Above The Sky
Chapter 253 - 253 241 The Taste is a Bit Sweet 33

253: Chapter 241 The Taste is a Bit Sweet (3/3) 253: Chapter 241 The Taste is a Bit Sweet (3/3) Perhaps to others, Viscount Grant seemed to be pondering lofty propositions such as family, honor, and mission at this moment.

Or maybe the more realistic choices to do with interests in the ruins, profits from the labyrinth, and future decisions about engaging and aligning with various powers.

But in reality, the matters on the man’s mind were quite simple.

“Is this the main gate to the ruins?

No, the survivor of the guard squad told me that the main gate for obtaining the Key of Water is not here at all!”

With a contemplative expression and four overlapping cards in his hand, the noble’s face was somber and grim, and no one could possibly fathom his true thoughts, “Have we taken the wrong route?

If opening the gate was such a grand affair, the former emperor wouldn’t have entrusted us with the task of covert exploration!”

In years past, King Inaga II had entrusted the Grant Family with the mission to construct a port in the extreme southern region of the continent, which would serve as the forefront of future exploration of the Southern Sea Relic Cluster.

The Grant Family was chosen because of their loyalty and their bloodline being suitable for underwater exploration.

In fact, since the great storm fourteen years ago, the seemingly busy viscount had been secretly diving into the distant sea, observing the external situation of the relic cluster.

He discovered many trends, such as an area originally identified as an undersea volcanic zone that actually had nothing to do with volcanoes—what was there were just incredibly sturdy transparent hemispherical bubbles filled with a peculiar type of thermal conductive liquid.

Occasionally, these liquids would suddenly heat up to tens of thousands of degrees, to the point where even a Second Level Sublimator would have to back away slightly, and this terrifying temperature, with the help of the Inscription Array, would spread throughout the entire sea area, boiling the nearby waters in an instant.

The great storm was a ‘disaster of the ruins’ produced when thousands of these heat vents heated up simultaneously, steaming the entire remote ocean area.

Although he had found evidence of the existence of the ruins and had a key in hand, the viscount could never find the clue to enter them.

The gate…

where on earth is the gate?

The viscount certainly didn’t think that the huge void that had almost swallowed half of the sea, even causing giant vortexes and twisters, was the so-called gate.

That thing was clearly a relic material intake and outlet.

“So, where exactly is the real gate?”

The viscount had been pondering this simple question all along.

It wasn’t so much about which one was the real gate, but as he hesitated, all those huge void gates had already closed.

Whether he wanted to rescue Master Gossay, Ian, and Yisen Gard, or to find Patrick and force him to reveal the truth, he had to find a way in.

Even if he didn’t go in himself, he still needed to find an exit, right?

But just then, Pude told him that the Bishop of White Mist from the Huai Guang Church in Harrison Port had already quietly gone down?

——Which door did he use, one of those undersea gaps, or the real main gate?

——And how did he know?!

After all is said and done, the man’s thoughts were that simple, but alas, the situation was becoming increasingly complex.

“Could it be that the Bishop of White Mist is another contingency left by the former emperor?

During his reign, he indeed collaborated extensively with the Huai Guang Church, even pushing the agenda to make Embrace Light the state religion.”

The situation was completely out of control, and the viscount, his face darkening, looked up at the rolling clouds and the strong wind above the firmament and murmured, “But aren’t the Spiritual Tool Church the ones most familiar with the ruins?

They couldn’t possibly not take action—or rather, they must have taken action already, but I’m simply unaware of it.”

“What else is there that I don’t know about…

Damn it, dying so early!”

Suddenly, he angrily struck the outer armor of his Aether Armament beside him, the force so great that even the semi-transparent shield became visible, cursing at no one in particular, “All dying so early, leaving no messages at all, what am I supposed to do, huh?

Damn it, what am I supposed to do?!”

“I know nothing, I’m not clear about anything, and for the dreams of a few short-lived bastards and the loyalty of a foolishly loyal old man, I am left to deal with all this crap!”

