Chapter 1570: Returning to the Mortal Realm

At the edge of the City of Nightfall, a dense, shadowy mist stood before Gawain and Amber like an impenetrable wall. The fog stretched endlessly in all directions, as if separating two entirely different worlds. Nearby, the already twisted and jumbled buildings of the city seemed even more surreal, their warped shapes casting eerie silhouettes. The bustling crowds on the streets had all come to a halt, stopping some hundred meters short of this misty barrier.

Gawain paused and looked up at the swirling fog before him. “This is the exit?”

“Yes,” Morningstar nodded gently. “This is the City of Nightfall’s exit. Beyond this mist, you’ll return to the real world. Your current location is near the camp between the forest and the open plains.”

Gawain nodded in acknowledgment, then glanced back toward the path they had come from. He saw the tightly packed buildings stretching along streets that flickered between reality and illusion. Pale street lamps dotted the dim roads like distant stars. Several shadowy figures seemed to be watching from afar—some were natives of the Shadow Realm, while others, like Morningstar, were “Lost Descendants” with human-like features.

“If we had the time, I’d like to stay in this city a while longer,” Gawain said casually. “I’m genuinely curious about how you all live here, how the city functions day to day. And I wonder how those Lost Descendants from other lands, living alongside you, view the ‘outside world.’”

“Indeed,” Morningstar smiled. “If time allowed, I’d love to show you both more of my home. But there are more pressing matters awaiting you now. So, this is where we say goodbye—for now. But rest assured, the city’s gates will always be open to you. The Lady of Nightfall has granted the city’s authority to our hostess. She can find shortcuts through the Shadow Realm to bring you back anytime. We welcome your return.”

Gawain gave a slight nod and stepped toward the mist. Amber couldn’t help but glance back a couple of times, clearly reluctant to leave. But she pressed her lips together, shuffled her short legs, and followed Gawain’s lead. The two of them disappeared into the thick fog, one after the other.

A faintly cool, strange sensation brushed past Gawain’s skin, as if passing through a thin membrane. In that brief instant, the world around him shifted completely. Light and shadow flickered and reassembled rapidly, and from the darkness before his eyes, a faint glow emerged. The glow grew, revealing forests, open fields, the sky, and clouds on the horizon—like the retreat of a dream at dawn, the vibrant, colorful, and lively real world rushed in.

The next moment, he felt solid ground beneath his feet again. Stepping back onto the earth of the real world and seeing the vivid colors restored a sudden lightness to his heart. He couldn’t help but take a deep breath.

To be honest, although the Shadow Divine Kingdom ruled by the Lady of Nightfall wasn’t dangerous, its endless pale desert and perpetually dim cityscape were hardly pleasant sights. He hadn’t realized it while there, but now, back in the outside world, the oppressive weight that had lingered in his chest finally lifted.

But compared to him, a “normal person,” Amber—born with an affinity for shadows—obviously felt differently. As soon as her form reappeared in the air, she muttered, “Ah, leaving that place is actually kind of hard…”

Gawain glanced sideways at her. “What, you planning to settle down in the Shadow Divine Kingdom?”

“Not permanently,” Amber waved her hand, “but I have thought about staying a few days every now and then. At first, I didn’t feel it, but looking back… that’s my city! My city! Didn’t Morningstar say? ‘The Lady of Nightfall’s Mistress.’ Heh, I never imagined I’d have a title like that someday…”

“Alright, enough showing off,” Gawain said, clearly seeing her starting to drift off. He reached out and pressed his hand firmly on her head—physical grounding to keep her from floating away—and frowned. “You also have the title of Deputy Sovereign of the Divine Kingdom, but I haven’t seen your combat skills get any better. Titles like that are just for show. You could get a couple of smooth-talking bards to write you a whole book in an afternoon, but what good would that do?”

He paused, then added, “Also, you can’t just go living in the City of Nightfall every now and then. Not because of anything else, but once you slip into the Divine Kingdom’s border, no one can find you. If something urgent happens, we can’t contact you. And we don’t even know if the Lady of Nightfall’s realm has magical networks. Wait until we confirm there’s a magic net in the city before you start slacking off.”

