Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

Chapter 106: Body Swap, Round Two

“I’ll do it, I’ll do it.”

Kai patted the hem of his clothes and stepped forward confidently. “I go for observation, I remain for cultivation, and I come for truth.”

The instant he heard this answer, Salaar’s fingers slightly twitched. Myss glanced at him curiously, but unfortunately, he didn’t detect anything unusual.

That mechanical, inhuman voice vanished. In its place came the creak of turning gears, along with waves of humming from alchemical magic devices in operation.

Before everyone, a staircase abruptly extended out. The stone steps were covered in moss, with no beginning and no end, leading toward a patch of empty air. At first glance, it looked like a strange dream.

The problem was, this wasn’t the only staircase. Inexplicable steps appeared all over the forest in a messy crisscross. The scene officially upgraded from a strange dream to a nightmare.

Myss’s eyes followed those steps around and around. These things had appeared so quietly, without any magical fluctuation from start to finish.

He had just been about to ask Salaar beside him when he heard Kai explain.

“The defense of the Middle Finger Tower leans towards mental disruption. It’ll cause many bizarre phenomena.”

Kai explained at just the right time. “We’re actually in luck. This tower’s defenses are quite intact, so it’s very likely to be a research institution from the Night Scourge era. It wouldn’t have been open to ordinary people.”

Owen grew nervous. “We don’t have to climb these stairs, do we? What happens if we choose wrong?”

Kai shrugged. “If you choose wrong, you need to endure a whole day of hallucinations. During the Night Scourge era, that was fatal. Now it’s not too bad.”

“The trick to choosing is simple. Pick the one where the questioning voice came from just now. This method prevents the password from being stolen by unrelated people and causing unnecessary crises.”

Myss’s gaze immediately locked onto the staircase three steps away. Without a doubt, the questioning voice had been closest to that side. Owen, however, showed an extremely confused expression, as if he had suddenly stopped understanding human speech.

When he discovered that, apart from himself, everyone else was walking toward the same staircase, the confusion on Owen’s face turned into embarrassment.

“You can tell just from that?” he muttered, then obediently followed.

Kai walked at the forefront. He stopped at the highest point of the stairs and tentatively pushed twice. The swamp forest scenery seemed to have been cut open with a square hole by someone wielding scissors. The opening folded inward, revealing a pitch-black doorway.

The smell of dust sealed for many years rushed over them. Myss wrinkled his nose and gave a loud sneeze.

Kai opened one of his two suitcases and skillfully rummaged out a lantern. He looked behind him with a sincere expression that said, “See? I didn’t lie to you.”

“I’ll go first,” he said.

“Wait.” Peyton, who had been silent all this time, suddenly spoke. “I’ll go in and take a look first.”

“Haa, all right. After all, I’m a Stargazer with ulterior motives, and this, technically speaking, could be considered my home turf.” Kai stepped aside and made way. “Safety first. I get it.”

Peyton nodded and softly recited a few incantations. A pale-blue protective barrier lit up around him, and he cautiously stepped through the door. In the next instant, Myss sensed chaotic magical fluctuations. At least five or more magic devices had been activated at the same time.

Without the slightest hesitation, Peyton flicked a short whip inlaid with aquamarines from his waist.

Myss narrowed his eyes. That short whip wand had been cleaned thoroughly, but he still smelled blood, the scent of Peyton’s own blood.

The short whip snapped through empty air, making a crisp crack. Blue magic splashed outward like blood, actually striking the magic sources with precision. One by one, the magic devices died out, and the air became peaceful and calm.

“It’s safe now.” Peyton turned around.

Owen quietly took two steps back, and judging from his expression, he already wanted to go home. Kai patted his shoulder sympathetically before entering the tower.

Seeing that the first two were both fine, Myss finally led Salaar inside. Only after everyone had entered the tower did Owen reluctantly shuffle in.

The moment he stepped into the double-layer tower, that rotted door gave a creak and automatically shut, brushing past his backside. Owen was so frightened that he covered his butt with both hands, his hair practically standing on end.

Myss had just been about to mock the so-called “bloodline of Saint Salaar” when his vision abruptly went black and his feet softened.

When he came back to himself, he found his cheek pressed against the filthy wooden floor, pain throbbing along the side of his face from the impact. He seemed to have fainted, and he had fainted with unusual efficiency, so efficiently that Salaar hadn’t managed to catch him in time.

Myss sat up dizzily and discovered that everyone else was also lying sprawled on the floor. A gray-white braid had fallen over the decayed wood, scattered by his feet. Wait, by his feet?

Myss followed the braid upward and saw the dazed figure lying on the floor… himself.

No way.

Myss immediately lowered his head to look at his body. He was still wearing the formal outfit Salaar had sewn, but it wasn’t the “Myss” style. It was the “Salaar” style, with a similar color and a slightly different design.

…No way!

Myss touched the short hair on his head and ruthlessly plucked a few strands. In the almost nonexistent light, the color was black as night.

Things had become troublesome.

“Hey, hey, wake up!”

Myss heard the voice come from his throat, but it was lower than the one he was familiar with. He subconsciously reached out, wanting to shake his own body nearby, but his arm had become thick and long. His hand nearly struck the other person’s head.

Amid the clumsy shaking, his body slowly opened its eyes, and the pupils contracted twice.

Those sharp, arrogant eyes had lost all their sharpness, as if they were two blood holes. Seeing Myss’s misplaced face, the other person showed complete astonishment.

“Salaar?” Seeing the reaction across from him was this great, Myss softly confirmed.

“Myss” nodded, somewhat unused to it as he picked up the braid and patted off the dust and grime on it.

…Mm. Not especially infuriating. It was still the young Salaar. It seemed this strange situation had not made the effect of “Return to Youth” disappear.

“Wow.”

Owen sat up from the floor and exclaimed in a very un-Owen-like way. “I didn’t expect there to be a delayed trap like this… By the way, I’m Kai.”

“I’m Owen.”

The Dragon Fae struggled out of the pocket watch on “Myss’s” chest and said with lingering fear, “Damn it, what’s going on?”

“That’s exactly what’s going on.”

“Kai” stood up, panting. “First dolls, now this. Heavens, can’t you just let me use my wings in peace?”

The priest looked around blankly at everyone. Judging from that heartfelt simplicity on his face, Father Kalen’s body and mind both seemed to be original.

Coincidentally, there were no changes on Peyton’s side either. He frowned, then turned to examine the completely ordinary brick walls of the two-story tower.

Owen confirmed that he had entered the Dragon Fae’s body. Surprisingly, he didn’t complain. Instead, he quickly shrank back into the pocket watch gem, taking on the attitude of a spectator who wouldn’t come out even if beaten to death.

The real Tass sighed repeatedly. “Leaving aside that shameless guy for now… Let me see. I’m using Kai’s body, and Kai turned into useless Owen.”

“Myss and Sa—no, Kendrick—swapped bodies. The priest and Peyton are miraculously fine. From the look of it, this seems to be a trap that randomly swaps bodies and minds.”

Not just that, Myss thought.

He was not especially surprised to discover that he didn’t know how to mobilize Salaar’s magic, like a fish stuffed into the body of a flying bird. He suspected Salaar was the same.

Owen was useless and had wasted the Dragon Fea’s powerful body. The Dragon Fae had a wealth of experience, but couldn’t get used to Kai’s frail body. As for Kai, there was no need to even mention him. He had been directly thrown into the most useless of the group. Even though they were both human, Kai couldn’t squeeze out much magic.

If not for the priest and Peyton being unaffected, the fighting power of this party would be little different from scrap.

Myss unhappily pinched his face and grew even unhappier when he discovered that Salaar’s face didn’t feel as good as the slave’s body.

Owen, or rather, Kai inhabiting Owen’s body, swayed two steps and went to open that closed wooden door. That seemingly crumbling door was even harder than the brick wall. No matter how long he shook it, it didn’t move at all.

“Sigh, things have become a bit troublesome.” He gave an awkward laugh.

“Aren’t you supposed to be the expert?” Tass asked, as he tugged on the hair of the body, Kai’s, he was currently occupying.

“But I’m not an omniscient god.” Kai said helplessly, “Honestly, this is my first time seeing this form of attack too.”

“I’ll smash the door open, and everyone can leave here first,” the priest volunteered.

“No. If the outer door is destroyed by force, it has the same effect as ‘taking the wrong staircase.’ If you also fall into hallucinations, then we truly won’t have much normal fighting power left.”

Kai immediately blocked the doorway, almost breaking into a cold sweat. “We need to go to the central control room at the top of the tower. There, the outer door can be opened manually.”

Tass: “Are you serious? If another alchemical construct like the Human Mushroom appears, we might all be wiped out.”

Kai shook his head hard. “Even if we leave this place immediately, with our current situation, we might still be wiped out. If we stay here, we can at least look for clues.”

Tass puffed out a breath and “returned” the two large suitcases in his hands to their rightful owner. Kai took the suitcases with hesitation, and after a long while, he seemed to make up his mind and opened the one containing the Divine Blood Puppet.

Seeing another “Kai” inside the suitcase, everyone looked at Kai in unison.

“Ahaha, this thing is called a Divine Blood Puppet.”

Kai guided that thing to transform, using Owen’s face to reveal an embarrassed expression. “This body’s magic is too weak, and its physical strength is poor too. This thing can make up for it somewhat.”

His tone was light, but the fine beads of sweat on his forehead still betrayed him. The situation had exceeded expectations. Without his familiar body, his tension was visible to the naked eye.

“A hidden card.” Salaar suddenly muttered seemingly out of nowhere.

Myss’s brows jumped. He looked, rather uncomfortably, toward Salaar, who was now half a head shorter.

“This outsider’s situation is too poor. He can only expose his hidden card,” Salaar said softly. “Be careful. At least in my impression, two-story towers don’t have this kind of trivial defensive magic.”

That made sense. In other words, this damned situation might also have been caused by someone in the group.

Myss thought Peyton was the most suspicious, but Peyton gained nothing from doing such a thing. Fine, he might kill “Kendrick,” but in the current situation, Owen’s body had been handed over to a Stargazer, and he might also end up dead.

But aside from Peyton, only the priest had been unaffected. Could it really be that priest, who was more honest than a wooden stump…?

Myss couldn’t help looking at Father Kalen. The priest’s expression could be called pure, without the slightest flaw.

No, no. Come to think of it, even Salaar had a motive. After the body swap, the antidote had ended up in Salaar’s hands. Myss himself couldn’t mobilize Salaar’s healing magic, so Salaar had thoroughly seized the initiative for detoxification back.

More than that, his research into “Brave Salaar” had also been forced to pause.

…Forget it. If he kept thinking like this, everyone he looked at would seem suspicious.

Myss crossed his hands and pressed down on the thick cushion on his chest, which he was all too familiar with and which now grew from his own body, feeling a wave of grief in his heart.

Better to focus on investigating the current abnormality. Speaking of which, the last time he had this absurd feeling of dizziness and spinning was when he had just arrived in the human world from the seal.

Myss suddenly realized that this was his second “body swap.” Putting aside who had acted, this incident might contain clues to the “body-swap ritual”!

He rummaged and rummaged through his pocket, found a raspberry candy ball, and neatly stuffed it into his mouth. “We agreed to go to the top of the tower.”

His peripheral vision deliberately or unintentionally glanced toward the priest and Peyton.

Peyton thought deeply for a few seconds. “Then let that ‘Divine Blood Puppet’ lead the way. Kalen and I will guard the rear. When necessary, I will put in more effort to ensure your safety.”

The priest immediately raised his hand. “I hope to open the way together with Mr. Kai.”

He might as well had “I have something I want to discuss with the Stargazer” written across his face.

“Very well, then I’ll guard the rear alone.” Peyton calmly continued, “The task continues. Everything that happens next, I’ll report truthfully to Grandfather.”

Myss suspected that even if they swapped shells with the Human Mushroom, Peyton would still have this same dead, calm expression.

……

The inside of the two-story tower was much larger than Myss had imagined. Even though he was now taller, the space above his head was still large enough to make him marvel.

Salaar was close, but he kept about a fist’s distance from him, looking much more petite than before. Myss looked at his own stiffly raised collar, and his hands itched. He kept feeling an urge to grab it and tug.

To suppress this inexplicable thought, Myss turned his head again to examine the surrounding environment.

The inside of the tower was dark, but the stone walls on both sides were clean. The dust on the floor wasn’t thick. Only the smell of rotting wood was a little heavy. Unlike the ruins they had visited before, there were no strange paintings hanging on the walls, nor dusty spiderwebs everywhere.

Against the outermost side of the walls, neatly stacked wooden boxes were piled up. In the few open boxes, one could see rotten papers, bandages, medicine bottles, and food whose original appearance couldn’t be distinguished, looking like compressed rations.

“Aren’t there a bit too many medicine bottles here?” Tass held the lantern Kai had distributed and curiously moved closer. “During the Night Scourge era, were there dedicated medical outposts?”

Kai had the transformed puppet hold a large lantern in its mouth to scout at the very front of the group. At this moment, the Divine Blood Puppet stopped, and the lantern stopped above everyone’s heads, somewhat resembling a mobile chandelier.

“Anything is possible. If it really is a medical shop, at least there should be fewer strange alchemical lifeforms… probably.”

Kai carefully picked up a medicine bottle. The label on the bottle had been swallowed by the damp environment, and the writing on it had long since become blurred.

On the label covered with mildew spots and water stains, the long string of medicine names and serial numbers could no longer be identified. Only the words at the very bottom were still fairly clear.

[Celestial Canopy]

Kai pursed his lips and tried hard to suppress the joy on his face.

Behind him, Salaar stood in the darkness. Within the shadows, there were only two cold red points of light.

The author has something to say:

Myss be like: It’s over, now I really can’t lie on the cushion anymore… [melted]

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

Chapter 105: God’s Middle Finger

Could this Kai read minds? Myss pretended to lower his head and rest, peering through the gaps in his bangs.

Salaar casually caught hold of his body, supporting most of Myss’s weight. Peyton quietly swept his gaze over the two of them, then returned his attention to Kai.

“You’re quite candid.” Peyton emphasized the word “honest.”

“If I said I was an ordinary person passing through this dangerous uninhabited region all by myself, you would still have to believe me.”

