"Whoosh—"
"Who's there!"
The knight holding the torch spun around sharply, the bright flame piercing the darkness covering the immediate area behind him. Beyond that, the torchlight struggled against the gloom.
The muscles around the knight's eyes trembled from the strain. His partner behind him also turned alertly, one hand on his shoulder.
Like statues, they stood motionless, staring into the darkness before them.
They held the tense standoff for a good ten seconds until the clang of iron boots on stone echoed from the surrounding alleys, and only then did the two relax slightly.
"What happened!"
Within a minute, about ten knights had gathered, including the captain of this patrol squad.
"Nothing..."
The knight who first made the sound shook his head.
"Didn't see anything, just felt like someone passed behind us..."
Before he could finish, the captain slapped him on the head with the flat of his sword. Even through the heavy helmet, the sharp impact made him dizzy, and he stumbled back two steps unconsciously.
"Don't raise a ruckus! Only sound the alarm when you've confirmed the target, got it!"
If they reacted like this to every little disturbance, it would be far too easy for the target to lure them away.
Of course, the captain's own thoughts were more direct. He beckoned the other knights closer and lowered his voice to instruct them:
"Everyone, keep your wits about you! Who are we trying to catch? The former heir of the Kaslana family! The captain of the Valkyrie Squad! Setting aside the Kaslana name, do you really think you can beat her? Our entire squad wouldn't even be a warm-up for her. We only get four Gold Groschen a month, not worth dying for!"
"Besides, Bishop Nikolas previously announced at the banquet that Lord Otto would inherit the Bishop's position. And who is Lord Otto? The target's fiancé! Take my advice, we don't know how things will turn out in the future, there's no need for us to get involved in this mess, understand?"
"Understood!"
The knights responded in low voices. Then the captain waved his hand, and everyone raised their torches and returned to their designated patrol areas.
As the dozen torches separated quickly like scattered sparks, the street below was soon enveloped once more in darkness and silence. Tonight, only the tireless echo of iron boots and skirted armor resounded here.
Otto let out a long sigh of relief. He tried to take Kallen's arm but found she had already carefully climbed up and was now standing on the roof ridge, looking up at the crescent moon peeking through the thick dark clouds.
Otto shook his head, disappointed, and patted Kallen's shoulder:
"Let's go. If we delay any longer, we won't make it to the Kaslana estate outside the city before dawn tomorrow."
"Mm."
Kallen simply nodded. "This is far enough, Otto. You can leave me here."
"Huh? But..."
"Speaking of which, thank you. You heard them, right? Their reluctance to push things too far is partly thanks to you."
"Kallen, I..."
Otto bit his lip, finally sighing:
"It's nothing, really. They also said my influence was just a minor factor. Even without considering me, they'd still turn a blind eye."
Hearing this, Kallen nodded forcefully:
"True enough, but that's what I meant."
Otto fell silent. He had offered to escort Kallen out of the city under the premise that "if we're discovered by the knights, I can use the Apocalypse family name to handle some trouble."
Now, it seemed he was indeed somewhat redundant.
However, what made him feel more awkward was Kallen telling him to leave now. It was hard not to feel like she saw him as disposable, something to be used and discarded.
Of course, Otto clearly understood this wasn't Kallen's intention, but for it to manifest this way still made him feel a pang of sadness.
After all, their souls had once been so close, reaching a point where they seemed destined to rely only on each other... No, Otto now felt that perhaps this too was just his own wishful thinking. After all, he was the one disliked since childhood due to his frailty and illness.
Before meeting him, Kallen had her father, her younger siblings, even Eleanor and Vera. It was Kallen who brought him into a new world, becoming the bond connecting him to others, not the other way around.
"Perhaps... perhaps she never needed me... only I needed her..."
And as the bond connecting him to the entire world, losing Kallen meant losing the whole world for Otto, wasn't that so?
Otto pushed himself up with his hands a couple of times, but somehow, he just couldn't get up from the roof.
He turned his head again to look at Kallen's back. She still stood there, perfectly still.
"Perhaps... she's waiting..."
The thought had barely surfaced before Otto dismissed it with a bitter smile.
"Alright, Kallen. Take care... on the road ahead."
Kallen's silhouette wavered slightly, but just then, a night breeze swept past, tugging at her hair and the outline of her clothes, coincidentally erasing that imperceptible tremble.
Yet Otto still caught it, sharp as ever. Or perhaps his eyes hadn't truly seen Kallen tremble, merely a trick of the shifting air that made him accidentally right.
A warmth spread from his heart to his limbs. His heart lifted slightly, carrying a tiny sliver of hope.