Amber pouted. “I was just saying that casually. I’m not sure I’d even get used to living there. But then again, if I’m slacking off, having a communicator nearby that can drag me back to work anytime—does that really count as slacking?”

Gawain stared at the unapologetic shadow assault goose beside him, then finally muttered, “Is that the real problem here?”

Amber seemed not to hear his doubt. She took a slow breath, as if cooling her slightly overheated mind with the crisp morning air. After gathering herself, she said with a hint of wistfulness, “But honestly… this trip to the Shadow Divine Kingdom really felt, to borrow your phrase, like stepping into another world. It truly was. So much happened.”

Gawain remained silent for a moment, his thoughts drifting to the fifty-year dream woven by the Lady of Nightfall—a life both dreamlike and surreal. He thought of the choice between mortal and divine, and the uncertain future of this world still buffeted by storms. He stood lost in thought for a long while. So much had happened in the Shadow Divine Kingdom that it would take time to sort it all out.

But his reverie was suddenly broken.

A deep, commanding roar echoed from the sky. A massive black dragon beat its wings as it swept over Gawain and Amber’s heads. In the growing dawn light, the steel and mechanical edges of the dragon’s wings gleamed sharply. The dragon had clearly noticed the two figures on the ground. With a roar, it began circling and gradually descended. Gawain saw it land some ten meters ahead. Once steady, a figure leapt down from its back.

It was Duchess Victoria Wilde, dressed in white robes with a silver fox fur draped over her shoulders.

Then, a shimmering veil of light appeared in the air. The black dragon’s massive form coalesced and reshaped within it, and from the glow stepped out the black-haired maid, Maggie.

Amber shrank her neck the moment she saw Victoria, then glanced at Gawain. “Alright, the family’s here. You handle the negotiations later—you’re her direct superior.”

Gawain ignored the shadow assault goose’s teasing. He composed his expression and mood, then calmly greeted the approaching pair.

“Your Majesty,” Victoria bowed respectfully. “I’m glad to see you and Miss Amber have returned safely. Word came from the City of a Thousand Towers that you would appear in this area at dawn today, so Maggie and I came ahead to meet you.”

“I see…” Gawain understood why someone had come to meet them as soon as they ‘landed.’ Curious, he asked, “How long have we been gone?”

“Exactly seven days. We lost all contact with you,” Victoria lowered her gaze, scanning the surroundings as she spoke. “But the City of a Thousand Towers has maintained communication with us, assuring your safety. There’s no need to worry at home; everything remains orderly.”

“Good,” Gawain nodded slightly. He noticed Victoria’s gaze and hesitated before speaking again. “Modir… didn’t come back with us.”

Victoria kept her head bowed, her expression and tone unchanged, though her voice softened. “Our ancestor… has he truly completed his final journey?”

Amber blinked, surprised despite Gawain having warned her Victoria was prepared. “You knew he wouldn’t return?”

Victoria was silent for two seconds, then sighed with relief. “Before setting out to investigate the Violet Isle mist incident, our ancestor seemed to have foreseen it. He knew when and where his journey would end. He once said that the investigation on Violet Isle might be his last adventure. At that moment, I realized he was going away for good.”

Gawain looked at Victoria quietly. “You said your farewells?”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Victoria replied slowly. “Before you crossed the Long Bridge, I solemnly bade him farewell. Though brief, I believe we left with no regrets.”

“That’s good,” Gawain nodded. “Modir has now permanently remained by the Lady of Nightfall’s side. His adventure ended in a surprising way. If you agree, Amber and I will record his journey and share it with the world. People should know the story of this great adventurer… Victoria, what do you think?”

Victoria bowed deeply, her tone solemn. “As you wish, Your Majesty. It would be an honor for my ancestor—he always regarded you as an idol. Your remembrance and recognition mean more to him than anything.”

