NOVEL WEB Chapter 705: Unusual Ability
Silence fell over the table.
Neo's thoughts circled in restless loops.
Every time he tried to settle on one, another came and pushed it aside.
He glanced toward Moraine, hoping for some kind of answer, but she kept her gaze lowered.
It was as if she had no intention of speaking, no matter how heavily the quiet pressed down between them.
How does she feel? he wondered. Searching for Elizabeth, doing something like that… it's not for herself. She's doing it for me.
The realization left a dull ache in his chest.
He bit his lip before forcing himself to smile faintly.
"Thank you," he said quietly.
The words seemed to hang in the air without anywhere to go.
Moraine did not answer.
She simply shifted in her chair, and ate.
The atmosphere between them became tense.
They all focused on their food for a few minutes. The sound of cutlery filled the room in place of conversation.
Percival was the first to break the silence.
"We can't meet Julie anymore," he said.
Neo looked up. "What do you mean by that?"
"Well… things happened," Percival replied, his tone carrying more weight than the vague explanation. "I doubt Julie will come to Golden Domain, or even our universe, for the time being. So we need to search for someone else who can help us leave Golden Domain."
Neo stayed quiet, considering.
His throat felt tight, as though a lump had formed there.
Should he even mention Elizabeth in front of Moraine?
It was something he wanted to talk about, but not at the risk of hurting her more.
But…
He swallowed and finally asked, "Do you have any idea how to go about that?"
Percival leaned back slightly in his chair.
"Ancient Dragons. Or leaders of Forgotten Suns and Alliance."
Neo frowned. "If the leaders of Forgotten Suns know, can't you just ask Ilyana?"
"The method of leaving Golden Domain has always been a high-level secret," Percival said. "Illyana's family does know it, but until she completes her inheritance and becomes the head of the family, she won't have access to that information. It's reserved only for the family leader."
Neo tapped his fingers against the table.
"How long until she completes it and takes the position?"
"You guess is as good as mine."
A sigh slipped out of Neo before he could stop it.
The uncertainty was troubling, though he couldn't fault Percival for it.
After a pause, he muttered, "Ancient Dragons then. Maybe I should—"
"Talk to the Grim Reapers?" Percival interrupted smoothly.
Neo blinked in surprise at the sudden suggestion.
"You know…?"
Percival only shrugged.
Seeing Neo's reaction, he raised a hand dismissively.
"I can read Fate, better than most people, honestly. There are quite a few secrets I've picked up along the way."
He set down his fork and added,
"My point is, Layla already helped me talk to the Grim Reapers. They don't know the method of leaving Golden Domain. The Rank 1 Grim Reaper might know, but we can't find him."
Neo leaned back, frowning harder. "You haven't met Bael?"
That made no sense.
Layla should have already met Bael.
Was she keeping Bael's location from them?
If she had, he wouldn't be surprised.
After all, Bael's existence tied directly to the news of death of Hades.
If that news ever spread, the chaos it would cause was unimaginable.
Thinking it through, Neo finally said, "I might be able to find Bael. Let me give it a try."
"Alright." Percival nodded.
The meal finished soon after.
Neo stood, gathering the plates and carrying them toward the sink.
He began to rinse them, lost in thought, when Moraine walked over and stopped beside him.
"I'll do it," she said.
"…?"
He looked at her, confused.
"You did the dishes last night too. Let me do it this time."
"…Okay."
He dried his hands and stepped aside, leaving her to it.
His mind was still tangled in what Percival had said, though, and he drifted back into the living room.
Percival was already seated there, waiting.
Neo sat down beside him. The two of them spoke about unimportant matters.
Then, at the same moment, they both turned their heads.
A presence was approaching.
Neo glanced at Percival. "You sensed him from this far away?"
"No," Percival said with a chuckle. "My range isn't as wide as yours. I saw disturbances in the tapestry of Fate and realized someone was coming."
Neo blinked, genuinely impressed.
It seemed Percival's abilities had grown considerably, though Percival had always been an odd case.
He could read Neo's fate, even when everyone else insisted Neo didn't have one.
"Jack should have a Fate Ward, shouldn't he?" Neo asked after a moment. "That should hide his fate. How did you notice the disturbance in the tapestry because of his arrival, then?"
Percival grinned.
"Oh, the Ward? That thing doesn't work against me."
Neo gave him a long look.
Even Eternals had troubles with the Wards.
For Percival to bypass them so casually made no sense at all.
'Maybe it has something to do with his Soul Weapon,' Neo thought.
Before he could ask more, the figure they had sensed finally arrived.
Jack landed near the mansion.
"I'll go meet him," Neo said, standing up.
With a single step, he crossed the distance and appeared in front of Jack, who stood just outside.
"It's good to see you again," Jack said with a smile.
"…Likewise."
Jack chuckled, catching the hesitation.
"I can sense the hostility in that 'likewise.' Don't worry. There's nothing between me and Layla anymore."
Neo's eyes narrowed.
That wasn't what he'd heard.
The information Bael had given him was different.
Jack must have noticed his reaction because his smile faded.
"…Did someone tell you something else?" Jack asked carefully.
"They told me about your wedding," Neo said flatly.
The words landed like a weight.
Jack's smile vanished completely, replaced with a colder expression.
"There's nothing between me and Layla. We are not going to marry."
The tension stretched for a moment.
Then Jack sighed and shook his head.
"Let's talk about something else. We should move to another place first, though."