Chương 41: Truth?

In the early morning, Noah woke up from his sleep.

He left his tent and approached the one across his tent. There were two tents beside him, in which two women were still sleeping as it was very early.

Noah entered the tent and saw his mother sitting on a mattress while analyzing her scythe in her hands.

"Good morning mother" Noah said as soon as he entered the tent.

Valentina already knew Noah was approaching her tent so she wasn't surprised

"Good morning Noah. Have a seat." Valentina said while gesturing for him to sit on the bean bag in front of a small table.

Noah sat and waited patiently as Valentina poured him some wine in a wine glass and sat across the table on another bean bag with another wine glass filled with wine.

"These things are great. How did you get the idea of this?" Valentina asked while looking at the bean bag she was sitting on while sipping on wine.

Noah smiled and took a sip of wine as he calmly said:

"Would you believe me if I say that I have traveled across many different worlds including some technologically advanced civilizations and this 'bean bag' is used by every common person in those worlds?"

Valentina raised her brows slightly but she replied nonetheless "I would!"

"Oh?" Noah took another sip of wine, genuinely being surprised by Valentina's attitude.

"You are different Noah, I have always felt it. Your strange techniques, your profound words, intelligence, and wisdom are beyond your age. Furthermore, you are not disgusted by incest and are even looking forward to having Ares as yours and only yours which is uncommon for people on Earth. Also, you don't fear anything. I don't know where you get your confidence from...but I am sure you are not an idiot who would overestimate himself." Valentina replied while sipping on wine calmly, though she had her doubts, she never thought too much about it.

But now, the more she thought about these things, the more something felt amiss to her.

"What about you mother? You don't seem to be so opposed to our relationship as well even though you are clearly born here just like me?" Noah answered with another question as he took another sip.

"Me? I am just a mother who wants the happiness of my children at all costs. If Ares is happy with you then I will accept it without any prejudices. By the way, you didn't answer my question." Valentina retorted while squinting her eyes.

At this point, Noah finished the wine in his glass and put down the glass as he stood up to leave.

Before leaving the tent he turned around and looked in Valentina's mesmerizing blue eyes as deep as the ocean and said:

"I am your son 'Noah' and it is the truth!"

"I came out of your womb and it is the truth!"

"I have your blood and it is the truth!"

"I am the twin brother of your daughter Ares and it is the truth!"

"You care about me and Ares with all your heart and it is the truth!"

"You care about our happiness and it is the truth!"

"But the question is what about your happiness?"

"For how long will you live with lies, cons, and deceptions? Are you happy? What is true and what is lie behind that breathtaking smile of yours?"

Valentina's eyes quivered and her vision lost focus but then-

"I WANT TO KILL THAT FUCKING BASTARD" yelled Valentina in rage as her eyes brimmed with fury.

Her aura got out of her control as it destroyed the structures inside the tent but subconsciously didn't touch even a single hair of Noah.

She has never disguised her hatred for Emperor in front of Noah.

Although she might never say these words to Ares, Noah was different and she could talk to him much more flexibly.

"Your time will come, mother," Noah replied calmly with a handsome smile and left the tent.

After a few moments, Valentina calmed down and took a few deep breaths as soon as Noah left.

She wanted vengeance more than anything.

Although she tried her best to smile and give all her love to her children, the burden of revenge on her mind was getting heavier day by day.

Ever since the Emperor forced Ares to 'chat' with Adam who eventually tried to force himself upon her, Valentina's rage increased exponentially.

The earlier doubts about Noah's identity vanished when Noah reassured her that he was her son whom she has loved with all her heart all these years as she trusted Noah with her life and she knew he wouldn't lie to her about such matters.

And the fact that he was on her side and was willing to help her to get her revenge was very reassuring to her...

'Why am I depending on my son who is only a C-rank? I should be the one consoling him when he faces any problems...not the other way around...' she thought with a self-deprecating smile.

"Don't think too much about it mother. I love you and will always be there for you. After all, that is what family does...right?" Valentina heard Noah's voice in her head.

Though she was surprised hearing his words in her mind as mental communication is usually only possible after someone reaches S-rank and Noah was only C-rank.

But instead of thinking about such useless stuff as her doubts were already cleared she thought about his words and felt her heart move.

"Don't worry, I am strong enough to get you what you want mother" Valentina heard Noah's voice in her mind again as small crystal clear tears formed at the corner of her eyes which threatened to escape to her cheeks any second.

Soon her smile was filled with pride as she got up to prepare for their departure to Trynis City, Capital of Arda Kingdom.

