Sensing this weird concentrated energy that reaches him, Rex slowly gets back to his feet.
Now that he has reached the ninth-rank realm in his lightning elements, he could start being active and deal with the problems at hand. 'I haven't had the time to train Brutal Impulse, but it can't wait. I'll ask the system later'
Intending to get back to the castle, another wave of energy hits his body.
Compared to the one earlier, this one doesn't feel hostile, and Rex recognized it instantly.
Upon sensing this wave of energy that brought along a familiar aroma that he couldn't possibly forget, he glanced in the same direction as before, and his expression depicted the shock he was having right now.
But that shock didn't last long, it was replaced by a smile.
Facing down to the ground for a moment with a smile on his face, a visible tremble can be seen on his hands. It was hard to tell from the tremble alone, but combined with his expression, it should be trembles of excitement.
'I guess it's not going to take long to deal with the first problem...'
A moment later, Rex is currently inside Gistella's room, kneeling by her bed tenderly.
Now that she was freed from the curse hosting inside of her earlier thanks to Dealkandrax, she was already started visibly looking better. As a Werewolf herself, her regeneration ability started to turn her back to normal.
Even her cheeks are now rosy, boasting her beauty once again.
It's been a solid minute now that he stayed in this position, gazing at Gistella's face seemingly in trouble. Not a single word came out of his mouth, he doesn't know how to say this.
Since Gistella is getting better, he should've stayed here and accompanied her.
Aside from the fact that it was the natural thing to do, he was also feeling guilty of leaving her like this when Gistella gives him peace at his worst. Leaving her right now although a must, feels really bad.
Guessing what was on Rex's mind, Gistella smiled gently.
Now that she was looking at Rex's troubled face and inspected it, she chuckled inwardly, finding that Rex has become quite predictable when he was facing her. It's hard to imagine that an Alpha that is like an enigma to her before turns out like this.
But it started ever since that night, what she did seems to really impact Rex internally.
Considering that resting is something of a luxury for Rex who has enemies from every angle of existence, insurmountable problems that are a doorstep away, and also regrets that haunted him every single second, it's natural for him to feel like this.
"I know what you're thinking, and you don't need to feel like that" Gistella suddenly said.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtUpon hearing this, Rex tilts his head a little while looking at Gistella's tender eyes before she continues, "I did what I did because I want you to feel at peace, you don't have to feel burdened about it. Do what you have to do, I'll recover quickly and joins you later"
Rex was at a loss for words, he was surprised to find that Gistella reads his mind perfectly.
In response, he can only smile and hold her soft hand.
"Okay, I'm going now. I'll bring Delta here to keep you company" Rex said.
After he finds Gistella nodding in affirmation, he stood back up and turns around intending to leave the room. But as his hand reaches the handle, Gistella called his name and he stopped to look back at her.
Pausing for a moment, a slight blush appeared on Gistella's face.
"I-If you have the time and needed rest, you can come to me at any time. I'll help you sleep..."
Rex widened his eyes slightly for a second before a wide smile appeared on his face, he finds it surprising for Gistella to say something like that considering her pliant nature. "Hmm... that sounds good, I'll do that"
Eventually, he left the room and stands in the hallway for a brief moment.
Glancing to the side in thought, he then heads in the opposite direction of the throne room.
Calidora is currently in the throne room waiting for him as they are about to leave, he can sense her there meditating. But before going there, he needs to do something first, it's what he thought proper anyway.
Arriving at the courtyard, he finds a figure sitting near the stairs with her eyes closed.
It was Naela, and she was stronger than before.
Due to the castle's ability to absorb any energy hovering around it, the Dark Nature energy is thick here. Even though Rex has already set the castle to stop absorbing the Dark Nature energy in concern for thinning the energy for the Dark Elves, the remnant inside the castle is still thick.
For a single Dark Elf, it will take months if they greedily try to absorb them all.
Naela was immersed in her meditation and didn't realize that Rex was approaching her from the side. Standing beside her, he then lightly taps her shoulder which instantly woke her up from her meditation.
"L-Lord Rex!" She exclaimed, quickly standing up and bowing slightly.
Upon seeing her frantic reaction, Rex smiled assuringly to show her that there was no need for her to be like this. "Is it Lady Gistella? I thought she was okay, I'll go and accompany her right away!"
"Stop that, Naela. You're a guest here" Rex replied with a wry smile.
Even though that was the case for Rex, he also understands how it would look from Naela's perspective. Considering that Kyran was not here, she definitely feel that she doesn't belong here, and that was natural.
Rex then added apologetically, "You're not a maid, I'm sorry if I make you feel that way"
"No, no, no, it's okay! I'm glad that I can provide assistance to you and the others" Naela quickly replied with a smile, she seems genuine yet that made Rex feel guilty even more for neglecting her situation.
Walking over to the courtyard, passing Naela, he then takes a deep whiff of fresh air.
