Chapter 867: Lindsey, Kill Me.
Chapter 867: Lindsey, Kill Me.
"..."
A deafening thunderclap reverberated through the air as the rain intensified, accompanied by a startling flash of lightning.
The lightning illuminated Alice's face, revealing her pale complexion and drenched hair. Water dripped from her hair down Lindsey's arm, and her pupils, regaining a hint of vitality, reflected only profound sorrow and self-reproach.
"Lindsey, kill me," she pleaded with Lindsey, uttering words she would never believe coming from the mouth of a Righteous Maiden.
"You rescued me from certain death, and yet I turned my sword against you."
"Perhaps this failure is the price I pay for my unjust actions."
Without hesitation, Lindsey responded, "I don't kill friends."
Her reply only deepened Alice's anguish. With a heavy heart, she continued, "But you are stronger than I am."
"I am a sinner, deserving of death for my actions."
"I recall that through killing, your skills can significantly enhance your power and grant you magical artifacts. Despite my failure, I believe I could still be a valuable prize in your assessment."
Lindsey shook her head firmly.
"Then it's even more impossible."
"Unending slaughter will only turn me into a monster. The Abyssal School teaches us the consequences of such a path. You're only harming me by suggesting this."
"..."
Alice struggled to find the right words.
Lindsey didn't give the Righteous Maiden time to ponder further, instead asking about her encounter.
"Alice, tell me what you mean by the White Steel Sword being destroyed by you?"
"That sword, though not mine, I know it possesses unimaginable durability. Only an Eighth or Ninth Stage Awakener could destroy such a concept. It's not as simple as saying it's broken."
"..."
"I've attracted the attention of an indescribable entity."
"The White Steel Sword was protecting me as I returned to this timeline. But in the chaotic temporal turmoil, a gaze fixed upon us, and with a single strike, it shattered the sword, scattering its fragments across temporal rifts."
Alice recounted her story, her words conveying a sense of order despite her crumbling will.
"Lindsey, the White Steel Sword is essential."
"Establishing the ruler of the City of Law requires the recognition of the Three Royal Artifacts. Now, with one missing, only two remain. It's impossible to declare a new ruler. It's... it's my fault that this has happened."
Lindsey furrowed her brows.
"Why would someone who's been attacked take the blame upon themselves?"
"Shouldn't an ordinary person, bullied by powerful Awakeners, blame themselves for their weakness?"
Alice shook her head.
A droplet, indistinguishable from the rain, slid down her pale face.
"But... ultimately... it's my lack of strength that failed to protect this crucial Royal Artifact."
Lindsey sighed.
Alice's description indeed presented a formidable challenge.
The White Steel Sword, shattered into fragments, was scattered across countless timelines.
Now, its restoration posed not only a technical dilemma but also the task of retrieving its fragments from various timelines.
Lindsey, equipped with her newly acquired items, could ensure her safety amidst temporal interference. However, searching for fragments of an item across countless timelines was an entirely different challenge.
Lindsey continued his inquiry:
"When you were attacked, did you confirm the identity of your assailant?"
Alice shook her head. "I lost consciousness in the Temporal Rift, deprived of the protection of the White Steel Sword."
Lindsey nodded slightly, indicating his understanding.
He wanted to tell Alice something, but it was indeed a difficult request, as even Lindsey himself had blacked out in that situation and woke up in the City of Law.
A loud slap—
At that moment, Lindsey felt his arm being tightly grasped by Alice, her fingers, pale from the river water, were clutching his upper left arm.
"Lindsey, I can't do anything right now."
"You might as well kill me."
Lindsey was about to refuse, but Alice spoke first:
"Righteous Maidens are different from other Awakened."
"After the Fifth Stage, if the beliefs in your heart are shattered, there's almost no chance of recovery!"
Lindsey repeated a word from Alice's statement:
"You said 'almost,' not absolutely impossible."
The Righteous Maiden, engulfed in deep self-blame, shook her head:
"That's only a miracle that happens in myths and legends; I don't deserve it..."
"That doesn't sound like something the confident and stubborn Alice would say." Lindsey interrupted her, then reiterated, "Moreover, we were just in the mythical era you mentioned, as witnesses or even participants."
"..."
Alice thought for a moment but shook her head again:
"I'm a failure, unworthy of the trust bestowed upon me by the White Steel Sword."
Currently, she was like a stubborn bull, charging headlong into a wall and refusing to back down.
Lindsey seriously considered Alice's attitude throughout their journey.
Finally, he placed the maiden on the riverbank within the rain, and they sat cross-legged, facing each other on the muddy riverbank:
"Alice, I have a question for you."
"What is the true blow to you from the loss of the White Steel Sword?"
Alice, unable to refuse any question, replied:
"The City of Law cannot choose a new king, and peace will not come..."
Lindsey interrupted forcefully:
"Tell me, who founded the City of Law?"
Alice was taken aback:
"The First King, Ben."
Lindsey continued his questioning:
"Good, then let me ask you—the Ben I just met, when he established this city, did he hold the White Steel Sword, which has become this wondrous Royal Artifact in the present?"
"..."
Alice couldn't answer.
Being well-versed in history, she knew better than Lindsey that the First King Ben's weapon was initially an ordinary sword, without any mystical power.
It became a Royal Artifact solely because of the reverence bestowed upon it by later generations.
Lindsey continued:
"Villages, towns, powers, nations. No matter what, humans build them with their own hands. What's important is the people, not a mere tool."
A loud thunderclap—
Both of them went blank for a moment, and then the thunder roared across the land, enclosing them.
Alice had already fallen into deep thought.
But Lindsey felt it wasn't enough; his voice boomed, even drowning out the thunder:
"The sword is gone now!"
"But ask yourself, what do you truly want to establish? The continuation of the City of Law's legitimate rule or a peaceful and happy world where people can live and work in harmony?"
"Alice, answer me now!"
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