Gawain nodded again. “First, take us back to the camp. The Typhon people should still be there, right?”

“They are,” Victoria answered promptly. “They’ve been waiting for your return, especially Lady Diana. She was assigned to investigate the disappearance of Typhon spies during the Violet Mist incident.”

“Typhon spies lost in the Violet Mist incident…” Gawain exhaled softly. Thinking of the century of change in the City of Nightfall and the flags still flying there, his expression grew serious. “After we return to camp, invite Lady Diana over. Since the Crown and Shield banners still fly in the City of Nightfall, Typhon needs to know what’s happening at the Divine Kingdom’s border.”

…

Deep within the Obsidian Palace, capital of the Typhon Empire, Aldern.

Rosetta Augustus ended a distant magical transmission, watching the crystal ball before him darken. He shifted in his seat, then stared into the warm, flickering firelight in the hearth, lost in thought.

“One hundred years… and the banners still fly.”

The flames in the fireplace crackled and danced, casting flickering shadows across the room. After an indeterminate stretch of silence, footsteps approached from behind, pulling him from his reverie. Matilda’s voice came from the direction of the footsteps. “Father, is that news from Lady Diana?”

Rosetta nodded softly, then suddenly asked, “Do you still remember the name Dante Raven?”

Matilda paused to think, then nodded gently. “I recall he was on the list of missing persons from Violet. The Count of Winterburg described him as ‘a steady young man with great potential.’”

“A young man, huh…” Rosetta murmured under her breath, then shook his head. “Inform the families waiting for news about the Violet Mist incident. Diana has confirmed the whereabouts of those who disappeared.”

“The whereabouts of the missing? They’ve been found?” Matilda’s eyes widened slightly. “Then they…”

“They won’t be coming back,” Rosetta waved a hand dismissively. “Remember the earlier reports from Cecil’s side? There was evidence that those swallowed by the Violet Mist were transported to the border of the Shadow Divine Realm, where—due to some kind of temporal distortion—they lived through a century in what was, for us, only a short time. That information has now been verified. Gawain Cecil ended his ‘Divine Realm journey’ in the early hours today and returned to our world. He personally entered that border city and met the descendants of the lost souls… What was recent history for us is a century-old tale for them.”

“Now, the original lost have all passed on, and their descendants have become residents of the Shadow World. The only consolation is that the banner of the Typhon Empire still flies in their hands, passed down through generations.”

Matilda was stunned. Though there had been rumors from Cecil’s side before, this confirmation still left her reeling. She stood silent for several seconds before murmuring, “…Truly worthy of the ‘Great Pioneer’…”

“Indeed,” Rosetta sighed, “It seems no matter how unbelievable the event, it’s only natural when he’s involved.” He shook his head, then added, “But he is an elder; we shouldn’t speak of him like that behind his back. Matilda, what brings you here so early?”

“Yes, Father,” Matilda quickly composed herself, brushing away any irreverent thoughts about the Great Pioneer. Her tone grew serious. “Preparations for the grand sacrificial ceremony are more than halfway done. The first trial sacrifice is scheduled for seven days from now. According to plan, to gather as much ‘logistical data’ as possible during the ritual, three test sites across the three empires will conduct the ceremony simultaneously. The High Priest in charge has sent a request—he wants to know if you will personally attend the ceremony.”

Rosetta raised an eyebrow. “Since the fall of the War God’s Church, the remaining clergy have become surprisingly well-mannered.”

“After all, even the once-mighty War God’s Church has fallen, and the Divine Authority Council’s power, backed by the Alliance and the Crown, is unstoppable,” Matilda smiled faintly. “In this situation, when the royal family and the Divine Authority Council grant permission for such a grand ritual, the priests chosen to perform it are naturally filled with awe and spend sleepless nights pondering it.”

“They’ll never guess the truth, no matter how much they ponder,” Rosetta chuckled. “Tell the High Priest I will attend in person—this will likely be the most enjoyable ritual I’ve ever witnessed in my life.”

(End of chapter)