Chapter 166: Eternal Sleepers

Generations of the Kant Clan had resided in this ancient castle located in the north of the Kant territory. The aging Viscount Victor was currently in a meeting with the territory’s merchant association’s representatives.

The reception hall was lit up with plenty of lights, but the constant radiance emitted by the magic crystal lamps weren’t able to eliminate the darkness that lingered in this castle for many years. The rectangle-shaped hall only contained the viscount, a few of the representatives from the merchant association, and a few servants. Each of their shadows was pulled into long, bent, and hazy shapes due to the illumination of the magic crystal lamps.

Despite the case, none of the people that stood in the hall realized anything sinister or horrific in this place. In the opinion of the merchant association, the feudal lord was still as friendly and graceful as before. Furthermore, he was magnanimously promising benefits to the merchants and the residents.

“This year’s last batch of herbal medicine and magical medicine has been harvested. The provisions also had quite a good harvest.” One of the merchant association’s representatives bowed and said, “We have already found buyers for the magical medicine, but the sales of the herbal medicine aren’t as good.”

“Don’t worry, Mister Parques.” Viscount Victor smiled gently and consoled the territory’s merchant. “Very soon, the merchant group from the Plains of the Holy Spirits will arrive. Frost Wood Castle will purchase a large batch of medicinal ingredients so that this year’s labor will not be in vain.”

The aging viscount smiled very gently while his eyes constantly emitted kindness. It was very rare for a noble to use such an attitude to converse with someone that wasn’t from a noble clan. Their standard of etiquette made sure that even when they were speaking with people of low status, they would do so with flawless courtesy. However, their eyes and expressions wouldn’t be as ‘on point’; Viscount Victor was an exception.

He was famous for being a good person who was ‘amiable to commoners, friendly, just, and lenient’. He seldom appeared in noble society; however, he was an old feudal lord who was revered with love and respect by his commoners.

“Lord Viscount, thank you for your help to the people on the territory.” Another merchant association’s representative spoke with sincerity, “I hope you can also pay attention to your body.”

“Don’t worry. My set of old bones is still healthy.” Viscount Victor laughed and said, “My incompetent son is about to return from his travel at the Plains of the Holy Spirits. It wouldn’t be too late for me to rest after he takes over the clan’s businesses.”

Subsequently, the viscount started to ask the merchants about the territory’s trader traffic and the procuring of cotton and ores. His questions were detailed and professional, which was very rare among the current era’s nobles.

But suddenly, there was a faintly discernible wind that blew across the castle’s hall.

The magic crystal lamps shouldn’t be affected by the wind, but the radiance in the hall felt as though it was like a candle flame swaying to the wind, dimming the surroundings.

The merchants didn’t notice the changes in the hall, while the servants standing around didn’t have any odd reaction either. But Victor Kant had suddenly stood up to look at the castle’s gloomy ceiling. His eyes flickered with a purple magic halo that was like starlight.

He then revealed an apologetic smile to the merchant representatives and said, “Apologies, gentlemen. I am afraid I have to end the meeting today as I recalled that I have an important matter to attend to…”

……

At the same time, in a secret cave in the eastern region of Anzu Kingdom, the twisted and intertwined vines were meandering and growing. The vines formed a large vesicle on top of a giant boulder in the cave. All of a sudden, the vesicle opened, and a beautiful yet strange female figure was revealed.

She had dark green long hair, fair skin, and great looks. But underneath the priest-like female clothing, a terrifying body was revealed and looked just like the twisting tree roots.

She was the Oblivion Association’s female dean, Beltira. Since she left the extreme south region, she had been hibernating in this eastern frontline’s secret base. She made use of the plants everywhere to observe the entire eastern region’s situation changes. But one of the secret channels suddenly relayed information that ‘awakened’ her from her symbiotic state with the plants.

The female dean frowned. The dark green long hair at the back looked as though it was alive, as it squirmed slightly. “A bishop-class Eternal Sleeper… successfully approached and invaded Gawain Cecil’s spiritual world?!”

……

Gawain was walking in the darkness.

He could still clearly remember what happened previously. The suspicious mercenary leader suddenly lifted his head and revealed a weird smile to him and used a monstrous accent, which felt like it was mixed out of numerous voices, to call his name.

Subsequently, he was brought to this dark, chaotic, and strange space by an unknown force.

He was completely certain that he had been tricked by a powerful force. But this force shouldn’t be from the mercenary leader. His physical attributes and intensity of his aura were undoubtedly that of a low-grade Knight. When that mercenary leader suddenly lifted his head, Gawain could still remember that he felt a powerful and chaotic energy that suddenly emerged from the mercenary leader’s aura. The entire process was like an ‘arrival’. As such, he guessed that the mercenary leader was just a medium or a kind of sacrifice that was meant to bring this powerful force to Gawain Cecil.

After the initial panic, Gawain had already composed himself.

