NOVEL NEXT Chapter 256: He is the one?
*tap* *tap*
Each step of Eldora's boots echoed softly along the floor of the corridor, swallowed quickly by the dense, oppressive air.
The walls stretched endlessly, carved from black stone that shimmered faintly with crimson veins.
Dim lanterns floated along the ceiling, casting long, dancing shadows behind her.
She stopped before a grand, decaying set of twin doors.
Her eyes narrowed and with a quiet breath, she pressed her hand against the cold surface, and the doors creaked open, revealing the chamber beyond.
The vast hall is pitch black and there are no windows, no torches, only an eerie stillness and a throne of black stone standing at the center of the room.
Upon the throne, a breathtaking woman is sitting utterly naked.
Her skin was pale, untouched by light, and her long black hair spilled down the steps of the throne, reaching the floor.
Her lips were faintly crimson and her dark red nipples peeked out from her breasts as she sat there with her legs crossed.
Eldora fell to one knee and bowed her head low "…Your Majesty."
The woman's eyes opened slowly.
Within those irises, ther eis nothing but black mist "…Eldora."
Eldora flinched at the sound, "One of our Empyreans, Ji Lingsha, has fallen in action."
The woman's expression did not change "I am aware."
Eldora continued, "Afterward… Charlotte came to confront me. She suspected that I was the one who dispatched Ji Lingsha to eliminate the Herald. During our conversation, I detected an anomaly... a sudden shift in the resonance of the space around me."
With a soft inhale she continued "I believe she used her time ether signature. I cannot remember what happened for several seconds, but when I returned to myself, I knew… something had happened."
The woman on the throne leaned her head against her palm, as if mildly entertained "Then she killed you… and rewound the thread. Curious. That girl never learned subtlety."
Eldora's head dipped even lower "Is she becoming a liability to us, Your Majesty?"
For a moment, the woman didn't answer.
Instead, she slowly lifted her hand and gently grasped her breast as her finger circled her areola.
"She is not a threat. Charlotte is a woman who is obsessed with him, but her control stems from emotion. Love. Fear. Devotion. These things are always exploitable."
She let her hand fall back against the armrest "Play along with her. Let her believe she's ahead."
"Also, keep the 'Asphodel Order' from straying too far... especially that 'fool'. She likes improvising too much."
Eldora nodded quickly "Yes, Your Majesty… Understood."
Another moment of silence passed.
"…And as for the vacancy seat for Empyrean left behind by Ji Lingsha?" Eldora asked. "Shall we elevate another?"
The woman tilted her head lazily, "I will 'create' one later and send it to you."
Black energy suddenly bled from the floor around the throne and the room darkened further as the mist rose.
From that darkness grotesque creatures appeared; some were massive and some were barely human-shaped.
Looking at the Aberrants she has summoned, Eldora's gaze narrowed "Your Majesty?"
The woman closed her eyes "Let them loose. Release them where the Herald walks."
She leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand "I wish to see him fight… see him burn and rise."
Eldora kept her head down, "Your Majesty truly believes he is the one?"
The woman's eyes glimmered "He is not merely 'the one,' Eldora."
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The warm golden glow of the room softened the mood as Brandon sat relaxed on the main couch, flanked on one side by Eira, who leaned against his shoulder, her hand casually resting on his thigh and on the other by Yverine.
Across from them, Ravene lounged with her legs pulled up beneath her and her gaze is focused intently on the ongoing conversation.
And beside her, Elize was sitting.
"So she left because her family summoned her?" Elize asked again and her eyebrows furrowed in thought.
Yverine gave a calm nod, brushing her hair back over her ear "Yes... Aunt Elize. Master didn't tell me much, just that she received a sealed order marked with her House crest, and she left after that."
Brandon shifted slightly as he frowned in thought "It's just odd. Seems like she despises her own family."
"And when I tried to look at that letter… she looked like she was about to bite my head off. I get it was private, but her reaction was... intense."
Upon hearing this, Elize's expression darkened subtly. "Well… that would make sense. She's from Vernhail. One of the five Great Houses"
"As you know, all Noble Houses hate men to the core and growing up in such surroundings... Naevora still grew up to be a woman who did not inherit that 'hate'."
"So maybe she is angry with her mother because of her ideology of hating men."
Elize continued, "The House of Vernhail has always been… zealously matriarchal. They were one of the first to form militant wings to uphold 'purity' within noble bloodlines."
"Naevora's mother is the current Matriarch of the Vernhail House… and also the Supreme Commander of the Asphodel Order."
Brandon instantly tensed upon hearing the name.
Asphodel Order? He remembered seeing the name on the hologram during his First Tribunal meeting. (A.n: that was chapter 17)
Elize tilted her head slightly "Her mother is... hmm, what's the best word, obsessed. She sees men not just as inferior but as defilements of nature. I wouldn't be surprised if Naevora was trained to eliminate 'contaminants' like Brandon since she was a child."
She had a thoughtful look as she spoke, "Hm… I haven't had much contact with her mother in the past."
"And to be honest, I've kept myself out of House politics and organizational affairs. After Brandon came into my life, all of that became… irrelevant."
Her smile warmed as she looked at Brandon, and her fingers reached out to gently smooth a wrinkle on his shirt "My priority has only ever been raising my boy."
Brandon blinked and smiled back at her "Aunt Elize…"
Ravene nodded faintly "Asphodel Order is a bit of trouble and was one of the people who wanted to execute Brandon when we found out that he is the first male awakener."
"And now, if the Asphodel Order is involved, we may not be able to stay out of it. They're still itching to discredit Brandon... or worse. They've been too quiet lately."
Eira's hand tightened slightly on Brandon's thigh "If they try anything, I'll protect him."
With a chuckle, Brandon patted her head "Yep, my Eira will protect me."
Yverine looked at Eira and lowered her head in shame.
Looking at her, Brandon casually wrapped his arm around her shoulder "And my Sister Yve will also protect me, right?"
She tensed for a moment before nodding with a chuckle "Ofcourse..."