Chapter 502: Return Again

Muen looked out the window.

Under the gray fog, the shadow of Belrand was silent and deep; from time to time ghostlike silhouettes slipped through the darkness, and the murmurs and whispers became even more terrifying in the stillness—but those things belonged to this world to begin with.

A full half hour had passed. If this place were able to directly connect with the outside world, then those fellows hiding behind the scenes definitely wouldn’t just let the two of them walk away like this; they absolutely would have launched a massive search.

But nothing happened.

Not even King Yintuo came after them.

At first, Muen had thought he himself was concealed well enough, and together with the alchemy domain that blocked all traces, the other side had simply given up pursuit.

But thinking carefully now, this Belrand Shadow fragment was at most only a few blocks in size. If someone truly wanted to search, where could they possibly hide?

“Since the people outside haven’t come in for the moment, isn’t it possible that the people inside might go out?” Muen asked.

From the information he read out of that watchman’s soul earlier, the ones who entered Belrand weren’t just one or two. If his guess was correct, there must have been an entire team, sneaking around doing something unknown.

After discovering intruders, sending someone out to report back would be the most natural thing in the world.

“I actually think that’s impossible.”

Celicia shook her head again.

“Why?”

“It’s simple. If there is something here—some thing or some matter—that needs to be hidden so deeply, with so much effort spent, and they’re unwilling to let outsiders find even a clue... then tell me—those people, would they let the ones here, the ones who are closest to the secret...”

Celicia pointed upward at the gray fog, her expression meaningful.

“...leave so easily?”

...

...

“Ye... Yelur, sir!”

In the research room filled with the beeping of various instruments, Yelur was intently pressing down a parrot he had raised for not even an hour, studying something with total concentration. But suddenly, a middle-aged man in a white coat hurried in, interrupting his research.

“Not... not good!”

“What are you shouting for!”

Yelur was startled, then furious, and nearly slapped the man on the spot. The parrot in his hand took the chance to fly up, flapping and crashing all over the research room.

“Didn’t I tell you? When I’m doing experiments, I forbid interruptions!”

“I... I know, but...”

The middle-aged man’s expression shrank with fear:

“Just now there was noise outside. It seems like this place... was invaded!”

“Invasion!”

Yelur was shocked and panicked.

“I—Is it those people from the Royal Research Institute?”

“Unclear.”

The middle-aged man shook his head.

“All we know is that it’s two people. Not sure how they slipped in, but they clashed with King Yintuo outside!”

“So King Yintuo blocked them?”

Yelur let out a sigh of relief.

“Scared me half to death—I thought those stiff-necked bastards from the Institute were going to start shouting again about something ‘violating ethics’ and seal up my research! As long as it’s not them, that’s fine. Leave it to King Yintuo; he can handle it.”

“King Yintuo is strong; of course he can deal with it. But... since someone has invaded...”

The middle-aged man’s eyes flickered. He looked around, lowered his voice, and spoke with a forced urgency:

“With something this big happening... should we notify those people in the Inner Council?”

“Notify... you want to go out?” Yelur’s eyebrow twitched.

“No no no no... I only want to pass along the message. After all, what we’re doing here can’t see the light of day.”

The middle-aged man waved his hands repeatedly.

“Oh, please. Don’t think I don’t know what’s in your head.”

Yelur sneered:

“Let me tell you—you can’t get out. Once you joined this research, did you think those people would let you leave? Don’t joke. Even if they blew this place up, they wouldn’t let a single person escape. At least not before they achieve their goal. Impossible.”

The middle-aged man’s expression turned ugly.

“Heh, relax.”

Yelur patted his shoulder.

“Think about the bright side. Here, you can at least conduct whatever research you want without restraint. Isn’t that good?”

“...”

The middle-aged man fell silent. Easy for you to say, he cursed inwardly. You’re the lunatic who only knows how to do research. I’ve been suffocating ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) here forever—I’ve long wanted to leave.

But he only thought this. The day he followed Yelur in defecting to the Inner Council and made direct contact with those... things, he knew he would never again see the light of day in this lifetime.

...

...

“It seems... there really isn’t anything to worry about.”

After Celicia’s analysis, Muen also understood the uniqueness of this place.

Before this, he didn’t even know what the “Shadow of Belrand” was, so his mindset had followed his usual caution—if discovered, the instinct was to run.

But Celicia, who understood this place extremely well, was far bolder. She knew perfectly what those people could do—and what they couldn’t.

“What is it—are you scared now?”

Celicia stared at Muen, who was still thinking.

She still had that cold, emotionless appearance, but perhaps it was an illusion—Muen could actually see a hint of mischief at the bottom of her eyes.

As if, during that kind of moment, she suddenly said: “That’s all?”

Any man would break.

“You look angry.”

“Running away like a beaten dog—of course I’m angry.”

“So you’re in such a hurry to go back because you want to save face?”

“I’m not that childish.”

Celicia let out a cold laugh.

“It’s just—Muen Campbell, have you forgotten something? If we just leave like this, it won’t simply be wasted effort.”

“...What do you mean?”