So he spoke again, worriedly:
"Kallen, are you sure the Kaslana family estate outside the city is safe? I... I'm not questioning Uncle Luca, but there are still servants and others at the estate. With so many eyes and ears, if you're discovered, it will put Uncle Luca and the others in a difficult position... Or it might implicate the entire Kaslana family..."
"And then what? Schicksal won't uproot the Kaslana family just for that. It was the Kaslanas, Schariacs, and Apocalypses who created Schicksal, not the other way around."
Kallen glanced over her shoulder. Tonight's moonlight had a faint green tinge, reflecting beautifully in her azure eyes.
Otto wasn't sure if it was his imagination, but he thought he saw something bright glint in Kallen's eyes.
But it was immediately followed by a cold laugh:
"Besides, where else can I run? Surely not hide at your Apocalypse place? Or the Schariacs'? Sorry... I can't cause you any more trouble."
Otto opened his mouth, wanting to say something—he actually had a secret research base outside the city! He could let Kallen hide there! What place could be more hidden?
But Otto couldn't say it... because that place, because the darkness there was also... a place he couldn't let Kallen see.
Ha, it wasn't that he couldn't let Kallen see it. Even if she did, it would only make her fully understand that he was a complete hypocrite, an executioner stained with countless, indelible blood and sins.
Even... predictably, if he tried to explain, telling her that at least half of the bloody experiments were done for her, given Kallen's personality, she would despise Otto even more, while also coming to loathe her own existence.
But what consequences would all this truly bring? She would see Otto Apocalypse's true face completely, thereby abandoning all unrealistic fantasies. Of course, for her, that might not be such a bad thing.
And for Otto Apocalypse, he would lose Kallen completely and utterly. But the question was... hadn't he already lost Kallen?
No... no, no, perhaps the question should be, had he ever truly had Kallen?
At this thought, a bitter smile spread across his face again.
Right. Otto, you once thought everything you possessed came from her, but you never possessed her, so you never truly possessed anything.
Well then, perhaps he should take her there after all. Let Otto Apocalypse bear all the mistakes, all the consequences; it was the retribution he deserved for his sins.
"Hahh... Kallen, maybe you should..."
The night wind blew his bangs back and forth. He sat there on the rooftop, alone, mouth half-open, staring blankly at the crescent moon above.
Though only a crescent, the moonlight was clear and bright, bathing everything as if submerged in a pool of green water. The undulating rooftops of Kolosten, the city walls, and the distant mountains were merely unnoticed reefs at the bottom.
Yes, the moon had finally broken free from the clouds' grasp, but what use was it now? It was just that little bit too late.
She could no longer see this pure moonlight, and Otto could no longer say anything to her.
After a long while, he finally lowered his head, glancing at the palm of his right hand.
Under the moon, shadows were deep, and the outlines of everything in the distance were distinct. But when Otto looked at his own palm, trying to make out the lines, everything became dim and unclear, like the unforeseeable path ahead.
Then what did those clear outlines represent?
Otto had a sudden realization—that was the vivid past, the memories of everything gone by, but merely clearly visible outlines.
---||---
"Idiot... Idiot... Idiot!"
In a sense, having the ordinary Otto tagging along was a burden for Kallen.
Traveling light on her own, with just a few leaps across the rooftops, she quickly reached the foot of the mountain south of Kolosten. There was a gap in the city wall here, and Kallen easily vaulted over it, then headed continuously up the mountain path.
Over this mountain, and perhaps another two or three hours' walk, she would reach one of the Kaslana estates outside the city, where her uncle Luka and his wife Helena currently resided.
After all, although Luka was currently managing Kaslana family affairs, it was merely a temporary measure. According to strict bloodline, the Francis branch was the main lineage. Though the line had dwindled, Kallen and William still remained. Besides, the Kaslana family didn't have much business to manage in peacetime. Better to enjoy life at the estate outside the city than stay cooped up inside.
And Uncle Luka... Luka Kaslana... he should be reliable, right?
A flicker of uncertainty crossed Kallen's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by determination—
"No matter what, Uncle Luka bears the Kaslana name. Although he's usually a bit too prone to compromise, surely he wouldn't sell out his own niece... However, I really can't stay at the estate for long. Otto was right, this whole thing was ultimately reckless of me. I didn't expect it to coincide with the Castle Council's offensive. I absolutely cannot implicate the family..."
Kallen stopped and took a deep breath.
"Tomorrow morning, I'll greet Uncle Luka at the estate. It would be even better if I could get some supplies there... After that, where should I go? To Shenzhou? If I could learn even a tenth of Immortal Phoenix's skills, I wouldn't be in such a sorry state now..."
