Chapter 376: Preparations (Part 2)

  "Earlier than I expected, and much more decisive. This is someone who can take things up and put them down," Pope said, glancing at Ethan's retreating back.

  "This person's greatest strength is knowing who he is, and the second is being decisive. Even if he's someone who deserves to die, he's not a detestable person," Lancelot nodded.

  "That's for the best. My time is running out," Pope nodded. He seemed to finally sigh in relief, coughing lightly twice. Two streams of dark red blood slowly flowed from his nostrils. He took a deep breath and sucked the two streams of blood back in, then wiped his hand, leaving a faint crimson stain on his pale face. However, it seemed he didn't even notice that traces of blood were also slowly seeping from his ears.

  "Yes, our time is running out," Lancelot saw it, but he didn't seem surprised. There was an indescribable heaviness in his eyes. "I will set out for the Duchy of Klose tonight..."

  "Not our time. My time is running out," Pope shook his head lightly. "You don't need to worry."

  Lancelot didn't speak, his expression just grew heavier and heavier.

  Ethan didn't stay at the Magic Academy, but instead went quietly into the royal capital.

  Although he was now idle, his heart could not be at ease. In about ten days, he might die. Watching everyone busy and tense, while he was actually the one at the core of it all. In such a situation, no one could be calm. Whenever he completely quieted down, became idle, he would inexplicably feel a wave of anxiety and unease, like fire rising from the bottom of his heart, scorching all his feelings until they were hot and irritable.

  He wandered through all the places in the royal capital where he had once lived, whether the markets and taverns he often visited, or Sandro's great house, which was now a flat piece of ground. But it was not as he wished. Reminiscing could not alleviate this anxiety; instead, it was like adding fuel to the fire, making him feel even more irritated and uneasy.

  The matter itself is sometimes not the most unbearable thing. The most unbearable thing is the waiting, especially when what he is waiting for is death. And this is not a complete death. In this death, there seems to be a faint glimmer of life, like a single ray of light penetrating from a dark abyss. It prevents one from giving up hope, leaving one to struggle between the terror of death and the desire to live.

  The sky had darkened. Only then did he realize he had unconsciously walked to the front of the Duke's mansion. Because of these extraordinary times, the usual heavy traffic was long gone. Only a few pedestrians hurried past, and lights from the Duke's mansion shone faintly.

  Hiding in the shadows by the street, he sized up the extremely familiar mansion across from him. In fact, almost everything had started from there. Too many things had happened there. He had once thought he would never come here again, because most of what happened inside was too heavy, too heavy for him to want to recall. But now he couldn't resist the impulse to go inside.

  "What do you want to do?" someone asked from behind him in the distance.

  "I want to find a woman," Ethan answered without turning his head. He had noticed someone following him long ago, and he also knew who this person was.

  "Why would you want to find a woman?" after a pause, this person asked in a very strange voice.

  "Because I don't believe you can hide and watch while I'm in bed with a woman."

  "Why would a person like you... actually... be able to be..." This person walked out from a corner behind him. Although she was dressed in ordinary clothes, her height, not inferior to a man's, and her head of blonde hair were still extremely conspicuous.

  Although he knew it was her following him, Ethan was still slightly surprised when he saw Talise. For no other reason than that what she was wearing was no longer her usual knight's attire or warrior's garb, but a set of ordinary women's clothing. But on her excellent figure, even ordinary clothes looked very good.

  "As expected, you look much better dressed as a woman. At least without the knight's armor, you don't have to bind your chest," Ethan smiled. "Looking at the way you walk, this isn't the first time you've worn a skirt in your life, is it?"

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  "You..." Talise's face turned red, her expression extremely strange. "It's just that the teacher told us not to bring equipment here, so I temporarily found a set of clothes."

  "Hmm." Ethan thought for a moment and said, "I'm bored anyway, how about we stroll down the street together?" Ethan walked over, took Talise's arm, and started walking. Talise struggled but couldn't break free, reluctantly followed for a few steps, and finally forcefully threw off Ethan's hand, but she was already walking along with him.

  There were already very few people on the long street. The once brilliantly lit and incomparably prosperous night view of the royal capital was now gone. Only street lamps, one by one, stood lonely by the roadside, illuminating the pavement.

  If it were any other time, Ethan wouldn't have dreamed even in his dreams of strolling with a woman, let alone with this particular woman. But now was indeed different from other times.

  "Did you come looking for me for something?" Ethan asked first, as Talise had not spoken.

  Talise was silent for a moment, then asked: "I heard. Why didn't you escape? You could have escaped back in Whispering Woods."

  "It's simple, because I don't want to," Ethan looked at Talise. "What do you mean by asking this question? You don't seem to be hoping I escape, do you?"

  "Of course not." Talise immediately answered in a loud, decisive tone. Her expression was strange, a mix of confusion and indignation. "Why would a despicable, vulgar, and dark-hearted person like you make such a great decision?"

  "Great?" Ethan laughed in spite of himself. "I don't think so. Do you think so?"

