Chapter 544: The Blue Haired Woman’s Departure
Third Person’s POV
However, just as that sense of relief began to take hold, a sudden change occurred.
The delicate blue bracelet adorning the fair wrist of the blue-haired woman began to emit a faint glow as it pulsed intermittently with a soft but persistent blue light that stood out sharply against the cold surroundings.
Her expression, which had been calm until now, shifted immediately, and a trace of annoyance appeared on her face, followed by frustration.
She glanced at the bracelet and observed the frequency of its glow.
Seeing its light blinking and dimming increasingly fast, she seemed to understand something which caused her expression to darken further.
Her brows furrowed slightly as irritation surfaced in her eyes.
Letting out a quiet sigh, she slowed to a halt and turned toward Arlene.
Her demeanor became serious as she spoke without unnecessary delay,
"Alright, listen carefully, Arlene. I have something urgent to attend to, so I will not be accompanying you and your entourage any further to the Ice Emperor City."
Her words fell plainly, yet carried a weight that immediately drew everyone’s attention.
And though none of the others noticed it, a faint and subtle glint flashed within the old eyes of Uncle Caspian at that very moment.
It was a fleeting reaction that vanished just as quickly as it had appeared, leaving his expression unchanged and calm as it perfectly blended in with the subdued reactions of the rest of the group, and thus escaped the notice of the already distracted blue-haired woman entirely.
Gesturing lightly toward the coffin that rested securely upon the shoulders of the ice golem, she continued in a calm yet serious tone, her gaze lingering briefly on the sealed structure before shifting back toward Arlene,
"As for this young man, my ice golem will carry him and ensure his safety until all of you reach the city.
After that, you are to take him directly to my mage tower and see to it that he is properly looked after, so that I may examine him again once I return from my travel."
Her words were clear and carried an unmistakable authority, leaving no room for misunderstanding.
Yet the moment she finished speaking, her expression softened slightly as she turned her eyes toward Arlene and gave her a small, playful wink, as if the heaviness of her earlier tone had never existed.
That sudden shift caught Arlene completely off guard.
A faint flush rose to her cheeks as she felt an odd mix of embarrassment and confusion, and just as she gathered herself and opened her mouth to respond properly, a soft and familiar voice echoed directly within her mind, bypassing her ears entirely.
"Remember this carefully, Arlene... only you are hearing these words."
The voice was unmistakable; it was none other than her aunt.
Arlene’s heart skipped a beat, but she did not allow her expression to betray her surprise as she remained outwardly composed.
Her eyes instinctively shifted toward the blue-haired woman, who appeared completely normal to the others while still standing near the coffin as if nothing unusual had occurred.
She seemed to be examining her bracelet and looking into the distance with an expression of deep thought.
"I must leave for something urgent," the voice continued within her mind, calm yet carrying a faint seriousness that made Arlene listen intently,
"But the ice golem will not retain its current level of strength by the time you reach the city."
A subtle tension formed in Arlene’s chest as she processed those words.
The secretive soul transmission continued, though it became quieter and carried a foreboding tone.
"And the reason I am telling you this is so that you do not reveal this fact to anyone until you safely arrive in the Ice Emperor City.
Remember, you would not reveal this even to your maid who has been with you since childhood, and not even to that armored master who has been assigned to protect you."
The weight of that instruction settled heavily within her mind as it was a strict command and not a suggestion.
Arlene remained silent, her expression steady as she absorbed those words, though beneath that calm exterior, her thoughts had already begun to shift as she understood the implications of what she had just been entrusted with.
Meanwhile, outwardly, the blue-haired woman appeared completely unchanged as she hovered slightly above the coffin, her gaze resting upon it as though she were observing it for the last time, her eyes carrying a faint, contemplative depth.
Then, unexpectedly, a trace of regret appeared on her face.
Letting out a soft sigh, she muttered under her breath, though her voice was clear enough for everyone present to hear,
"What a pity... this boy is still alive. Otherwise, I would have taken him with me inside my storage ring."
Her words sent an involuntary chill down the spines of those present, despite the cold environment they were already in, as the casual nature of her statement contrasted sharply with its unsettling implication.
At the same time, confusion surfaced within the group as they could not help but wonder why she would not simply take the coffin along with her if she truly found it valuable, especially considering that the ice golem was already capable of carrying it with ease.
The thought lingered, but none of them dared to voice it, not a single one.
Not even Arlene, as she was simply too distant from her aunt in reality, and didn’t dare get comfortable with her.
The presence of the woman before them was beautiful yet overwhelmingly powerful and unpredictable, and it was more than enough to suppress any such curiosity.
And so, Arlene simply remained silent, her mind focused not on questions but on the task she had been entrusted with, as she held onto her aunt’s words firmly, allowing them to settle deeply within her thoughts.
At this moment, she had only one clear objective, and it was to safely escort the coffin to her aunt’s mage tower, where it would remain protected.