The Conquerors Path

Chapter 892  Chapter 890-Small Steps.

The whole stuffy atmosphere ran on for some time. The tears kept raining down from the two women. Silva stopped after some time, her face red, the edges of her eyes rough, and small tear marks across her face. Overall, she looked a bit down. At the same time, it took a bit longer for Eleanara to recover from the scene she had just seen.

Time seemed to have stopped in the room. It was as if for a single moment the two of them were transported to the past, living in a dream of happiness where success had graced them. The overall situation looked clear, right, and in a sense, a calling of forgiveness filled the place. It was more of a striving environment, one can say.

As the mental strength of the two women returned to themselves, the two of them looked at each other, their tear-stained faces looking worn for wear as Eleanara was the first one to speak.

”What is all this?”

She asked, to which Silva, taking her moment, replied.

”I-I donʼt know. That young man, he seems to know more about us than he let on...”

Silvaʼs reply made the memory of Eleanara flash. The images of Austin flooded her mind, each of his words, the scenes they went through all running through her mind like a film. His higher respect for her, the way he talked with her as if he knew more about her than he let on—all of his actions now seemed to fall under a microscope.

”How would he have gotten this?”

Eleanara asked out, not particularly to anyone, as she took the stone on the table, holding it like the most precious treasure in the world as she cradled it in her arms. Her expression was very gentle, and for the first time in a long time, she felt that her heart was pure and empty, as if the pressure that was weighing down on her had taken a break.

Eleanara kept a conflicted expression on her face as she held the stone, feeling its texture in her hands, and acting like an addict that just got her fix, she held it with the utmost leisure, feeling each of the rough turns and bloats in the recording stone. With just a single touch, the understanding of who had created this easily flowed through Eleanaraʼs mind.

It might have been a long time since she ever touched his creation. It might also have been a long time since she created something, but with just that touch, a single spark of her mana flooding the stone, touching upon a single unique signature was more than enough for Eleanara to know who had created this, thus verifying the legitimacy of the stone.

”Itʼs real. I can feel the engraved P on it. Itʼs his....”

Eleanara murmured, her words filling the ears of Silva, who felt her heart quake from the words. Though the erudition of the legacy had only gone forth to create more questions in the minds of the two women. How had Austin come to get his hands on it, being the highest of them? This was something the two of them never got to know about.

A layer of mystery once again covered over Austin, but this time the curiosity of the two was shining brighter than ever before. Eleanara, for the first time in a long time, felt a fire burn in her heart—a fire that had gone out long ago. She wanted to know the truth. She wanted to know what it is that this enigmatic young man was hiding from her.

Eleanara felt her heart finally beat, her mind clear as she savored the words of her friends. All this time she had lived with guilt in her heart, making it very hard for her to move on. Perhaps it was her own motives, her naivety to strive for a better world that had gotten them killed. Those thoughts drove her to always stay away from the world.

But now, gazing into that scene, watching that recording, something shifted within Eleanara. For a moment, the gaze of Eleanara turned towards the mirror in the room. She saw her own reflection, one that looked slightly broken and paused, and for a moment, Eleanara finally took a look at herself, and she didnʼt like what she saw.

The voices of her friends rang in her mind, the pride they had in following her, the happiness they had in knowing her, the will they had in believing in her—all of that being shown clearly in the video. It showed the fact that none of them ever regretted following her, and all of them were ready to die anytime under her leadership.

But what stood out the most was their belief in her—the belief that she was one worth following, that she was the one that had corrected their lives. This made her heart quake in ways she hadnʼt felt. She could genuinely feel their care for her, and it only made her happier than ever to know that they believed in her this much.

Eleanara traced her face for a moment, her hand following onto her chest, where her heart started to beat faster and faster. What would her friends think if they saw her like this? Would they still hold the same respect and awe for her as before? These questions bombarded her mind, but change doesnʼt come that quickly. Guilt of so many years canʼt be washed away that fast. For such a fast reaction, a target for revenge is needed.

”I have really fallen a lot, havenʼt I, Silva?”

Her words made Silva surprised, her eyes gaining a certain sheen to them as she replied.

”Master.....”

Her words held several unspoken meanings to them, to which Silva, for the first time, felt as if her mistress, stuck in that position all her life, had finally gotten a chance to take a step forward. And it all was due to a young human male entering into their lives, who seems to hold so many mysteries that it keeps unveiling itself.

Eleanara closed her eyes, her mind still a lot confused, but she knew one goal she had to take. The young man Austin had played his hand; now it was time for her to play hers. It seems there is a lot he has to say to her, and Eleanara now was more than willing to listen.

”Set up a meeting with Austin Lionheart. I will firsthand listen to all he has to say. Also, prepare an adequate gift. I need to thank him for giving me such happiness after a long time.”

Silva happily nodded her head at those words, knowing that the two of them had to get their heads right before they could go to meet Austin again.

.....

Austinʼs POV:

ʼLooks like that went wellʼ

I mused. The whole story behind Eleanara requires some other kind of work to it. She herself has a very powerful background story that can be used as a heroine, though sadly she isnʼt. She is just one among the many that was heated on their way when they tried to make the world a better place, and I have my sympathies for it.

What Eleanara doesnʼt know is that there is a deeper story behind the death of her friends. If I want to make her the best version of herself, then I need her gunning for that revenge, and I will be the middleman that will lead and help her at it, gaining a lot of her favorability. But if I want that kind of ʼloveʼ from her, then I would need to step up my game.

ʼThough the first part of everything is already doneʼ

By now, Eleanara has a very good impression of me, which would soon get better and more closer when she receives all I have to give her. Thanks to all the info I can buy from the system, it has given me a lot of ways I can play this. By the end of it, a stronger and more powerful Eleanara will be born, but it will take time, and I can give that to her.

With revenge set in her sights, I will become some sort of a very close existence to her—someone that she wants to keep close and protect. I will be more of a disciple to her, or something more that she will come to care for deeply, deep enough that she will help me against any kind of trouble the war council will give against me.

She will see herself in me, and that itself will make her very close to me, giving me her backing, which would help me with a lot of things I want to do. And slowly, I can take my time from there, easily bringing down her inhibitions and getting what I want.

A smile came to my face when I thought of my final plan. It would be taking a lot of effort to get Eleanara if I am not going to use my powers, and for that to even get applicable, I will also have to slowly begin with melting Silva into my hands. And now, that will be an easier endeavor than Eleanara, especially when I know some of her secrets.

Leaning back against the chair, my mind flashed. My focus now turned towards other issues, my mind slowly relaxing as I relayed some instructions to Trisha. She would be the first key to getting everything done.