The camp was said to have once been able to accommodate over ten thousand people dining at once, but now, with only a few thousand, it felt more spacious. And because of that, Sean found the corner he was in quite roomy...
After meeting Freya during the day, he had quietly returned, naturally bringing along the Cain Tablet. Who would have thought that the tablet so fervently chased by countless wizards was now tucked away in his bag? At the banquet, Sean sat alone in a corner eating, trying to avoid contact with anyone. Almost no one had seen him meet with Freya, except for the team members who knew he had gone to see a "friend" earlier.
"Master Sean, why are you eating alone over here? Were the daytime matters resolved?" At that moment, Rast, sitting not far away, came over to ask. The mercenary team members, having gone through life-and-death battles together, had grown closer.
"Oh, I just went to see a friend. He's one of the wizards here, and I wanted to ask about the situation around here..." Sean explained casually, without mentioning who it was.
As the most powerful combat wizard in the entire legion, Freya had a certain image in the soldiers' minds. At a time like this, he couldn't let his appearance bring any negative impact on her. He smiled and took a sip of the boiled water, which still had a muddy taste.
Sometimes people's fantasies really carried emotions... Freya was an aloof Red Dragon Witch—sexy, beautiful. She might even be the dream goddess for many. After being in this world for a while, Sean noticed that his aesthetic still carried traces of his past life, but here, women with muscular builds and exaggerated proportions were highly attractive. In many mercenary discussions, similar topics often came up.
Freya had appeared many times in those talks... So in everyone's minds, the person beside the lofty Red Dragon Witch should also be a strong one. Someone like him, with a low title and low rank, couldn't stand on the same level as her. To put it bluntly, it was that little bit of petty thinking—everyone knew it all too well.
Sean was sitting in the mercenary group's area, and his casual remark caught the attention of many.
"Sir Sean, did you find out anything?"
"Not much. It's mostly the same as what we've all heard—most people in the Takoma region have gathered in the city... But as for what happened and why those goat-men appeared, it's still under investigation..." Sean said.
"Things like that are probably only known to the leaders. Others likely don't know the specifics."
The others nodded in agreement.
Just then, cheers erupted from the front of the venue. With two thousand people, it was hard to see what was happening at the very front when everyone was eating together. Word spread that Freya and a group of high-ranking wizards were about to give a speech. Before the specifics even reached them, the crowd in front started cheering.
What did they say? Could you pass it along instead of just shouting?
All they heard from the front was that the army would launch a direct attack on Takoma City tomorrow. Before they could react, people were already raising their glasses. Most of those in the back just stood up without actually hearing what was said up front.
An attack was coming? So that was why Freya had given him the tablet during the day?
..........................
The mercenary team wasn't forced to join the attack mission. They were even told they could leave on their own if they wanted. But without the Black Feather Knights' escort, how could they break through the outer defenses? So most chose to stay in the camp, with some inevitably joining the fight.
When the banquet ended, Jonathan asked Sean if he wanted to follow the Black Feather Knights. Sean replied that the team could do as they pleased. From the moment they entered the camp, the mercenary team was effectively disbanded. Even if they went back now and brought the news, they could still claim a decent bounty. Sean, however, directly gave up his share of the reward.
Because he was carrying something far more important...
At night, Sean stayed alone in his room. Freya had still taken good care of him, arranging for him to have a private camp room, similar to what the other wizards had.
With the lamp lit, Sean kept studying the tablet in his hands...
He hadn't agreed to accompany the Black Feather Knights in tomorrow's battle. When Freya handed him the Cain Tablet during the day, said a bunch of things, and then announced the attack that evening, Sean knew she was anxious. It seemed she was afraid the enemy would summon those unknown creatures again. This time, the "sacrifices" were clearly more numerous than before—who knew what would appear!
And the stars...
Wang Luo glanced out the window. The stars' movement seemed to be aligning into a line soon.
Freya had given him the tablet because she wanted him to stay out of the fight. The best course was to take the tablet and its secrets and leave forever. For now, those people from Rietis probably thought he had returned south. Who would guess the tablet had ended up in his hands?
To end the tablet's trail here?
At that moment, Sean felt as if he were standing at a pivotal moment in some historical tale. Something like "such-and-such an item vanished without a trace from then on"... And now, the tablet was in his hands.
Leave? Or stay?
Even if he charged to the front lines, he had no way to defeat the enemy...
If it were the old him, he would have prioritized survival. But after Freya entrusted him with the tablet, it felt like she had also passed on the responsibility.
Somehow, he had become a key figure in a historical event...
He had never imagined this thing would one day fall into his hands.
Under the candlelight, he stared blankly at the tablet before him. There was nothing special about its display.
It just showed [Tablet]...
And the text on it, worn by age, was partially eroded. More importantly, he couldn't read it—completely incomprehensible.
Had Count Hamilton contracted his illness from contact with this tablet? It didn't look like anything more than an ordinary stone slab, just with those strange runes.
Looking closely, it seemed to depict tiny, bizarre images. Some were circular in shape but appeared to have tentacles—upon closer inspection, they looked a lot like that Chaos Eye from before.
The lamp dimmed...
His heartbeat began to quicken.
His breathing grew short...
Sean suddenly stopped his study of the tablet.
What was this?
It felt as if some strange sound was echoing in his ears—eerie, reverberating, but unsettling.
He looked around the room. Everything seemed to be swaying.
Restless...
Listening carefully, the sound seemed to be right there in the room...
Right behind the door...