Chapter 194: Sacrifice and the Dragon's Legacy (25)

The package is gone!

The package that had cost their group more than half their lives in casualties, which they had only barely managed to take from the temple in the end — was now gone!

"……"

After confirming this, Shi Diwen was silent for a long while, and in the end said nothing, only letting out a resigned sigh.

Was everything that had happened before just a nightmare?

Perhaps he had never actually had those other nine companions, and had never encountered the temple in the fog?

No, those were all real.

He could recall every single detail of what had happened before, could feel the strange, stuffed-full sensation in his belly.

And the lingering wounds on his body — every one of them proved that it had all been no illusory fantasy.

But even if it wasn't a dream, what could he do about it?

He didn't know what exactly was inside that package, nor did he know what sort of existence had influenced their group.

He knew nothing at all.

Shi Diwen was very clear that he was only a weak ranger, and that against this terrifying mountain range he had no power to resist whatsoever.

If all those previous encounters were their fate, then they could only accept it.

The weak have no right to resist fate.

And after thinking all this through, Shi Diwen didn't keep on spacing out, but set out on his own way.

Given the situation now, he could only take things one step at a time.

Now, he was going to verify whether everything he had experienced in the dream was actually real.

Shi Diwen headed east, and before long caught the familiar briny, fishy smell.

It was the sea.

It really was the sea!

Unable to suppress the excitement in his heart, he stumbled into a run, and soon passed through the fog and arrived at a boundless seaside.

In reality, he truly saw the same coastline as in his dream!

The only slight difference from the dream was that the shore was covered with enormous craters, as if something huge had crashed into it.

Shi Diwen couldn't be bothered to wonder about their origin, and instead charged straight at the giant fish carcass left on the shore.

That massive fish corpse, fully five meters long, seemed to have had its body bitten away by an even more enormous beast, leaving only a huge head with some not-yet-fully-rotted fish meat still clinging to it.

Shi Diwen, who had been starving for a long time, could no longer care about any of that — he rushed straight over and bit into it in one go.

Struggling to swallow the foul-smelling fish meat, feeling the sticky texture slide down his throat, Shi Diwen silently shed tears.

"Wuu wuu……"

After the long nightmare ended, he had finally welcomed the morning sun.

At this moment, in Shi Diwen's nearly shattered spirit, there was finally some feeling of still being alive.

Alive.

He wanted to live.

No matter what, he would live.

As long as he could stay alive… no matter what sort of existence he offered his soul to, it would be worth it.

He had already made his decision.

Once he had made every preparation, he would offer himself as a sacrifice to that unknown deity!

Whether it was his soul, or this body of flesh.

Mist Monastery, the Third Precept House.

Endless Labyrinth.

"Owwie owwie owwie… huh, it doesn't hurt anymore?"

When Herbert opened his eyes, he found that his body no longer felt any pain.

He carefully felt his own chest, and was relieved to find no wound remaining.

Thank goodness, thank goodness.

No cause for celebration.

Herbert slowly got up, glanced at the hourglass keeping time beside him — the sand inside had completely run out.

Did I sleep the whole night?

He moved his body around a little, and found his joints stiffer than he had imagined; he seemed to have stayed in one position for a very long time.

More than one night?

Squinting to sense that all the cell blocks were at peace, and especially upon hearing Valentina's familiar, peaceful breathing, he felt a little steadied in his heart.

Good — it seemed nothing had gone wrong.

"Nie Nasha, is it over already?"

【"Yep, it's finally over~"】

For some reason, Miss Xie Shen's voice carried a touch of emotion, and she sighed: 【"If you still hadn't woken up today, I really would have had to find some way to wake you up."】

Oh?

Herbert raised an eyebrow, stretching his body as he spoke with a smile: "From your tone, did I really sleep that long?"

【"Long? Hahaha, not long, not long — just under three days."】

Hm?

"Three days?"

【"Three days, yes."】

"……"

But compared to being shocked that he had slept for so long, the first thing that flashed through Herbert's mind at this moment was Valentina.

It really wasn't that he was lovesick, nor that he cared about Valentina that much.

What he felt right now was shock!

Holy crap.

She was already sleeping before I went to bed — after I woke up, how is she still sleeping?!

Are you the God of Sleep or what?!?

Although Herbert knew that Valentina had been in a state of year-round sleep before he came to the monastery, capable of sleeping straight through for a year or more at a stretch.

But ever since he had gotten familiar with Valentina, she had never once slept for more than a single day.

Especially after he started feeding her — she would wake up automatically at every mealtime, just like a game character whose daily status auto-refreshes.

But what was going on this time?

Three days without waking?

Are you really that full?!

Not even hungry anymore?

No.

I didn't come feed you for three days, and you wouldn't even worry about my safety at all?

So mad I'm shaking.

When will the Dragon Keeper ever stand up!!?

Herbert gave an unhappy snort, preparing to go straight find Valentina to settle the score and have a proper discussion with her.

Forgetting to feed you is my fault.

But you not coming to find me — that's an attitude problem!

And all I've ever wanted is just an attitude… cough!

Herbert gave a light cough, shook his head, and shook that inexplicable thought out of his mind.

"Cough, cough!"

Lately I've been practicing Reverse Magic too much — almost on the verge of qi deviation.

But jokes aside, the fact that Valentina truly didn't care about him at all still left him a little, just a little, hurt.

…Really only a little bit, okay.

【"I suggest you don't go disturb her right now."】

"Hm? Why? She… wait, she's in a special state right now?"

Herbert was now a classic case of brain faster than mouth — he had only said half of it when several thoughts flashed through his mind, and then his eyes suddenly went wide.

"She finally received the dragon inheritance?"

【"Ding-dong, correct~"】

Nie Nasha laughed twice and teased meaningfully:

【"Congratulations — after your careful sowing and tilling, she has finally managed to do what other young dragons can do from birth."】

Although She was offering congratulations on the surface, Herbert couldn't shake the feeling that he seemed to catch a strange, sour whiff in the air.

Maybe… it was just an illusion?

"How much longer does she need to keep sleeping?"

【"That depends on her own talent — how much of the inheritance she can receive."】

Nie Nasha gave a perfunctory explanation, then shifted the topic and said:

【"But, compared to worrying about her condition, I'd suggest you take a look at your own appearance first."】

"Hm?"

(End of chapter)