Chapter 88: A Clean Getaway
“Well done, Flora. I knew I could count on you,” Abyss said, lying comfortably with his head in Flora’s lap, giving her a thumbs-up. “My dear Flora, you’re my most reliable support!”
“What about me?!” Leona, crouching nearby, protested immediately.
“And me!” Rebecca chimed in, echoing Leona’s complaint.
“Leona is my sword, and Rebecca is my armor,” Abyss said quickly, offering them somewhat clumsy metaphors. But they seemed satisfied with his praise.
He sat up, the uprooted apple trees piled beside them, a dozen or so, a successful harvest. The guards, still under the illusion’s influence, remained oblivious to their activities, diligently patrolling their posts.
“We’re currently in the Lord of Nightmares’ territory. Although Flora’s Divine Arts are powerful, their effects are temporary. We should leave quickly,” Abyss said, stretching, addressing the three girls. “I’m taking these apple trees with me. As for the guards… If Kevin wakes up and discovers his trees are missing, he might take his anger out on them. Flora, could you cast a subtle calming spell on him? Make him more reasonable, so he doesn’t harm the guards. They might be serving Kevin, but they don’t deserve to die.”
“Of course,” Flora replied, chanting a silent prayer. An invisible force descended from the sky, reaching Kevin’s location. No one could see it, but Flora knew the spell had taken effect.
Abyss summoned his magical catfish, enlarging it, and began feeding it the uprooted trees, one by one. The catfish’s stomach was a bottomless pit, capable of holding even these large trees.
“Excellent,” Abyss said, hands on his hips, surveying the palace courtyard, now dotted with holes where the trees once stood. He was pleased with his night’s work.
He had gathered some intelligence from the Lord of Nightmares and acquired the apple trees used to create Shadowlings. A successful mission. His next step was to find a way to dismantle the Lord of Nightmares’ power completely. He didn’t know the location of the artifact, so he planned to return later, bringing Flora with him for protection.
Having a powerful Divine Arts user by his side made confronting Outer Gods much easier.
He brought everyone into the Shadow Realm, summoned Little Fire Dragon, and they departed.
…
Back at the guesthouse, Shodo Town was asleep, only the sentries at their posts, maintaining the town’s peace. As Little Fire Dragon flew over the town, they noticed that the lights in Givia’s headquarters were off. It seemed she had consumed the potion and, following Rebecca’s instructions, hadn’t continued working. A leader like her carried a heavy burden. Rest and relaxation were crucial. If Rebecca had discovered her still working, she would have intervened.
Their next step was to analyze the Lord of Nightmares’ weaknesses, using the newly acquired information. As long as he was bound by this world’s rules, he would have vulnerabilities. Abyss’s plan was to identify all possible weaknesses, then eliminate them one by one through investigation, formulating a comprehensive strategy to subdue the Outer God.
Leona, wanting to be entertained, asked Flora to read her a knightly romance. Rebecca, upon returning to the guesthouse, immediately retreated to her room to work on her potions, claiming she had been inspired by their visit to the palace.
Abyss also returned to his room, extinguishing the lights, and sat on his bed in the darkness, his back against the wall, contemplating his next move against the Lord of Nightmares.
Time passed slowly, the world outside silent and still. The grandfather clock in the guesthouse’s main hall ticked rhythmically, its pendulum swinging back and forth, the only sound in the darkness.
After about an hour, he heard soft footsteps approaching his room from the direction of Flora and Leona’s room.
He recognized them instantly. It was Flora. He hadn’t expected her to visit him so late at night.
A gentle knock, barely audible, came from the door. If he had been asleep, he wouldn’t have heard it.
“Come in, Flora,” he said softly.
Flora opened the door a crack, peeking inside with one beautiful golden eye. Seeing him sitting on the bed, lost in thought, she smiled, her eyes crinkling slightly.
She entered, carrying a pillow, dressed in the pretty nightgown they had bought in Lavoisier City. The loose-fitting gown didn’t reveal her figure, but her bare feet and the smooth skin of her lower legs gave her an unexpected air of sensuality.
“May I lie down with you for a while?” she asked hesitantly.
“Of course,” Abyss said, smiling, patting the bed beside him. “My bed is quite large. If you’re tired, you can sleep. I’ll cast a calming spell on you.”
“Well… I’m feeling a bit unwell… So I wanted to lie down with you for a while,” she said, her voice soft, her bare feet making no sound as she approached the bed.
“Unwell? What’s wrong?” Abyss asked, his voice filled with concern.
“I…” Flora hesitated, her lips pouting slightly, like a child about to throw a tantrum. She climbed onto the bed, placed her pillow beside her, and lay down on her side, facing him.
Abyss smiled, his expression gentle and indulgent. Despite her mature and elegant demeanor, Flora had a childish side, a quality he found endearing.
She lay there, silently gazing at his face, her cheeks flushed.
“Abyss, will you always stay by my side?”
“Of course. I can extend my lifespan indefinitely, if you wish. We can be together forever,” Abyss replied, smiling.
But as he spoke, he noticed a single white hair near her temple.
Even in the darkness, even though it was just one strand, he couldn’t miss it.
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