Herris slowly opened his eyes, finding himself nestled under a solitary tree in a secluded forest. The full moon, at its peak, bathed the area in a silvery light, casting an ethereal glow on the surrounding greenery.
Using the tree as support, Herris pushed himself up and started his journey north, away from the confines of Greyleaf Village.
Despite still being within the boundaries of Greyleaf Forest, where the danger of wise elf patrols was ever-present, he was resolute in his decision to escape this hostile territory.
Herris staggered from one tree to the next, his strength ebbing with each step. Yet, his rage and thirst for vengeance fueled his determination, propelling him forward.
His thoughts were consumed by a single purpose - to exact revenge on all the gods and wise elves for their transgressions, especially Rome. Rome was the catalyst for his current predicament.
"I will fu—" Herris seethed, his anger choking his words, and he let out a primal scream, "AHHH…"
**[ Don't scream, idiot. You'll draw the attention of predators.]**
An unfamiliar, mechanical female voice echoed around him, startling Herris.
"WAHHHH…" Herris tripped, taken by surprise, and tumbled to the ground, convinced someone had yelled from behind him.
"Who's there? Show yourself,"
Herris stuttered, clutching a fallen tree branch and brandishing it like a weapon. His eyes darted around, ready to confront any threat.
**[Idiot, don't hurt yourself with that stick. Ha…]**
The mysterious voice taunted Herris as he stood defensively against the tree, his gaze still scanning for potential danger.
After a tense silence and no signs of an attack, Herris began to question if he was hallucinating or dreaming.
**[This is not a dream.]**
"What!" Herris was taken aback to find his thoughts being read. With a hint of trepidation, he asked, "Are you the Spirit of Whispers?"
In Rome's novel, Rome didn't possess any extraordinary system abilities or attributes, but he did have one unique trait: the Spirit of Whispers. These spirits whispered guidance to him during times of crisis.
Rome hadn't acquired this ability after becoming a hero; it was with him since his transmigration, but its origin remained a mystery to everyone, including Rome. The whispers of the spirits had aided him during the Elder Sage conflict and other significant events in his life.
Due to the spirits' whispers during the Elder Sage conflict, Rome had hidden under a bed to protect himself and had discovered a sword. It seemed that the spirits had a significant influence on the major events in Rome's life.
At present, Herris believed he was communicating with these spirits, so he relaxed slightly, leaned against the tree, and engaged in conversation,
"Are you a spirit?"
**[Idiot, I'm not a Spirit of whatever! Loki dispatched me here to assist you.]**
"Loki! No, what has he done, that bas… buster." Herris struggled to restrain himself from cursing.
During the gods' conversation, Loki had stated,
"Fellow gods, I believe this mortal will provide us with enough amusement to keep him for another 30 years before he succumbs to the Demon Lord."
Herris was aware that Rome had met his end at the hands of the Demon Lord but was uncertain about the timeline. Loki's comments made Herris realize he had another 30 years before his downfall or victory.
Therefore, Herris couldn't afford to lose a year of his lifespan for a single curse, as he had grander plans in mind.
"Are you here to guide me? You're System AI, right?" Herris voiced his thoughts aloud.
Herris quickly accepted the existence of this AI, anticipating such tricks from the gods in the future. He maintained his composure and decided to play along for now, planning to use his own strategies when necessary.
**[I'm not an AI. I'm a Valkyrie, an angel of death sent by Loki to guide you to your demise.]**
**[Do you comprehend? I won't repeat myself.]**
The Valkyrie's voice gradually morphed into a soothing female tone, her words contrasting with her gentle voice.
Herris mulled over her words for a moment and responded,
"In mythologies, Valkyries descend because they fall in love with mortals and guide them. Does that mean…."
Herris's eyes widened and he smirked, "Are you in love with me?"
**[Don't flatter yourself, idiot.]**
"I apologize, milady, but I don't engage in long-distance relationships."
**[You are exasperating. You realize that, right? That's why the gods dispatched me to get you killed.]**
"Mmmm… So you're a spy, huh!"
Herris stroked his chin as if he had unraveled a great mystery, feeling a sense of pride.
"So, you're the type that gets easily flustered. Let's hope you know some secrets I can exploit."
The Valkyrie remained silent, realizing Herris was attempting to provoke her into divulging secrets. She was both impressed and puzzled by how quickly he seemed to have discerned her character, or if it was merely a coincidence.
Herris rose to his feet and asked, "Hey Val, do you know which way I should go to meet my end?"
**[Stab yourself, bastard.]**
"Oh… I don't know if you've seen my past or not, but you should know I'm seriously turned on by bad bitches."
***
[Warning!]
[Curse detected: 1 year deducted]
[Life Span: ? Years]
***
**[Ha… You cursed. You deserve it.]**
"Well, Val, it was worth it. Consider that one year as my gift to our budding long-distance relationship."
**[You are a truly infuriating individual.]**
Herris continued his journey north, his mind already formulating his next move, while engaging in banter with Val, the nickname he had given the Valkyrie, who didn't seem to object.
After trekking the entire night without rest and engaging in constant conversation with Val, the sun began to rise, and the morning fog started to dissipate, unveiling a vast lake.
A tranquil lake stretched out before him, its surface glistening like a mirror under the golden rays of the rising sun. The lake was nestled within a dense, emerald-green forest, with towering trees that seemed to reach the heavens. The air was perfumed with the sweet scent of flowers and filled with the gentle rustling of leaves as a soft breeze rustled through the branches.
Herris plunged straight into the lake, allowing the cold water to cleanse his sweat-soaked body and quench his thirst. Despite the icy temperature, he swam peacefully, experiencing a sense of relief and tranquility.
As the fog completely lifted and Herris saw the sunlight dancing on the water, he exclaimed,
"I wanted to show you this, Val. Are you enjoying the view?"
In Rome's novel, the only thing he detailed in all 600 chapters was his profound love for this lake. Herris wanted to experience it firsthand and share the breathtaking scenery with Val.
**[No matter what you do, I'm not going to tell you secrets about Goddess Aphrodite.]**
"Then why am I still here?"
Herris grumbled, feeling disheartened. He returned to the shore, and as he emerged from the lake, he caught sight of his body for the first time since the previous night.
Herris noticed that most of the burn marks had healed, though some patches remained, primarily on his chest and arms, still smarting. He had thought his body was covered in burns, but his mind had been so preoccupied with escaping that he hadn't paid attention to anything else until now.
Finally, Herris was confident that the wise elves wouldn't venture near this lake. They believed the lake was haunted and infested by demons, so they steered clear of it.
In the novel, Rome and his brother Taro had used this place as a refuge and stayed here for a week before heading east to Eoin Forest, where the witches resided.
But Herris had a different plan in mind, one that would infuriate Rome to his core in the future.
[End of Chapter]