Rise of the Lustful Evil Monarch (Re)-Chapter 340: The Abyssal Sanctum (1)

Third Person's POV

Ethan gave a short nod, and a faint smile graced his lips as he neither confirmed nor denied her assumption.

Letting people think they were merely companions or simple friends served him well, especially when his enemies could be lurking in any shadow.

And until he grew strong enough to stand against the full wrath of an empire, concealment was his best shield.

She exhaled again, and this time it was more freely, while a trace of genuine happiness softened her features as it was obvious that her secretive plans had just grown sturdier.

On the other side, Ethan felt the same as even though he might not trust her completely, having a powerful and well-connected figure like her in this city, a city that thrived on chaos and strength, was no small thing.

"Alright, when do we begin?"

His voice held a tinge of curiosity now while a similar readiness simmered behind his calm exterior.

Adeline's lips curved, and the crinkle around her dark eyes gleamed with mirth.

"I will contact you when the time is right. Although, to be honest, I probably won't have to say a word. You will know soon."

Ethan raised a brow at the cryptic response as the corner of his mouth twitched in amusement.

Still, he simply nodded in acknowledgment as there was no point pushing further, not when her aura exuded that same playful mystery she had worn the night they first met.

Sensing their exchange had run its course for now, Ethan rose from his seat, and this time she didn't stop him, but neither did she look away.

As he walked toward the tunnel, he could still feel her gaze pressed against his back like a phantom hand.

It wasn't predatory or hostile, just a bit intense, like a presence that refused to be ignored.

Goosebumps prickled along his arms despite the warmth of the Colosseum.

A jittery buzz stirred in his chest, and it was an unease that reminded him of his real age, that of an eighteen-year-old boy who was getting excited about catching the attention of someone far more composed and captivating.

He sighed at himself beneath his breath while a wry smile flickered on his lips. Shaking his head, he pulled up the hood of his cloak once more and melted back into the shadows of the crowd.

As the chaotic and blood-soaked colosseum ground floor of the Crimson Kill Tower buzzed behind him, he moved like a ghost and, unknown to everyone, he silently slipped through the world and vanished into the hazy twilight glow of the tower city, unseen and unnoticed.

In the dead of night, unnoticed by anyone, Ethan silently arrived at the farthest edge of the Tower City and slipped into the small inn like a passing shadow.

The outermost region of the Tower City, unlike the inner city, buzzing with constant life, was shrouded in pitch-black silence while not even the flicker of a lamplight disturbed the darkness.

No eyes witnessed his return, and even his shadow seemed to dissolve into the gloom as he moved like a wraith through the corridor, dodging through the faint areas illuminated by the Blood Moon, he entered his room without a whisper.

Within moments, he eased himself between the two sleeping girls on the wide bed without even letting them feel the slightest disturbance.

He took a final glance at the unconscious blond demon girl and, seeing her breaths shallow but steady, his eyes fluttered closed, and sleep took him into its quiet embrace.

When he next opened his eyes, he found himself suspended once more in that boundless silver ocean—a dreamscape that felt both alien and familiar at the same time.

This time, however, he was fully aware that it was a dream.

He drifted in his ethereal jellyfish form, and while his luminous tendrils glowed softly in the silver tide, his thoughts unbound and drifted as freely as his body.

No schools of fish surrounded him this time, and no towering creature loomed in the deep and the only thing on his senses was the tranquil infinity of silver that lulled him into a strange stillness.

Like a current pulling away from the shore, his awareness faded again at some unknown time, and he awoke once more to the waking world.

Soft rays of morning light spilled through the old wooden window, brushing the room in a warm golden hue.

The air was still, and he realized he was the only one awake.

Shifting gently, he stirred the girls beside him.

The exhaustion of the last day let off some cute protests that eventually gave way to drowsy movements, and within half an hour, all of them were ready, dressed in attire befitting nobles and seasoned travelers.

Virelle, standing near the mirror, no longer concealed her face behind the red veil.

Now that they had reached the Sanctum, there was no longer any need for secrecy.

Her calm expression reflected a quiet confidence, and with her allies and most importantly her man always beside her, the presence of Empire of Abyssal Dominion spies or even that youngest prince posed no immediate threat.

While she was thinking all this, Ethan turned toward the motionless figure of the blond demon girl lying at the edge of the bed, and just as he reached to lift her, her eyes flew open.

As her ocean blue eyes opened, he saw raw fear writhing in it like a trapped storm.

While he watched this horror-like scene, in the next moment, her mouth opened in a silent, and soundless scream that froze in the next second with an unreal amount of horror.

Recognizing the signs of her mental trauma, Ethan's crimson eyes narrowed as a gleam of silver shimmered beneath the surface.

A subtle, pulsing ripple of soul energy, almost tangible to the eye, spilled forth from his gaze and streamed into her consciousness like a soft tide.

The effect was nearly instant as her tense pupils dilated, and the storm in her eyes retreated into stillness.

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