Pillar of Yita

Many people who saw this man instinctively had a sense of déjà vu: had they seen him somewhere before? For Princess Rupert, the feeling was even stronger. Before she could speak, the man stepped forward, and the guard beside him was momentarily unsure whether to stop him.

Fortunately, he stopped halfway through the hall, raised his hand wearing a pair of gloves adorned with leather and iron rings on the wrist. He opened his hand, and the objects in his hand slipped to the ground with a ’clink’ sound, and several silvery items rolled across the marble floor.

These were several rings, forged in pure silver, with specks of blood stains on the surfaces; beneath the blood patterns was a faint image of a closed eye.

Fang Hong recognized him.

They had even crossed paths at the Sand Lodge in Tansnier, though at that time the opponent didn’t go all out; he almost suffered a complete defeat. Later, when meeting with Delan, he saw him again and knew they were collaborating with Ye Hua. But when asked about his identity, he only got a brief reply:

The Avenger.

Whose vengeance, against whom?

He glanced at Ye Hua. Ye Hua was also looking at this person, with no special expression on his face, as if their relationship was limited to just the commission from King of Sand, Barbaltan.

However, Fang Hong quieted down, as he was waiting for him at this moment.

”There are twelve locations where the Blind Followers conduct their rituals within the city,” the man said, retracting his hand and looking up at Princess Rupert. ”Eight of them have been eradicated by us, and the remaining four should be almost dealt with.”

The hall became so quiet that a pin drop could be heard.

”Is that thing outside summoned by the Blind Followers’ ritual?” Rupert asked, ”If the ritual is disrupted, will it go back?”

”Princess, where do you think it ought to return to?” the man countered.

Rupert opened her mouth. No one stepped forward to point out that this question was somewhat impolite. Everyone had an odd thought: where does that distorted thing come from, and where should it return to?

The hall was silent, and even the most learned scholar couldn’t answer this question.

”Does this question matter?” After a moment of silence, Rupert finally responded.

The man nodded. ”It relates to how we should send it back.”

”So,” Princess Rupert quickly responded this time, ”you have a way to send it back?”

Her words immediately sparked a murmur in the hall.

”I don’t, but some among us might, when we add up all our efforts, we might be able to think of a method.” The man surveyed the crowd, reached under his coat, and when he pulled his hand out again, it was wrapped around something by thick leather gloves.

He carefully cupped the object with both hands, revealing a hint of a dreamlike, vibrant green glow that spilled from the seams of the gloves.

Fang Hong immediately recognized it, and was momentarily stunned.

The man stepped forward, squatted down, placed the brilliant crystal at the center of the marble floor, presenting it to everyone. The azure brilliance burst forth from the transparent emerald crystal, lasting for a long time, as if it darkened the entire hall.

That was Pale Glory—

But that gemstone.

”Emerald Star.” Someone in the crowd whispered.

”This is...” The Princess was also a bit astonished. She wasn’t unfamiliar with the Emerald Star, but the Emerald Star never shone with such enthralling brilliance—

In the light seemed to be a gentle voice, recounting a flowing past, like water, vast histories of countless eras, of stars and radiance, of the glory of life.

People seemingly saw the birth of life, as if witnessing the source of everything.

The man straightened up, looked at Princess Rupert, paused, and then slowly spoke: ”Princess, when I first met your mother, she was as young as you are now. Your wisdom is almost entirely inherited from her; she was one of the few who could read and interpret the secrets in that manuscript—”

The Princess gasped in disbelief, staring at him.

The hall was as silent as death.

Fang Hong was unexpectedly frozen in thought.

Various possibilities swirled in his mind, and finally, the most likely idea emerged. He seemed to suddenly understand whose avenger this person was, and against whom the vengeance was directed.

Names, IDs, and code names spun like a carousel in his mind—Owl, Snail, Raptor, Age, Pharmacist, Great Shield, and Traveler, or still... Star?

But in any case, at least the name Morning Dawn Star was now in sight.

The images of Captain Kroid and Miss Sicape seemed to emerge from the darkness, only to vanish again. He looked at the person in front of him, and a thought crossed his mind: had Captain Kroid and Miss Sicape truly been his teammates?

If all this were true, what code did they represent in the team once also called ’Morning Dawn Star’? What truly happened behind the scenes during the Battle of Bain?

But he suppressed all the questions in his heart.

The man continued speaking: ”Princess, the light you’re looking at now is called Pale Glory. It’s not yet complete, but this is also the most beautiful gift your mother left for you and for Istania—”