Chapter 290: A Tinge Of Something Indescribable

In the meantime, while the others discussed the circumstances surrounding Regaleon’s Halberd’s ascension, the Forgotten Knight in question remained immersed in meditation, his attention fixed entirely upon the transforming Soul Essence.

The sensation within his consciousness was extraordinary. He could feel the connection between himself and his Halberd deepening, becoming more natural and complete with every passing moment.

It was as though the weapon had struggled against an invisible restraint for years, and that restraint was finally beginning to dissolve, allowing something that had long been suppressed to emerge at last.

The discrepancy between his Halberd and Armour was finally being eliminated, and the imbalance that had plagued him for so long was on the verge of being corrected.

For Regaleon, this was far more than a simple advancement in strength. It was the culmination of a frustration he had carried throughout his cultivation, a persistent reminder that despite his efforts, one of his most important assets had remained a step behind.

The disparity had complicated his use of Essence Runes and interfered with the synchronization of his Soul Essences, forcing him to contend with limitations that other Etheryeans might never fully appreciate.

Now, those limitations were finally beginning to recede.

The Halberd’s crimson markings flared once more, illuminating its metallic surface with an intense, almost living radiance. The weapon trembled in midair as a final pulse of energy swept through the surrounding chamber, stirring the dust beneath the ancient pillars and sending delicate ripples through the silver light.

Then, gradually, the radiance began to contract.

The luminous strands that had spread throughout the ruined temple withdrew from the shattered walls and weathered pillars, converging upon the weapon in magnificent spirals.

The brilliant spectacle diminished with every passing moment, its overwhelming intensity giving way to a concentrated glow that enveloped the Halberd from blade to pommel.

For a brief instant, the weapon remained suspended in absolute stillness; then it descended gently into Regaleon’s waiting hand.

The moment his fingers closed around the shaft, a powerful sensation surged through his body. His connection with the weapon became clearer than ever before, and he could instinctively perceive the tremendous power contained within its newly ascended form.

It was no longer merely an impression of potential strength, but an intimate awareness of the weapon’s enhanced existence, as though some previously obscured part of himself had finally come into focus.

Regaleon stared at the Halberd.

Its elongated shaft rested comfortably in his grasp, while its refined blade reflected the fading silver radiance. The crimson markings remained prominent, tracing intricate patterns across the metallic surface like veins carrying an unfathomable power. Even without activating an Essence Rune, he could sense the difference between its present condition and the weapon he had wielded before.

There was no mistaking it, his Halberd had finally reached the Count Tier.

For several moments, Regaleon remained silent, allowing the realization to settle within him. He had anticipated this possibility, hoped for it, and endured the tedious process of feeding his Soul Essences one crystal at a time. Yet, now that the breakthrough had finally occurred, he found himself struggling to contain the satisfaction rising within his chest.

A smile gradually spread across his face.

It was a small expression, restrained by his usual stoicism, but genuine enough to soften the sternness of his features. For someone who rarely allowed himself the luxury of celebrating his own accomplishments, the moment was almost unfamiliar.

He was simply too happy to suppress it.

The advancement meant that his Halberd could finally stand on equal footing with his Armour. The two Soul Essences were now of the same Tier, opening the possibility of a more harmonious synchronization and allowing him to pursue greater strength without the same disparity undermining his efforts.

Perhaps, for once, he could stop feeling as though he were constantly trying to catch up with himself.

"Congratulations."

Caelestra’s voice interrupted his thoughts.

The silver-haired Merchant approached alongside the others, her usual composure accompanied by a smile that conveyed genuine delight. She had witnessed enough of Regaleon’s struggle to understand that this advancement meant considerably more to him than the acquisition of another weapon enhancement.

"It seems the Essence Crystals were worth the trouble after all," she remarked, glancing at the Halberd with undisguised interest. "And our little experiment turned out to be a success."

Ordinarily, Regaleon might have cautioned her against using the word experiment. He had been sufficiently nervous about the possibility of failure without someone casually invoking terminology that made the entire undertaking sound like a laboratory accident waiting to happen.

This time, however, he let it pass.

The ascension had succeeded, and any lingering superstition about a poorly chosen word jinxing the process had become rather difficult to justify.

Besides, Caelestra had provided the very resources that made his breakthrough possible. Complaining about her vocabulary now would have been an astonishingly ungracious way to express his gratitude.