Kai grinned indifferently. “Besides, this is Mondicia, the ‘Kingdom of Chaos.’ Their treatment of the Stargazers Society is not as strict as the Aufon Empire’s. Not to mention, the one I encountered is you, Peyton the ascetic, famed for his benevolence and detachment.”

When Kai said “benevolence,” the corner of Peyton’s mouth twitched, as if he was about to smile, only to return to calm before the smile could form.

Seeing that Peyton didn’t interrupt him, Kai’s words grew increasingly smooth. “With me here, everyone can contact the outside world, yet you still say you have your own matters to attend to. If I have guessed correctly, you all want to continue the ‘Journey to the Old Lands.’ After all, in a certain sense, the Karns family and the Night Scourge are inseparable.”

“That is why I proposed sharing my destination. The Stargazers Society only wants knowledge, and knowledge doesn’t diminish when shared. If you truly want to continue the ‘Journey to the Old Lands,’ cooperation benefits us both.”

Wow, Myss marveled inwardly. Kai had guessed pretty accurately.

Myss himself had no objection, and Salaar didn’t seem to plan on expressing an opinion either.

Father Kalen, however, failed to hide his look of anticipation. His plan had already included searching for Stargazers. Now one had delivered himself to their doorstep on his own initiative. It was simply an unexpected stroke of luck.

As for Mr. Groundhog Owen, ever since they started fighting the Human Mushroom, Owen had used soil to cast himself an upside-down earthen shield shell. That thing’s shape was rather peculiar, and Myss had nearly thought Owen wanted to build himself a grave mound. Now, Mr. Groundhog was still inside the grave… no, the earth shield, waiting for them to finish the battle.

“I don’t mind.” Salaar’s gaze slid over Myss’s face like warm water, and he took a step forward. “Finding a ready-made destination is better than charging around like a headless fly.”

Peyton didn’t answer, only repeatedly sizing up Kai in front of him.

Myss could roughly guess what he was feeling.

Kai was about the same height as Myss, and his figure was even frailer than Myss’s. With that ordinary, gentle face and those bulky suitcases, he looked like some unlucky character who would appear on a comedy stage. This sort of person rarely provoked hostility in others.

Kai pressed while the iron was hot. “Think about it. A large ruin that has never been discovered must contain information related to Saint Salaar. Even better, you have plenty of manpower on your side, so you don’t need to worry about me playing tricks.”

Myss couldn’t help poking Salaar. “Is there really a large ruin nearby?”

Salaar nodded and leaned a little closer. “The geology near the Crimson Marsh is special. It’s difficult to build complete underground shelters there, while large city-states aboveground are difficult to keep warm.”

“So their ruins are extremely scattered, and there was only one kind of shelter structure, called a ‘Double-Layer Tower.’”

According to Salaar’s description, a so-called “Double-Layer Tower” referred to a structure with a large chimney built straight through the center of the tower and up to the sky.

Every level of the tower had air inlets. People threw fuel into the chimney and lived close to the chimney wall, using the smoke and heat it produced for warmth, lighting, and daily life.

Mondicians called Double-Layer Towers “God’s Fingers” and revered them greatly.

Most Double-Layer Towers were built by wealthy nobles, great and small. According to scale, Double-Layer Towers were divided into three types: “thumb,” “index finger,” and “middle finger.” They were tightly hidden by various alchemical devices. In theory, the larger the tower, the harder it was for later generations to discover.

It seemed they were going to look for “God’s Middle Finger.” Myss gave a couple of dry coughs and forcibly held back his laughter.

The moment he thought of Salaar’s information being hidden inside “God’s Middle Finger,” the Chaos Archdemon himself felt like laughing a little. He crooked his own middle finger and felt that the people of Mondicia were rather to his liking.

“…Perhaps you have heard that a large alchemical creature like the Human Mushroom could only be afforded by a ‘Middle Finger Tower.’”

A few steps away, Kai spoke with absolute confidence. “During the Night Scrouge era, it was used to search for survivors. However, it required the intervention of mages from that era.”

“Enough.” Peyton finally spoke. “Does anyone have any objections?”

After saying this, his gaze gradually touched on everyone present, except Owen, who was hidden in his mound of earth, before finally returning to Kai.

“Lead the way, Mr. Stargazer.”

……

“That’s a Stargazer, Peyton. Is this really fine?”

Before Owen had even shaken the bits of mud from his head, he sidled over beside Peyton. It seemed the soundproofing effect of his earthen mound left much to be desired. He had heard everything very clearly.

“Stargazers are only fanatical supporters of doomsday theory and atheists. ‘Indiscriminate killing’ isn’t on their list of madness.” Peyton said lightly, “They understand the Night Scourge more thoroughly than we do. Being able to find a new ruin is a good thing.”

Owen glanced at Kai walking at the front and still looked uneasy.

“Just that Human Mushroom was already so terrifying. What if there are other surviving alchemical creatures in the ruin… I know you’re very strong, but accidents happen…”

Peyton remained unmoved. “That suits me perfectly. I brought you all here for ascetic training.”

Owen looked like he wanted to faint on the spot.

Myss was too lazy to care about Mr. Groundhog’s mental health. He looked curiously at Kai, watching as that guy pretended not to know the two of them and busied himself at the front of the group, tapping around with a magic device.

Perhaps because he looked for too long, Salaar had, at some unknown point, walked in front of him. His solid back occasionally blocked Myss’s line of sight. Moreover, this guy would occasionally turn his head and lick Myss’s face with his gaze, as if observing something.

Myss said irritably, “You’re blocking me.”

Salaar gave an “mm” and continued knowingly committing the offense. Myss had no choice but to quicken his pace and walk beside Salaar. Salaar took advantage of the motion to shift his body and grab Myss’s wrist. Not the ambiguous kind of “grab,” either. Hero Salaar looked as if he was strangling a goose.

Myss grew even more irritated. “You’re hurting me.”

“We’re almost there,” Salaar said. “There are defensive alchemical magic devices near the tower. Be ready to dodge at any moment.”

Myss snorted and swallowed his complaint.

One minute passed, five minutes passed… half an hour passed…

Myss felt like his hand was about to be deprived of blood by Salaar’s grip. Trembling, he turned his head aside. “‘Almost there’?”

Was this kid messing with him? Before Salaar could answer, he struggled to turn his head. “…Talen!”

Father Kalen obediently came closer. “?”

“That antidote for Return to Youth or whatever, I remember it’s with you. Give it to me.” Myss bared his teeth in pain.

“Sorry, sorry. I almost forgot.”

Father Kalen hurriedly fished the small bottle out of his pocket. “I checked it earlier. The potion is safe, and there are no strange ingredients.”

Myss grabbed the bottle, shook his fist at Salaar in warning, then placed it in his inner pocket, squeezing it together with “Brave Salaar”.

Sure enough, it was more reassuring to hold the initiative in his own hands, Lord Archdemon thought.

“Do you need anything else? I brought all the commonly used things.” Father Kalen patted the luggage bundle and asked thoughtfully.

Myss happened to be a little hungry, so he reached out a claw. “Raspberry candy. Do you have any?”

A trace of blankness appeared on the priest’s face. “I didn’t prepare candy. Would cheese or jerky do?”

“…Forget it,” Myss muttered softly. He was a little distracted and nearly tripped over the tangled weeds beneath his feet.

The priest scratched his head with a slight apology, then quickly returned to Kai’s side, eagerly observing this living Stargazer.

“We really are almost there.” After the priest left, Salaar immediately explained. “It’s just that the Stargazer hasn’t noticed and has been circling around nearby.”

Then, a rare look of hesitation crossed his face. Salaar slowly loosened his grip on Myss’s hand, rummaged in his pocket, and pulled out a red candy ball.

“Is this what you wanted just now?” he asked in a low voice.

Myss hummed in agreement and zipped the candy ball away from Salaar’s palm. Its wrapper was a little different from the ones he had eaten before. Who knew when Salaar had restocked.

“It’s rather ironic that the two of us actually have similar tastes.” Before Salaar could react, Myss threw the candy ball into his mouth.

Salaar sighed softly. “This really is…”

He revealed a thoughtful expression and didn’t finish the sentence.

“Really is what?” Myss crunched the candy, deliberately making the sound very loud.

“Nothing.” Salaar gave him a meaningful look. “Actually, I don’t like eating candy.”

Myss raised his brows and scoffed.

He grabbed Salaar’s collar in one hand and directly blocked the other man’s mouth. His sleeve slid slightly with the movement, and there were still dark-red finger marks left on his wrist from Salaar’s grip.

That half-melted candy ball was roughly pushed into Salaar’s mouth by Myss’s tongue. After a bit of friction, Myss leisurely hooked it back out again. Salaar was stunned in place by this unexpected attack and didn’t resist.

The “long kiss” ended. Myss licked the corner of his mouth, crunched the candy apart, and swallowed it all.

He lifted his face and revealed a victor’s smile. “So you don’t like it.”

Salaar was silent for a long while, touching his damp lips. Hard, sharp shards of candy remained in his mouth, and the sweet-sour taste spread across the tip of his tongue.

At this moment, he thoroughly understood why the version of himself three hundred years later had voluntarily taken that dose of “Return to Youth.” It hadn’t been some kind of precaution against an enemy, nor a plan to achieve victory, but…

…It seemed that in three hundred years, he really had changed quite a great deal.

Salaar slowly ground the candy shards between his teeth, so that the unfamiliar sweetness would become even more intense.

Very well. In any case, his conclusion wouldn’t change in the slightest. He absolutely, absolutely wouldn’t voluntarily undo the drug’s effect.

Amid Myss’s happy humming, Salaar silently picked up a stone and flung it backward into the empty space not far away.

Halfway through its flight, the stone abruptly fell, as if it had struck something invisible. At the same time, Kai, who was walking at the very front, let out a surprise “huh?” and suddenly turned around.

“I found it. There’s a Middle Finger Tower here!” he announced cheerfully. “After more than three hundred years, its concealment is still this perfect. It’s definitely a big one.”

However, before he had finished rejoicing, a series of creaking sounds rang out in front of everyone. It was like something heavy was stepping through mud and dead leaves, slowly approaching them.

“Question.”

A dull, cold voice rang out. It came from all directions, echoing through this gloomy, dense forest.

“For what reason do you depart?”

“For what reason do you remain?”

“For what reason do you come?”

The author has something to say:

By the way, the inspiration for the double-layer tower came from northern heated brick beds (kang beds). (………………

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

Chapter 104: A Sense of Familiarity

“Me? I’m fine for now. This target is truly out of the way.”

Kai casually tossed and caught the communication crystal. The translucent crystal refracted a few shards of light.

He was currently riding his Divine Blood Puppet, traveling through a swamp forest filled with miasma.

The puppet’s limbs were spread apart, its body blocks connected by pitch-black bone. If Myss had been present, he would have discovered that this thing was exactly the same as the one they had encountered in the “Sea of Concepts.”

The Divine Blood Puppet danced with its long, twisted limbs, moving across wet mud, tree roots, and poisonous gas as if walking on flat ground. Kai sat steadily on the puppet’s back with his many bags and luggage, not even the hem of his clothes getting splashed with mud.

Only, the puppet’s face was identical to Kai’s own, creating a rather uncanny scene.

“…But this is fine too. That group of nobles’ ‘Journey to the Old Lands’ is taking place far from here. No one will discover me.”

Kai continued, “Otherwise, even if I took ‘Resolve to Elope,’ I’d still have to personally slog through the swamp.”

A string of muffled sounds came from the communication crystal.

“What, there was a teleportation error during the Journey to the Old Lands? The Karns family? …Mm, if Peyton Karns is involved, it shouldn’t be a big problem.”

“All right, the connection here isn’t great. That’s enough small talk. I’m going to handle proper business, the legendary great ruins, the Celestial Canopy. I still haven’t found any clues.”

After saying this, Kai stuffed the communication crystal into his pocket and heaved a heavy sigh.

If Jocelyn’s Divine Blood Puppet hadn’t been destroyed, and if he hadn’t possibly attracted the attention of that Kendrick, he would never have accepted such a thankless task.

Exploring the Celestial Canopy ruins was, bluntly speaking, purely a matter of luck. There were many uninhabited regions in Mondicia, and the relatively famous ruins had all been explored by nobles. What remained were the most remote and dangerous areas, places where the ruins were hidden the deepest. They could only be slowly searched with one’s own legs and eyes.

The Stargazers Society had never stopped exploring ruins, but unfortunately, their manpower was limited. Nine explorations out of ten yielded nothing. Even if they were lucky enough to find a ruin, it might have long since been damaged and have no research value at all.

Kai rubbed the extinguished communication crystal and prepared to meditate for a while. The Divine Blood Puppet suddenly braked hard, and Kai’s suitcase almost slid off. He hurriedly scrambled to grab it.

“Uh-oh.” After clutching the suitcase tight, he drew in a cold breath toward the ground.

Not far away, a human face was embedded in the ground.

…One of the alchemical monsters left behind from the Night Scourge era, a Human Mushroom.

Despite the name, this thing had absolutely nothing to do with actual humans.

It was a kind of giant fungus. The portions poking out of the ground were connected beneath the soil and belonged to the same main body. The parts aboveground were only the tip of the iceberg, bait used to lure living creatures, especially humans, closer.

Once it sensed magic fluctuations, those faces would grow upward and, within two or three days, grow into a humanoid shape. However, this thing had no intelligence and didn’t understand what real humans looked like, so its “human form” would always have unsettling dislocations that made one’s hair stand on end.

If one were “seen” by a human mushroom, its main body would quietly spread through the wet mud and secretly track the prey.

When the prey stopped walking and closed their eyes to rest, the human mushroom’s main body would burrow out of the mud, drag the sleeping prey into the swamp, and eat them clean, bones and all.

As for what this thing’s main body actually looked like, Kai truly didn’t know and had absolutely no desire to know. To be able to make such a thing, who knew what mental state the people of the Night Scourge era had been in.

That human face stared fixedly at the sky. It hadn’t yet noticed Kai’s existence.

He wasn’t a combatant. Kai touched the goosebumps on his skin and prepared to carefully take a detour.

Just then, that human face suddenly twisted. Its two eyes rolled wildly. One eye twitched madly, while the other locked onto Kai amid its chaotic rolling and stuck firmly to him.

Damn it, who stimulated this thing?

Animals couldn’t cause such a large reaction. There were people nearby!

