章節 1734: Promise
After waiting for Gandr to catch up with her, Endorsi spent the remainder of the very short journey inquiring about any special customs or etiquette she would need to be aware of. In response, Gandr explained that the only thing she needed to worry about was saying anything that might be directly misunderstood as a challenge or an insult. Since she wasn't a subject of the Empire, she didn't need to observe its customs, courtesies, or common practices.
Endorsi felt like the explanations regarding Vahn were always strange, but, after meeting with the heads of the Ten Great Family, she knew it wasn't uncommon for those with extreme power and authority to have peculiar, even quirky, personalities. Most only seemed to care about very specific things, often laughing off everything else as if it was completely meaningless. As for Vahn, based on everything she had heard from both Phae and Gandr, Endorsi got the impression she would be fine so long as she didn't go out of her way to directly antagonize him...
Once they had reached Vahn's room, located near the very end of the hall, Gandr turned to face the ghostly-eyed woman, asking, "Are you ready? My Master will have been expecting you."
Raising her brow at Gandr's remark, Endorsi answered his question with one of her own, asking, "Is he some kind of psychic? Don't tell me he has the power to see the future..."
Rather than deny the woman's words, Gandr just shrugged his shoulders before explaining, "It isn't like that, but you're not entirely wrong. You'll learn more about my Master once we move further up the Tower. For now, the only thing you need to understand is that, even when he isolates himself in his room like this, he is aware of many things taking place outside. If he wanted to, my Master could be the Best Seed in every Position without any real effort. Just keep that in mind..."
Remembering how easily Vahn had dealt with the other Regulars during the Crown Game, Endorsi didn't try to refute Gandr's claims. His power was 'clearly' on a level of its own, and, after discussing the Emperor with Phae on several occasions, it almost felt like there was 'nothing' the man couldn't do. Gandr's words just reinforced this idea, albeit in a way that made it sound like he was inflating his Master's accomplishments and capabilities out of proportion...
Noticing Gandr was still staring at her, clearly awaiting her response, Endorsi took a deep breath before nodding her head in confirmation. Immediately after that, the door to the room promptly opened without the need for knocking or pressing the doorbell, followed by a firm yet kind voice stating, "You may enter, Princess Endorsi of the Jahad Empire..."
Despite feeling nervous all of a sudden, Endorsi managed to appear confident as she stared back at the bearded man sitting in a lotus position atop his bed. Then, without any discernible signs of fear or hesitation, she stepped across the threshold of the door, smiling as she said, "Long time no see, Mr. Sage Dragon Emperor. I believe this is our first time conversing since the events preceding the Crown Game?"
Before answering Endorsi's fairly casual remark, Vahn returned a subtle smile before raising his hand to produce a comfortable chair for her to sit on. This caused her to tense up noticeably, but, almost immediately thereafter, she managed to take a seat without appearing visibly flustered. It was only then that Vahn answered, his voice a poised and velvety baritone as he replied, "Though I am remiss to say, you are, indeed, correct. Now, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"
Understanding that Vahn had no intention of making small talk, Endorsi's expression became a little more serious as she explained, "I wanted to ask a few questions, and, if possible, I would also like to make a request..."
Having come to know quite a bit about Endorsi's character through Phae and Gandr, Vahn issued a light hum before asserting, "If I'm not wrong, your questions concern Baam and Rachel. As for your request...you want us to protect Anak?"
Though her eyes widened slightly, Endorsi was able to conceal most of her surprise, smiling a little more prominently as she answered, "That is correct. I wanted to confirm whether or not they are Irregulars. I also wanted to know why you would go out of your way to save someone like Rachel..."
Shaking his head, Vahn preempted anything else Endorsi might say by stating, "Though it cannot be disputed that I had a hand in things, I did not go out of my way to save that woman. As for whether or not she and Baam are Irregulars, I believe you have already found the answer to that question on your own. If you would like to know more, it would behoove of you to petition them directly. It is not my place to speak on their behalf, and, though I have reached my own conclusions, it would not be proper for an Emperor to engage in gossip."
