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Chapter 258: Incomprehensible Feelings

“Is he gone?”

Looking at the scattering bits of light, Roel felt indescribable sorrow gripping his heart.

He knew that deep well that the one he had been conversing with was no more than a sliver of his consciousness, and that the real Ro Ascart was already long dead. Heck, their conversation hadn’t even been that long at all!

But he still felt a profound sense of loss when Ro disappeared.

They were kin who shared the same blood ties, as well as comrades walking down the same path. All of these made him feel an intimate bond with Ro, and the latter had openly expressed his goodwill toward him too.

The Ascart House had always faced a lack of progeny, such that most members found themselves had hardly any kin in their respective era. This made them treasure their familial bond even more. On top of that, Roel and Ro were both inheritors of the Ascart Bloodline, so the connection they shared went deeper than anyone else.

Ro appeared to have quite a mischievous character that was at odds with his delicate appearance, but Roel could clearly sense the weight of the responsibility he carried beneath his leisurely attitude. He had provided many clues that likely couldn’t be found anymore in the current era, and Roel had no doubt that they would go a long way in the future.

From Winstor to Ro and finally Roel, it seemed like the three bloodline possessors of the Ascart House were in a relay race to unveil the truth of history. They sought to change their own fate, the fate of the Ascart House, and the fate of humankind as well. Winstor and Ro might have lost their lives in the process of doing so, but their efforts had definitely not been in vain.

The turmoil they had been through helped pave the way for Roel. Perhaps Roel might one day someday meet a premature end walking down this path too, but he couldn’t allow himself to give up just like that.

He couldn’t allow a thousand years of accumulation to be ruined in his hands.

That was the truest thought he had the moment he received the Blackrose Ring.

Roel couldn’t tell whether it was the effect of the Blackrose Ring or the dungeon, but his injuries, afflictions, and depleted mana gradually healed up. Even his tattered clothes were reverting back to their original form. This incredible sight left him feeling deeply impressed about the mystical nature of the ‘Night of the Demons’.

The blurred distinction between reality and illusion in the dungeon produced an amazing phenomenon. However, he was also aware that this phenomenon had been dispelled during his battle against Ro, so it was surprising to see its invocation after he received the Blackrose Ring.

Does this mean that the dungeon’s phenomenon has something to do with the Blackrose Ring?

Speaking of which, wasn’t it practically cheating that the Blackrose Ring was guarded by the monstrously powerful Ro Ascart? Which freshmen could possibly stand a chance against him?

But now that I think about it, unlike the other Ring Guardians, Ro’s clone did retain a sliver of his consciousness. Could he be deliberately hoarding the Blackrose Ring, biding his time for an inheritor of the Ascart Bloodline to come along so that he could entrust the important clue regarding ‘Academic’ to them?

Looking at it from this angle, it would mean that Ro was gaming the system in order to ensure that the Blackrose Ring never fell into an outsider’s hand.

Roel stared at the two rings in his hands and he theorized about the truth, but he soon shook his head and tossed those thoughts to the back of his mind. Regardless of the truth, it was time for him to leave this place.

So, he called out to the excessively plump spirit guide in the sky, only to realize that it was unable to find its way around. Left with no choice, he took out Chris’ oil lamp and lit it up.

...

The chaos by the perimeter of the Fog Forest had just calmed down, and the elites of the Emergency Rescue Team began leaving the area in batches. Principal Antonio was also observing the situation in the vicinity. On a nearby balcony, Chris looked at the forest as she heaved a sigh of relief and continued praying for Roel’s safety.

It all happened after the preliminary trial, when the strongest ones amongst the freshmen had just started fighting against their respective Ring Guardians. ‘Night of the Demons’ suddenly began emanating strong mana pulsations that kept rising in intensity, eventually shattering the final trigger warning. Faced with such a situation, the Nexus immediately declared Tier-1 Crisis Alarm, invoking the Emergency Rescue Team to remain on standby and prepare to rush in whenever required.

Unlike previous years, the challengers this year included the Theocracy’s princess and the daughter of Rosa’s chief administrator. A mishap here could spell disastrous consequences for the whole of humankind. The sheer stress created an atmosphere so heavy that the chief of the Nexus ended up suffering from a heart attack and was carried away by the academy’s doctors.

Thankfully, the mana pulsations vanished shortly after.

Perhaps Principal Antonio had some sort of deeper understanding of the dungeon, but he didn’t appear too worried at all. As the dungeon finally became stable once more, the nervous crowd heaved a sigh of relief and began leaving the area. With that, the crisis was finally put to rest.

At this moment, a crowd of several thousand consisting of both freshmen and seniors alike waited expectantly for the results of the trials. Some were nobles of the Theocracy and Rosa, some freshmen seeking for backing, some senior students who weren’t faring well in the academy, and many bankers and gamblers. Regardless, they were all here with the common intent to witness the birth of the new Ringbearer(s).

Ringbearers had special training fields intended for their usage, and they were able to create factions. Being in these factions had tangible benefits, such as having exclusive rights or priority in the usage of some of the facilities. But what others valued more was the relationships one would build with fellow faction members over the years, and these bonds could continue to benefit them even after graduation.

However, the most important thing about Ringbearers was their voting rights on the Rose Council, which could sway the power dynamics in the academy. There was currently a Ringbearer each in the Second, Third and Fourth Grade, so it was ideal for there to be one for the First Grade as well. Otherwise, they would be losing out on many benefits and be left without representation on the Rose Council.

Time slowly ticked by amidst the crowd’s excited murmuring.

In a nearby temporary base of operations for the Enforcement Division, a black-haired young woman clutched her chest with a pained look on her face. There was an overturned cup lying on the ground beside her.

Lilian had been feeling deeply uncomfortable ever since the unnatural mana pulsations started. A feeling of frustration and unease welled up in her heart, and she couldn’t calm herself down at all. On top of that, it was worsening with each passing moment.

Under normal circumstances, she, as the Purplerose Ringbearer, would have never come to this place. In order to uphold the hierarchy in the power dynamics, she would have avoided paying too much heed to the newly crowned Ringbearers so as to keep their pride in check. Yet, the unnerving sensation she felt left her with no choice but to come over.

What’s going on? Why is the disturbance in the dungeon affecting my emotions? And... what’s this terrifying apprehension I’m feeling?

Unable to make sense of anything, Lilian frowned in frustration. She couldn’t really put her finger on it, but it was if she was about to lose something very important to her. As someone who had never really experienced kinship or romance before, this was an incomprehensible feeling to her.

While she was feeling frustrated, footsteps began sounding in the Fog Forest. The students who had challenged the Ring Guardians had finally returned, but most of them were filled with sighs. It was only when a powerful mana pulsation rippled into the surroundings, and a significantly bigger spirit guide lit up the surroundings that cheers broke out amidst the crowd.

The victor was finally here.