Chapter 593.1: Silent Fortress (1)

Roel’s Indestructible Body was an invaluable treasure the Mother Goddess had constructed for him in the ancient era. It was the reason he had survived the multiple attempts on his life thus far after returning from the Witness State.

As long as he had a single breath left in him, he could slowly crawl out of the pits of death. That was also why he was able to save Wilhelmina even though he was on the verge of death too.

Now that his heart was settled down, his body finally got a chance to take its much-needed rest. It was a dreamless sleep, and the enclosed stone chamber provided no temporal clues for his biological clock.

When he finally woke up, the first thing he noticed was the soft cushioning under his head.

Tark Stronghold’s military bunker was constructed minimally. Its cold and hard stone floor was uncomfortable to lie on, especially when one was injured. Yet, the sensation pressing against Roel’s head felt soft and warm, even carrying a tinge of fragrance.

…Fragrance?

It was upon this realization that Roel jolted from his daze.

He opened his eyes and was met with a slim waist and two semi-spheres that blocked the bulk of his vision.

“…”

Her physique is truly… Roel thought as he awkwardly averted his eyes.

It was a lap pillow, one provided by a strait-laced knight. This sharp contrast was an unexpected stimulation that brought a rush of blood into his head, clearing his grogginess.

Roel rubbed his temples.

His movements caught the resting knight’s attention, as she abruptly opened her eyes and looked downward. She looked visibly relieved upon seeing that he had woken up. She gently stroked his cheeks and asked, “You’re finally awake, Roel. How are you feeling?”

“I feel fine. My body is much lighter than before…” Roel said as he inspected his own body.

His limbs no longer felt like they were pumped with lead. He had mostly recovered from the gashes on his back and left thigh, as well as his less major fractures. His more severe injuries were also healing up well. Of course, he was still in no condition to fight, but simple movements wouldn’t pose any issue to him anymore.

After confirming his own condition, he turned his attention to Wilhelmina.

“How are you feeling, Mina?”

“I’m feeling much better thanks to your treatment. Thanks.”

“You don’t need to thank me,” Roel replied with a smile.

He tried to get up so that Wilhelmina could rest better—the position for acting as a lap pillow wasn’t conducive to the recovery of injuries—but the latter pressed him back down.

“It’s fine. My thighs didn’t sustain much injury. This is my way of expressing my gratitude.”

“No, what I mean is that…”

You’re hardly wearing anything at all!

As compensation for having ripped her clothes, Roel had given Wilhelmina his coat so that she could at least cover herself, but his clothes were hardly in a better condition than hers after the intense battle he had been through.

The coat was barely covering her stomach, and there were even holes in the breast area. That, paired together with the perfect physique she had honed over many years, created an explosion of charm.

Even Roel, in his anemic state, could feel his blood pressure rising.

It was fortunate that Wilhelmina quickly distracted him with a change of topic.

“Roel… did you grab those wine bottles from outside?”

“Mmhm. I went out looking for water after you fell asleep.”

“I couldn’t help but notice that the bottles are labeled ‘Product of Tark Stronghold’ while I was drinking from them earlier. What does this mean?” Wilhelmina carefully asked, worried that it would agitate him.

“…”

The disappearance of Tark Stronghold was a tragedy that the people from the Saint Mesit Theocracy were reluctant to talk about. Roel himself was even involved in the matter, having been the first one to witness its aftermath.

However, Roel was much stronger than his countrymen, whose faith nearly collapsed after the incident. He had been the first one to pull himself together and take action then, so naturally, he wouldn’t suddenly lose his nerves now either.

“It’s fine. I can take it, so you don’t need to look at me like that.”

“Roel…”

Roel spent a moment in thought before answering, “It’s as you have guessed. We’re in Tark Stronghold, the infallible fortress devoured by Shrouding Fog two years ago.”

“It really is? But… why?”

Roel revealed his deduction. “My ability probably shares the same space as Shrouding Fog. My Crown’s Stones originate from the Six Calamities, after all.”

Wilhelmina processed the influx of information before dropping the crucial question: “I roughly understand what’s going on, but, Roel, did you encounter anyone when you went out earlier?”

“…None at all. I didn’t encounter anyone when I went out to grab the wine.”

“Just as I thought…”

“Just as you thought? Mina, did you explore the area too?”

“I didn’t, but I have been keeping a watch out for any movements in the vicinity. I couldn’t sense any signs of human activities at all.”

Wilhelmina didn’t pick up on any footsteps or breathing sounds despite her extraordinarily sharp senses. The only things she heard were Roel’s breathing and heartbeat. It dawned on her that there was something amiss with the place they were in, and Roel’s words verified her guess.

“This fortress used to hold over a hundred thousand people, right? Where did they go?”

“…We’ll have to uncover that answer ourselves.”

“Ah? Are you planning to head out?”

“We’re already here. We might as well take a look.”

“But…” Wilhelmina looked at Roel with worried eyes, knowing that he had yet to recover from his injuries.

Even a strong demonic beast could overpower him in his current state.

Given that the hundred thousand elites residing in Tark Stronghold had vanished into thin air, there was a possibility that danger was lurking here. It would be risky for Roel to explore the area in his current state.

“…How about I go alone?” Wilhelmina proposed.

“What are you saying? Do you intend to leave me here?”

“That’s right.”

“Mina, it would be more prudent for us to…”

“You lied to me about your heart. You said that you severed half, but there’s less than a third remaining in you.”

“…”

It’s actually a quarter, Roel thought as his body stiffened up.

He had only told Wilhelmina that he had severed half of his heart and transplanted it into her, which was not a lie, as that was what he had done. The only thing he had neglected to mention was that he only had half of his heart in him at the time. After all, he didn’t want to worry her when she was already on the verge of death.

“…How did you find out?”

“Your heartbeat, as well as your blood flow…” Wilhelmina replied as she carefully placed her hand on his chest, almost as if worried that she would injure him with her touch.

“I know that you recover fast, but your stamina is bound to be greatly compromised given the condition of your heart. Since that’s the case, you might as well let me…”

“…We’ll go together.”

“Roel…”

“I won’t compromise on this. You can’t imagine how I felt when I wasn’t even given a chance to answer your dying confession.”

“!”

Wilhelmina’s amber eyes widened. Her gaze softened, and eventually, she relented with a nod.

“Indeed, I didn’t have the time to listen to your answer then. I’m sorry… Let’s go together, then.”

“…Mm,” Roel replied with a nod.

He first stretched his stiff body before checking on his equipment. Together, the two of them opened the door and ventured out into the world outside the stone chamber.