RE: LORD OF TIME

Before going to bed, Richard came to look for Lucas to discuss when they should leave.

Normally, tasks like helping an Overseer conduct the Aether Affinity Test and escort talented individuals back to the academy were only accepted by commoner students.

People with noble backgrounds rarely went out of their way to accept such low level tasks.

As such, Richard believed there was a special reason why Lucas had accepted this task and come to Rosco Barony.

Although he didn’t have to concern himself with Lucas’ personal business, it was a fact that Lucas was the sole heir of a Count’s family.

If Richard decided to leave before Lucas finished whatever business he had here, Lucas would also have to leave with him.

If that happened, with the personality of that spoiled noble brat, Richard was certain Lucas would hold a grudge against him.

Even if he wasn’t afraid of Lucas, it was always better to make more friends than create an enemy for no reason.

Besides, if he delayed his departure until Lucas completed his business, it could be considered a small favor that he might be able to use in the future after Lucas inherited the title of Count.

However, when Richard reached Lucas’ room, he found that he wasn’t there.

At first, he thought that the guy might be fooling around with one of the maids somewhere in the mansion.

But after searching the entire mansion and still failing to find him, he couldn’t help but feel confused.

He asked the guards if they knew where Lucas had gone but to his surprise, even the guards had no idea where he was.

However, one of the guards told him that earlier in the evening, Lucas had casually asked about the giant crater that had suddenly appeared on the outskirts of the Barony.

After learning the whole story about the crater, a deep frown immediately appeared on Richard’s face.

It wasn’t because of the crater itself, but because, according to the guards, it had supposedly been created by a powerful monster.

Richard didn’t care about the monster or the crater.

But if Lucas had gone there and something happened to him, it would definitely bring Richard a great deal of trouble since he was the one who had brought Lucas here.

’Could it be that the reason Lucas accepted this task and came here was because of that suddenly appeared crater?’

As this thought crossed his mind, Richard felt it was entirely possible.

But even then, thinking that there might really be a powerful monster lurking there, he couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

’What if something happened to that brat?’

As he thought of this, Richard rubbed his forehead helplessly, knowing that if anything happened to Lucas after going there, Count Gavin would definitely make things difficult for him.

’Let’s just go and check it out...’

He muttered inwardly and, after asking for the exact location of the crater, left the mansion.

The moment he stepped outside, Richard’s body floated about five meters above the ground before shooting forward at tremendous speed.

After becoming a Star Lord, an Evolver’s control over Aether Energy reached an extremely high level, allowing them to fly for short periods of time.

Although Star Lords could only fly around ten meters above the ground, it was still something countless people dreamed of.

Because Richard was a Star Lord, he could see everything clearly within a hundred-meter radius despite it being nighttime.

In just about ten minutes, he arrived near the crater.

However, when he was still around two hundred meters away, he couldn’t help but slow down slightly after noticing a figure completely covered in a black cloak standing quietly beside the crater.

Moreover, the figure was also staring directly at him, indicating that he had found him as well.

Although Richard couldn’t see him clearly because of the darkness and distance, he could sense an icy aura emanating from the figure, as if he were looking at someone who had slaughtered countless people.

A serious expression appeared on Richard’s face and as he slowly approached the cloaked figure, he shouted.

"Who are you?"

William heard Richard’s question but didn’t answer.

Through Eyes of Insight, he had already noticed Richard several seconds earlier.

However, he also knew that simply running away wouldn’t work against a Star Lord, as Richard could easily catch him.

That was why, instead of panicking or fleeing, he calmly thought of a solution before Richard reached him.

Under the effect of True Wisdom, his mind worked at full speed, and different ideas came to his mind.

In front of a Star Lord, running was impossible.

Fighting him would be even more foolish and tantamount to suicide.

One idea after another quickly flashed through his mind and he finally came up with a plan that might allow him to escape the situation safely.

Seeing that William wasn’t responding, Richard’s frown deepened and he looked around before asking.

"Have you seen a young man around seventeen years old nearby?"

As he asked the question, Richard carefully observed every movement of the cloaked figure, hoping to see some reaction upon hearing Lucas’ description.

However, the figure remained completely motionless and didn’t show any reaction.

Soon, Richard had closed the distance to about one hundred and ten meters.

Seeing him getting closer, William finally opened his mouth and a cold, hoarse voice that sounded like it belonged to a middle-aged man echoed through the darkness.

"I didn’t see any kid. And you... don’t think about meddling in our affairs, or it won’t end well for you."

’Our affairs...’ Richard’s eyes narrowed and he immediately swept his surroundings with his gaze.

’Does he mean he isn’t alone?’

Although Richard became more vigilant, he didn’t stop approaching.

"I have no intention of meddling in your business. I only came here looking for a kid. Once I find him, I will leave immediately."

"No one came here tonight besides you..." As William spoke, he silently estimated the distance between himself and Richard.

When he was certain Richard had entered within one hundred meters of him, he suddenly took a single step forward.

At that instant, every strand of Aether Energy inside his core erupted violently and an overwhelming pressure instantly descended upon the surroundings.

Crack! Bang!

The ground within one hundred meters area sank beneath the tremendous pressure, while the air itself became so heavy that it felt as though the entire atmosphere had turned into molten lead.

Richard, who had been floating in the air was violently slammed into the ground and his eyes widened in both shock and fear because of the sudden, terrifying pressure.

The pressure lasted for only a single second before disappearing completely.

Even so, Richard remained deeply shaken as he knew that any power capable of immobilizing him, even for just a moment, couldn’t possibly be ordinary.

"Don’t meddle in things that have nothing to do with you. Otherwise, it won’t end well for you."

The figure’s cold, hoarse voice rang out once more and Richard then saw the cloaked figure turn around and flee into the distance.

For a brief moment, he considered chasing after him as he was confident he could easily catch the fleeing figure.

However, remembering the strange pressure that had just slammed him into the ground, he couldn’t help but hesitate.

Although that power hadn’t injured him in the slightest, and he believed he could resist it if he were prepared, he still felt uneasy about confronting something completely unknown.

Moreover, just as the figure had said earlier, Richard truly had no intention of involving himself in matters unrelated to him.

After all, he had only come to Rosco Barony to oversee the Aether Affinity Test.

’But what if Lucas really came here and ended up being captured by that person...?’

As the thought crossed his mind, Richard carefully scanned the surroundings.

However, he couldn’t find even the slightest trace of a battle that would prove Lucas had been there.

Even so, just to be safe, the thought of chasing after the cloaked figure surfaced in his mind once again.

But just as he was about to make up his mind, a chilling sensation suddenly spread throughout his entire body.

It felt as though someone was staring directly at him with ice-cold eyes.

It was the kind of gaze reserved only for the dead.

As if silently telling him that the moment he decided to chase after the fleeing figure... he would die.

Feeling the sudden drop in temperature, Richard immediately broke out in a cold sweat and the figure’s earlier words—that he wasn’t alone echoed repeatedly inside his mind as his eyes darted nervously around the dark surroundings.

"Whether that brat Lucas came here or not has nothing to do with me. I should just leave."

Richard deliberately spoke in a loud voice so that whoever was watching him could hear.

After speaking, without hesitating any longer, he immediately dashed away, unwilling to remain there for even a second longer.

A few hundred meters away from where Richard had been standing just moments ago, atop a tall tree, a figure whose entire body was concealed beneath a dark cloak silently watched him flee into the distance.

Only after Richard had completely disappeared from sight did the mysterious figure turn to look in the direction William had left and the next moment, they vanished into the darkness as well.