Entering Apocalypse in Easy-Mode
Chapter 281: The Duchess’s Anxiety

Chapter 281: The Duchess’s Anxiety

Clyde returned to the portal mere minutes after leaving it, drawing curious glances from those nearby. A few people stared a little too long with questioning expression, but Clyde don’t mind them.

His reputation as one of the strongest individuals in Sivagadh Fortress preceded him and it was enough to keep most of them at bay. Combined with his cold demeanor, so little dared approach him. Only Samuel, Leyan, and the other elite fighters were accustomed to dealing with him.

The rest of the populace gave him a wide berth, treating him more like a a weapon than a comrade.

Reaching the portal, Clyde take the black stone etched with its strange symbol. He channeling his magic power into the stone.

The symbol flared faintly and he pressed the stone into the shimmering surface of the portal. The portal rippled, its familiar glow shifting and morphing until it revealed a part of the desolate and fractured landscape of the Ruin. He can’t see all of it, but he didn’t have to.

Without hesitation, Clyde stepped through.

This time, the journey through the portal was different. It took longer than usual. The vortex stretching out the seconds and it made him a little worried.

Clyde emerged from the portal and immediately his boots sinking slightly into the wet muddy ground. The air was damp and heavy with the faint stench of decaying vegetation.

He clicked his tongue in irritation, glancing down at his soiled boots. "Mari could’ve warned me about this mess," he thought, shaking his head.

Clyde lifting his gaze and surveyed the desolate expanse before him. The area was a ruined swamp with its greenery reduced to a lifeless gray.

Large patches of land were torn apart, some floating in the air, suspended by an invisible force.

Jagged cracks split the sky, faintly glowing with a strange light that seemed to pulse like a dying heartbeat. The ominous sight familiar to him, but no signs of an anomaly here. No twisted creatures or thread of energy were present.

Still, Clyde’s hand instinctively hovered near the hilt of his sword as he began walking forward. His steps squelched loudly in the muck, the sound grating against his nerves making him annoyed.

His eyes moving from shadow to shadow scanning the landscape for any signs of movement. The Ruin was notorious for being unpredictable and danger could manifest at any moment.

Clyde paused and studied the environment. Despite the stillness, the air carried an unnatural weight, as if the swamp itself was holding its breath.

"Something isn’t right..."

A faint sound brushed past his ear. Clyde turned his head sharply, his eyes narrowing as they fixed on a cluster of floating rocks in the distance. The sound came again, faint and unintelligible, like a voice carried on a wind that wasn’t there.

Clyde gripped the black stone in his hand.

"Is that Graemory’s doing?" he wondered, though it wasn’t like the Demon Duchess to be like this without reason. She would just appeared and tell him what she wanted to tell.

Suddenly, a low growl sounded from behind. Clyde spun on his heel drawing his sword in one smooth motion. The blade hummed faintly. He scanned the shadows but saw nothing except the wavering outlines of distant trees and the rippling reflection of the cracked sky on the swamp’s shallow pools.

"I’m not in the mood for games," he muttered, his voice cold.

He then pressed forward cutting through the swamp as he made his way toward the largest cluster of floating landmasses. The stone in his hand pulsed faintly, guiding him.

After few minutes, Clyde reached a clearing where the ground rose slightly above the murky water. In the center stood a large twisted tree with blackened and gnarled bark as though it had been scorched by fire.

Standing beneath the tree was Graemory. The Demon Duchess was as striking as ever. Her long hair was the color of deep crimson that mirrored the faint glow of her eyes.

Her elegant and tight black gown clung to her body. She stood with her back to him, her posture relaxed.

"You came earlier than I thought," Graemory said without turning around.

Clyde stepped forward, his sword still in hand. "You didn’t exactly give me a timeline but here I am."

Graemory chuckled softly and finally turned to face him.

Then her crimson eyes locked onto Clyde intensely. "Something happened, Clyde. I don’t know what it is and that uncertainty is worrying. I want you to look into it."

Clyde frowned. "What do you mean?" he asked, though his thoughts immediately turned to the anomaly he had already encountered. "Is she talking about that?"

"There’s a strange energy appearing in the Ruins," Graemory continued. "I sent my soldiers to investigate but all they found were bizarre creatures floating in the sky and attacking them on the ground. We don’t understand their purpose in a world that’s already destroyed."

Clyde’s eyes narrowed as her words confirmed his suspicion. "So she is talking about the anomaly."

He met her gaze. "I’ve seen it too and killed one. Its just a few hours ago I think."

Graemory blinked, clearly surprised. "Really? What do you think? Did you discover anything new?"

"Not much," Clyde admitted, keeping his tone neutral. "Just like you said, it’s a strange creature. But are you certain your soldiers didn’t notice anything else?"

Graemory’s lips curved into a small, humorless smile. "Clyde, I can see through my soldiers’ eyes. If they missed something, I would have noticed."

Her certainty made Clyde pause. "So she doesn’t know the creature can speak. Is it possible it only communicated with me?"

He mulled over the possibility.

Graemory stepped closer, her gown brushing against the withered grass beneath the twisted tree. "Whatever these creatures are, they’re not like anything I’ve seen before. Their presence unnerves me and I don’t like not knowing what they are or what they want."

Clyde’s brow furrowed. He wasn’t used to seeing Graemory admit vulnerability, even if she masked it behind her usual regal demeanor.

"I want you to investigate further," she said, her voice softer now but no less commanding. "Find out what they are and why they’re here. I’ll make it worth your while. These anomalies make me anxious because they are an unknown and unknowns in the Ruin rarely bode well."

Clyde regarded her for a moment before giving a curt nod. "Alright. I want answers too actually."

Graemory smiled faintly. "Good. I knew I could rely on you."

"What you want for reward?" Graemory asked.

"I still don’t know yet."

Then, Graemory smiled. "Then I will give you information. I will tell you Asmodeus’s most precious artifact."

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