Chapter 138: Symphony of the Dawn of a New Era
Chapter 138: Chapter 137: Symphony of the Dawn of a New Era
The creaking sound of wooden wheels striking the cobblestone streets echoed, breaking the afternoon silence on Orario’s main road. The wind, carrying the distinct scent of dust and iron of the Labyrinth City, blew through the gaps in the carriage window, brushing the faces of its passengers. In the driver’s seat at the front, Zald sat casually. One hand held the horse’s reins, while the other rested on his knee, occasionally touching the hilt of Vorago—the giant black sword wrapped in dragon hide that was now his trusted weapon.
Inside the wooden carriage cabin, Venti sat leaning back comfortably. His teal eyes looked out the window, observing the peak of the Tower of Babel towering arrogantly through the clouds. Across from him, Alfia sat with perfectly upright posture, both her eyes closed as she enjoyed the rhythm of the journey. On the other side, Dina and Vena sat side by side.
They had returned.
Through the spatial resonance of the Temporal Severance in the Dragon Valley, the group leaped backward across the flow of time. They left the future to return to their own timeline.
The horse-drawn carriage drove through the main gate without hindrance. Their identities as the Silence and the Gluttony made the Guild gatekeepers bow in respect, letting the carriage turn smoothly, cutting through the commercial district until it reached the outskirts of the city.
The carriage stopped in the front courtyard. Venti jumped down first. He spread his arms wide, taking a deep breath of Orario’s air.
“The air in our timeline always feels the most right,” Venti murmured with a faint smile.
Alfia stepped down following behind him. Without responding to the god, the woman walked past the double doors of the church. Her dress fluttered along with her quick and purposeful steps toward the east wing of the building.
In one of the main bedrooms warmed by a fireplace, Meteria was sitting leaning against a pile of pillows. Her stomach already looked very large, indicating that the time of her delivery was only months away. The white-haired woman looked up upon hearing the sound of the wooden door creaking open. A relieved smile immediately bloomed on her lips when she saw her older sister return safe and sound.
“You’re home, Sister,” Meteria greeted with her gentle voice.
Alfia walked closer, closing the door behind her. The intimidating aura that usually enveloped her melted away instantly. She sat slowly on the edge of the bed, reaching out her hand to tidy a few strands of Meteria’s white hair.
“We have escorted him home, Meteria,” Alfia said calmly, looking into her younger sister’s eyes. “Bell has returned to his own timeline. He is in a safe place, surrounded by his familia and his friends.”
Hearing that direct report, Meteria’s movements halted. Her hand stroking her stomach trembled softly. She lowered her face, hiding her eyes behind her white bangs.
A pang of sadness rippled in her heart. Yes, just a little. That melancholic feeling was perfectly natural. After all, the white-haired youth who hugged her while sobbing in the future was her own flesh and blood. The fact that the youth came from a timeline she could not touch did not change her maternal instincts.
“I see,” Meteria whispered softly. A drop of tear fell, wetting the back of her hand. She immediately wiped it away and raised her face again, offering a sincere smile that radiated resilience. “Thank you, Sister Alfia. I am a little sad that I couldn’t see him longer. But knowing that he is happy there is enough for me. My duty now is to bring the child inside here safely into our world.”
Alfia nodded slowly. She pulled her sister into a protective embrace. Within her heart, Alfia swore; in this timeline, she would never let any tragedy touch her sister or her soon-to-be-born nephew.
While a peaceful family reunion took place inside the bedroom, the atmosphere in the backyard of the headquarters felt like an overtightened bowstring.
Hedin Selland and Hogni Ragnar stood side by side in silence. The former Kings of the White Elves and Dark Elves stared sharply at Zald, Dina, and Vena, who had just walked over to them after unloading their luggage. As veteran fighters, the instincts of the two elite Elves instantly resonated violently.
Hedin narrowed his eyes, raising his right hand to adjust the position of his glasses. His eyes dissected the pressure radiating from Dina and Vena. The density of Mind and the elemental air pressure around the bodies of the two Elf girls were no longer in the realm of Level 4. There was an absolute density of energy, a mature Level 5 aura pressing the air around them.
Hedin and Hogni’s gaze shifted to the massive figure beside the sisters. Zald stood casually. However, that very fact felt suffocating. The existence of the Gluttony now resembled a towering steel cliff with no end. Zald had broken through the wall of absoluteness, officially setting foot in the realm of Level 8.
“You guys,” Hedin started, “Zald, you Leveled Up. And you two as well,” he glanced at Dina and Vena, “have leveled up. Does this make any sense? You only went to the future of another timeline, then returned with power limits that have skyrocketed this far?”
Dina and Vena merely exchanged a calm glance, maintaining their posture.
