Chapter 96 – The Genre Has Changed All Of A Sudden? (5)

Translator: SKAIS Editor: Dict Groiler and Eyeful Solstice

It’s loss of colors were in deep contrast with the original red-rose pieces from before. However, like the other roses, I noted that it was also accompanied by an animal.

The animal by the white rose had round ears, perched like the rose petals with it.

I couldn’t help but trace my fingers lightly around the edges, circling all the way round the intricate design....

Finally my fingers stopped in the center of the magnificent piece...

The blue rose.

All four roses were interconnected with it, branching towards the middle.

“Huh, why is it like that?” I mumbled to myself, unable to stop the words from escaping.

There was no flower though, like someone had cut that part out, or even dug out the flower. All that remained in its wake were patches of thorny stems and leaves...

I only knew it was blue based on the remnant hue that was left on the edges where it once stood. Even the animal by the blue rose was gone, much like the flower. All I knew was that it had a long body, and a long tail.

“Among all the roses here, the only ones that seemed to be in perfect condition are the yellow roses.” I mumbled to myself, before turning back to head towards Ricdorian.

When I finally reached within earshot, I immediately spoke up.

“Everything else but the yellow roses are damaged, aren’t they?” I asked, and he nodded.

“Yes.” he answered softly. His eyes gazed in my direction, before nodding, confirming his own suspicions, but he did not seem particularly interested, nor surprised really. In fact, I think we only stayed so long because I was keen on taking a tour around the whole place.

“What do you think happened to the other roses?” I asked him. Perhaps he could shed some light on the montage of flowers.

But Ricdorian did not offer me an answer, in fact, with the way he blankly blinked at me as we stared at each other, and tilted his head at my question made me retract my presumptions.

I don’t think he knew, and now I didn’t know what made me think otherwise as well.

I glanced back at the roses, eyeing the red rose in particular...

Rose...

The representation of an empire.

<Three things make this empire a cut above the other countries.>

This was it. The one Baron told me, the third thing that made the empire so special...

The roses with special abilities.

<There’s a famous legend regarding these Roses, the five gates of the Empire, and what abilities these five great families have.>

I wonder what the chances are that this montage of roses and stone paintings are irrelevant to the story of the five families I’ve heard from Baron?

Not likely really.

Now that I remembered, Ricdorian’s family was part of the roses, particularly the red rose.

Glancing back at the montage, most of the red roses’ petals were adorned and embezzled with red jewels, though some of them appeared to have lost their majestic glints.

And above all, this only told me that Ricdorian must find his companion soon, before all the light has disappeared from the petals.

Should the petal’s light fade completely, and fall to the floor, Ricdorian would die.

I couldn’t help but muse... that part of the story was strangely familiar.

“Huh...” I tilted my head.

Then the heroine of the story belonged to the white rose. I glanced back, looking down at the speckled white beauty of a flower.

My eyes darted to the next rose, the black one. That would be Chaser’s rose. But why did it look broken?

The image before me was very puzzling, hiding an intent with so much beauty, but so little information to go by...

I shook these thoughts out of my head. This doesn’t concern me. It’s not even part of any of my business, I shouldn’t have to lose sleep over this. But that didn’t help me feel any less uneasy.

This entire story revolved around this part of the world, around these characters. If by any chance they were telling me the story has been changed after all, then things might not go as I have expected them to be.

Like a butterfly effect. One small change can cause a chain of reactions. For now, I’ll just have to keep in mind what was relevant to me, and what was beyond me.

My eyes darted around us, scanning the mural at one wall to another with a critical stare. I had initially thought we’d eventually find a way back to the cells when we reached this deadend, but the more I looked around the more I was convinced otherwise.

There was nothing to indicate that there was a way back here. Just the walls, the montage, and pillars...

“What should I do?” I thought to myself outloud.

If we stay here any longer, then Ricdorian’s empty cell would be most likely discovered, and when that happens, more complications will arise.

My end goal here was to prevent the Archduke from visiting him, not prompt him a certain visit to this prison.

I took a deep breath. Panicking wouldn’t help anyone in any situation. I glanced at my side, looking at Ricdorian, who was suddenly hunching in on himself, groaning, as if trying to imitate me...

I frowned.

No, that isn’t it. What was wrong?

“Hey, you don’t look so good. Why are you groaning?” I asked him. He shook his head, before turning back towards me.

“Hey, you look tired, Iana.” he pointed out, “Oh, can I hug you?”

“What?”

I blinked my eyes. This guy just doesn’t feel shame, does he? Who am I kidding, of course he doesn’t. I scowled at him with exasperation.

But why would he ask something like that? Ofcourse, I was undeniably taken by surprise.

Now. I frowned.

“.Why don’t you tell me what you’re thinking about?” I finally asked him, partially amused by the blush on his face, “And you’re so red, and you can’t even make eye contact?” I pointed out in awe, “Ricdorian, look at me.”

“Well, still...” he stumbled on his words.

He shrugged his shoulders at me, looking sullenly while doing so. I couldn’t help but think he was cute. Even so, that didn’t mean I could stand the clumsiness, and immediately burst out into laughter.

And just as I did, something had caught my eye.

There on my wrist, a small and unassuming line.

historical

The bracelet.

The bracelet Jair had given me had a soft white glow, immediately, I raised my hand to inspect it carefully.

“There’s a light on the bracelet,” I whispered, glancing at it intently before I realized the light was leaning brightly in a certain way...

There was a small line of light, connecting right to his chain.

There must be some clue on the bracelet then, something it was trying to tell me. Possibly the way back.

Immediately my feet moved, walking towards the pillars where the chain was leading me to...

Ricdorian sputtered behind me.

“Iana-” he began to call out. I almost forgot he was there.

“Don’t move, Ricdorian,” I told him, the command coming out harsher than I intended, “Just, stand there for a while.”

He did as I had asked with minimal protest, and I quickly closed the distance between me and my destination. I stopped in front of a pillar, the chain lying still on the ground in front of me. Crouching down, I lifted the chains, and almost buckled beneath its weight.

Then I looked carefully at the part that connected the chain. I don’t think the bracelet pointed at this side for no reason. Instead of just staring at it, I carefully let the bracelet touch it.

Boom!

The ground shook. I quickly widen my eyes. What the hell was that? I turned to look back at the bracelet, hoping it’ll give me more clues where to go...

But the bracelet had already reached the end of the light.

Boom!

The ground shook wildly.

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