“It’s just a slap on the wrist.”

Here was Ban Yue feeling extremely worried for Clodine who was about to suffer in a few minutes, but the man himself was busy being effortlessly cool. 

In his twenty-three years of life, Ban Yue couldn’t think of a time when he had the confidence to utter such scary and outrageous words. 

Is this what people called the confidence of the strong? 

For ordinary people like Ban Yue, these things that strong people called “just a slap on the wrist” were enough to get them killed. 

Ban Yue felt it was dangerous being around people with such dangerous thoughts.

“Are you sure? You might not be able to hold your staff anymore after this.”

“I don’t care.”

“I care. We’ll be done for if you can’t even wield your staff.”

Clodine looked offended.

“Do you take me for someone so weak? The High Priest being rendered useless after losing his weapon! Ha-! Just let the entire Alpainus burn then. Even my mere presence is light itself so don’t fret.”

“……………….”

Ban Yue was having an inner battle. 

He hadn’t met a lot of High Priests in this lifetime, but he felt that even if he met a hundred of them, the person in front of him would still be the most...special. 

Still, because he knew that Clodine Becket really did have something to show for it, he decided to swat away the devil that was whispering in his ear. It would be best to keep his mouth shut. After all, this person could be their saving grace tonight. That is, if they were still alive by the time the seal removal was complete.

Ban Yue took out a candle and a match from his inventory.

The [Seal of the Forsaken Children] required a certain sequence of removal. 

The first would be the right hand, followed by the left hand, right leg, left leg, and then finally the neck. 

After each shackle is removed, Clodine’s power will return partially, so the succeeding ones will be easier from then. 

The first hour would be the hardest and the most painful to endure. After all, at the moment, Clodine’s magic power was completely suppressed, so even though his inherent defense was already high, he would still suffer because he couldn’t use any magic to reinforce his defense.

Ban Yue thought hard. 

His inherent defense was currently close to nonexistent because his attributes were tied to the box’s attributes. 

This meant that the defense attribute was subjective and the amount of damage taken by each individual could vary depending on their inherent defense and their equipped skills or items. 

Simply put, an attack that would kill Ban Yue would not necessarily kill Clodine, and if his stacked defense was incredibly high, he might not even feel anything from the strike. 

Since Clodine’s inherent defense was already high, he only needed something to reinforce his defense for an hour so the level of damage to his limbs were reduced and his sense of pain can be dulled a little.

Ban Yue’s face brightened briefly when he realized he had just the exact thing Clodine needed. 

So, without much worries, he lit the candle on his hand and handed it to Clodine. Ban Yue left a single oil lamp on the side with the rest of the spare candles.

“I’ve told you the right order. Do you remember it?”

“Of course.”

“And the plan?”

“I do not leave my debts unpaid. I swear on my honor as a knight.”

Ban Yue nodded. 

He was in a hurry because it was almost time for Incognito’s effect to disappear. In a few seconds, he would be returned to his starting point.

Ban Yue summoned his inventory and took out an item. 

He handed it to Clodine who only stared at the item questioningly.

“It’s an item that can dull your pain and reduce the damage you take from the fire for an hour. I bought it with all the money that I have left, so be sure to only open it as soon as you start removing the first shackle. Don’t just endure the pain silently.”

When Clodine heard this, he was a little bit touched.

“…Thank you.”

“Then, I’ll be off.”

At that moment, Ludville’s body slumped. 

Clodine was left staring at the space where Ban Yue’s box had disappeared 15 minutes ago. 

His eyes were bright when they drifted towards the jar of <Aerias’ morning breath> in his hand.

The moon that appeared in the skies an hour and a half ago was blindingly white. When the skies turned dark and the round moon revealed itself like a white ink stain on a black canvas, Ludville who had been watching the skies for the past hour trembled.

“…Are you sure about this? The moon doesn’t look red tonight. Does that mean we get to rest for now?”

The skies looked so peaceful and ordinary that it was easy to think that it was just going to be like any ordinary night.

But Ban Yue wasn’t fooled.

His eyes reflected a blue light. 

The blue light was similar to the hue of the usual system window, however this time, the stain in Ban Yue’s eyes was significantly brighter and wider. There was a big blue screen hovering high above the sky. The numbers changed with every second lost.

The countdown timer read 02:54:31. 

It reminded Ban Yue of a ticking time bomb.

In games like these, such a big event calls for a grand opening. 

So, all Ban Yue said to Ludville was, “Don’t let your guard down.”

Ban Yue’s thoughts were quickly proven true barely a minute later. 

As soon as Ludville turned away to grab his sword which was laying on top of the dresser, a thunder so loud it sounded like the skies had split in two reverberated through the entire Clodine Becket Academy. 

When Ban Yue looked up, a big black hole seemed to have suddenly appeared in the dark sky. 