Instead, he glanced at the remaining Essence Crystals before turning his attention back to her.

He rose to his feet and gathered the crystals, returning them to the failed Merchant with deliberate care.

"Thank you, Caelestra." His golden eyes met hers, their usual guardedness softened by unmistakable sincerity. "For everything."

The words were simple, but the earnestness behind them was difficult to overlook. Regaleon had never been particularly skilled at expressing gratitude through elaborate speeches. He preferred actions to declarations and considered unnecessary embellishment a poor substitute for genuine appreciation.

Yet, in this instance, he wanted Caelestra to understand precisely how much her assistance meant to him.

She had not merely lent him a few cultivation resources. She had trusted his judgment, offered an alternative when his original plan had failed, and helped him pursue an advancement that had seemed frustratingly distant only moments earlier.

For that, he was sincerely grateful.

Unfortunately, sincerity could be considerably more troublesome than indifference.

Caelestra’s smile faltered for a fraction of a second as she met his gaze. A faint blush crept across her cheeks, and she promptly looked away, suddenly finding the remaining Essence Crystals far more interesting than they had been a moment earlier.

"Um... there’s no need to thank me," she replied, her voice betraying a hint of flustered uncertainty. "I mean, what are friends for, right?"

Regaleon tilted his head slightly.

"Of course."

His straightforward response did absolutely nothing to improve her composure.

For a moment, the atmosphere that had settled over the group after the spectacular ascension shifted into something considerably more awkward.

The tension was no longer born from astonishment at Regaleon’s advancement, but from the peculiar exchange taking place between the silver-haired Knight and the Merchant.

Several companions exchanged questioning glances.

Had they missed something?

Vaelorin looked from Regaleon to Caelestra, his eyebrows gradually climbing toward his hairline. Kaeloris, who normally preferred analysing complicated cultivation phenomena, seemed momentarily tempted to investigate this considerably less scientific mystery instead.

Even Valmyr appeared to be considering whether he had witnessed the beginning of an entirely different kind of battle.

Veyrath, however, was the only one who discreetly glanced toward Aureleah.

The silver-haired Assassin stood slightly apart from the others, her expression as composed and indifferent as ever. Her pale silver eyes revealed little, and her posture remained impeccably relaxed, offering no obvious indication that the exchange had attracted her attention.

Veyrath studied her for a moment before returning his attention to the pair.

’Interesting... Very interesting.’

He wisely kept his observations to himself. Veyrath possessed many questionable qualities, but even he understood that commenting on an unspoken romantic rivalry was an excellent way to become the unwilling participant in one.

Besides, he was not entirely certain there was a rivalry to begin with.

Aureleah herself would have struggled to answer that question.

For most of her life, she had been taught that emotions were liabilities. As an Assassin of House Noctivane, she had learned to suppress hesitation, sever attachments that could compromise her judgment, and eliminate any weakness before an enemy could exploit it. Feelings were distractions, and distractions could prove fatal.

She had accepted those teachings without question.

Consequently, the unfamiliar sensation stirring within her was something she had neither the vocabulary nor the experience to understand.

Watching Regaleon exchange such an earnest look with Caelestra had produced an inexplicable discomfort in her chest. It was subtle, almost insignificant, yet persistent enough to irritate her.

She did not understand why.

Caelestra was his friend. Regaleon had merely thanked her for providing the resources that had enabled his advancement. There was nothing suspicious about the exchange, and certainly nothing that warranted the peculiar tightness Aureleah felt whenever she considered it.

And yet, she could not bring herself to look away immediately.

Perhaps she was simply annoyed by the interruption. Perhaps the lingering effects of their recent battle had left her more irritable than usual.

Those explanations seemed reasonable but they were also thoroughly inadequate.

What Aureleah had yet to recognize was that her feelings toward Regaleon had quietly developed into something far more complicated than ordinary concern.

The attachment had taken shape so gradually that she had failed to notice its emergence, leaving her ill-equipped to identify the unfamiliar emotions now disturbing her composure.

Even Regaleon, whose awareness of his surroundings was considerably sharper than most people realized, remained oblivious to the subtle change taking place within her.

Thus, what should have been a straightforward celebration of his long-awaited advancement became entangled in an entirely different sort of complication.

And while Regaleon stood beside Caelestra, entirely unaware of the thoughts he had inadvertently stirred, Aureleah silently wondered why the sight bothered her so much...