  Under the dim streetlight, Ethan could still see that Talise's face had flushed red. She said loudly, as if defending herself, "You could have escaped to the Far East by yourself, but you chose to stay and go to your death. Do you think that by doing this, you are a hero, someone remarkable?"

  "What's wrong with you?" Ethan asked, looking at her. He could tell her mood was very off.

  "I don't know, I really don't know." Suddenly, Talise's voice began to choke up. "I really don't know what is right and what is wrong. Who is right, who is wrong..."

  The one who was surprised, on the contrary, was Ethan. From the moment he first met her, the female Temple Knight had single-handedly charged into a bandits' lair, killing with blood and flesh flying and heads rolling. Later on, she had always acted even more ferociously than a man. If not for certain reasons, he would have almost considered her a man.

  "After The Radiant Citadel fell. Actually, Teacher Lancelot told me to follow you. He... he... said, if there was a chance, to let me and you... and you..." Talise's face flushed to the extreme. However, at least half of it was due to indignation. "He said that way, you most likely wouldn't escape."

  "That's really a good idea," Ethan smiled wryly. Although Talise didn't say it explicitly, Ethan understood the meaning.

  "You..." Talise almost jumped up. "I would never do that."

  "Don't worry. Even if you wanted to, I wouldn't do it," Ethan answered.

  Talise suddenly stopped and looked at him. There were actually tears in her eyes. "How could you... then what about back in Nighon, how could you..."

  "I was a bit out of control back then. I'm truly sorry," Ethan looked into Talise's eyes and said very seriously. "I'm sorry."

  "How could the teacher ask me to do such a thing? This is something only the dirtiest politicians and the most evil heretics would do? When I became a Temple Knight, I swore my body and life were all dedicated to the Lord, but the teacher, he... And you, Aimee's sister died half because of you, and half because of the teacher's and His Majesty's plan. His Majesty also ordered Tamika to go to Whispering Woods to massacre the elves like that, but now those elves are actually allied with His Majesty. What on earth is going on? Can His Majesty and the teacher still be considered good people, can they still be considered just? And a bad person like you. In the end, you get to play the role of a great savior. Are you good people or bad people? Who can tell me, what I have been doing all along, is it right or wrong? The things I believed in so much in the past, in the end, they are nothing, they are not anything at all?" Talise was already a bit hoarse, tears had already streamed all over her face.

  Ethan sighed to himself. So the strength women usually show is just because they have something to rely on and faith in their hearts. Faith can make a person strong, even suppress any emotion, and support a person's spirit, but once it collapses, a person becomes weak, good for nothing. Back when he escaped from The Radiant Citadel, seeing Talise's reaction when she faced Aimee, who had turned into a Wight, Ethan had already understood.

  Talise wiped the tears from her face. Ethan saw that broken hand. He clearly remembered it was broken while blocking a sword for him.

  "The affairs of the world are beyond right or wrong to begin with. What's been done, no matter the result, you must bear it yourself. It doesn't matter, what was supposed to happen has happened. Nothing worse will happen. This is actually a good thing, isn't it?" Ethan couldn't help but put his arms around Talise's shoulders. It felt delicate and soft, yet with the elasticity of her muscles.

  Suddenly he seemed to sense something, and lightly turned his head to glance at the Magic Academy in the darkness. Talise, however, didn't notice.

  From the great cathedral of the Magic Academy, Lancelot floated down. He let out a long sigh. His expression seemed a bit more relaxed.

  Seventeen days is not long; for such a huge battle that would decide the fate of the entire continent, it is even very short. Soon, Lord Bolgan also rushed from Oufu to assist with the arrangements.

  In just three days, Lancelot returned from the Duchy of Klose with Grand Mage Diana. His face was full of exhaustion, and there were even some long-dried bloodstains on his body that he hadn't had time to wash off. He brought back only one sentence: "Those two thousand men are no longer a problem."

  Without Ethan needing to intervene, all the troublesome details were like a giant and complex jigsaw puzzle. How all the pieces found their own positions, how they connected with the surrounding pieces. As time passed day by day, all the pieces found their proper places. The armies of the western nations, including Erathia, had mostly begun to set out in these two days. Seventeen days later, these most elite warriors would gather in The Wyvern Wastes to face that giant undead legion.

  As for the troops from Ainfast and Oufu, the farthest from The Shadowspire Peaks, neither moved. First, their distance was too great; unless they used all flying beasts like griffins and dragons, otherwise, there was no way they could arrive in time. Second, there was no need for them to move.

  Along with Lord Bolgan also came Gru. What he brought was not just the news that Oufu would mobilize all its forces, but also four complete Star-Eyes. The mines in the Sanderfirth mountains could no longer be completely excavated in time. He had retrieved these four by his own power.

  The elves who had long been waiting at the Magic Academy immediately took these four gems back to Whispering Woods. Elder Lloyd and Luya would use the fastest speed to craft them into two Dimensional Gates. This would be the only way for the Paladin Order and Oufu's beastman army to advance.

  Ethan did not feel whether the time was long or short. During this period, he was with Talise all along.