MTLNOVEL Chapter 70: Mystery
There were countless tales about Samaran City, and each one only made Hades more curious about the place.
Thanks to the guild's help, they managed to get public transportation there for just twenty silver coins per person.
"Just don't eat or drink anything inside the city. The water in Samaran has been poisoned," warned a woman sharing the carriage with Hades and Luna.
"The shop owners there are barely hanging on. Business has been slow for months, even worse after that incident with the Princess," added the man sitting to Hades's left.
Everyone had something to say about the city—where the two teenagers were supposed to find… something. What that "something" was, they didn't know yet.
By now, Hades was starting to believe the Sage had sent him here to uncover the root of all these problems.
But… 'What exactly can I do?'
There were already multiple investigation teams working to figure out why the ancient temple, once revered for generations, had suddenly become the source of poison.
"Need some water?" Luna asked softly.
Hades shook his head. "If you want, you can take a nap. I'm wide awake now."
After devouring a meal fit for three people, Hades had fallen asleep the moment they boarded. He'd only woken a few minutes ago to find Luna chatting with the other passengers—her social skills as sharp as ever.
The silver-haired girl looked drowsy, her voice quiet. "Then please take care of me." She leaned her head on his shoulder.
Hades adjusted his arm around her, letting her rest more comfortably.
Their closeness drew a few warm smiles from the other passengers, making Hades slightly embarrassed. He offered an awkward smile back.
Soon, the carriage grew silent as one by one, the others drifted into sleep.
Left in peace, Hades turned to the window.
The scenery outside was calming—lush green forest on both sides of the trail, the road smooth and well-kept, proof of how often it was traveled.
All the main cities lay closer to the capital of Torseque, which itself sat near Samaran.
The kingdom was split into four major regions. The city they'd arrived in after crossing the border was known as the visitors' hub, far to the south. The capital was northwest, while the northern border was guarded by an immense wall said to keep dragons out.
Though honestly… Hades doubted the elves could hold their ground if a few dragons decided to attack.
He'd fought a Duke-ranked opponent before—gone completely berserk—and still barely survived.
That alone told him how far he still had to go.
If a Duke-ranked fighter could overpower him that easily, he couldn't even imagine what facing a Warlord… or a Dragon King… would be like.
[Dragon Kings have the strength and authority to wipe out a human kingdom in a single day.]
Hades frowned at the ominous thought.
Leaning back against the cushioned wall, he asked, 'Why is there such a huge difference in strength between races?'
[Life expectancy. The longer you live, the stronger you become. Powerful dragons are usually over five hundred years old. Live that long, and you either go insane… or become insanely strong.]
Hades sighed, his gaze dropping to the sleeping girl in his arms. 'What about phoenixes?'
[They can live… as long as they want. Since they're reborn from their ashes, they don't have a fixed lifespan.]
'Still… there has to be a limit, right?'
[Hmm… maybe a thousand years. But unlike dragons, phoenixes can't grow 'that' strong.]
'What do you mean by 'that strong'?'
[Mating is a key factor in long-lived beings. Finding a compatible partner and forming a bond can make you far stronger—sometimes even more than a good hunt. But phoenixes don't grow stronger through mating. In the first place, they're so rare that finding a suitable partner is almost impossible.]
[There are other reasons… but that's the main one.]
Hades hummed in quiet understanding.
It was comforting to know that Luna would be by his side for a long time… maybe even longer than him. In fact, he hoped it would be that way. If one of them had to go first, he'd rather it be him. He couldn't imagine watching her leave this world.
Pushing that thought aside, he asked, 'Do you know anything about Samaran City or the deity they worship?'
[Hmm~ if I remember correctly, after the Great War, one of the Primordial Dragons came to Samaran and merged with the land itself. Her name was Samarella… the weakest among the Primordial Dragons.]
Hades tilted his head slightly. 'Tell me more about her. What concept did she represent, and why did she come here?'
[You're asking a lot today.]
'Well… I'm part of this mess now. I should know, right?'
There was a short silence before the inner voice finally answered.
[She was the embodiment of peace. Her strength came from peace… a state she rarely witnessed in her lifetime.]
'What do you mean?'
The voice continued, its tone carrying a faint weight.
[Before the war between the Primordial Dragons, every being on this world fought against a common enemy—something that came to devour the planet whole. That war raged for two thousand years. And of all the dragons, the one who felt the most powerless during that time… was Samarella.]
[It didn't help that she had only just awakened the Will of an Emperor.]
Hades nodded slowly. Poor dragon… it was like she had just learned how to hold a pencil, only to be told to swing a sword the next moment.
And to make things worse, her power came from peace—yet the moment she awakened, the world was plunged into its greatest war. Truly unfortunate.
[After the war between the Primordials ended, she was exhausted, wounded, and barely clinging to life. That's when she found a land where she could finally rest. She settled there… you could call it hibernation if you want. Over time, the elves built a town around her.]
Hades tilted his head. 'They worship her… yet she's harming them?'
If he'd only heard it from the old man at the guild, he might have thought it was an exaggeration—or even a lie. But he had now heard the same thing from at least three different people. Surely, they couldn't all be making it up.
And if the rumors were true… then the creature inside Samaran's temple had abducted the Queen's own daughter.
[I can't say for certain why she's doing it… but choosing such a specific prey suggests she needs an immense amount of energy. And if that girl is the heiress of pure elven blood, then her mana reserves must be enormous.]
'...But why would Samarella need that much energy?'
No answer came.
Hades exhaled slowly, almost relieved that he didn't answer. Deep down, he already knew the reason.
She… wanted to wake up.
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A/N:- Thanks for reading.