Chapter 2399: Hero

Chapter 2399: Chapter 2399: Hero

Time has been far too long. Even though Shard has the ability to unfold the Maze Lock again, he cannot rewind back to the point she first entered the Sand Sea.

"Yes, it’s good this way."

Light points continually drift from her body as Miss Nate looks at the Old Elf:

"Please find the Witch, use the Heart of the Oasis to save my country."

"I will."

The weeping old man promised, and thus, a smile finally appeared on the pale face of the Lady Knight.

She weakly pointed to her side, to the longsword that belonged to her, fallen upon the sand:

"Your original spoils of war are gone, consider this a gift."

During the process of the Witch’s awakening, the once unremarkable longsword and scabbard also underwent a change. The sword hilt gained a blue gemstone, and the sword scabbard transformed into a pattern of gold-blue enamel. Although still ordinary items, this was her most precious gift left behind.

"I will forever remember you."

Shard bent down and picked up the sword.

"Live well, you have the life I envy."

She continued to speak to the Mermaid Girl, who, though she could not understand the situation, was already in tears. Her body had completely turned transparent, yet she regretted nothing:

"Please don’t cry for me, all my life’s goals have been accomplished. I found the Heart of the Oasis, I became the Witch I admired in my youth, I resolved the power capable of contaminating the world, I... became a hero."

Shard held the warm sword, trying hard not to lose composure:

"Do you have any other wishes?"

The girl gently shook her head, smiling at all the companions she encountered at life’s end:

"My determination, my justice, my wishes, everything has been fulfilled, this life was good... so good."

Finally, she looked towards Miss Mister:

"Thank you, God; may I know who you are?"

The lady with light brown skin smiled and nodded, her expression extremely gentle:

"People call me Lady Mist. Sleep, dear child, rest at the End Point. Perhaps someone will awaken you in the future, but for now, all your tasks are complete."

Shelly Knight gave a final smile to the Saint and then her body and soul scattered into glimmers. Shard sliced through the air, and the light points floated into the black crack. The glowing Lady Knight stood on the calm water behind the crack, waved to everyone with a smile, then turned and walked gracefully towards the Silvermoon half-submerged in the water.

Old Lady Sianod covered her face, crying uncontrollably, while the blue-haired Mermaid Girl continuously wiped her tears with a sleeve but still remembered to stoop to comfort the Old Elf.

Thus, the team of "five" people was reduced to four. When Miss Sander supported Old Lady Sianod back to the campfire, Shard and Miss Mister stood motionless.

He knew this Deity would also leave here. Pressing his lips together, he tried not to show too much grief for Miss Nate’s departure, slightly lowering his head:

"No matter what, ma’am, thank you for all your help along the way. Without you, we certainly could not have reached this point."

The lady with light brown skin looked at him:

"Thank you? Just thank you?"

"I..."

"Of course, I’m kidding."

She said with a smile, interrupting Shard’s explanation:

"Because of your appearance, the three Illusionary Realms they brought to me were more wonderful than they originally were. Though you indeed ask for quite a lot, who can blame you when you truly have some talent, Outlander."

Shard nodded gently:

"Actually, I also want to do something for you. Saying that might seem a bit arrogant... In the next Era, do you still have believers?"

"Those things are not important."

She raised her head, looking at the bright moon above the desert, silver-white moonlight spilled across her face; Shard could not discern her expression:

"Everything in the mist is vague; do not believe any speculations before you touch the truth. Even the speculations of those closest to you, do not trust lightly."

She seemed to want to remind Shard of something, but before he could speak, she continued:

"Outlander, I am the Mist in the midnight darkness under the moon. I cannot guide you towards the future. But at least before the future arrives, be careful not to be enticed by mists like me. Though the story of the Mermaid is beautiful, do not let the ’Mermaid’ tempt you."

Slender fingers tapped on Shard’s forehead, and he heard "her" voice in his ear:

[Outlander, you have accepted the "God of Mist’s" blessing.]

[The indistinguishable mist protects your soul; the effects that impact your soul will be greatly diminished.]

After a moment of pause—

[May you never be perplexed within the mist.]

Shard wanted to express gratitude, only to find the presence beside him had vanished. Nothing remained but a solitary Mist Gate standing in the desert. The gate looked like an upright pupil shape; just one glance told Shard this was a passageway for Old Lady Sianod and Miss Sander to leave this desert.