Kai painfully put away the Divine Blood Puppet. He downed a strengthening potion, picked up two suitcases, and ran with all his strength toward the direction where the trees were sparse.

The human mushroom’s agitation didn’t stop. That face frantically squeezed upward, revealing the unformed, flesh-folded neck beneath it, like a fleshy snake with a human head.

It chased after Kai without regard for anything, opening its mouth to bite at his body.

At the same time, several more human heads popped out from the surrounding bushes, their huge mouths almost splitting their heads in half. The features on those heads hadn’t fully grown. Eyes, noses, ears, and mouths were stacked at random, and muddy water streamed over their faces.

Had the Human Mushroom gone mad?

How badly had it been injured to attack living creatures so desperately like this?

Kai gritted his teeth and pulled a pocket watch from his pocket.

There were no common time markings on the pocket watch’s face. Instead, it was divided into three layers, corresponding respectively to “Strength,” “Number of People,” and “Distance.”

The three hands were trembling as they pointed to “Extreme,” “More than Five People,” and “Within One Kilometer.”

The second hand pointing to “Within One Kilometer” jittered as Kai advanced, on the verge of jumping to “Within Five Hundred Meters.”

Screw it. The other side had most likely already discovered him. With the Human Mushroom watching him, it was still safer to seek refuge with the strong!

Within three hundred meters… within one hundred meters… Kai’s legs almost flung out afterimages. With several heads entangled behind him, he charged toward the point where the conflict had erupted, and then…

The instant he saw the people on the other side, Kai staggered in place and almost got bitten by the head chasing behind him.

The Human Mushroom’s main body had completely arched out of the mud. Beneath countless incomplete and deformed human heads was flesh that surged like slime mold. One spine-like structure after another grew from the soft flesh, like tangled weed roots freshly lifted from mucus.

“Kendrick Karns” dodged in small steps. His movements appeared slow, yet he always avoided the attacks at exactly the right moment.

He stood back-to-back with Myss, the latter’s wrist wrapped with a snake-shaped sleeve arrow. Myss swung his arm nimbly, and black magic arrows cleanly pierced through those heads and one segment of “spine” after another.

The two of them kept their backs pressed together the entire time. Myss didn’t even look around, merely moving along with “Kendrick’s” movements. One of them was responsible for defense, the other for offense. Their movements were even more coordinated than the Human Mushroom’s. They actually seemed more like one body.

Father Kalen’s movements were much simpler.

He truly treated the Human Mushroom as a mushroom. Whenever he caught a head, he pulled it out, and after pulling it out, he threw it far away. In this way, he forcibly tore off a large chunk of the Human Mushroom’s fungal body, which was larger than a house.

The famous “ascetic” Peyton Karns held ritual daggers in both hands, his movements lighter than feathers. He weaved through this chaotic battlefield, and rather than attacking, he seemed to be observing, observing everyone’s reactions while ensuring their minimum level of safety.

…What was wrong with the Stargazers Society’s intelligence? Hadn’t it said the “Journey to the Old Lands” was in the Crimson Marsh? What was going on with this group of Karns?

But now that he had already shown his face, Kai charged into the battlefield in one burst. As expected, in the next instant, all the heads behind him were beheaded by Peyton.

The next second, Kai was lifted by the collar by Peyton and directly dragged away from the center of the battlefield.

“And who might you be?” Peyton asked politely.

Kai glanced at Myss and Salaar, who were busy fighting. He could tell that the two of them were not using their full strength. Right now, both of them had their ears pricked up to eavesdrop, and even the expressions they used while secretly watching were cast from the same mold.

Mondicia was so huge. How could he still run into acquaintances in an uninhabited region? Kai wished he could sigh his lungs out.

“…A Stargazer, Kai,” he said in resignation.

Perhaps Professor Gentry hadn’t exposed him, but those two definitely knew he was a Stargazer. There was no point in hiding it anymore.

As a devout of the God of Cadence, the moment Peyton heard the other party was a Stargazer, his brows instantly furrowed.

But he kept his temper in check. He only pointed in a direction for Kai. “Since you have escaped danger, please leave as soon as possible.”

“Apologies, I cannot. I have already been remembered by the Human Mushroom. I have to confirm that you eliminate it completely… Otherwise, I won’t be able to sleep peacefully tonight.”

Kai bowed politely and stayed where he was.

Peyton was slightly stunned. “You know what this thing is?”

“As everyone knows, the Stargazer Society is obsessed with the Night Scourge knowledge.” Kai rubbed his hands together and reflexively revealed a merchant’s expression. “How about this? Let’s make a deal. I’ll tell you this thing’s habits and weaknesses, and you let me stay until the battle ends.”

A deal with guaranteed profit and no loss. Peyton agreed instinctively.

On the other side.

“How did this guy pop up again?”

Myss muttered toward Salaar behind him. “Hey, Salaar, you actually know what this is too, don’t you?”

“I know, but Peyton has been observing us the whole time. I don’t want to act too suspicious.”

Salaar muttered back quietly. “Who is that person? Judging by your reaction, you seem to know him.”

It was hard to explain in just a few words. He would have to start with that annoying organization, the Stargazers Society.

Myss kicked away a head trying to ambush them from below with a smack, then shot another one apart. Only after a long while did he pick up the topic. “Not important. A bit of a nuisance, but there’s no need to attack him.”

Salaar paused for a few seconds and gave a soft hum. “That’s fine too. This way, we can end the battle naturally.”

Myss actually didn’t mind ending the battle a little later. Beating up monsters was merely a way to pass time. This feeling of being back-to-back with Salaar was more novel. He could feel the rise and fall of every one of Salaar’s breaths, the tension and slide of his muscles, and that balance as firm as a boulder.

It was completely different from the hero cushion he was familiar with, but it also had a relaxing sense of familiarity. So much so that he almost forgot that the one pressed tightly against him wasn’t the Salaar he knew.

But in the end, he still couldn’t forget.

Whether intentionally or not, young Salaar had almost turned his physical body into an extension of Myss’s own. He had completely surrendered the initiative. His movements were precise and standard, without that subtle aggression.

Myss couldn’t help arching his back against Salaar, wanting to squeeze out a little vitality this way. Salaar froze slightly, then tentatively arched back, having completely failed to understand the deeper meaning.

“…You can’t compete with its regeneration. You need to wrap more than half of its body with high-concentration magic and burn it with flames.”

At the same time, Kai quickly explained, “Combining everyone’s magic works too. In any case, it has to be dense enough to form a solid body. It’s best to solve it during the day. This thing’s recovery ability is even stronger at night.”

This was one of the reasons the Human Mushroom was classified by the Stargazers Society as “extremely dangerous.” It didn’t ask for technique or intelligence, only pure strength without any dilution.

Perfect. He could take this opportunity to properly observe those two deeply mysterious guys.

Rumble.

Before Kai’s thoughts finished turning, pale blue magic spread out.

Peyton Karns, who hadn’t had a strong presence just now, suddenly radiated an oppressive aura that made one’s heart shudder. Pale blue magic climbed along the Human Mushroom’s yellow-white main body like a thick, pure layer of ice.

That magic made a chill rise from one’s internal organs, trembling faintly without end.

Myss couldn’t help looking at Peyton a few more times. He didn’t know whether it was his imagination, but he always felt Peyton’s magic had an inexplicable sense of familiarity.

Peyton’s complexion was somewhat pale. But he straightened his back and stood in place, murmuring something under his breath.

The next moment, those pale blue “ice layers” actually ignited with blue-white flames. The Human Mushroom’s heads that hadn’t yet been severed shook wildly, releasing strange sounds that didn’t resemble human voices.

Its viscous body rapidly dried out under the wrapping of high-concentration magic, like a slug sprinkled with salt. Once the magic flames burned, the dried flesh immediately cracked apart and turned into flying ash. Only those spinal structures hadn’t fully burned away, rolling messily into the sludge.

“…Thank you for your information.”

The Human Mushroom completely stopped moving. Peyton put away the ritual daggers in his hands and nodded toward the Kai who was standing there with his mouth agape.

His breathing was slightly hurried, yet his gaze remained calm as ever, as if he had merely tossed a few scraps into a wastebasket.

Never mind Kai being surprised, even Myss’s brows flew high.

Leaving aside that sense of familiarity, Peyton had hidden his strength even better than Father Kalen. Before that burst just now, Myss had actually failed to estimate Peyton’s magic level.

“Mr. Peyton Karns, I have a new proposal.”

Kai raised his hand again. “I’m guessing everyone was swept into a teleportation error. I can provide a communication crystal. In exchange, I would like to ask for your help with something.”

Peyton shook his head. “We have our own matters to attend to.”

“Even if I am willing to provide a clue to a large-scale ruin from the Night Scourge era?”

The author has something to say:

Here we go!

There are so many people in the party this time. (?

But the groundhog isn’t important, so he doesn’t count. [doge]

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

Chapter 103: A Special Gaze

The good news: for the time being, they didn’t need to deal with more humans.

Even better news: never mind potential assassins, even they themselves didn’t know where they were.

And finally, the best news of all: Owen was useless, and Peyton was only human. Those two had no idea what kind of strength they possessed. Salaar’s mind was stuck in his youth, and Father Kalen was an extraordinary kind-hearted soul.

At this moment, he, Myss, was the true ruler here in every sense!

Myss’s mood immediately improved quite a bit. Not even the damp, rotten stench of the swamp could dampen his spirits. Salaar silently moved beside him, keeping a distance that was neither close nor far.

“Can the task really continue? As far as I know, the sites for the ‘Journey to the Old Lands’ are carefully chosen. Are there really similar ruins near us?”

The Dragon Fae flew out of the pocket watch and stood on Myss’s shoulder.

No matter how calculating the great nobles were, they wouldn’t send their descendants to die for nothing.

In the “Journey to the Old Lands,” they not only equipped their young people with exceptionally capable assistants and prepared ample supplies, they also chose ruins of moderate danger in advance. Put plainly, this event was about the same as “hunting,” only it was a luxurious adventure for noble scions.

“Y-yeah.” Owen was the first to retreat. “I’ll contact the outside first and see if there are any confirmed ruins nearby. Right, and supplies… We also need supplies…”

“I grabbed the luggage when I jumped out. There shouldn’t be any problem with food for the time being.”

Father Kalen patted the bits of grass off himself, then patted the backpack at his side.

Owen ignored him. He pulled a communication crystal out of his pocket. Unfortunately, a deep crack ran across the crystal. Owen nervously tapped at it for a long time, but the crystal showed no movement.

Peyton shook his head. “A teleportation error like the one just now will make precision magic devices malfunction. They need to be readjusted before they can be used.”

“Then aren’t we trapped here?”

Owen was sweating like rain, his face turning even paler. “I heard many places in Mondicia are uninhabited zones. Now we’ve lost contact, and we don’t have much in the way of supplies. What task are we supposed to do?”

“The God of Discipline has granted us a trial. Such a test is far superior to a carefully arranged amusement park.”

Peyton spoke slowly, sounding not the least bit anxious.

Damn it, I forgot this guy is an ascetic monk.

Owen cast a hopeless glance at Salaar. Salaar was calm and unruffled, merely quietly following beside Myss, very much fitting his claim of “following his master.”

“Forget it. With such a huge commotion, the family must know something happened to us. Mag is so powerful, she can calculate where we were thrown… Someone will definitely come save us…”

Owen comforted himself, casually twisting a withered tree root from beside him to use as a walking stick.

“Since there’s no need to participate in the event anymore, do a divination.” Myss turned toward Kalen. “You know what I’m talking about.”

Kalen nodded.

Hearing the word “divination,” hope ignited in Owen’s eyes. “This priest is skilled in divination magic? Wonderful. If we head in the luckiest direction, there definitely won’t be any problem!”

Myss: “…”

No, they were preparing to head in the most ominous direction.

Previously, the priest had said there was ill fortune near the Crimson Marsh. Since they had already come all this way, it would be too much of a loss not to dig out an Abnormal Fruit while they were at it. They could look for a way out along the way too.

The priest nodded readily.

He deliberately placed the two hands with rings behind his back and closed his eyes in a very convincing “sensing” posture for a while. “Southwest.”

After saying this, he opened his eyes and swept an inquisitive gaze over everyone, mainly looking at their nominal supervisor, Peyton.

“This is your task. You make the decision,” Peyton said lightly.

Owen’s face was full of delight. “We need to leave here quickly. If we encounter one of those high-risk ruins, things will become troublesome.”

Salaar: “High-risk ruins?”

Owen glared at him as if looking at an idiot. “You don’t know? Mondicia’s Night Scourge ruins are especially well preserved. Alchemy from that era was quite strange. Who knows how many alchemical monsters they created.”

“I saw one in Serpentis’ black market. That thing was only the size of a housecat, but its tail could shatter a person’s head.”

Halfway through speaking, Owen tried to climb down from the tree root. The moment the tip of his shoe touched the swamp, the patch of wet mud seemed to come alive, opening its mouth and sucking at his boot, intending to swallow Owen whole.

Owen was so frightened that he pulled his foot back and tightly clung to the roots of the giant tree. Forget any direction forward, he couldn’t even take the first step.

Owen looked toward Peyton for help, while Peyton silently looked at Salaar. Salaar pondered for a few seconds, then very naturally tugged at Myss’s clothes. “Lord Myss, please send us down.”

Myss shivered from being called that.

He threw Salaar a complicated look and was just about to act when he saw Father Kalen consciously break off a large pile of withered roots and throw them onto the swamp below.

The aquatic grass on the swamp was flattened by the dead branches. It no longer looked as ferocious as muddy soup, but it wasn’t exactly inviting.

“When I was on the tree, I looked around. There’s land over there.”

The priest said warmly, “As long as you use the right kind of force, you can cross by stepping on these things. Remember to take small quick steps. Don’t step straight down and be careful not to trip over the tree roots.”

Myss tucked “Brave Salaar” into his arms and secured it tightly with his belt.

Immediately after, he sighed, walked in front of Salaar, and somewhat reluctantly turned around. “Get on.”

Salaar: “What?”

“‘You’ can’t use magic and aren’t exactly athletic. This is the fastest way.” Myss snorted. “Hurry up and get on. So annoying. Or do you want your ‘brothers’ to carry you down?”

The moment Myss thought that this Salaar might treat him and the likes of Peyton as equal subjects of observation, his whole body felt uncomfortable. Moreover, having him “control” Salaar was the most obvious way to display power, at least that was what Myss told himself.

