Chapter 197 - The Shadow of the Scythe (1)

After talking with the system for hours, Cale returned to the mansion and explained that he has had a major breakthrough. He even acted as though the tribulation had left him badly hurt. Nobody pursued him, and they let him sleep a while longer.

’Heh, sleeping is the best hobby!’

When he finally woke, he wore clothes for the first time in a long while.

Until now he had worn only his soul armor. Since the armor was made from his own vital energy, it could be cleaned with a thought and repaired within seconds, so why would anyone bother with anything else? But today he wanted something different.

He put on an immaculate white coat that flowed around him like the robes of a celestial lord, its luxurious fabric shimmering softly in the light.

The broad lapels were adorned with intricate silver embroidery, delicate filigree, and ornate metallic ornaments that looked like treasures in their own right.

Beneath the coat he wore a fitted black high-collared shirt, embellished with subtle silver patterns that glimmered like scattered stars against a night sky. A dark belt secured his waist, its polished metal fittings adding a touch of coolness.

’What is a man, if not cool.’

Silver bracers encased his wrists and forearms, their engravings gleaming with a faintly mystical radiance. Black gloves covered his hands, lending an air of refined elegance to his slender fingers.

Fine chains, ornamental pendants, and delicate silver trinkets hung from his attire, swaying faintly with each movement.

The coat’s long, flowing sleeves and layered panels gave him an ethereal silhouette, and the stark contrast of pristine white, obsidian black, and lustrous silver made him look both noble and untouchable.

Dressed like this, Cale resembled a young sovereign from a wealthy dynasty.

"Hehe, the system shop had such exquisite clothes too. To think I wasn’t allowed to buy them earlier. I would have filled the inner sanctum with all of these, hehe."

He walked through the halls, and of course he drew a few side glances from the maids and female staff.

As he walked, the system chimed.

[Quest:

Clear the Thunder Alcove Trials at the Magic Tower present in Velard.

Reward: Host will have completed the formation of the Lightning Cauldron.]

He raised an eyebrow, questioning.

’This is quite a tempting offer. If I can form one of the elements of the Five Elemental Cauldron, my cultivation and refining speed will both increase greatly.’

"Alright. I’ll do it."

"Hmm, but I need a reason, or some way to enter that place. Sigh... I can’t just walk in, since I don’t have any invitation from them."

Velard and the other three kingdoms weren’t very large, and each had only one magic tower. Thankfully, the one with the lightning attribute was in Velard.

He paced through the mansion in circles, thinking through what was to come.

’Sigh... and then there’s Hazel too...’

Hazel Dainsleif was the only daughter of the overlord of the northern continent, and one of the few women who had liked Cale without Cale returning the feeling. There was only one reason she had liked him: he had once saved her life.

But Cale had never seen her in that light. She was eight or nine years younger than him, and he had spent barely a month with her. Still, the memory remained. And he knew all too well that memories were a shitty thing, making him more vulnerable with each passing day. But he couldn’t erase hers.

She was the heir to the strongest inheritance left on the Bloodmoon Plains, so she had to stay alive. If possible, Cale needed to become a good acquaintance of hers.

’That’s quite problematic now... if I go by theory, she will probably start liking me in this life too. Seriously, ugh.’

Now that he was out of the mess, and there wasn’t much to do until the gears began turning, Cale decided to rest and laze about for a few days.

Over the following months, he gave Emma a few cultivation techniques, even teaching her and improving her fighting style. She was such a handful, unable to learn anything easily.

They both spent most of their day together.

He had already guessed that people like Fiora, Rexa, his father, even Sirius himself must have heard about his whereabouts by now.

They would be happy to see him become an Emperor, but he had also committed quite a few atrocities in the outside world, and a ton of that was coming back to bite him soon. Hadn’t he said the ’future him’ would handle this stuff?

Well, here we are. This was the future him’s time.

Lying on the garden’s green grass, he looked up at the sun and smiled.

"Doesn’t matter. At least in Vaeloria, no one can harm me."

He had a good position and strength. Being an Emperor aside, the number of people in Vaeloria who could even try to fight him was under ten.

As he was about to close his eyes, his senses picked up a presence. He smiled and got to his feet.

’As expected, she’s the first one.’

He opened his wings, flew up, and landed a few kilometers ahead, since that land was part of the estate too.

Cale descended from the heavens with effortless grace, his white robes fluttering in the wind as he slowly lowered himself toward the ground. A faint shimmer of spiritual energy trailed behind him, scattering into wisps of silver light as his feet neared the earth.

Just as he was about to land, the woman standing ahead of him turned around.

Their eyes met. For a fleeting moment, Cale forgot everything.

The winds continued to stir, his robes continued to sway, and the world carried on around them, yet none of it seemed to reach him. His gaze lingered on her delicate features, the cascade of dark hair framing her face, and those languid, seemingly indifferent eyes that held an inexplicable charm. Dressed in black, with twin swords resting behind her shoulders, she possessed a beauty that was neither delicate nor fragile, but quietly formidable, like a blade concealed beneath silk.

Cale had encountered countless beauties throughout his life. Some possessed heavenly appearances; others carried the elegance of immortal maidens.

Yet, for reasons he couldn’t quite explain, Rexa left him momentarily spellbound every time.

His feet finally touched the ground, but his eyes remained fixed on her.

’...She’s indeed beautiful.’

And for the first time in a long while, Cale found himself at a loss for words.