Chapter 122 - - 122 - The Man-Eater Strikes the Sanctuary

Chapter 122: Chapter - 122 - The Man-Eater Strikes the Sanctuary

Elaria was working in her chamber making the antidote for her mother to wake up, she used Prince Rumil’s blood and then completed her potion.

"It’s done," finally said Elaria.

"Sister... finally, if this works, Mom will be able to wake up once again!"

Suddenly the door opens and someone said, "I’m back."

It was a woman’s voice.

The siblings turned toward the entrance as a dark-cloaked figure stepped inside.

Zyrelle was a half-elf, just like Erion and Elaria, but her presence possessed a distinct, shadowy maturity. Long, midnight-black hair fell over her shoulders, framing sharp, striking features. Her eyes were a piercing, luminous yellow—capable of seeing effortlessly through the thickest darkness, a trait that matched her preference for the shadows. She wore a fitted black dress shaped like a gown, wrapped tightly around her chest and leaving her shoulders bare, subtly highlighting her graceful collarbones and delicate frame. Her dark clothing allowed her to blend seamlessly into the night, making her look almost like a shadow given form.

Erion swallowed slightly as he caught sight of her, a familiar thought straying into his mind—he still found himself wondering how he had managed to win the heart of a beauty like her. Though older and more experienced than him, Zyrelle shared the siblings goal. She had chosen to stand by their side out of love for Erion. He was handsome, but more importantly to her, he possessed direction and resolve. For a woman like Zyrelle, a man driven by purpose was endlessly attractive.

Zyrelle glanced between the two siblings, her sharp yellow eyes settling on the shimmering vial on the desk. "How’s it going, Big Sister? Did you manage to find something useful that could help Mother wake up?"

Though she and Erion were not yet married, she had long since started calling their mother her own.

"It’s ready," Elaria replied, looking down at the flask. "It should work, and I desperately want it to work... but for some reason, there is this lingering doubt inside me."

Zyrelle walked over, her expression softening as she reached out to gently touch Elaria’s shoulder. "What is it? Tell me."

Erion looked between them, a sudden panic flitting across his face. "D-Does the blood not belong to Prince Rumil?"

"No... it’s not that," Elaria reassured him quickly. "The blood definitely belongs to Prince Rumil. And Erion, you shouldn’t doubt Lord Lucien. He kept his promise and gave us something that we lacked for years. He also saved our lives—do not forget that."

Erion lowered his head, feeling ashamed. "I-I’m sorry."

Zyrelle looked back at Elaria, her brow furrowing slightly. "Then what is the problem, Big Sister?"

Elaria sighed, rubbing her temples as she voiced the worry that had been gnawing at her mind. "It’s just... I’m thinking about how Mother has been in this state for years. If I use this potion—which is infused with my own astral energy and mixed with Prince Rumil’s potent blood—what if her body is unable to handle it? It has been so long, and her cultivation has dropped significantly. Right now, she is practically as fragile as a mortal."

Zyrelle fell silent for a moment, weighing Elaria’s words carefully. She looked over at the bed where their mother lay, pale and motionless. "Maybe you’re right. She has been poisoned for years, and a high-level antidote might carry too much power. It could backfire."

Erion’s face tightened with anxiety as he looked at the vial, then back at his sister. "So what should we do, Sister?"

"I’ll try talking to Lord Lucien," Elaria said after a moment of quiet calculation. "Who knows? Maybe he knows some other solution to strengthen her body before I give her the antidote."

Zyrelle raised an eyebrow, her tone cautious. "Do you think Lord Lucien would help? Didn’t he already complete his share of the bargain?"

"Yeah, I know," Elaria admitted softly, her jaw setting with quiet resolve. "But when it comes to Mother, I don’t think I should be afraid or feel ashamed to ask for help."

Listening to them, Zyrelle felt a quiet pulse of curiosity stir inside her chest. It seems like I’m finally going to meet Lucien Vale of Valtheria, she thought to herself. I’ve heard so much about him from Erion and Sister Elaria. Now I’m actually excited... I wonder what a powerful Realm Master truly looks like.

Morning broke over the city, but Prince Andrin awoke not to gentle sunlight, but to the chaotic noise of shouting and running footsteps outside his quarters.

Dressing hurriedly, he stepped out into the corridors and was immediately met with a scene of total disorder. Soldiers clad in armor were marching swiftly through the halls, while healers ran back and forth carrying supplies.