Facing Myss, whose build was a whole size smaller than his own, Salaar gestured with both hands for a while and for a moment didn’t know where to start. Myss grew impatient from waiting. He abruptly turned his back, wrapped both arms around him, and barely managed to carry Salaar on his back.

Salaar’s body was solid, and Myss’s shoulders weren’t broad enough, making the carrying posture exceptionally awkward. Myss gritted his teeth and directly jumped onto the swamp.

The moment he stepped on those grass leaves, his magic threads swiftly took shape beneath the muddy water. They formed an invisible dense net, the ends fixed onto nearby tree trunks, making it quite solid to step on.

Thus, Lord Archdemon carried the large Salaar and sprinted rapidly in a rather undignified posture, like a wildcat fleeing with a large fish in its mouth.

The moment he stepped onto firm ground, Myss silently withdrew his magic threads. However, Salaar was too heavy, and Myss couldn’t brake as calmly as before, causing the two of them to tumble into the grass.

Salaar twisted his body in time, letting Myss fall on top of him. Lying once again on his familiar hero cushion, with his head pressed against Salaar’s chest, Myss went dazed for several seconds.

Only after a long while did he prop himself up and glared at Salaar. “…Listen, I just hate trouble.”

If the Karns family didn’t have such immense influence and truly could cause them trouble, Myss wouldn’t mind directly burying those two outsiders in the swamp.

Salaar stared fixedly at Myss, as if looking at something he completely couldn’t understand.

“What kind of attitude is that? I only carried you once,” Myss muttered, trying to get up.

“…”

Salaar reached out with both hands, his warm palms cupping Myss’s cheeks. This forced him to stop moving and continue lying on Salaar’s chest.

“…Why are you looking at me like that?”

Myss was baffled. “How am I looking at you?”

Young Salaar had no shortage of nonsense either. Wasn’t Myss just looking with the two eyes on his face? How else was he supposed to look?

He had always looked at Salaar this way. As for other humans… other humans weren’t worth him looking at properly. Myss admitted that he hadn’t been happy lately and had indeed been ignoring the young Salaar, but this guy’s reaction seemed excessive.

Hearing Myss’s confusion, Salaar’s expression stiffened slightly.

He didn’t answer at once. He only lightly brushed the pads of his thumbs over Myss’s eyebrows and eyelids. It was almost like a blind person stroking a gorgeous relief, trying to understand a world he had never imagined and could hardly imagine.

Salaar’s palms weren’t delicate. They had the tiny scars left behind by Kendrick, as well as the thin calluses developed by Hero Salaar’s training. They gently combed over Myss’s eyebrows, the sensation somewhat cool.

Myss still looked at Salaar suspiciously, wanting to know what was wrong with this guy. Being touched made him somewhat uncomfortable. He sensed a trace of subtle hesitation and cherishing from the touch, emotions that felt out of place in this moment.

“Nothing.” In the end, Salaar slowly withdrew his hands.

Myss irritably shoved Salaar’s hands aside. “If it’s nothing, then hurry up and get up.”

He zipped to the side and vigorously patted the dust from his clothes, trying to pat away that inexplicable discomfort just now as well.

The second to arrive was the priest.

Seeing that Myss and the others had successfully made it, Father Kalen braced himself against the tree trunk and flew over with a leap. The Dragon Fae tugged at the back of his collar, happily hitching a ride.

Owen dawdled on the tree for a long time. Finally, out of patience, Peyton bound him with his Magibase python and slithered along the flattened grass leaves. Peyton himself formed pale blue magic platforms underfoot and elegantly strolled over.

“If we can’t even walk properly, how are we supposed to find the ruins?”

Owen staggered two steps forward, then his foot lurched. Clearly, he had stepped into another swamp pit hidden beneath the grass.

Then he looked at the surrounding trees. The lush trunks completely blocked out the sunlight, and countless vines hung between the branches, lightly swaying like nooses. No matter how one looked at it, the scene felt deeply ominous.

And then there were the human faces on the ground… human faces?

Owen once again displayed his rare talent, using a piercing scream to draw everyone’s attention.

“A face!” Owen backed up several steps and nearly tripped over a tree root protruding from the ground. “There’s a human face over there!”

Myss hurriedly craned his neck to look.

The human face was seven or eight steps away from them, embedded between the dark wet mud. Its skin was deathly pale, its eyes wide open, and a faint smile still hung at the corners of its mouth. At first glance, it was easy to mistake it for a white mushroom or a clean stone.

That face had no smell of decay, nor any trace of rotting. Myss sensed it for a moment. It emitted extremely faint magic, so faint it was barely perceptible.

…An intact human face appearing in an uninhabited area? Interesting.

Seeing Salaar standing in place without moving, Peyton sighed. “Don’t lower your guard. I’ll go take a look.”

“If I were you, I wouldn’t go over.”

The moment Peyton took his first step, Salaar spoke at just the right time. “That’s not a human face.”

Owen almost choked on his own saliva. “What did you say?”

“Its eyes and lips are all upside down.” Salaar said. “At least, I have never seen a person with a face like that —”

Before his voice had finished falling, that face’s eyes rolled, staring straight at the group.

The author has something to say:

Salaar: If I confess directly to my archenemy, I’m afraid he won’t believe it. Then I’ll demonstrate it physically again. [OK]

This arc will peel Salaar’s onion layers. (?

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

Chapter 102: Teleportation Error

Even after sitting in the Karns family carriage, Myss still couldn’t shake the confusion lingering in his mind.

He wouldn’t communicate with Him? He wouldn’t communicate with Him…? Then what did those three hundred-plus years of harassment count as? Did Salaar’s brain go wrong from having too much free time?

But no matter how Myss thought about it, he couldn’t remember when he had first dealt with Salaar. His newborn consciousness had been too ignorant. Perhaps only Salaar knew what had happened.

Still, better to focus on the task at hand.

Myss continued flipping through the picture book. He lowered his head, using his bangs and eyelashes to cover his diffused pupils.

With outsiders present, Brief and Bedsheet Archdemon didn’t leave the book. The two of them only secretly changed scenes whenever Myss turned the pages, hiding inside the simple doodles of small houses, trees, or grass to peek.

Myss could make out extremely subtle magic fluctuations. Unfortunately, the “Sea of Concepts” backdoor was unusually complex, like a ball of thread that had been tangled through countless layers. He would have to spend time carefully unraveling and analyzing it little by little.

Though he didn’t know how long it would take, it was still better than clinging to a murky memory. Myss studied the book intently, until some blind fool opened his mouth.

“A children’s picture book? This is how you’re learning about the Karns family?” Owen sneered.

No. I’m learning how to blow the human world apart, Myss thought, casting a hostile gaze towards Owen.

Right now, as “Kendrick’s lover,” Myss was riding in the same luxurious carriage as Salaar, Peyton, and Owen. Poor Father Kalen, as an “assistant,” had to ride in the transport carriage reserved for assistants and servants.

Myss sat beside Salaar, while Peyton and Owen sat opposite them. Peyton had been quietly looking out the window the whole time. His face remained calm, making it impossible to read his thoughts.

“If I’d known assistant spots were this worthless, I would’ve found some girl to bring along.”

Seeing that neither Myss nor Salaar responded, Owen continued venting his dissatisfaction. “Both spots were taken by you. Grandfather really doesn’t care about Peyton’s feelings at all.”

“It can’t be helped, because I’m pitifully weak. At least Peyton and you can still use magic, while I can only rely on Myss and the others.”

Young Salaar was fairly practiced at acting, and his gestures had become much more vivid.

“Besides, Tass Ga is here too. He counts as half your subordinate. And our genius Peyton has no need for assistants at all… In my view, Grandfather is perfectly fair.”

“I haven’t had anything to do with him for a long time!”

“That Dragon Fae is useless!”

Tass and Owen spoke almost simultaneously. The Dragon Fae poked half his body out of the pocket watch gemstone and carved Owen up with a gaze that seemed to say, “idiot former employer.”

Seeing that Owen actually dared glare back, Tass reached out and viciously made a throat-cutting gesture at Owen. Owen drew a long face and, in the end, turned away in weakness.

The carriage finally quieted down.

“…You’ve changed a great deal, Kendrick.”

Who would have thought that, only a few seconds after Owen quieted down, Peyton would instead take the initiative to speak?

With this initiative from him, even Owen was startled. Myss’s attention scattered. He pretended to read while secretly pricking up his ears.

“You haven’t changed much,” Salaar said, choosing his words carefully.

“Everything for the glory of the God of Cadence.”

The corners of Peyton’s mouth moved, as if he wanted to smile but failed. “The last time we spoke like this, it was still…”

“Your eyepatch is rather nice,” Myss cut in.

Damn it, how could Salaar possibly know about any “last conversation”?

The current Salaar, like Myss, could only count as a third party who had heard the story. He didn’t have Kendrick’s pile of mush-like memories. Myss decided he had to intervene.

“Shameless bastard. You actually have the nerve to mention that.” Owen’s expression was ugly.

“This is the ‘Mark of Cadence.’ The four diamonds symbolize the four seasons, and the circle at the center symbolizes the sun.”

Peyton’s gaze turned toward Myss. He generously untied the black cloth eyepatch and handed it in front of Myss.

Only when Myss leaned closer could he see that what surrounded the circle were four arrow-like diamonds, half short and half long. Their shorter ends surrounded the circle, looking from afar like an “X.” Calling it a sun seemed a bit of a stretch.

Compared to this Mark of Cadence or whatever, Myss cared more about the eye behind the eyepatch.

Peyton’s right eyeball had been completely destroyed. Only shriveled skin and uneven, raised scars remained around the eye socket. Paired with that gentle face, the scars looked especially shocking.

Even Myss knew that to achieve such an effect, it definitely couldn’t have been a “careless attack” made in a rage.

The Karns family certainly didn’t lack alchemical potions, and they surely also had healing magic. For scars like this to remain, one could see just how severe Peyton’s injury had been back then.

When Kendrick had attacked him, he must have known very clearly what he was doing.

Myss couldn’t help looking at Peyton a couple more times.

According to Mag, Kendrick should have been around fifteen then, while Peyton had just come of age. The next year, Kendrick was sent by the Karns family to Ring Town, and from then on, he never had contact with Peyton again.

Looking at it this way, after four or five years, enemies meeting again, Peyton’s temper was good to an extraordinary degree.

…But then again, could a teenage Kendrick who couldn’t use magic really do this much in a direct attack against an adult magical genius?

In the seal, even when Myss used tentacles to poke Salaar’s nostrils, that kid could dodge nimbly. Peyton didn’t look stupid. How could he have been that slow?

“I no longer mind.”

Perhaps because Myss had stared at the scar for too long, Peyton withdrew the eyepatch and tied it back over his right eye. “All this was tempering sent down by the God of Cadence.”

“Oh,” Myss said dryly.

He suddenly realized that he had no obligation to maintain Salaar’s disguise. Some deeply rooted thing, almost like a “protective instinct,” had ambushed his head just now.

The most urgent matter was researching how to open a Divine Realm backdoor. He couldn’t be bothered to dig into the schemes and infighting of human nobles.

Salaar looked at Myss, then at Peyton, and suddenly said, “This place is so far from Mondicia. Are we just taking a carriage there?”

“Idiot. We’re going through a transport teleportation array.”

Owen sneered. “Oh, a place like Ring Town wouldn’t have such nice things. Clearly staying in the countryside for four years has rotted your brain.”

“Mm, I drank quite a lot of homemade potions these past few years, so I have indeed forgotten many things.”

Salaar said calmly. “To be honest, I almost even forgot your face. After all, it really has no value.”

The Dragon Fae gave a snort from inside the pocket watch, while Owen was so angry his eyes rolled white.

Sure enough, young Salaar was still Salaar. Myss couldn’t help sweeping his gaze over Salaar.

Salaar was hinting that “Kendrick has forgotten many details of the past,” which spared Myss from having to jump out and interrupt the conversation again.

“Then I’ll have to take good care of a country bumpkin like you.”

Owen still wouldn’t verbally relent. “When we go through the teleportation array later, don’t fiddle with those alchemical potions of yours again. The teleportation array is a precise thing. If there’s magical interference, who knows where we’ll be thrown.”

Salaar shrugged, acknowledging the remark.

After that, his gaze began sliding back and forth over Myss again. Myss lowered his head and continued reading, firmly deciding not to respond.

Then Myss discovered that when Salaar’s gaze circled around him, he couldn’t read a single word.

After that, Myss wanted to sleep for a while, only to discover that he didn’t want to be too close to the current Salaar. Even though he knew that was Salaar, even though the hero cushion’s feel hadn’t changed at all, he simply could not find his previous emotions.

They were only differences as small as snowflakes, yet they accumulated between them, building a heavier and heavier chill.

…The ridiculous thing was, perhaps their circumstances were remarkably similar.

Young Salaar knew that “Myss” was his enemy, knew that “Myss” was related to the Chaos Archdemon, and knew the Chaos Archdemon might be a living being.

But young Salaar’s attitude toward the “stranger Myss” was exactly like Myss’s attitude toward “young Salaar.” Both were missing the same thing; something warm, soft, and light.

How strange. Clearly, their starting point nor their endpoint hadn’t changed.

Myss grew irritated and snapped the book shut.

The impact echoed inside the carriage decorated with gilt reliefs and red velvet. A tiny squeak came from between the pages. Brief and Bedsheet Archdemon seemed to have been frightened.

Salaar’s secretly peeking gaze shrank back as well, exactly like a snail withdrawing its feelers.

The carriage slowly stopped, and a man dressed like a mage knocked on their carriage window. “Good afternoon, everyone. The teleportation point is just ahead. The carriage compartment needs to undergo a magic artifact inspection.”

“During teleportation, all activated magic artifacts must be shut down. Please don’t use magic. Please don’t take or apply alchemical potions. Certain magic artifacts and potions must be confiscated…”

He recited in a businesslike tone and extended a slender black wand into the carriage. The end of that magic device swelled slightly and moved, looking very much like the wet nose of a large dog.

“…Very good, no issues. Apologies for disturbing you, my lords.” The man gave a tired salute and waved. “Next carriage!”

The scenery outside the carriage slowly receded, and the carriage began moving forward again.

