The Villain's Retirement-Chapter 28: Fate (2)

A second later, Sileus appeared in the mountain with a male apprentice who looked to be around thirty years old and the first place he went to was the courtyard which trunk and branch and twigs was shimmering in light and shadow hourglasses for leaves.

Then a portal to a dungeon lay beneath it.

Before the apprentices who were looking at it, a sudden clap echoed through the courtyard. Sharp, deliberate, and undeniably arrogant. All heads snapped up. A mage with long white hair tied on his back has arrived.

"Master! Welcome back." several voices cried at once.

Sileus strode in, his robes rustling with every movement radiating authority. Then reaching the front, his blue colored eyes stared at the tree like savoring the spectacle.

Then his gaze shifted toward the hero who was at the same time letting his injuries heal.

"Where’s the other one?" Sileuss asked calmly.

The Sword Hero scoffed and grinned like a kid who just won a fight against his older brother.

"That loser? He’s up there sulking."

However, unlike the usual, Sileus’ face looked cold and seemed to be in a bad mood. His voice suddenly echoed directly inside the Hero’s mind, making the hero swallow hard as if remembering something sinister.

"..."

"..."

"Seriously?" The hero muttered clenching his jaws.

Then without warning, a surge of violent mana flared within him, inexplicably directed at the massive dead tree before them. Right now, even his hair was slightly waving due to his mana leaking uncontrollably, spilling outward like a lake evaporating into mist, immediately filling the courtyard with a palpable, almost suffocating energy.

The apprentices in the area all backed down.

If one had to be honest, only the hero probably had such kind of mana in store.

’The ouroboros sapling, so that’s what this goddamn tree is.’ he thought, teeth clenched and slammed his hand on the ground as he started to stand up.

Then his golden colored eyes snapped back to Sileus.

"So what are we waiting for?"

Just then, Sileus opened his mouth, equally serious. Then spoke to the man on his side. He was the one who appeared with him simultaneously onto the mountain. It was a male one and a human with an innocent smile on his face.

"Lucian, take the griffin and bring the shadow swordmage to the Duchy of Jian."

"Yes, master." The young man said, and soon whistled loudly into the air as the griffin landed.

Before he could enter the building though, Ard had already went out. With the sudden flood of mana from the Hero, he couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling crawling up his spine. His eyes glanced to the Sword Hero standing in front of the dungeon portal.

’Anger. Pure, unfiltered anger.’

Then Ard looked too—the massive dead tree.

A faint shimmer ran along its silvered branches, weaving through the hourglass-shaped leaves. It wasn’t like any ordinary mana. Not like anything Ard had ever sensed before. While mana could be sensed in a certain degree, the energy from the tree almost felt too transparent but at the same time complex.

What is this energy? he wondered.

And yet, he didn’t need to know.

Ard was fairly certain he could be considered among the most powerful in the world. However, he knew one thing. There was a world that he never belonged to: the domain and world of Heroes, Demon King, and mysterious forces who all seemed to be guided by something greater and grander than he could even imagine.

It was like what they call ’fate’.

There are simply people in the world meant to do something again and again.

Ard had understood that growing up.

While a person as powerful as him could adventure and move out into the world like a normal person for example, there were some people who simply couldn’t and is moved by something greater.

Ard shook his head.

That world was not something he was never interested in. Heroes or whatever, they could kill themselves and do anything they want. He does not care in the very slightest.

Plues, for things that could bring him trouble, he wanted nothing to do with it.

He ignored the hero and the tree and tension in the air and muttered under his breath, ’Better to stay out of it. These people are clearly up to something dangerous.’

"Hey, lizard, let’s go!" The hero then shouted, completely ignoring Ard now.

Ard went to the griffin which was being controlled by the young male apprentice.

"Thank you for keeping your promise, Lord Sileus." Ard simply said as he passed by, expressionless as if nothing interesting was happening.

Just then, a few voices called out from behind.

"Y-You’re leaving already?" one of the female apprentices said, eyes wide as she stepped closer.

"That was incredible... I mean—be careful out there," another added quickly, flustered.

Nimriel stood slightly apart from them. She met Ard’s gaze, adjusting her glasses before giving a small, knowing smile.

"Try not to get yourself killed," she said lightly. Then in her next breath, her lips curved and mouthed the word demon meant for his eyes alone.

Ard ignored her too.

Then Sileus opened his mouth and a casual but serious voice sounded.

"Are you sure you don’t want to enter the dungeon together with us?"

"No."

Ard immediately replied.

’Please do not drag me into this. I don’t care if you believe me or not but I honestly just want to leave now.’

Ard doesn’t even want to know what kind of dungeon portal was not emitting mana but a different kind of energy.

Assuming he could hear his thoughts, Sileus slightly smiled and laughed. Then nodded in agreement.

"Well, see you again soon." He said.

’I rather hope not to meet you people again.’ Ard said as he continued walking. But it only made Sileus laugh again before letting go.

’What a really interesting person. I just hope "they" never show interest to him.’ Sileus said as his blue colored eyes shone sharply while glaring at the skies.

With that, he stepped fully before the griffin’s back, gripping the harness tightly as he prepared to go up.