He opened his mouth absently, but finally just raised his hand and casually petted the cat poking its head out of his chest.

He turned and walked back to the campfire, stepping on their footprints. Only three minutes were left of the hour.

Old Lady Sianod had stopped sobbing, and Miss Sander was still comforting her nearby.

The Old Elf looked up at Shard:

"The God has left, are you leaving too?"

"Yes."

Shard sat down by the campfire again:

"I’ll leave after you all have gone. The lady left a door."

He pointed at the Mist Gate not far away:

"However, there’s only one Heart of the Oasis here. What will you do once you return?"

"You don’t need to worry about that."

Old Lady Sianod had naturally long planned:

"We’ve discussed this many times while you were away. I will take it back to Saint Byrons, and then Saint Byrons and Zaras Literary Academy will step in, having the Witch Empress directly help Miss Nate’s country. It’s just a Demon Curse, even if the Ancient Evil Spirit appears, the ladies of the Council will still have a way to handle it."

This was the confidence of the Grand Witches at the peak of the Fifth Era.

"Sander’s situation is also easy to resolve. Since her mother wants to decide who can become the next king with a gift, let the professors of the Academy accompany her with this Crystal back to her Undersea Kingdom.

Her aging mother is the highest rank witch in the whole country at only level 11, and none of her sisters are even High Rank. After Sander offers the birthday gift, the professors can buy it back in the name of Zaras Literary Academy. I don’t think anyone would refuse."

Shard felt like they wouldn’t dare refuse.

"Afterward, I will study at Saint Byrons."

The blue-haired Mermaid Girl, with red eyes, also said, having the merit of bringing back the "Heart of the Oasis" and with the entire Moon Creek Clan joining Saint Byrons, her entry into Baylens Comprehensive Academy was, of course, not a problem.

"That’s good... After going back, I don’t know how much you will remember about here, but please do not forget Miss Nate, please never forget."

Both Old Lady Sianod and Miss Sander nodded. Then Shard retrieved the other materials temporarily left with him and packed them in boxes to move them next to the Mist Gate. He would take nothing away, except for the sword Miss Nate left him.

Old Lady Sianod and Miss Sander helped each other leave the campfire, spellcasting to make the boxes float.

The team of five was now down to three, and only two were leaving here now. Shard could actually peek behind the Mist Gate, but there was no need. He had no acquaintances in this era, so there was no need to further disturb the balance of time.

Before parting ways, the Mermaid Girl asked one last question under the moonlight:

"How come none of you were surprised that Miss Mister is The Great One?"

She sniffed sharply:

"And how did you figure it out? Did something happen just now? How did even Miss Nate know?"

Shard thought Miss Nate and Old Lady Sianod realized that lady’s identity through the Illusionary Realm, but contrary to his expectation, the ancient Elf curiously asked her:

"I thought you already knew?"

"What?"

"What?"

The first "what" was the surprised question from Miss Sander, and the second was Shard’s surprise at "already knowing":

"Wait a minute, Old Lady Sianod, you already knew Miss Mister was a deity?"

"Of course, didn’t Miss Nate also know long ago? The blessing given by that lady was clearly not a secret technique a desert tribe could possess, and she didn’t even sweat walking under the sunshine. When you first arrived, we initially couldn’t understand your words, but with a wave of her hand, we understood. Isn’t that unusual?"

The Old Elf countered, adding:

"Moreover, when Miss Nate told the story, she also mentioned that she and you wore armor into that church, yet she didn’t mention Miss Mister at all... Aren’t these facts obvious, Sander, did you not realize something was amiss?"

The somewhat confused blue-haired girl finally had an expression of sudden realization:

"So those weren’t right? I thought Miss Mister was just remarkable."

Shard was even more surprised:

"Wait, I thought these things were due to her power making you subconsciously overlook... Wait, Old Lady Sianod, since you and Miss Nate knew that lady was a deity, why didn’t you mention it?"

Old Lady Sianod looked more surprised at him:

"A deity deliberately pretends to be a mortal to appear among us, interacting and communicating with us like ordinary people. How crazy would Nate and I have to be to expose the deity?"

This statement was indeed very reasonable. Shard blinked, nodding once as he turned to look at the desert under the moonlight:

"So, did Miss Mister not disguise herself at all? Was everyone aware except Miss Sander, due to... innocence, but no one mentioned it?"

At this moment, the image of the "God of Mist" seemed clearer, yet also became more obscure.