Chapter 629: Is This A Joke?

A day after the feast was held in the castle, the Heads of the Protector Clans gathered together to discuss Ethan's coming-of-age ceremony.

Traditionally, those who took this trial would enter the Sacred Cave in order to undergo the Heart Trials or accomplish an act that would benefit Caer Wydion as a whole.

They originally planned to send Ethan to the Sacred Cave, where he'd take the test. But just this morning, a letter arrived in the residences of the Patriarchs and the Matriarchs of the Four Protector Clans.

"There is no mistake," Fortuna said as she looked at the four letters placed beside each other, forming a square. "It came from our Lord."

"But isn't this a bit too dangerous?" Thorric, the Dwarven Patriarch, commented. "The Sacred Cave is one thing, but our Lord wished for him to enter the Gate of Okeanos. This is extremely dangerous."

"Indeed." the Matriarch of the Elves, Heleth, nodded. "One mistake, and the Young Master might end up trapped in the river of time. This is simply too dangerous. Does he perhaps know of what happened between the Young Master and the Young Miss? If so, is this his way of punishing the Young Master?"

"As much as our Lord spoils our Young Miss, I don't think that he would go that far," Enzo voiced his opinion. "He must have a good reason for doing this."

"Or maybe he doesn't have a reason," Fortuna said after careful deliberation. "Perhaps the Lord just wants to see how things will turn out once the Master enters the river that traverses the entire world, as well as time and space."

Enzo, Heleth, and Thorric were really against the idea, but since this was their Lord's orders, they were unable to disobey his arrangement. No one in Car Wydion dared to defy their Master's orders, which made them want to believe that there was a deeper reason for this arrangement.

"It says that the Young Master must take the Trial tomorrow at noon." Heleth sighed. "Who wants to inform him about this quest?"

The four of them glanced at each other.

Clearly, none of them wanted to be THAT person who had to break the news to Ethan about his trial.

"Fine, I'll do it," Fortuna volunteered in resignation. "Make the necessary arrangements. Ensure that the Young Master will have enough food and drinking water just in case he ends up in a place where he is unable to hunt or find water."

The other three Leaders nodded their heads and adjourned their meeting. Further discussions was pointless because the decision has already been made for them.

Fortuna, Emma's mother, was extremely worried. The River of Okeanos was a place that even they didn't dare to step into.

Those who had been swept away by the river were never seen again. To prevent the same tragedy from happening, they placed a powerful seal on it, preventing others from going near it.

But tomorrow, that seal would be removed, and their Young Master, who had just arrived in Caer Wydion, would dive in it to perform his coming-of-age ceremony.

It didn't take long for Fortuna to find Ethan.

Since Emma was always with the young man, all she needed to do was find Emma. She had a way of finding the location of her daughter, and soon, she found Ethan without any problem.

"Young Master, the trial that you will take for your coming-of-age ceremony has been chosen," Fortuna said respectfully. "Tomorrow at noon, you will enter the River of Okeanos. Once you are able to return, the trial will immediately end, giving you a passing mark."

The moment Emma and Lilith heard that Ethan's trial was to enter into the River of Okeanos, their faces turned pale, almost losing all their colors.

"Mother, is this a joke?" Emma asked, forgetting that she was not only talking to her Mother but also the current Matriarch of the Meredith Clan.

Fortuna didn't find fault in Emma's outburst, for she had the same reaction when she learned about Ethan's mission. seaʀᴄh thё Novelƒire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"I wish it was," Fortuna replied. "Trust me, I also wish that it was just a joke. We originally decided to let the Young Master enter the Sacred Cave, but a letter from the Lord arrived, stating the contents of the Trial."

Lilith, who had been listening from the side, clenched her fists, knowing that there was no way for her to accompany Ethan on his trial.

Even if she merged with the young man's shadow, the moment he entered the River of Okeanos, she would immediately be expelled due to the restrictions placed on it.

Ethan, who had Mimir's Wisdom, simply searched for information about the river and was surprised when he read what was written about it.

According to Mimir's Wisdom, the flow of the River of Okeanos encompassed the entire world. However, that wasn't all.

The river had branches that could potentially send anyone caught in its currents to the past or the future.

Although the chances were small, the chances still existed, making it an incredibly dangerous place to visit.

If Ethan were to be stranded somewhere in Midgard, the young man would be able to return safely to Caer Wydion or the Shire Continent since he could swim in the sea or fly in the sky.

But if he were stranded in the past or the future, even if he were to return home, he might no longer see the people he wanted to see.

"Is there really no other way?" Emma inquired. "Maybe you can change the trial. It doesn't have to be this dangerous."

"It's an order from the Lord," Fortuna said sadly. "You already know that his words are law. We cannot disobey."

Ethan, who had just finished reading the information he got from Mimir's Wisdom, pondered for a bit.

He wasn't really afraid of going to the river since he was confident that he would be able to survive no matter where he was sent.

His only concern is the possibility of being trapped in the future or the past.

Having already experienced what it was like to be trapped in the past, he frankly wasn't looking forward to being stuck in a situation like that again.