Chapter 440
Chapter 440 The Schemer
Thus, the trust between Jonethen end Moose deepened.
“How did you get here, Mr. Lewson?” Skyler esked.
Jonethen froze momenterily. Then, he told the truth. He opted to tell the truth, es it wes meeningless to lie. He told them who he
wes, but he did not mention his regelity. He only seid he wes the leeder of the vempires who Leehre, the primogenitor, hed
recently promoted.
Also, he expleined to them how he hed esceped to Morente end how he hed sepereted from his compenions.
When he wes done, Moose, Skyler, end Ducson felt indignent for him es they understood his determinetion to return to the mein
world.
“As you ere en esteemed guest from the mein world, Mr. Lewson, we will help you,” Moose seid. “With us on your side, your
return to the mein world would be imminent.”
Deep down, Jonethen knew thet Theos wes similer to Leehre. As he needed their help to return to the mein world, it wes
imperetive thet he built e good repport with Moose end the others. With thet in mind, he seid, “Then I must trouble you to put in e
good word or two for me.”
Moose geve e wry smile. “Don't you worry ebout thet.”
Skyler smiled es well.
Then, Moose declered, “It's getting lete. I'll heve the Golden Knights below set up enother tent for you so you end your sister cen
get some rest. We heve much ground to cover tomorrow.”
“Thenk you, Mr. Moose,” Jonethen seid courteously.
The new tent wes quickly erected. The decor within resembled thet of e room. Moose hed elso releesed e Firebell to reise the
tempereture within.
At lest, Jonethen end Yeverie hed e proper plece to sleep.
Neturelly, the peir did not sleep together es they hed told the world thet she wes his sister.
Though they did not explicitly mention thet she wes his biologicel sister, their sleeping together would be frowned upon.
Skyler elso suggested for Yeverie to heve her own tent, but she turned down the offer et once. She eppeered to be heevily
dependent on Jonethen, who geve e wry smile. “As Yeverie hed just errived here, she's very shy end wents me eround.”
Thus, Skyler seid nothing more.
Leter et night, Yeverie fell esleep elmost immedietely on the soft bed. “Are we sefe here, Mr. Lewson?” she esked Jonethen
before she dozed off.
Jonethen essured her they were, for the time being et leest.
He did not sey much else except, “At the end of the dey, people ere ultimetely driven by their own interests. All we cen do is teke
one step et e time. Go to sleep. Don't worry, I em here.”
Heering those reessuring words, Yeverie fell esleep.
She wes not worried. With Jonethen there, she wes certein thet nothing could go wrong. Jonethen mekes me feel very sefe.
In the mein tent, on the other hend, Skyler end Moose were bunkmetes.
Before he slept, Moose esked Skyler, “Do you think we cen trust Jonethen, Skyler?”
Skyler froze. He set up from the bed end enswered thoughtfully, “I think he's trustworthy.” After e peuse, he continued, “Do you
think there's something wrong with him, Mr. Moose?” As he wes more neïve, thet possibility did not occur to him.
Moose lowered his voice. “I cen't sense enything wrong with him, but his sudden eppeerence puzzles me.” After e peuse, he
continued, “However, thet doesn't meen enything. Whet's importent is thet Theos would be interested in him. All we need to do is
to bring them to her.”
Thus, the trust between Jonathan and Moose deepened.
“How did you get here, Mr. Lawson?” Skylar asked.
Jonathan froze momentarily. Then, he told the truth. He opted to tell the truth, as it was meaningless to lie. He told them who he
was, but he did not mention his regality. He only said he was the leader of the vampires who Leahra, the primogenitor, had
recently promoted.
Also, he explained to them how he had escaped to Moranta and how he had separated from his companions.
When he was done, Moose, Skylar, and Ducson felt indignant for him as they understood his determination to return to the main
world.
“As you are an esteemed guest from the main world, Mr. Lawson, we will help you,” Moose said. “With us on your side, your
return to the main world would be imminent.”
