A few moments later, the townspeople below dispersed, and Lin Hong adjusted his state before heading downstairs.
At this moment, Lovella was speaking in hushed tones with Robert’s two sons.
The three of them looked even more grief-stricken than they had the day before, and the air was filled with sorrow.
Lovella stood by the fireplace, her eyes slightly red and her fingers tightly clutching her dress.
Her back, which was always held perfectly straight, was now slightly hunched, revealing a sense of helplessness.
As they spoke, Lin Hong remained silent, listening quietly until he slowly learned the situation.
Late last night, the elderly Robert, who had been relying on medicine to maintain a faint spark of life, had suddenly experienced a brief moment of clarity.
This time, the elder was awake for a bit longer, and his consciousness was clearer.
He saw his two sons guarding the bedside and learned from them that Lady Lovella and young Master Evan had personally escorted him back to his hometown, Rock Town.
Hearing this news, a smile appeared in the elder’s eyes, filled with contentment.
He instructed his sons to stop using those expensive magic potions and healing scrolls.
“Father said those medicines and scrolls are too precious to be wasted on him; he only wants to depart in peace.”
One of the middle-aged men spoke with a strained voice, trying his best to suppress his emotions.
The elder was at peace, seeing things clearly and unafraid of death.
Having seen his two sons in his final moments and learning that it was the young master and lady he viewed as his own children who had personally brought him home, he was incomparably satisfied.
His last wish was fulfilled.
Therefore, he did not want to waste any more resources, asking only to pass away peacefully on the soil of his hometown.
Furthermore, the elder had heard that the siblings intended to visit the Duke and Duchess, so he told them to take those medicines and supplies to the soldiers guarding the border instead of wasting them on him.
The room fell into a dead silence.
Lin Hong saw Lovella’s back sway violently as she suddenly covered her mouth, sinking into grief.
She had come prepared, bringing various precious healing potions and magic scrolls that would have been enough to extend the elder’s life for several more days.
Even before leaving, she had already used the fastest magical transmission method to send an urgent letter to her parents at the border fortress, hoping they might find another source of hope.
She wanted to buy time for the elder.
He had been by her side since she was a child, and in her heart, he was like a grandfather.
How could she bear to let him go?
However, the request to stop treatment came from the elder himself during his final moment of lucidity; he did not want to become a burden, did not want to waste resources, and only wished to sleep forever in his homeland.
She could not oppose it, nor could she defy it.
This was the first time Lin Hong had seen Lovella shed tears.
She was usually the perfectly mannered noble lady, the calculating acting head of the family, always elegant and composed.
But at this moment, she was incredibly fragile, all her defenses stripped away.
She was just a young girl feeling helpless in the face of a beloved elder’s impending death.
The two tower-like men also had tear-filled eyes, their fists clenched until the veins on the back of their hands bulged.
They had clearly gone through the same struggle.
As soldiers, they were accustomed to life and death and should have been unbreakable.
But these were their own father’s final moments; how could their hearts not be torn apart?
In the end, they chose to respect their father’s wishes.
Lin Hong stood in the shadows, taking it all in.
*
By morning, the sky was gloomy, and lead-gray clouds hung low.
Under the arrangements of the town elders and the two men, the elder was carefully carried to the small chapel in the center of Rock Town.
It was a simple stone building, very crude, with only a small, weathered statue of the Goddess of Life.
The chapel itself was small, but it was now packed with more people than usual.
Upon hearing the news, the townspeople, regardless of age or gender, set aside their work and came spontaneously, filling the air with solemnity and sorrow.
The elder was placed on a long table in front of the statue, covered in a thick wool blanket, with only a withered face that barely looked human visible.
An old priest arrived wearing a faded robe; he walked to the table and slowly traced a symbol over his chest.
Ancient prayers then emanated from the priest’s mouth, petitioning the Goddess of Life for peace and comfort to receive the believer’s soul back into her embrace.
As the prayer continued, a pale green light emanated from the old priest’s hands, like new leaves in a forest. It was a low-level divine healing art.
[LIFE SOOTHING]
The pale green glow fell on the elder’s face, seemingly smoothing his furrowed brow just a little, but that was all it did.
The elder’s body remained terrifyingly withered, nearly unrecognizable as a human even with most of him covered by the blanket.
The old priest’s chanting gradually faded into silence, followed by a sigh.
It was as if that were a signal; many townspeople’s eyes turned red on the spot, filled with sadness, and some even buried their faces in their hands to sob.
Lin Hong stood in the corner, calm and composed.
After all, he had seen such scenes too many times and had become numb to them.
At the same time, he was confident in the operation he had practiced all night, so he was not affected by the atmosphere.
He scanned the area, his gaze eventually settling on the statue of the Goddess of Life in front of the chapel, and his expression turned somewhat strange.
He was reflecting on whether this goddess had been among the gods and demons who had participated in the siege against him in the starry sky over 10 years ago.
It seemed not; he was a stranger to the figure of this goddess.
Lin Hong’s heart stirred, thinking of some things, and he intended to call upon the mysterious panel.
However, his ears twitched as he caught some movement nearby.
The two tower-like middle-aged men were whispering, their voices filled with guilt and anxiety.
It turned out that there was a military saber at the elder’s home that had accompanied him for half his life.
The elder had previously expressed many times that if a day came when he passed away, he hoped this old partner, which symbolized his identity and honor, would accompany him in his eternal rest.
However, the town had an old custom: as his biological children, the two men could not leave until all the rituals were finished, so they could not spare the time to go home and retrieve the saber.
Hearing this, Lin Hong couldn’t help but glance over at Lovella.
The black-haired girl did not seem to be doing well.
Although she stood straight and her appearance was flawless, her eyes had lost their spark.
He thought for a moment, withdrew his gaze, walked up to the two men, and spoke in a low voice, offering to help them fetch the elder’s military saber.
The two were taken aback.
Since he kept his voice very low—almost a whisper—to avoid disturbing others, they were surprised that the young master had heard them with such keen senses!
However, the two men were soldiers and were always efficient.
Though startled, they did not ask too many questions because they saw the sincerity in the young man’s black eyes, which put them at ease.
They immediately thanked him solemnly.
“The knife is hanging on the fireplace at home, and the handle is wrapped with…”
After hearing their description, Lin Hong nodded firmly.
“Very well, I will fetch it. You two brothers can focus on your duties here.”
“Thank you, Young Master!”
Lin Hong nodded and left.
Now that his physical body had been strengthened, his speed was far greater than before.
He crossed the slightly deserted town street in only 2 or 3 seconds and arrived at the gate of the courtyard.
Then, his footsteps halted, as the courtyard gate was standing wide open.
Lin Hong frowned.
He clearly remembered that he was the last one to leave the courtyard and was responsible for closing and locking the gate.
Did an uninvited guest arrive?
After all, almost all the townspeople were at the chapel, and even if some were not, it would be impossible for them to enter without permission at a time like this.
The two knights responsible for guarding were not here; they were with Lovella.
However, he was fearless, so he immediately spread his perception.
In an instant, his expression turned cold.
There were indeed uninvited guests, walking in and out of the elder’s home as if they owned the place!