Chapter 53: Final preparations
Jaden looked at the pond with a nervous expression as he lifted his hand and put it into the water; however, nothing happened.
"Eh?"
His expression turned sour as he thought.
’What am I supposed to do?’
He then tried to flow his mana within the pond, but nothing happened.
"I know this is the way to the drainage, but I don’t know how to open this... could I be forgetting something?"
A thoughtful expression appeared on his face as he thought about it for a few moments before shaking his head and turning to leave.
After reaching the previous street, he disabled the [Twilight Veil ★★], and his body became visible as he continued on his way. Night was at its peak, and most of the street was already empty due to how late it was.
While making his way towards the house, he thought of how he could open the path as he mumbled.
"I must be forgetting something..."
He recalled everything he had learned about the city and searched for the way out. He suddenly stopped in his tracks as his eyes widened. He facepalmed himself as he muttered.
"How did I even forget such an important thing?"
After shaking his head a few times, he hastened his steps and reached the house. He entered through the iron gate, passed the wooden entrance door and stepped into the hall.
Just as he entered, his gaze landed on the five, no, four figures who sat there with a grave look on their faces because Shelly still had her usual calm and indifferent look.
The wooden floor cracked under Jaden’s steps, and the creaking echoed within the silent hall like muffled thunder. All four figures turned towards the sound, and their eyes fell on Jaden, who stood at the entrance with a puzzled look on his face.
Arden was the first to stand up from his seat. He walked towards Jaden with rushed steps and questioned worriedly.
"Are you fine?"
Jaden heaved a soft sigh and gave him a faint smile as he nodded and answered.
"It was easy, don’t worry."
Upon hearing his words, everyone gave him puzzled looks, and Arden voiced the question.
"Easy?"
Jaden had already taken a seat in his chair as he spoke.
"Yes, I have a spell that allows me to go invisible."
Jamie’s eyes widened at his words as he thought.
’I have seen him use lightning and darkness... Does he have more affinities?’
No one knew how many affinities Jaden had; he had refused to tell them, after all. Even if Jaden believed the words of everyone here because of the things he felt towards them, he still wanted to be safe, and that is why he had decided to keep his true strength a secret... for everyone present in the hall, Jaden was the same level as them—An Initiate.
"What did you find?" Navin questioned as he leaned forward in his chair.
Jaden looked into his eyes for a moment and responded with a playful smile.
"I found the exit."
Everyone’s eyes widened, and Selina stood up from her chair and stepped before Jaden.
"Y-you found it?" she questioned as her lips unintentionally arched up into a smile.
Jaden looked at her smile, and his lips also arched up as she responded with a nod.
"I-I see."
After hearing those words, Selina couldn’t keep her composure; she knew that everything happening to them was due to her, and knowing they could now leave this place made hiding the emotions she had kept inside herself harder.
Even so, she hadn’t expected what Jaden did next.
Jaden stood up from his chair and placed his hands on her shoulders as he spoke seriously.
"But... I need your help to open the entrance. You are the only one here who can do this."
Selina’s eyes widened, and her face reddened a bit when he did that.
’T-Too close!’
"You will help, right?" Jaden questioned, and Selina just nodded her head and murmured as imaginary smoke came out of her head, "Mhm."
Jaden smiled as he let go of her. He turned and pointed at the leather bags as he said.
"Time to get ready then."
Everyone nodded and stood up from their chair while Selina continued to stare at Jaden with a sombre look.
Shelly, seeing her like that, walked towards her and nudged her as she asked.
"Is something wrong, young lady?"
Selina looked at Jaden and bit her lower lip. She shook her head and answered bitterly.
"Nothing."
’I’ll have you back,’ she thought while looking at Jaden with eyes filled with obsession.
"What are you doing, Jamie?" Arden questioned as he looked at Jamie with furrowed brows.
Jamie, who was holding a sword in both hands with a bow at his side, looked at him and answered loudly.
"What?"
"Why are you taking so many of them?"
"Don’t you know, dumbshit? The merrier the better."
Arden chewed his lower lip in frustration as he picked up a chestplate and put it on.
"Stupid madman."
"The fuck did you say?"
"Nothing."
Navin walked near Jaden and questioned.
"How are we going to move without being seen?"
Jaden placed a hand on his shoulder and spoke reassuringly.
"Don’t worry about it."
"If you say so..." Navin replied as he also began gearing himself up.
Jaden stepped out of the house with his grimoire in his left hand and muttered.
"Summon."
As he spoke, black sparks flooded from the grimoire and took the shape of seven wolves, each with red eyes and dark green fur.
He looked at the seven F-ranked galewolves with a smile as he ordered.
"Go, make some noise."
One of the wolves got ready to howl, but before it could do that, Jaden added.
"Not here," he pointed at the main street and continued, "there."
The wolves bent a little as if nodding to his words and began to run towards the main street.
’That will keep us from getting caught.’
He clenched his fist and added.
"Everything’s on us now."