Chapter 181: Truly a Pity, I Couldn’t Make You Propose to Me First

The long years, the endless time, could bury many things.

Prosperous ancient kingdoms, the resurrection of Old Gods, legendary wars… those epics of grandeur and tragedy during the Sixth Era, having weathered an entire epoch, were already buried under the dust of history, with not even a trace of ruins left behind.

Except for a few Night Travelers, no one remembered anything that had once transpired.

And Rast, who had personally witnessed that glorious epic of the Sixth Era, also began to fade into obscurity again after returning to the Present World.

Day and night, he shuttled between the Arcane Tower and the grand library of Starfall University, often spending days and nights behind closed doors. Other than Dean Silver, no one could track his whereabouts.

Rast's actions caused the members of the Starfall University journalism club to come up empty-handed.

Initially, they noticed that Rast's name had suddenly entered the top ten on the obelisk erected at the gate of Starfall University, becoming the second sophomore to enter the Twelve Seats of the Round Table after Shiltina… From such a development, the journalism club keenly sensed the scent of a major scoop.

Something earth-shattering must have occurred in the Nightworld—something that allowed Rast, a freshman not even a year into his enrollment, to accumulate enough merit and contributions to earn a place among the Twelve Seats of the Round Table.

But no matter how the journalists inquired, they found nothing in the end… Their attempts to interview Rast in person also failed completely. All they ever saw was a ferret lying on Rast’s dormitory sofa, playing with a phone.

"You want to dig some big news out of that brat Rast? Give it up. Don’t you know what kind of Transcendents make it into the Twelve Seats of the Round Table? Every one of them is a shut-in maniac you won’t see for ten days or half a month."

"But if you can’t get to Rast, you can always ask me… I’ve been following that guy ever since he enrolled. I know all his secrets, how many girls he’s flirted with, how many pretty young ladies he’s been ambiguously entangled with—clear as day."

"Tip me 50 and I’ll tell you. I’ll even throw in that guy’s top-secret, juicy love history..."

"What? You say I’ve scammed you several times already and you don’t believe me anymore? Come on, I just want a grilled fish cake from White Walnut Bakery’s Thursday special. 40 is fine too. Or 30… 20 if you must..."

From Rast’s student dormitory, came Dean Silver’s earnest huckstering.

…

Half a month after reuniting with Akxia on that cliff in the Present World.

Rast also met Shiltina, who had just returned from outside the campus, looking a bit travel-worn.

"I’ve seen everything you went through in this Nightworld through my sister’s footage. That battle was absolutely brilliant."

"Also—"

"Congratulations, Rast."

As always, their reunion was without any lavish banquet, only a simple meal inside the room.

Under the dim glow of the night lamp, Shiltina brushed aside a strand of chestnut hair from her forehead and gazed at the boy before her with her soft brown eyes.

After a moment, her delicate lips curved into a faint smile. "By my estimation, you should be just a sliver away from truly breaking through to the Sixth Tier."

"Once you break through to the Sixth Tier, you'll be a formidable figure even among all the Transcendents across the western continent..."

"In this era where legends fade away and even those who still exist rarely make a move—the Sixth Tier Transcendents are pillars that can shoulder great burdens alone."

A strange light flickered in Shiltina’s eyes. "Given how high you’ve risen, Rast, anyone unaware would never imagine..."

"Just half a year ago, you were merely a newbie who had just stepped into the world of the Transcendents, barely knowing a thing."

A touch of reminiscence surfaced on her beautiful face.

Shiltina recalled the time she first met Rast at that bar in the Nightworld called Deep Blue Port.

It was also a starless, pitch-black night. In a private booth of the bar, just like now, they sat across a small wooden table, with a lamp glowing between them, illuminating their eyes.

Back then, Shiltina never imagined that this Echo of History native, whom she had already tagged as a smooth-talking playboy in her heart, would one day become so deeply entangled with her, one of the most important people in her life.

"How should I put it... Although it’s only been about half a year in the Present World,"

Rast chuckled. "If you count what I went through in the Nightworld, it’s probably far longer than that."

The flow of time in the Nightworld did not align with the Present World. A whole year might pass within a Nightworld Remnant, but only a few days or a dozen days would elapse in reality.

That was also why Starfall University students advanced far faster than ordinary Transcendents.

Often after a few months apart, their tier and strength would already be dramatically transformed… Because what seemed like just four years of university life could, for Night Travelers, span over a decade, even several decades.

