Chapter 47 - Do You Know How Much Trouble Awaits You?
Ysvéra and I stepped through the distorted entrance together.
The moment my feet touched solid ground, an entirely different world unfolded before us.
Lush green fields stretched as far as the eye could see.
A gentle breeze carried the scent of flowers, while a crystal-clear river flowed peacefully nearby.
Ancient trees towered overhead, their emerald leaves swaying softly beneath a bright blue sky.
Birds chirped.
Butterflies fluttered lazily through the air.
I slowly looked around.
"This doesn’t exactly look like the entrance to some dangerous inheritance."
Ysvéra frowned slightly as she surveyed the surroundings.
"This place is strange."
Before either of us could investigate further.
Poof!
A cloud of white smoke appeared before us.
The smoke twisted and condensed until it formed the silhouette of an old man seated with his hands behind his back.
Oddly enough, although his body was visible, his face remained hidden behind a thin layer of mist that refused to disperse.
"Ahem."
The old man cleared his throat with exaggerated dignity.
His gaze swept over both of us.
"Did you two come here seeking this old man’s inheritance?"
I respectfully cupped my fist.
"Yes, Senior. Although, to be honest, we discovered this place entirely by accident."
"Hmm..."
The old man stroked his invisible beard.
Before he could answer, Ysvéra suddenly took a step forward.
"An Ourainan? What are you doing here?" Her crimson eyes widened.
I blinked.
"You know him?"
Before Ysvéra could answer, the old man quickly clapped his hands.
"From now on, every inheritor will receive a different test!"
Clap!
The surrounding scenery instantly dissolved.
When I opened my eyes again, Ysvéra was gone.
Instead, I found myself sitting inside a quiet wooden room.
Warm sunlight filtered through paper windows, giving the place a peaceful atmosphere.
Between me and the old man rested a low wooden table.
A kettle quietly released steam along with a tea cup.
The old man leisurely picked up his teacup before taking a slow sip, as if he had all the time in the world.
I instinctively looked around.
"Senior, my companion..."
He simply waved his hand dismissively.
"She is perfectly fine, every candidate here will undergo a different trial so there is no need to worry about her."
Though I was still somewhat concerned, there wasn’t much I could do.
I nodded and accepted his explanation.
The old man gently placed his teacup back onto the table.
Then, he looked directly into my eyes as the atmosphere inside the room subtly changed.
The peaceful feeling disappeared.
"Young man, do you know how much trouble awaits you?"
"???"
The question caught me completely off guard.
"What do you mean by that, Senior?"
The old man chuckled softly.
"I mean exactly what I said. There is an extraordinary amount of trouble waiting for you."
A chill ran down my spine.
I had only just met this mysterious old man.
Yet after taking one look at me, he calmly declared that my future was filled with disasters.
That was not reassuring in the slightest.
"Can you at least tell me what kind of trouble?"
The old man smiled mysteriously.
"If I told you now, then it would no longer be interesting"
"..."
’Fuck your interest old man, just say what the troubles are.’ I had the urge to yell that.
He leaned back comfortably before continuing.
"You carry an unusual fate child."
A terrifying aura leaked from his body and the room darkened, I felt as though an invisible mountain had suddenly descended onto my shoulders.
Even breathing became difficult.
Then, just as suddenly as it had appeared, the pressure vanished.
When he looked at me this time, there was neither kindness nor hostility in his eyes.
Only curiosity.
"Young man, this old man shall ask you only once."
His voice became calm, but every word seemed to carry an inexplicable weight.
"If there were a chance, would you be willing to change your fate?"
***
At the same time...
Ysvéra found herself inside another room.
Unlike Evren’s, this one resembled an ancient study.
The old man was already seated behind a wooden table, calmly pouring himself a cup of tea.
The moment Ysvéra saw him, her eyes narrowed.
"What exactly are you scheming, Senior?" she asked.
There wasn’t the slightest trace of politeness in her voice.
The old man looked at her for a moment before letting out a long sigh.
He himself also had a Vampire wife, and knew how the mind of these women worked.
"As expected of blood suckers, your talent for raising someone’s blood pressure is terrifying."
Ysvéra remained unmoved.
"Then perhaps you should answer my question. What are you really scheming?"
The old spirit quietly sipped his tea.
He could clearly perceive the connection between this girl and the young man.
Not only had they formed an extraordinarily unusual bond, they had also received the blessing of a great being.
Interfering with their fate recklessly would only invite trouble upon himself.
He sighed once more.
"Little girl, you should show a bit more respect to your elders and as for what I am scheming,"
He smiled knowingly.
"Let’s just say your husband was already part of it long before I decided to interfere."
Ysvéra’s expression immediately became serious.
"What do you mean?"
The old man chuckled.
"Now that’s a tone I like."
"You–!"
He raised a finger, stopping her.
"Don’t be so impatient."
Then he looked her up and down with an amused expression.
"Although there is something this old man is rather curious about."
Ysvéra frowned.
"What?"
"How did someone with your personality manage to marry that boy?"
He stroked his beard thoughtfully.
"Did you seduce him?"
"H-Ha?!"
Ysvéra’s composure instantly cracked as a faint blush spread across her cheeks.
"W-What kind of question is that?!"
The old man laughed heartily.
"As expected of blood suckers, first you suck blood, then you suck–"
"STOP! You perverted old man!"
Ysvéra’s face turned completely red.
The old spirit burst into laughter.
"Hahahaha! Young people really are fun to tease, I suddenly remember my old days."
He was genuinely enjoying himself.
It had been a very long time since he found someone this entertaining to talk to.