Chapter 382: A Stone Man (1/2)

The bookkeeper was in the northern icy mountains. That was all Arthur needed to know. As the Deity of Seas inspected him for wounds, all he could think of was the nearest exit out of this place. He wasn't terrified by evil beings but by incomprehensible ones.

'What's wrong with this spirit?'

Arthur saw the tender care she had for him, the type he saw in his mother's eyes when he got hurt as a kid. It sent chills down his spine that the same person who relentlessly attacked him moments ago was now worried about him.

”Who are you?”

Arthur's tolerant attitude was gone, and he slapped her hand away. He saw her face crumble in rage, but he didn't think it was his actions that ticked her off. It was his question.

”You forgot about me,” she through gritted teeth. ”I spent years in this prison waiting for your return, only for you to forget about me?”

”How can I forget about someone I never met?” Arthur stood up as his killing intent flickered.  ”If you dare attack me again, then I won't be as tolerant.”

”You are...” she took a step back, surprise evident on her face. ”You are not the same, but how can this be?” Arthur saw her expression morph from surprise into a rage. ”What have they done to you?”

”I have no idea what you are talking about,” Arthur took a step back, feeling uncomfortable about the things she said. The pair of eyes in the sky, Solomon being the inheritor, and the words that Rega said to him threw him into an unceasing identity crisis.

The last thing he needed right now was another truth attacking the core of his being and identity.

”How can you not?” she said, her voice suggesting that he was to blame. ”Why did you allow them to do this to you?”

”I'm leaving,” Arthur felt his chains tremble as if reacting to the words she said. That's why he wanted to leave. He didn't want to hear what she had to say, lest they scatter what he gathered of himself.

”Wait, don't leave again...” The Deity seemed to panic after hearing of his intentions. ”They will hurt you once more, stay here,” she was desperate, and it made Arthur feel sick for some reason.

It was the conviction in her voice as she pleaded for him to stay because 'they' were going to hurt him. Regardless of whether her intentions were good or not or whether Arthur needed to hear them, he didn't want to stay next to her.

It felt as if the next thing she says might strip him naked and as if the next truth might be too unbearable: a revelation of his insignificance or the opposite of that; what if he became burdened with a responsibility that devours him?

There was no comfort in the truth.

Arthur ignored her and turned to leave, expecting her to oppose him. But, instead of closing the palace's doors, the spirit stood silently, looking worried, as Arthur made his way out of the hall.

There was a feeling in his stomach that made him want to ask her about what she knew. He knew the truth might not be comforting, but it was better than living in an illusion of stability.

'I know, I know, I know,' Arthur clenched his fist. But, even if he knew all of that, he didn't want to face it – not now, at least.

***

”Please wait, Golden One!”

The woman that Arthur helped earlier ran after him as he left the palace. It seems she was running short on spiritual power. Arthur turned to see what she wanted, and he found that her aura grew more in alignment with the world.

”Have you contracted a spirit?” Arthur asked with interest. Her aura was fading, yet he could tell that it has grown exponentially.

”Yes, I have!” The woman bobbed her head. ”I might not be the sharpest, but I know that the only reason I was able to contract it was because of you,” she said with her hand on her chest.

”What are you saying, pirate?”

”I want to repay the kindness you've shown me,” The woman said. Arthur stared at her silently and nodded.

”Do you know about Hidden City?”