Chapter 399: Just Like In the Stories (1)
He feels guilt-ridden? Towards me?
Roel looked at Teresa in confusion, to which, the latter nodded and continued writing in her notebook.
The awakening of those from your clan should have been felt by the wearer of the Shadow Warrior Armor, but over the years, he wasn’t able to sense anything at all.
He thinks that it’s his fault. That’s why he feels exceptionally strongly about taking you away from here in order to avoid the third prophecy.
“…”
Roel fell silent upon reading the words in Teresa’s notebook.
He had an inkling as to why William hadn’t noticed his awakening, and the problem didn’t necessarily lay with William himself. Different from his ancestors, his bloodline had been forcefully awakened through an artificial stimulus from the System. That could have been a loophole in the Shadow Warrior Armor.
There was no reason for William to feel guilty at all.
Roel couldn’t understand where this feeling was coming from, but he felt rage slowly swelling up in his chest. He clenched his fists tightly and took a deep breath to compose himself. Then, he closed his eyes and tried to understand the reason behind his anger.
He had learned about William’s story and the existence of a ‘safety measure’ that could potentially save him once from the Witness State, but he didn’t feel the slightest bit of joy. Instead, it frustrated him greatly.
Logically, he could understand the rationale behind the Ardes’ actions.
Practically all of the races had committed atrocities in the ancient era to ensure the continuance of their lineages. What the Ardes did was mild in comparison. Considering the strength and importance of the Kingmaker Bloodline, no one could deny that it was worth putting such safety measures to ensure the safety of the Ardes’ bloodline awakeners from a utilitarian perspective.
Had the Ardes done wrong?
Those who chose to put on the Shadow Warrior Armor had voluntarily done so, presumably because they were indebted to the Ardes and were willing to repay them with their lives.
The Ardes weren’t just shamelessly clinging onto life either. They knew how important it was to protect the awakeners of the Kingmaker Bloodline for their mission. Over the generations, the bloodline awakeners of the Ardes had laid down their lives to suppress the calamities that threatened humankind, granting the common populace peaceful lives.
One was willing to lay down his life and the other had to remain alive in order to fulfill his mission. It was a voluntary mutual partnership. Roel wouldn’t have uttered any criticisms had it occurred on anyone else, but somehow, he couldn’t accept it when it came to him.
Under the streetlamp, he opened his eyes and calmly looked at the woman seated beside him.
“Miss Teresa, I have understood everything you have said. My deepest apology… but I can’t accept William’s vow.”
“!”
Teresa widened her eyes when she heard the decision Roel made after a long bout of contemplation. Unbale to comprehend his decision, she quickly jotted down her question in her notebook.
Why? William is an exceptionally powerful transcendent. His strength should be of great assistance to you.
“I don’t deny that, but Miss Teresa, you must be unaware of the differences between the Ardes and our Ascarts.”
Teresa’s quill froze to a halt upon hearing the unexpected remark. She blinked her eyes in confusion, not knowing how to respond. Roel chuckled at her reaction before carrying on.
“If the Ardes are the ancient kings of the shadows, the Ascarts would be proud warriors standing tall in the face of adversity.”
Roel gazed into the distant starry sky as he spoke pensively.
“The lineage of the Ardes had already been severed since the inception of the Third Epoch. Over the thousand years, the awakeners of our Ascarts didn’t have any records, rituals, spells, or vows to rely on. All of our awakeners were cast into the most treacherous of conditions from the moment of their awakening. Yet, we were able to overcome the odds and survive. Why is that the case?
“The reason is simple. We’re warriors fighting against fate, be it the fate of inevitable death, the fate of a declining house, or the fate of losing our loved ones. Danger has always been our predicament, but we don’t plan on lowering our heads before it. This is the spirit we embrace, and it’s our honor. That’s why we were able to survive for a thousand years despite the severance of our lineage.
“The ancient kings might have attained wisdom that allowed them to deftly circumvent danger, but as a warrior of the Ascart House, the notion of having to use another human as a tool and necessitate him to die on my behalf sullies my honor. It violates the spirit that made the Ascarts strong in the first place. My companions will frown at me if I choose to accept the vow.”
Those resolute words left Teresa with widened eyes.
In a faraway dimension, a white-haired witch murmured the name of her hero with an enigmatic smile. The Primordial Earth Goddess peacefully closed her eyes. In a blood-colored plain, a humongous skeleton giant released a brilliant glow from his eyes, an expression of admiration from a fellow warrior.