Storm clouds started to gather around as lightning and thunder continued to roar in the distance, momentarily illuminating the skies with each strike. 

With every flash of lightning, the grey clouds appeared to turn redder and redder. The red clouds started to bleed into every cloud it touched like spilled blood. Eventually, it reached the outline of the white moon and completely buried it underneath. When the moon finally emerged a few seconds later, it was already blood red.

The red moon had finally revealed itself.

At the same time, loud banging sounds that seemed to be coming from deepest depths of the earth tore through the night air. 

Ludville who was already anxious and trembling before the red moon showed itself was suddenly rooted to his spot. 

He began to shake violently. 

His legs trembled like it had turned into jelly. 

He couldn’t move because he was too scared. He had pictured the events of tonight in his head multiple times to make sure he wouldn’t be too surprised when the time finally came, but nothing could have prepared him for the actual thing. Tears started to well up at the corners of Ludville’s eyes.

“I…I can’t do it...I can’t do it…I’m scared…I’m scared…I’m going to die…I’m going to die…someone help me…someone…save me please…” 

Ludville’s mentality was deteriorating. He fell to the floor and rocked back and forth while both hands covered his ears.

Ban Yue who could only watch as Ludville started to toe the line between sanity and madness was at a complete loss. 

He knew the child was timid and easily scared, but he hadn’t expected Ludville’s condition to deteriorate this quickly. 

With every minute that passed, Ban Yue could hear the sound from beneath the ground grow louder and louder. He knew where it was coming from. 

He had also expected it. 

It was the sound of hundreds of shadow puppets aggressively banging and slamming against the door repeatedly in an attempt to get out and emerge to the surface. At this rate, it wouldn’t be long before the entire door of the underground prison collapsed. 

There was barely any time left.

“Ludville!”

Ban Yue called out to Ludville, but he received no response. It didn’t help that his voice, whenever he used the [Ghostly Murmurs (D)] skill, came out weak and strained. Whenever he raised his voice, a hoarse voice would come out.

“Can you still hear me?”

Still, Ban Yue didn’t give up. Amidst the loud bangs and the roaring thunder, Ban Yue called out Ludville’s name once again.

“If you don’t move now, we’re really going to die!”

As soon as Ban Yue said this, he saw Ludville’s unfocused eyes start to shake. He knew he was finally getting to him. He just needed to push a little bit more.

“Look around you! There’s no one else in this place but you. I’m nothing but a box and the only light mage in this place is currently bound powerless in the tower. Right now, you’re the only one who can save yourself!”

Ludville’s pale face was wet with tears.

“But I…I can’t…I can’t do anything..I-“

Ludville bit on his nails while he spoke. His eyes were downcast, as if he couldn’t look at Ban Yue in the face. But even though Ludville was still clearly scared, he was already responsive. 

Ban Yue took it as a good sign.

“You can do anything. Do you understand?”

Ban Yue wasn’t lying. 

He genuinely believed that if Ludville put his heart and mind into something, he would be able to do it outstandingly.

After all, wasn’t he the kid who refused to stay locked up inside an old storage cabin, so he learned how to remove knobs and pick locks? 

Wasn’t this the same kid who bravely faced the dangers just to continue doing what he loved? 

But too many people have told Ludville that he was incompetent, so he believed he was.

To others, Ludville Eckart was too shy and too timid. 

Too incompetent to ever amount to anything. 

But in Ban Yue’s eyes, he was just a child who got used to hearing people say that he would always fail. 

To others, Ludville Eckart was a gullible child. 

But in Ban Yue’s eyes, he was just kind.

If someone endured living what appeared to be a pathetic and shameless life to others because they wanted to stay alive so badly, can it still be called cowardice? 

Even Ban Yue himself wasn’t sure. He only knew one thing – that staying alive was good enough.

“If you still want to live, get up.”

When Ludville heard this, the focus returned to his eyes. Despite the tremor in his hands, Ludville finally looked at Ban Yue’s face.

“I-I still want to live! I want to live…!”

Ludville’s hands were balled into fists. Strength seemed to have returned in his voice. This time, Ludville was more alert. He responded to each of Ban Yue’s questions quickly and without any ounce of hesitation. A fire burned in his eyes.

“Ludville, do you still remember my words last night?”

“I do!”

“Do you trust me?”

“I do!”

“Then, can you do it?”

“I-I can!”

Ludville reached for the sword which had fallen on the floor earlier. His fingers wrapped firmly around the hilt.

“That’s right.”

Although Ludville couldn’t see it, Ban Yue had a proud and gentle smile on his face. 

If Ban Yue was a person at the moment, he might’ve reached his hand out to touch the top of Ludville’s head, but because he was just a box, Ban Yue settled on a promise.

“I won’t let you die.”

It was a promise that he intended to keep.

BXX: Please don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe if you enjoyed this chapter! It would mean a lot to me! ( ﾟヮﾟ)