Seeing the commotion, panic flared in Andrin’s chest. His breath hitched, a sudden, terrifying thought seizing him—Are they coming for me? Did they figure out what I did? Are they here to arrest me for murder?

He backed away against a wall, his heart hammering against his ribs. But as he watched the guards and staff pass by, he noticed something strange. No one was looking at him. People weren’t running away from the guards in fear; they were moving in a focused, urgent hurry.

Grasping at a sliver of hope that something else was going on, Andrin reached out and grabbed the sleeve of a passing Healing Realm Master.

"What happened?" Prince Andrin asked, his voice strained as he tried to hide his trembling. "Why is everyone running around?"

The female healer paused, her face pale with horror and disgust. "That bastard Man-Eater attacked the Healing Sanctuary! He killed three people brutally by mangling their face... no one is even able to recognize the victims!"

Andrin’s hand instantly recoiled from her sleeve as if he had been burned.

A cold, sickening dread washed over him. His hands began to tremble uncontrollably. Slowly, awkwardly, he tucked his trembling hand back beneath the heavy sheet he had wrapped around himself.

Inside his pocket, his fingers brushed against a cold, hard metallic object.

His heart sank to the very bottom of his stomach. It was a knife. Without pulling it out, he felt the surface of the weapon with his fingertips. It was damp and slick.

A terrible realization crashed over him like a wave.

Ignoring the confused look from the healer, Andrin turned and practically sprinted back toward his private chamber. He burst inside, locked the door behind him, and hastily pulled the knife out of his pocket.

The blade was smeared with fresh, dark blood.

"Did I... did I hurt someone again?" Prince Andrin whispered to the empty room, his voice cracking with sheer terror.

Desperate to erase any trace of the horror, he ran into the bath chamber. He turned on the water and began washing himself frantically. He scrubbed his hands, his arms, and his face over and over until his skin was raw and red, trying to wash away a crime he couldn’t even remember committing.

Once he had dressed and somewhat regained his composure, Andrin stepped back outside into the corridor. The atmosphere was still tense.

He approached another Healing Realm Master standing nearby, trying to sound casual despite the storm raging inside his mind. "Who... who got hurt?"

The healer turned to answer him, but before he could finish his sentence, Andrin caught sight of a familiar figure walking down the hallway.

It was Aelene.

Relief and terror surged through him simultaneously. Forgetting the healer mid-sentence, Andrin ran straight toward her, stopping right in front of her and gripping her shoulders.

"Are you okay, Aelene?" Prince Andrin asked desperately, his eyes searching her face. "You’re not hurt, are you?"

Aelene looked up at him, surprised by his intensity, though a visible tremor of lingering fear remained in her eyes. "No... I’m okay. Are you okay? I heard a few patients and a Healing Realm Master got attacked by the Man-Eater..."

Looking down into her frightened eyes, Andrin felt as though he were descending directly into madness.

He didn’t know when the urge would overtake him again. He didn’t know when he would lose control next. He was terrified of even falling asleep, knowing that the moment he closed his eyes, he might turn into a monster and tear apart the people he cared about most.

Elsewhere in the city, Lucien walked leisurely into the military barracks to meet Aelvera.

Inside, the atmosphere was thick with tension. Aelvera was standing at a large tactical table surrounded by her soldiers, reviewing all the reports and evidence they had gathered regarding the Man-Eater.

A guard standing near the entrance noticed his approach and bowed slightly. "Lady Aelvera, Lord Axel is here."

Lucien offered a lazy yawn as he entered into the room, stepping right up next to Aelvera. He stood exceedingly close to her—far closer than standard military etiquette allowed. Yet, Aelvera didn’t move away. Had any ordinary soldier dared to stand that close to her personal space, she would have broken their jaw without a second thought. But with Lucien, she merely glanced up at him, a faint smirk playing on her lips.

"It looks like someone had a rough night," Aelvera remarked, her tone laced with playful mockery.

"At least it was better than yours," Lucien replied smoothly, resting a hand on the edge of the table. "So, what happened this time?"

Aelvera’s expression darkened slightly as she returned to the task at hand. "The Man-Eater attacked people in the Healing Sanctuary. We’re still trying to figure out who he is."

She leaned over the wooden table, pointing toward a series of rough sketches and line diagrams she had drawn to map out the incident for her squad. Lucien glanced down at the paper, his lips twisting into a faint, unimpressed smirk. The drawings were crude, jagged, and thoroughly lacking in detail.

"Are these drawings made by some kid?" Lucien asked casually.

