Chapter 58
Murphy's expression changed, and he stared intently at the boy with the disdainful smile.
"With your strength, you'd be chopped into pieces before you even took two steps into the secret realm." The young man took a step back, waved to them, and said, "Goodbye."
He turned around with a grin, trying to run away, but was suddenly pressed down on his forehead.
Lortheran: "..."
With his face covered by a mask, Veris pressed down on Lortheran with one hand. Lortheran, who was a little shorter than him at this time, said in a good mood, "Let's go, don't cause any trouble."
The group of heroes standing behind Lortheran all changed their expressions. They would never mistake such a distinctive voice. Wasn't this the mysterious bard Veris?
The young man was wearing the sharp uniform of the Executioner's Office, with a gold belt across the dark blue fabric and a gleaming badge on his chest. His pale hands were covered by black gloves, but his hair was different from the poet they knew; it was long, completely white.
Is this person... really Veris?
Seeing this outfit, the others hesitated again, even Murphy showed hesitation on his face.
The man didn't even glance at the heroes; after releasing their grip, he walked straight ahead, heading towards the high platform.
Lortheran followed behind him, and even turned back to make a provocative gesture towards the heroes.
Allen: ...How can this person be so childish?
Astor, standing next to him, looked indignant.
Arnold hesitated before saying, "That voice sounds like Veris... but Veris doesn't look like that."
Astor raised his hand upon hearing this: "Really? I think so too."
“Me too… How do you know him, Aster?” Allen started to speak, but then realized what he meant and looked at Aster.
Astor scratched the back of his head. "Ah, the kind uncle I was talking about who took me into the city is named Veris. How come you know him?"
Allen: "At his age, he's hardly old enough to be called an uncle..."
Arnold retorted, "Alan, didn't you say he's lived for many years? We've been calling him 'Grandpa' long enough, haven't we?"
Veris, who was leading Lortheran toward the high platform, suddenly sneezed.
"You're talking badly about me?" Veris looked at Lortheran suspiciously.
Lortheran looked completely innocent: "Why would I tell you secretly? I would definitely tell you to your face."
Veris thought about it and agreed, so he stopped arguing. They had already reached the side of the platform, where many deans and vice deans from various colleges of the Royal Capital Academy were now standing.
Lortheran was still muttering to himself, asking if he could see the road clearly while wearing the mask.
Soldas, the current dean of the Royal Capital Academy, saw a white-haired youth leading a slightly younger boy towards them. Copperfield, standing beside him, whispered a reminder: "His Holiness the Pope has arrived."
Soldas also asked in a low voice, "And who's that next to him?"
Copperfield looked him over, then shook his head: "I don't know either, maybe it's one of His Holiness the Pope's other students."
The verification process was still ongoing, with a long queue outside. The old men all smiled and went up to greet Veris. Naturally, they didn't openly call him "His Holiness the Pope," but rather used Veris's cardinal identity, which he used when he needed assistance outside.
That is, "Your Excellency the Bishop".
The other deans and vice-deans, unaware of the truth, also called him "Your Excellency the Bishop" along with their superiors, secretly wondering if they had ever seen this person before at the Papacy.
Veris nodded to them, his voice tinged with amusement: "It's been a long time, everyone. I've come here today for only one thing, so please don't stand on ceremony."
Those people made way, and he walked forward. In front of him stood Sylvain, who was standing right in the center. Soldas and Copperfield were a few steps behind Sylvain.
At this moment, almost everyone in the square noticed what was happening on the platform.
Everyone secretly wondered who this person, who was being greeted by all the deans of the Royal Capital Academy, was.
Amidst thousands of gazes, Veris strode up to Sylvain. His mask blocked the view, yet Sylvain inexplicably felt that this man was smiling.
The most esteemed person on the continent stood before him, then bowed down, took his hand, and gave him a kiss on the hand.
Soldas and Copperfield, standing nearby, stopped talking in shock, while the surrounding magicians were bewildered.
But the bishop still spoke in a smiling tone: "Good day, Your Majesty."
The Holy Son's status in the Papacy is higher than that of other bishops, and there's nothing wrong with that. Even Copperfield would greet Sylvain on a regular basis.
Why do the Dean and Dean Copperfield look so shocked?
Sylvain was also startled. Before he could react, Veris had already stood up, leaned close to his ear, and said, "My manners are impeccable, Your Majesty."
The Holy Son lowered his eyes and whispered something, which made Veris laugh.
Meanwhile, Lortheran, who was following behind Veris, turned around and struck up a conversation with the dazed Copperfield, asking him with a grin if he still remembered him.
Copperfield snapped out of his daze, confused: "You are...?"
“We met yesterday,” Lortheran winked at him. “An elf, huh?”
Copperfield exclaimed in surprise: "You're the one hanging from the ceiling—"
Lortheran: "..."