Zald smirked. “We didn’t go there for a stroll, Hedin. We became the whetstones for the pillars of the future. We faced battles that forced us to push ourselves to the limit. In return, our vessels of power expanded as well.”
Hogni touched the hilt of his sword at his waist. His eyes radiated an intense displeasure. His pride was torn. The fact that he and Hedin were left behind by the women who had once defeated them made his blood boil. Being weak or left behind was not an option in their dictionary.
“Hedin,” Hogni murmured, his voice trembling low, laden with restrained fighting intent.
“Yes, I know,” Hedin replied sharply. The White Elf turned his body with a rough movement. “We no longer have the time to stand here dealing with useless matters.”
The two of them marched away simultaneously towards the side gate of the headquarters without looking back in the slightest. They did not spill their wounded pride in the form of complaints. Instead, Hedin and Hogni turned it into pure fuel.
In the coming months, the two Elves locked themselves in a fanatical grinding routine in the depths of the Dungeon. They slaughtered monsters from floor to floor with terrifying intensity, refusing to return to the surface before the limit of their Excelia accumulation was truly drained dry. Their focus was only one: to catch up and prove their worth within the executive ranks of the Barbatos Familia.
Several months passed at a very fast-rolling rhythm. The Barbatos Familia continued to strengthen its foundations in silence.
Until one dawn, tinged with a golden glow on the eastern horizon, an extraordinary busyness struck the church. The sound of rapid footsteps echoed in the main hallway. A small yet controlled panic colored the faces of the Familia members. The long-awaited day had finally arrived; Meteria’s labor had begun.
Outside the bedroom door, the atmosphere felt suffocating. Alfia paced back and forth from one end of the corridor to the other with a face as cold as ice. No one dared to approach her, because her clenched hands radiated a terrifying pressure. Zald sat cross-legged on the floor in the corner of the corridor, folding his massive arms while closing his eyes. Dina and Vena stood guard at the top of the stairs, ensuring the security of the area.
Only Venti looked relaxed. The wind god sat leaning against the large window sill, taking out his lyre. His fingers plucked the strings gently, playing a melody that seeped through the cracks of the door, helping to calm Meteria inside.
Until finally, the clear and strong sound of a baby’s cry broke the morning silence.
Alfia’s steps halted. Zald let out a long sigh of relief. The strumming of Venti’s lyre stopped on a final, harmonious note. The door opened, and a healer stepped out, giving a nod to Alfia.
Wasting no time, the doorway was filled by the family members who entered cautiously.
On the bed, Meteria lay with her breath still panting, yet her face was adorned with the most radiant smile she had ever shown. In her arms, wrapped in a white wool blanket, a baby boy was squirming. As soon as the baby opened his eyes, a pair of pure ruby-red gems gazed at the world, complemented by thin, snow-white hair.
The birth of Bell Cranel in this timeline was welcomed with absolute joy by everyone under the banner of the Barbatos Familia.
Alfia knelt at the side of the bed, her trembling hand touching the baby’s cheek with tenderness. Zald laughed, keeping the volume very guarded so as not to startle the baby. Hedin and Hogni, who had just been pulled out of the Dungeon and now radiated a very dense, sharp aura, also stood in the corner of the room with faint smiles.
It didn’t take long for the Familia’s foster children to crowd around as well. Sylphie guided her little daughter; little Ais approached the edge of the bed. Ais looked at the white-haired baby with her innocent golden eyes, extending her finger, which was immediately gripped tightly by Bell’s tiny fingers.
Little Asfi was busy taking out her analytical glasses, observing the baby before Vena playfully knocked her on the head to stop acting like a researcher. Little Bete Loga folded his arms and snorted, turning his face away, though his wagging tail betrayed his pride. Little Alicia smiled shyly behind Dina. Meanwhile, the four Pallum brothers—Alfrigg, Dvalinn, Berling, and Grer—whispered noisily, debating about what kind of object would be suitable to forge as a gift for the baby later.
That night, a massive celebration party was held privately in the main hall of the Barbatos Familia Headquarters.
The long tables were filled with dishes of roasted meat, warm cream soup, and bottles of high-quality wine. Laughter and chatter bounced off the stone walls. Zald was having a drinking contest with the four Pallum brothers. Hedin was scolding Bete for eating messily. Sylphie and Meteria sat relaxed on a corner sofa, chatting while watching over the soundly sleeping Bell.
At the head of the banquet table, Venti sat leaning back, twirling a goblet filled with red wine in his hand. His teal eyes swept across the entire room.
From his perspective as a tactical analyst, Venti knew that the current strength of his familia already comprised an extraordinary composition. He had Alfia and Zald at the top of the food chain. Hedin and Hogni as elite vanguards, supported by the deadly mobility of Dina and Vena. Plus the terrifying future potential of his foster children.
