Eternal Elysium

The third floor was modified a lot after its early renovations.

The floor, which was empty and open, now had several wooden walls dividing the place into small rooms and chambers for different uses. Lighting was still an issue, but the key areas received enough exposure to avoid total darkness.

Inside one of the larger rooms, several figures sat on the floor helping the injured. The look in their eyes was undeniably filled with several worries. Their faces stiffened as they saw me enter the room. And I knew the reason for that.

Currently, I am covered in blood. I had tried to clear it and had managed to remove most of it from my face and hands, but changing clothes will take time, and I need to deal with it as early as possible.

My eyes wander around, meeting each one of them. Some looked down upon meeting my gaze, while others grinned back, making me even more confused.

'I can understand averting their gaze. But why are they grinning?'

And then it finally clicked in my mind.

'They heard their screams!'

I had done a good job of making sure no one could run but I couldn't have kept their screams hidden. They all must be thinking I had given them a good beating.

Licking my lips, my gaze finally met with Elda, who stared at me in silence, her face a little pale, and she, along with the others, was covered in bandages. But overall, one could say she was the least hurt of them.

Before I could have opened my mouth, she gently asked in a calm tone.

"Asher, did you get hurt?"

I pressed my lips shut as her words reached me.

Was I hurt? No, I wasn't…

But I couldn't speak them out loud for some reason, as if they were stuck in my throat.

I sighed and slowly nodded my head in her direction.

"I am good. Never been better actually! But are you all okay? All of you don't seem to be in the best condition from the looks of it." I asked, keeping my tone light and friendly.

Elda's face stiffened as she gave me a bewildered look, but she couldn't help her lips from twitching. Amidst the small group of people, I could even hear some chuckles from here and there.

"Ah, how do you think we are then?" She asked under her breath and leaned forward, her head resting on her palms.

Before I could answer back, someone moved toward me, dragging a chair in their hand.

"Sir, please sit here, you must be tired." The woman said with a small smile as she placed it behind me.

"Uh, yes, thank you. Much appreciated." I nodded hesitantly at the sudden care for me, but seeing the looks in her eyes I didn't deny it.

As I sat down, my body finally relaxed. The lady in the black dress, seeing this, nodded her head softly in my direction before moving back to her place.

I sighed and looked up, sensing Elda's gaze still lingering on me.

"I guess you are doing better than I had hoped for," I paused and once again looked in the room filled with almost fifteen people.

"Where are the kids?"

"They are resting in the last room." The lady answered.

I nodded and turned to look at them one by one.

My excuse was ready, and Elda's understanding to lift the mood with our banter seems to have worked wonders on them as well.

Taking a deep breath, I said. "First of all, everyone, thank—"

"Yes, kid, we understand you are grateful to us and think highly of our well-being. But can you talk fast now? We have been hearing screams once in a while, so we are friggin excited— Ow!" The man with the broken teeth stopped mid-sentence as he started to rub his arm.

'Who pinched me?' He muttered in confusion and looked around to see everyone giving him a bewildered look. And I was on the same boat as them at that.

"What?" He asked.

"Man, at least let him finish! And be respectful, don't go senile on us now!!" One of the injured men scolded loudly enough for the old man to stare back at him with a stunned face.

"Eh? But—"

"No, it's okay. I don't mind. Please continue what you were saying."

I interrupted before their argument could have escalated any further. If it were any other time, I would have gladly taken sips of tea and watched the drama unfold to its finest— But right now, I had a feeling something was wrong and I needed to act fast.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

The old man with broken teeth smiled wryly in my direction and spoke.

"Kid– No, I mean, sir, why did they come here? And who were those people, and… are they alive or what?"

No matter how hard he tried to speak politely, his words in the end turned casual, making me smile.

"They were sent by a merchant named Palto. I can't tell why right now, but you all don't need to worry. Something like this will never happen again, you have my word."

"S– Argh, just forget it! Kid, so what happened to those three? From what we could hear, you seemed to have given them a thorough beating but you didn't answer if they are alive or what? Did you let them run away?!"

I chuckled, making all of them look at me in confusion.

The barrage of questions was flooding me. This man, who had said to take it easy previously, seems to be the most stressed right now.

I leaned back and crossed my arms over my lap, and gave a subtle smile towards the old man staring at me.

"While it's true that I have sent them far— But for how far? Let's say beyond life could reach them. Does this satisfy you?"

"...."

Silence fell as the people's faces darkened— and why would they not be shocked? I just indirectly said I killed them, all of them, without mercy.

I could see someone's hand trembling. Waley clenched the cloth tightly in his hand, and a bandage roll fell on the floor rolling in the middle. While Elda continued to look at me with a confused gaze, she seemed to have somewhat understood that I was trying to create mental chaos and confusion.

"Ahahah… I am kidding, did you really think I killed them? Sorry to disappoint, I didn't. After a good beating, I threw them out." I paused and looked at the toothless man.

