Chapter 989 - 988: Keeping A God Waiting

Rowan read the last line of his title description again.

"But death still remembers your name."

Was that supposed to be a warning?

He searched beneath the description for an effect, an increase to his attributes, anything that might explain what the title actually did. Tapping it again only brought back the same words.

"That doesn’t tell me much," he muttered.

His attributes and skills hadn’t changed either. Eventually, Rowan closed the window and set his practice sword beside him.

A few seconds later, someone knocked.

He recognised the pause before the final knock, although it was longer than usual. The last tap barely reached him.

"Come in, Saintess."

Celeste entered with Sir Luke behind her.

Rowan rose with a smile, then hesitated. Celeste’s eyes were red. His master’s expression was so grim that Rowan couldn’t bring himself to ask about the title.

"What’s wrong?"

Luke closed the door.

Celeste approached the chairs but didn’t sit. She looked at the food tray, then the window, before drawing a breath.

"Rowan, you’ll have to leave soon."

"Leave?" He glanced between them. "Where am I going?"

"The Northern Wall."

She said it while looking at his empty chair.

Rowan waited for more, but she seemed unable to continue.

"What’s the Northern Wall? Why do I have to go there?"

"It’s in northern Europe, far from Aurelia here in the south," Celeste explained. "Its fortifications protect the northern kingdoms and the roads leading farther inland. There’s a permanent rift there."

Rowan remembered the Carpathian basin.

"Permanent? It doesn’t close?"

"No. The armies there fight demons and demonic beasts repeatedly. If the Wall falls, the settlements and supply routes behind it are exposed."

Her fingers caught a fold of her sleeve.

"S-ranks have died there, Rowan."

He looked at his master.

An S-rank had stopped his sword with two fingers. Rowan couldn’t imagine beating his master, let alone facing something that could kill him.

"Then why am I going there?"

Celeste pressed her lips together.

He had never seen her struggle to answer him like this. Even when he had been frightened about the demonic energy inside him, she had stayed beside him and explained what she could.

Now she wouldn’t even meet his eyes.

"Forgive me, Saintess," Luke said quietly. "I’ll explain in your stead."

She nodded.

"She intended to prepare you for Haven Academy. It’s the best academy in the world. She went to her father this morning to ask for royal support, but he refused."

Rowan stared at Celeste.

"You were doing that for me?"

"I wanted you to have a good teacher and more opportunities."

As she moved, he noticed a dark mark near her collar.

Rowan stepped closer and touched the edge of the fabric. A little dried blood flaked onto his fingertip.

"Is this yours?"

Celeste’s hand rose too late to cover it.

"Were you hurt because you asked him to help me?"

She didn’t answer.

Luke exhaled heavily.

"It wasn’t only about the academy. The God of Light ordered the king to send you to the Northern Wall."

Rowan turned to him with a confused expression.

"The king says the God of Light wants you dead."

For several seconds, Rowan could only stare.

"Dead? Why? What did I do?"

He looked to Celeste, hoping she would correct what he had heard.

"He offered me a Blessing. I saw his name on the list."

"That’s the reason we were given," Luke replied. "You didn’t accept his Blessing. You chose to wait, and he took offence to that."

"But you said I could wait."

"We did," his master said firmly. "And this should not have happened. People delay choosing their Blessings. It isn’t an offence."

"Then why-"

"I don’t know, Rowan."

Luke’s frustration showed in his face.

Rowan brought up the list on his status window. His eyes hurried past names he had read so carefully last night.

Worldfire. Nightfall. The Space Dragon Pact.

He searched for Radiant Dominion.

It wasn’t there.

"It’s gone," he murmured. "His offer is gone."

Last night, he had been so distracted by The Honoured One disappearing that he hadn’t checked which other offers had vanished.

Luke placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Don’t choose something in a panic."

Rowan’s fingers hovered in front of the window.

"A Blessing can change your entire life," Luke continued. "It can ruin it too. As your master, I won’t advise you to take one recklessly because a god has threatened you. The Saintess feels the same."

"He’s right," Celeste said.

She wiped the corner of her eye before Rowan could look away.

"You have so much potential. I don’t want you to waste it on a frightened decision. But sending you there before you’ve had time to grow..."

Her voice failed.

Rowan closed the list.

"Couldn’t I go somewhere else? Leave the kingdom and hide?"

Celeste shook her head.

"The God of Light threatened to destroy my family if you don’t report to the Northern Wall. My father said he’d kill you if I helped you escape or concealed you somewhere."

Rowan felt cold.

"Your family? Because of me?"

"Because you won’t do what he demands," Luke corrected.

Rowan looked at Celeste’s collar again.

He had never spoken to the God of Light. He had read an offer, hesitated, and asked for advice. That was all.

Now Celeste stood before him with blood on her clothes, explaining that her family could be destroyed.

"I won’t ask you to risk that," he said quietly.

He sat on the edge of the bed and looked down at his hands.

Celeste pulled a chair closer.

"I’m sorry, Rowan."

He lifted his head.

"Why are you apologising?"

"I brought you here. I thought I could-"

"You saved me. You’ve fed me, given me a place to stay, helped me train... What are you supposed to apologise for?"

Celeste couldn’t answer.

Rowan rubbed his palms against his trousers.

"I didn’t mean to cause trouble for you. You shouldn’t have been hurt because of me."

"Rowan, that wasn’t your fault."

"I’m sorry anyway."

He glanced at the room around him. A few minutes earlier, his biggest concern had been a strange title. He had expected another lesson, perhaps a chance to practise using Aether.

He couldn’t make himself think about packing yet.

But sitting here looking at Celeste’s tearful face was worse.

"There might be something good in it though," he suddenly said.

Luke frowned.

"What?"

Rowan attempted a smile.

"I need to get stronger quickly. An academy would help, but I’d have lessons to follow, things I’d have to wait to learn. Blackmoon won’t wait for me."

"And you think the Northern Wall will be better?"

"I think if I survive there, I could improve far faster. I’d see real fighters. Real battles. There would be so much to learn."

Celeste looked toward Luke, and the worry on her face could not be hidden.

His master stepped in front of him.

"Listen to what you just said. Ifyousurvive."

Rowan’s smile faltered.

"A battlefield isn’t a practice yard. You don’t get to watch until you understand an attack, and nobody stops because you’re tired. I’ve seen prodigies die before they could draw their weapons."

"I know it’s dangerous, Master."

"You’ve seen what comes afterward at the Northern Carpathian Front. Fighting through it is different. You wouldn’t be the first talented boy buried there, and you wouldn’t be the last."

Rowan thought of the people beneath Miresti’s ruined houses. Being frightened hadn’t helped them. Neither had running.

He met Luke’s eyes.

"I don’t think my talent makes me safe. But I have to go, don’t I?"

Luke said nothing.

"Then I want to learn whatever keeps me alive. I haven’t given up on killing Blackmoon."

He held his master’s gaze.

"I won’t go there planning to die."

Luke studied him, then squeezed his shoulder.

"Good. Start by listening when someone tells you to retreat."

"I will, Master."

Celeste reached for his hand.

"My family’s decision doesn’t mean I’ll stop helping you. Whatever support I can arrange, I will."

Rowan managed a warmer smile.

"Thank you, Saintess."

He looked from her to Luke.

"When do I leave?"

"Tomorrow," Celeste answered with a short sigh of frustration.

Rowan glanced toward the wardrobe, then let out a short laugh.

"Then I’d better pack. Apparently, keeping a god waiting is dangerous."