Chapter 55: Lion's Fang
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"As much as I wanted to answer all of your questions but for now, it will be better for you to take things slowly…."
Eclipse snapped from his thoughts when he heard what Francis said and he didn't know how many times he became speechless because of this incident.
'This is his fault! Argh! But he is right then. As much as I wanted information, but it will be better to take things slowly. I don't know why I am hurrying to settle things here in this worldline.'
"Also…."
Eclipse looked up once more at the man when he heard him speaks again but paused his sentence for a moment.
"I am aware of the hidden tasks that you just accidentally triggered, as well as those link tasks."
Eclipse remained stoic but had a tired expression written on his face and sighed; "I won't be surprised if you can also see my system interface whenever there is a task update."
The world-hopper saw Francis just smiled at him and nodded for the confirmation.
"Why else do you think that I managed to assist you in every mission task you carried?"
'I already theorized about that when I noticed how he executes everything as if he could read my mind, but he won't just go overboard for everything. He would only do a minimal task until I do my tasks properly.'
Most of the time, those self-aware characters act as messengers or his informants in regard to their targets. Sometimes, if things almost got out of hand because of unexpected circumstances, those self-aware characters would do minimal work to prevent something that could be said would be a great disaster if they weren't prevented properly.
"I just wanted to meet you earlier so that you could trigger some information and for the progression rate would go higher."
Eclipse looked back at him when he explained in an amiable manner, but the world-hopper couldn't help but cringe sometimes.
'I don't know why but sometimes I felt shivers for some reason.'
As he thought of that, he maintained his stoic expression while waiting for the other person to say something more.
"However, I didn't expect my designation role to be changed like that. I mean, it's a good thing that I'm no longer one of the male leads of this worldline because it's tiring to force myself to be integrated to that role but…."
Eclipse saw how the other man frowns as if he is thinking about something else.
"Having a hidden character role, this is unexpected to me. I don't know if this would be good for us or not."
Eclipse crossed his arm around his chest and raised an eyebrow at him; "If you're no longer one of the male leads then, are you still planning to work here at Lumen Academy as one of the instructors? Because from the way I see it, you dare to trespassed here at the middle of the night when you can just waltz inside this place since all instructors have an access in the academy, even if it's still on school breaks."
'I don't know for how long I have been gone but I need to go back now or that woman would go on a frenzy state just to looked for me. Also, I have a feeling that this incident would reach to that old man so before everything escalates then, I need to go."
Eclipse placed down the cup as he stood up from his seat and looked at the other man and spoke.
"Since you told me earlier that you will just guide me on the sidelines then, next time, don't approach me that hastily. Even though you are a self-aware character but remember your role as a hidden character since we really don't know if this is a good thing or not."
After he said those words, he didn't wait for the other person to reply and was about to leave, Francis called back at him.
"Wait a moment."
'What now? Can't he see that I need to hurry?!'
Eclipse sighed and was about to looked around when he felt the presence of an incoming object straight at his direction from behind, thanks to his reflexes, Eclipse managed to catch the object that was thrown behind him.
"Hey, what's wrong with you?! Can't you just give it normally?!"
Francis shrugged it off as if it was nothing and just went back from sipping his tea.
'The f*cking hell this b*stard—?!'
He didn't want to waste his time on arguing back with someone who seemed like he doesn't care about his surroundings.
He looked down at the object that he caught on to because a certain someone just casually thrown at his direction and frowns because the object, he catch on is just a normal necklace.
'What is this? An artifact or something? Why did he give me this?'
Upon inspecting the necklace, he noticed the symbol that was etched on the center.
'A lion's insignia… W-wait a second! T-this is….'
A system interface suddenly flashed in front of him, and the content written on the system interface makes his expression crack.
< DING! LION'S FANG X1 as a system reward for unlocking the hidden character. Francis Aiden Kashaya! Please be advised that the item is non-tradeable. Thank you for your hard work! >
"Are you serious? This?" Eclipse couldn't believe that the item he received as a reward was none other than the Lion's Fang, one of the two items within Francis' possession from one of his mentors, the one who taught him magic.
Francis; "Just take it. You will need that in the future."
Eclipse raised an eyebrow at him; "I thought you would just guide from the sidelines."
"Yes, you're right. I'll just guide you, but that doesn't mean I can't help you at least, right?"
Francis said nonchalantly but for the world-hopper, he noticed the sly smirk plastered on the man's face, although he tried to hide it.
Eclipse snorted as he looked at the necklace once more.
Although it's just a normal necklace with the lion's insignia but it might look normal in the eyes of normal people but for someone like Eclipse, who works as a world-hopper and encountered countless treasures in his whole time, this item holds value that no one could imagine.
"Well, if this was it then, thank you. I'll be going then."
After that, Eclipse left the vicinity and didn't bother to ask Francis for help since he could do some basic teleportation magic for him to get out of the academy.
'I really need to find Rheina first before everything went into chaos if I didn't get to her.'
Eclipse had a feeling that there would be bloodshed somewhere if he didn't show up.
.......
..........
............…..
'WHERE THE HELL IS HE?! GODD*MN IT! JUST THE HECK HAPPENED AND WHY AM I OUTSIDE IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE?!'
When Rheina just woke up, she noticed that she was outside somewhere that she didn't know of the location and the only thing she remembered was…. A shining light that burst out from the glass chamber when Eclipse accidentally dust off his blood-soaked hands and his blood must have touched into those magic seals within the glass chamber.
'That's the only thing that I remember before I passed out but upon waking up, the first thing I saw was the night sky when the moon shines brighter.'
Rheina wondered what the hell she was doing on the outside and when she opened her eyes and regained her consciousness, the first thing she noticed aside from the fact that she woke up outside was that Eclipse was nowhere to be found.
'Where did that kid run off anyway?!'
The assassin didn't bother about how they got out from that chamber, and she only concluded that there might be another door for them to get out in that place first.
However, she didn't know if Eclipse managed to get the [Dawn of Tears] inside the Hall of Legacy or what, but she won't think about that now as she needs to find that child first.
She halted from her steps when she suddenly thought of something.
'What if…. Those b*stards from the clan under that traitor took Sir Eclipse and would use him against me?!'
She couldn't rule that out because there were some spies from the traitor's faction managing to infiltrate the Chevalier manor, but she and her faction took some of them and managed to clean up a bit.
'However, I can't be so sure if most of the spies from that traitor's faction has been wiped out, but I wouldn't dare to let my guard down. It would be alright if it's just me their targeting but if they dared to target that child….'
It might be out of the blue that Rheina suddenly felt the urge to protect that child, but she couldn't help but to look out for that child that was almost similar to his younger brother amongst his peers.
Although the Third Young Master had a sudden change of attitude within those days and now always carry himself with those calm and indifferent composure and sometimes act matured from his age and the way he calculated a cunning scheme against the Marchioness….
In Rheina's eyes, Eclipse is still a child that needs protection even though he doesn't need it.
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