Chapter 557: [A Society of Secrets] [4] [Festival]

Nyxara walked inside the hall wearing a heavily embroidered red nightgown that didn’t stick to her body.

Her long midnight purple hair flowed freely behind her while her crimson eyes remained fixated on me.

I slowly undid the mini sun in my hand and glanced at Malenia who was also reverting back to her previous form.

Even though I was disappointed that I couldn’t see her dragon form, I didn’t dwell too much on it.

My feet landed on the ground while my wings folded back into my body.

The plain white mask was still on my face, making it easy for me to conceal myself.

Nyxara stood right in front of me with her head cocked up to match my gaze.

"You are a pain, you know that, right?" She said, like I was her friend.

Though her gaze suggested that she saw me as a threat to her family.

Her gaze shifted towards Collin and Jamson who were both unconscious and then at Malenia who was exhausted.

"You made a mess—"

"I wasn’t the one who started it." I cut her off. "And if you don’t mind, I have things to do."

I didn’t wait for her response as I turned around and walked towards the hole that I had created.

"What you are doing right now is stealing." She pressed further, walking just a step behind me. "It’s punishable by death—"

I stopped in my tracks and her head bumped into my back. Turning around, I looked at her once again.

"I only need one item." I spoke firmly. "Let me take it and we have no bad blood between us."

Her lips twitched and she glanced at the door that was holed out. "...That door alone costs 10 million."

’I am not compensating for that.’ 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Ignoring her comment, I began to walk again and, using the hole, entered inside the inventory.

But everything was dark inside.

Nyxara opened the door fully with the help of a card key and the lights automatically illuminated the place.

"......"

I stood frozen for a second as I looked at the endless mountain of gold coins that was hidden there.

Layers upon layers of different items were placed all around, including things like books, weapons, and even runic artifacts.

Nyxara stood by my side, looking at my face without a word.

Her cold and calculating gaze returned and her concerned expression was gone.

[<Look for a sealed shelf that has an oak tree and a shooting star on it.>]

I nodded my head and began to look around the place while sending a wave of mana to find hidden traps.

Nyxara walked quietly by my side, observing my every move like a hawk.

’I wonder how Arawn is doing...’

He was pretty confident in holding all thirteen of them back so I wasn’t too worried.

’I hope he isn’t struggling.’

"What are you looking for?" Nyxara asked after a while.

I remained quiet but after thinking for a second, I replied. "The technique that your ancestors used to capture spirits."

Nyxara blinked her eyes and thought for a second before she abruptly turned. "Follow me."

"...."

Though doubtful of her intentions, I followed after her without a word.

She walked through the sea of gold while I admired the wealth around me.

’They really have money that can compete with Esmeray’s organisation.’

"We call it the treasure of ten thousand years." Nyxara said, noticing my gaze. "Our family has been collecting them since the second epoch."

"...."

I didn’t reply nor did I ask why they would do that.

’Most probably to rebuild their family if they ever got destroyed.’

Nyxara reached the third mountain of gold and took a turn into a dead end.

She looked around until she found a rough surface on the wall, she pressed it and the wall split open and hundreds of books appeared before me.

Nyxara looked around for a second before she found a book and took it out.

She turned and passed it to me without a word.

’Inna?’

[<This is it.>]

I took the book from her hand and skimmed through its contents before storing it in my bracelet.

"Won’t you get in trouble for giving me this?" I couldn’t help but ask her.

"I will deal with it." She replied in a firm voice. "And I will get my compensation whether you like it or not."

"....You talk like you know me."

Nyxara’s lips curled up bit by bit. "You are not very good with disguise."

I didn’t say anything else as I walked backwards without breaking eye contact.

"We have met before." I spoke softly. "But do we know each other from before?"

She looked at me with her crimson eyes. "I have the same question in my mind."

I didn’t say anything else as I unfolded my wings and rushed out of the castle.

The moment I arrived close to the tree I felt Arawn arriving by my side.

’...What happened to him?’ I thought, tilting my head. "You alright?"

Arawn looked at me with a solemn look on his face. "I have a lot to tell you, my lord."

---

The twelve different representatives of the ancient families returned with humiliation and anger within them.

Even though they were at the pinnacle of what a mortal could achieve, they understood it was still not enough.

Arawn unknowingly had created a deep fear within them and many of them were now reconsidering the suggestion Abram made about Azrael’s reincarnation.

In the empty throne room, Vulas let out a sigh as he dismissed his servant after hearing about the little heist that had happened.

He was more disappointed to hear how the Archons were handled easily than the heist itself.

"You put a lot of effort into grooming them." A voice echoed from the side. "But they are still nothing when compared to my little brother."

Vulas turned to find Samyaza sitting on his throne in his ordinary form.

He didn’t get angered at him, on the contrary, he bowed slightly. "I am deeply ashamed you had to witness their incompetence."

"Don’t be." Samyaza said with a smile. "They are, after all, still children."

Vulas straightened his back and asked politely. "Why do you think he stole ’that’ item?"

"I don’t know." Samyaza shook his head. "Could be for any reason."

Vulas knew he was lying to his face but he didn’t point it out.

It was Samyaza who had been guiding the thirteen families from behind all these years.

One could say they survived this long because of his blessings.

Vulas thought for a moment before he added. "About Abram—"

"I will not say anything on this matter." He cut him off. "If you think you can kill ’him’ then go ahead."

Vulas didn’t say anything else, he just nodded his head.

"Oh, I have a favor to ask." Samyaza said, standing up from the throne. "Have you heard about the ritual that is going to happen in Akasha?"

Vulas frowned but nodded nonetheless. "I have."

"I want you to delay that for at least three months." He said with a firm voice. "Do what you need but they shouldn’t be able to do that ritual."

Vulas thought for a moment before he nodded his head without complaining. "It shall be done."

Samyaza nodded with a genial smile and walked towards the window from where he could see the bright moon.

"Ah, how beautiful the moon is~." He said in a feverish voice. "Too bad my descendant wants to destroy it."

"Pardon?" Vulas asked in confusion.

Samyaza didn’t say anything as he kept staring at the moon like it was something special to him.

His smile died down before he turned to look at Vulas once again.

"Now that I think of it." He said in a thoughtful voice. "Don’t you have those speakers?"

Vulas tilted his head in confusion. "The ones we use to broadcast any calamity?"

"Right, those." He said, clapping his hands with a smile. "I want you to ready those as soon as possible."

Vulas nodded his head and said. "It shall be done." Then he added. "But why?"

Samyaza looked out at the sky, this time beyond Akasha.

Samyaza, along with his omnipresent gift, was also very talented in divination.

Using stars as a medium, he could roughly guess when a certain event would happen.

...It was a skill that he learned from Azrael who had an interest in such things.

He turned and looked at Vulas.

"Because we are going to have a festival!"

Samyaza replied with a bright smile on his face.

"My brother will be back soon."

Vulas’s face turned pale as if all the blood had been sucked out of it.

A bead of sweat trickled down his face. "...Your brother?"

Samyaza smiled even more brightly.

"Morningstar will be back in one month!"