I Have a Queen in Each and Every Kingdom-Chapter 43: Don’t Unlock This - Yet

Before Elio could comment on what the girl had just said, she quickly added, "By the way, we still don’t know what had happened to Tsundria."

She was trying to avoid Elio’s gaze.

Reminded of Tsundria, Elio wondered where the Venomous Beauty was. Why didn’t she come here? Was all she did and said to him just threats to get his sword?

’No! Showing up here here without me would have proved that we really were under attack, and that she was here to bring me some back up. It would not be good for her plans because that’s not what she intended.’

Elio concluded that Tsundria was probably somewhere nearby, waiting for the evening to come so she could put her plans in action.

’What do I tell these guys then?’

Everyone from the Nexus Regions was staring at him, tense and in anticipation.

"She’s nearby. We just had a misunderstanding about the Dungeon of Desires."

The Nexus Group seemed relieved but only Benitha managed to say something.

"The Dungeon of Desires? Is it really there?"

Her face was beaming.

Elio didn’t know how he found himself gently slapping the girl’s head.

"Why would we be here if it’s not there, you idiot?"

Her reaction took Elio by surprise.

"Ah!"

It was more like a high pitched moan. She then added, "I would like it if it was on my ass."

This made Elio see her in a new angel.

"You’re a slut!"

He was laughing.

Benitha said something but Elio’s attention was drawn by Gillian. She was fuming in fury, seemingly not enjoying this flirty interaction between them.

This reminded Elio that he had other matters to tend to first.

’I’ll think of this chick after.’

Following this thought, he ignored Benitha’s lustful gaze and pulled Gillian with him toward the bonfire.

"I guess it’s time we eat."

Someone was not pleased.

"Just draw the portals," it was Kyron. We need what to eat, not you announcements."

Elio ignored him and summoned his Legacy, Transport Portal. When the quill appeared into his hands, his jaw dropped.

On top of being too colourful to belong to any type of a bird, the feather in his hands was glowing. Elio suspected that it could illuminate an entire room if it was at night.

’It had also upgraded!’ he exclaimed with a satisfied smile on his face.

Those who had seen the quill before such as Kyron and Gillian, were staring at it with a confused expression.

"Why is everything about you different?" asked Kyron.

At that instant, others stared at Elio and laughed at themselves for not having realized that he had transformed. His armor, his bubble... everything.

Elio knew they were waiting for an explanation.

Since he had levelled up, he had been waiting for this type of question but not from someone like Kyron.

The reason?

Kyron, too, was a Blessed. Almighty Interpreter allowed him to know the levels of the others. He had surely saw that Elio had levelled up. That that’s why everything about him were different.

’Maybe he’s seen it but refused to believe it because he thinks it’s impossible.’

That’s all Elio could think of as a reason behind Kyron’s confusion.

’I have levelled up!’ Would he say that? That would spark a lot of curiosity-filled questions from others. That’s why he decided to keep his secret and use Tsundria’s lies.

"I also don’t know what had happened to me after the Infected Monsters attacked us."

After that reply, no one asked another question regarding his sudden transformation.

They just stared at him as he started drawing a portal, happy that they were finally going to eat something after a whole day of starvation.

"I would like an apple please!" Benitha shouted as the shimmering circle appeared mere centimeters near the bonfire.

"I don’t know if they’re any apples," Elio replied, busy drawing another portal. "It’s Gillian who gave the order."

This was true. Gillian was the one who ordered the maids on what to bring near the portals. She had told them to stay near them and send the packages once she gave them a signal.

Hearing her name mentioned, Gillian crouched near the portal Elio had just drawn and sent her hand inside.

She was smiling at Benitha.

"Don’t worry! They’re a lot of apples."

Benitha jumped to her feet.

Elio drew two more portals and stood up, taking a few steps away from the bonfire afterwards.

He, also, was hungry and would have liked to eat. However, there was something nagging at his mind. Did the Transport Portal change only physically?

He could clearly remember its Enhancements.

[Ballooning Belly] and [Lightening Reach].

He even remembered the description of the first Enhancement.

It was something about the quill being able to draw runes that can make large portals as long as he had enough Pigment to feed it.

If the Legacy had really upgraded, it meant that he could use it to even transport humans like God of Desires used to do. It was all about him having enough Pigment, which he now had; he had levelled up, after all.

The portals he had just drawn to transport food were pre-drawn. They had their corresponding openings drawn at the Drumline Castle. That’s why he wasn’t surprised when they came as small as always.

’Let me draw a new one to check if the quill has really upgraded.’

His heart was beating faster as the magic quill scraped against the rocky ground. When he was done, he stood up and took a step backward, then another.

...and the another.

The view in front of him was too large and breathtaking to observe it closely.

At first, there was a swirl of white smokes, then a shimmering circle with at least a two-meter radius emerged out of them.

’It works! The Transport Portal had upgraded.’

Elio thought of all the things this was going to change in his life. A smile formed onto his lips.

’Wow!’

Now he had a way to take everyone with him to the other side of the canyon; he wasn’t going to study the Dungeon of Desires alone.

’Just wow!’

The white glow from the shimmering circle attracted everyone’s attention.

"Don’t tell me it’s a portal!" Benitha was the first to comment about it. She was already standing near him.

Elio found himself gently slapping her on the head for the second time.

"What else could it be, idiot!"

Elio felt like stepping inside of it but knew it would not take him anywhere. He needed to go draw it’s corresponding opening so it could function.

This filled him with excitement and, as everyone stood mesmerized, Elio ran toward the bonfire and grabbed a handful of Ulcers—the type of candies which he had eaten during his first expedition. The maids were done sending them through the portals.

Tossing one into his mouth, he summoned his bubble and ran toward the Dead Forest.

"Where are you going?" Gillian shouted at his back.

"I’m going to bring Peony back!" he shouted back.

***

After a few minutes shading tears, Tsundria’s mind was able to think clearly... again.

This liquid sure smelled like Elio but it was not blood. She could tell that this was not the real blood.

’What is it then?’

She rose to her feet and whipped tears off of her eyes to clear her sight. Maybe Elio was the one who cut the rope and the liquid had been a result of the struggle.

But where could he be?

The opening to the cave came into her view as soon as her sight cleared.

They had come there for this cave in the first place. Did Elio enter it?

Tsundria took steps toward the wide maw to the Dungeon of Desires. Soon, she was passing through the opening, praying that Elio was inside.

Unfortunately, she didn’t get a chance to go deeper into the cave. There, in front of her, an enormous chunk of a stone was placed inside the tunnel, blocking her path.

Despite being too large to be lifted by any human, it seemed like it was manually placed there.

’Maybe it’s an illusion!’

She was disappointed when she placed her hands on it. It was real.

Tsundria tried pushing it but to no avail.

’How had Elio’s uncle entered this dungeon then?’ she wondered. ’There has to be a way!’

***

It didn’t take Elio long to traverse the Dead Forest. His bubble was fast and all he needed to do was keep near the ground to avoid colliding with the weave of strong and dry branches of the dead trees.

Rising higher, he glanced at the enormous trunk of the Kawa tree where he had plucked a sapling. He would have not cut Tsundria’s rope if not for the invisible dagger he obtained there.

The thought that he would now still be tied on that chunk of a stone made his longing to teach Tsundria a lesson double.

’I have to find Peony first!’

Gillian had told him what were Peony’s intentions. To circle the Dead Forest and reach the mysterious canyon with the dragon riders.

’Which direction did they take?’