Chapter 90
The moment the ballroom went dark, Mehen instinctively knew something was wrong.
‘There must be a barrier at the palace.’
“Quick.”
As if he knew something, the man who had approached Mehen clicked his tongue and disappeared.
As if on cue, Mehen’s vision brightened the moment the intimidating feeling of being unable to breathe was gone. At the same time, screams erupted from all directions.
“Aah–!”
“There’s someone here!”
As if something had swept them away with a sweep, people disappeared in a dagger, the ballroom in chaos.
The Imperial Palace instantly became chaotic.
***
She blacked out for a moment.
When she opened her eyes again, she was speechless at what she saw.
‘This is it. The Sharit Mansion.’
Same place, different mood.
A sense of urgency rose in the back of her mind as she looked at the strange environment painted in reversed colors.
‘This is the Otherworld.’
Her worldview’s weakest sensors screamed at her to flee this place immediately, but somehow she remained calm.
“Ugh, ugh.”
“Are you okay?”
Ah, she wasn’t the only one swept away.
“T-this place.”
She looked over at Leslie, whose face had gone pale.
It was weird to see her staring into space, wondering what she was looking at.
There was nothing there.
“Hey, you need to calm down…”
“Kyaaaa!”
Leslie screamed, her face pale and seizure-like, and suddenly she was off on her own.
It’s not good to aggro like that.
“Ah.”
She wanted to grab her, but she was out of sight in a flash, and she couldn’t catch her.
“Oh, no.”
She worried about Leslie.
Should she go look for it?
“Hmm.”
She stopped, looking at the threateningly distorted background.
She wanted to help, but she remembered her own bite and stayed put. She was in more danger than Leslie.
“At least Leslie’s healthy. I can’t even run for long…”
Ugh.
She wishes she could run.
“What is really going on?”
Why does she end up in these strange places so often when she never sees them in novels?
The back of her hand was hot. The glowing symbols kept calling to her, like something was pulling at her, and she didn’t want to go.
“… How do I get out?”
She hesitated, looking around at her surroundings, which had become a completely different world.
Who would come to save her?
“Mehen…”
The only name she could think of came out of her mouth. Suddenly, a longing she’d been hiding in the darkness leaked out.
“Mum…”
Suddenly, she missed her mother.
***
When the imperial court was shaken, the first place Valar went was to the place where the council seat was hidden.
It existed somewhere between the real world and the other side, imperceptible to the common man and the transcendent, but Valar could see it with Halbern’s powers.
‘There is no abnormality.’
There should have been an impact at the same time as the crystallization event, but the crystallization stone was intact.
‘It’s not a matter of the crown.’
The Imperial Palace’s great defense crystal was created by a great wizard during the founding of Albrecht to ensure the prosperity of the Empire.
The imperial defense system was still a high-level magic that could not be imitated, even though magical studies and magical engineering had advanced over time.
Then…
Dodging the officials who had come to check on the status of the crystals, Valar stopped when he spotted someone on his way back to the ballroom.
“A star wizard.”
Robert, a three-star wizard from the Sky Tower, who had noticed the change in the situation, asked.
“Do you know me?”
“No.”
‘I only caught a glimpse of you at the ball.’
Muttering to himself how he could not recognize him, Robert glanced at Valar.
“You seem to know something about this situation. Perhaps you could explain?”
“Well, there’s been an upset in the imperial court.”
“…You must be kidding, it’s not something that can be touched easily.”
The wizard was right, as he retorted in a ridiculous tone. It was a system that could not be easily touched. Not if the opponent is human.
‘The master of the realm calls it ‘the invisible.’
If it could blind the eyes of an immortal, it would be the next best thing.
He was not pleased with the sudden appearance of the mysterious tycoon, but the immediate priority was to make amends.
Valar was just about to turn back to the ballroom when he heard the sound of.
Tsk-tsk.
Whether it was the aftermath of the shock or the twisted connections, a gap opened that would normally have remained closed.
