CHAPTER 70 #4
Mabilis siyang napatingin sa buong silid. The curtains were still moving because of the wind coming from the open terrace, while the dim moonlight continued to illuminate the room.
Ngunit wala siyang nakitang kahit anong pigura. Tanging ang tahimik na silid at ang kaniyang anak na mahimbing pa ring natutulog sa kaniyang tabi.
Rassia slowly touched her forehead.
W-who was that? I swear there was someone... I-I know that was Vincenzo... or was I dreaming?
No... it felt too real.
I felt someone here. I felt their presence, even if only for a moment. That warmth... that familiar feeling... I couldn't have imagined all of it.
But if it really was Vincenzo, then why did he disappear without saying anything? Why would he come here only to leave again?
Maybe I was just dreaming because I miss him too much...
Rassia slowly lay back down beside Raquim. She gently kissed her son's forehead before pulling him into her arms. Mahigpit niya itong niyakap habang tahimik na pumatak ang kaniyang mga luha. She tried to hold herself together, but she couldn't stop thinking about her husband she missed so dearly.
Eventually, while still holding Raquim close to her, Rassia cried herself to sleep.
Meanwhile, outside Mysarea Palace, Dragoroth suddenly raised his head when he felt a familiar presence in the air. Then, without warning, he let out a powerful roar that echoed throughout the night.
In Capital City of Sartores
Malamig ang gabi sa Sartores. The people continued to make a living despite the worsening conditions around them.
Ngunit habang lumilipas ang mga araw, lalo ring bumibigat ang kanilang pangkabuhayan dahil sa mga batas at panuntunang ipinapatupad ng Holy Cathedral.
Marami ang galit at may gustong sabihin, ngunit mas marami ang natatakot magsalita laban sa mga nakatataas dahil alam nilang punishment would eventually come for them.
Kaya nanatili silang tahimik, patuloy na nagtatrabaho at nagtitiis sa kanilang mga problema.
Sa halos lahat ng villages, markets, at towns ng Sartores, may mga misteryosong nakasuot ng itim na hooded cloak na paminsan-minsang nakikita ng mga mamamayan.
A red phoenix-wing symbol was embroidered on their cloaks, ngunit walang sinuman ang nakakaalam kung sino sila o kung saan sila nanggaling.
Hindi sila nakikialam o gumagawa ng gulo.
They simply moved among the people, quietly observing how they lived, how they struggled, and what problems they faced.
Minsan ay nakatayo lamang sila sa gilid ng isang market, habang sa ibang pagkakataon naman ay tahimik na nakikinig sa mga usapan ng mga tao.
No one knew their purpose. They never introduced themselves, never revealed who they served, and never stayed in one place for too long. Yet their presence slowly became familiar throughout Sartores. They were simply shadows among the people, watching and listening without saying a word.
Dazro and Agarus were sparring outside R Atelier Café late at night. Maingay ang paligid ngunit hindi nila hinahayaang makapaminsala ng ibang tao sa paligid nila. Hindi sila naglalabas ng mana upang hindi makagulo.
Agarus had been training Dazro for some time now, carefully testing his swordsmanship, footwork, and reaction speed. Every time Dazro made a mistake, Agarus immediately corrected him.
"Agarus! a-ang lakas mo... I don't think I can keep up with you..." namumulang sambit ni Dazro habang bahagya siyang napaatras, mahigpit pa rin ang hawak sa kaniyang espada.
"Stop spouting nonsense, Dazro! Rank 1 ka sa akademya mo, yet you're already complaining after a few exchanges?"
matigas na sagot ni Agarus habang itinutok muli ang kaniyang espada sa kaniya.
"Being the strongest in your academy doesn't mean you can stop improving. Kapag nakaharap ka sa tunay na kalaban, they won't care about your rank. They will only care whether you can survive the fight."
Napahigpit ang hawak ni Dazro sa kaniyang espada. "Then what am I doing wrong?"
"Everything you're doing when you're nervous."
Napatingin si Dazro sa kaniya.
Agarus lowered his sword slightly.
"Your stance becomes too stiff. You rely too much on your arms, your footwork becomes predictable, and you hesitate whenever you think I'm about to attack. You're thinking about your next move instead of reacting to mine."
Napabuntong-hininga si Dazro.
"So... I'm still that bad?"
Agarus stared at him for a moment. "No."
Bahagya niyang itinaas muli ang kaniyang espada. "You're talented. That's exactly why I'm pushing you harder."
Dazro blinked.
"Again."
Napangiti nang bahagya si Dazro bago muling itinaas ang kaniyang espada.
They sparred again. Ngunit nang mapaatras si Dazro dahil sa malakas na puwersa ni Agarus, bigla siyang may nabangga sa likuran. Matigas ang dibdib ng pigurang kaniyang nasagi, dahilan upang mawalan siya ng balanse nang bahagya. Mabilis siyang tumalikod upang humingi ng tawad.