Clasping his hands behind his back, he then opens his mouth, "I've walked a path full of blood from the start, I did everything to achieve my vengeance. And along the way, I've made many enemies whether it is directly or indirectly. Each of them poses a threat, and one wrong move will spill my and the others' deaths"
As he said this, there was an air of reverence around him with a tiny tint of sorrow.
"This is the first time that one of us is sick, and in a situation such as mine, there's no room for carelessness. Stopping to care would spill our doom, and thus I can't be with Gistella all the time" he added before he turns around to face Naela.
Giving a slight smile, he then walks over to her.
"Which is why I need your help, not to accompany Gistella, but to become her friend. And if you can, be friends with the others too. As far as I'm concerned, not everyone can handle what I handled, and maybe they need a friend like you" Rex added, he then hold Naela's shoulder gently, "After all, you're going to be one of us"
Upon hearing this, Naela was stunned before she eventually nodded her head.
"I will try my best to honor your trust..."
Even though she was saying that Rex can see that she was trying to hide her troubled face. It's clear that there's something bugging her mind, and he knows exactly what, "Why the long face, Naela? I'm not here to only say that to you"
"Eh...?" Naela looks up at Rex with a confused expression.
Gauging a teasing smile, Naela listened to what Rex had to say as her eyes slowly widened.
At the end of it, she was stunned and didn't know what to say. It was clear that what Rex said completely paralyzed her, and she was only just now seeing the teasing smile starting to form on Rex's face which left her more amused.
It's clear that Rex is oozing with confidence, and what he was saying is a form of guarantee.
"L-Lord Rex, a-are you lying to me?"
"Of course not, you'll see soon enough. But I want you to promise me to keep a high spirit around Gistella, okay? Be happy, both of you, no matter what the situation outside is and what would happen in the future, right now, we are safe and can be happy"
A moment later, Rex and Calidora are walking out of the castle.
Standing at the entrance of the castle were two figures, Naela and Gistella. Compared to earlier, Naela is waving her arm excitedly with a huge smile on her face, bidding the two of them goodbye.
What Rex said earlier clearly lifted her mood up immensely.
Even Gistella who is standing beside her was surprised to find her this excited, she has never been this excited, so she was quite curious as to what made her have this great of a mood despite nothing happening.
"Is that another one of your women?" Calidora asked, eyeing Naela on her back.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmUpon hearing this, Rex shakes his head as he didn't even know why Calidora would want to know that, "Of course not, that's the... I guess a 'fiance' of one of my pack members, she's not my woman"
"Pack members? Since when a weak Beta can have a mate?" Calidora replied weirdly.
But Rex didn't answer and yet that answers enough for Calidora, it's clear that Rex is not following the tradition of the Werewolves, he didn't seem to consider himself part of the ancient Werewolves.
Shrugging her shoulders, she then asked, "Where are we going? To meet Aunty Shanaela?"
"Nope, I need to take care of some things before meeting with her. We're going to pay a visit to a certain someone, and I'm not leaving you in the castle. Besides, if it went wrong, I'll probably be going to need your help" Rex replied nonchalantly.
With Calidora around, he's going to force her to come with him no matter where he goes.
In no instance possible that he was going to leave Calidora with Gistella and Naela as it was a fixed recipe for disaster. However, it's not like she was actually forcing her to come considering that she was quite eager to come.
Calidora even hummed excitedly while the two are walking along the bridge.
'System, is there really no other way in gaining a curse source aside from the Eternal Curse?'
<Curse Source is available in the shop, there are countless options that the user can choose from. However, there's no natural curse sold in the system's shop. Gaining a natural curse through effort is possible, there are ways, but it's impossible for the user to meet the requirements>
<Considering the Eternal Curse is a twelfth-epiphany natural curse, it's impossible for the user's current strength to gain another curse equivalent to that>
Upon reading the system's answers, Rex can only sigh.
Rex could settle for a less powerful curse source in exchange for the Eternal Curse with Calidora, but he can't afford that judging from the fight he did with the Witch of Chaos' pets, Dealkandrax, and the insectoid creature.
During that fight, he managed to catch a surprising glimpse of Calidora's fight.
In that fight, despite Calidora having a twelfth-epiphany curse source, her cursed power was at most equal to or slightly stronger than the insectoid creature. Because of that, it was safe to assume that the Witch of Chaos also has a twelfth-epiphany natural curse.
'So I'm going to be stuck with her, huh... this is going to be a headache' Rex exhales roughly.
~
The next day.
Ratmawati City, the SCO Headquarters.
During the busy days of the SCO Headquarters where Black Hands that are now allocated to office works are walking left and right busily, a car stopped at the gate of the building before being inspected by two Black Hands.
But when the window was opened, the two Black Hands immediately salute.
The car went inside and stopped in front of the lobby, and out come from that car is Prof. K still in his regular clothes but his face was covered with green gas. Gazing at the building, he takes a deep breath before striding right inside.