Of course, this didn’t mean the Nightworld was simply a convenient training ground… Every Nightworld Remnant mission inevitably came with immense danger.

The death of a Night Traveler in the Nightworld also meant their true death in the Present World. If that were not the case, the obelisk standing at the school gate would not shine so brilliantly, like stars twinkling in the night sky.

Danger and opportunity coexisted; behind what seemed like a dramatic surge in strength lay the necessity of walking hand-in-hand with death. This was the price that all Night Travelers had to bear.

“Moreover, the reason I was able to make such rapid progress was primarily due to what I had accumulated previously at Deep Blue Port.”

Rast said, “The time I experienced at that port was far too long.”

“The foundation I built over three hundred years of looping—though unable to manifest directly in my physical body due to the rollback—granted my spiritual power far beyond the norm.”

“Compared to ordinary people like you who have never gone through time loops, it’s as if I was innately given a cheat, and through that cheat I obtained a superior rank… there’s really nothing to be proud of.”

As he spoke, he retrieved two silver goblets and four bottles of liquor in various colors from the small refrigerator in the dorm.

In the next moment, the colorful bottles danced between his fingers, fluttering as if given life.

“Compared to me, the one who’s truly more praiseworthy should be you, Shiltina.”

“After all—”

Rast’s voice paused briefly.

“If I’m not mistaken, while I am still stuck at the final threshold, you have truly broken through the Sixth Tier and stepped into the supreme realm just beneath the Legendary Realm.”

His fingers halted.

Clack—

A crisp sound echoed on the tabletop.

Rast pushed a silver goblet toward Shiltina. “Try it, ‘Amber’s Embrace’. The version you didn’t get the chance to taste last time at Deep Blue Port.”

Shiltina reached out and took the goblet. The liquid within was a dusky yellow, thick and heavy, like twilight slowly flowing through the cup.

“If throwing just anyone into a Nightworld loop for three hundred years could produce someone like you, Rast… then the Empire and Starfall University would’ve already begun mass-producing geniuses with extraordinary abilities.”

“As for my own power—if you liken your spiritual strength forged through time loops to a cheat, then I too possess one. Even more overpowered and more unfair than yours.”

She gently swirled the goblet in her hand, voicing a soft murmur.

The liquor spinning inside the cup truly gleamed with the color of amber.

Shiltina remembered clearly. When they first met, Rast introduced her to the two most profitable liquors: ‘Infernal Flowing Sand’ and ‘Amber’s Embrace’. But in the end, he only mixed ‘Infernal Flowing Sand’ for her. The other remained merely a description—until today.

According to Rast, working as a bartender and host at the bar was simply his way of passing time, a self-indulgent diversion.

But in truth, as the first person in the Present World to come into contact with Rast—perhaps the one who knew him best—

Shiltina had once witnessed Rast’s initial form with her own eyes… and even caught a glimpse of the youth’s true heart.

So more than anyone else, Shiltina knew just how broken and desolate Rast’s Mental Image had once been, and how difficult it was to endure those three hundred years.

An endlessly repeating same day, never advancing—this was hell to humans… and the only ones who could return from hell were demons clinging to obsession.

That desolate and empty soul was the result of forcibly transforming oneself into a demon, just to survive in hell.

For an ordinary person, they would likely collapse within decades. Even if the body could revive endlessly through the loop, the soul would already have shattered, reduced to a vegetative shell.

Rast described the three hundred years he experienced in Deep Blue Port as his cheat.

But in truth, it was Rast himself—who managed to preserve his self across that time span—whose soul was steely and unyielding. That, was the true cheat.

Shiltina closed her eyes, raised her goblet, and downed the ‘Amber’s Embrace’ in one gulp.

To her surprise, though it looked like it was made from strong liquor, ‘Amber’s Embrace’ did not have a harsh taste. Instead, it was incredibly sweet, with a lingering aftertaste…

It was the complete opposite of the ‘Infernal Flowing Sand’ she had tasted back at the bar in Deep Blue Port—

‘Infernal Flowing Sand’ was as hard as iron sand, like blazing firewood on a winter night—fierce and brilliant, burning itself away with resolute abandon.

But ‘Amber’s Embrace’ was gentle and serene, reminding Shiltina of the soft night sky.