He walked randomly in the darkness for a moment and felt that his stamina didn’t decrease at all. It was an indication that this place was possibly a nonexisting world; it might even be an ‘imaginary space’ that existed only in the mind. Gawain suspected that he was trapped in a spiritual prison, but as a satellite who had been trapped for at least hundreds of thousands of years (possibly millions of years. After all, he didn’t even calculate the years at the later part), his soul had already been changed. As such, he wasn’t nervous at all even when he was trapped.

Would the most formidable expert in this world have a lifespan that was longer than this satellite in the sky?

This old man was suspended in the sky while watching how all of you learned to walk in an upright posture!

It was because of his arrogance and composure as a satellite spirit that Gawain didn’t feel any fear in this situation. After verifying that he wasn’t able to walk out of this space, he simply stood still and quietly looked at the darkness.

It felt just like the time when he observed the unchanging ocean and landmass.

He believed that an unknown existence in this space of darkness had pulled him here with an objective. The opposition might already be quietly observing him from some unknown location. But the absolute majority of people in this world — or should he say, all of the living beings in this world — didn’t have patience that was superior to his.

‘It’ definitely would be patient enough and would appear on its own accord.

There was only one thing that Gawain was worried about. He hoped that this ‘imaginative space’ would have the same setting as most of the stories and had a different flow of time as compared to the outside world. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be good if Heidi and the others thought he was dead again. His two granddaughters might just bury him again, while Amber would steal everything in his tomb after he was buried…

Damn, just the thought of it was already terrible.

Gawain’s mind revolved with all sorts of thoughts, and it was unknown how much time had elapsed in this imaginative space. Soon after, he suddenly noticed an illusory glimmer appearing in the darkness before his eyes.

It seemed like the ‘existence’ that was observing quietly wasn’t able to hold back anymore.

Gawain smiled and could see that the glimmer was materializing and getting closer to him. Ultimately, it turned into a spotlessly white gown and a face with a glossy white mask. It was unknown if the figure was male or female, and he could hear a heavy voice that had a similarly indiscernible gender. “Duke Gawain Cecil, you are more patient than I expected and also more composed. No wonder you were a great hero seven hundred years ago. Your nature is something that I have never seen from others.”

“Your patience is far inferior than I expected,” Gawain spoke calmly. “I thought you would squander eighty or a hundred years in this place with me.”

“Please don’t resent me. My method of invitation might be a bit rough, but my objective is to have a conversation with your distinguished self. Perhaps you would feel a little more comfortable if we changed the environment?”

The white-masked individual in the white gown asked while waving the hand. The surrounding darkness suddenly turned into countless colors and lines. The colorful lines instantly combined into various kinds of objects. Gawain noticed he was now standing in a garden that was full of vitality, surrounded by lush flowers and short shrubs. There were servants walking around busily in the garden whose faces looked rather familiar. Not far away, he was able to see the castle’s tall and massive main building.

Everything looked rather familiar.

Gawain considered for a little bit and was able to find the corresponding image from this body’s original memories. He looked at the person in the white gown suspiciously and asked, “What is the meaning of this?”

“Could it be that I didn’t restore it properly?” the person with the white gown spoke with an intentional astonishment. “I have already done my best to restore this place with those ancient memory fragments. Look at these servants. Don’t you feel their faces are familiar? Most of the scenery in this castle is retrieved from their memories. Take a look at these plants and those buildings… Is it different from the Cecil Castle in your memories?”

Gawain didn’t reply while the person with the white gown continued to talk, “Ah, the memories retrieved from dreams might be a little distorted. The castle that doesn’t fit with the actual castle might make you unhappy. What about this environment?”

After speaking, the scenery in front of Gawain had changed again. The Cecil Castle and garden from 700 years ago had vanished, and it was replaced with a tall platform. There were exquisite tables and chairs placed on the platform, and there were all sorts of pastries and tea on the table. Outside of the platform, one could oversee a magnificent city.

The city had numerous spotlessly white buildings, towering Mage spires, and floating crystals to decorate the city. An abundant magical radiance flowed within the buildings as blue light, illuminating the entire city like a human-realm paradise. At the skies of the city, one could vaguely see the translucent shield that had countless giant floating runes. From further away, one would be able to see a blue pillar of light that connected the sky to the ground, and it rose from outside the city. It looked just like the legendary Tower of Babel of Earth that rose straight into the horizon…

The ancient Gondor Empire, and… the Well of Deep Blue?!

“Do you prefer this scenery?” The person with the white gown sat down by the round table. While the pure white and glossy mask didn’t have any expression, the voice sounded happy as the person said, “After all, you are also a person who has experienced the glorious moments of the Gondor Empire. Perhaps, you would prefer the magnificent scenery during the human empire’s flourishing period?”

“Apologies. When the Gondor Empire was at its prime, I was only a Knight Apprentice at the northern borders of the empire. I don’t even know what the flourishing imperial capital looked like.” Gawain casually sat down at the round table, directly opposite to the person in the white gown. “But this scenery isn’t bad at all. I am still able to see how the Well of Deep Blue looked like back then.”

“Then I am at ease,” the person in the white gown said pleasantly. “Then since the Eternal Sleepers have already expressed respect to you, next would be your turn to cooperate.”