Chapter 250

"I am Laina, Heroine Laina."

The small girl looked up at the tall man, momentarily dazed.

Not long ago, it had been exactly these two, their opposition, the same composition.

Back then, I was far stronger than now, yet also far more powerless.

But now is not the time to overthink.

"My time of existence is extremely limited. Perhaps you can accept this."

On her outstretched palms rested a faint red glow.

"What is this?"

Li En Sudar calmed down. Even if Laina returned again, morally he had no reason to feel guilty—he hadn't been the one who betrayed her back then; he had no cause to feel ashamed.

In the worst case, it's just a fight. Haven't I already carried enough inexplicable debts on my back?

"A memory. My memory. It was recovered by 'the Snake' from 'Him.' It is the truth you've been seeking."

Laina's pupils fixed on Li En Sudar. Though her face was identical to Lana's, they were clearly two entirely different people—just as Laina, through Li En Sudar, saw another "existence."

Was this a ploy left by the Snake? Perhaps worthy of some trust—but Li En...

"That note—was it written by you?"

Li En Sudar paused, then asked what seemed an insignificant question.

That note had appeared in the parlor; the maids had noticed nothing, not even the magical traps set by Shaliman.

Either it was a master who crushed Shaliman's magic, or it was an inside traitor.

Li En Sudar had once suspected Rosalind had set the trap, but from Hela's information, Rosalind herself knew nothing of these events.

Then the origin of that elegant handwriting became deeply suspicious.

And when he saw "Laina," Li En Sudar suddenly understood—hadn't the city lord said the former Heroine Laina had also investigated?

If she had information, and upon learning he was also investigating, chose to pass it to him, it made sense...

"It was me. But back then, I didn't find the monster underground—only the Whisperer's records, and from those, I uncovered the truth."

Laina's expression grew more nuanced as she watched Li En Sudar. This wasn't a prearranged trap.

In fact, all information and scrolls concerning the Whisperer were hidden in secret compartments of those bookshelves. Had Li En Sudar searched methodically, he would have found them eventually.

Yet he, in his quest to detect evil, stumbled upon the underground monster first—and completely lost control of the situation.

Hearing this, Li En Sudar understood. It made sense.

If Laina had encountered that monster back then, regardless of the outcome, the monster could not have remained hidden there still.

"Through the Whisperer's power, I found some things. This is part of it."

On her outstretched right palm, the light points still flickered.

It seemed, this was the answer to everything.

This time, it was Li En Sudar who hesitated—hesitating whether to accept it all.

Everyone on Earth knows it's foolish to eat strange things, especially when this person had already betrayed him once. Li En Sudar wanted to ask.

"What answer did you receive from the Whisperer?"

"At first, I sought the great red dragon. But that answer demanded my entire life—and the priest's state was unstable then; the answer given would likely have been unreliable."

Heroine Laina, indeed, had gone to seek the great red dragon that would destroy all.

To them, perhaps it was the root of everything.

But that answer had always exceeded the cost of life. Considering the nature of the Dragon of a Thousand Faces, even if she paid the price, she likely would not have received the correct answer.

"So I asked only for the direction in which the great red dragon departed."

Is that allowed?! Li En Sudar thought—actually, it might well be.

This wasn't a direct probe of its coordinates. Anything with form leaves traces. Wherever the scorching great red dragon passed—even without witnesses—there were traces in the clouds, the air, the atmospheric temperature.

Asking only for "direction" would minimize the cost as much as possible.

"My soul's 'single-mindedness' greatly aided my search. And along the way, I asked three times—each time costing me twenty years of life."

In truth, it was this pure "obsession" that allowed her to obtain the target she desired.

The Whisperer's trading partners were only "life," but the priest held authority to adjust how exactly that life was exchanged.

After acquiring the data and intelligence back then, Laina seemingly cultivated a priest of her own, binding him to serve her.