Realm Wars

Chapter 105: The Left Archway

"Are you sure?" Jane asked and went to inspect the left Archway. She couldn't tell it apart from the other arches, though. It was dark inside, and she was tempted to light it with her lamp but only managed to illuminate five meters of its depth.

A glowing golden light emerged from the point of Theodore's staff. It was much brighter than Jane's lamp, but it consumed mana, though just a tiny bit.

The left arches were like any cave made of rocks, covered by mosses and plants. There were bumps and recessed on its walls enough to hide monsters and perfect to lay out ambushes, so they had to be alert at all times.

"If there are no more complaints, then let's go at Ryu's suggestion." Kai went ahead. He led the others inside the left arches using the famous [Pixie Glow] to serve as his light.

Occasional bubble sounds and little creatures were rattling on their path but so far, in their ten minutes walking inside, nothing was happening.

The reefs picked Ryu's attention at the side of the sand. He saw them move like they were alive, and bubbles erupted from it from time to time. But it made no intention to attack. It seemed like it was just following them. Like it was curious.

"Should we kill it?" Jane suggested.

Seraphina shook her head. "No. they're Live Coral Reefs. As long as we leave it alone, it wouldn't attack."

"You seem to know a lot about the ocean." Jane couldn't help but ask. It came to her attention that when it came to underwater knowledge, Seraphina seemed to know everything.

Seraphina looked at the other side and huffed a smile. "I've been venturing in the Nightmare Sea. And my affinity is water, so I studied about it, including its inhabitants."

"Hmm. . ." Jane briefly glanced at Seraphina from the side and resumed her focused ahead. 

"It's our first time adventuring in the Nightmare Sea," Jane started. There was a hint of a smile on her beautiful face, and her sharp eyes turned softer. "I don't know if you heard about our group. We are called Earth Guard because our leader, Marcus, is a great knight with an affinity to earth. He was our shield, and he was like a sturdy mountain in Theodore and my life."

Seraphina nodded a little. "I heard about it. There are only a few of Rank-A mercenaries in the Mortal Realm, so you were kind of popular."

Jane chuckled, but her eyes melted as her voice croaked a little. "We aren't supposed to go to the Nightmare Sea. But since Marcus and I wanted to marry, my family. . ."

Jane took in an inaudible breath, and Theodore squeezed her hand. "To get my family's blessings, Marcus must predicate in the Scavenger hunt and acquire treasure and items enough to ask my hand in marriage."

"Hmm. . ." Kai took a peek at Jane's way. "Why don't you just elope then?"

Ryu nodded at Kai's suggestion.

Jane shook her head. "It's not that simple. And Marcus is a proud man. He'd rather die than embarrass me in front of my family. He. .. despite his bulky and intimidating appearance. .. he is a nice and kindhearted man."

"He must really love you, then." Seraphina beamed. "You don't see those types of men nowadays. Going to extra mile for the woman they love instead of just taking the easy way out."

Jane laughed, and Kai grumbled. Was Seraphina talking to him? Why did he felt attack?

Jane's soft smile then fell off her face. "But now that we've parted and we didn't know if he was alive or not. . . 

I wish that. .. we should have just run away."

Seraphina squeezed Jane's shoulder. "I'm sure he's fine. He's a Rank-A merc and one of the best in the Mortal Realm. Your path will cross each other, you'll see."

Ryu opened his mouth but closed it again. He didn't know if giving false hope was the right course of action, but Jane's smiling face and the little droplets of tears on her lashes were enough to keep him quiet.

Realizing that she talked too much, Jane coughed between her fist, and her poised face was back on display. "Enough about me. What about you, Seraphina? Do you belong in any mercenary group?"

Kai's ears perked, and Ryu went closer a little to hear their conversation while Theodore looked at them with appalled eyes.

"Me?" Seraphina pointed at herself and looked ahead. "I don't belong in any mercenary group. But I did temporarily join a mercenary group to venture into the Nightmare Sea."

"Oh? Which group?" Jane asked.

"Hmm. .. I think its. .. Griffin's Wings." 

Jane skidded to a stop, and Kai looked behind him when the atmosphere changed.

"Uhm. .. ," Seraphina blinked with rounded confused irises. "Is there something I said?"

Jane's face turned dark, and her smile disappeared from her face. She flipped her hair and resumed walking. "Nothing."

".. ."

The others were at a loss when all of a sudden, Jane's attitude changed.

Kia shrugged it off as he was not interested in women's quarrels while Ryu pondered about the mercenary group that Seraphina temporarily joined in. He heard in the auction house before, and from his memory, he recalled two beautiful sisters with dark skin and white hair.

Theodore fell behind Seraphina and offered an awkward smile. "Don't worry. It's not you. It's just. .. the top mercenary group in the Mortal Realm usually aren't in good terms."

"Oh. .. is that it, then?" Seraphina felt like there was something more to it. If it were just simple rivalry, then Jane wouldn't have that reaction.

Theodore scratched his head. "My sister. . ." he was having difficulty talking, but Seraphina was nothing but kind to them, and her sister didn't have many friends, to begin with. So at least he wanted for her to continue befriending her sister.

"O-one of the reason why my sister decided to become a mercenary is so that. .. she wanted to escape the marriage between our house and house Ludwig."

Seraphina still didn't get it, and the confusion was apparent on her face.

"House Ludwig. . ." Theodore forced out the words one at a time. "The young master Clyde, who my sister supposed to marry, commissioned Griffin's Wings to explore the Nightmare Sea under its name."