Hearing Vahn's reply, Endorsi couldn't help feeling a little dissatisfied, but, rather than harp over the matter, she decided to focus on what was most important, asking, "And what of Anak? I know it-"
Without waiting for Endorsi to finish, Vahn adopted a grandfatherly smile as he said, "Your concerns are understandable but ultimately unmerited. The Aldrnari Empire will never ignore those in need of our assistance. We might not go out of our way to seek out everyone that needs help, but, once we become aware of someone's plight, it is only natural that we protect them. Worry not. Even if Jahad himself makes an appearance, the Empire will never bend the knee or compromise with tyrants."
As was often the case whenever Vahn was making bold claims, he found it impossible to completely restrain his aura. His [Will of the Emperor] practically demanded that he show off just a little bit, so, during his impromptu declaration, an awe-inspiring aura had spread throughout the confines of his room, bearing down on its occupants.
Feeling the majesty radiating from the man seated before her, Endorsi felt a mixture of inspiration and relief. She doubted Vahn had the power to oppose Jahad, at least for the time being, but, at the very least, he wouldn't abandon Anak the moment things became troublesome. This was the most important thing, as, after witnessing Phae's and Gandr's treatment of her lovable little niece, Endorsi knew the only thing that might interfere with them protecting Anak were the words of the man they called Lord and Master.
Though it didn't seem to be necessary, Endorsi felt compelled to bow her head towards Vahn, relief audible in her tone as she softly muttered, "Thank you...". Then, as if her sincerity had been nothing more than an illusion, she raised her head, smiling somewhat mischievously as she said, "Gandr and Phae were right about you. You give off a scary aura, but you're really just a big softie, aren't you?"
Amused by the spontaneous change in atmosphere, Vahn lightly chuckled in response to Endorsi's words before adopting a kind smile and answering, "Think what you will. So long as you never stray too far from the path of righteousness, you will never have reason to doubt those words. Now, was there something else? Though your presence is a welcome reprieve from the silence, I'm certain you have other matters to attend, no?"
Flattered by Vahn's words, Endorsi couldn't help giggling, hand covering her mouth as she playfully remarked, "My, it seems the Sage Dragon Emperor is quite the charmer. Now I understand how you were able to snag a woman like Phae to be your vassal~."
Understanding that Endorsi was fishing for juicy gossip, Vahn returned a casual smile before raising his hand and saying, "I hope you have a wonderful day, Princess.". Then, before Endorsi could offer a single syllable in response, he promptly teleported her, chair and all, outside the room.
---
Noticing the sudden change in her surroundings, Endorsi's eyes widened quite a bit, her evaluation and fear of Vahn increasing exponentially as she wondered what other feats the enigmatic Irregular was capable of. Teleportation was an ability typically associated with extremely skilled Light Bearers, but, even then, they required the use of several high-ranking Lighthouses.
Liberating Endorsi from her thoughts, Gandr turned his head to the side, ears flopping as he asked, "Did you say something stupid?"
Remembering all her rage and frustration from earlier, Endorsi attempted to smack Gandr's head, but, as was often the case, her fist phased through him without any feedback. This was yet another peculiar ability possessed by the Irregular trio, reminding her just how 'ridiculous' their capabilities were compared to 'normal' people.
Dissatisfied by how easily her attack was dodged, Endorsi leaped away from the chair in an instant, her face turning somewhat vicious as she produced a silver whistle from her Inventory. This caused Gandr's pupils to shrink, ears flattening atop his head as he plainly stated, "If you blow that whistle, I'm going to draw whiskers on your face with permanent marker..."
Though she didn't doubt Gandr was capable of keeping his promise, Endorsi felt it was high time she taught the boy a lesson. She could always ask Phae to help her remove the marker, so, without any semblance of fear, she brought the whistle to her lips, smiling in a naturally seductive manner before blowing into it with all her might...
---
Ignoring the high-pitched whining echoing within the back of his mind, Vahn rose to his feet before walking over to the corner of the room and picking up a predominately black, needle-like, weapon. The moment he did so, a petite woman with flowing golden hair, matching draconic eyes, and elven ears appeared behind him, complaining, "You know I don't like when you handle me. That fiery brat hiding within your soul is a real pain in the ass."