However, Copperfield did recall what Sylvain had said after the initiation ceremony yesterday. Looking at the now transformed Lortheran, he silently praised, "Now he doesn't look like he got in through connections."
The one from yesterday still looked too old.
Lortheran always felt that Copperfield was insulting him.
Soldars looked at Lortheran with a puzzled expression. "Is this also a freshman?"
“Yes, yes, I’m a new student.” Lortheran nodded frantically.
Soldas suddenly realized: "Then you definitely aren't."
Copperfield glanced at the Pope, who was talking animatedly with Sylvain, pulled Lortheran aside, and whispered, "What does His Holiness the Pope want you to do in the secret realm? Protect the students?" That was the only reason he could think of.
The Pope himself has divine artifacts; if he wants any treasure, he'll take it himself first. He doesn't need this person to go.
Don't give me any nonsense reasons, His Holiness the Pope is omnipotent!
Lortheran lowered his voice as well: "Brother, to be honest, I was ordered to enter that extremely dangerous secret realm this time, but only for one thing."
Copperfield was startled: "What is it?"
Lortheran pointed to Copperfield's heart. "Murder."
Soldas, who had been eavesdropping, gasped and leaned closer curiously: "Who does His Holiness the Pope want to kill?"
"Wrong, he wasn't trying to kill anyone."
Copperfield frowned: "Then why did you just say you were going to kill someone?"
“I’m uneducated, can you give way to me?” Lortheran said matter-of-factly.
"……OK."
Soldas shoved Copperfield away: "You still haven't said who you're going to kill."
Just as Lortheran was about to speak, the bells announcing the imminent start of the entrance trials rang throughout the square, and he fell silent.
"Speak!" the two old men urged him.
"Shh, shh, can't you two old hags follow the rules during a meeting?!"
The deans who had just taken their positions behind them cast strange glances at them.
Even Veris turned around and said, "What are you three doing? Stand still!"
Lortheran stood between Copperfield and Soldas in the originally arranged positions, but fortunately the platform was large enough that the others only needed to move one position.
Riveren and Fikris, who was standing in the Warrior Academy line behind him, exchanged a glance and both showed disdain.
That Copperfield is a disgrace.
The square quieted down. Fortunately, there was a soundproof array between the platform and the square, so the voices on the platform could not reach the square.
Soldas stood ramrod straight, only to find that His Holiness the Pope was staring at him and even gave him a fawning smile.
The dean of the alchemy academy couldn't help but whisper a reminder to the dean: "Dean Soldars, giving a speech before the trial begins is your job..."
Soldas's smile froze.
Completely forgotten.
Veris and Sylvain stood to the side, watching Soldas pretend to stand in front, and thought that after so many years of not seeing such a scene, these idiots were still idiots.
How did the influence of the Papacy spread to the Royal Capital Academy?!
Soldas had made preparations. He started by welcoming all the new students and others who were interested in participating in the entrance trial. After a long speech, he explained the rules of the entrance trial.
Unlike the entrance exams of previous years, there is only one condition for passing this exam.
Spend seven days in the secret realm.
You don't need to obtain anything or complete any monster-hunting objectives. You only need to spend seven days in the secret realm, in whatever form, to complete the trial.
The square erupted in uproar. After seven days, all they had to do was find a secluded corner to hide in?
Soldas raised his hand, and after the square quieted down a bit, he continued, "The highest standard for evaluation in this trial for warriors and beast tamers is to survive for a month. Those who complete this condition will be given priority in being selected by various instructors and placed in the top classes."
"Magician, fifteen days."
"Alchemists and pharmacists, and other non-combat professions, ten days."
"Special assessment, astrologer, three days."
Alchemists can at least create combat puppets, and apothecaries can carry poison at all times, but astrologers are truly powerless against powerful enemies.
"The entire trial will be projected, and all the instructors and the dean of the Royal Capital Academy will supervise the process. The freshmen should help each other to overcome the difficulties."
The notice was another long one, and whispers continued below the square. Copperfield glanced at Lortheran, who had a serious expression on his face, and couldn't help but ask quietly, "Tell me secretly, I won't tell Soldars."
Lortheran's eyes darted around, and he raised his chin, pointing in Veris's direction: "Why don't you just go ask him?"
Copperfield certainly wouldn't dare, but on a whim, he asked Lortheran, "Are you the Pope's son?"
Lortheran looked terrified and lowered his voice, "Don't talk nonsense, or Sylvain will chop me into mincemeat."
The two people who were whispering over there clearly stopped talking.
Veris, who had overheard Lortheran and Copperfield's conversation, did pause for a moment, but then continued talking to Sylvain about the time he had just adjusted in the dungeon.
It just so happens that Veris has returned from killing the gods.
Veris back then was nowhere near as easy to talk to as he is now, and even he himself doesn't quite remember what happened during that time.