This should be the “interference prevention” Owen had just mentioned. It seemed that the consequences of interfering with a teleportation array were truly quite severe.

Myss wondered whether using annihilation magic during teleportation could directly send them back into the seal. Amid the gradually strengthening magic fluctuations, Myss couldn’t help imagining it.

Suddenly, the carriage compartment shook violently without stopping.

Amid the chaos, Salaar reflexively hugged Myss and shielded him between his body and the soft carriage seat. Young Salaar was startled by his own subconscious movement, and his body tensed harder than stone. Myss wasn’t much better, stiffening into a specimen on the spot.

The scenery outside the window abruptly vanished, turning into a terrifying pure white.

“Oh no!” Owen’s scream nearly pierced Myss’s eardrums.

“Sit tight! Don’t use magic or magic artifacts or we’ll deviate even farther!” Peyton shouted sharply, both hands gripping the edges of the seat.

Just when Myss was shaken to the point of nearly vomiting, the carriage finally stopped.

Myss took several gasps for breath and immediately looked outside. The area outside the window was packed with green. All kinds of green were like flames, burning close against the carriage window. They were packed too tightly, and sunlight couldn’t reach the carriage, leaving the inside dim as night.

And… and everything outside the window seemed to be slowly rising.

“It’s a swamp. The carriage is sinking.” Peyton raised his hand. The giant python coiled, blasting the carriage door clean off its hinges.

In Myss’s eyes, that python went from translucent to solid. Peyton actually didn’t mind letting his Magibase materialize, exposing it before everyone.

“Grab that snake and get out!” Peyton shoved Owen, who was closest to him, out, then reached a hand toward Salaar. “Hurry. The carriage is sinking too fast.”

Salaar didn’t touch that hand. He backhandedly gripped Myss’s wrist and neatly crossed the carriage door, half-hugging that giant python.

The giant python twisted its body. Carrying the three people hanging from it, it easily sprang in a certain direction. Grass leaves slapped wildly against Myss’s face. After a brief sting of pain, brilliant sunlight scattered down.

The giant python wrapped itself around a large tree and left the people hanging from it beneath the tree.

The roots of this tree were tangled and exceptionally thick. They were like hollow lace umbrellas favored by noble ladies, steadily inverted above the weed-filled swamp. Owen sat down on a tree root, his face deathly pale, and there was now a foul smell of sweat on his body.

Peyton followed by jumping over along the snake’s tail. His movement was almost elegant, and his plain black robe hadn’t even touched a blade of grass.

“I’ve lived this long, and this is the first time I’ve ever encountered a teleportation array error. Kendrick really is an unlucky bastard, damn it.”

Owen panted heavily, still badly shaken. “Such a strong smell of blood. The coachman and horses probably got swept into the turbulence…”

“Judging from the vegetation here, this is Mondicia, but I can’t determine our exact location… Who’s there?” Peyton suddenly raised his voice, and his Magibase abruptly vanished into the air.

A sound of something cutting through the air came, and an enormous black shadow smashed into the tree trunk.

Myss’s magic threads had quietly reached his fingertips, then reluctantly withdrew. For no other reason than that he recognized this “attacker.”

“Thank goodness, I made it.”

The burly priest hugged the thick tree trunk and let out a heavy breath of relief.

Everyone: “…”

Tass was stunned. “Weren’t you in the carriage behind us?”

“I saw your carriage undergo an abnormality, so I got out and jumped over.”

The priest hurriedly explained, “Just now I was lying on top of the carriage roof, so I didn’t have time to say hello.”

“No wonder that damned carriage sank so fast!” Tass slapped his forehead.

Peyton’s brows twitched. “You endured the teleportation error with your body?”

Father Kalen nodded solemnly. “My constitution is very good.”

Peyton gave him a long look but didn’t question him.

He pondered for a moment, then turned toward Salaar and Myss. “There are many ruins within Mondicia. I suggest that we search for a way out while proceeding with our own ‘Journey to the Old Lands.’”

“The task continues,” he said.

The author has something to say:

Now it has turned into a wilderness adventure, difficulty +1000.

Guess who the culprit is? [doge emoji]

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

Chapter 101: Journey to the Old Lands

In a rare moment, Salaar hesitated.

He looked at the tightly shut door, then at Myss in front of the fireplace. Only after a long while did he speak. “If you have something to say, say it tomorrow.”

Outside the door, there was silence for a few seconds. “I only came to convey Grandfather’s words.”

“Owen admitted that he smeared ‘Return to Youth’ on your cutlery. Although we don’t know how you avoided the drug’s effect, Grandfather asked me to bring you the antidote.”

“Since it’s inconvenient for you, I will leave the antidote at your door.”

Peyton’s tone was ordinary. It was hard to tell whether this was because his personality was indifferent, or because he had long grown used to “Kendrick’s” ways. After the soft sound of a metal tray touching the floor, Peyton’s footsteps gradually receded.

Before Salaar had time to stand, Myss turned into a blur and shot toward the door with a bang. Lord Archdemon opened the door at a dazzling speed and grabbed the small bottle from the tray.

In the blink of an eye, Myss changed direction, slammed into Salaar, and pressed him straight onto the bed.

Black magic threads instantly extended, binding Salaar’s limbs firmly to the four posts of the bed. Myss sat on Salaar’s stomach with a stern face and pulled the stopper from the little medicine bottle. The mouth of the bottle made a soft pop, and the wooden stopper silently rolled onto the carpet.

The magic threads brushed over his skin, and Salaar’s pupils abruptly widened. “The aura of the Chaos Archdemon.”

A moment later, he narrowed his eyes again. “No, not right. The aura is somewhat weak. What are you? …A Night Scrouge worshiper who consumed excessive magic source? Or perhaps a Divine Attendant of the Chaos Archdemon?”

Myss ignored him completely.

His power hadn’t fully recovered. To explain the situation clearly, he would have to describe all those damned previous events in full detail, and in the end, this Salaar might not even believe him. He had no intention of rushing to explain things to this guy.

Myss worked hard to sniff that opaque bottle. The liquid inside had a very faint scent, only an uncomfortable sweet fragrance. It didn’t smell like something that could be swallowed.

“I suggest you don’t feed me that.”

Seeing that Myss said nothing, Salaar immediately changed topics. “At the dinner, I said there was no need to stop the kill order. That sentence didn’t specify when it would take effect. Someone may exploit that loophole.”

“If that truly is the antidote… as you said, the me from three hundred years later is ‘more useful.’ For you, this is also an opportunity, an opportunity to avoid being watched by ‘the me from three hundred years later.’”

Myss’s movements paused slightly.

He lowered his eyes and stared into those lapis-lazuli eyes. Young Salaar’s eyes were blank, making him think of… a very long time ago.

Myss actually had some impression of Salaar in this state.

Only, back then, Myss hadn’t yet developed true consciousness. He only knew to take everything into his sight unconditionally. Those memories were like something seen through a thick layer of ice, stiff and blurry.

But he remembered that Salaar, when he had just entered the darkness, neither sang off-key songs nor harassed his tentacles.

Of course, Salaar would give the army the most perfect commands and look after every human’s condition and daily life… but Salaar didn’t really have friends. He had always lived all alone.

Once, Salaar buried a companion who had taken their own life. He had lain like this atop the barren graveyard, instinctively looking toward the abyss-like “sky,” lying there for half the day.

Myss, who had not yet gained consciousness, had also instinctively looked down at this lonely person. At the time, Myss couldn’t even tell whether that was a human or a corpse.

…Did Salaar voluntarily drink “Return to Youth” truly only to make things difficult for him?

Perhaps that guy wanted to prove something through this, or had hidden some other scheme. He couldn’t simply waste this opportunity. There were indeed things he could do.

Myss climbed off Salaar’s body but didn’t untie him.

“You’re right.” He moved back to the fireplace and said stiffly, “You turning into this wretched state is a good opportunity for me.”

Myss stuffed the antidote into an inner pocket and wrapped himself back into the quilt.

He once again recalled the “ink hole,” attempting to return to his true body again. Unfortunately, after recalling for a long while, the memories from back then were like sand between his fingers. The harder he tried to remember, the more indistinct the details became.

In a full five minutes of recollection, all Myss remembered was Salaar interrupting him with bites and kisses, and he grew angry for a while.

No, he couldn’t continue blindly relying on instinct, Myss thought.

Since he had gained intelligence, he should make good use of this new ability. Back then, he had nearly succeeded, proving that, in theory, a way to bypass the seal existed.

If memory was unreliable, he could properly study that copy of ‘Brave Salaar’ and find out the exact principle behind the “Sea of Concepts” backdoor.

The quilt bundle slowly moved to the luggage rack. Myss stretched out one hand and fumbled through the air for a long while. Only then did he remember that ‘Brave Salaar’ and their luggage were both with the priest.

He could only talk about it tomorrow. Myss unhappily sighed.

He wrapped himself up with the quilt and moved toward the fireplace like a snail. Without proper business to focus on, that “sadness” like a stomach full of gooseberries surged up again.

Fork moved around in his pocket. Myss moved around inside the quilt, unhappily punching the air.

“Let me go.” Seeing Myss wriggling back and forth on the carpet, Salaar finally spoke.

Myss pretended not to hear.

“Before I understand the situation, I won’t harm you,” Salaar said sincerely.

“You already said we’re enemies. Do I need a reason to tie up an enemy?” Myss snorted.

Salaar: “…”

He quieted as if giving up and didn’t speak again.

Myss curled up in front of the fireplace and closed his eyes drowsily. In the end, fire was still different from a person’s body heat. Myss didn’t sleep well all night and had a whole night of messy, fragmented dreams.

Early the next morning.

“Tsk tsk tsk, the potion wore off?”

Seeing the binding marks on Salaar’s wrists and the bluish shadows beneath Myss’s eyes, the Dragon Fae nearly bit his tongue off.

“No.” Myss snapped.

The Dragon Fae raised his brows. He flew in a circle around Myss, keenly sensing that something was wrong.

So he shook his wings hard and pretended the previous topic had never existed. “After you two left yesterday, Miss Queenie said ‘Kendrick’ seemed off and suspected someone had tampered with the dinner.”

“Peyton exposed Owen’s guilty conscience, and Ratliff, the old man who is the family head, docked Owen’s allowance and had Peyton deliver the antidote for ‘Return to Youth’ to you.”

“The antidote is with me. Anyway, someone can handle it himself, so he can undo it whenever he wants.”

Myss snorted but still stuffed the bottle of antidote to the priest. “Check whether there’s poison in it. Give it back to me after you identify it.”

Father Kalen readily accepted the medicine bottle.

“…Also, they decided on three tasks.”

The Dragon Fae continued.

“First, stay in the Aufon Kingdom, go to the border to deal with runaway wolf packs, and bring back five hundred personally processed wolf pelts by the end of the year.”

“There aren’t many months left before the end of the year, and the environment over there is especially terrible. This job is purely suffering. The priest and I don’t recommend it.”

“Second, go to Evening Star City in Atla, deal with the Karns family members there, and audit their accounts. After returning, your results will be compared with another group of auditors.”

“This one is theoretically much easier and won’t take too long. However, if the kill order isn’t canceled, the people there are very likely to assist in the assassination.”

“As for the third…”

When he reached this point, the Dragon Fae and Father Kalen exchanged a glance, his voice lowering a little. “Participate in the ‘Journey to the Old Lands’ in the Crimson Marsh and retrieve at least one artifact related to Saint Salaar.”

Myss: “What thing?”

Salaar’s brows twitched, and he raised his head as well.

Tass sighed. “Journey to the Old Lands. It’s an exploration event that has long been popular among great nobles.”

“The Crimson Marsh is in Mondicia. That country’s environment is dreadful. Very few people build cities over there, so many ruins from the Night Scourge period remain.”

“These great nobles are basically all descendants of important figures from the Night Scourge era. They like having their younger generations participate in this to temper them, form connections, and remember the glory of their families… things like that.”

Myss roughly understood.

The first task had no social pressure, but it was extremely boring and purely a waste of time.

The second task was a human social hell, and they would have to worry about endless assassinations like summer mosquitoes.

The third… The amount of socializing was fairly moderate, and assassination wasn’t that convenient. The greatest danger was the harsh environment, but what Myss cared least about was a harsh environment. Moreover, he would have a chance to discover some secrets of the Night Scourge.

“The third one.” Myss didn’t hesitate.

Father Kalen let out a breath and revealed an expression of relief. “I agree.”

The priest was actually this proactive. Myss couldn’t help raising his brows. “Why?”

“Last night, Tass told me the three tasks, and I did divinations on each. There is a great ominous presence near the Crimson Marsh, and it’s very likely related to V.O.R. Also…”

The priest hesitated for a moment, then continued, “Also, these past few days, I have been investigating the Stargazers Society.”

“I discovered that they have a fanatical obsession with ‘collecting knowledge from the Night Scourge era.’ There must be many Stargazers hidden over there in the Crimson Marsh. I have things I want to ask them.”

That masked person had said the exact same words as Hermit. That was absolutely not a coincidence.

The prayer of the Order of Shadows had been buried in the black hole together with that knowledge. Since the Stargazers Society was obsessed with collecting them, they most likely also knew something about the Order of Shadows.

A trip to the Crimson Marsh would be killing two birds with one stone, including the search for Hermit.

Myss’s brows rose higher and higher. “The divination result was ‘ominous’? Why didn’t you say so just now?”

“Because this is your private matter, and it concerns both of your lives. I have no right to encourage you to make a choice for my own benefit,” Kalen shook his head.

“Of course, if you had chosen the first or second, I would have gone to the Crimson Marsh with this guy one step ahead,” Tass timely added. “After all, with your abilities, the first two tasks can’t threaten you.”

“…I also agree to accept the third task.”

Only after listening to everyone’s conversation did Salaar speak.

Myss only felt as if something light and sticky had stuck behind his ear. He reached out and scratched, but there was nothing on his skin. Then he turned his head and happened to meet those hateful lapis-lazuli eyes.

Salaar was watching him as always. Even though this gaze had returned, Myss still didn’t feel satisfied.

It was still different. That gaze was missing something crucial.

Lord Archdemon turned his head back and walked toward the Karns family dining room with his chest high, preparing to accept the task early and leave.

……

“What?!” Owen shouted.

“Grandfather said that since Kendrick wants to participate in the ‘Journey to the Old Lands,’ you will go with him,” Peyton said calmly. “This year, the Karns family happens to have three spots.”