Chuckling lightly in response to the woman's words, Vahn activated the visible mode of his custom Arms Inventory before explaining, "Don't worry, I have no intention of wielding you. Laev-tan won't bully you unless she feels like her position as my sword is threatened."
Puffing out her cheeks in dissatisfaction, the woman, Black March, crossed her arms and said, "Even though I went out of my way to ignite for you..are you just going to toss me away when you get the chance? Most people would fight to the death just for a chance to possess me, much less obtain my power! What makes that flaming lizard brat so special, huh!?"
Without turning his attention to the woman screaming in his ear, Vahn 'lightly' flicked the blade of the Black March with his middle finger. This caused the woman behind him to squirm about, arms embracing herself as both the blade and her body released a reverberating hum. At the same time, a red hue developed across her face, and, though she didn't need to breathe, the woman began to pant as angelic black wings unfurled from her back.
Pulling out an oil rag, Vahn brought a stop to the vibrations of the Black March, cleaning it in much the same way he would Laev-tan as he explained, "I understand your desire to do battle, but I have no need for an additional weapon at this point in time. Besides, I'm not abandoning you, I'm asking you to keep a watch on that woman until we reunite on the upper floors. If it is discovered that you are in someone else's possession, she will be executed just for having lent you out. Even if you don't like igniting for women, you aren't the type that would just ignore the death of the person you have been entrusted to..."
Hearing Vahn's remark, a sigh escaped the Black March's lips as she wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned against his body. She wasn't entirely sure why, as Vahn was far beyond her strike zone, but she always felt very comfortable around him. Her only complaint was that he already had another powerful Spirit residing within his body, a very jealous Spirit that could easily suppress her without a contest.
Since there was absolutely no feedback whenever the Black March touched him, Vahn didn't mind her being a little clingy. She had revealed quite a number of things to him, so, out of consideration for their coming separation, he spent a considerable amount of time polishing her blade in silence before inspecting its immaculate sheen and remarking, "You really are an amazing weapon. Once I reach the upper floors, I will be sure to reclaim both you and the rest of the 13 Month Series. After that, I will keep my promise...you have my word..."
Though she wouldn't have believed them if it was someone else making such a promise, the Black March had come to learn quite a bit about Vahn over the last month. He had even allowed her to stay in the Little Garden for a bit, an idyllic place where she could manifest her Spirit without having to ignite. There, she learned exactly what kind of existence Vahn was, so, after hearing his words, an expectant smile spread across her face as she planted a sensationless kiss on his cheek and replied, "I believe in you...God of a Foreign World..."
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Endorsi is quite bold','Endorsi's face when Phae refuses to help get rid of the marks *surprised pikachu*','Vahn makes all the sword girls glisten ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)')
https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu <-(p.atreon link)
paypal.me/Einlion
Discord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh
章節 1735: Proposition
With less than two hours remaining until the results of the Position Test were announced, Khun had asked Gandr, Phae, Endorsi, Anak, Shibisu, Hatsu, Aleksai, and Laure to gather in the Medical Ward's waiting room. Nare and Chunhwa had also been invited, but, for fairly obvious reasons, they wanted to keep to themselves until the results and been announced.
Understanding the couple's anxieties, Khun didn't urge them to attend. He did, however, promise to compensate them if they weren't selected to climb the Tower. He knew Nare's goal for climbing the Tower was to earn enough money to open a Shinheuh Breeding Farm. As for Chunhwa, he had been tasked by his village's Elder to climb the Tower in search of his sworn brother. Neither of their goals 'required' them to keep climbing the Tower, so, regardless of the outcome of the Position Test, Khun promised to help them fulfill both of their objectives.
---
Seeing everyone gathered around, Khun offered a polite smile as he said, "Thanks for agreeing to meet here on such short notice. I'm sure most of you have already realized my intentions so I'll just be out with it...I'd like for us all to form a team. Though our objectives are different, our penultimate goal is the same. By working together, we can drastically increase our chances of achieving each of our dreams..."
Never shy in the face of serious situations, Endorsi didn't hesitate to snort in response to Khun's words, a somewhat vicious smile spreading across her face as she retorted, "You're speaking like we haven't already come to a tacit agreement to climb the Tower together. Don't tell me you're actually trying to designate yourself as the leader of our group when there are two Princesses of Jahad and a literal Emperor in our party?"
