"Urg."
I woke up with a sharp pain in my nape. I tried to open my eyes, but what I found was pitch darkness.
My heart was ready to jump out when I thought that I returned to that damned place, luckily it didn't happen as I could feel mana swarming around.
"Haaa..."
I could only breathe a sigh of relief.
"But where is this? It's so dark here."
I raised my arm above and my fingers touched something cold.
"Is that earth?"
I channeled mana to my Elemental, but as soon as the dome that surrounded me slid down, I was dumbfounded. The sound of clashing weapons and the clamoring of the knights greeted my ears.
It was without a doubt... war.
I gritted my teeth and my hands shook violently. Now I remembered why I ended up passing out. It was Alexander! It was that bastard! Now everything started to make sense!
The reason why he got angry at the luncheon--
Wait.
No--It didn't make sense at all. How in the world did he know about the impending attack even before we got here?
No wonder he didn't do the task the Emperor gave us and kept himself busy with the Knights! Turns out the raid was true! I couldn't help but furrow in confusion.
'How did he know? Is he someone who knows the future?'
However, I hastily shook my head.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt'Now is not the time to dwell on unreasonable events.'
But still...
"Ha!"
I snorted in disbelief.
'That bastard!'
I looked down and found a blanket that my eyes were familiar with. My hands clutched it tightly, so tight that my knuckles went white. I vividly recalled what he said to me.
<strong>'Just what do you think you can do with your stick-like figure?!'</strong>
'Stick-life figure, huh.'
I got up on my feet while holding the blanket.
<strong>'There won't be any raid here.'</strong>
''Won't?' It happened, you bastard.'
I threw the fabric away to the ground out of rage.
"Goddammit Alexander!"
I shouted as loud as I could.
"Am I really such a useless person in your eyes?! To the point that knocked me out and left me on the mountain?!"
My chest heaved up and down as I vent my anger and with that, I channeled my mana to my feet and began running down the mountain.
Luckily, tonight was a full moon so I had no problems with my eyesight. After many minutes of sprinting, I finally arrived at the entrance of the mountain foot and I accelerated my pace.
--Tap --Tap --Tap
Yet...
I stopped running and a frown manifested on my forehead. I had been running for more than fifteen minutes or so, but I was nowhere near the camp!
Frankly speaking, with only five minutes on foot, I should have arrived at the Refugee Camp but here I was, still in the forest!
'I've been here many times in the last two days, and there's no way I've forgotten about the route!'
I swept the surroundings thoroughly, and to my surprise, nothing seemed off or bizarre. The scenery before me remained the same in my eyes, just like the first time I got here.
But, what took me so long? Why did it feel like I was circling endlessly? As if someone put me in an illusion--no.
Wait.
I think there was an item that could emit a hallucination and make you lost in the woods. If I wasn't mistaken, there was a flower named Faellusion.
"Ha! Ahaha!"
Started with a scoff, then I continued to laugh. I gritted my teeth in hatred, to think that he planted a Faellusion just to prevent me from coming down the mountain, he really did anything at his disposal to ditch me, huh?
'I'm flattered, my dear brother!'
Lucky me, I knew how to escape here without Faery Dust, and since he did this with all his heart, shouldn't I give him a surprise in return?
It was written in the that: <strong>[The way to fight illusion is to fight it with reality.]</strong>
In order to break out from the illusion, I needed to see the reality within this mirage. I was just glad that the was written from a God perspective--I mean, a third viewpoint and so, I knew everything that Alexander didn't.
I funneled mana to my Elemental and a magic circle formed on the grass.
--Szzz
Water began to emerge from the ground and flooded the mountain entrance. I controlled it until the water became steady and calm.
Now I could clearly see how the big tree in front of me was painted as a footpath on the water.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm'It's time to look for the flower.'
I hastily swept my eyes to every corner and finally, I caught a glimpse of a red flower shaped like a lily--just like the book described it. I rolled my feet and put my hand on the flower.
Although right now it seemed like I was holding nothing, the reflection below said otherwise. It was printed that I grasped a flower and instantly jerked it.
The scenery before me faded as the illusion dissipated and the water seeped back into the soil. I turned my gaze to the palm of my hand, and a withered red lily was seen.
'This is indeed a Faellusion.'
I clenched the flower in my hand with all the hatred I got, then threw it on the ground.
"Alexander you bastard!"
But I eventually picked up the flower and put it in my magical sphere. There was no way I would toss such a valuable item.
Now that I think about it, this was the first time that the helped me out. However...
Just where the hell did he get the flower? It originated from the Elven Kingdom! Not to mention that Ardeen was a picky trader!
'The uncanniness of Alexander is endless!'
"Haa..."
I sighed and massaged my nose bridge.
'I'll put everything aside. For now, there is something more important than that; the lives of the people in the Refugee Camp!'
And without wasting any time, I descended from the mountain and made my way to the camp through the back gate.
Nevertheless, my steps came to a halt, and the rage that I tried so hard to subside, was now starting anew.
He was stoned the moment our eyes met as if he had just witnessed a corpse coming back to life. Shock, confusion, and panic covered his damned handsome face.
It seemed he really enjoyed my present (presence), huh.
'Surprise! You motherfucker!'