“And aside from Kendrick, you are the one most in need of tempering, my dear brother.” Queenie cut the fish on her plate, her tone faintly gloating.

A vein burst on Owen’s forehead. “Queenie!”

“Think of it positively. At least it will be most convenient for you to assassinate him. After all, ‘each family may bring up to two assistants.’” Queenie laughed softly. “Don’t you think so, Cousin Magnolia?”

Magnolia didn’t  respond. She kept her head down and ate, as if the fried egg on her plate were a once-in-a-millennium wonder.

Queenie curved the corner of her mouth and shook her head with a smile.

“Grandfather already gave the assistant spots to that hateful slave and that priest of unknown origin. This is punishment, damn it!”

Owen waved his knife and fork in dissatisfaction, even though Myss and Father Kalen were dining at the table.

While complaining, he secretly glanced at Salaar and Peyton at the table.

Salaar was eating breakfast unhurriedly, completely ignoring him. Peyton also chewed without raising his head, as if this were only an ordinary morning.

Among everyone present, only Myss’s expression was about as foul as Owen’s.

“The kill order has already taken effect now. You all just wait.” Owen finished eating his bacon as if being tortured and left only this sentence behind.

After the meal, Myss retrieved that copy of ‘Brave Salaar’ from Kalen, preparing to carry it with him and study it intensively.

On the premise, of course, that someone didn’t stick close after the meal.

“Your hair is messy,” Salaar said.

“Because you were the one taking care of it before.”

Myss had no luggage to prepare. He returned to the fireplace again, warming himself by the fire, basking in the sunlight, and aiming his back at Salaar.

Salaar was silent for a while. He picked up a comb and sat on the carpet in front of the fireplace. His fingertips slid over the dense comb teeth, and he stared fixedly at Myss’s lapis-lazuli hair ribbon.

It was the same color as his eyes, specially adorned with delicate stone beads. One could see that the person who had modified it had put considerable care into it. Moreover, the way it had been stitched was clearly his own handiwork.

“Why do I comb your hair?” Salaar asked.

“How would I know?” Myss said. “You might as well ask yourself. Your combing technique is so practiced. It’s not the first time.”

“As far as I know, this is something only done between family members or lovers.” Salaar thought for a moment. “May I comb it for you?”

“Suit yourself.” Myss lowered his head and studied the picture book.

He didn’t want to pay attention to Salaar, but having messy hair also annoyed Myss. Compared to the Dragon Fae, the priest, or some random servant helping, Myss would rather let Salaar comb it.

Salaar’s fingers gently touched his hair, then swiftly withdrew, before touching it again. After that, the comb teeth gently sank into the gray-white hair, and faint light drifted with the comb.

Myss’s braid became neat, but his thoughts were somewhat chaotic.

Young Salaar had determined that he was related to the Chaos Archdemon, and his gaze had begun following him again. Young Salaar’s hair-combing technique was practiced, and the size of his hands hadn’t changed… Yet, at this moment, they were still enemies.

Clearly, nothing had changed, yet Myss felt that it wasn’t quite the same. The various details of how he and Salaar got along had now become subtle and unfamiliar.

The air in the room grew heavier and heavier, and Myss felt a little stifled. He instinctively wanted to do something to break free from this sticky silence.

“You said that you used to belong to the ‘Magic Interference faction’ and believed the source of Night Scourge was an inanimate object.”

Myss suddenly spoke. “Now I am telling you that the source of Night Scourge is a living thing. The ‘Chaos Archdemon’ truly exists.”

Salaar’s movements stopped.

“All right. You may state your thoughts now.”

Myss mumbled, “The goal you clung to so desperately truly exists, and is alive. Happy?”

He didn’t look back. For some unknown reason, he didn’t want to see Salaar’s current expression.

“That means He can be killed, and the Night Scrouge can be brought to a complete end,” Salaar said. “I once had such a hypothesis, a very ideal hypothesis.”

Sure enough, Myss smacked his lips madly in his heart and waited for Salaar’s next thoughts.

But he waited and waited, but no impassioned speech from Salaar came.

Myss forced himself not to turn his head. “That’s it?”

“What should I say?” Salaar asked back and continued combing his hair.

“You were born for the Chaos Archdemon and will die for the Chaos Archdemon, and that’s all you feel?”

“…”

Salaar pondered for a long time. “I don’t know what the me from three hundred years later is like. But my obsession with the source of the Night Scourge is only my instinct.”

“If the Chaos Archdemon God is a living thing, and even possesses intelligence, then I wouldn’t communicate with Him. That way, my thinking can remain as objective as possible.”

Myss: “?”

The author has something to say:

Myss: [angry] Like hell I believe you… (omitted)

Salaar’s “Thirty-Six Stratagems of Love”. [OK]

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

Chapter 100: Void

Myss choked.

How to put it? This atmosphere felt like it was right, but also not quite right.

They were enemies, that was true, but Salaar was the one who had proposed the contract. What did he mean, “you used the contract to control me”?

“Hurry up and remove the drug’s effect. Like this, you’ll delay important business.” Myss repeated, puffed up with anger.

Salaar refused to be moved. “Since I took the potion of my own accord, I must have anticipated the current situation.”

Myss ground his teeth with a creak.

Meaning, Salaar was confident he could resolve the matter of “canceling the kill order.” Damn it. Not only was Hero Salaar highly confident in his past self, he was also more than happy to make things difficult for Myss.

“Suit yourself.” Myss turned and walked away.

After taking a few steps, he backed up again and put on a stern face. “I don’t know where the room is. This kind of broken thing is usually handled by you.”

“What’s going on, what’s going on?”

The Dragon Fae was still inside the pocket watch on Myss’s chest. At this moment, he couldn’t help poking his head out.

Myss briefly mentioned the effect of “Return to Youth.” After listening, the Dragon Fae revealed an especially subtle expression.

“Haa, young people these days, their tricks really are…”

Tass hesitated, arms propped on the edge of the gemstone as he lightly shook his head. “Forget it. The only person who could think of using this kind of potion as a poison would be a dandy like Owen.”

“The effect of this potion lasts pretty long. If it wears off naturally, it takes about a month. Judging from Salaar’s behavior just now, he doesn’t seem like the kind of unreasonable young brat either. It shouldn’t be a big problem.”

The Dragon Fae was taking it all quite well.

But aside from Myss, there was someone else present who was quite unhappy.

“Myss, Myss!” Fork’s thin voice carried a sob. “Come look quickly, Knife turned into an idiot!”

Earlier, Fork and Knife had both been casually stuffed into Myss’s pocket. Knife hadn’t made any sound this whole time that Myss thought that little snake was maintaining Salaar’s steady manner.

He hurriedly pulled out Knife and discovered that the little snake’s lapis eyes were pointed in different directions, one up and one down, looking as if it had fallen asleep. But it moved from time to time, so it clearly wasn’t dormant.

“No matter how I call it, it won’t respond to me. Even if it’s affected by Salaar’s mental state, it shouldn’t become like this!”

Fork twisted its body in distress and nearly tied itself into a knot. “Myss, think of something!”

Myss poked Knife. Knife moved reflexively, like an ordinary snake. Its eyes were still flying around everywhere, looking dimwitted.

Could something really have gone wrong with Salaar’s mind?

Myss looked until his heart grew irritated and disturbed, then stuffed Knife back into his pocket. Fork anxiously bit its own tail tip, rolling around inside Myss’s pocket.

“We’ll talk after returning to the room.” Myss patted his pocket, his voice dry.

“Alchemical creatures reacting strongly to alchemical drugs isn’t rare. Don’t worry. Salaar is good at healing magic, and he won’t have any aftereffects.”

Tass comforted Myss like an elder. “In any case, our investigation has no time limit. We can afford to wait a month. I’ll go inform Kalen now. You two go rest first…”

At critical moments, this Dragon Fae could still be considered reliable.

Myss’s gaze had just swept over when he saw Tass rubbing his hands together. “…And while I’m at it, I’ll eavesdrop on the Karns meeting. Who knows what they’ll say behind your backs!”

Myss: “…”

Well, he was still the Tass Ga Myss knew.

…

Salaar soon found a male servant and located the room the Karns family had prepared for them.

The room was supposedly one Kendrick Karns had lived in during his youth. Its interior decoration was quite grand, completely incomparable to that filthy, messy room in Ring Town.

Outside the tall arched floor-to-ceiling windows was the manor garden glittering with lights. Moonlight, lamplight, and swaying branches were neatly cut into squares by the rectangular window frame, hidden behind heavy dark-red curtains.

In the center of the room stood a white-painted four-poster bed. The bed had been changed with a soft and comfortable goose-down quilt, large enough for four adults to sleep on.

In the corner of the room, the decorative fireplace crackled and popped. Calming herbs that refreshed the heart and mind were being smoked over the fire. Jewel ornaments decorated bluish-green pine needles, hanging quietly by the fireplace and casting swaying fragments of colored light on the wooden floor.

In front of the fireplace, there was even chilled apple wine, fresh fruit, and shield-shaped almond biscuits. The Karns family truly deserved to be one of the great noble families of the Aufon Kingdom. Even though Kendrick was only an unpopular family member, he still received treatment fit for a king.

Salaar sat beside the bed with his knees together. His back was to the leaping firelight, and his eyes sank into a thin layer of shadow. Spread open on his knees was a copy of ‘Eight Possible Causes of the Night Scourge’.

Myss stood in front of Salaar. After standing for a while, he felt this posture was uncomfortable, so he dragged over a chair and sat facing Salaar.

Salaar raised his head and looked at him once, then lowered it again and continued reading that book about the Night Scourge.

…Myss suddenly realized the reason for his discomfort.

Ever since Salaar’s mind had returned to his youth, even if he regarded Myss as an “enemy,” it wasn’t the same level of “enemy” as before.

Salaar’s gaze no longer stuck to him at all times. Salaar’s movements no longer carried that intentional or unintentional teasing. The young Salaar only obeyed instructions in a standard manner, then treated him as a problem that needed to be solved.

This Salaar was too quiet, so quiet he didn’t seem like a living person. The air inside the room was warm, yet by the bed flowed a chill, a nearly void-like coldness that came from Salaar.

This chill made Myss extremely displeased.

“Are you planning to sit there all night?” Myss folded his arms, crossing one leg high over the other.

“According to noble customs, they will give us options after breakfast tomorrow.”

Salaar raised his eyes again and looked at Myss. “Is there anything else?”

Myss shifted his backside against the chair, his body leaning forward slightly. “I thought you’d have a lot of questions to ask me.”

“There’s no need yet. There are enough books here.” Salaar said, his fingertips lightly brushing over the words “Chaos Archdemon” on the page.

“Clearly, it’s now more than three hundred years after the Night Scourge ‘ended,’ and I’m still searching for a way to eliminate the Chaos Archdemon.”

Myss’s eyes darted about. “Let me tell you a little secret. The Chaos Archdemon was eliminated. We’re traveling the world, tracking down an extraordinary pest. We even have other teammates.”

“Impossible.” Salaar snapped the book shut.

His tone was as hard as black bread left out for three days. Myss didn’t like that command-like tone one bit.

Those lapis-lazuli eyes looked over again. Myss suddenly realized that this was the first time since leaving the dinner that Salaar’s gaze had fully landed on his face.

That gaze was like a hand, pulling Myss in Salaar’s direction. It was as if everything in the room had ceased to exist, and only “Myss” himself needed to be examined.

“On what basis is it ‘impossible’?” Myss’s heart jumped for no reason.

“Because I’m still here.” Salaar’s voice was very low. “I’m still alive. That means the source of Night Scourge hasn’t disappeared.”

Myss’s spirits lifted. “Aha, I understand!”

“No wonder you could live for so long, and you’re so familiar with Divine Blood, no, magic source. Your physical body was modified by humans. If the Chaos Archdemon dies, you’ll die with Him.”

That had to be it. This was truly an unexpected gain.

Young Salaar was still easier to deal with than adult Salaar, Myss thought happily. The displeasure in his heart suddenly dispersed a little.

Salaar stared fixedly at him. Those empty eyes suddenly no longer seemed quite so empty. Something resembling a smile appeared in his eyes, but they were too calm, too cold, and could hardly be called emotion.

“We’re indeed not ‘companions.’ You don’t understand me,” he said.

“I was born for the Chaos Archdemon, and I am destined to die for the Chaos Archdemon. This is my will, the entire meaning of my existence.”

The Chaos Archdemon himself: “…”

The “entire meaning of your existence” was singing and dancing in the seal to harass me? You can hardly blame me for not seeing it! Also…

Also, logically speaking, young Salaar’s tone should have had at least some hatred in it.

Salaar had been born in an era ravaged by the Night Scourge, and he had been able to hold fast in the darkness for more than three hundred years. To be able to achieve this, Myss could think of no other possibility besides intense hatred and a sense of duty.

Even if one put it more extremely, if Salaar had received harsh training since childhood and been instilled with the fanatical belief that “everything is for ending the Night Scourge,” he should still have strong negative emotions toward the “source of the Night Scourge.”

But young Salaar was extremely calm. It was as if his obsession with the “Chaos Archdemon” was devoid of any impurities, even if that impurity represented “humanity.”

Myss had originally thought young Salaar would allow him to understand his opponent, “Salaar,” better. Now, however, he found Salaar increasingly inscrutable. Even the Salaar in the Red Amber, who had only rationality left, hadn’t made him this uneasy.

Myss slowly deflated. “What if I said I’m the Chaos Archdemon?”

Salaar: “…”

His brows twitched. Then he forcefully lowered his head and continued reading, clearly not believing even half a word.

Myss couldn’t stand it anymore. He stepped forward and slapped both hands onto Salaar’s cheeks, forcing him to look directly at him.

Lord Archdemon finally understood. Salaar had voluntarily taken “Return to Youth” precisely to infuriate him, this enemy, half to death. Unfortunately, not even Kalen and Tass knew his true identity, so Myss really couldn’t produce evidence.

Salaar silently looked at him, letting Myss squeeze his cheeks. Myss held his hands up until they were sore, but Salaar still didn’t have any additional reaction.

Fork was still rolling around in Myss’s pocket. It made a whimper that snakes shouldn’t have and tried to make Knife return to normal.

“Change back.”