Hearing Endorsi's remark, Khun, and everyone else present within the room, shifted their attention to the aggressively smiling Princess. Under normal circumstances, her posturing would have been rather intimidating, but, due to the previous incident with Gandr, she still had cat-like whiskers and a triangular nose drawn on her face in black marker. She had tried scrubbing it off, but, even after washing her skin until it was tender, the marker neither faded nor smudged. Phae had also refused to help her, pointing out that she knew what she was getting herself into the moment she blew the dog whistle.
Though nobody said anything, Endorsi could tell what everyone was thinking as they stared back at her. This caused a burning sensation to flow into her cheeks, but, pretending like their stares didn't bother her, Endorsi crossed her arms before haughtily stating, "I would normally propose that Phae be made the leader, but, considering her relationship with the Emperor, it is only natural that he be nominated for the position. I won't deny that you are a very capable man, especially after your little performance during the Hide-and-Seek Test. However, can you really compare yourself to someone like Phae?"
Turning his head to the woman in question, Khun maintained his polite smile as he asked, "What do you think about all this, Ms. Phae?"
As Khun had already approached her beforehand, an amused giggle escaped Phae's throat before she replied, "My Lord will undoubtedly have the highest position within our group, but, unless there is a particularly dangerous enemy, you shouldn't expect him to intervene. As for myself, my duty is, first and foremost, to my Lord. I am more than willing to provide support, but, for the most part, my specialty lies in the production of items. I have absolutely no desire to be the leader of the group."
Not expecting someone as confident and capable as Phae to immediately step down, Endorsi found herself at a loss for words. Fortunately, before she could completely lose herself to incredulity, Phae smiled back at her, adding, "Don't worry. Khun is a smart young man. He might have a mischievous side to him, but he is also very cautious. So long as my Lord is present, he knows better than to act out...isn't that right, Mr. Khun~?"
Feeling the temperature drop around his body, an awkward-sounding laugh escaped Khun's throat as he replied, "Ms. Phae makes a good point...Besides, I'm sure everyone here has already realized that the Emperor intends to make us an offer in the near future. Depending on our decisions at that time, everything we're talking about right now might become irrelevant. All I'm proposing is that we make things official so that, even if something happens to split our party, we can continue working towards the same goal."
Unamused by the fact that Khun was already mentioning their party splitting before it had even formed, Endorsi pointedly asked, "What happened? You're keeping something from us..."
With all eyes in the room shifting back to him, Khun released an exasperated sigh, falling silent for several seconds before answering, "I've had the feeling that something strange was going on ever since arriving on the 2nd Floor. I don't know what it is, but I feel like something is going to happen that might force us apart. I just wanted to make sure we were all on the same page before anything unexpected happens. As for the leadership position...I don't really care about that. I nominated Rak in order to prevent him from complaining about it later. The only thing I care about is making sure we all advance through the Floors as quickly and efficiently as possible. To that end, I hope you'll at least trust my judgment during future Tests..."
To complete his statement, Khun lowered his head towards everyone present. He was being sincere for the first time in a long time, so, while he anticipated Endorsi to continue badgering him, he was hoping she could at least intuit he was serious. After all, they ultimately shared the same goal, and, unless something unexpected happened, they would be treading the same path for the next couple of decades, at the very least.
Endorsi didn't really like the idea of following Khun's orders, but, convincing herself that Vahn and Phae were ultimately in control, she released an exasperated sigh of her own before saying, "Fine. I never really cared about who was calling the shots. Just remember that I am a bonafide Princess of Jahad. People will naturally assume I'm the leader of the group and we're guaranteed to draw a lot of publicity. Keep that in mind and make sure not to embarrass me. I might not actually care about public opinion all that much, but I still have an image to uphold."
Surprised that Endorsi had given up so quickly, Khun was genuinely at a loss for how to respond. A part of him was tempted to point out the marker still on her face, but, rather than complicate things further, he ultimately just smiled and said, "Thank you..." before everyone began to fervently discuss potential team names...