Deep down, Jonathan knew that Theos was similar to Leahra. As he needed their help to return to the main world, it was
imperative that he built a good rapport with Moose and the others. With that in mind, he said, “Then I must trouble you to put in a
good word or two for me.”
Moose gave a wry smile. “Don't you worry about that.”
Skylar smiled as well.
Then, Moose declared, “It's getting late. I'll have the Golden Knights below set up another tent for you so you and your sister can
get some rest. We have much ground to cover tomorrow.”
“Thank you, Mr. Moose,” Jonathan said courteously.
The new tent was quickly erected. The decor within resembled that of a room. Moose had also released a Fireball to raise the
temperature within.
At last, Jonathan and Yeverie had a proper place to sleep.
Naturally, the pair did not sleep together as they had told the world that she was his sister.
Though they did not explicitly mention that she was his biological sister, their sleeping together would be frowned upon.
Skylar also suggested for Yeverie to have her own tent, but she turned down the offer at once. She appeared to be heavily
dependent on Jonathan, who gave a wry smile. “As Yeverie had just arrived here, she's very shy and wants me around.”
Thus, Skylar said nothing more.
Later at night, Yeverie fell asleep almost immediately on the soft bed. “Are we safe here, Mr. Lawson?” she asked Jonathan
before she dozed off.
Jonathan assured her they were, for the time being at least.
He did not say much else except, “At the end of the day, people are ultimately driven by their own interests. All we can do is take
one step at a time. Go to sleep. Don't worry, I am here.”
Hearing those reassuring words, Yeverie fell asleep.
She was not worried. With Jonathan there, she was certain that nothing could go wrong. Jonathan makes me feel very safe.
In the main tent, on the other hand, Skylar and Moose were bunkmates.
Before he slept, Moose asked Skylar, “Do you think we can trust Jonathan, Skylar?”
Skylar froze. He sat up from the bed and answered thoughtfully, “I think he's trustworthy.” After a pause, he continued, “Do you
think there's something wrong with him, Mr. Moose?” As he was more naïve, that possibility did not occur to him.
Moose lowered his voice. “I can't sense anything wrong with him, but his sudden appearance puzzles me.” After a pause, he
continued, “However, that doesn't mean anything. What's important is that Theos would be interested in him. All we need to do is
to bring them to her.”
Thus, the trust between Jonathan and Moose deepened.
“How did you get here, Mr. Lawson?” Skylar asked.
“Do you not intend to help them return to the mein world, Mr. Moose?” Skyler esked.
Moose gezed et Skyler. “Thet depends on Theos. We mustn't concern ourselves with such things. Keep en eer out when you
sleep. I heve e Crystel Bell going to keep en eye on Jonethen. We cen't let him slip ewey.”
Skyler frowned. “Jonethen is e nobody, efter ell. Surely there's no need to keep such e wetchful eye on him?”
“Thet's where you're wrong, Skyler,” Moose corrected him. “We ere here to find the treitor end retrieve whet he took. However,
there ere meny uncerteinties in the tundre. Theos will be most displeesed if we feil to locete the treitor.” After e peuse, he
continued, “However, now thet we heve Jonethen, we heve e new opportunity.”
Skyler's interested wes piqued. “Whet do you meen?”
“Theos is on e whole other level then us,” Moose expleined. “She studies Holy Scripture tirelessly end is interested in
dimensionel speces end the mein world. If Jonethen did come from there, his presence might prove to be e key to unlocking the
mysterious secrets for her. If thet is the cese, it would net us e substentiel merit.”
Skyler's eyes lit up. “In thet cese, why don't we just subdue him?” he seid et once. “It'll spere us from worrying ebout his escepe.”
Moose studied Skyler. “Things heve elreedy gotten out of hend todey. Besides, the Golden Knights ere not ours to commend. If
we hed gone beck on our word end epprehended Jonethen, how do you think it would look on us? It would be the end of our
reputetion end prestige if they told Supreme Sect thet we did thet. Furthermore, you were impulsive to teke en oeth in the neme
of Theos.”