Myss did his best to straighten his back and speak from above. “The you from three hundred years later is more useful than the you now. Enough, Salaar. Even if you risk making mistakes, you still want to disgust me like this?”

Salaar’s eyes flickered slightly. He pondered for a few seconds. “You seem very convinced that the me from three hundred years later would take an alchemical potion for a childish reason like ‘making you unhappy.’”

“In other words, you care very much about my attitude toward you.”

Young Salaar slowly stretched out both hands and grasped the two wrists Myss had reached toward him. He pressed Myss’s hands firmly against his face, his tone growing a little heavier.

“I understand now, ‘Myss.’ I must have paid great attention to you before.”

His voice was almost sincere. “In other words, you possess an important clue to ending Night Scourge.”

Myss suddenly pulled back both hands, as if what he had been holding wasn’t Salaar’s face, but a searing branding iron.

Salaar’s attention toward him was only his obsession with the source of the Night Scourge.

That was right. Salaar’s gaze, Salaar’s so-called “love”… Everything Salaar had done so far was for the sake of ending the Night Scourge.

It was as if the existence of “Myss” himself had no meaning whatsoever.

Even if “he” weren’t him, but something else, Salaar would still play those ambiguous games of opposition with “him.”

Myss’s chest tightened, his heart palpitating nonstop, bringing with it a wave of aching pain across his back. Theoretically, he had known this long ago. But at this moment, he truly realized it.

The next moment, Myss reflexively grabbed the quilt and leapt to the fireplace.

He stayed far away from Salaar, wrapping himself tightly in the goose-down quilt. It was as if this scorching heat and darkness could make him feel a little better.

Salaar stood up from beside the bed and slowly walked over. Myss could feel the faint vibrations of the floor.

Something lightly poked his back. “Myss?”

Myss didn’t respond.

“Myss.” Salaar’s voice came a little closer.

“Don’t call me Myss. I will definitely make sure you die in the Night Scourge,” Myss said muffled from inside the quilt.

He was surprised to discover that his current emotion wasn’t pain, nor anger. It was very unfamiliar… He guessed it was called “sadness.”

Salaar stopped poking him.

But the sound of his breathing didn’t move away. Salaar was crouching beside him, probably considering a countermeasure. Myss wrapped the quilt even more tightly around himself, even pulling in the ends of his hair that were exposed outside.

“…Myss.” After two minutes, Salaar began calling him again, his tone carrying a few traces of probing.

As if Myss were a goldfish with only a few minutes of memory, or something else of that sort.

Myss made up his mind. Before Salaar returned to normal, he would no longer pay attention to this damn guy. And after Salaar recovered, he was absolutely going to have a solid fight with Salhimaar.

Just then, a rhythmic knocking sounded at the door.

“Excuse me, it’s me. Peyton Karns.”

Peyton’s voice came from outside the door.

“Kendrick, I need to speak with you.”

The author has something to say:

Adult Salaar: Don’t be impatient. My real tactics have yet to come. [dog head] [dog head] [dog head]

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

Chapter 99: My Master

Myss suddenly realized that Salaar’s eyes had always been “full.”

Because at this moment, the smile and concern in Salaar’s eyes abruptly faded away, leaving them as empty as a lake after the wind had stopped.

Clearly, Salaar’s heart had grown younger, yet his eyes had lost a bit of their shine. They were actually seventy or eighty percent similar to the portrait in the entrance hall.

Salaar’s lapis-lazuli pupils shifted sharply, sweeping the entire room into his vision, then locking onto Myss. Salaar’s hand was still loosely grasping Myss’s wrist and hadn’t yet had time to let go.

“Magnolia, what did Kendrick promise you?”

Seeing Salaar’s “dazed” appearance, Owen immediately rushed to provoke him. “And here I thought you really weren’t interested in the family assets. What, did you have to drag this shit-stirring stick back here?”

Magnolia’s seat was fairly close to the main seat. Her fork paused slightly, then she lowered her eyes and nose, pretending she hadn’t heard anything.

“Roskart and Rosbeth are your own older brother and sister, and Nicholas is your own younger brother. Your whole family clearly wants him dead more than anyone. Even if you look down on me, your cousin, you should at least consider your brothers and sisters.”

Owen coughed twice and deliberately raised his voice, his gaze touching on Nicholas.

This “Knight of Balance” of the Church of Cadence gripped his knife and fork tightly, his knuckles white, his expression so dark one could wring water from it.

“Simply shameful.”

Nicholas said in a low voice. His knife and fork scraped across the smooth porcelain plate, making a sound that wasn’t loud but piercing.

Without raising her head, Mag swung her arm to the side and gave a sharp slap to the back of Nicholas’s head. “Eat quietly. Such a big slice of pie can’t keep your mouth shut?”

Facing a slap from his own older sister, the young knight stiffened his neck, but in the end didn’t dare make another sound.

At the main seat, that large old man was still slowly and methodically cutting his beef, ignoring the undercurrents around the table.

Seeing that “Kendrick Karns” remained strangely quiet, Owen recklessly continued, “Previously, when I wanted to bring a female companion to the family dinner, I still had to weigh whether she was worthy of entering this manor.”

“Now look. Kendrick brings a filthy slave into the house, and everyone becomes so understanding. I don’t see how he has changed at all. He still has no concern whatsoever for the family’s reputation—”

“Shut up.”

Salaar suddenly spoke, interrupting Owen’s endless chatter. His voice carried a full measure of command, as if he were training a dog.

Except for the main seat, everyone’s cutlery paused at the same time, and the room suddenly quieted.

At some unknown point, Salaar had raised his eyes.

There was no feigned anger or flamboyance in those eyes, only a chilling, almost inorganic scrutiny, as if Owen not far away wasn’t a living person, but an obstructive clothes rack.

Owen was silenced by that look and immediately buried his head.

Salaar withdrew his gaze with little interest, his fingertips moving lightly against the inside of Myss’s wrist.

He was like a wild beast that had just entered a new environment, quietly assessing the danger around him and silently observing himself through the reflection in his wine glass.

Perhaps because he had been holding Myss’s wrist when he first “woke,” Salaar now hovered close to Myss, neither near nor far, as if this small person were some extraordinary shelter.

This was not the first time their skin had been pressed together, yet for some reason, Myss felt that this time, the brush of body heat was especially satisfying.

“I want that meat pie.”

Myss started a conversation with great interest, jutting his chin toward the center of the long table. “You said you’d cut me half of every flavor.”

Salaar immediately nodded, his gaze shifting slightly, as if recalling something. Then he leaned forward and quietly, elegantly took a piece of meat pie, gently placing it on Myss’s plate.

Throughout the entire process, Salaar’s etiquette was flawless. Even a king wouldn’t have been able to pick out a mistake.

“This part should be river fish. It has the best flavor.” After taking the meat pie, Salaar explained in a low voice.

Salaar’s tone was extremely calm. Unfortunately, Myss understood this guy far too well and could hear the caution and testing beneath Salaar’s tongue.

He was assessing.

This young Salaar, who knew almost nothing of the current situation, was using Myss as the center point of an “alliance” and rapidly analyzing everything around him.

Look at that. A Salaar whose mental age was sixteen or seventeen and who knew almost nothing of the current situation. This was simply too interesting.

Myss took a bite of the meat pie. The river fish had been seasoned until soft, tender, fresh, and fragrant, and the pie crust was crisp and delicious. He ate in an excellent mood and cleared his throat with great mercy. “Not bad, ‘Kendrick.’”

Salaar’s movements paused. In only a few seconds, he seemed to understand the current situation, and his tense body relaxed slightly.

Myss seized the opportunity to rub Salaar’s head twice. Salaar didn’t dodge or avoid him, sitting properly in his chair.

Owen was left hanging to the side like this, and the pig-liver color on his face deepened. Unconvinced, he opened his mouth and still wanted to say something.

The old man at the main seat tilted his dinner knife and knocked the edge of his plate, neither lightly nor heavily. Owen immediately buried the head he had just lifted and swallowed food in large mouthfuls.

Fork silently crawled out of Myss’s pocket and slithered up along Salaar’s trouser leg. It deliberately slowed its movements, climbing all the way to Salaar’s collar.

The slippery sensation crawled across his skin, but Salaar’s body remained motionless, as if nothing had happened.

“Listen. You are currently playing Kendrick Karns, a cold-blooded lunatic with a few screws loose. You were hit with a potion that can regress a person’s mind to adolescence. Act like it, and don’t give us away.”

Fork hissed as it relayed Myss’s will, the tip of its tail stabbing Salaar’s solid shoulder.

“The person beside you is named Myss. You are disguising yourselves as lovers. He’s your partner, your master. You must obey his orders unconditionally.”

“The evidence is that there is an unbreakable alchemical contract between you. I’m one of the products of that contract…”

Salaar nodded with an extremely slight movement.

He stood up and took another piece of meat pie for Myss, his ears listening to every word as Fork described the current state of “Kendrick.”

When Myss tasted the fifth piece of meat pie, he encountered boar meat that he didn’t quite like. Although the meat had been seasoned with ample spices and stewed in wine, he still felt this kind of meat had a gamey smell.

So he pushed this piece of meat pie onto Salaar’s plate. Salaar lowered his head without a word of complaint and ate it clean.

At the same time, the servants nearby had already begun serving after-dinner desserts.

It was winter, and snow drifted sparsely outside the window. Karns Manor, however, was quite warm from heating magic devices, and dinner actually had milk ice cream mixed with berries.

Salaar looked for a while at the expensive ice cream scoops sprinkled with gold leaf, then looked at Myss eating with great gusto. Silently, he pushed the silver cup containing the ice cream in front of Myss.

If it were the normal Salaar, he would probably do something similar. Myss’s gaze scratched back and forth across Salaar’s face, only feeling that the situation was completely different.

The Salaar he was familiar with would have an expression of teasing plus provocation, as if feeding a domestic beast of prey.

Now, Salaar’s expression was more like… how should he put it? A little like a puppy fetching a thrown ball and pushing it into his palm.

Myss glanced at Owen sulking to himself, and for once, his eyes held a bit of appreciation. What a pity that the effect of this drug couldn’t last a lifetime.

However, young Salaar was too quiet. The one who always went head-to-head with him was obviously livelier. It was hard to imagine that such a calm guy would become the madman who frolicked wildly in the seal.

Myss stuffed a spoonful of ice cream into his mouth, then reluctantly scooped out a large spoonful without berries and fed it into Salaar’s mouth.

Salaar quietly swallowed it.

Exquisite and adorable desserts gradually filled the whole table. This should have been a time to relax, yet the atmosphere grew increasingly solemn. Finally, the old man sitting in the main seat cleared his throat. “Kendrick.”

“Yes, Grandfather.” Salaar rose in response, his movements still frighteningly precise.

“How do you intend to compensate for the shame you brought upon the family?”

There wasn’t much emotion in the old man’s voice. “A few good words from Magnolia aren’t enough to cancel your punishment.”

Owen’s expression calmed somewhat. He looked at Salaar almost encouragingly, hoping he would go mad on the spot. However…

“I understand, Grandfather.”

“I hope to prove my sincerity through action. Please assign me a task. Any task. I will do everything in my power to complete it and atone this way.”

Salaar’s tone was still unbelievably calm. Queenie, sitting opposite him, raised her brows slightly.

“Who are you acting for?” Owen was incredulous. “You lunatic. Who knows what intentions you have? You can’t even use magic. You just want to deliberately mess things up—”

Salaar treated him as if he didn’t exist and continued, “If you’re worried, send Peyton with me as my supervisor.”

“I cannot make dead slaves come back to life, but I still have time to compensate the older brother I harmed.”

“That attitude is rather rare.” The old man evaluated him expressionlessly.

As expected of Salaar. This development was completely within Myss’s predictions. Myss clicked his tongue and was just about to withdraw his attention when he saw the corner of Salaar’s mouth curve slightly.

There was no smile in that smile, and Myss abruptly had an ominous premonition.

“After all.”

In the next instant, Salaar’s voice gained a slightly roguish flavor. “These words are all what Lord Myss wanted me to say. With that contract in place, I must obey my ‘master.’”

Boom.

Everyone around the long table raised their heads in unison. Countless gazes stabbed Myss into a hedgehog. The old man in the main seat narrowed his eyes, and his gaze was even more like a spear, directly skewering Myss through.

Myss opened his mouth, and the ice cream on his spoon nearly fell onto the table.

What master? What nonsense was this kid suddenly saying? …No, wait, this kid had done it on purpose!

Young Salaar didn’t care at all about this “acting task,” nor did he treat him as some natural ally.

This kid’s greatest target had been Myss from the start. Now, with a single nudge from Salaar, all hostility and suspicion had been buckled onto Myss’s head.

Under the strong but useless intimidation of the humans’ gazes, Myss still insisted on stuffing that spoonful of ice cream into his mouth.

Even if those gazes were about to set his hair on fire, Lord Archdemon still pretended to be engrossed in his ice cream and forcibly didn’t say a single word.

“Kendrick, you’re simply beyond saving!” Owen was the first to react, shrieking loudly.

“As a member of the Karns family, you actually call a slave master? What kind of repentance is this?”

“I forgot to say, while I’m carrying out the task Grandfather gives me, all of you may continue hunting me.”

Salaar returned to that infuriating calm, his tone carrying an unquestionable force. “Only if I survive and complete the task will I have the qualifications to request that Grandfather revoke the kill order. Well? Are there any other objections?”

Owen’s words stuck in his throat. Nicholas, however, raised his head and looked at Salaar twice more.

“Peyton?” The old man turned toward Peyton, who was beside Nicholas.

“By the Father of Cadence, if Kendrick truly wishes to atone, I’m willing to accompany him as supervisor.” Peyton humbly lowered his head.

“Very well. As for that task—”

“Choose the most dangerous one. Only then can it make up for the damage I caused the family’s reputation.”

Salaar spoke again. It was difficult to tell whether his attitude was full of sincerity or deliberate provocation. “I only have one request. Please give me several options, so that I… and my master may have some room to choose.”

After speaking, he directly pushed his chair aside and stood.

“I have said what needed to be said. I’ll return to the room with Myss to rest. If I’m present for the following discussion, I fear it would be rather inconvenient.”

Just as Salaar finished the final word, Myss also happened to finish the last bite of ice cream.

Only after being dragged out of the dining room by Salaar, with no more prying eyes around them, did Myss shake off Salaar’s hand.

