Chapter 54: Sharing Secrets
"A Hollow. I have heard about them but never encountered one until now." Harley studied the creature with interest.
"If I’m not mistaken, they tend to be rare because other monsters usually hunt them." She added.
This was one of the rare instances when Leonard faced a monster of a lower level than himself.
"Level 7, so it shouldn’t be too much of a problem, I reckon?"
"Yes." Elizabeth nodded. "Just don’t get too close. From what I’ve heard, being scratched by them will increase your corruption."
The next moment, the Hollow spotted the party. The monster dropped onto all fours like a wild beast and lunged forward, its jaws opening wide, ready to tear flesh apart.
Considering the Hollow had once been a fellow human just like them, they didn’t want to make it suffer needlessly.
Taking aim, Leonard hurled Titanic Oath, aiming for its head.
His throw proved precise. The axe split the Hollow’s head in two, spraying black blood across the white snow and killing it on the spot.
[You have defeated a Level 7 Hollow.]
[You have gained 25 Experience!]
Level: 9 [Experience: 150/1,200]
Because he was a higher level than the monster, the experience he gained had been reduced.
Nevertheless, he wasn’t disappointed. The Hollow had served as a sufficient target for practice.
When the Hollow’s body fell to the ground, it turned into a black liquid before evaporating at a rapid pace.
"So there isn’t a body left..." He mused, looking at the imprint the corpse had left in the snow.
"Let’s go."
The party found itself standing before the front gates of the Silver Palace.
"Strange... It’s open?" Harley narrowed her eyes in suspicion.
"Perhaps it was the Orc Shaman or others like us who left them open." Elizabeth suggested.
"Um... I know we agreed to enter, but what if there’s an ambush ahead?" Winston gulped audibly.
Leonard summoned Joker in his mist form.
The summon ventured deep into the palace’s interior, searching for any sign of movement.
"Joker doesn’t detect anything irregular. At the very least, there shouldn’t be anything lying in wait." Leonard exclaimed, stepping forward.
Once they entered past the protective walls, the party realized the true scale of the Silver Palace. It was more like an entire kingdom, with numerous buildings and open fields carved through by paths of cold stone.
Elizabeth subtly searched for anything amiss, yet everywhere her gaze swept, she noticed Joker in his mist form, who had already engulfed the perimeter.
The sensation was both reassuring and eerie. The fog could potentially spot things she could not.
Her eyes slowly settled on Leonard.
"This is your summon, right?"
He spared her a glance.
"Yes. I call him Joker."
"What about that silver knight that fought beside you?" She asked in an even tone.
Leonard frowned.
’What an absolute monster. She found the time to survey the battlefield while she was fighting most of the battle essentially solo. I guess she really lives up to her name.’ He thought before replying.
"His name is Valor, and he is my summon as well."
She was silent for a moment, considering her next words.
"An awakener with a Common Bloodline, who doesn’t possess a class yet somehow has superior mana restoration that surpasses even Legendary Bloodlines, a physique that is unnaturally strong for a Level 9, and multiple summons on top of that... Did I get it right?"
"..."
Goosebumps spread over Leonard’s body.
He could understand how she determined his physique was stronger than usual, but she had even taken the time to carefully track his mana restoration?
"Lady Elizabeth Starlight, you sure are perceptive of your surroundings. I’ll give you that." He replied sarcastically, unsure how to proceed.
Sharing that he bore a Primordial Bloodline offered little to no benefit, especially considering which household she came from.
Yet why had she raised the subject now of all times? She couldn’t be planning to betray him, like Martin had done back then, could she? There shouldn’t be anything for her to gain regardless...
"Don’t look too much into it. I just... wanted to make sure you really are a true descendant of your father."
"Okay, I can’t take it anymore!" Winston suddenly bellowed, having overheard the entire conversation, and pointed toward Leonard.
"Bro, I could overlook what happened in the Death Zone, how you were once arranged to marry Harley, and how quickly you seem to adapt, but this is simply too much! Please, I can’t bear it any longer. Just tell me what the deal is with your past. Not knowing is driving me insane!"
Leonard was taken aback. This was the first time he had witnessed Winston snap.
He came to realize what a terrible friend he had been until now. Harley and Elizabeth both knew about his circumstances due to their backgrounds. But Winston, his one true friend, someone he had relied on for so long, was left in the dark all this time.
After mentally kicking himself and vowing to do better from now on, he explained.
"I am the tenth and last son of former King Gideon. As the end result of a secret relationship, I am technically an illegitimate child, and because I failed to awaken a Bloodline by natural means, it was decided that the truth about my existence would be better if kept under wraps. I am sorry for not telling you sooner."
Leonard knew he should have done this much sooner. Honestly, he wouldn’t blame Winston if he chose to never trust him again.
Winston blinked slowly and then glanced at his palms. Suddenly, his lips were devoid of any moisture, his throat drying up.
"S—Son of King Gideon?! I called a candidate for the throne a ’b—bro’?’"
His knees buckled.
"Hey, don’t go collapsing on us now!" Harley and Leonard barely caught him before he fell to the ground.
"Y—Your Highness, forgive me for my ignorance. Please, if you must punish me, spare my family at least!" Winston pleaded, his voice rough.
"Open your eyes. I will do no such thing." Leonard said, helping him back up. "Don’t think of me as a prince. I have never thought of myself that way anyway."
Winston’s breath hitched. Now he knew why Leonard had been reluctant to talk about his past. After all, his father had been publicly executed not too long ago!
"I’m sorry for your loss." He bowed in sincere apology. "I know it’s not my place to pry, but can you tell me why he was executed? All we heard in the Lower Sector was that he supposedly committed unforgivable crimes, and that’s all."
Leonard’s eyes darkened. "That is one of the things I am trying to find out myself."
The party took a short rest until Winston got his breathing under control.
"This explains how you can do so many things. You are essentially royalty after all!"
Of course, Harley and Elizabeth suspected that there was probably more to the matter but didn’t press. It was ill-natured to probe into the secrets of others, and opening divisions within the party while inside the Silver Palace wouldn’t bode well for anyone.
"By the way, what made you pay so much attention to him? Surely being the son of Gideon shouldn’t have been enough justification." Harley asked Elizabeth.
"Rimy liked him." Elizabeth said calmly.
"Who is Rimy?" Leonard raised an eyebrow.
Elizabeth extended her arm, and an adorable lizard crawled onto her palm.
"This is Rimy. She is my Ice Dragon familiar."