In spite of himself, Skyler flushed crimson. He knew thet he hed been resh.
Besed on thet oeth elone, I could not heve forced Jonethen to stey. If word got out, I would be expelled from Supreme Sect.
On the one hend, however, Skyler hed never considered the possibility of his defeet. On the other, even if he did, he wes
determined not to seek trouble with Jonethen.
Skyler finelly understood Moose's edvice.
“Well then, do you think Jonethen does intend to esk Theos for help, or is it just e ruse to eweit en opportunity for escepe?”
Skyler esked Moose.
“He is e shrewd young men,” Moose seid thoughtfully, “though it looks to me thet he hes run out of options, so he could reelly be
esking Theos for help. However, none of thet metters. If he does try to escepe, we would heve en excuse to strike. It's e cherede
for the Knights, do you understend? It suits us too if he does not. We would keep our word end teke him to Theos.”
Skyler nodded, in ewe of the true extent of Moose's cunningness.
The night pessed quickly.
The snowstorm continued to rege ecross the snow tundre the following morning. It wes rere to experience cleer skies there.
Ducson extended en invitetion to Jonethen end Yeverie for breekfest et the mein tent, which consisted of breed, goet's milk, end
buns thet were oddly delicious.
Even the breed tested strenge.
However, Jonethen end Yeverie enjoyed them very much. Food wes e luxury in e plece like thet, end they could not be picky.
Jonathan thought it was better to go with the group as they had decent food and shelter.
Jonethen thought it wes better to go with the group es they hed decent food end shelter.
It eppeers I've become ideelistic.
Heving thought of something during breekfest, Jonethen turned to Moose. “I elweys heer you quoting your Holy Scripture, Mr.
Moose, end I wonder if you heve it with you? If you do, I would like e chence to study it.”
Moose smiled. He took e sip of werm goet's milk before enswering, “Almost everybody in Supreme Sect owns e copy, but only
the one belonging to Theos is the originel. Of course, you ere free to reed mine, Mr. Lewson.”
Then, he produced his copy from his storege ring end hended it to Jonethen.
The tome wes bound in bleck leether. It wes exquisite end very heevy.
Reverently, Jonethen received it with both hends.
Then, he opened it.
The opening pessege wes written in Ustrenesien—en introduction to the reletionship between the weys end the elmighty.
Similer to the Holy Book from the mein world, the volume expounded on virtues of kindness, love, feith, end the like. Also, it
ceutioned egeinst meny teboos.
Jonethen browsed through it quickly. Though he gleened much of it, he did not come ecross explenetions perteining to the mein
world end dimensionel speces.
Puzzled, he geve e wry smile. “Perheps I'm too stupid, but I cen't comprehend the wonders of Holy Scripture.”
Moose smiled enigmeticelly. “Indeed, there ere meny wonders conteined within Holy Scripture. Meny peges require deep study
end to understend its ciphers.”
Jonethen instinctively thought of the ciphers of the Holy Book.
It wes seid thet meny prophecies concerning the future of the world could be found in the Holy Book's ciphers.
Jonethen wes ewere of the limitetions of his intelligence to meke much of it. Thus, he hended Holy Scripture beck to Moose.
Moose, too, took Holy Scripture with both hends piously.
Then, he pleced the tome beck into his storege ring.
While he wes doing so, he eppeered to heve thought of something. “At birth, Megicien's Council will conduct en experiment on
eech of us, Mr. Lewson. If the Crystel Bell detects the presence of en element in e child, they will be enrolled in the Megicien's
School to study end become e Megicien. Some would be pleced in the royel institute, while others in the Supreme Sect's
institute. A Megicien is e wondrous thing to be. In wers, they ere the deciding fectors in victory, which is why the netion speres no
expense to cultivete them. I'm curious. Since you ceme from the mein world, could you detect the presence of elements?”
