Fawks watched with bated breath as he saw the figures emerging from the Lab, while arriving sooner was not necessarily good it meant that the people who had entered had at least retrieved something.

The first figure he saw emerge was his younger brother Mathias’s group. The adventurers who were in the group looked around in daze as if they weren’t quite sure what had happened. When asked to present an object of value the group was unable to do so.

Such an event was odd, but many had assumed that it was because Mathias had failed in his mission.

Initially, Fawks was not particularly surprised that Mathias has failed, but when he inquired to the adventurers that had exited with Mathias they all were unable to describe the second half of their trip at all.

All of them mentioned being ambushed and placed at the entrance of the lab, the figure who had ambushed them has struck so deeply in their hearts that they had given up immediately instead of proceeding further.

Fawks had never heard of such a thing occurring in a lab, if someone was ambushed and attacked by monsters it was unlikely, they would be able to survive, but the adventurers were still alive and even transported to the entrance.

It was a rare show of mercy that was highly unusual.

The next person to exit was Hectaire, Zacariah’s hired adventurer. The man was inconsolable and wailed as he left the lab, it took over 10 gold-ranked adventurers to restrain him alone.

While the queen had instigated a gag order about the event, the lab was in a public place and it was witnessed by several onlookers.

While restrained all he did was babble about a terrifying monster in the lab, who had control over life and death. This greatly shocked all who heard the news, combining the accounts of Hectaire and Mathias’s group, there was some sort of terrifying monster that had emerged in the lab, one far stronger than the platinum dragon.

The queen began to consider prematurely ending the trial. While it was meant to be difficult and dangerous it would do no good to have all the candidates die.

Now, the fates of Kotori, Deliah, and Ryla all uncertain.

Still, the day before the queen order the Queen’s guard to enter the lab and search for survivors the entrance of the lab was finally exited by two groups.

Zacariah and Ryla’s groups.

Both parties were immediately questioned upon exiting.

Zacariah only gave cold snorts when asked anything and the next day he had mysteriously disappeared, the chamber where he had been placed was empty and the ship was missing from the harbor.

Ryla was able to explain more, based on her accounts Fawks had been able to paint a more clear picture of what had happened in the lab, and it shocked him.

“You must be joking me, Kotori is not that powerful” Fawks said as he heard Ryla’s account for himself.

Ever since she had left the lab, her figure had deflated somewhat, the previously proud woman had only half the presence she once had.

Ryla gave a look at her younger brother. He had grown up quite a bit since she last saw him. When he first left Eris there was still a little bit of baby fat lining the edge of his chin, now it was a masculine-looking face.

Still, she ruffled his tousled hair, as she had always done when they were younger.

She gave a soft chuckled and looked at him with warm eyes. The first time she had looked at Fawks with such eyes in a long time.

“That girl you found… is quite something.” She said before walking off.

Fawks could only watch the figure of his sister moving away, it had been a long time since he had felt a familial connection to his sibling, but now he began to feel something kindle inside of him.

** ** **

In a few days, Kotori and her party had exited the lab. When asked to produce an item of value she meekly showed the crystal she had received from Lala.

Upon inspection, the crystal was found to be a curious object that was a self-filling mana crystal. Such an object was unheard of and immensely valuable. It also had a capacity that was a little weaker than Platinum Dragon crystal. Such crystal was powerful enough to fill and run all the magical items in the palace with extra to spare.

It was quickly dubbed a national treasure and Kotori was declared the winner of the Queen’s trial.

Fawks spent the next few days in the daze, one that had the palace servants nervous. Many of them asked if was ill but Fawks waved them off,

No, there was nothing wrong.

For he had won!

Kitsura

Chapter 200! We made it!

Also started a new book, When Gods Fall, this is my first attempt at Wuxia style novel, please lend me your support!

༼ つ ◕_◕ ༽つ ༼ つ ◕_◕ ༽つ I want to be on Wuxia World!