MTLNOVEL Chapter 79: Reputation
It had been a few hours since they were pulled inside.
Luna still sat by the temple's gate, her eyes drifting to its cold, unmoving surface. Every now and then, she spoke a few quiet words to Hades—just enough to reassure herself that he was still safe.
She no longer tried to force the doors open. There was no point.
Around them, soldiers had formed a tight ring, weapons ready, guarding the temple in case something dangerous emerged now that this strange event had taken place.
"You should get some rest. It's cold here," Ralph's voice broke the silence as he walked up to her.
Luna tightened her arms around the bag on her lap, pulling it closer for warmth. "I'm fine. But… thank you for worrying about me." Her tone made it clear—she wasn't going anywhere. She wanted to be the first face Hades saw when he stepped outside.
Ralph exhaled slowly, then asked, "Can you answer me something honestly?"
Luna raised her brows, curious.
"You two… you're not criminals, are you? Or maybe you've done something to anger a noble?"
Her gaze sharpened, voice low. "What makes you say that?"
Ralph snapped his fingers, and a pair of soldiers stepped forward, dragging an unconscious man between them.
Luna's eyes narrowed as the blond elf spoke. "We caught this assassin just before he could fire a dart at you."
Her expression hardened to ice. She rose to her feet and walked toward the limp figure, her steps steady and cold.
A quick check—chest, arms—revealed no insignia, no marks of allegiance. She didn't recognize his face either.
That meant only one thing. Someone had hired him.
And Luna had a very good idea who.
Taylor…
If he knew they were here, more assassins could be on their way.
Keeping her gaze locked on the man, she said, "Can I see the dart?"
Ralph gave a nod, and one of the soldiers holding the assassin handed over a nail-sized dart.
Luna held it close, sniffed, and her suspicions settled into certainty. "Paralyzing dart…" The scent was unmistakable—an extract from Polythamera, a rare and potent plant.
Ralph crossed his arms. "I'm guessing he wasn't here to kill you—more like to take you."
Luna gave a short nod. "And use me as a hostage."
Ralph's brows lifted. "So… you know who's behind this?"
Luna gave a slow nod but said nothing.
He didn't press her. Instead, his tone shifted to something more practical. "Then it's best you stay within the temple grounds. Right now, this is the safest place in all of Torseque."
He paused, considering the cold air curling around them. "I'll have a tent set up here so you don't freeze."
Luna offered a small bow. "Thank you."
Ralph's lips curved into a faint smile. "It's nothing compared to what your companion has done for us. No matter what happens next, he's already given our Queen a reason to hope."
A soft sigh escaped him, his voice lowering to a murmur meant for himself alone. "I just hope… you both return with this matter finally put to rest."
°°°°°°°
Two hours had passed, and they were still walking.
The corridor stretched on without end, swallowing their footsteps in silence. By now, turning back wasn't even an option—they could only keep moving forward. More so after the Queen sensed her daughter's presence.
Beatrice felt better than before, thanks to the sweetness of the jam and the handful of raisins he'd given her to chew on.
Her gaze settled on the human walking a few steps ahead. "I never had… a very good impression of humans," she admitted. "But you've changed that."
Hades gave a questioning hum. "Bad experience?"
A wry smile tugged at her lips. "At the council meeting, when I accompanied my father, a human noble proposed to me. Naturally, I refused. That… turned the situation quite ugly."
Hades groaned. "That must have been awful." He could see why someone might be drawn to her—Beatrice's beauty was rare even among elves—but forcing her into a marriage proposal after just meeting her? That was something he couldn't stomach.
"After that, I never visited human lands again," she continued. "But… maybe that will change, thanks to you."
Hades smiled warmly. "Glad to hear I've done something to restore our reputation."
[A dragon saving humanity's reputation.]
Hades chose, as most often, to pretend his inner voice didn't exist. Especially now.
Beatrice's tone shifted to concern. "You've been holding that lantern for quite a while. Aren't you tired?"
In truth, he had absorbed the light from her magic orb and kept it burning for the past two hours.
"I've got plenty of mana left," he assured her with a shake of his head. "Nowhere near tired. You don't have to worry."
Her eyes lingered on him, faint surprise glinting there. For a human to possess that much mana—and such precise control over it—was rare indeed.
They walked in silence after that. The faint scuff of their boots was barely audible, swallowed by the corridor that seemed to drain away every sound, scent, and trace of light.
Then—
"Ah…" Beatrice's quiet exclamation broke the stillness as they stepped into a wider chamber.
Hades glanced back at her just as she raised her hands, summoning a large orb of light. The glow surged outward, flooding the space and pushing back the shadows.
A high ceiling loomed above them, the bluish-black floor stretching out underfoot. Diagonally across the room stood a single gate.
Hades scanned the chamber, searching for anything that might be of use… but the place was utterly empty.
"Haah… I think we should keep moving," he said, taking a step toward the door—
"Hades! Move away, now!" Beatrice's voice rang out, sharp and urgent.
He reacted without thinking, leaping back just as a massive hand burst up through the floor, swiping at where his foot had been a heartbeat ago.
Landing beside Beatrice, his chest tightened at the sight before him—a thick, inhuman arm braced against the floor, followed by a body pushing itself upward. The surface didn't crack or crumble under its weight; instead, it was as if the thing had simply risen out of the room itself.
"A golem…" Hades muttered, taking in the humanoid shape—broad-shouldered, built for brute force, and crowned with two gleaming golden eyes that seemed to judge his every move. This was a guardian made to crush intruders without hesitation.
He stepped forward, glancing back at Beatrice. "Save your strength. I'll handle this one."
But before he could close the distance, his inner voice cut in—calm yet laced with warning.
[Hades… its magical presence rivals that of a Duke-ranked.]
"…"
A faint chill ran down his spine. Maybe… he'd been just a little too quick to take the lead.
°°°°°°°°
A/N:- Thanks for reading.