Chapter 684: The Cub's Hidden Room
Chapter 684: The Cub's Hidden Room
Elena smiled in amusement to see Rhea's melting expression. All Elysia did was stroke Rhea's head while assisting Rhea in the portable recovery formation.
Rhea would cling to Elysia for support and recovery assistance whenever a relaxing free time came.
"Little one, this reminds me of the others. Do you know about Gio's current whereabouts? What about Sylvi's father, the Celestine Family, and the Holy City? Then, what action did the Beast God take in the face of the crumbling sealed areas within his continent?" Elena pulled the nearby wooden bucket that was floating on the water surface.
"Uuh, you ask too many things at once. But, let's see... Sylvi's father is in his territory, for sure. Gio, Ella, and the others are in the Holy City. For now, the Holy City is the safest place. After all, the sealed area that happens to be nearby has been cleared by Ely and you. As for the Beast God... Hmm, I'm not so sure because he wasn't seen on the battlefield. There were only elite beast troops with their wives leading the battle." Nell patted her chin as she looked up at the ceiling.
"That Beast God is afraid to step into the battlefield even though we have provided anti-curse mechanisms? Is he that cowardly, or is he still traumatized by the events of a hundred thousand years ago? It's unlikely to happen, right?" Elena muttered in wonder.
"Hm, who knows? Maybe, we can check his situation in the near future. You might want to enlighten him by smacking out the laziness and cowardice from his whole being, hehe..." Nell chuckled as she covered her mouth.
"Let's go there to find out more after the visit to the Holy City. Gio will be useful and effective in the clean-up operation of the sealed areas. It would be a waste of time to let that God remains lazy." Elena replied with a subtle smirk.
"Yeah, Gio's earth elemental abilities will effectively exterminate accursed monsters while they're still buried underground. However, he doesn't want to listen to anything I have to say because he's still waiting for Ely. As for Beast God... Hehehe, we need to kick his ass for him to work." Nell laughed too, but there was a mischievous intention behind it.
"Oh my, you look like you're getting along now. I'm so happy to see you. It's good to have reconciled." Lifa put her hands together and smiled happily.
"Hm? I'm just feeling calm right now. If this little one throws another tantrum or trick, especially to my Ely, then I'll be the first to give her a punishment." Elena pushed Nell's bucket towards Lifa.
"Hey, why do you sometimes look at me like I'm an annoying one?" Nell put the towel over her head with a frown.
"If you feel that way, then stop being the annoying one. It's that easy and simple." Elena went to Elysia and gave the little Rhea a head pat.
"???" Elysia just looked at Elena's face. She wanted to join in the small talk, but she was focused on helping Rhea. Because of that, she was silent this entire bath time.
Moments later, Elena decided that enough of their bath time was enough. She invites everyone to go out for dinner and rest after that.
After dinner, Vanessa asks permission to go around the palace.
"You want to go alone? Please don't be like that. We will accompany you, Vann." Elysia crouched down and gave the white cat a head pat.
"Yeah, let's do it. It will feel lonely if you just go alone. This place holds a lot of memories for you. We were worried too." Yuuki patted Vanessa's back. She knew what had happened to the Winged Tiger Clan, which was definitely sad for Vanessa.
Elysia asked for a different opinion, and everyone finally agreed to accompany Vanessa on a tour of the palace.
"Mm, alright." Vanessa didn't mind. She actually appreciated everyone's understanding and concern.
With that being said, they went around with Vanessa walking in front as a guide.
Their first destination was the throne hall, a place that held a royal authority and majesty at this time felt desolate and lonely. The white-red throne chair was placed on a platform at the end of the hall, empty without the king's presence.
Vanessa transformed into her winged tiger form and rushed towards a large banner behind the throne chair.
*Rip*
She tore off the crest of the savage fire lion clan. Not satisfied with that, she flew to various corners of the throne hall and destroyed all the banner symbols and emblems, without exception. Whatever the reason, this palace belonged to her now.
"Vann, that's enough. You've torn all the banners in this throne hall into small pieces. Are you feeling any better? Please tell me how you feel." Elysia came closer as Vanessa continued to tear apart the pile of cloth pieces.