All I remember is that in the long period after the god-slaying, he was busy establishing a new religion, and he committed suicide after the continent stabilized following the founding of Lortheran.
He couldn't remember why he gave up later, whether it was because of Lortheran's dying words or some other reason.
Soldas finally finished his long speech, with the last paragraph explained by Sylvain.
Veris patted Sylvain's hand, the young man glanced at him, and walked to Soldas's position.
"The opening of this trial realm is being overseen by a special envoy dispatched by His Holiness the Pope."
The Holy Son's indifferent voice echoed throughout the square, and the noisy crowd below suddenly fell silent. Countless people looked up at the young man standing on the high platform.
That is His Holiness the only Holy Son of the Papacy.
"His Holiness the Pope named this secret realm 'The Old Era,' which dates to seventeen years before the Orlando era, and the drop location is likely limited to the area near the founding king, Lortheran."
Upon hearing this, everyone's expression changed. Soldas had said so much but hadn't mentioned much about the secret realm, and now the Holy Son Sylvan had just dropped a bombshell.
The cold voice continued: "This secret realm was opened by an artifact provided by the Pope, the Key of Mikanoran. The secret realm is set in the past, so everyone, once you die, your body and soul will be lost three hundred years ago."
"Of course, the legendary ruins of the gods will also appear in this secret realm."
"His Holiness the Pope has specifically released information stating that the ruins of the gods are—"
Poseidon, the god of the sea, has a divine weapon hidden within his ruins: the trident of Poseidon. Once obtained, this weapon will stir up the ocean and allow one to dominate the seas.
Mika, the god of time, and Nolan, the god of fate, were born and died together, inseparable. Their ruins were also merged into one. The artifact that opened the ruins has been opened by the Pope, meaning that the ruins of the two gods are open. As long as you pass the gods' test, you can obtain their treasures.
The earth god Ambrose's ruins have been occupied by the elves. If you are interested, you can also go and explore the former elven forest.
There are only seven gods in total, and four of them have appeared in this secret realm. This is simply unheard of!
Almost everyone's face flushed with the shocking news.
No one paid attention to what Sylvain said next.
Once Sylvain is finished, the moment everyone has been waiting for will be the opening of the secret realm.
The young man with the white mask on his face walked forward. Some of the people on the street near the Third Prince's residence recognized him as the one who had kidnapped the Third Prince that day.
The wind lifted the young man's cloak, revealing his slender and tall figure. Even with a mask covering him, one could still imagine a handsome face.
He raised his gloved hand, and a circular magic circle appeared.
Immediately, a key shimmering with seven-colored light flew out from the center of the magic circle.
"Is this an instant-cast magic circle?"
"No, there's also spatial magic, the legendary spatial magician!"
A magician in the square recognized something and was extremely surprised.
Someone nearby scoffed, "Making a fuss over nothing! Don't they know where this mage came from? It's the Papacy!"
The others, upon hearing this, also thought it made sense.
That's the Papacy; it's perfectly normal for precious magicians to appear within its walls.
Everyone watched the white-masked youth's movements on the high platform. In the blink of an eye, the key known as the "divine artifact" disappeared, followed by a huge golden magic circle appearing in the sky above the square.
The golden magic circle flickered a few times, and the incantations on it became translucent again, shimmering with seven colors.
Many of the magicians present noticed that the central bow and arrow symbol had been replaced by an unfamiliar pattern.
Countless points of light, trailing long tails, flew towards the people in the square.
Without any sensation, the light entered everyone's bodies.
Some people have discovered a magic circle pattern on their palms, but the center of this magic circle pattern has a bow and arrow symbol.
The new students who were supposed to enter the Royal Capital Academy did not have a central symbol on their palms.
"It would be best if everyone spread out, otherwise the portal won't open." The white-masked youth's smiling voice echoed across the plaza. Some of those standing alone seemed to sense something, raising their palms. The magic circle lit up, a door appeared before them, and then slowly opened.
Some people have already stepped into the secret realm, while others, especially those who have formed teams or belong to certain factions, are still discussing what to do after entering.
On the stage, Lortheran looked down at his palm, somewhat puzzled as to why the pattern on his palm looked a strange, blood-red color.
Veris walked over, and Lortheran looked up to see Veris handing him something.
It was that divine weapon, clearly extraordinary.
Lortheran: "Can I refuse?"
Veris's voice came from inside the mask: "You can try."
"You should at least give it to me privately! Everyone saw it now!" Lortheran's face turned a little green. There were still many people in the square who hadn't entered the secret realm yet, and someone was bound to notice this scene!
However, he still took the key, looked at it curiously, and asked, "What can this thing do?"
Veris tilted his head, as if joking: "I can let you be hunted down by 'me'."
"...This is not funny, my good friend."