.....

Another 4 days passed by in the blink of an eye as the carriage containing Noah, Ares, Valentina and Gina moved through the forest without any rest.

People who cultivate do not require that much sleep and the guards just wanted to escort the carriage as fast as possible to avoid any possible dangers and even more losses.

After all, they lost quite a lot of manpower during the attack of the Crilines and they would prefer to flee instead of fighting with the weakened state of Imperial guards.

Soon, Trynis city came into view...

The city walls as high as 20 meters tall stood proud.

Valentina had a small smile on her face whenever she looked towards Noah and felt reassured as her eyes were filled with pride. She knew that Noah was much stronger than he shows and concealing his strength was a smart move.

Unfortunately for her, she learned this fact too late after she gathered too much attention.

His wisdom and unique techniques surprised her and this reminded her of her days when she was just a young adventurist who raided Dungeons for fun using her strange powers that everybody was scared of, and even now nobody dares to poke her nose.

After all who knows when the ticking bomb will explode in your face if you push your luck too far.

Ares was leaning her head on Noah's shoulder as she wrapped her arms around his.

"Tsk!" Gina clicked her tongue in annoyance.

She wanted to have her time with Noah but first, those monsters interrupted their private time and now Ares was sticking to Noah like glue for the past four days.

Valentina didn't bother with the relationship of Ares and Noah anymore but she felt a mysterious feeling brewing in her heart.

Was it discomfort?? She felt such discomfort was natural since it was her own children. She wouldn't care about other people but it was her own children who were getting closer and closer day by day and who knows when they will take the next step...

Although she gave her permission, since she only wanted her children's happiness, yet she felt uncomfortable for some reason...

She didn't know so she just looked around the city walls of Trynis city with a calm gaze that was filled with indifference.

She didn't care if the Empire or this Kingdom falls tomorrow.

Her father was already living his last breaths...his lifespan was coming to an end, she just wanted the happiness of her children which will never be possible as long as the Delos Empire stands tall.

Their taboo relationship will never be accepted and Ares would eventually be used as a political tool.

Valentina knew this...but she couldn't do anything but wait patiently for her time to come...she believed in Noah and thinking about it her eyes became as calm as a lake.

Soon the carriage arrived at the city walls, but they were not stopped by anyone since the carriage had the mark of the Imperial family.

The carriage first stopped at the local building of 'FashionX' to drop off Gina.

Gina instinctively leaned forward to give a goodbye kiss to her lover...

But-

Then she realized that his mother and sister were glaring at her with sharp gazes, so she just waved her hand and left to deal with her own matters.

She kept thinking how much fun it would be to travel the world and even the Universe by Noah's side fighting monsters and adventuring and touring new places.

She wanted to get stronger to keep up with this monstrous family of talents as she swore in her heart to diligently strive further.

The carriage moved through the city streets.

It moved through a rather poor area that had some old and dilapidated houses with several poor people on the streets.

People on the streets were forcefully thrown out of the way to make a way for the carriage.

Many poor people were sitting on the sides of the streets begging and many others were injured.

Women with small babies in their arms were crying and anyone with a pea-sized brain could guess that these were bastard children of nobles who threw their mistresses on the streets after they got pregnant.

But the family sitting in the carriage had a look of complete callousness to other people's suffering.

None of them flinched and calmly watched them suffer.

Noah watched these people who were doing nothing to change their situations as memories of his past where he begged on the streets just like them when he was young, flooded his mind.

He became an orphan at the tender age of 6. Nobody helped him during his time of suffering.

He roamed the streets of Earth in search of food just like them. Nobody helped him during his time of suffering.

His father died in a war since was a normal soldier of a kingdom when he was 5 years old and his mother was pregnant at that time.

Their condition became worse and worse after his father died. Nobody helped them during their time of suffering.

And his mother died when he was 6 as she was giving birth to his younger sibling all on her own. Nobody helped them during their time of suffering.

His younger sibling didn't survive either.

How was a 6-year-old kid supposed to know what to do as he looked at the bloodied figure of his dead mother and sibling that was still stuck halfway inside her? Nobody helped him during his time of suffering.

He ran away panic-stricken. Nobody helped him during his time of suffering.

'So why the hell should I help others?' Noah thought as the scenery outside the carriage changed to the majestic and shiny building which exuded wealth.

These buildings were naturally the properties of noble households. Streets were less crowded and people in clean clothes could be seen walking around.

The family sitting in the carriage kept looking around the city.

Soon, the carriage reached the Royal Palace.