Chapter 419: Going Home

This set of full-body armor included two parts: human armor and horse armor. The horse armor was inscribed with four effects: Agility, Identity Concealment, Toughness, and Endurance. This allowed the Skeletal Wind Gale Horse to move faster and enhanced its ability to resist impacts.

The human armor was inscribed with Invisibility, Identity Concealment, Toughness, and Great Strength. The rune for Great Strength was primarily analyzed from the bloodline of the descendants of the God of Strength.

The entire set of armor had been permanently polished and was extremely bright. When Ancestar and his skeletal horse donned this armor, their image and temperament changed instantly.

Gone was the incongruous sense of a holy flame skeleton. Now, he was a heavily armed, powerful knight. Holy flames shrouded the armor, making him appear even more holy and majestic.

Ancestar drew his knight’s longsword, controlling his own power of virtue to slowly attune with the armor. This attunement was not as smooth as with his longsword; the changes seemed extremely slow.

He said to Ace in a clear voice:

“Thank you, Lord Ace. With this armor, my movements are much more convenient. I wish to train knight squires in the territory for a year, and then travel across the entire New Continent to spread the gospel of the Holy Light and inspire more young people to throw themselves into the embrace of the Holy Light. I hope you will grant permission.

“I will always be a knight of the High Tower. Whenever you need me, whenever the High Tower needs me, or when I finish my travels, I will return at any time.”

Ace nodded. He did not object to Ancestar having his own ideas. The High Tower Territory had entered a rare period of peace. If Ancestar wanted to travel, this might be the most suitable time.

“This is my Dream Badge. From this moment on, it is split in two. You can rest assured to travel to other regions after a year. If there is a real need, the High Tower will send an envoy holding the other half of the Dream Badge to find you.”

Ace took out a badge that looked dreamlike and illusory. The front depicted a burning torch, and the back showed the full view of the High Tower Territory. With a gentle swipe of his finger, the badge split into two. One piece floated into Ancestar’s hand, and the other floated into Ace’s hand.

Ace did not ask Ancestar to stay. He stored the badge in the hall of the Magic Council Review Committee at the top of the Central High Tower outside the city and informed all councilors of his agreement with Ancestar.

Unknowingly, the High Tower Territory had been established for seventeen years. Ace suddenly realized that he hadn’t visited his parents for several years.

For a long time, immense external pressure had kept Ace spinning like a robot. Although he did not fear challenges or pressure, after thoroughly suppressing the opposition forces in the Salia region, Ace suddenly felt a deep exhaustion. He didn’t want to research, didn’t want to fight, and didn’t want to deal with the complex people and matters of the High Tower Territory. He just wanted to find a place to stay quietly for a while.

The Luminous Light River sparkled, its trickling waters flowing slowly. Ace strolled along the riverbank, gazing at the murmuring water, recalling the villa where his parents lived. Although he hadn’t been there for many years, Ace vaguely remembered the way back.

Walking to the front of the villa, Ace suddenly hesitated. It was late at night, and the lights in the villa had long since gone out. Although Ace hadn’t returned for years, the Magic Council had always arranged for special personnel to look after his parents, and potions to restore youth had been sent to them years ago, so Ace didn’t need to worry about their health.

However, Ace was worried about his parents’ attitude. Would they blame him for not returning for so long? Even though he was so close, he never thought to come back and visit. With this hesitant and wavering mood, Ace placed his hand on the rune array at the door.

The rune array flashed, and the door lock opened automatically. Ace gently pushed the door open and entered. The living room was quiet. Ace did not conceal his tracks; he walked softly into the living room and lay down on the wooden sofa chair.

Time passed bit by bit, and it was soon early morning. Marina pushed open the bedroom door and walked out lightly. Worried about waking Romon, she gently closed the door, intending to go to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

Just then, she saw Ace lying on the living room sofa. Rubbing her eyes vigorously in disbelief, she saw that Ace was still lying there quietly.

Marina covered her mouth, tears swirling in her eyes. She walked over gently, stroked Ace’s cheek with her somewhat calloused hand, and touched her son’s head of silver hair with heartache.

Marina moved closer to Ace, squatted down, and stared at Ace’s cheek. She wanted to wake him but couldn’t bear to. After hesitating again and again, she tiptoed back to the bedroom and shook Romon, who was in a deep sleep, awake.

Romon, who was snoring, was suddenly shaken awake. He shuddered and was about to yell in displeasure when Marina covered his mouth, causing him to make muffled sounds.

“Old man, don’t talk loudly. Our son is back!”

Romon stopped making noises, removed Marina’s hand, and whispered, “Ace is back?”

Marina nodded heavily.

Romon’s old face blossomed like a flower, his grin almost reaching his ears. He got up to dress, intending to go out.

Marina hurriedly held him down and said, “Our son is lying on the sofa. He looks very, very tired. His hair has turned completely white. Don’t make a sound when you go out; don’t wake him up. I’ll go find a quilt to cover him.”

A while later, Marina and Romon tiptoed out of the bedroom, slowly draped a quilt over Ace, and then tiptoed to the kitchen. They stuffed a magic stone into the silence rune array next to the kitchen and began to cook silently.

Ace hadn’t slept for this long in a very, very long time. He had always used meditation as a substitute for sleep, concentrating all his time on racing against the clock to research, fight, and explore. He slept for a long time this time. It wasn’t until the noon sun gently caressed his cheek that he slowly woke up.

Ace opened his eyes. The spring noon sun was bright and beautiful. He shielded his eyes from the sunlight with his hand, touched the warm thin quilt on his body, and slowly sat up.

Marina was busying herself silently in the kitchen, and Romon was brandishing a short sword in the courtyard. Everything was so familiar. Ace sniffed gently with his nose; it was the scent of stir-fried foie gras, and Marina’s specialty, roasted leg of lamb.

Romon was wiping sweat with a towel. Turning around, he found that Ace had woken up. He threw the short sword aside with a clang in excitement and nervousness, then walked into the living room.

“You’re awake, Ace. Your mother has made her signature dishes. Let’s have a few jars together later, father and son!”

Ace looked at Romon’s face, the unconcealable wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, and the few silver hairs on his head. He couldn’t help but say, “Father, didn’t you drink the Lesser Youth Potion I sent?”

Mortals could only take Lesser Youth Potions. Better ones, Level 1 Youth Potions, could only be taken after reaching the corresponding life level.

Romon waved his hand and said, “I’m not too old to move yet. When I really feel old one day, it won’t be too late to drink it. Let’s not talk about that; drink a jar with me first!”

With that, Romon took out two jars of grape wine from the cabinet and tossed one to Ace.

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