Veris just looked at him, the mask blocking his prying gaze, and said nothing.
Lortheran's smile vanished, and he clicked his tongue, defiantly saying, "You think you can beat me? I still have this face. So what if I kneel down and beg for mercy? Just watch how fast I kneel down!"
Soldas, standing nearby: ...That's some backbone.
In the end, Lortheran still entered the secret realm with the artifact in his pocket. The door that opened for him was different from the others, with dark red lines.
Seventeen years before the Orlando era.
An ominous aura permeated the dark red sky, smeared with the blood of fallen gods. Ashes of unknown origin drifted in the air, falling softly and bonelessly to the ground before being covered by sandstorms.
Desolation and famine, war and slaughter, plague and religion—this was a dark period with no end in sight.
This is a horror unimaginable to the people of Lortheran, who lived in a peaceful and prosperous era three hundred years later.
On the barren land, an army was advancing. They trod on the muddy ground, their armor clanging together with a crisp sound. Their armor was worn and their spears were rusted. Silence spread through the ranks.
The person riding at the head of the procession was a young man who looked to be around twenty-seven years old. He appeared to be the leader of the army. He had short, golden-brown hair, and his handsome yet sharp features were complemented by a pair of impeccably shaped eyes beneath his high brow bones.
They had been marching for three days and three nights without rest, and the soldiers were exhausted. Fortunately, their destination was not far ahead, and Lortheran could already see the dilapidated city walls.
It must have been blasted like that by Veris; that guy really doesn't care about anything when he starts bombing cities now.
Loseran was lost in thought, holding the reins in his hand. Another sandstorm swept by, slightly obscuring his vision. He raised his arm to avoid the sandstorm rushing towards them.
Damn it, sitting so high up, this sand is all over my forehead!
It's practically an attack on his incredibly handsome face!
The marching column was slowed down by the sudden sandstorm, but it soon dissipated. Lortheran lowered his arms and his expression changed slightly after seeing the scene ahead.
There was a young man standing in front of me. He looked fair-skinned and delicate, and his clothes didn't suggest that he was someone who traveled a lot.
The other person was facing the city wall. After noticing something, they turned around.
Two faces, almost identical, met each other. Lord Lortheran was astonished, while young Lortheran was overjoyed.
He turned and ran, shouting "Papa!" The soldiers standing behind Lortheran all heard him.
Lord Lortheran flew into a rage: "Who do you think you are! I haven't been messing around outside at all!"
Lortheran raised his hand and poked his cheek, grinning as he said, "Dad, you can't just abandon me after starting something, I really am your son."
At the front of the marching column, there were still some influential people who, upon hearing this, hesitated before speaking: "Lord City Lord..."
Lord Lortheran turned and roared, "I really don't know him! This must be some kind of evil magic, don't be fooled!!"
"Oh..." came a disappointed voice.
Lortheran: "I know you have a mole on your butt."
"Oh?" The soldiers looked energized.
Lord Lortheran cried out in despair, "There's no way! Don't listen to this person's nonsense!!"
He turned angrily to the boy who was now standing in front of his horse, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword: "Speak! Who are you!"
If this kid hadn't uttered such explosive words right off the bat, he would have already drawn his sword and chopped him into mincemeat.
Lortheran simply couldn't recall when this period was, even though Veris had given him a specific time. His memory wasn't as good as Veris', and he was even more unscrupulous in lying.
"I'm your son!"
"You say you're my son, then who is your mother?!"
Lortheran: "Veris—Aww!"
The boy opened his eyes wide and stared blankly down at his chest, where a hole the size of a bowl had suddenly appeared, and most of his heart had been pierced through.
He hasn't finished speaking yet!
A cold, chilling voice rang out from behind: "Nonsense."
City Lord Lortheran was also startled, looking at his friend who had appeared out of nowhere, "When did you get here?"
A strong wind blew off the hood of the newcomer's cloak, revealing a handsome but pale face. He did not speak, but stared at the boy whose heart he had just pierced with a single blow.
Golden light appeared, covering his pierced chest, and in an instant, his chest was restored to its original state.
Veris squinted.
Lord Lortheran also drew his sword and pointed it at the boy who looked exactly like him.
“Doesn’t this look familiar, Veris?” Lortheran slowly raised his head and turned to look at the familiar person behind him.
The pale-faced youth stared at Lortheran with a deathly pallor in his eyes. After a moment, he glanced at the city lord Lortheran, who was sitting on his horse, and said, "This really does seem to be your son, Lortheran."
City Lord Lortheran: "?"
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Author's Note: Lortheran, whose life points decreased by 1 after his failed attempt to spread rumors: ...Hey!
Lord Lortheran, accused of promiscuity: ? So I can reproduce asexually?
The new dungeon is open! [Let me see] This post shouldn't be too long.
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