I ran away as fast as I could. I knew that the girl was surely going to make a fuss if I stayed there any longer.
Given the glare she was giving me it was like she was going to eat me alive, I couldn't help but tease her more but I need to return fast.
After making sure that I was quite far away, I finally decided to check my gains.
I slowly opened the package I stole.
As I unwrapped it, I was surprised to see a big memory stone and a short letter.
According to ancient books, the memory stones were something that fell from cracks in the void and it was very costly to get your hands on them.
Even royal families have just a few of these precious things.
Driven by my intense curiosity, I opened the letter.
"Leon, this is the best I can do to help you.
I have stolen this memory stone, which has been kept with our family since the ancient battle of the gods.
Our ancestors told us that if one day, our royal family ever faces a life-death crisis, by using it we can get strong enough to tide over the situation.
You stated that you were returning to your family to show that you are no longer the waste you once were when you were exiled.
And you want to get recognition from your parents after they learn of things you have been doing.
You have stayed as my knight and served me for so many years. This is the least I can do for you.
I told Evelyn to bring this gift for you, saying it was something to help you with your secret task assigned by the royal family.
I also remind you to burn this letter after reading it, or else we may be charged with treason for stealing a royal heirloom.
Princess Lena"
.....
"Wow, another cheat stuff, Is this the chance of our second protagonist Leon?"
"And he seems to have these 2 girls, Princess Lena and Evelyn on his side though it seems he too like David is not aware of their feelings."
"Tskkkkk, Tskk like-brother like minds, both ignoring such beauties by their side I still remembered the pretty face of that Evelyn when I lifted her veil to slap her."
"Eve and Evelyn, their names are too similar, are they perhaps, sisters?"
"Such a pity."
"But don't worry, for Elandor shall not leave them unattended."
After reading the letter I crushed the memory stone which was as big as a soccer ball, after I squashed it using my hands, I felt an enormous amount of knowledge passing through my fingers and entering my mind.
I felt it, this information was definitely stored and transmitted using space laws.
Given my affinity for all elements, I could easily perceive their presence.
"Hmm, one day I will also be a master of these laws and open a portal directly to my original world and have some fun there."
Suddenly I felt the information passing through my hands engraving directly in my soul.
A lot of scenes appeared one after another like they were part of my memory.
I saw a boy standing opposite a strong woman.
Yes, it was a Goddess he was facing as an enemy. The pressure she was exuding was enough to make mortals kneel their heads down like it was a subconscious habit which was wired deep into their brains, like when a servant faces their masters.
But the boy stood there proudly and there was a smile filled with ridicule on his face as he lifted the finger in his hand.
The calm eyes of the Goddess finally showed an expression of disbelief as she saw him lifting his powerless fingers.
"I was a talented person born by this world and with all the luck supporting me, I became a very strong person in a short time but I wanted to be strong enough to go against the world itself.
How can I, who is destined to be a true monarch be a puppet whose role is to maintain law and order like a dog?"
"So I spent all my life creating this sword technique as you shall be the first to witness it."
"One shot"
As he swung his index finger a slash enough to tear through time and space pushed towards the Goddess, she tried to run, but the attack was too fast and the space around her was already locked preventing her from teleporting away.
"Even gods can fall", the boy spoke slowly as the holy body of the Goddess had already been slashed away in two halves as it slowly faded away from reality.
Suddenly there was a hurricane, earthquakes enough to lose balance, lightning and rumbling thunder causing the sky to become dark, like heaven was expressing its displeasure.
It was as if, the whole world was angry at his actions.
It could not tolerate someone who could even threaten gods and shake the natural order.
Suddenly the boy felt all his strength being drained away from him and going back to the world spirit
"So you think that I will overthrow the order and become the true God of this world?"
"Are you scared, world spirit? that's why killing me before I get more strong?"
His words were only met by grumbling thunders in dark sky.
Just before his death, he took out a stone and transmitted something to it before teleporting it secretly to one of his followers.
Suddenly the memory ended and Elandor woke from his daze.
Only a few seconds have passed outside but in his mind, he had been practising the secret technique of "one-shot" for countless years.
His perception of space and time laws increased to a terrifying level as he learned this technique.
He slowly opened his eyes and there was a strange glint of sharpness in his usual calm eyes as if it carried the will to defy heaven to reign supreme.
Slowly after few seconds, his eyes returned to their usual calm.
"Interesting, a technique which can help me to take down even Gods when I'm strong enough, truly something that can only be produced by a real protagonist."
"But luckily my soul is not from this world and the power I gain is independent of interference by world spirit, it means I can't be killed or absorbed by the world like the boy I saw in memory."
"Leon, like your brother you are also my lucky charm… giving me such an important gift even when we have not officially met."
"Haha, you are too generous."
"Don't worry as a thank you, I shall kill David before killing you."
"Hahaha!"
Suddenly he felt the luck devouring lotus moving in his soul and his strength easily broke through the third order.
He was ecstatic as this was an unexpected gain.
But this made him wonder why this world has two protagonists?
Its size is only enough to produce one son of luck.
I guess, the changes are because of me, maybe the world spirit felt that David was getting weaker by my continuous luck plundering, so it used all its remaining strength to produce another protagonist to help the former one?
"But it doesn't matter, the more you fight back, the stronger I will be after looting you…Hahaha!"
…..
In the caravan, a group of people were laughing merrily.
"Haha Leon, I knew my brother was someone destined to follow my footsteps and become someone great."
"Once we return, and the family hear about how you are now a strong knight following the princess with countless achievements they are gonna throw a celebration for you", spoke David as he savoured his favourite wine.
Suddenly Leon felt a deep pain in his heart like someone took away something very important from him.
It was an emotion filled with extreme sadness and intense helplessness.
He too, like David thought that the pain was due to internal injuries he may have suffered while exterminating goblins and took out some recovery potions before gulping them down in one go.
He closed his eyes imagining the scenes of a warm welcome and banquet he will receive after returning home, unaware of the fact that the halo of destiny and luck bestowed by the world around him had already been reduced.
(Guys, I wanted to tell you that I already was offered a good contract for this novel some time early, so it won't be dropped even if we fail to get a medal place in wpc contest. Also, don't worry the chapters will remain free to read for a month at least till the story progresses a lot.)