Also, regarding the question the Immortal raised that day on the Kipchak Steppe, she had a vague inkling, but she wasn't sure if the answer was correct. She wanted to ask the Immortal for guidance.
Thinking carefully, it would take several months to reach Mount Taixuan from here, which should be enough time for the Immortal to finish dealing with the South Sea issue...
With a plan for the future, Kallen felt filled with energy again. But after taking just a couple of steps, she felt somewhat listless again.
"That idiot! Idiot! Idiot idiot idiot!"
Regarding Otto, Kallen didn't know what to say anymore. If she felt disappointed, perhaps a little, after all, he actually created such a dangerous weapon, almost causing irreparable casualties...
But regardless of her past thoughts, Kallen didn't want to dwell on it now.
At least, the incident didn't result in actual consequences. The Ming army somehow got intel in advance and had already evacuated their main camp, even setting a trap for the Valkyries in return. Ha, perhaps not 'somehow' – it must be related to that man.
Perhaps, distancing herself from Otto these past few months really went too far?
Kallen fiddled with the gold trim of her Valkyrie uniform, her thoughts in turmoil.
How she wished, just now, that Otto could have stood up, resolutely followed her, cast aside the honor associated with the Apocalypse name, for the sake of...
Heh, what right did she have to think like that? Firstly, wasn't Otto's choice the consequence of her deliberate distancing? Secondly, what right did she have to expect Otto to give up everything the Apocalypse name represented? For what? For her ideals? For her still immature ideas? On what grounds? What right did she have to demand someone abandon everything for her ideals?
Was it simply because he loved her?
Kallen knew, if she were willing to say these things, Otto would definitely do as she asked.
But she wasn't willing, because that felt more like using love as a pretext to hijack Otto's thoughts. It might achieve the result she wanted, but if the process of achieving the result was wrong in itself, what meaning did such a result hold?
Just thinking about this made her heart even more chaotic—today she robbed an indulgence salesman, distributing his "ill-gotten gains" to the populace. But were her methods legal?
No, according to Schicksal's rules, the salesman's money was legally obtained, while her actions were definitively illegal.
Then according to her previous line of thought, wasn't this achieving a correct result through a wrong process?
If this could be tolerated, then why couldn't she tolerate the same regarding Otto's...
"Sigh..."
It was all just a tangled mess.
Suddenly, she stopped walking again, but not because of her chaotic thoughts.
She narrowed her eyes, staring into the darkness ahead for a full three seconds, then said coldly:
"Stop hiding. Come out."
"Hmph, you're quite vigilant. I thought you were going to walk right onto the tip of my spear."
Eleanor emerged from the darkness. Seeing the Abyss Flower in her hand, Kallen's eye twitched twice.
She had left in too much of a hurry; it was impossible for her to be carrying Judah's Oath. Although she was slightly stronger than Eleanor, she wasn't strong enough yet to face Abyss Flower bare-handed.
But she couldn't back down now, no matter what. Even if she lacked confidence, she had to put on a confident front—
She pretended confidence, glancing around nonchalantly and asking:
"Just you? Are you sure you can stop me?"
"Pfft!"
Eleanor covered her mouth and laughed. She casually tossed aside the Abyss Flower she had cherished since childhood and spread her hands generously.
"Alright, just kidding. I have no intention of bothering with you."
"Then you..."
"I sent the Valkyrie Squad in other directions. 'The Kaslana estate is in this direction, and there's only one path. I didn't believe Kallen would be stupid enough to take this path, but even if she is that stupid, it doesn't matter, I'm personally overseeing this route.' That's why I'm here."
"Then... you're not stopping me?"
Kallen bit her lower lip. Eleanor's face wasn't very clear in the darkness, but they had grown up together. It shouldn't be difficult to picture her features in her mind...
Kallen couldn't picture them.
Sometime, somehow, the relationship between her and Eleanor had also grown increasingly stiff and distant. Every other sentence they exchanged was filled with hostility, just like now—
"What? You want me to beg me to stop you? Dream on. Are you crazy or am I? What harm does your leaving do to me? I can rightfully take over as Captain of the Valkyrie Squad, your Kaslana family's position in Schicksal will be gone forever, unable to compare with the Schariacs anymore, and Lord Otto won't waste all his time on you either."
"However I look at it, it's all good for me."
Kallen took a deep breath. Somehow, Eleanor's features seemed to become clear again. Kallen could imagine her pouting, turning her head away, but glancing back out of the corner of her eye—just as stubborn as when they were children.
"...Thank you."
"Thank my foot! Now scram!"