The room instantly fell silent. The surrounding soldiers froze, their eyes widening in shock at his blunt disrespect toward their captain.

Aelvera’s face flushed red with sudden embarrassment. "N-No... they were made by me."

"Did nobody tell you that you suck at it?" Lucien chuckled, completely unbothered by the tense atmosphere in the room. "Well, whatever. What about the flower shop and the food shop? Did you find out what the Man-Eater looks like from the witnesses there?"

Aelvera sighed, running a hand through her hair in frustration. "Not much. The only thing they remember is that he was a human. It was completely useless information... I thought at least one of them would remember his face."

"That’s useless information?" Lucien countered, his voice taking on the sharp, commanding authority of a high-born noble. "And what information do we have about the attack at the Healing Sanctuary?"

"The victims were from the second floor and the third floor," Aelvera explained.

Lucien paused, silent for a few seconds as he considered the detail.

As he pondered, Aelvera found herself staring at his side profile. In the dim light of the barracks, she couldn’t help but notice the sharp contour of his jaw line and the cool, effortless composure he maintained. A sudden thought drifted into her head—He really is painfully handsome...

She caught herself almost instantly, shaking her head internally to clear the distraction. Don’t get distracted, Aelvera! He’s an asshole. Just focus on the mission and avenge Father.

A soldier standing behind them broke the silence, scratching his head in confusion. "But why would the killer attack the Healing Sanctuary of all places?"

"Maybe it was just random," another soldier suggested with a shrug.

Lucien remained silent for a beat longer before speaking up, his tone calm and definitive. "No. It wasn’t random."

The second soldier frowned, clearly irritated by the outsider’s dismissive tone. "How do you know? Huh? Tell us!"

To these soldiers, Aelvera was a respected leader, a minor noble, and the daughter of the former Head City Guard. Lucien, on the other hand, was just a human traveler—neither an elf nor a half-elf like the rest of them. They felt very little inherent respect for him.

Instead of arguing, Lucien casually picked up a training sword resting against a nearby rack and tossed it into the soldier’s hands.

"Let’s say I told you to go into a huge, complex building and kill three specific people," Lucien said, looking the soldier in the eye. "And you have never seen the inside of that building before. What would you do?"

The soldiers exchanged uncertain glances. None of them answered immediately, trying to see where he was going with the question.

Aelvera spoke up instead. "I’d familiarize myself with the environment first. Get comfortable with the layout, and then go in for the kill."

"Very good," Lucien said approvingly. He turned back to the rest of the squad. "Now imagine someone called the Man-Eater wants to kill people inside the Healing Sanctuary. Do you really think he could pull that off without knowing what the Sanctuary looks like on the inside?"

A soldier’s eyes blinked as the realization began to dawn on him. "What does that mean?"

"It means," Aelvera cut in, catching on quickly as she explained it to her men, "that whoever this person is, they know the Healing Sanctuary inside and out. It could be one of the long-term patients, or even one of the Healing Masters themselves. Go through the records right now—check how many humans are currently inside, and mark anyone who seems suspicious!"

"Yes, Lady Aelvera!"

The soldiers snapped to attention and scrambled out of the barracks to execute the order. Within seconds, the room emptied, leaving only Lucien and Aelvera standing alone amidst the scattered maps and reports.

As soon as the last guard stepped out of sight, Lucien reached behind Aelvera and gave her rear an authoritative slap.

Aelvera gasped, her head snapping around to glare at him, her face turning crimson. But before she could speak, Lucien spoke first.

"You’re getting pretty good at catching clues these days," Lucien said, his voice laced with smooth approval.

Coming from him, a simple compliment carried surprising weight. A swell of unexpected pride rose in Aelvera’s chest—getting genuine praise from Lucien was exceptionally rare. Before she could process the strange warmth blooming inside her, he leaned in and delivered another firm slap to her rear.

"Good girl," he added with a slight smirk.

Aelvera bit her lip, her heart racing as she silently flushed under his touch.

Suddenly, a faint ripple of spiritual energy buzzed gently at the back of Lucien’s mind—the familiar mental pulse of the echo crystal linking telepathically to his thoughts. Within his mind, Elaria’s voice resonated clearly as she reached out to him from across the distance.

Receiving her thoughts instantly without having to move a muscle, Lucien’s demeanor shifted back to his usual calm efficiency.

"Yeah, I’ll be there in a moment," Lucien replied back telepathically, his eyes lingering on Aelvera for one last moment before turning to leave.