20 Fate and Tears

"You're stronger than any of our knights."

Lucas's hands trembled, hearing those words from Ernesto. He hid his trembling hand on his back and sharp black long nails grew on his fingers, thinking of getting rid of Ernesto, wondering if he was busted.

Ernesto grinned and pointed his finger at Lucas, saying, "Just do your job, and I'll reward you accordingly. I'll be back before dawn."

Ernesto did not let Lucas respond and jumped out of the window.

Lucas returned his nails back to normal as he hurriedly ran after Ernesto, because his room was on the fifth floor of the castle.

Lucas felt amazed after seeing his young master using flight magic.

He doubts he was entirely busted, as Ernesto still left him with Ndulou in Ernesto's room.

"How did he know my strength, though?" he wondered.

He was no longer fidgeting and had a stoic face instead. His demeanor suddenly changed, and that differed greatly from the timid Lucas just a while ago. 

He then looked up at the bright moon. His eyes became sharp and glowed in the dark room with the moon serving as light.

"Does he know me?"

…..

…..

Meanwhile, Ernesto effortlessly infiltrated the labyrinth without using the entrance to the garden. He used different passages that had been recorded in his mind.

He didn't go straight to the prison where Fenrir was chained; instead, he went into a blue building inside the abandoned city located after the labyrinth.

As usual, the room was filled with runic magic circles. These magic circles can help him level up his current state of magic. He's been using this room every time he regresses.

He kicked the manual that was always lying on the floor and thought of following the proper process.

"It'll take me 5 hours to level up. I'll seal him before dawn."

As determined by his goal, Ernesto concentrated all his mana on improving his strength.

and five hours had passed.

Ernesto walked out of the blue building with a refreshed feeling.

"It really is best to do this ritual slowly. It's not that painful, but refreshing!"

He smiled brightly and looked up at the high, dome-like ceiling that covered the whole city.

The whole city is dark because it is underground. He is just using his light magic to light his way.

"Come to think of it, what did this city use for lighting up their area?"

He never checked the history of this abandoned city because he was not interested and was more thankful for all the useful items he looted inside. He walked leisurely in the direction of the city temple. He observed all the stone buildings that were probably used as residences by those who had lived here before.

He wondered how this well-built city ended up empty. The buildings and objects within the city prove that this used to be a lively city.

He already had a copy of everything inside the city in his mind because of the magic that he cast in his second regression, but he observed it more now that his worries for his friend are lifted.

After he entered the grand temple, he took the divine goblet as usual and stored it in his spatial magic.

"In case of an emergency, I might need this."

He then moved out of the temple and teleported in front of the prison.

"Hmm?"

His heart beat fast. He suddenly felt extreme nervousness, as every step he took felt heavy.

"Why is it the same?"

The aura confused Ernesto coming out of the prison doors. He was certain of the aura he was feeling; it was the chains forged by the gods that released the ominous aura, but there was nothing more he could feel.

It was only the chains.

"What about Fenrir?"

He never caught Fenrir in his past lives, so he doesn't know his aura while chained. The current Fenrir aura was calm while inside Ndulou, so he was uncertain that the current Fenrir would have a different aura.

He touched the door, debating whether he needed to look inside first or just seal it.

He stared at the door for a moment and opened it instead.

He slightly pushed the door, which opened up without a problem.

His heart beat wildly. He was nervous and frightened by the thought that maybe Fenrir was, once again, not here.

"Please, please, please be chained. Please be chained."

He prayed as he peered inside the door, and yet he cursed as he only saw the empty prison with only chains on the floor.

"FUCK!"

It is the same image that he always sees whenever he cannot catch up with Ndulou and Fenrir.

"WHY?"

The black, ominous chains are the only ones inside the prison.

"Ndulou!"

He instantly cast teleportation magic and reappeared inside his room in their castle.

He was quite alarmed by the fact that Fenrir was not chained to his prison.

Lucas stood up from his seat and greeted Ernesto, but he was ignored.

Ernesto ran toward the sleeping Ndulou. He cast a large diagnostic magic circle and checked up on Ndulou's whole body.

The white light that was released from the circle and transferred into Ndulou's body scanned his skin, veins, blood, and every part of his body.

"He is not hurt! His soul is matching; nothing's possessing him! There's no trace of a curse! There is no mana mismatch!"

The magic circle swirls around them until it fades away, as it satisfied him with his thorough checking.

Ernesto held Ndulou with relief.

It scared him he might be one step behind once again.

He tightly held Ndulou, and it woke Ndulou up.

"Young master?"

Clueless of what is happening, Ndulou also holds Ernesto's body, which is quite trembling.

"I-I don't care where the fuck he is. Just don't come near us!"

After being overwhelmed with fear, tears formed in his eyes.

"D-did you have a nightmare?"

Ndulou gently patted the back of Ernesto, comforting him with his nightmare. He noticed Ernesto's outfit and looked at Lucas, who was gently removing Ernesto's boots from his feet. The blanket was dirty from his shoes, and Lucas pulled them away and glanced at Ndulou to say he would change the blanket.

Ndulou waved his hand at Lucas, and he continued to comfort the child.

The warmth from his body gave Ernesto comfort, and the feeling of relief finally erased his fears.

He buried his face in Ndulou's shoulder and kept on crying.

There are only two things he cannot fully control in his hundred years of life and his twentieth period of regression:

Fate

.

.

.

and

.

.

.

his tears.