The Villain's Story

Chapter 648: [648] You have got to be kidding me...(2)

Unfortunately, the altar didnʼt provide any forms of transport that would be suited for their current circumstances, he searched in every category but found nothing, except for a carriage that was far above his budget.

Their only mode of stable transport was destroyed beyond repair, and there was no

alternative either. The only available options would be using the beasts that the knights used as mounts, or walking.

But both options wouldnʼt solve the issue of the cold, Alan wasnʼt too fond of using his mana to provide them warmth the entire way. Would no one let him enjoy the weather of this magnificent place?

”Haaa...”

He heaved a sigh, the only option left was to somehow convince Maxwell to procure another Arctic Titan, or a vehicle that could travel in the brutal world that was Lanekia. It wouldnʼt be easy convincing the man, and Alan would much rather leave it to Sabrina.

She could talk some sense into him, If he tried, all he was going to get was the damn box thrown at him once more. Maxwell was oblivious to his desperate desire to keep away from anything related to chaos at all.

ʼEven if he was... he wouldnʼt stop.ʼ

Maxwell would probably use it to his advantage if he knew, so it was in Alanʼs best interests that Maxwell remained oblivious. It was great that all he thought of the drop of ichor right now was that it was a dangerous object containing a lot of chaos mana.

He used one of his authorities as the owner of the Jade Palace to find where Edward was using the eyes of his soldiers, he teleported there using their vision, and found Emma struggling to get her brother out of his...predicament.

ʼHow did he get stuck there?ʼ

He was confused as to how Edward got stuck in between two buildings, but didnʼt bother with it much. Emma jumped back, surprised at his sudden arrival.

Alan paid no attention to her as he concentrated, summoning a long, jagged hook of ice. He thrust it toward the frozen beast man wedged between two buildings. The hook caught onto the ice-encrusted form, and without really caring for Edwardʼs wellbeing, Alan gave it a sharp pull. The icy grip that had held Edward prisoner between the structures finally loosened, and he was finally freed with a forceful jerk.

Edward let out a strained whimper as his body, stiff from the cold, was released from the harsh grip of the ice. He seemed disoriented, struggling to regain full control over his limbs. Emma immediately moved to his side, her hands glowing with warm, soothing energy as she worked to thaw him and mend the damage the freezing cold had inflicted.

Alan, for his part, did not hurry. He simply stood back, his eyes following the descent of snowflakes as they drifted lazily to the ground. The quiet, peaceful snowfall felt almost surreal, and it was relaxing. To him, at least.

He also enjoyed the sight of his bloodthirsty soldiers playing like little children in the snow. It was... a heartwarming sight, As unusual as the word would seem in this freezing haven.

While Emma focused on Edward, Alanʼs thoughts wandered. The issue with the transportation system was still unresolved, and he knew they would have to address that

soon.

But for now, he decided to turn his attention to a different matter-the ”Eternal Flame.” His method of acquiring it had been painful, but effective. Each attempt brought a sharp sting, but Alan was determined. He would continue, he was already extremely tolerant to pain.

ʼIf it becomes too cold, I can just send them back.ʼ

He thought, if the freezing temperatures became too overwhelming for the others, he could always send them back to Earth. A brief respite, some time to recover, and then they would return to this harsh landscape. They werenʼt built for it, after all.

But Edward... Edward was different. He would stay. Alan had no intention of sending him back, not while the boy still had such a vital role to play as his fireplace. Where else was he going to get those flames from?

Emma was an option, but he would rather not burden her too much. She already had a lot on her hands, dealing with her brother and the rest of the group.

They really did whine a lot, so what if your fingers were getting frostbite, and you urgently needed her to heal you? Just bear with it.

As soon as Edward was healed, Alan used his authority to open a portal leading to where Alexander, Alice, and Olivia were. He had a specific plan in mind for the girl-he wanted her to explore the castle, take in the sights, and perhaps enjoy herself for a while. Meanwhile, he would take the opportunity to focus on his training with Edward, uninterrupted

”Umm...”

The girl was hesitant, clearly reluctant to leave her unconscious brother in his...caring hands. Alan urged her to go on and enjoy herself, while he enjoyed his training with Edward. He kept a cool smile, hoping it would raise her spirits and let her leave with a false sense of security. He didnʼt want her to know he was going to work Edward to the bone.

Alan was planning to drain every single spark or ember Edward could produce.

As soon as she entered the portal, still visibly hesitant to leave her unconscious brother alone. But as soon as she was gone... Alan summoned another portal, one that opened to a vast, open space above the cityʼs walls.

He could have easily retreated to a quiet room within the castle, a place isolated from distractions, but there was a particular reason he didnʼt. He didnʼt want any smoke from his training to ruin the castleʼs pristine interiors. It was better to work somewhere open, where the risk of unintended consequences was minimized.

Slapping Edward a few times to make the man get up, he whispered in his ears.

”Come on, get to work.”

”...Uwuh?”

A strange sound escaped Edwardʼs mouth, as he struggled to stay conscious. Maybe Alan hit him a bit too hard...