Shadow of the Abyss

Chapter 393 Fifth Circle I

at the emergence of the system notification, altair muttered, "intestering."

"did you say something?" elena asked, staring at the bed as if she wanted to sit down but did not have the courage. she could just about hear the scolding remarks from elder yorke. she looked at altair, but he did not seem to notice. lost in his world. she quickly flushed when she saw him begin to take off his tunic.

shyness turned to anger as she demanded. "what the hell do you think you're doing?"

altair only glanced at her. they had been on the road and in the wilderness for countless days. even if he could cleanse himself with magic, it could not beat a warm bath to soothe away his aching muscles and joints. perhaps it was just his imagination, but altair could feel his body crying out for his hot spring back in the palace of sygian, even if they were always in a perfect state of being.

ignoring her, he sauntered into the bathroom to draw himself a bath, missing tasha, who usually takes care of such a menial task. he found it as annoying as sleep. still... after throwing in some scented herbs, altair sunk into the scolding waters, closing his eyes.

name: altair blackwood

class: [king of the vale: lv 175]

mana circle: [fifth circle: 69% → 99%] stay updated through empire

strength: 3000

dexterity: 3800

constitution: 4000

wisdom: 5000

charisma: 5000

mana: 400

abruptly, a quiver shook the space around the young king; the air grew heavy, swirling with ancient might: oak wood floors splintered and tore; costly mirrors as hard as diamonds cracked. stone pillars shook as if burdened by a seismic event. only he seemed untouched.

slowly, almost reluctantly, he returned to himself, his gaze penetrating some unknown nexus point. his gaze moved as if in a dream, slow and exasperation and heavy, whirling in every direction. he breathed, expelling the impurities that turned the air acrid.

for an unknown period of standard time that could have lasted hours or mere seconds, he could see that nightfall had risen to swallow the day. altair was a bit taken aback by the state of his bathroom, though notably, and he did not seem surprised. he walked out to see tasha and medusa acting as guards on each side of his door.

medusa all but covered her eyes, throwing open a hand to call forth a towel. how she'd done so without a drupnir ring, altair could not say, but she had.

"your grace, please cover yourself!" she demanded, her cheeks blossoming with color.

"or not," tasha said deliberately, feasting her eyes.

altair accepted the towel, wrapping it around his waist, amused by the serpentlike woman. it was faint, but he heard an accent that he wasn't even aware she had.

"we sensed your will in the dao," tasha said, leading him to the bed, where elena lay unconscious. she had a slight wound on the top of her head. "worried, we rushed in to ensure you were fine."

quickly, confirmed rumors of the young master, nox de nier, breaking the bed with elena surged across inka, stretching across the realm within the hour, that by the time lunchtime approached, everyone from the castellan to some beggars across the street knew nox had taken elena's maidenhood.

elena was none the wiser during lunch, glaring at altair, though the servants all thought it was because he was perhaps too rough. there was a slight dusting of a bruise near her temple.

the castilan coughed awkwardly with his staff. "young master, since you've already cleared up false rumors of lady elena's seeking to break the engagement. might i ask when you plan to return to the dutchy?'

"when i recover," altair told him. "the family medarc said i need one more week for a full recovery."

"you seem already at full health," count kinvar said as the men all smiled.

elena did not seem to understand but had the grace to continue on her way, finishing her meal in silence.

"my lady..." elder ashe said, perturbed. "are you feeling well? you look a little pale."

"should i have my families medarc look after you?" altair suggested.

"quite so," the castillan added, smiling. "i know how difficult it is to lose one's... well, my wife went through the same soreness. no shame calling for a doctor."

elena looked confused. "what—"

the banging of the table severed her words. elder yorke stood to his feet, storming off, his fiery robes fluttering fiercely with each step.

the castilian bore a deep frown. he raised a palm, and the servants left the hall as eyes settled on elder ashe.

"is the union of house rivia and house nier a subject of friction?" count kinvar asked.

old man hark scuffed, "even if he disagreed, to storm out is no less the same as spitting on house nier."

elena felt her cheeks catch fire. "my lords, i assure you. this is—"

"a failure of house rivia," elder ashe said calmly. he gestured for elena to be silent. "i shall speak to him and demand he apologize."

tasha's voice broke the sudden silence. "but would that be enough?"

a few brows creased as they looked at tasha, marking her uniform.

"do not let the maid outfit fool you. tasha is my closest advisor. what i know, she knows. let her speak."

the lords at the table took his words with a grain of salt. as far as they knew, no adviser for the duke heir would work as a maid.

"as i was saying, elder yorke insulted not just the young master before noblemen but commoners alike. you know how the maids and servants gossip. what do you think will happen when the word breaks? house nier would be a laughing stock."

"that's a bit of an exaggeration." elder ashe said grimly.

"politics is all about exaggeration, elder, and the duke-heir was insulted by a transcendent elder. that doesn't look good for anyone. if i may your grace, might i suggest, elder yorke, apologize openly lest he be stripped and whipped on the scaffold overlooking all of inka?"