Chapter 565: Waking Up After a Long Dream (1)

Third Person’s POV

These mana restrictions ensured that if Ethan woke up, he would not be able to use his mana at all, effectively reducing him to a normal person, or so Ivan thought.

Then, using another magical treasure, he wrapped Ethan’s body carefully in enchanted chains before lifting him out of the icy coffin completely.

After that, Ivan carried Ethan toward one of the three massive gates located at the end of the hall.

Throughout the entire process, he never once signaled for Erius or Elis to follow him.

The two simply watched silently as Ivan disappeared beyond one of the gates with the chained unconscious Ethan.

Only after several minutes had passed did Ivan finally emerge from the gate once again alone, his expression unreadable and heavy with thought.

He then gestured for the two of them to follow him inside the room connected to the ancient hall.

Erius and Elis hurried behind Ivan without delay, and the moment all three crossed the threshold of the black indescript door, they suddenly felt the surrounding space distort around their bodies.

A strange sensation of discomfort spread through them instantly.

It felt as though their whole bodies had been compressed into a long rope while the world around them folded and shifted silently, before they came back to normal in an instant.

The surrounding mana fluctuated heavily for a brief moment before calming once again.

A first timer would have vomited or would have gone unconscious after the teleportation, but for the two, this was not their first time.

In the very next second, the scenery before their eyes changed completely, and they found themselves standing inside a luxurious and extremely cozy royal bedroom.

The entire room was decorated in ancient palatial designs that carried the aesthetic style of the Ice Emperor Clan.

Every wall was snow white and smooth like polished ivory, while intricate ice-blue carvings spread across the edges and corners in elegant, flowing patterns resembling frost blooming upon frozen lakes.

The atmosphere inside the room was warm and comfortable despite the cold tones decorating everything.

The bed where Ethan currently lay unconscious was enormous and covered in rich white and blue bedding embroidered with faint silver runic patterns.

Soft curtains made from pale translucent silk hung around the bed while faint traces of cold mana drifted naturally through the room like mist.

Huge white crystal windows stretched along one side of the chamber, and through them, one could see nearly the entirety of the Ice Emperor City spreading endlessly beneath the cloudy northern sky.

Countless snowy rooftops, glowing towers, icy streets, and magical formations could be seen from such height, making the city appear both majestic and cold beneath the perpetual snowfall.

Erius himself did not seem particularly shocked upon arriving here.

However, the wood elf woman Elis was visibly startled as realization appeared within her green eyes.

She had immediately recognized this place.

This was clearly a chamber located somewhere within the royal palace of the Ice Emperor himself.

Which meant that that ordinary-looking building in the market district had actually been connected directly to the royal palace through a hidden spatial formation.

The implications of such a thing made even Elis inwardly shocked.

Meanwhile, Ivan calmly approached the bed where Ethan rested before finally turning toward Erius and speaking in a serious voice,

"I have settled him inside your personal chamber."

His eyes briefly glanced toward the unconscious Ethan before continuing,

"Do not allow anyone to enter this room, not even your mother. This boy’s existence must remain secret from everyone besides the three of us."

The atmosphere inside the luxurious room turned solemn instantly.

Ivan’s expression remained completely serious as he continued giving instructions,

"And while you do this, remember one thing carefully—do not attempt anything reckless toward him.

Simply allow him to remain asleep, as according to my judgment, he will awaken on his own soon enough."

As he said this, his gaze turned slightly colder.

"I have already sealed his mana veins in multiple locations throughout his body, so escaping from this room should be impossible for him in his current state."

Then, after a brief pause, he added carefully,

"But regardless, vigilance is necessary."

Ivan gestured toward the beautiful wood elf woman beside Erius.

"She will remain here and guard him at all times."

This final sentence was directed toward Erius, as Ivan himself had barely acknowledged Elis directly even now.

He had never fully trusted this wood elf woman.

However, because of Erius’s obvious infatuation toward her, Ivan had chosen not to interfere openly.

Besides, in Ivan’s mind, no matter how bold Elis was, she would never dare betray or scheme against the son of the Ice Emperor within the royal palace itself.

Erius nodded obediently, but before he could ask anything further, Ivan turned around calmly and spoke once again,

"It is time for me to return to the southern frontlines. I have remained away from there long enough already."

As he spoke, traces of solemnity appeared within his icy blue eyes.

"I must report back to the Ice Emperor and resume my position there."

Then his expression hardened slightly as he turned his attention fully toward Erius.

"Remember this clearly, Erius."

"I will not help you like this again, especially not in matters involving struggles against your half-sister or members of your own generation.

This was the first time, and it will also be the last."

The words struck heavily inside the room.

After saying that, Ivan calmly walked toward the small black door embedded within the chamber wall and entered it without hesitation.

The space rippled silently behind him before stabilizing once again.

He had already returned toward the hidden building within the market district through the spatial passage.

The moment Ivan vanished completely, the atmosphere inside the luxurious room relaxed slightly.

Erius slowly walked closer toward Ethan’s unconscious body resting upon the bed before suddenly asking Elis without turning toward her,

"Tell me, Elis... what do you think his actual strength is?"