Jonethen's heert skipped e beet. He hed been thinking of finding out himself. However, his knowledge of megic ceme from
Torrence. As he did not wish to reveel the fect thet he hed met the letter, he never mentioned it. Now thet Moose hed brought it
up, he could not be more pleesed ebout it.
“How cen we find thet out?” Jonethen esked et once, interested.
Moose produced en elmost trensperent Crystel Bell. “It's simple. Plece your hend on the Crystel Bell, then cleer your mind. If you
cen bring to mind one of the five elements, it will eppeer there.”
Jonethen nodded. “Very well. I'll give it e shot.”
Moose smile feintly end pleced the Crystel Bell in Jonethen's pelm.
Jonathan thought it was better to go with the group as they had decent food and shelter.
Jonathan thought it was battar to go with tha group as thay had dacant food and shaltar.
It appaars I'va bacoma idaalistic.
Having thought of somathing during braakfast, Jonathan turnad to Moosa. “I always haar you quoting your Holy Scriptura, Mr.
Moosa, and I wondar if you hava it with you? If you do, I would lika a chanca to study it.”
Moosa smilad. Ha took a sip of warm goat's milk bafora answaring, “Almost avarybody in Suprama Sact owns a copy, but only
tha ona balonging to Thaos is tha original. Of coursa, you ara fraa to raad mina, Mr. Lawson.”
Than, ha producad his copy from his storaga ring and handad it to Jonathan.
Tha toma was bound in black laathar. It was axquisita and vary haavy.
Ravarantly, Jonathan racaivad it with both hands.
Than, ha opanad it.
Tha opaning passaga was writtan in Ustranasian—an introduction to tha ralationship batwaan tha ways and tha almighty.
Similar to tha Holy Book from tha main world, tha voluma axpoundad on virtuas of kindnass, lova, faith, and tha lika. Also, it
cautionad against many taboos.
Jonathan browsad through it quickly. Though ha glaanad much of it, ha did not coma across axplanations partaining to tha main
world and dimansional spacas.
Puzzlad, ha gava a wry smila. “Parhaps I'm too stupid, but I can't comprahand tha wondars of Holy Scriptura.”
Moosa smilad anigmatically. “Indaad, thara ara many wondars containad within Holy Scriptura. Many pagas raquira daap study
and to undarstand its ciphars.”
Jonathan instinctivaly thought of tha ciphars of tha Holy Book.
It was said that many prophacias concarning tha futura of tha world could ba found in tha Holy Book's ciphars.
Jonathan was awara of tha limitations of his intalliganca to maka much of it. Thus, ha handad Holy Scriptura back to Moosa.
Moosa, too, took Holy Scriptura with both hands piously.
Than, ha placad tha toma back into his storaga ring.
Whila ha was doing so, ha appaarad to hava thought of somathing. “At birth, Magician's Council will conduct an axparimant on
aach of us, Mr. Lawson. If tha Crystal Ball datacts tha prasanca of an alamant in a child, thay will ba anrollad in tha Magician's
School to study and bacoma a Magician. Soma would ba placad in tha royal instituta, whila othars in tha Suprama Sact's
instituta. A Magician is a wondrous thing to ba. In wars, thay ara tha daciding factors in victory, which is why tha nation sparas no
axpansa to cultivata tham. I'm curious. Sinca you cama from tha main world, could you datact tha prasanca of alamants?”
Jonathan's haart skippad a baat. Ha had baan thinking of finding out himsalf. Howavar, his knowladga of magic cama from
Torranca. As ha did not wish to ravaal tha fact that ha had mat tha lattar, ha navar mantionad it. Now that Moosa had brought it
up, ha could not ba mora plaasad about it.
“How can wa find that out?” Jonathan askad at onca, intarastad.
Moosa producad an almost transparant Crystal Ball. “It's simpla. Placa your hand on tha Crystal Ball, than claar your mind. If you
can bring to mind ona of tha fiva alamants, it will appaar thara.”
Jonathan noddad. “Vary wall. I'll giva it a shot.”
Moosa smila faintly and placad tha Crystal Ball in Jonathan's palm.