Rio quickly stored the ring in his wondrous forest realm storage, The silvery sheen of the Exalted Clover Ring disappeared as if its task seemingly completed for now.
As the boy scanned the new surrounding, his eyes searched for his wives. But he didn't have to look much as Lia, Nyla, and Layla were standing a short distance away from each other. Their figure was clearly visible by the illuminated by the soft glow of the moon and twinkling stars, but they were all standing in a dense forest.
He also noticed Eve didn't come with them. Like the first one, This trial also didn't let her join.
Feeling an odd sensation, they moved closer, gathering around Rio.
"Something's not right," Nyla whispered with a hint of distress clouding her usually cheerful face, "I've tried, but I can't access my mana.
At her statement, Rio's brow furrowed in concern as he attempted to access his own mana, only to find the same problem.
'This environment seems to be suppressing our abilities' He mused inwardly, his eyes scanning the eerie forest around them.
Layla, flexing her hand and seeming to test her own strength, commented. "This place may be stopping us from using our mana, but I can still feel the inherent strength of the red stage coursing through me."
Lia nodded at Layla's observation. "It seems this place imposes some kind of limitation, possibly a challenge we need to overcome for the second trial," she surmised, her gaze falling on the ring in Rio's hand. "Perhaps it's an inherent part of this Forbidden Land's trials."
As they were immersed in their discussion, the faint murmur of distant voices came towards them, carried on the night's breeze.
"Grace, don't belittle yourself because you can't use magic. Remember our dungeon adventure? Your intellect was our guiding light. Magic isn't the be-all and end-all..." A man's soft, reassuring voice came, brimming with full of sincerity.
A softer, more hesitant voice replied, "But Leo, your family will never accept our relationship."
Leo countered, "Their judgments don't hold a candle to how I feel about you. I would choose you over their approval, time and time again. I want to live life on my terms, and those terms include you, till my last breath. Even if our lives boil down to tilling soil and nurturing crops in a humble village, I'd be satisfied."
The scene played like a delicate dance; Leo's hands slithered around Grace's slender waist. Their faces inched closer, their breaths mingling in the cool air. However, the tranquility of the moment was shattered abruptly, a sudden rustling from the nearby grasses startled them.
Leo's eyes sharpened instantly. With a swift motion, he released Grace, placing her protectively behind him. His hand reached for the sword at his waist, drawing it in fear of the unseen threat lurking in the shadows.
The rustling of the grass revealed not monstrous beasts, but rather a group of three ravishing maidens and a young boy who seemed to be the youngest among them. The girls were just as ravishing as Grace, their beauty different in its own way.
The first girl, with her shiny black hair and royal blue eyes, possessed a serene aura similar to Grace. The second girl had vibrant magenta hair, her eyes glimmering with mischief despite the stillness of the forest.
The third girl, however, gave a presence of a sovereign, carried an imposing aura. The boy, on the other hand, was a riddle. He seemed ordinary, almost dull compared to the stunning ladies, yet Leo felt an unexplainable vigilance towards him.
The magenta-haired beauty, broke the silence, her lively voice had a hint of amusement, "What's with the sword, huh? Are you auditioning for the next Asura Empress movie with that heroic pose?"
====[SnowNote]====
It's hard to post regularly, I was thinking of skipping today as well but then tried to finish this chapter.
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Edited By: TheWhiteSnow