candidate than you, my suggestion that you control Thorn City will last until you stand opposite me.”
When the time comes, I won’t be so merciful.
Vincent understood the meaning in the other party’s eyes.
Therefore, the lightning on the magical medium dimmed. He bowed slightly to William in greeting before slowly turning around and leaving.
“I know there are some things you might find difficult to accept for the time being, but I hope you think through it carefully. Between a country controlled by the three Moon Realm goddesses and a country where humans don’t need gods, which is more in line with your expectations for the future?” William said to his departing back.
Looking at Vincent’s gradually disappearing figure in the mine tunnel, the sweating Colt tugged at William’s sleeve and carefully asked, “Are you letting him leave just like that? He rejected your suggestion…”
“I’ll need to be wary if he had agreed immediately.”
As William spoke, he snapped his fingers at the Webweaver’s corpse at the side of the hall. A deep spatial rift opened, and a few bandaged hands reached out and carried the corpse in.
“Why?” Colt looked nervously at the huge hand that stretched out of the spatial rift and asked.
“People who yearn for power often shouldn’t obtain it. People like him who have no ambition to rule are better choices.”
Colt nodded, having somewhat understood the theory.
“Let’s go.”
William placed his hand on Colt’s body. With a flash of lightning, the two of them disappeared from the hall as if they had never existed.
…
According to the Seven Holy Spirits’ theory of the creation model, air was the basic Elemental that formed the soul. It was the breath transformed from the Holy Spirit, Mother, and it was the lightest part of creation.
Therefore, high-level storm spells were often related to the soul, and the most effective way to distinguish between living creatures and the undead was to observe if a target was breathing.
In short, the air in this world was completely different from the world William came from.
“But why does it smell like ionized ozone?”
There was a brief flash of lightning, and William and Colt appeared out of thin air in an ornate hotel room. As soon as they landed, William complained.
“What’s ozone?”
Colt repeated the strange and awkward pronunciation and asked curiously.
“Nothing…”
William covered his nose and opened the window.
Colt nodded and looked around before asking, “Where are we?”
The rose-scented breeze blew away the faint stench. William looked out the window and replied absent-mindedly, “The Stallion Hotel. I’ve been staying here. By the way, is this far from your house?”
Colt looked at the Platinum City-style chalkstone building outside and shook his head. “I’ve never been here.”
This was an uptown area near the Rose Palace. The guards wouldn’t even let him pass when they saw his clothes.
“Then do you know the way back?” William turned his head and asked.
“I do.”
Colt nodded.
William walked over and took out a bottle of green potion and an ancient sheepskin scroll from his robe before handing them to him.
“Go home and give this bottle of potion to your father. Although it can’t treat his broken leg, it won’t be a problem recovering his blind eyes. Then, explain to him what happened in the mine. As long as you tear open this scroll, it will teleport you to Sigmonds. Do you understand?”
Colt took the potion and scroll and nodded seriously. Then, he asked in confusion, “What about you? Presiding Judge, where are you going next?”
William turned to look at the gorgeous and magnificent Astral Lighthouse outside the window and at the deep magical light on the top of the tower.
“I plan on taking a look there,” William replied.
Colt also looked at the lighthouse before immediately looking away.
When he was young, many elders had warned him not to stare at the blinking lights. Otherwise, his soul would be sucked in.
“Just taking a look?” Colt asked hesitantly.
William replied very casually, “I’m just going to take a look. I want to see what changes were made to the previous design.”
…
Astral Lighthouse, Astral Observation Room.
Nine dark red gems were connected into the shape of a sickle by Elementium Silver.
This was the arranged star map of the Stranger Constellation.
The Stranger Constellation symbolized death, wanderers, and endless wandering. They facilitated the study of the three spells—Necromancy, Shadowraze, and Storm.
A gray-haired old man with a withered face sat quietly in front of a star map, and his surroundings were filled with an ominous aura.
The three dim phantoms constantly gathered into a human form beside him, but they dissipated the moment they were about to take human form.
It was like some kind of practice.
After a long time, the three phantoms exploded, turning into pitch-black shadows that fused into the old man’s shadow. He slowly opened his eyes and said, “Are you here to destroy the Resound records again?”
Outside the Astral Observatory, a dignified middle-aged man stood. This person was the overlord of Thorn City, Simon Walde.
He looked at the elder and nodded.
“After all, it’s something that happened below the Silverstream Mine. It might be troublesome if the Church finds out.”
The old man sneered and said, “It might have been someone sent by the Church. I heard that the Eighth Order has already noticed the problem here.”
Duke Simon shook his head.
“As long as the Demon Burial doesn’t send someone over, the matter hasn’t spiraled out of control. Our cooperation can continue. The Eighth Order only covets the sword in the Holy Sepulchre as usual. The reason is secondary.”
The old man’s expression didn’t change as he said, “But I heard that the Eighth Order sent a strong person over. He seems to be the young man who stood out in Dragon Breath Province a while ago?”
Duke Simon revealed a meaningful smile and said, “The Silver Blood Daughter, Nizemar. Heh, her nickname is quite compatible with this city. But it’s fine. My people are keeping a close eye on her. Moreover, the support the local church can provide her is limited. She can’t do anything.”
The elder seemed to ease up a little when he heard that. He closed his eyes again and said,
“There’s no need for you to come personally if it’s just the deletion of the Resound record. Tell me, what else do you want?”
Simon said, “I’m just here to inform you that the preparation for the Eternal Gift is only a step away from completion. Our cooperation will soon come to a successful end. When the time comes, you—as a Legendary—will still be the next tower guardian of Stranger Tower.”