Chapter 30: The Disappearing Mist and the Alluring Power

The first thing Aldoran and Qing Yu did upon returning to the inn that evening was to summon Liliya and Thrud, questioning them about whether they had witnessed any mist that morning.

Their answer was unequivocally negative.

In fact, Thrud and Liliya had risen at almost the same hour as Aldoran and Qing Yu.

Thrud recounted that although dawn had not yet broken when she awoke, she could still discern the outside scenery clearly through her window.

Liliya corroborated Thrud’s statement, confirming its accuracy.

Aldoran sat across from Thrud and Liliya, her head bowed in deep contemplation.

Thrud and Liliya were incapable of deceit.

Aldoran placed her complete trust in them.

During Aldoran’s contemplative silence, Qing Yu interjected, ‘Could you both recount your waking times once more?’

He sought to reconfirm the accuracy of Thrud and Liliya’s recollections.

Thrud answered with utmost certainty, ‘I rose around six o’clock, and Miss Liliya awoke at six-twenty.

We both left the inn at six-forty.’

As she spoke, she extended a small, black notebook to Qing Yu.

She explained, ‘Because I tend to be rather careless, I specifically purchased this notebook to meticulously record my activities and their precise timings.’

Qing Yu swiftly flipped through the pages, finding a clear entry stating Thrud had indeed woken at six.

With a biscuit dangling from her mouth, Liliya added, ‘There was no mist when we woke up.

In fact, we haven’t encountered any fog at all throughout the entire day we’ve been out.’

She observed Qing Yu and Aldoran, a puzzled expression on her face, unable to comprehend the reason for Aldoran’s peculiar line of questioning.

She truly couldn’t fathom why Aldoran would ask such questions.

At that moment, Aldoran inquired, ‘What about last night?

You both must have seen the mist last night, surely?’

To this question, both Thrud and Liliya responded affirmatively.

‘This is truly strange,’ Qing Yu muttered, scratching his head.

‘Everyone saw the white mist last night, so why are only Aldoran and I able to see it today?’

‘Could it be an illusion?’

However, this theory was quickly dismissed from Qing Yu’s mind.

While eyes might deceive, the sticky rainwater clinging to his and Aldoran’s bodies certainly would not.

This made the situation even more perplexing.

As Qing Yu and Aldoran delved deeper into their thoughts, Thrud gently tapped the table, drawing their attention back.

‘By the way, Lady Aldoran, could you please tell me again what time you left this morning?’

Aldoran replied, ‘I? Qing Yu and I also left around six-forty.’

The moment her answer concluded, Aldoran suddenly froze.

Thrud and Liliya had also departed around six-forty.

Despite their rooms being separated by only a single wall, the four of them had not encountered each other at all.

It was as if they had existed in different dimensions.

‘Different dimensions…’

The events grew increasingly bizarre; Aldoran had never before encountered such a phenomenon.

At that precise moment, as if an unseen force had abruptly tugged at Qing Yu, he was yanked from his chair without any movement of his own, tumbling backward with the chair to crash onto the floor.

Aldoran quickly pulled Qing Yu back to his feet, anxiously rubbing his head.

‘Are you alright?’

‘Ugh, it’s nothing…’ Qing Yu pressed his hand to his head, a strange fragrance permeating his nostrils.

Without any clear reason, Qing Yu felt an inexplicable urge to glance back at the two fresh flowers.

As if guided by an invisible hand, and under the worried gazes of everyone present, Qing Yu’s eyes drifted to the two flowers standing serenely on the windowsill.

The flowers remained still, nestled in their pots, exuding a delicate fragrance under the pale moonlight.

Through the reflection in the window, Qing Yu seemed to perceive a faint, pinkish glow encircling them.

Aldoran, naturally observing Qing Yu’s unusual behavior, followed his gaze and approached the flowers.

‘Is there anything peculiar about the flowers?’

Aldoran had never before seen such blossoms; their elegant, perfect lines and subtle, refined colors were unlike anything she had ever witnessed in any other flower.

This wasn’t to say the flowers were exceptionally beautiful; indeed, countless other blooms surpassed them in sheer aesthetic splendor.

Yet, for some inexplicable reason, these two flowers evoked a truly unique sensation.

They seemed to possess a wondrous allure, making it impossible to avert one’s gaze from their gently unfurling petals.