“I’ve always believed in living my life carefully and doing everything I can to survive. However, I have not grown so weak as to require someone to serve as my scapegoat. Every generation has its own circumstances, and everyone has their own moral compass. While I am grateful to my ancestor, Wendy Arde, for preparing such a safety measure for me, I’m afraid that I can’t accept this vow.”
Roel didn’t think that he was in a position to denounce the Ardes, but he wouldn’t back down on his principles either.
Teresa stared at Roel with dazed eyes as she mused over his words. There were many words bubbling in her chest, but she had no idea how to express herself. A long time later, she picked up her quill.
But William is extremely obstinate too. He wouldn’t give up on it. He sees it as his mission. This is everything he has worked hard for.
Roel thought over those words before abruptly turning his gaze toward the bend by the corner of the street. He stared at the bend contemplatively for a few seconds before finally turning his head back to look at Teresa.
“I hope that he can rethink his options and choose his own goal.”
His own goal?
“If he insists on dedicating his life to become the guardian of a distant prophecy, it’ll be impossible for us to reconcile our differences. I’ll have no choice but to keep rejecting him. However, if he’s willing to reshape his goal into becoming a true comrade of mine, someone who can stand and fight alongside me, I’ll use the methods of the Knight Kingdom to prove to him that fate has already changed. There’s no need for any sacrifices anymore.”
Roel spoke with utmost confidence, knowing that the third prophecy had already been broken. With those words, he rose to his feet and bade his farewell.
“Well then, Miss Teresa. Let’s conclude our discussion here. I’m grateful that you’re willing to inform me of these matters.”
No, it’s only right for me to do so.
Roel nodded before he turned around and left the commercial street.
Chapter 399.5: Just Like In the Stories (2)
Teresa watched Roel’s departing silhouette with a smile. It was only when he finally disappeared that she turned her gaze toward the bend by the corner of the street. An armored silhouette finally walked out from the bend.
“Did he notice me?”
Likely so. Your aura is far too unique.
Teresa answered with a helpless look on her face.
William quietly walked over to the table and took a seat. She stared at the spot Roel had seated on just a moment ago with pensive eyes.
On the other hand, Teresa revealed a reassured smile.
She had been trying her best to understand what kind of person Roel was through their encounters thus far. Today’s conversation only happened because she was confident that he wouldn’t accept William’s sacrifice. She, too, didn’t want to see William becoming a scapegoat for another person, even if the other party was the descendant of the legendary Ardes.
She had seen how William, despite being born as a lofty princess, was forced to cast aside her honor and don heavy armor due to the prophecy, unable to show her face to anyone. Day after day, she had to withstand the unbearable pain inflicted on her by the armor and undergo torturous training, all so she could die for another person’s stead.
It pained Teresa to see all of this.
She saw William as her own younger sister, and none of this seemed right to her.
Why was it that she, the Hextongue Princess, was able to enjoy luxuries and receive the respect of the people whereas the real princess couldn’t even put on a skirt?
That was why she took the initiative to inform Roel of the matter, but to her surprise, the latter responded even more intensely than she had expected. It even jolted the heart of William, who had rushed all the way here to stop her upon realizing what she was going to do.
How is it, Mina? Are you happy with his response? I told you that he wouldn’t leave you to the lurch.
“What is there to be happy about? Something like this is merely…”
William lowered her head as her voice slowly faded amidst murmurs. Teresa smiled at that.
Isn’t this fine?
“What?”
Don’t you think that someone like him feels more like the heroes of the legendary clan we often read about in our childhood? At least for me, I can’t accept someone who’s able to remain unfazed by your sacrifice.
“…”
William fell silent.
Despite her obstinacy, she had to admit that she felt a surge of warmth when she heard Roel rejecting her sacrifice. That very instant, Roel’s figure seemed to overlap with the heroes she had often read about in the stories.
Proud and noble, fearless and strong—isn’t that the kind of spirit that knights devote their lives to pursuing?
He claims that our knightly spirit is outdated and no longer relevant in the present world, but isn’t he the same as well?, retorted William in her mind.
There was no doubt that Roel’s answer had struck a chord in her heart, and that was why she ended up hiding in a fluster. It was only when he left the area did she dare to show herself.
Teresa didn’t receive an answer to her question, but there was no need for it. She could already tell based on William’s response.
