Chapter 72: To Change the Future
Abyss nodded approvingly. “If you’ve truly decided to walk this path, I wish you the best of luck.”
He removed a ring from his finger and placed it in Helen’s hand. He usually concealed his rings with an illusion spell, so to Helen, it appeared out of thin air. She looked at him questioningly.
“Take this ring. If you encounter a situation you can’t handle, rub it seven times with your palm. It will summon the ghosts who helped you gather evidence against the nobles. They know a lot and can offer advice. They will be your most reliable allies—ghosts are not burdened by material desires. As long as you treat them with respect, they will be loyal to you.”
Abyss explained with a smile.
Helen hesitated for a moment, then accepted the ring, clutching it tightly in her hand.
“Thank you, Mr. Abyss,” she said, standing up and bowing deeply to him.
Dar, the dwarf, busy mopping the floor, couldn’t hear their conversation. He only saw Abyss pull a ring out of thin air, give it to the beautiful girl, and then the girl bowed to him. Was he proposing?
He couldn’t understand human customs. They had only met a few times, and they were already talking about marriage. Even dark elves would at least have a few flings to test their compatibility. Dar shook his head and continued cleaning.
“Then I’ll give you my handkerchief, Mr. Abyss,” Helen said, taking out a pale blue handkerchief from her pocket. It was made of the finest silk imported from the Elven Kingdoms, its delicate embroidery and elegant colors clearly indicating its origin from the royal workshops.
Abyss accepted the handkerchief, still warm from Helen’s touch, and tucked it into his pocket, ignoring Leona’s murderous glare.
“Mr. Abyss, you are a powerful mage, and you might never need my help, but please accept this handkerchief as a token of my gratitude. If you ever need my assistance, please come find me, or send someone with this handkerchief.”
Helen’s face flushed slightly. In the Western Empire, it was customary for unmarried noble ladies to give handkerchiefs to young men as a sign of affection. But she had left the palace in a hurry and hadn’t brought anything else.
“As long as it’s within my power and doesn’t harm my people, I will do my best to help. It’s my way of repaying your kindness, Mr. Abyss!”
Abyss had only helped her secure the funds and dealt with the assassins, but it had been a life-changing experience for Helen.
Without his help and encouragement, she might have lost her spirit after her initial failure, becoming complacent and indecisive like her father and brothers. His support had led her to victory, allowing her to realize that the purpose of her life wasn’t to adorn herself with fancy clothes and makeup, but to change the Empire, which was straying from its righteous path and slowly declining, to do something for the people who supported them, to rekindle the spirit of its past.
Now, she didn’t want to be a prince’s wife, but an Empress. With newfound courage, she believed she could change everything.
Abyss studied Helen carefully. Her eyes were different from the confused and self-righteous girl he had met a few days ago. He knew she had matured. The children of the royal family never lacked vision; they only needed courage and experience. A golden fish wasn’t meant to stay in a pond; once it encountered a storm, it would transform into a dragon. Abyss had given her the opportunity, and she had seized it, soaring towards a new future.
“We’ll be leaving Golden Griffin City soon. I still have much to do. I hope you can hold onto your ideals and never lose your current spirit,” Abyss said, standing up and picking up his beer mug.
“Come, let’s have one last toast. Who knows when we’ll meet again.”
Helen, deeply moved, raised her glass and clinked it against Abyss’s. She then drained the fine wine in one gulp.
She left the tavern without hesitation or a backward glance, but her firm steps brought smiles to the faces of Abyss and his companions.
…
As night fell, Abyss and his companions also left the tavern. But this time, it wasn’t to avoid endangering the city’s residents, but to find a place to stay.
Even with the tents and blankets, sleeping in the wilderness had led to numerous complaints from Leona. As she put it, forcing a princess to sleep in a tent, unable to bathe, to be served, or to wake up in a five-meter-wide bed, was pure torture.
Flora was adaptable, but even she seemed to prefer sleeping indoors.
To appease the two girls, Abyss abandoned his plan to spend the night in the wilderness and, gathering their remaining funds, decided to take them to a more luxurious inn.
Golden Griffin City was a bustling commercial hub with a large population and numerous high-end inns. As long as you could afford it, you could enjoy a luxurious bed, a sumptuous dinner, the service of professional maids, and most importantly, a warm bath filled with flower petals and fragrant spices on a cold winter night.
Abyss didn’t care how long their remaining money would last. Finding a sufficiently impressive-looking inn, he ordered every service they offered, as a treat for Flora and Leona after their battle with a powerful opponent. His earnings from Lena were almost gone.
First, a celebratory dinner.
Servants placed a dozen delectable dishes on the table, opened a bottle of fine Elven white wine, and then withdrew, leaving the trio to their meal, waiting outside the private room. Expensive scented candles flickered on the table, casting a soft glow, making the dinner feel romantic and elegant.
“Really! Can we eat all of this?!” Leona whispered to Abyss, standing by the table.
“Of course. I’ve spent almost all our remaining money. Let’s enjoy ourselves tonight,” Abyss said, gesturing for Leona and Flora to sit with a gentlemanly “please.”
Leona, who had been craving a proper high-end dinner, pulled the equally hungry Flora to the table and immediately started digging in.
“Ah… This fish fillet is so tender and flavorful… Almost as good as the palace chef’s…” Leona said, her mouth full, praising the food.
Flora ate delicately. As an undead, she didn’t feel hunger, but she wanted to savor these delicacies she had never tasted before.
As she ate, she glanced at Abyss, who was leisurely gnawing on a chicken leg opposite them.
She noticed that he was also observing her and Leona, and she thought she saw a strange emotion in his eyes.
Was he… nervous? And excited?
Flora popped a piece of fruit into her mouth and tilted her head, puzzled.
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