Chapter 616

Chapter 616: The Final Noisy Commotion and Silence

In the verdant imperial capital, within the Rose Palace where Titania resides,

white marble paved the way, surrounded by dark green and perfectly trimmed lawns. Delicate white stone flower beds were arranged on both sides of the path, blooming with pure white roses. These white roses varied in size; some were still buds wrapped in emerald leaves, intertwined and clustered together, graceful and pristine.

Compared to usual days, the palace was more bustling today because it was the day when the Empire’s Crown Prince and his fiancée, the daughter of the Landsworth Family, were getting married.

The current Lady of the Landsworth Family, Florasia, was in the dressing room, receiving help from maids to tidy her hair, apply a light and beautiful makeup, and wear an elaborate and luxurious ceremonial gown.

Her golden hair, like the sun, was gently tied up, secured with a hair clip woven with gold and silver threads. Her fair face had faint black eyebrows. Her thin lips were lightly coated with lipstick, as smooth and round as beautiful pearls.

The entire dress was white, adorned with numerous white lace and gold leaves. The wide skirt of the lower part slightly flared out, featuring lifelike and exquisitely crafted white roses.

Lace gloves decorated with flowers and vines enveloped her hands, revealing her delicate wrists through the intricate patterns.

A slender golden leaf necklace was gently placed around this peerless woman’s neck, draped over her swan-like neck, lifting the golden locks behind her. It was carefully fastened, then adjusted slightly to reveal the pendant hanging in front, set with gems that formed the symbol of the verdant empire—a red and green rose.

After several inspections by the court maids and ladies-in-waiting, this beautiful maiden, like the sun, slowly stood up. Behind her, maids were already on standby, gently lifting the long and beautiful hem of her dress.

When the maiden and the maids arrived at the garden entrance, dozens of carriages were quietly waiting. These carriages were made of precious wood with gilded floral decorations at the corners. Accompanying these carriages were hundreds of knights riding white unicorns.

As one of the four great ducal families, the Landsworths’ fiefdom was not much smaller than the West Wind, and they were quite wealthy. Their elite unicorn knights were particularly powerful, each being of Sequence 6 or higher.

These knights now wore exquisite full-body silver armor, with long white feathers adorning their helmets. White silk ribbons with roses were tied around the unicorns’ necks. Occasionally, the hooves would tap on the stone slabs, causing tender green sprouts to emerge from the gaps.

Once all the attendants of the Landsworth family boarded the carriages, the knights moved forward. Some led the way ahead, while others guarded the sides of the carriages, proceeding steadily.

The caravan advanced slowly, and after leaving the palace, hundreds of children dressed in white followed behind. These children, aged 12 to 15, carried baskets of flowers, scattering petals into the air as they walked.

Today, there was no worry about traffic congestion in the imperial capital because all the streets had been cleared for them. Along both sides of the route, people eagerly awaited, holding white handkerchiefs and waving them, forming a lively ocean. Meanwhile, musicians who had prepared beforehand began playing festive music on both sides, blending with the cheers of the crowd, creating a noisy yet joyous atmosphere.

Everywhere along the imperial capital’s streets, colorful flags were raised. Red carpets were laid down wherever the carriages passed, showcasing not only the royal authority but also the nation’s pride and honor.

As the carriages entered the central main street of the imperial capital, the scene became even more lively.

Pairs of waving arms and pairs of eager, curious eyes crowded along the sides of the road. People stood on tiptoe, straining to see the carriages passing through the street.

On either side of the road, where tens of thousands of people vied for a view, nearly twenty thousand halberdiers formed two impeccably lined barriers. Inside these silver-armored halberdiers, two thousand elite ceremonial knights clad in red and green cloaks held long flagpoles, each bearing the crest of a noble house.

As the caravan approached the main street, celebratory music echoed from the buildings on both sides. Red and green rose petals were lifted by the breeze, drifting towards the bustling crowd below, landing on the central red carpet or the accompanying personnel.

For a moment,

The entire city was enveloped in the celebration of the wedding, with vibrant petals dancing in the wind, accompanied by melodious and joyful songs. Even the corners of the city were much calmer today; no one would cause trouble today. Many impoverished people could also receive high-quality food provided by the High Nobility, allowing them to cheer for the future of this nation.

Finally, the white rose-decorated carriage slowly stopped at the entrance of the central palace. The Crown Prince, dressed in a white suit, had been waiting there long before. His collar and cuffs were adorned with golden vine patterns, and he wore two freshly picked bright roses, one red and one green, on his chest.

Dignified and well-dressed noble squires stepped forward from both sides, laying down a white velvet carpet from the carriage door to the palace steps. Such pure and clean fur was almost too sacred to tread upon, but now it served merely as a carpet for people to step on.

The maids opened the carriage doors and carefully helped the elegant young lady down, her white-gold enamel high heels gently landing on the soft carpet.

This young lady holding the white dress stood under the sunlight, her hair shimmering like the sun, casting light and shadow. Her beauty was so breathtaking that it seemed like the most astonishing diamond in the world.

At this moment, the cheering drowned out everything else, and the entire city erupted in excitement.

—

In the Clock Tower City, Moztwa underground.

The passage was long and quiet.

Walking through it, everything in sight kept repeating endlessly, with no change, like walking through a still picture, constantly徘徊 in the time corridor.

The girl’s gray boots stepped on the stone stairs, and the fine sound of the soles rubbing against the rough surface of the stones could be heard.

The swaying of her dress in the air was also so clear.

As she walked through this endless passage, Lolan Hill could clearly feel her heartbeat and the faint sound of her breathing. The cool air made her skin feel a chill.

The silent underground passage seemed to isolate all external disturbances, and any small movement inside was so distinct. The constant repetition of echoes made her feel lonely and uneasy, and the path ahead seemed to have no end.

