Chapter 525: Conversation

Outside the temporary palace, while Bartos was struggling with his thoughts, Audreylinda had been standing at the entrance of the Royal Palace for a long time. Thanks to the physical constitution of a Master-Level Female Knight and two average-quality recovery potions, she had completely healed the gruesome wound on her shoulder overnight. Of course, due to using a soul-draining secret technique, her face still showed signs of unhealthy pallor and fatigue.

Beside her, a boy with hollow eyes followed closely behind the Female Knight like a lifeless shadow…

“Alright, Claire, don’t look like this. Leah would be sad to see you like this.”

Gently stroking the boy’s hair, Audreylinda’s tender tone carried a trace of sorrow.

As a wandering knight who had lived for over a thousand years, Audreylinda had witnessed countless lives fade away and experienced numerous partings between life and death. Yet even so, when her apprentice—who had been laughing and chatting with her just yesterday—died before her eyes, she couldn’t help but be consumed by rage.

If even she, a Female Knight who considered herself strong-willed, reacted this way, how much more devastating must the loss of his only family member be for Claire, a teenage boy still full of dreams and aspirations?

Undoubtedly, the death of his only sister had dealt Claire a tremendous blow. Since surviving the Battlefield, the boy’s personality had drastically changed. The cheerful, lively knight apprentice who used to clown around was gone, leaving behind only this lost, hollow-eyed boy named Claire.

“Mentor… how could Lina… how could she die just like that? Why… why did things turn out this way? Why……”

Hearing Audreylinda mention Lina’s name, Claire—who had been in a daze for a long time—finally showed some reaction. Trembling, he voiced his grief in a tone that seemed both directed at the Female Knight and muttered to himself.

“Sigh, it’s precisely because evil runs rampant that we must persist and press forward… Time can heal all wounds, and sorrow will eventually fade with the wind. Lina died fighting against evil—she was a warrior, without a doubt!”

With a soft sigh, this was all Audreylinda could offer to comfort the hollow-eyed boy.

She had to admit that as a wandering knight, she excelled at combat and fighting, but she had no idea how to console others. Moreover… Claire’s questions left the equally grief-stricken and self-blaming Female Knight at a loss for answers. After all, the tragedy ultimately occurred because she had forgotten about her apprentice’s fragility and charged ahead in her fervor to “punish evil and eliminate villains.”

Now, Audreylinda’s disjointed words of comfort proved ineffective. After listening to his mentor’s attempt at consolation, Claire remained as still and lifeless as before, his pale face almost making one wonder if he had turned into a statue.Seeing that Claire had not taken his advice to heart, Audreylinda could only leave the washing of Claire’s grief to time, for she truly did not have much time to comfort her apprentice, nor did reality allow Claire much time to soothe his sorrow.

As a “champion of justice,” the Female Knight’s “righteous” vengeance absolutely required no hesitation. However, seeking retribution against Punk, who had already left Red Roy City, would take time to investigate. Fearing that the “evil” in her eyes might “escape,” Audreylinda was now racing against the clock, even with her own apprentice. During these few minutes of waiting to meet Bartos, the Female Knight had already grown somewhat impatient.

Fortunately, the guilt-ridden Bartos did not keep the Female Knight waiting too long.

Just after Audreylinda had awkwardly finished comforting her apprentice, a guard came to report and cautiously addressed the Female Knight:

“Honorable Lady Audreylinda, Lord Bartos will meet you in the hall of the Royal Palace. If needed, I can guide you there…”

“Thank you for the notice, but there’s no need for guidance. I can already sense Mr. Bartos’s location!”

Impatiently interrupting the guard, Audreylinda shook her head helplessly, gently tugged at the collar of Claire behind her, and then, taking a deep breath, the Female Knight stepped through the gate of the makeshift Royal Palace with a stern and serious expression.

Behind her, the lifeless Claire paused for a moment before slowly following.

———————————————

The corridor of the makeshift Royal Palace was not very long. After walking just a few steps, Audreylinda saw the tall man standing in the hall.

Pale yellow sunlight streaming through the window illuminated his face, etched with conflict and shame, casting an air of desolation around Bartos.

“Audreylinda… I… I’m truly sorry.”

Before the Female Knight could even question him, Bartos stammered out a sincere apology—or perhaps he was only apologizing to himself, for he understood all too well that Audreylinda, as a “champion of justice,” would not forgive a “coward” who dared not confront evil.

Sure enough, upon hearing Bartos’s apology, the Female Knight’s resolute face showed no trace of emotion. She gazed at Bartos for a long moment as if looking at a stranger, and then, getting straight to the point, she abruptly addressed the desolate warrior:

“Bartos, at this point, I have only one question—are you willing to join me on this journey to eradicate evil?”

Audreylinda’s words were firm and left no room for doubt. From her tone, it was clear that the Female Knight had no intention of listening to Bartos’s excuses or dissuasion. She was simply asking whether he was willing to sacrifice everything for “justice.” If Bartos refused, Audreylinda would turn and leave without hesitation—as if… truly facing a mere stranger.Hearing the Female Knight’s questioning, Bartos couldn’t help but feel troubled in his heart. Although he knew he couldn’t influence Audreylinda’s decision, watching the Female Knight go to her death alone still filled him with immense guilt. Thus, after hesitating briefly, he finally spoke softly to Audreylinda:

“Audreylinda… even justice requires acting within one’s capabilities. That mage is a genuine peak-level 19th-tier spellcaster—someone already charging toward the Legendary realm. In a fight, I’m not even confident I could escape from him. Do you really…?”

“Silence, Bartos! I never took you for such a coward!”

Sharply cutting off Bartos’ advice, Audreylinda’s tone was icy and resolute. She forcefully struck her chest plate over her heart and declared loudly to Bartos:

“For justice, I fear nothing! Even if it means mutual destruction, I would have no regrets eliminating evil. This is the resolve expected of us who uphold justice, Bartos! You have betrayed justice, and you have betrayed me!”

Shouting angrily at the man before her, Audreylinda’s eyes even glistened with unshed tears.

Bartos held considerable affection for her, and hadn’t Audreylinda also developed deep feelings for Bartos?

But now… the Female Knight was profoundly disappointed in this warrior before her.

Listening to Audreylinda’s furious roar, Bartos lowered his head even further. He had entertained the impulsive thought of joining the Female Knight on her adventure, but… remembering the chilling pupils hidden in the shadow of the hood during his encounter with that mage, Bartos dismissed the idea and bowed his head deeper still…

He was afraid of death! That was all!

(End of Chapter)