“The Otherworld!”
The Star Mage’s eyes widened as he noticed the blue glowing crack. Valar’s gaze deepened as well.
The opening was a red flag.
Surely there would be people swept in, and if they were unlucky, some would be eaten by it.
None of that mattered.
Valar tried to ignore him.
[Valar]
If sloth hadn’t called out from beyond the rift.
[Your daughter has been swept away].
“…”
Ha.
Running a hand through his hair, Valar sighed lightly.
“Huh? Hey, what are you doing?! Get back! You want to get caught up and die? That’s dangerous!”
Whatever Robert was saying, Valar approached the crack.
“There, you.”
“What?”
“Tell the Emperor about this, and tell him to fix it.”
“No, wait!”
Before Robert could stop him, Valar tore through the rift and stepped into the otherworld.
Robert stood in front of the gaping chasm, unable to control his laughter.
“Well, is he suicidal?”
The forced gap closed quickly.
It seemed that Robert would never be able to forget the last of the nameless handsome man.
“I hope he’s gone to a good place.”
The wizard mourned the nameless man.
***
There was no hesitation in Valar’s step as he entered the Otherworld.
His vision and senses swam. The uncomfortable sensation of a hand grabbing his brain passed, and he breathed.
A normal human would have been driven mad for any number of reasons by the mere glimpse, touch, or entry into this ‘gap’, but nothing in this world could affect Valar.
“Welcome…”
The visions flickered dizzily, feeding on the emotions and minds of men.
Wondering if his daughter was okay.
Worry. It was a familiar yet unfamiliar emotion. An emotion he’d long since forgotten.
When was the last time he’d truly cared about someone?
“I’d do anything for you.”
She looked at him in disbelief, but Valar meant it.
He really would do anything for Arellin.
Even if it meant giving his life.
‘Not that I’m willing to die easily.’
What was a dead place to others, was a familiar place to Valar.
It was known as the Otherworld.
Another world that doesn’t exist in reality, but exists in the shadow of reality.
It was a place that could only be accessed through a specific gap or entrance, a place where no one could enter or leave.
Secrets like this were Halbern’s specialty, and Valar was no stranger to them.
Halbern’s secret library was also located in this other world.
Besides.
This was the Imperial Palace.
If the palace was a mirror, then this underworld was one he knew. The realm of sloth that sleeps in the palace, the realm of his dealings.
Aside from the intimidating surroundings and illusions, Valar’s steps were unmoving as he probed the tranquil underworld.
“I just need to stay out of trouble…”
As long as his daughter is under the protection of Nathan, there shouldn’t be any trouble in this realm.
He expanded his senses and found only one miracle in this twisted world.
And-.
“-Your daughter.”
Not far away.
He found the tiny hand crouched on the ground, hugging her knees and burying her face in them.
“There you are.”
***
For a moment, she thought she’d misheard.
“You shouldn’t be playing alone in a place like this. You’ll worry your dad.”
She tensed at the handsome face she saw as soon as she lifted her head.
Was it a vision? A dream?
And why this man?
Wouldn’t it be better to have Mehen or her mother to charm her? As she was questioning her visionary choices, she felt a touch on her cheek.
It’s cold.
“Uh, huh?”
Is it real?
“Why are you so surprised?”
“Uh-uh-uh.”
She blinked rapidly, startled by the reality of the cold touch, and her biological father chuckled.
“It’s not a dream.”
If it’s not a dream…
“Why are you here…”
Warmth flickered in his watery eyes.
“Then who should be here?”
“…”
He blinked, and then froze, as if frozen.
She didn’t mean it as a question, she just couldn’t believe it.
He really came looking for her? This guy?
“You came looking for me?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Of course I should cone.”
He smiled and his arms were tight around me. His sweet voice melted her frozen body.
“That’s our daughter.”
Thank you so much arwendolyn
for the Ko-fi💗