That rigid, unyielding, self-consuming style of the former… was undoubtedly a product matching the image of Rast the bartender—

Mysterious, cold, unpredictable yet immensely powerful. Once he made a plan, he would fulfill it no matter the cost or pain.

But in this very moment, upon personally tasting Rast’s ‘Amber’s Embrace’, Shiltina felt a sudden hunch—beneath the steel wall of hearts forged from countless Masks of Personality—

The tenderness like the night sky was closer to his true heart.

“It really is a moving flavor.”

As she savored the ‘Amber’s Embrace’, Shiltina’s lips curved and quivered.

Only after a long while did her luminous eyes open again, crystal-clear like the full moon. “If you weren’t an extraordinary being, Rast, I believe my father would still invite you to work for the royal family, based solely on your bartending skills.”

“Is that all?”

Rast shook his head in slight disappointment. “I originally thought that after tasting it, you’d say, ‘Rast, from now on please make me a drink every day.’”

“Seems like I still need to refine my skills more. I haven’t yet reached the level where one sip would make a girl fall head over heels and propose to me.”

“What you’re describing isn’t alcohol—it’s a love potion, isn’t it?”

Shiltina burst into laughter. But after laughing, she blinked in slight surprise.

Such teasing words—Rast, as she knew him before, would never have said.

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“Seems like Dean Silver was right… Since your return from the Nightworld, Rast, you really have changed.”

“You’ve become more like a living, breathing person—no longer a cold machine.”

Shiltina smiled, then handed the silver goblet back to Rast. “Then, dear bartender—”

“I still haven’t had my fill. May I trouble you for one more drink?”

…

By the time this modest meal came to an end, it was already deep into the night.

“It’s getting late, Rast. I’ll head back now.”

“And please send my regards to Dean Silver.”

Shiltina rose from the wooden table. Her chestnut-colored hair danced with the night breeze as it flowed through the hallway.

She donned the outerwear that had been draped over her chair and walked toward the dormitory entrance.

However, just as Shiltina pushed open the door and was about to step out of the entryway, her footsteps suddenly came to a halt.

“Shiltina, is there really nothing you want to say to me?”

Rast’s voice echoed through the hall, ringing clearly in Shiltina’s ears.

“What is it?” Shiltina stopped, but did not turn back.

“Senior Ingrid… and the noble factions of the Empire currently being purged by the Royal Family, those who are connected to the ‘Bronze Rose’ and even the ‘Gravekeepers’.”

Rast’s voice remained calm. “The Granwell Kingdom Royal Family and those high-ranking nobles colluding with foreign clandestine organizations, attempting to divide and even overthrow national sovereignty… This is a war to the death, and it has been waged in the shadows for nearly three months.”

“And now, this power struggle among the Upper Ranks, a war that determines the ownership of the entire Empire, is nearing its conclusion… The vast majority of the high nobles entangled with these secret organizations have either chosen to negotiate and surrender or have retreated across the border with their aid. Only a small few have chosen to resist to the bitter end.”

“However, in order to maintain stability within the Empire and to avoid desperate retaliation causing irreversible damage… the Empire must stretch its resources thin to defend various territories. The forces available for pursuit are severely lacking, to the point where even you have chosen to join the war, worried that the territory of the Ranger family—Autumnleaf Domain—might be affected by these desperate acts.”

“If the intelligence I’ve gathered is correct—”

Rast’s voice paused for a moment. “Senior Ingrid is also deeply tied to the clandestine organization… and as a Sixth Tier peak Extraordinary Being, someone who truly rose from the bottom ranks through military merit, her strength ranks among the best in the entire Empire.”

“She could have chosen to leave the Empire through the help of the clandestine organization and go to another country, yet she chose to stay and fight to the death.”

Rast’s voice was carried by the howling evening wind, each word distinct. “Shiltina, you’ve been busy all this time, haven’t you? It was all about Senior Ingrid… Your pursuit and her escape, your battle and confrontation, spanned across seven Nightworld History Echoes.”

“And now, you’ve finally driven her into a corner. The task you’re rushing to execute—”

“Is the final battle with Senior Ingrid, isn’t it?”

Upon hearing Rast’s question, Shiltina did not look back, but only nodded slightly.

“This is an Internal Rebellion within the Empire. Those high nobles and the clandestine organizations have infiltrated deeply into institutions like the Military Department and the Central Bureau… To suppress the nobles and prevent their desperate counterattacks, the entire nation is overstretched and can’t spare additional manpower.”