---
Though Vahn had also been invited to the gathering arranged by Khun, he entrusted the situation to Phae and Gandr before making his way over to where Hoh had been hospitalized. The man had tried to kill himself following his awakening, and, though several people had visited to try and cheer him up, Vahn found the man staring off into space with a blank expression on his face.
Anticipating Baam or his former teammate, Serena, Hoh was more than a little surprised when he saw Vahn standing at the entrance to his room. For a brief moment, there was even a flash of life visible in the man's eyes, not due to any kind of hope, but anticipation for his death. He currently had both of his arms strapped to the sides of his hospital bed, so, even if he wanted nothing more than to end his own life, he was powerless to even accomplish that.
Without beating around the bush, Vahn walked over to the man's bed, his voice solemn and heavy as he asked, "Tell me, do you regret betraying your friends and murdering one of the few people in this Tower who could empathize with you? Even if you somehow managed to move on to the next floor, how far do you think you would have gotten on your own? People aren't exactly lining up to ally themselves with someone who would murder their comrades for a chance to move up a single floor..."
Remembering the look on Grey's face when he stabbed her, tears began to well up inside of Hoh's eyes as he strained against his bindings and shouted, "Shut up! You don't know anything! You don't know what it's like to be powerless! You don't know what it's like to be unable to change your fate no matter how hard you try! Climbing the Tower is the only chance I had left! Everything! Everyone I cared about has already been taken from me! My only hope was to climb the Tower and become a Ranker! Without power, how could I ever hope to kill that fucking monster and avenge my friends!? My family...!?"
Hearing the pain and anguish contained within Hoh's every word, Vahn wasn't unable to empathize with the man. That didn't cause the glower on his face to fade away, however, as one's suffering did not give them the right to inflict suffering upon others. Grey had her own tragic background, much like everyone else that had been chosen to climb the Tower. She and Hoh had even been close, yet, in spite of this, the man ended up murdering her in cold blood just for the chance to advance to the 3rd Floor.
To prevent the man's continued thrashing about, Vahn pointed his finger toward Hoh, freezing him in place as he stated, "I asked if you regretted your actions. I don't care how you ignorantly justify your actions. If you are sincere and seek to repent, I can offer you the power you seek. However, in exchange, you will live the remainder of your life carrying the burden of your sin. Now, tell me, do you regret betraying your friends and murdering another person...?"
Though he couldn't move most of his body, Hoh was still able to produce a steady stream of tears, pain, sadness, and, most importantly, regret visible in his golden irises. This was what Vahn wanted to see, as, regardless of a person's actions, there was hope so long as they sincerely regretted their actions. Hoh was neither evil nor malicious. He had simply been led astray, consumed by his desire for revenge and the despair he felt after realizing he lacked the talent to achieve his goals.
With Vahn releasing him from his telekinetic grasp, Hoh's tears flowed in even greater volume as he lowered his head and shouted, "Of course I feel regret! I never meant to kill anyone! Grey...she...I...!"
Having no desire to listen to the man's mad ramblings, Vahn performed a hushing gesture with his hand, his aura condensing around them as he said, "That's enough. As I said previously, I don't care how you wish to justify your actions. If you are truly repentant, you will demonstrate it through your actions. So long as you pledge to walk the path of penance in the future, I will grant you the chance to obtain the power you seek. Now, what will you choose? Will you continue trying to flee your sins by taking your own life or will you accept responsibility for your crimes by endeavoring to make the world a better place...?"
---
Though there was still more than half an hour before the results were to be announced, most of the Regulars began to sparsely populate the once overcrowded lecture hall. They were using the same hall where everyone had originally gathered to learn their Positions. Back then, everyone had been hopeful, confident, and completely sure of themselves. Now, however, their numbers had dwindled considerably, and, by the end of the days, approximately half of them were fated to be ejected from the Inner Tower. Despite this, everyone, including those who were guaranteed to fail, had shown up, each hoping and praying for a miracle as the Test Administrators and Director slowly filed into the room...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Endorsi be like, "Phae is bae."','Phae(Vahn) be like, "Ain't nobody got time for dat...!"','The Path of Penance...')
https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu <-(p.atreon link)
paypal.me/Einlion
Discord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh
每周推薦票狀態
200+ 推薦票
榜單 
114 推薦票 
段落評論