However, Venti was not a god who was easily satisfied. He realized that behind this peace, the Gekai was a place harboring many mysteries and anomalies. Relying on Orario as his sole foothold was a self-imposed limitation. He was certain there were unique talents scattered across various other continents, souls he could bring into his family to perfect the harmony he created. He wanted to see how far the Barbatos Familia could embrace the world.
“It seems,” Venti murmured to himself, smirking before downing the contents of his goblet, “it is time to move again.”
The next morning, after breakfast was over and the children were herded to the backyard for physical training, Venti gathered all his executives in the main meeting room.
The morning air still felt cold. Venti’s expression, which was more serious than usual, made the atmosphere of the room instantly tense. Zald put down his coffee cup, Hedin adjusted his glasses, while Dina and Vena stood leaning against the wall.
“Listen,” Venti began without preamble, his voice flowing casually yet full of firmness. “It’s time for us to recruit new members again. I will soon begin an expansion journey outside of Orario.”
That statement dropped a stone of silence in the middle of the room.
Alfia, who was sitting across the table, furrowed her brow sharply. Her eyes stared at the god.
“I refuse,” Alfia retorted quickly. “The world out there is vast and unpredictable. You want to leave Orario, wandering aimlessly?”
“The world is vast, Alfia. That is precisely why I must move,” Venti replied, smiling calmly. “There are many interesting things we cannot find if we merely stay within the walls of this city forever.”
Alfia stared at Venti intently. Her initial intention was to strictly forbid the plan. However, the mind of the Silence quickly realized the futility of her intention. If Alfia forbade him, Venti would surely find a way to sneak out in the middle of the night without an escort—just like his crazy stunt when he went to challenge the OEBD alone.
Rather than letting him loose out of control, the rational choice was to let him go with an absolute guarantee of safety.
Alfia clicked her tongue. Her eyes began to scan the room. It was obviously impossible for her to accompany the god. Alfia’s main focus had now shifted; she was beginning to focus on breaking through to Level 10 as quickly as possible. Zald also shared the same goal, needing time in the Dungeon to stabilize his new Level 8. Hedin and Hogni didn’t even need to be asked; the two Elves had just re-entered their crazy grinding phase.
Alfia’s eyes finally shifted to Dina and Vena. Both were elite fighters with the highest mobility. They were effective in tracking, protection, and rapid execution.
“Dina. Vena,” Alfia called out with a tone of absolute command.
The two Elf girls turned their heads in unison.
“The two of you will escort Venti,” Alfia ordered. “Don’t let him do anything stupid out there, watch his spending on liquor, and most importantly… make sure he returns here in one piece.”
Dina merely raised one eyebrow and smiled casually. “Consider it done. We will keep an eye on this Lord Venti.”
Vena smirked, crossing her arms over her chest. “Don’t worry. If anyone looks for trouble out there, we’ll just wipe them out.”
Venti laughed awkwardly. “You know, sometimes I feel my escorts are more like thugs than the enemies out there.”
“Quiet,” Alfia cut in coldly, instantly making Venti sit up straight. Alfia leaned forward, staring at the youth with an intimidating intensity. “How long do you plan to be on this journey?”
Venti tapped his fingers on the table, calculating the intercontinental distances and the targets he wanted to meet. “Seeing that the targets are scattered quite far… it might take me around two or three years—”
“One year.”
Venti blinked, falling silent for a moment. “Eh?”
“I am only giving you a maximum of one year,” Alfia asserted with an absolute tone. “Three hundred and sixty-five days. If you haven’t shown your face back at the gates of Orario by the last day of that time limit… I swear, I myself will go out and drag you home.”
Venti swallowed hard. Alfia’s aura felt very real.
“Alright, I understand,” Venti said, raising both his hands in surrender with a resigned smile. “Exactly one year. The captain is always stubborn.”
Alfia did not smile. And then, with a tone so flat it was like she was discussing tomorrow’s weather, she dropped a statement that cleaved the air.
“Use that one year very well, Venti,” Alfia said calmly. “Because within the next year… I will likely level up to Level Nine.”
There was no shock in the room. Zald only smirked slightly while folding his arms, while Hedin and Hogni nodded slowly as a sign of respect.
Not a single one of them dared to doubt her. Because the woman who said it was Alfia, the Incarnation of Talent. If she declared she would work hard to break through the limit toward Level 9 within a year, then it wasn’t merely an ambition. It was an absolute certainty destined to happen.
Realizing the absolute conviction of the captain, the tension in Venti’s shoulders vanished. The smile on his face widened, filled with an extraordinary sense of pride. He raised his coffee cup toward Alfia.
“In that case, I will very much look forward to that time coming.”
With the agreement that bound their destinies, that morning became a silent witness to the opening of a new page. The wind of change blew once again, ready to carry the wind god to seek new pillars that would support the Barbatos Familia.