All that’s left is the fight between them.
Teresa let out a deep sigh as she gazed at the beautiful night sky above them.
…
In the days leading up to the final battle, Roel chose not to drop by Panoply Manor despite having learned about William’s circumstances. Instead, he focused his effort on preparing for the fight.
Challengers typically avoided their opponent prior to their battle. It was to avoid suspicions of foul play and not affect each other’s fighting will, which could influence the outcome of the battle. It wasn’t a formal rule, just an informal tradition that was deemed sportsmanlike.
Roel wouldn’t want to sway William’s morale due to his emotional outburst, and he also knew that William wasn’t one to be convinced by just words.
He knew that this was no longer a fight to clinch the champion trophy anymore. More than that, this was a fight for them to prove their own faith and strength. His enemy wasn’t only William but the heritage left behind by the Ardes too, whom he viewed to be unfitting for the current era.
He was aware that many things were at stake here, and he was determined to win the battle.
Meanwhile, there was increasing attention on the finals of the Challenger Cup, pushing the tournament toward its climax.
The contention in the previous battle between William and Lilian was simply too great that it had undermined the prestige of the tournament. The organizing committee was forced to step in and deal with the negative publicity, and the way they chose to go about it was to redirect public attention toward the finals.
There were two battles in total on the day of the finals.
The first battle was between Lilian and Teresa to determine the second runner-up. There wasn’t anything much to be said about this round, for everyone was convinced that the match was already Lilian’s. It was nothing more than an appetizer to whet the crowd’s appetite.
The real show was the second battle, the showdown for the champion trophy.
There was a gap between Roel and William in terms of Origin Levels, so the organizing committee wasn’t able to hype it up as ‘The Battle of the Century’ or ‘Clash of the Strongest Prodigies’ as they had done with Lilian and William, but fortunately, the crowd perception wasn’t as one-sided due to Roel’s spectacular performance thus far.
He had defeated some of the most popular challengers in the tournament, such as Selina, Kurt, and Teresa. Support for him was currently at an all-time high, especially after Lilian’s match.
Many Austineans strongly believed that Lilian’s match was rigged, which led to a portion of them harboring enmity toward William. For that reason, they hoped that Roel could defeat William in the tournament. However, this didn’t mean that they were Roel’s fans. They were just rooting for anyone who was against William.
There was one detail that particularly excited the audience about the upcoming finals, and that was the age of the two finalists.
This was the first time the Challenger Cup had lowered the age restriction for participation, but after rounds of merciless elimination, the duo who advanced into the finals actually turned out to be First Grade students. This was more than enough reason for people to pay heed to the Challenger Cup, even for those who had never been interested in it thus far.
Younger transcendents wielded greater potential. If they were able to grow to a significant level at a young age, there was a good chance that they would reach incredible heights in the future. Many of the audience could already see them growing into future powerhouses of the Sia Continent. One of them might even reach a level comparable to Antonio.
The world had already started to dub the current First Graders of Saint Freya Academy as the golden generation in view of their spectacular performance in the tournament thus far.
The term ‘golden generation’ was not to be made light of.
It was associated with heroes who had stood forward when humankind was in times of danger, leading their brethren on a charge through innumerable adversities in search of salvation. With the increasing threat of the deviants at the eastern border, the term ‘golden generation’ carried even greater prestige than ever.
This added another element to the Challenger Cup.
The audience wasn’t just watching a fight over the champion trophy of the Challenger Cup anymore. This was a fight to determine the leader of the golden generation. The winner would earn tremendous prestige and influence that would pave his way in becoming one of the future leaders of humankind.
With the escalating importance of the Challenger Cup, the citizens of Leinster, tourists who had come from afar, the media, and even the official delegation parties coming from various countries couldn’t remain seated anymore. They showed their support for their favored challenger in all sorts of ways, be it arguing in taverns or staking their money in betting houses.
Soon, the long-awaited day finally arrived.
The hundred challengers who had cleared the preliminary round were once again gathered together in Leinster’s colosseum. They were seated in the spectator stand, curious to know who would become the number one of the younger generation.
The officials from the Theocracy and the Knight Kingdom sitting at the VIP stand looked incredibly nervous. They were praying hard that their respective countrymen would be able to win the ultimate glory.
Sitting at the top of the VIP stand was none other than a calm, smiling Antonio.
With excitement buzzing in the air, the opening music started to play.