LRAB Page 129
Page 129
Mino looked down and saw the message, her expression revealing joy: "It's a message from Chief Lark."
Mino felt that he had built an incredibly strong bond with this person who was like a close friend to him despite their age difference over the past ten years. This bond even surpassed the deep friendship he had built with Prince Ota!
"Let me see what it is?"
Mino immediately read the message from Chief Lark, his brows furrowing slightly before quickly relaxing:
"Chief Lark is getting old and worrying too much; he actually thinks there might be a full-scale war tomorrow... No, that's not right!!!"
Raising her head, Mino gasped in surprise, already vaguely understanding what was happening, and a deep emotion welled up in her eyes:
"He's worried about my safety!!!"
Chapter 176 Lak, is there a problem?!
Although she had spent many years with the somewhat aloof Chief Lark, Mino knew that he was cold on the outside but warm on the inside!
Otherwise, it would be impossible for them to think of sending a message of concern to themselves first when everyone is in such a state of panic, and even go so far as to use this precious instant messaging service!
"It's a pity that Chief Lark wasn't born in the same era as me. Otherwise, if we had fought side by side, the demons would probably have been driven off this continent by us long ago!"
Thinking of this, Mino felt extremely regretful and sighed deeply.
Over the years, for various reasons, Chief Lak has never revealed his powerful strength as a holy archmage to humans, and even seems to have some deep-seated aversion to it.
But anyone with eyes can see his predicament: this guiding star of the kingdom is getting old!
The other party's vision and perspective have already reached another level. It could even be said that he is humanity's last trump card... Once humanity is once again in danger of being wiped out by the demon race, it is probably only at that time that this holy archmage will unleash his full power without reservation!
Even so, no one underestimates Chief Lark. As the kingdom's guiding star, his wisdom... is the key to humanity's victory!
"Chief Lark said that he has already hidden near the battle line. Once the decisive battle begins tomorrow, no matter what traps or attacks the demons may have, I can confidently push through them!"
Upon reading the message, Mino's eyes lit up, and his hands trembled with excitement.
He looked around and even activated his powerful senses to cover the entire battle line!
After a long while, he withdrew his senses somewhat in defeat, and said with a sigh, "Chief Lark is indeed unfathomable. Even I couldn't sense his presence... it's as if he wasn't even nearby."
"My lord... is that Chief Lak really that powerful?"
At the wooden table, Altothai asked with some doubt: "Is it possible that he is actually not nearby? Otherwise, how could he have escaped your senses, given that you bear the mark of a hero and can influence the morale of all the Light Reinforcements?"
As a sacred relic originating from the Holy Church, Altothai was still somewhat unfamiliar with the chief mage of the Round Tower.
As far as it knew, even Pope Brad didn't possess such a bizarre and secretive ability...
"Superficial! Artotai, you are so superficial!"
Lowering his head, Mino scolded with a look of disappointment, "That was the culmination of human wisdom, the ultimate great mage who remained single for a full sixty years! I still feel that his power is somewhat insurmountable. It's not surprising that he possesses some powers that even goddesses cannot perceive!"
"Otherwise, how could he be confident in dealing with the troublesome demon king's army, which has that cunning shadow demon and the demon strategist!"
Artotai shuddered, lowering his sword hilt with some shame: "My lord, you are right, I was overthinking things—"
After all, he was the most powerful holy archmage in the human camp, the supreme chief of the mage tower... How could we judge that powerful figure with the eyes of ordinary people?
Altottai began to reflect on his actions.
"We brave warriors only need to charge into battle on the front lines, while Chief Lak, who is in the rear, has a lot more to consider."
Mino picked up Altottai and put it back on his waist, sighing, "What a pity! What a pity! He was born at the wrong time!"
"If I had been born thirty years earlier, and Chief Lak and I had joined forces, what could even the strongest Demon King do?!"
With a surge of passion coursing through his chest, Mino was overwhelmed with excitement, his eyes sparkling with light and hope.
"If tomorrow really is the final battle across the entire territory... I really want to see him right now."
As Mino paced back and forth, with Chief Lak beside him, even just watching the battle, he was able to unleash 100% of his power: Mino firmly believed that this was the power of bonds!
But soon, he raised his face, his expression resolute: "No, the victory of mankind is the most important thing, and for that I can endure anything!"
"Even if I have to keep this most important secret to myself, I must never reveal it!"
Mino glanced at the communication magic item in her hand and quickly came up with an idea:
"But at least, I can record how I feel right now!"
This encrypted communication, constructed at great expense, allows the recipient to send a brief reply upon receiving the message.
Mino decided to express her feelings in words, record them in a communication spell, and send the message back!
I express my purest thoughts to this close friend who is much older than me!
“What should I write…” Mino frowned and pondered, scratching his head in frustration. Due to the word limit and punctuation, the message he could send back was limited to less than thirty words.
For a moment, Mino couldn't think of a way to express her feelings in the most concise way.
"Wait, the most concise way of speaking? I know!" Suddenly, Mino's eyes lit up. If he used something like ancient sacred script, he could condense the information into short, poetic sentences.
And the most wonderful thing is that, just at this moment, he remembered a poem that perfectly described his state of mind!