"Trust me." And continued.

However, this time I didn't smile, making the old man shudder.

'Phew… Acting like this is tough.'

Unbeknownst to them, my face was turning red from shame— Acting like this was mortifying!

As the silence deepened, I sensed someone glaring at the back of my head. Turning my head toward the gaze, I saw Elda with a dumb look on her face. She parted her lips and slowly made some words I couldn't hear.

I squinted my eyes and read something along the lines.

'Don't… be silent… Say something, idiot!'

I chose to ignore her words and sighed before clapping my hands once to get their attention back on me.

"I would request all of you to keep what you saw here to yourself. This is not just for me, but for your safety, better forget what even happened. All of you should go back to your homes now…" I paused and thought for a while, and added.

"Those of you who got injured can take tomorrow off and have a check-up at the hospital. I will cover all your expenses."

Standing up from my seat, I gave them a last look.

"Oh, also, I will make sure to treat you all, don't worry about that."

From the side, I could hear someone sigh. 'Yes, Elda, I know it's you.' I wanted to say that, but stopped myself.

"So… nothing like this will happen again, right, Asher?" Elda asked, standing up.

"It won't. I'll take care of it. Just rest easy."

She nodded, reading the urgency in my eyes, and took over the conversation without another word.

"Hm." She nodded softly and took a deep breath, her steps staggering forward.

"I will handle it here. You should hurry… to whatever you need to do." She whispered.

"Thanks," I whispered back and nodded gently in her direction.

Their expressions have changed notably by the time I came here. At least the dread was nowhere to be found in their eyes anymore. The response was so ideal that a part of me expected all this to be fake and staged by someone…

"Fake.." I muttered, suddenly feeling something was wrong with all of this.

Eldric must have instigated Palto after all. I had felt an awakened presence during the shipment. And Eldric also has a subordinate who can almost shapeshift…

But he should also be aware that I had a bodyguard. So why did he make Palto do this?

Just as I came downstairs, I gave the second floor a last look.

"Boss?"

A voice called out to me as I raised my head to see Albert outside the workshop.

I frowned and asked.

"What are you doing here?"

"No one was at home, so I came here—"

Albert stopped midway as he saw my blood-stained clothes. I glanced down and sighed.

"You sure came early…" I muttered and walked near him to whisper.

"Albert, do me a favour, first go to Elda. She will explain everything after that, guard the second floor and don't let anyone wander there. I will send Castor or his men to dispose of something."

Albert nodded and licked his lips before asking hesitantly. "And where are you going?"

"To get a take cafe of a few things… and someone."

Albert sighed and patted my back.

"Huh?"

"You have it rough, boss, really."

Leaving me dumbfounded, he walked inside with slow steps and didn't look back.

"Seriously, what's wrong with everyone today?"

Not wanting to waste a moment, I left the workshop under Albert's watch and headed straight for Castor's bar.

I hastened my steps and reached Castor's bar. Seeing the door locked from the inside, I felt my face harden for a moment.

Nobody was around to see me.

In between, I had used mask of Panoply to make sure nobody noticed my presence or at least thought of it as a hazy memory— Something illusory and unreal if ever witnessed.

'Why did he close it so early?!'

And then—

"Asher?"

My gaze turned to look at the sound that called out to me. At the corner of the street, I could see a man with a small scar over his face walk toward me. As he reached near me, he stopped and his face stiffened. I could feel his gaze over me, looking both terrified and confused.

Licking his lips, he rubbed his head and whispered.

"Let's get you inside first. If any guard saw you, we both would be in deep trouble."

Click—

Coming inside, I first hastily changed into my spare clothes and turned to look at Castor

"Why were you walking at the dead of night in blood-stained clothes, and whose blood is that?"

"Hestor and his men came to my workshop… I, um, not so accidentally killed them."

"What?! How did they find you?!"

"Remember the awakened hiding among them. I guess Eldric must have told Palto about me. Don't act dumb it was under our expectation but I didn't think he would act so soon."

Castor clicked his tongue in annoyance and glared at me.

"So, what are you planning to do? I guess you are planning to meet Palto. Why else would you be in such a hurry?"

"No, at first I planned the same, since if I go to Palto now he wouldn't expect that… but doesn't it sound too easy?"

Castor frowned and then nodded hesitantly.

"Yes… It feels like a trap."

"First of all, go to my workshop and get rid of the trio. I have placed them on the second floor. Albert is waiting there."

I said, placing the dark cloak over me and took out the mask of Panoply.

"So, where are you planning to go if not to Palto?" Castor asked, furrowing his brows together.

Tilting my head softly in his direction, I placed the mask on my face.

The tickling feeling made me shiver for a moment, and then a burning sensation followed, but I quickly stopped it from spreading. Having a clear will somehow made it even easier.

Waiting for me in silence, Castor sighed as I smiled and answered his query with a deep and calm voice.

"Ains, let's give that little lord a night visit."