According to the original plan, Salaar should have used his clever tongue, relying on eloquence and acting skills to make that old man cancel the kill order. As a result, young Salaar had stuck his foot in sideways and taken on an enormous trouble for them.

Were they really going to do unpaid work for the Karns family? While other family members were still hunting him? …What kind of joke was that?

“Heal your heart, heal your heart!” Myss gritted his teeth and smacked Salaar’s chest.

“So that is how it is. An alchemical potion rooted in the heart. Healing the entire heart can eliminate the potion’s influence.”

Salaar revealed a thoughtful expression. “…However, allow me to refuse.”

Myss: “Why?!”

He faintly felt as though Salaar had tricked him.

“Because theoretically, I shouldn’t be here. I couldn’t possibly have a partner, and even less could I accept such a worthless sham of a mission like this.”

“But I have indeed formed a contract with you, so there’s only one possibility: you used the contract to control me and made me act together with you.”

Salaar shifted his gaze and once again revealed a deathlike calm.

“During the operation, I took the potion of my own accord for some reason. Since removing the drug’s effect would benefit you more, I won’t let you have your way.”

At this point, he stopped walking, his tone carrying absolute certainty.

“Without question, you are my enemy.”

The author has something to say:

Myss: [angry] [angry] [angry] (begins missing the Salaar he knows)

There’s no way to clean up the mess caused by curiosity now.

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

Chapter 98: Return to Youth

The instant he heard the scream, Myss shot out.

The two servants subconsciously stepped forward to stop him, but Myss leapt straight up and flew over their heads, charging directly toward the room where the scream had come from.

Only halfway through the jump did Myss belatedly notice something strange. That was Salaar. What could possibly happen to him?

It had to be because of their contract. The contract required him to ensure Salaar’s safety at all times. He was only afraid of violating the contract rules. Mm, that had to be it.

Myss landed as lightly as a feather, gliding across the mirror-bright marble floor and came to a halt at the doorway. The male servant at the door reached out to stop him, but unfortunately, he couldn’t stop Myss’s voice.

“Salaar!” Myss shouted.

The name Kendrick was truly awkward to say. In any case, Salaar had already explained the matter of a “false name” to his nominal cousin, so Myss would call him this.

A whole nest of humans with lapis-lazuli eyes, all pretending to be Salaar’s descendants, already made him unhappy. If he couldn’t even call the name “Salaar,” the Karns family would be promoted to his most hated human group.

“I’m fine.”

Salaar’s voice came from inside the door. Myss pricked up his ears and heard Salaar explaining things like “that is Myss” and “my lover.”

A moment later, with a creak, the heavy and beautiful oak door slowly opened, revealing Salaar’s face. To be precise, Salaar’s blood-stained face.

Myss swept his gaze over him. Salaar instinctively raised a hand and rubbed the blood on his face with the back of it.

“What happened?” Myss frowned.

“It’s a long story. Come in first.” The corner of Salaar’s mouth curved up, and he moved aside to let him enter.

The room was neither large nor small, and the decor was somewhat like a reception room. Only, the things placed on its coffee table weren’t tea sets and desserts, but several buzzing, oddly shaped magic devices, along with neatly arranged parchment and alchemical ink.

Useless Owen stood beside the table, his left palm pierced through by a sharp quill pen. He didn’t dare pull it out and could only hiss in place, his eyes full of tears from the pain.

The servants all lowered their heads. Only an old butler with a rectangular face and graying hair still kept his face raised, his wrinkled features full of helplessness.

Salaar explained considerately, “In fact, there are three parts to the examination: appearance, handwriting, and blood, to prevent impersonation or control.”

“I passed the first two. As for the third… it just so happens that I need your proof.”

His tone was very relaxed, as if his Cousin Owen were only a human-shaped ornament beside the table.

“There are traces of a magic contract on you, and it’s ancient alchemy!”

Owen shouted in grief and indignation. “You’re a controlled puppet, sneaking into the family in the name of repentance. You and that filthy whore slave of yours—”

Salaar turned toward the old butler. “Do you have any more quill pens? I see Mr. Owen’s right hand is a little empty.”

Owen snapped his mouth shut.

“But you must give a reasonable explanation, Young Master Kendrick,” the butler said carefully. “Ancient alchemy is difficult to measure. Before you attend the dinner, we must confirm that the contract on you is harmless…”

“The magic contract on me is the contract between Myss and myself.”

Salaar folded his arms and looked deeply at Myss.

“It stipulates that we must be honest with each other, protect each other, and accompany each other. Isn’t that right, Myss?”

Myss: “?”

Their contract did indeed require them to share information, ensure each other’s safety, and not leave without permission… But once Salaar’s mouth opened and closed, he said it almost like a marriage contract.

Yet, Myss couldn’t quite put his finger on what was wrong with the statement. So Myss could only nod in frustration and accept this ambiguous description.

The old butler quickly removed a small test tube from the intricately shaped magic device and signaled for Myss to hold it.

Myss mechanically took it. He saw the blood water in the test tube rapidly turn brilliant gold and emit a pleasant low hum. Golden specks of light circled his finger, like a ring forged from shattered light.

Another band of light extended toward Salaar and likewise loosely circled his finger.

“Perfect resonance. They are indeed the two parties to the contract.” The old butler breathed a sigh of relief, while Owen showed a very unconvinced expression.

Salaar pressed his advantage. “See? I told you long ago.”

“Myss was still a slave not long ago. Could he possibly use a contract to control me and make me act against the Karns family?” He stared at Owen as he said the latter half.

“Even if it’s a harmless contract, where did you get ancient alchemy?” Owen groaned in pain while clutching his bloody palm.

“Our relationship isn’t good enough for me to share such privacy with you.” Salaar shrugged.

Owen’s face flushed even redder. He was just about to say something when another knock came from the door.

“Everyone, move faster.”

Queenie’s voice came through the door. It was hard to say how long she had been standing there. “There’s piping hot multi-layered meat pie today. It won’t taste good if the filling gets cold.”

The old butler took the opportunity to stand between Owen and Salaar. “Young Master Owen, I’ll take you to have your wound bandaged.”

Owen couldn’t make trouble anymore. With a long face, he left the room first. Myss glanced contemptuously at his back and watched him and his Magibase groundhog disappear together.

“That kid came over to stir up trouble earlier. He wanted to provoke me so I would lose composure at the family dinner,” Salaar said.

“And then?”

“And then I lost composure in advance.”

Salaar pointed at the palm of his own left hand, the same place where Owen had just been pierced by the quill pen, his tone quite cheerful. “What a pity. I clearly fulfilled his wish, but he didn’t look happy at all.”

Myss looked speechlessly at the statue of Saint Salaar in the room. “I thought you were going to play the role of ‘repentant Kendrick.’”

“People can change, but not too much.”

Salaar said, “Kendrick Karns is a genuine bastard. I have no intention of turning him into some saint.”

Really?

Myss looked at Salaar’s sly and vivid expression, then thought of the lifeless portrait in the entrance hall.

Then how did you become a “saint,” Salaar?

……

The moment Myss entered the dining room, that trace of emotion instantly vanished into thin air.

For no other reason than that the multi-layered meat pie in the center of the table was truly spectacular.

The pie crust had been baked golden and crispy, and its aroma rushed into the nose. The meat pie was half a human head tall, square and neatly shaped, with layer stacked upon layer. The topmost layer even had Karns Manor carved into it.

Myss had only heard of this kind of thing in the hymns of bards.

It was said that the finest pure meat pies had at least three layers. The lowest layer used large pieces of venison, lamb, and veal. Chicken, duck, and goose occupied a layer of their own, and the top layer used tender river fish as filling.

The whole pie used large amounts of spices, and some nobles would even add whole small birds with the bones removed. This dish demanded extremely high family wealth, chef skill, and kitchen scale. It was undoubtedly a showpiece for great nobles to flaunt.

This giant pie even had magic cast on it. Snow-white magical little birds circled the tall meat pie, flying and chirping, scattering star-like white points of light.

The people seated by the long table, except Salaar, automatically became radishes and cabbages in Myss’s eyes.

He and Salaar sat somewhat far from the main seat at the long table, almost seated together with guests like Father Kalen. Myss didn’t care about humans’ boring status arrangements. He only stared curiously at the pie.

“Want some? Later I’ll cut you half of each flavor. That thing is very filling.”

Salaar spoke close to his ear. “If you don’t like the taste, just put it straight onto my plate.”

“Mm.” Myss said with satisfaction.

Although even if Salaar hadn’t said it, he had planned to do that anyway.

Salaar smiled. His palm covered the back of Myss’s hand and gently patted it.

“Contemptible guy.” A cold snort, neither light nor heavy, passed through the music and drifted to Myss’s ear.

Only then did Myss turn his head and look toward the person mocking them.

That person looked quite young and was sitting together with Salaar’s nominal older brother, Peyton. His appearance was more ordinary than Peyton’s, his brows were thick, his nose bridge somewhat high, and his build was one size sturdier than Peyton’s.

“That one is Nicholas, an elite knight of the Church of Candance.”

With the tablecloth as cover, the Dragon Fae poked his head out again. “He and Peyton are the same age, and they’re both clergy of the Church of Cadence. Their relationship is especially good. Publicly and privately, he especially hates Kendrick Karns.”

The “Mud Knight” who wanted to kill Salaar. Myss immediately matched him to the memory.

That kid’s Magibase was a black bear. It looked fairly fierce, but its size wasn’t very large. Compared to Peyton’s giant python, it was far inferior.

The dinner was about to begin. From the main seat at the far end of the long table came a low prayer. Everyone devoutly lowered their heads. Only Myss and Salaar still sat there openly, without any praying motion.

Naturally, no one managed them. Myss suspected that unless Salaar jumped onto the table right now and danced his self-composed dance, the others would be too lazy to care. Only Queenie’s gaze briefly swept over before quickly darting away.

After the short prayer, tasters holding silver knives and forks carefully tasted every dish and wine, then bowed to the main seat.

Sitting in the main seat was a tall, strong old man built like a bear. He solemnly looked forward and didn’t seem to intend to speak for the moment.

Myss casually glanced at him, then started looking at the meat pie again. Salaar should have gone to get the meat pie for him, but Salaar only studied the wine glass before him and didn’t move.

“Hey.” Myss tugged at the hem of his shirt.

“This is interesting.” Salaar stared fixedly at the knife and fork in front of him. “That Owen is rather desperate. He’s dead set on making ‘me’ embarrass myself.”

“What’s going on?”

“An alchemical potion, ‘Return to Youth.’ Someone smeared it on my cutlery.”

Salaar said, “This thing can make the user’s mind and memories return to sixteen or seventeen. Rich people like to use it for amusement. Looks like someone really wants ‘me’ to lose composure again.”

When Kendrick Karns was sixteen or seventeen, he had just been exiled, right at his most rebellious period. If the real Kendrick were sitting here and ate “Return to Youth,” who knew what kind of scene he would cause?

Even better, strictly speaking, this thing didn’t count as poison. It didn’t damage the body, and after the effect passed, memories from the period of change wouldn’t disappear.

To go against the grandfather’s will to “pause the kill order,” and to use such underhanded methods, at one glance it could only be that Useless Owen.

“In a bit, cooperate with me. I’ll deliberately knock down this cutlery…” Salaar leaned close and whispered in Myss’s ear.

“Do you want to try it?”

Myss asked, pretending to be absentminded. His gaze jumped wildly between Salaar’s face and the cutlery, his pupils practically swaying into afterimages.

The corner of Salaar’s mouth twitched. “?”

“I’m a little curious about your past. In the entrance hall, they hung such a huge portrait of you. I’ve never seen you with that kind of expression.”

Myss mumbled and lightly poked the back of Salaar’s hand with his fingertip, as if testing a tightly closed door. “In any case, we have the contract. I won’t do anything to you.”

Salaar lowered his gaze. The silver cutlery reflected his distorted face, and for a moment, Myss couldn’t understand his expression.

“But if sixteen- or seventeen-year-old you aren’t very useful, then forget it.”

Myss immediately added, “I wouldn’t create trouble for us at a time like this… Huh?”

Salaar suddenly smiled.

Myss had likewise never seen this kind of smile on Salaar. At this moment, this human with an aged soul seemed like a child who wanted to play a prank.

“You always come up with the most unexpected evil ideas at the most troublesome times.”

Salaar placed his own fork into Myss’s hand, then grabbed Myss’s wrist and guided him to spear the honey-cooked apple closest to them.

“Although I originally had a plan, your idea is more interesting. Let us try it.”

The sharp fork tines pierced into the soft fruit, and the juice shone. Myss’s eyes widened slightly, and his garnet-like eyes were likewise astonishingly bright.

“Really?” Salaar was actually willing to play along with his mischief?

“If something goes wrong, make me ‘heal my heart.’ Even without an antidote, I can dissolve the drug’s effect.”

Salaar quietly added this, his lips already touching the soft cooked fruit.

“Watch me carefully, Myss. Don’t play too far.”

Was this a reminder, or an entrustment? Or trust?

Although they were bound by the contract, Myss’s heart still jumped, and a numb, tingling illusion ran over his back, as if some fluffy and fragile creature had voluntarily placed its neck into his hand.

“I know.” Myss lowered his voice, his eyes shining even brighter.

While he was at it, he swept his peripheral vision around the room. The Mud Knight and the nominal older brother were quite peaceful. They ate silently, quietly waiting for the time to converse after the dinner.

Not far away, Owen was madly sneaking glances in their direction, afraid they would be unable to confirm the identity of the one who had drugged Salaar. Only, from Owen’s perspective, the two of them were now shamelessly feeding each other, their cheeks flushed from “love.”

Almost at the same time, Salaar withdrew his own spying gaze. He slowly opened his mouth and swallowed that small piece of honey-cooked apple.

Gulp.

Salaar’s throat bobbed slightly. Myss and Owen swallowed almost at the same time, their expectant gazes sticking firmly to Salaar.

The hand Salaar had wrapped around Myss’s wrist abruptly relaxed. His fingertips trembled almost imperceptibly. His expression went dazed for an instant, and even his body swayed slightly.

The next second, he blinked, and his gaze completely changed.

The author has something to say:

Myss: Curiosity is so super satisfied that I actually forgot about the meat pie. [cat paw]

Young Saint Salaar is about to appear! [OK]

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