However, that temptation felt harmless, a thought that flickered through the minds of everyone present.

It was a sensation of warmth and gentleness, much like—

‘A mother.’

‘What in the world…’ Aldoran murmured softly, eagle-shaped markings appearing in her eyes.

A faint blue luminescence, like a meandering dragon, slowly ascended the stems of the two flowers, subtly encroaching upon their pink glow.

Strangely, that power offered no resistance to Aldoran’s invading magic; instead, it compliantly embraced her strength, merging and blending with its radiance, circulating through every part of the blossoms.

The power moved like a noble dancer, twirling and swaying across the flowers, displaying its graceful and proud form.

‘Aldoran?’

‘Master?’

‘Hey!’

The voices of the three echoed behind Aldoran, yet she remained utterly still, continuing to assimilate the peculiar power.

This power was truly strange, utterly unlike any Aldoran had ever encountered.

Logically, within the ‘Middle Realm,’ no matter how formidable a being or how profound their mastery over magic, the influence of their internal mana circuits would prevent them from instantly deploying their full power.

Potent spells typically necessitated a period of preparation.

However, this power defied such rules; it was immensely potent and exceptionally pure, so formidable that Aldoran’s current strength was utterly incapable of directly contending with it.

Even by summoning all the mana from her current emblem, she could only barely suppress this force, and this was merely a negligible fragment of the true owner’s power.

Should the true wielder of this power choose to act, eliminating Aldoran and everyone present would be an effortless feat.

Even if they merely utilized the residual power within these two flowers against Aldoran and her companions, the group would face a bitter struggle.

Yet, despite its immense potency, this power showed no inclination to resist Aldoran whatsoever.

It simply compliantly accepted Aldoran’s assimilation, docilely integrating itself as a part of her own strength.

There wasn’t even the slightest hint of resistance.

‘What’s going on?’ Qing Yu questioned, sensing the room’s temperature had inexplicably risen by several degrees.

The floral fragrance, too, had grown noticeably more pervasive throughout the room.

‘Please be careful, Lord Qing Yu,’ Thrud warned, gradually gathering her strength.

A golden shield manifested upon her wrist as she shielded Qing Yu fiercely behind her, her gaze fixed cautiously on Aldoran.

‘Lady Aldoran’s current state appears somewhat unusual, forgive my presumption.’

Thrud, too, perceived the formidable power.

She knew that her own abilities were insufficient to contend with it; if the power intended to attack them, all she could hope to do was protect Qing Yu, affording him no more than three seconds to escape.

Liliya, however, felt nothing amiss.

With her low sensitivity to magic, she completely disregarded Thrud’s caution, walking directly forward to pat Aldoran on the shoulder.

The instant Liliya’s hand made contact with Aldoran, Liliya froze.

For that same power had surged into her own body, a torrent of potent mana instantly filling her internal mana circuits upon entry.

‘Ugh…’ Liliya tried to withdraw her hand, but it was already too late.

The power clung tightly to her body, continuously flowing into her.

Pink mana circuits gradually emerged across Liliya’s body, spreading over her skin, as mana flowed gently within her like water.

The pain lasted only for a fleeting moment.

What followed was a sensation of warmth and profound gentleness.

A feeling of tranquility swelled within Liliya, washing over her entire being.

Then, amidst the glow, the faint blue light surrounding Aldoran gradually dissipated.

She turned, gently removing Liliya’s hand.

‘Haaah… Haaah…’ Liliya finally regained her senses, gasping for breath, barely managing to suppress the gentle mana within her.

Observing Aldoran’s serene demeanor, Qing Yu slowly approached her.

‘Aldoran?’

Aldoran moved towards Qing Yu, reassuring him, ‘It’s alright now.

That wasn’t anything dangerous; I have assimilated that power.’

‘Really?’ Qing Yu exclaimed, instantly embracing Aldoran.

Indeed, a faint, inexplicable fragrance, identical to that of the flowers, now emanated from Aldoran.

Next, Aldoran turned her gaze to Liliya, whose body was rapidly being repaired by the magic.

In a short span, she had fully recovered.

‘Liliya, how about you?’

‘I… I’m fine?’ Liliya murmured, gazing at her hands.

Energy now shimmered within her palms, radiating an aura of profound benevolence.

‘This power… this mana… this aura…’

‘Truly… a peculiar power…’