Chapter 166: [165] A duel that made new history
When Ren returned to the inn, his steps halted in front of the door to the room he had rented on the second floor. A strange feeling crept into his mind—a subtle pressure in the air, an indistinct presence that seemed to be waiting in silence.
Carefully, he reached for the doorknob. He didn’t open it right away; instead, he pressed his ear against the old wooden surface. Silence—except for the sound of his own heartbeat and... something that couldn’t be explained. Slowly, he pushed the door open just a crack and peeked inside.
Kumara was standing with her back to the door, gazing out the window. Her posture looked calm, but Ren could feel that the atmosphere in the room wasn’t quite right. He stepped inside, and at that moment, the strange presence that had been cloaking the room suddenly vanished—as if it had evaporated into the air.
"Kumara?"
Kumara turned around quickly, briefly startled, but then smiled. "Ah... Master, you’re back!"
Ren narrowed his eyes, trying to read her. He walked over to the window where the young girl had just been standing and looked outside, only to find the streets of Eks as busy as ever—no trace of anything unusual.
"Did someone come in while I was gone?" he asked carefully.
"Mm... no, sir." Kumara replied quickly—too quickly, Ren thought. Her eyes shifted slightly, uneasy, though she tried to hide it behind a calm tone.
Ren stared at her for a moment, eyes scanning her expression carefully. But in the end, he simply let out a quiet sigh. Maybe it was just his nerves playing tricks on him... or maybe not.
"All right. Anyway, we’re heading out soon. It’s time to attend the sacred ceremony of the Champion—Trek."
"Mm, I understand..." Kumara lowered her head slightly, her eyes revealing a trace of doubt that she couldn’t quite hide.
Ren looked at her, then gently patted her shoulder. "I feel like this is the wrong move too... but we don’t have any other choice. We have to face this head-on."