NOVEL WEB Chapter 283: Ben
Vritra rushed back into the carriages at a speed faster than ever before, his heart beating wildly as he wondered: 'D–Damnit, why is she here?!!'
In the sky outside, two people were hovering. The trees were quite high, so despite flying, they were still surrounded by darkness.
One of the two people was a woman Vritra was well familiar with — the Empress Yennefer Aven — and beside her was Han Gratt, her number two simp.
The two seemed to be searching for someone.
When they saw a few carriages approaching, they decided to stop them and ask something. Han didn't want to waste any time, so he just made the carriages forcefully pause in the air.
And so, they came to such an abrupt stop.
The coachmen and the guards were frightened, but before Han could explain anything, the door to one of the carriages burst open, and they faintly saw a man who instantly disappeared back for some reason.
"Huh? Who was that…" Han mumbled.
He did feel Vritra looked a bit familiar, but since he believed Vritra was already dead, he didn't remember him very clearly.
After all, the Empress had killed him in her anger when she had failed to obtain the inheritance, and Han Gratt had done his best to stop the news from spreading, so even the people who had witnessed the scene had forgotten about the incident.
While Yennefer was busy looking away, she didn't get a good look at Vritra's face, but she did feel that something was wrong. Without a word, she flew directly towards that carriage.
"Ah, don't worry, we don't mean any harm. I am the protector of the Human Emperor, Han Gratt, and she is the Empress. We were searching for a demon lord — have any of you seen anything strange?" Han said as he looked at the frightened men.
"N- No, sir protector, we have not seen anything out of the ordinary, and if we actually did, t- then none of us would have been alive…" one of the guards answered, his heart still beating wildly in fear and excitement.
"Ah, makes sense. It seems the Empress wants to check something; you can leave after she is done." Han said as he watched Yennefer fly towards one of the carriages. He could never know what was going on in her head.
After failing to obtain the unknown inheritance, she had always seemed a bit different. Han didn't know what had changed, but at least she was as unruly as ever.
After landing in front of the carriage, Yennefer just pulled the door open and climbed inside. First, she saw the several women — Vanessa, Diana, and Fiona.
But Fiona's appearance had changed. She had shorter black hair, and even her face looked different. Yennefer couldn't recognise any of them, and finally, her gaze shifted towards the only man in the carriage.
It was a sickly man in his early twenties, but he looked so handsome and pitiful that any woman's heart would ache for him. He held a fan in front of his face, which had the letters written on it—
PROTECTOR OF THE UNIVERSE!!
"Oh hello, pretty." The sickly young master spoke to her with a wide smile, hiding the sound of his rapidly beating hearts.
"…" Yennefer stared at the young man, who looked very handsome and was wearing flashy clothes, but something about him felt a bit off. Yet she couldn't tell what exactly it was.
"Who are you?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at him. She was also a bit surprised that he didn't show a lustful expression like most other men despite seeing her so up close.
The three women were surprised by the sudden intrusion. The Empress looked so beautiful even though her face was covered by a veil.
"Hello, my lady, I am called Ben, Ben Tennyson. The protector of the universe— haha, just kidding. I am— COUGH— the son of a noble from the Blue Kingdom, and I am going to the White Kingdom for— COUGH— the tournament."
In his nervousness, Vritra just took a character from the cartoon he used to watch a long time ago.
"Ben, have we met before?" Yennefer stared intently at Vritra and questioned. Vritra was exhausting a large amount of his mana as he constantly used the Misty Essence Mythic Halo to maintain his own and Fiona's current appearance.
At his current level, the Mythic Halo could barely fool the Empress, but thankfully she didn't attack them to confirm whatever suspicion she had.
"Is there a prob— cough cough— ah, forgive me, is there a problem, pretty lady?" Vritra asked. He didn't want to get too much of her attention, so he did show a slight bit of interest in her.
He picked up a glass with his slender hand and started drinking water. The gazes of the four women were fixed on Vritra.
Despite knowing that it was just an illusion, Diana, Fiona, and Vanessa wanted to go ahead and embrace the handsome and weak young master — he looked as if he might faint at any moment.
Yennefer stayed silent for a moment, then spoke, as an angry look appeared in her eyes:
"…There is a demon lord I had been chasing for quite a long time, but suddenly, one day, a damned spatial crack opened in the sky out of nowhere and she got swallowed by it.
And I know exactly who is responsible for all this — the moment I catch that brat, I will strangle him myself—"
SPAT
"COUGH COUGH— ah, forgive me, I have caught a strange disease so my body keeps getting weaker. Anyway, my lady, that sort of language and anger doesn't suit someone of your beauty and status.
And about the said person, it might have been a mistake, so remember — forgiveness is a virtue." Vritra used the Misty Essence to the peak as he tried his best to hide his shock.
'Fuck, how could there be such a coincidence? When fighting against the Grieves, the ability Null indeed went out of control. Sigh, so now she hates me for more than one reason… She better not recognise me or I would be dead meat.' Vritra thought.
{Sin Point Gained: Doubted +1}
Vritra almost froze as he glanced at one of the new messages, and he didn't like the look in Yennefer's eyes.
"There are people in this world who don't deserve forgiveness. Anyway, you can leave now." After giving one last long look to Vritra, she disappeared from their sight and appeared back in the sky.
"Be safe on your journey… Mr. Tennyson." The Empress said, a strange sort of chill in her voice.
"Thank you, pretty lady. Oh, and are you two a couple? You look good together." Vritra said, and instantly saw a gloating expression on Han's face.
"Y- You think so?" Han asked, barely hiding his joy.
But Yennefer frowned, and without wasting a moment, she just disappeared. This was Vritra's way of sending away the dangerous lady who kills without giving a second thought.
"Oh, Empress, please wait for me!!" Suddenly in a great mood, the protector nodded towards Vritra and then disappeared.
"Sigh, that was so damn tough…" Vritra wiped off the sweat from his forehead and finally felt how tense his body had been.
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