CH 255

The being that had been attacking Estian staggered, and Aled used the opening to take the emperor and flee. It was only after dimension-hopping several times did the spirit turn to ask, “What’s going on? Why’re you here?”

Realizing it was Aled, Estian sheathed his black steel blade and answered, “Cecile is here.”

“Say what? The empress?”

Aled was dumbfounded. Putting aside how the empress ended up here, how had the emperor found out and made it this far?

“You came in not knowing where the empress is, didn’t you?” the spirit chided. “Goodness, do you even know what a dangerous place this is? You really are hopeless. Life shouldn’t be thrown away like that, you know.”

Aled proceeded to list out the dangers of this place, while Ayura shot a look at the spirit that said, “Isn’t that what I explained to you, you miscreant?” After listening for a while, Estian wearily grabbed Aled by the mouth.

“Mmf! Mmf!”

“I don’t have time to listen to your chatter right now. Let me keep it simple. Aled, if you take me to Cecile right now, then…”

Aled escaped Estian’s fingers and with glittering eyes, asked, “Then?”

“I shall give you all the jewelry of the empire. You may take whatever you wish.”

“What?” Aled gaped at the emperor’s proposal. It had expected to be rewarded with another jewel comparable to the Forest of Tetin, but the emperor was offering all the imperial jewelry in the empire?

Estian smirked at the speechless Aled. “They’re merely stones of pretty colors to me. If this allows me to reach Cecile faster, then they’ll have served their worth.”

If the officials of the imperial palace could hear his words right now, they would undoubtedly collapse while frothing at the mouth. Cries and protests would be raised over the fact that he was giving away such important treasures like he was clearing out garbage.

“Besides, I think new ones will suit Cecile better,” Estian added.

For the first time in a long while, Aled shut its mouth lest it inadvertently called the emperor a madman. And thus, the spirit guided Estian to the World Tree. Naturally, it wasn’t an easy journey; Estian’s current state spoke to the arduous ordeal.

It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that Estian had almost single-handedly dealt with all the beings that stood in their way. Even when Aled and Ayura tried to help, the emperor had stopped them and asked them to focus on leading the way instead.

Tearing its eyes away from Estian and Cecil, who were embracing so tightly they had melded into one, and shouted, “Okay, Ayura! It’s your turn!”

“I’m sorry?” Ayura turned to look at Aled confusedly. He was still in the middle of prostrating and pleading, “Oh great World Tree, I’m innocent. Only those other stinkers should get a beating.”

Pulling on the rope wrapped around Ayura, Aled leaned close to Ayura’s ear and whispered, “Sorry, my foot. Hurry up and find a way out of here!” What Aled had sneakily concealed from Estian was that it didn’t know the way out. “Come on, think about it carefully. As long as these two are rescued from here, I can promise you a good piece of jewelry too! Something that isn’t any inferior to the Forest of Tetin. You only live once, you know?”

Ayura speechlessly eyed Aled. The face of the elder spirit that had blocked countless attacks of unknown beings enroute and had even managed to fend off the World Tree a minute ago was still glowing green. Ayura knew this strength wasn’t only thanks to Aled’s age, but also because the spirit was in possession of a good lodging. After all, a good house was power to the spirits.