Chapter 712: Curse Like A Blessing
CHAPTER 712
Northern did not know what part Milhwa played; he did not know where Rughsbough had continued from. And the only reason why he suspected Milhwa was because he was the founder of the academy.
Of course, naturally, he suspected Professor Heimburger too. And he was sure that there was some kind of shady story and deal associated with all of this ominous act.
But none of that concerned him, especially now that this had turned out to be a great farm for him. If anything, Northern was beginning to have a growing desire to replicate it in Limitless Void.
Somewhere teeming with live monsters, where he could always head should he want to farm for some fragments.
But right now, none of those thoughts and plans mattered. What he just wanted was endless rest. Northern let out an exasperated sigh and spoke.
"And...?"
"We definitely can take it from here."
As his vibrant voice rang out in the desolate cavern, a rift tore out of its space and Bairan walked out of it, beaming with a lively light in his eyes.
Northern observed his gaze and frowned lightly.
"What are you so damn happy about?"
Bairan shook his head, but the lively look on his face remained. Even as he denied their existence.
"Happy? I am not in the slightest way happy."
Northern stared at him for a couple more seconds, his expression uninterested in whatever
was going on in the sword king's head. Tired lines curved lazily beneath his eyes, giving him a slightly afflicted look.
He sighed once more and turned around.
"Whatever... I will be taking my leave now."
As he walked away, the shadows rose and engulfed his frame. He vanished completely.
Bairan still continued to stare in the direction Northern had vanished from, a wide grin tugging at the edges of his lips. He touched his heart and closed his eyes.
"What is this beat? Dear heart, do you feel it too? The glory and splendor of our master? His might..."
He paused, his eyes glinting with a red dot that seemed... enchanted, encroached by something dangerous. Then he said eerily:
"...argh... my soul, my body, my blood, everything is boiling with so much excitement. Thank you master, for choosing me to be your humble servant."
His face twisted with revulsion, lips curling as though the very air around him reeked of something foul. A wicked gleam ignited in his eyes, a gleam born of celestial malice.
Slowly, he turned his gaze downward, toward the smoldering remains of the Dark Seer-its charred form reduced to brittle ash by the merciless attack of Chaos and Void.
He raised his leg and began to furiously stomp on that ground.
"You wretched filth! Defiler! How dare you draw the blood of my master?! I will hunt down your kind—every last one-and grant them a death so gruesome that their souls will writhe in torment long after their bodies are ash!"
The cave trembled violently as he furiously stomped on that ground.
***
Northern reached his room, did not bother taking off anything-there was nothing to take off anyway—and fell lazily on his bed, sank into his thoughts but before he could get to any considerable depth of reminisce, his consciousness drifted away by the winds of slumber.
A few hours later, his eyes subtly opened; drool had mapped over his white sheets. He frowned slightly at the unusual occurrence and rolled, his eyes staring softly at the white and simple ceiling.
The air suddenly carried the smell of his drool into his nose-a stale, sour musk with a hint of salt, as though remnants of restlessness and dreamlessness had fermented.
'Wow... I must have been really tired.'
Northern tried to recount a moment where he had drooled. But none came to mind.
'I didn't even drool when I slept in a lake.'
To be particular, at the edge of the lake... maybe the details did not matter. Northern shrugged away the light numbness of his body and stood up. He walked over to the small table clock on his study table and took a brief look.
A small frown creased on his forehead.
'Damnit.'
He turned away and walked towards the door, Spirit Linen forming the same casual clothing from before over his body.
Northern opened his door quickly and stepped out.
After a few minutes, Northern was briskly walking towards the private forge. The sunlight had completely sunk into the horizon; the night had opened its curtains, bathing the plants, streams, and roofs with a lightless glow.
Northern narrowed his eyes, frowning a bit as he sighted someone sitting on the short wall of the forge, their legs playfully swinging in the air.
As the person heard his footsteps, their head turned, immediately crimson eyes coming to life with a radiant sparkle of stars.
"You came!"
Josie shouted.
Northern, slightly shocked, responded to her in a low tone.
"...And you...waited..."
He had not expected her to. He had spent an entire day sleeping, and today was the last night before the Milhwa festival would begin. First of all, he had no idea he had spent an entire day
in the dungeon, or had he?
Whatever time he came back, he slept from that time until the evening of the next day. And he had set an appointment with Josie for the morning of that day in faith that he would have the
answer to her prayers.
Now, not only did he not have the answer she sought, he had not even been able to experiment it on the one scapegoat of a prisoner he had in the Limitless Void.
And the poor girl seemed to have waited an entire day for him.
'She really wants to do away with such an ability.'
One man's food indeed could be another man's poison. Anybody would kill for a chance like
this. A chance to obtain an EX class talent.
Feeling a bit like a dubious fellow, Northern sighed and spoke to her one last time.
"Are you really sure about this? Anybody would climb to the peak of the highest mountain
even with fragile bones to get a talent like yours."
"And then they'd discover that it can only make them weaker than they already are?"
A dark radiance from the night draped over her face, solemnly reflecting its depth, while the yellowish glow of her eyes shone even brighter-more resplendent than ever.
"I have had these since I was young, a blessing in the hands of a cursed girl. It has done worse
to me; a mundane life would be way better, please. Just take it away, I want to leave this
hellish hole as soon as I can."
She tightly shut her eyes as she declared once more.
Northern could feel the pain in her words. Fortunately for his conscience, the poor girl really
wanted the talent gone. She had resolved herself defiantly.
He sighed and said:
"Well then... I will help you take it away."
Northern extended his hand to the girl's head and gently placed it on her scarlet hair, his mind
focused on a single thought.
Her true name. Although, he still couldn't be sure that he'd get the talent when he gets the
name, he couldn't be sure about anything since he had never used this ability on a drifter
before. But he had a responsibility to try anyway.
To his surprise... it worked. [Conditions have been met...]