"Paumanhin ho! hindi ko ho... s-sinasadya?"
Ngunit nanlamig ang buong katawan ni Dazro nang tuluyan niyang makita ang pigurang nasa kaniyang likuran.
The man was wearing a full hooded black cloak that concealed almost his entire body. His face remained hidden beneath the hood, leaving Dazro unable to see his features clearly. Ang tanging napansin lamang niya ay ang mga malalalim na peklat na bahagyang nakikita sa kaniyang leeg.
But it was his mana that made Dazro freeze.
Isang kakaibang mana presence ang nanggagaling sa lalaki. Hindi ito basta malakas. It was heavy, quiet, and strangely suffocating, as though the air around them had suddenly become heavier. Dazro could feel the pressure against his skin, making the hairs on the back of his neck rise.
Napaatras siya ng isang hakbang.
What... is this mana?
For some reason, his instincts were screaming at him not to make another sudden movement. Tahimik lamang na nakatingin sa kaniya ang lalaking nakasuot ng itim na cloak.
Napakunot ang noo ni Agarus habang nakatingin sa lalaking nanatiling tahimik sa harapan ni Dazro. Hindi niya inalis ang kaniyang kamay sa espada. His instincts were telling him that the man standing before them was not someone ordinary.
This mana presence...
This is the first time I've felt a mana this powerful since Lady Rassia, her father... and her... husband...
Bahagyang kumunot ang noo ni Agarus habang sinusuri ang pigura mula ulo hanggang paa. Hindi niya makita ang mukha nito dahil sa malalim na hood, at wala rin itong ipinapakitang intensyon na umatake. Yet the sheer pressure of his mana was enough to make Agarus remain cautious.
The mysterious man slowly shifted his gaze toward Agarus's right arm, where the tattoo of a red phoenix was clearly visible beneath the dim light of the night.
His eyes lingered on the mark for a moment, as if recognizing something about it.
Then he looked back at Dazro, his expression still hidden beneath the hood.
His gaze eventually moved toward the R Atelier Café. He stared at the establishment for a moment before quietly deciding to walk inside, his black cloak moving gently behind him as he passed them without saying a single word.
Nanatili lamang sina Agarus at Dazro na nakatingin sa kaniyang likuran hanggang sa tuluyan siyang makapasok sa café.
"Did you feel that?" mahina ngunit seryosong tanong ni Dazro.
Tumango si Agarus habang nananatiling nakatingin sa pintuan ng R Atelier Café.
"Yeah."
Napakamot sa pisngi si Dazro. As a dark mage, he had been trained to sense the nature of another mage through their eyes.
The eyes were said to be a reflection of one's mana.
Every mage had a distinct presence within their gaze, and with enough experience, a dark mage could identify the nature of another person's mana simply by looking into their eyes.
I can't tell what kind of mage he is... his hood is hiding his face...
Every mage has something different in their eyes.
But I can't sense anything from him...
It's like he's deliberately hiding it...
Inside R Atelier Café, mabilis na napatingin ang mga maharlikang naroon sa loob nang pumasok ang misteryosong lalaki.
His broad shoulders and imposing presence immediately caught the attention of several noble ladies.
Some of them quietly giggled among themselves, whispering while stealing glances at the stranger.
Ngunit tila wala siyang pakialam sa mga iyon. He didn't even spare them a glance. Sa halip, tahimik lamang niyang pinagmasdan ang buong café, as if he was familiarizing himself with the place before slowly making his way toward the counter.
Mabilis na kumunot ang noo nina Katarina at Iris nang maramdaman nila ang kakaibang mana presence nito. Nagkatinginan muna sila bago muling humarap sa lalaki at ngumiti nang propesyonal. Kahit ramdam nila ang bigat ng kaniyang mana, neither of them allowed their expressions to show fear.
"What's your order, sir?" mahinahong tanong ni Iris.
The man remained silent for a moment, his hood still concealing most of his face. His gaze briefly wandered across the menu before settling on the counter.
"I... want the first established drink."
Bahagyang nagkatinginan sina Katarina at Iris.
"The first established drink, sir?" ulit ni Iris, making sure she heard him correctly.
The mysterious man simply nodded. "Yes."
His voice was deep and calm, giving nothing away about his identity.
Hindi napansin ng dalawa ang bahagyang pagbabago sa kaniyang ekspresyon nang mabanggit ang inumin.
"Alright, sir," sagot ni Iris habang mabilis na inihahanda ang kaniyang order.
Sa kabilang bahagi ng café, several nobles continued whispering about the mysterious stranger. Some assumed he was one of the Black Cloaks rumored to be appearing throughout Sartores.
In the middle of the night, around two in the morning, tahimik na ang buong Sartores. Most of the streets were already empty, and the lights from the houses had slowly disappeared one by one.