After descending what felt like countless steps, Lolan Hill suddenly heard a commotion and fighting sounds ahead. She immediately quickened her pace and rushed downward.

“Damn fool! What you’re doing will only waste everyone’s efforts!”

A voice gritted through clenched teeth echoed, the owner of which was wearing a deep blue robe, wielding a sharp blade made of ice, clashing repeatedly with his opponent in the narrow passage while releasing swift ice spells to block their escape route.

“I absolutely do not approve of such actions; it’s betrayal! It’s a betrayal against all the wise mages of the magical sequences since the founding of Oz Country! You madmen!”

Another man, dressed in brown robes with metal clasps, moved his clothes, causing a jingle as they collided in the air. His emergency erected force shield deflected the ice blade shot at him, but unwillingly, one still pierced through his shoulder, causing him to groan.

The two seemed to know each other very well, thus making their fight particularly intense.

“You don’t understand anything, coward! Any great achievement inevitably involves sacrifice. Even if the world doesn’t understand, we will eventually open new paths our way!”

“No, you’re wrong. Such actions won’t bring any good results; it’s just your futile anger.” The brown-robed mage responded sternly and suddenly grabbed his opponent’s weapon with his hand and punched him in the chest.

“You! Ugh—” Blood spurted from his mouth, the man in the deep blue robe looked at his opponent in disbelief, then his pupils shrank, and two thin, sharp glimmers shot from his eyes, piercing the face of the person right in front of him, blinding him. But afterward, his own eyes lost focus, becoming blank.

“Ahh!!”

The brown-robed mage released his hands, clutching his eyes in pain, and at this moment, he could see nothing.

“Hahaha, now you can’t see either. As a blind person, who would believe you? Once today passes, the final end will come, and you won’t be able to change anything, hahaha, cough, cough.” Another bout of blood spewed out, the man in the deep blue robe fell to the ground, gradually stopping his breath. Only then did the dark red blood spread from his chest, revealing the fact that his heart had been damaged.

The cold frost wrapped around his eyes,暂时

The brown-clothed man slowly stood up from the ground, alleviating his pain. He felt his way along the wall and then used his magical stance to shatter the ice barrier that was sealing him in, before climbing upwards.

“Don’t let me die yet. If I die, the mages of the Rourna lineage will forever be sinners in history,” he muttered, his palms feeling for the walls and stairs as he stumbled through the passage. His body still bore many wounds from the ice blades, leaving a trail of blood droplets on the ground as he moved forward.

Blood mixed with dust, creating a dull stain that gradually spread.

—

When Lolan Hill saw this man, he was already staggering due to excessive blood loss. His entire body was unsteady, as if he would collapse against the wall at any moment. The walls of the passage he had walked through were smeared with bloodstains from his fingers, appearing both pitiful and tragic.

It seemed he faintly heard footsteps ahead in his weak consciousness and lifted his head, though he could no longer see anything.

“Who are you? Did you come from outside?” His voice was weak and urgent, trembling slightly with tension.

“I’m from the face. Is there anything you need help with?” Lolan Hill looked at the unsteady man, extending his hand. White light threads condensed from the air and wrapped around the man’s body, helping to stop the bleeding and heal him.

“You’re from the church, aren’t you? You’re a priest!” There was surprise and excitement in his voice.

“Yes, I am.” Her voice was clear and ethereal.

“Please, hurry! Quickly report to the current Pope that some mages have gone astray. They have betrayed humanity and want to open the Gate of Chaos, bringing destruction upon the world.”

“Hurry, what I say is true. Time is running out. They have decided to start the ritual today. If we don’t stop them, everything will be over.”

“Everything will be over,” his voice choked with sobs and sorrow.

“I understand. I will stop them. Do you have anything else to say?” Lolan Hill nodded solemnly and took out a pocket watch from inside his clothes.

“As for me? Nothing more. This information is very important. Please make sure to report it quickly and directly notify the headquarters of the Council of Sages, as several sages have also betrayed us.” He gasped for breath, sitting on the ground and quickly thinking about any remaining gaps.

A faint glow emanated from the pocket watch in Lolan Hill’s hand, and the hands began to move.

“And you? Do you have any wishes of your own? If I go to report or continue forward, I might not have time to keep treating you.”

“I”

The brown-clothed man paused his thoughts about various unconventional futures. He fell silent for a moment, recalling his life. The best mentor he ever had, his fellow disciples like family, and finally, the faces of those who died by his hand, faces he could not believe.

“I have nothing left. No family, no descendants. So, there’s no need to worry or consider me.”

“If I must wish for something, I only hope that when you report this, you will say that this is the final awakening of a mage whose conscience has not been entirely lost. Even if all mages of the Rourna lineage will be judged, I hope that some innocent ones can be spared.”

“Not all mages are like this, nor were they always this way. Long ago, the sequence of magic was also a novel and hopeful extraordinary sequence, symbolizing a new future and infinite possibilities.” His voice grew softer and weaker until it eventually faded away.

“I understand.”

Lolan Hill watched as the man gradually found peace. She took a deep breath and put away her pocket watch, rushing down the passage below.

She had already informed Keti through the pocket watch, and Keti would soon arrive with Binese and others.

Now, she could no longer contain her impatience and had to proceed ahead, directly reaching the deepest depths underground to interfere and prevent the tragedy that was about to unfold.

Though she did not know what experiences and reasons led the mages of the Rourna lineage to choose such a path,

in her understanding, behind that door, lay not a promised land of hope but an endless source of sorrow.

Just as she had seen in past timelines and recorded in the book of candle flames,

“The archangel returned, only to find himself even more desolate and speechless in sorrow.”

(The End)