“I can’t tell if you’re truly stupid or pretending. That King Yintuo’s avatar recognized our real identities. Right now he can’t contact the outside world, but if we leave like this... do you think your little trick of shedding your shell will still hold?”

Celicia’s tone grew meaningful:

“Not only would you be openly defying an imperial order—you also abducted a princess who was in the middle of being placed under house arrest. I don’t care. But do you think those people won’t bite down on this matter? Won’t they force the Campbell family to bleed a little? At a moment like this, do I need to explain how big the impact could be?”

“...”

Muen’s breath hitched slightly.

Celicia was right. He had been so focused on the secret here that he almost forgot he had infiltrated Belrand under a false identity—and in the dead of night, kidnapped this princess.

Celicia, of course, didn’t care. Her identity was too high. Would anyone really punish her for sneaking out? At most she’d get scolded by His Majesty.

But the consequences for him would be much worse. Those great nobles of the Inner Council—like packs of hyenas—would never let go of such a weakness. Once they found a gap, they’d tear off chunks of flesh.

Especially at a critical moment like this... the final price might not be a few chunks of flesh...

Muen’s thoughts spun rapidly, and he quickly sorted out the angles. Indeed—if King Yintuo’s main body were here, he would just admit defeat. He might not even survive, so who would care about consequences?

But now, King Yintuo was only an avatar.

After thinking for a while, Muen suddenly seemed to realize something. He looked at Celicia beside him, blinked, and his expression grew just as meaningful.

“Dear Cia, you’ve said so much. You sound like you can’t swallow your anger—but how come it feels like...”

Muen leaned closer, lowered his voice, and asked with great seriousness:

“...you’re worrying about me? Thinking on my behalf? Even willing to throw yourself into danger again just for me?”

“...”

Celicia looked at the Muen leaning in—looked at that unfamiliar face wearing a familiar wicked smile. Her eyelid twitched almost imperceptibly. Cold, soft fingers gathered terrifying chill as she gently placed her hand on his fragile neck.

“Dear Muen—do you want me to freeze you into an ice block and throw you into the Glain River first? Or throw you into the Glain River first, and then freeze you into an ice block?”

“...Is there a difference?”

“Stop talking nonsense. Give me your choice.”

“My choice? Do I need one?”

Muen gently lifted Celicia’s small hand and politely kissed her pale knuckles.

“I told you already—so long as it is a lady’s invitation, even at the cost of my life, I will gladly attend.”

“Let’s go, Miss Cia.”

...

...

The dark room was once again illuminated.

The old man seated in a penitent’s posture on the meditation cushion opened his eyes. Seeing the two figures walking slowly in from the doorway, a hint of surprise flashed in his lifeless gaze.

“You actually dare to come back?”

“Why wouldn’t we?”

Muen and Celicia walked in side by side. The metal door had been kicked down by Muen earlier, so their entrance looked unusually casual and composed.

“Old thing, you are the one surprising me. You didn’t come after us. What, after losing face to me twice, you still look down on me?”

“Being bitten twice by the same insect—no matter how good your temper is, even thunderous wrath should erupt.”

King Yintuo shook his head lightly.

“Unfortunately, this is only an avatar. I cannot leave this mat too far, so I can only fulfill my duty and guard this place.”

“Just admitting it outright?”

Muen raised an eyebrow, surprised he didn’t even bother pretending:

“Are you really not taking us seriously?”

“No. It’s just that the fact you dare return shows you’ve already seen through my limitations. There’s nothing left to hide.”

King Yintuo slowly rose. Even though this was clearly only an avatar, that mountain-crumbling presence pressed once again sharply down on the two of them.

“I simply do not understand—avatar or not, you are already my defeated foes. You fled in disgrace earlier. Why do you still have the courage to appear before me again?”

“Heh, who knows?”

Muen shrugged. The pure-white blade flipped lightly in his palm as he spoke carelessly:

“Maybe in this half hour, I specifically went off to pick up some kind of buff—and now my strength is worlds apart from before?”

“Heh.”

King Yintuo ignored Muen’s nonsense and looked at Celicia:

“And you, princess of the Empire. I can understand how quickly that boy’s injuries recovered. But Divine Favor is not something that recovers in a short time. You forcibly overused that move earlier. Can you still control the power of ice?”

“Of course not.”

Celicia didn’t hide it.

“Because of a certain idiot who keeps trying to throw his life away, I have indeed temporarily overdrawn my Divine Favor. However... why do you think Divine Favor is the only thing I can wield?”

Celicia still held her parasol like a girl out for a spring outing.

But suddenly—

Clang—

A piercing hum echoed.

The spinning parasol canopy wobbled and drifted softly to the ground.

Celicia held only the handle—and above that handle, a sharp, chilling gleam nearly blinded the eyes.

Muen stared in astonishment. Celicia had drawn a sword out of the parasol.

“It seems you made preparations. That’s not a bad thing.”

Celicia flicked the blade lightly. Her entire aura changed. If earlier she had been a vast, unfathomable snow-covered plain, then now... she was a sheer cliff of ice—a towering, blade-like mountain brimming with lethal edge.

“Now then, King Yintuo.”

Celicia coldly angled the sword in her hand.

“Let us begin the second round.”