NOVEL NEXT Chapter 69: MT - 69 Escape
Eris lay before him, her delicate, doll-like face marred by an unsettling crimson flush. A trickle of blood clung to the corner of her mouth, her half-closed eyes betraying her fragile state. Rudeus sighed deeply; this was no time for reproach. Gently, he propped Eris against the wall and began casting intermediate healing magic.
"Holy power, the essence of life, grant strength to the weary. Rise again—Healing!"
With both hands hovering above Eris's chest—though carefully avoiding contact—Rudeus concentrated. For once, his usual roguish tendencies gave way to sincerity. He murmured the incantation under his breath, letting the rhythm of the words guide his magic. While silent casting was possible, Rudeus lacked proficiency in healing spells. Chanting aloud helped him focus and made the spell more effective.
Almost instantly, Eris's pallid complexion brightened. The swelling on her face began to subside, and within a minute, injuries that had rendered her immobile were mostly healed.
Still wincing slightly from lingering pain, Eris attempted to stand, only to stumble. Rudeus rushed to steady her, concern etched across his face.
"How are you feeling?"
"Do I look fine to you, idiot?" Eris barked hoarsely, her voice sharp despite its raspiness. Her sudden outburst startled Rudeus so much he instinctively clamped a hand over her mouth.
"Can you keep it down?" He hissed urgently. "Do you even realize the situation we're in?"
Eris swatted his hand away with an annoyed glare. "Those filthy scum! I'll have Ghislaine slaughter every last one of them!"
Rudeus could only manage a wry smile. He had long given up trying to follow the chaotic logic of this girl.
...
Meanwhile, in the distance, a figure clad in an ominous black cloak stood motionless. His hood concealed his face, but an air of menace radiated from him. Upon closer inspection, the cloak and hood weren't ordinary fabric—they were constructs of pure magic, with countless black threads entwining to give the ensemble an aura of regal mystery.
The enchanted garment served little practical purpose beyond its aesthetic: durable, unyielding, and—most importantly—dramatic. Its primary function, Rudeus might've joked, was pure vanity.
Perched atop a roof, the figure—Roy—watched the scene below with quiet intensity. The moonlight bathed him in a silver glow, and a soft breeze teased the edges of his cloak.
Roy's molten golden eyes glimmered under the moonlight, their brilliance akin to flowing lava. His very presence exuded an overwhelming authority, a natural byproduct of his power and mastery of the blade. Over time, this aura had condensed into something tangible, something others might call pressure.
Gazing at the night sky, Roy murmured to himself, "The Eminence in Shadow Project begins."
With those words, his silhouette dissolved into the soft embrace of the moonlit night, vanishing without a trace.
...
In the dungeon, Rudeus struggled to calm Eris down, coaxing her with every word he could muster.
Despite his efforts, she remained as stubborn as ever, her defiant attitude grating on Rudeus's nerves. It was precisely this unyielding nature that made him more determined than ever to change her mind.
However, Eris's earlier outburst had already attracted unwanted attention. The burly guard returned to investigate, only to find the door, which had been easily opened before, now firmly shut.
In a panic, he yelled to his comrades outside, "Hey! You brats better not be hiding in there! If I catch you, there's no way I'll let you off easy this time!"
Rudeus, without breaking a sweat, smashed the nearby window and climbed through, looking down at Eris. "If you agree to listen to me, I promise I'll get you home safely. But you have to follow my lead."
Eris gazed up at him, her eyes wide in confusion. The moonlight filtered through the broken window, casting soft beams into the otherwise pitch-black dungeon. A gentle breeze stirred her hair as the distant sound of the door being battered rang through the air.
Rudeus noticed the hesitation still lingering in her. He couldn't help but grimace. Eris's pride was so immense that it was almost a barrier he couldn't breach. If he couldn't make her see reason now, their future together would surely be a difficult one.
As the door threatened to break open, Rudeus remained silent. He wasn't about to abandon Eris and run, but he wasn't going to rescue her so easily either. He waited, hoping she would say what he wanted to hear.
Deep down, Eris was just a child. The excruciating pain she'd felt earlier had been her first real taste of suffering—of what it truly meant to be beaten.
What would happen if she were caught? Would she be sold for a large sum of money? Would every day be filled with pain, with fists and kicks? Would she be trapped in a life of torment?
The thought of leaving her parents, her grandfather, and her home hit her like a blow. Her heart clenched as she realized just how vulnerable she truly was.
With a loud crash, the iron door finally gave way. Eris, in a sudden burst of desperation, shouted, "I'll do it! Help me!"
Eris was fiercely proud, but that pride was no match for the chance to escape this place. She wasn't about to let her dignity stand in the way of her survival.
She and Rudeus were not enemies. There was no reason for her to let her pride get in the way of a chance to flee.
Rudeus breathed a sigh of relief when he heard Eris speak. He'd been genuinely afraid she would remain stubborn and refuse to give in. If she had, he would have been forced to intervene, but he would have had to reassess her completely.
A person could have a strong will and a fiery temper, but in a moment like this, if she refused to accept help, then Rudeus would have known that this was someone who could never be changed.
***
Bonus Chapter:
100 Power Stones = 1 BC
300 Power Stones = 2 BC
500 Power Stones = 3 BC
700 Power Stones = 4 BC
1000 Power Stones = 5 BC
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