“On top of that, due to Senior Ingrid being a graduate of Starfall University… others from the Academy can’t conveniently intervene because of the University’s independence.”

“Given my connections with the Royal Family and Starfall University, it’s most effective for me to resolve this myself—it will keep the consequences to a minimum.”

“Still, I didn’t expect you to know so much, Rast, especially considering all this happened while you were in the Sixth Era History Echo and recovering from injuries afterwards… To avoid affecting you, I deliberately avoided such topics during our conversations.”

“You know, when you have a ferret with you, there’s no gossip in the world you can’t dig up.”

Rast said, “Don’t need my help?”

“I’ve seen your recordings in the History Echo. I know your abilities well. Beneath the Legendary Realm, no matter what kind of powerhouse it is, a slight mistake facing you could mean a huge loss.”

Shiltina brushed back her chestnut hair, tousled by the evening breeze. “I truly appreciate your kindness, Rast.”

“But it’s unnecessary.”

“Just as you once rejected my request to enter the History Echo together and rescue President Akxia… I also have my own reasons to fight this battle alone.”

She no longer looked back, simply stepping out the door into the still darkness of night.

“I know that Senior Ingrid detests me, despises my ideals, and loathes my dedication to justice… and likewise, I abhor her beliefs.”

“If that’s the case, then this battle alone—”

“Will prove that my convictions are in no way inferior to hers.”

Chestnut hair fluttered in the night like trails of fireworks, and the silhouette of the Rapier Wielder girl vanished into the depths of the night.

“Ah… why did I agree to your request back then, boarding your pirate ship like a fool?”

A silver flash blinked in the night sky, and a fluffy snow ferret appeared on Rast’s shoulder.

Dean Silver looked toward the direction Shiltina disappeared into, sighing with resignation. “You heard Little Tina. She said she doesn’t need your help. If you go meddling again, won’t it just be you clinging to someone who’s pushing you away? How about we just head home, huh? Winter blankets are warm. No need to wade into muddy waters.”

“You know that’s impossible, Dean Silver.” Rast gently stroked the Little Snow Ferret on his shoulder. The gesture was tender, but it made her fur stand on end.

“Besides…” Rast’s tone grew slightly distant. “My involvement in this matter isn’t only for Shiltina and Senior Ingrid. It’s for myself.”

The ‘Gravekeepers’ organization survived the End Catastrophe of the Sixth Era, continuing to exist into the present and has already begun to hide behind the curtain of history, interfering with the Present World… That, Rast could confirm as fact.

But the ‘Shoreguards’ no longer existed in this new era.

No matter how confident Rast was, he never believed he could take on a force that had endured since the Age of Gods and annihilated countless civilizations—entirely by himself.

One person’s power has its limits.

That’s why Rast needed companions—and more importantly, a force entirely loyal to him.

Only—

Even after regaining his humanity, Rast’s personality was ultimately different from Sisel’s. Those three hundred years at Deep Blue Port had made him used to being alone.

Rast had been solitary for centuries. He never trusted others and preferred to control everything himself—meticulously planning every detail and formulating the most comprehensive course of action.

That kind of experience meant Rast was destined not to be a charismatic leader like Sisel, able to inspire many just with personal charm.

Therefore, the subordinates Rast chose—

Had to meet standards far beyond those of the Sixth Era ‘Gravekeepers’ and ‘Shoreguards’.

He didn’t need a massive force like the ‘Shoreguards’ used to be, meant to maintain the social order of the entire Human Civilization. What he needed was a few elite subordinates, ones who could fully implement his will.

What lay ahead would be Rast’s first attempt—but even he wasn’t certain it would succeed.

On Rast’s shoulder, Dean Silver glanced down at the youth and shivered involuntarily.

She had thought that after regaining humanity, Rast would become a little more cheerful… but now it seemed he had only grown even more cunning.

To rebuild a long-gone force from an old era in a new one, in an unconventional way… The idea sounded exactly like those cult groups dreaming of bringing about a Descent of the (Evil) God to restore the glory of the Age of Gods.

But if one day Rast really did succeed in rebuilding the ‘Shoreguards’ in the Present World, wouldn’t she—his angel investor—be entitled to a position like Vice Leader?

In that case, she could have an endless supply of dried fish.

Dean Silver wagged her large fluffy tail, humming merrily in fantasy.

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