"Let's use this one... Hmm, I remember... it should be written like this."
After recalling the events in his mind, Mino lowered his head and channeled his power into the communication device, leaving behind two short and elegant lines of text.
The text was immediately encrypted and transmitted via a secret communication spell.
The message was sent back to the capital.
……
"I wonder what Chief Lark's reaction was when he received the message?"
Inside the cell, Mino finally finished replaying that memory in her mind, and felt somewhat emotional:
"Unfortunately, no one expected the demons to be so cunning. My capture by the demons will undoubtedly be a heavy blow to Chief Lak!!!"
“My lord, I feel like something is not quite right.”
Having also experienced that memory, Altotai slightly raised his sword from the corner and asked with some suspicion, "Didn't Chief Lak say back then that he was near the front line and would come to support us when the decisive battle broke out?"
"When our Lord was trapped in the Time Magic Array, facing the nine great demons alone... why didn't he appear?"
Altotai was somewhat evasive, but its tone revealed undisguised suspicion of the chief of the Round Tower. However, fearing it might offend its master, it cautiously looked at Mino.
A calm gaze met his eyes with unwavering honesty: "Altotai, do you think I haven't thought about this?"
“I’ve been thinking about this question since the day I was captured and imprisoned in the Demon King’s castle. I see it more clearly than you do, and I even… saw through the truth long ago.”
Mino sat on the ruins, his expression somewhat melancholy and solemn.
Chapter 177 Love, Words, and Night (5.5k words, three chapters combined)
"My lord, what do you mean?"
Altotai's sword trembled, and his heart pounded with fear, as if he was about to approach an extremely terrifying truth.
Mino looked at Altottai and just chuckled: "Altottai, I'll ask you something..."
"Since Chief Lak clearly said he was near the front line, but did not show up that day; although he foresaw the attack of the Nine Demons, he still let me confidently step into the trap."
"Do you think he, as the rising star of the kingdom, would sit idly by and watch me, a brave warrior, go to my death?"
“But…” Altotai became somewhat doubtful. According to Mino’s thinking, no matter what, they should have been able to see Lak in that battle.
But why did Lak never appear at all? That's the key to solving the whole mystery!
"There is only one truth!" Raising her head, Mino's clear eyes revealed a glimmer of wisdom.
"The fact that Chief Lak failed to appear means that his plan was seen through by the demons first, and they put even greater pressure on him than we have in a thousand years!"
"I ask you, Altotai, when I face the nine great demons alone, who will be the opponent of Chief Lak, who is also one of the kingdom's top warriors?"
!!!
Altottai was jolted, as if struck by lightning, trembling uncontrollably... It also understood the answer.
"The Demon King..." Artotai murmured softly.
"Even the mysterious and powerful Time Demon King was mobilized in that battle!"
Altotai was utterly shocked, but then he felt that this made sense—even the nine great demons were mobilized with all their might, and the demon race was waging a terrifying final battle with all their hopes on it. It was time for the demon king, who had not appeared for a thousand years, to also make his move!
They overlooked this most important point.
"So..." A chill ran through Altotai as he trembled. "Back then, Chief Lak actually single-handedly held off the most terrifying demon king?!"
"It's not about resisting."
Raising his head proudly, Mino said with an inscrutable expression, "It's a severe blow! An absolute severe blow!"
"Think about it, think about it carefully: we've been captured and imprisoned in the Demon King's castle for over a month, why have we never seen that Demon King? This is his lair, shouldn't I, as the hero, be someone he can manipulate at will? Yet he has never appeared in front of us!"
"Could it be?!" Altothai suddenly realized, "That holy archmage not only engaged in a fierce battle with the Demon King, but also single-handedly inflicted severe injuries on him that he hasn't recovered from yet?!"
Altotai was completely shocked. If that was true... just how terrifying was the power within Chief Lak?!
In this way, it's a trivial matter for the opponent to be able to evade Mino's perception.
Had he really been like a frog in a well, trying to fathom the background of that meritorious royal mage?! Thinking this, Artotai lowered his sword hilt, filled with remorse.
"My lord, you are right, I was overthinking things—"
"Good to know." Mino said with a relieved look, "In short, we must believe one thing: if the sky falls, Chief Lark will hold it up!"
"As for the rest, let's not ask!"
"Okay!" Altottai nodded vigorously, a strong sense of hope rising in his heart.
But soon, it fell back into its initial doubts:
"If that's the case, then what was the purpose of those demons interrogating you and Chief Lak about the messages they sent?"
“I don’t know either.” Mino shrugged, a vague guess forming in his mind: “Could it be… that they thought that communication was something I wrote to Lena?”
"Haha, hahahaha." Artotai burst into laughter, his sword rolling on the ground. "In that case, our giveaway is absolutely flawless, my lord!"
"Those demons probably never imagined that they were using the message you left for Chief Lak to attack Saintess Lena—a completely absurd act!"
Both Altotai and Mino knew the contents of the message. Although it wasn't signed, even if Lena saw it, it wouldn't cause the slightest ripple or shock...
After all, such a brief ancient text could not possibly have any ambiguity.