Chapter 416: He Is Only A Nomad-Rank Drifter
After Annette's question, Raven was silent, observing everyone around her before returning her eyes to Annette.
"Can we go somewhere more…"
"Oh, I understand," Annette responded before she got to finish.
If there was anything that could be noted in the way Annette treated Raven, it was respect. Which was quite out of place with what has been known of the vermillion drunkard so far.
She respected and sort of adored Raven; at the same time, she envied and distrusted her.
Nonetheless, Annette knew how capable Raven was, in more than one aspect. Her foresight even outdid many pronounced master planners that she knew.
Not to speak of her extraordinary relationship with the Oracle. Terence had always been somewhat unapproachable by a lot, until Raven got in the picture.
A lot fell in place, and she was the grease easing all friction, making every single mechanism flow with each other in perfect synchronization.
A testament to that was how the stronghold quickly fell apart immediately after she left.
Eventually, Raven and Annette entered the main house of the shelter. Immediately they got in, Annette ordered everyone out, turned to Raven, and leaned on the table, her arms folded.
"So?"
Raven took a moment, her expression indifferent despite the slight tension Annette's seriousness injected into the air.
"We need to go to Luinngard."
Annette raised a brow—well, she only has one right now.
"Are you insane? Go to Luinngard? Didn't you say they will be coming for us right now? Why the hell would we go to them when we should be preparing to withstand them?"
"And then what?" A small frown laced Raven's brows as she continued, "Until when before we break? We are trapped. Rather than fighting the Luinngard Empire, the only thing we should be concerning ourselves with right now is escaping."
Annette unfolded her hands, then leaned them on the table, breathing out before responding.
"So, what are you insinuating? Escaping is a pipe dream, I thought we all have understood that. We will need a miracle if we are to leave."
"Closing the remaining three Cardinal rifts seemed like a pipe dream too, some time ago."
Annette sighed, "Northern…"
Her gaze fell on the floor for a couple of seconds, then she raised her head and inquired:
"I suppose you have a plan of some sort…?"
Raven brought out the small bottle with her and said:
"The leaders of Lotheliwan and Sloria were looking for this as an advantage over the monster. This teardrop is enough to cover this entire continent in water; it'll destroy everything. Can you imagine the level of disaster it will cause within the tall walls of Luinngard?"
Annette's eyes widened. "Raven?!" Her voice shook, "You want to destroy a whole nation because of…"
"Ships," Raven interrupted, repeating again, "...because of ships. They have sea and air ships that will take us out of here. This flood will give us the edge we need to steal the ships and sail away while they deal with the flood."
Annette was silent for a couple of minutes, seriously thinking about what Raven said.
After a while, her voice came forth, "I understand your plan." She paused for a while and sighed again, "Raven, you do realize that innocent lives will be lost, people's livelihoods will be affected."
Raven was indifferent despite what Annette had just said; she responded with no emotion in her tone.
"We need to make a choice of living. Don't we?"
Annette looked at her face, shocked and not surprised at the same time. There was a dangerous intensity of resolve that burned in her eyes, one very dangerous.
Annette slapped her face in exclamation and sighed yet again.
"Oh my Eldech, you are one hell of a brutal girl. Did you ever have the opportunity to be a kid?"
Raven did not respond to her and just stared indifferently.
Annette stared at the young lady's fist and narrowed her eyes in suspicion.
"Let me guess, that's not all?"
Raven shook her head. "No, it's not."
Annette sighed again, "I feel like I might end up dying from so much heavy breath. Speak."
"It's about Northern."
Annette's face immediately creased together. "What about Northern?" Her voice dripped with a kind of fierceness that made Raven want to think a thousand times before saying what she intended to say.
But it was Raven… she didn't care much. She never did. She spoke either way, unaffected by Annette's intimidation.
"We need him if this will work."
Annette's face stayed glued to Raven's with all seriousness. "And what exactly do you need him for?"
"I'm guessing Northern can enter Luinngard easily…"
Annette rubbed her chin. "He does have a knight of Luinngard following him. Which I don't know the details of and neither do I need to know. But why do you believe he can enter Luinngard easily?"
"Honestly, I don't know. But Northern is now strong. I don't think entering without fuss should be difficult for him."
Annette shrugged. "You are right actually. In a way, you're right." She paused and looked at Raven. "But why would you come to me for that? You can just go to Northern directly and ask him to help you. This involves him too, after all."
Raven at that point looked down, with somber eyes.
Her expression caught Annette by surprise. '...This is the first time she changed expression, and it's about Northern? I smell something.'
"I'm probably the person Northern hates most in the world right now."
Raven raised her head with determination blazing even fiercer in her eyes.
"Ouuuu, incurring Northern's hatred. That can't be good. Is that what that commotion outside was about?"
Raven nodded.
Annette sighed yet again and folded her arms while leaning away from the table.
"Still, me going to Northern is inappropriate. He's different now; even every second with him while he was sleeping, I felt like I needed to be careful or I could cease to exist. I can't imagine or tell what will happen if I pick up on a topic he hates."
Raven stared into Annette's eyes.
"What exactly happened?"
Annette shrugged. "I also don't know; all I know is that he got really strong. I'm a Savant now, and I'm pretty sure that Northern can kill me before I even realize I'm dying."
"He's only a Nomad."
Annette pointed at Raven. "Which is exactly the scariest part of all of this, Raven… he is only a Nomad rank drifter."