The sea breeze grew even more sudden, and even the clouds within a radius of thousands of kilometers began to shake incessantly, but the mystical phenomena quickly subsided.

After a brief loss of composure, Ailes Grant clenched his fists.

Although he had just seemed innocent, he knew he was not innocent.

Because his last name was Grant; he was the son of the foolishly loyal old man Harrison Grant, and his family benefited from the new military policy of the short-lived bastard Inaga II…

it was thanks to the grace of these two prematurely deceased scoundrels that he became a noble, the ruler of Harrison Port.

Most importantly, he was still alive.

“Only the living need to suffer, damn it, Patrick acts like he’s dead, but I can’t do that!”

Opening the cockpit, the Viscount had already returned to normal, but was still gritting his teeth, “If it weren’t for the fact that I have kids…”

“I want to curse too, Ailes, probably even more than you.

But no matter what, now is not the time to be angry.”

In the Aether Armament, Elder Prude had already given up his seat, and he was now looking out to the sea with an expressionless face, his gaze seemingly piercing through the ocean’s surface, toward the relics beneath: “We have to figure out a way to rescue the people.”

“Indeed.”

Returning to the Aether Armament and reconnecting to the neural data cables, the Viscount took a deep breath and his expression calmed down: “But even if I go in now, I wouldn’t be of much use.”

“Take a look, this is intelligence sent to me by spies from Naru City and the neighboring countries.”

He lifted his hand, and rapid streams of warnings appeared on the screen in the Aether Armament.

[Warning – The Fiery Flame Land’s Second Legion Stormy Ocean Mobile Fleet has completed their patrol mission in the southern sea region and is making haste toward the Bison Mountain Range coast of our country]

[Warning – According to spy reports, Canaan Moore’s Half Moon Fleet’s third subdivision is approaching the Western Region of the Yongji Ocean]

[Warning – Whale Song Cliff…]

[…]

A series of urgent warnings made Elder Prude furrow his brows, while the Viscount sighed deeply: “The relic’s activation has made too much noise—all the surrounding countries and scouts have been alerted, now it’s like flies swarming over at the scent of a corpse.”

“Only with me here can I deter them…

Only a Second Level Sublimator piloting an Aether Armament Abyssal Whale can threaten a fleet at sea.”

“But to tell the truth, one fleet is manageable, but if they all come, I won’t be able to stop them.

Luckily, I had already discussed countermeasures with Marquis Barton, the South Ridge Governor, over the potential assassination of the third son of the Ellen Family, Yisen Gard, so with the sudden turn of events, the Southern Ridge Fleet of The Empire’s Nineteenth Legion, stationed in Naru City, is surely already en route.”

Viscount Grant clearly had thought of all the countermeasures, but this meant that the situation was no longer controllable, so his expression was not at all pleasant.

“…I understand.” Closing his eyes, Prude was actually not worried about Ian’s safety.

In his view, a Prophet who chose such a path must certainly be prepared.

Or rather, he had to take the risk.

If that was the case, then he absolutely could not advise him not to do so…

He could only wait for the young man’s return.

But even so…

even knowing that worrying was futile,

The old man couldn’t help but feel anxious.

—Must give him a good scolding, always embarking on adventures without warning, too outrageous!

—If he can come back, must scold him well!

Even if it’s for Elan’s sake, scold him even more!

—If only he can come back…

And the Viscount also closed his eyes.

“Teacher…

Patrick.”

The noble, who by the standards of a Sublimator had already entered middle age, muttered somewhat distractedly: “Sometimes, it’s just hard to understand…”

Both men, burdened with different thoughts, fell silent.

And underground, in the Southern Sea Redwood Ruins Cluster.

Ian extended a finger and dabbed it on the top of the giant mushroom, then put it to his mouth.

He closed his eyes, earnestly savouring the taste of the extraterrestrial giant gold mushroom that was identified as ‘edible’ in the Silver Chip.

“Sweet.” Opening his eyes, Ian earnestly said, “It has a metallic sweetness that tastes a bit like iron railings in winter.”