"Hum, I feel better without that fire lion clan's symbol here." Vanessa heaved a sigh as she inspected every corner of the throne hall.
"Do you want to get rid of all kinds of banners and symbols from this palace?" Elysia burned the pile of scraps of cloth to ashes and suggested with a gentle smile.
"En!" Vanessa agreed without delay.
"Ah, I'd like to see your room too, Vann. Did 'they' leave your room untouched, or maybe the other way around." Elysia put her hands together while walking towards the exit with Vanessa beside her.
Vanessa froze for a moment and ended up sighing. She wasn't sure that her room, the place full of memories of her past, was still the same as what she remembered.
It might have been used as something else by those fire lions, but that was just the possibility, something uncertain. Therefore, Vanessa had a strong urge to check it out. "Mm! I'll show you the place that used to be my room, master. That's if that place still exists, hehe..."
Vanessa walked quickly to be in the front again. Elysia could only heave a subtle sigh and stared at Elena and the others in confusion.
"Vann just wants company and to be heard right now. She just needs your presence next to her, nothing more." Elena spoke in a whisper-like voice and patted Elysia's shoulder.
"Mm!" Elysia then rushed after Vanessa, and everyone immediately followed her.
"Little fox, come here." Elena beckoned the nearby snow fox to jump into her hands.
Yuuki complied without hesitation and jumped at Elysia's master. She was caught and lay in the Goddess's arms. "Wh- uhm, is there anything I can help you with?"
"Nothing, just stay here for a while." Elena didn't want to explain anything. She then stroked Yuuki's entire body, especially the fox's ears, and tails.
"Uuu... Uu-hng..." Yuuki let out a strangely soft voice, but his expression seemed to melt.
"How comfortable. She must have really enjoyed that." Sylvia muttered under her breath. She had some strange ideas that came to mind, but she immediately covered her mouth to hide her grin.
After going around the palace and eliminating any banners and clan symbols, Vanessa guides everyone to a room. It was a room in one of the four main towers, and Vanessa's hidden room was on the highest floor.
"Hmm, I actually have two rooms in this palace. However, my core family's private property is no longer the same as I remembered it. My family's rooms are completely different because 'they' have changed them. However, I hope that they do not touch my hidden room." Vanessa muttered with expectation, though it was thin.
"Hm, they probably left this one untouched. I'm sure it was your hiding room when you were a cub, Vann." Elysia chuckled lightly, and Vanessa also did the same.
Arriving at the location, Vanessa stared blankly at a stone door in front of her. It was just a wall if she didn't look at it closely, but there was a room full of past memories behind it. At least, that was what she expected waiting for her there.
"This stone door cannot be opened. It is locked by a rather strange lock mechanism. Do you know how to open this, Vann? Is destroying this door the only way?" Sylvia tried to open the door, but she couldn't move it. Exerted more power would result in destruction, and she couldn't do that without permission.
"Locked? This is weird... There should be a lever around here. This one? No, or this one?" Vanessa tried to push the stone door open, but it was locked. She then tried to press some bricks around the secret door.
*Clack*
Elysia pushed a brick stone with both hands, and a noise echoed. "I think I found the unlock lever. Sylvi, try pushing this stone door again."
"All right!" Sylvia waved her hand and pushed open the stone door. This time, she managed to open it with ease.
A dark dungeon-like room awaited them behind the stone door. However, the furniture inside was rotten with age. Only a mess was left in the room.
The room wasn't that big, and Vanessa had to transform into her cat form. She entered the room with a nostalgic feeling that was somehow painful to realize.
She had grown up, but her father or brother couldn't accompany her anymore. It was also a long time since her mother left the world, but her mother must be happy to see the little cub has now grown into a healthy tiger.
Vanessa pressed a lever, and a wall slat opened up into a window. She then rummaged the entire room to find what was left.
She went to the corner of the room and pulled out a lump of rock. A rusty iron box was hidden there.
"Found it! It's still here!" Vanessa exclaimed excitedly and immediately brought the box close to her master.