Chapter 86: Falling into the Quagmire ( Part 2 )
The Newlywed arrived at the cargo hold and opened the door to check inside.
It was filled with bottles, jars, and several large wooden boxes. From the outside, nothing seemed unusual.
The rookie hesitated for a moment, then bent down and entered the cargo hold.
He knocked on the large wooden boxes with his scabbard, producing a dull sound.
Meanwhile, Leon and Noa, who were hiding at the back of the cargo hold, had already prepared for action.
If the rookie discovered them, they would have no choice but to force their way through the city gate.
The footsteps were getting closer. Noa kept her eyes fixed on the floor, slowly raising her right hand, with sparks of electricity flickering in her palm.
But Leon pressed down on her wrist.
Noa looked up.
“Shh~” Leon placed a finger to his lips, signaling her to wait before making a move.
Noa could tell Leon was sweating heavily as well.
Breaking through the city gate would mean facing countless enemies and unknown situations.
She knew her father wasn’t afraid of any powerful opponent, but this wasn’t a battlefield for open combat.
Dangerous, hidden currents would continue to surge in places they couldn’t perceive.
Creeeak~ Creeeak~
The sound of boots on the cargo hold floor grew clearer.
Father and daughter pressed themselves tightly into the corner, holding their breath.
This time, Noa had to act.
If the rookie took one more step closer, just one step, she would attack without hesitation—Leon would release her wrist, which would be a silent approval.
However— The rookie suddenly stopped.
“Captain… is right. I’m just earning twenty gold coins, why should I worry like I’m earning two hundred?” The young rookie muttered, then scoffed and turned to leave the cargo hold.
Bang—
The cargo door closed, and the rookie’s voice came from outside. “All clear, sir. We can go through the special passage now! Oh, by the way, don’t forget to mention us guards in front of the higher-ups.”
“Alright, alright, just go open the door.” The coachman answered impatiently.
The carriages slowly began to move, picking up speed.
Inside the cargo hold, the father and daughter breathed a sigh of relief.
“Do you remember that person from earlier?” Leon asked.
“Yeah… a few days ago, he insisted on checking every carriage. He was a very responsible rookie.” Noa said.
“But in just a few days, he’s learned how to survive in the Empire.”
Noa shrugged, “That was fast.”
The speed at which one sinks into the mire is always quicker than you can react.
Two royal carriages, carrying the Empire’s most wanted criminal and his three daughters, sped off.
…
It turned out that Leon’s strategy of “a thief doesn’t leave empty-handed” was absolutely correct.
After successfully stealing the Dragonheart scales and returning to the “secret base,” Aurora first tried several pieces of dragon scales, but there was no sign of the reversal magic being activated.
After testing more than ten pieces, they finally came across one with a magical property similar to Ravi’s Dragonheart scales.
The first test of the reversal magic was successfully completed.
With the energy source issue solved, the next step was to carefully fine-tune and modify the magic to ensure there wouldn’t be any unexpected outcomes during the reversal process, such as accidentally tearing her father into pieces or sending only him back while his clothes stayed behind.
This process also required a lot of work. Aurora didn’t dare to slack off and worked day and night to improve the reversal magic.
With less than three months left, she had to send her father back before the deadline to stop the battle that would force her mother into a desperate struggle, leaving her in a coma.
During this time, Leon continued to practice the Nine Hells Gate, a technique his younger daughter had taught him, working overtime.
He didn’t forget about the concentration and storage of his magical energy.
The spatial rift battle was due to his lack of preparation, which allowed Ravi and his three companions to take advantage of the situation after dealing with Star and imprison him in the spatial barrier.
But this time, with half a year’s preparation and the rapid improvement of the Nine Hells Gate, even if three Dragon Kings tried to ambush him, Leon the General would simply smile and say, “It’s time for dinner.”
Noa and Muen went on their usual missions, and during these crucial final months, there could be no mistakes.
Thus, the four of them went about their roles, all preparing for the day when the reversal magic would be completed.
However… the busy and fulfilling preparation didn’t always keep Leon focused.
He often found himself distracted by another matter.
Roseweisse.
The night before the final deadline, with less than twenty-four hours left, Leon went alone to the room where Roseweisse’s crystal was kept. He pulled over a chair and sat beside the crystal.
The beauty in the crystal still lay quietly there, her brow relaxed, serene, and beautiful. Her hands were folded over her abdomen, with a photograph pressed beneath them.
It was a photo of her and Leon, taken when they went for a family portrait. The photographer had snapped a “couple’s photo” without them knowing.
In the photo, the couple gazed into each other’s eyes, their gaze entwined.
On the back of the photo, Leon would never forget the words written there:
“May the silver light forever shine in the eyes of the ones we love.”
Leon believed that, before Roseweisse lost consciousness, she didn’t know whether she would ever wake up.
In the face of this unknown long slumber, Roseweisse chose to keep this photograph as her only companion.
Noa had said that her mother wasn’t very good at expressing emotions.
But she knew what she cared about, and she knew what she couldn’t live without.
I really feel sorry for Rosvitha, how much depression and despair she must have experienced and suffered. 😢😭