A Trip Gone Wrong (2)

The moment the combat ended, Lancell immediately sat down cross-legged as he closed his eyes and tried to calm his mind. The battle was indeed over, but the raging bloodlust inside him was still searching for something to cut.

His nerves throbbed as he breathed in and out. Aerym seemed to be saying something, but Lancell didn't have the luxury to split his focus right now. Lancell spent who-knows how many hours before slowly settling his mind down.

And after his mind had sufficiently calmed down, Lancell slowly opened his eyes. He then turned his gaze into the surroundings, and saw Aerym.

For some reason, Aerym too, was sitting cross-legged, and was breathing evenly. It looked like she was meditating, however, she could never fool Lancell's eyes.

Lancell approached her, and gave her forehead a flick.

THWICK!

"Agh!"

Aerym made a shrill cry as she then held her forehead in pain. With tears in the corners of her eyes, she glared at Lancell, "What was that for?!"

Lancell glared back, "Payback for all the trouble you caused."

Aerym went silent.

Lancell ignored her as he turned and observed the room they were in. He had doubted his suspicions before, but the place couldn't be anything else but a dungeon. However...

'A dungeon linked to another dungeon? I've never heard of this before...'

He thought, but another possibility came to mind.

'Or maybe...the dungeons weren't separate...'

Lancell frowned. That would mean that the dungeon was large in an unheard of scale...

Wait...a large dungeon?...

Lancell put a hand on his chin as he pondered, however, a voice from behind cut his concentration off.

"Hey," Aerym called out, "can I ask something?"

Lancell whose concentration fell short, suddenly felt like something had disappeared on his mind. With a deeper frown, he tried to recall what it was, but it was no use.

He glared at Aerym, "What?"

"U-Umm...actually, I was curious," she said as she faltered. Nonetheless, she still continued on, "did you really kill the crown prince?"

Lancell's mind paused, "Huh?"

"I-It's just a rumour!" she tried to explain, "I was just making sure!"

Lancell pondered again, but this time it was far, far different from what he was initially pondering about. He had completely forgotten about the dungeon.

After a while of silence, Lancell spoke.

"What made the rumour come around?"

Aerym became even more flustered. Mostly because of fear.

"I-It was from a soldier," she said as she tried to avoid eye contact with Lancell, "a crimson devil bathed in blood slaughtered friends and foe alike."

She then looked at Lancell, and added, "That was how he described the person who beheaded the crown prince."

'I see. So that's why the entire castle and the soldiers seemed strange.' Lancell thought.

In any case, Lancell felt no guilt from what he did, as he had already killed countless strangers in his past life. Both good or bad, they all died pretty much the same. And for the same reasons too.

"I see," Lancell spoke as he turned to Aerym, "I might have just done that."

Aerym's expression became even more shocked, "Why?!"

"Why, you ask?" he paused as he thought for a bit, "honestly, I'm not sure."

"Huh?

"The killing intent in the entire field got into my head, you see," he said as he pointed a finger to his braincase, "but the only reason I would have cut him is..."

"...he was in the way." Lancell stated as a matter of fact.

Aerym's eyes widened further, while Lancell had began to move forward. She looked at the direction he was going into, and saw a Teleportation Circle.

"You're not coming?" he asked. Not even turning his head.

Aerym just followed quietly.

When Lancell reached the Teleportation Circle, he stood in front of it for a while, and observed the runes inscribed in it. He didn't notice Aerym looking at him in interest, as he dedicated his focus on deciphering whatever he could.

"As expected," Lancell finally spoke, "this isn't an exit."

He then looked at Aerym, and warned, "You better prepare yourself," he said with a serious tone, "it looks like it's the real dealt this time."

"What is?"

"The guardian room."

◇ ◇ ◇

Inside the king's bedchamber in the castle of Selvenia, the sounds of muffled moans, along with groans and slapping of flesh could be heard. Occasional scream and thuds would also echo from inside the room, as well as pained crying of a woman.

It continued on for a while, until finally, a crashing noise resounded.

The king, Margilus then went out of the room, wearing his robes, as he ordered to a nearby guard.

"Dispose of the corpse."

The guard then immediately started to go inside his chambers, and carried out a badly beaten corpse, who was still naked.

He then started walking as someone had unknowingly been walking beside him, as it commented, "Is playing maids to death your new hobby?" the person asked. His voice was masculine, and a bit on the deeper side, "you won't get another son with that you know?"

Margilus clenched his fist as anger welled up within him. He then turned to the man beside him, as he spoke in a pained voice, "He was my favourite son."

The man smiled, "Yes. Everyone can see that, and had seen that."

This time, Margilus grit his teeth as tears began to flow out of his eyes. His face then wore the expression of fury, as he began to curse.

"That fucking devil. I will never forgive him, even if it is that last thing I do."

He spoke as if it was going to be his final curse, as his eyes were filled with killing intent.

And as for the man beside him, his smile deepened as he put a hand over to his own chest, and bowed his head. With his eyes closed, he spoke, "Indeed. All devilspawns and heretics must be purged from this world."

And the seed grows further...