by : BlackbeardtheBear
After Largas and Astra's wounds began to heal, they set off eastward, aiming to escape to the continent of Silveria, even though they would need to cross by sea.
Erik, who had some connections and knowledge about secret routes, didn't think boarding a ship would be difficult. However, reaching the port without being caught by the gate guards was the real challenge.
Erik glanced at Astra and Largas, who still bore traces of their injuries despite their recovery. "We need to take a secret route I know to get to the port without being noticed by the gate guards," Erik said, his voice tense.
"And where is this secret route?" Largas asked, curious.
Erik pulled a map from his dimensional pocket and pointed to a spot on it. "We have to pass through the Dead Marshes. It's the fastest shortcut. Though dangerous, it's the quickest and stealthiest way to sneak into the city."
Astra looked at Erik with concern. "But the Dead Marshes have giant worms. Can we really get through?"
Erik smiled slightly. "Don't worry, I've passed through there many times. Besides, I'm a level 7 mage. This is nothing."
They began their journey to the Dead Marshes and had to fight off some worms, though most were burned to death by Erik within minutes. However, the Dead Marshes were vast, and there were several skirmishes, all of which Erik handled alone.
Their journey was long, taking several months, as the distance from Moonwood Forest to the port city was hundreds of kilometers, and they were traveling on foot.
When they were near the port city, Erik turned to them. "We're almost there. Remember to stay quiet and alert. Don't let the gate guards notice us."
They navigated through alleys and secret paths until they finally reached the port. Erik used his connections to arrange for a ship and got them aboard without any issues.
As the ship began to move away from the dock, Astra turned to Erik with gratitude. "Thank you, Erik, for helping us."
Erik smiled and nodded. "It's nothing."
After Cassian returned to the capital, Arakeal, wounded, he immediately began to slander Erik, spreading lies filled with rage that Erik was a rebel and had brutally assassinated Princess Astra. The entire city was thrown into chaos and confusion.
Rumors spread quickly. The people of Arakeal were fearful and uncertain whether to believe these rumors, but due to Cassian's power and credibility, many began to believe his lies.
"Impossible!" Claire shouted after reading the news in the newspaper.
Claire, who had known Erik for almost a year, was sure he wasn't the kind of person who would do such a thing. Erik had given her a job and was kind enough to buy her a new house. She owed everything she had to Erik.
"Mom?" Shinna, who heard Claire's shout, hurried downstairs. She saw her mother sitting at the table, a newspaper in her hands, her face filled with shock and disbelief.
"What happened, Mom?" Shinna asked, worried as she approached.
Claire looked at her daughter with worried eyes. "Shinna, I can't believe this could happen. They're accusing Erik of assassinating Princess Astra. They're saying he's a rebel!"
Shinna's eyes widened. "No way! How could Erik do something like that? He's a good person. He's helped us so many times!"
"Yes, I think so too," Claire said firmly. "But now the rumor has spread throughout the city. It seems many people believe Cassian's lies."
Shinna frowned with concern. "What are we going to do, Mom? If Erik is falsely accused like this, he won't be safe."
"We need to find the truth and find a way to help Erik," Claire responded determinedly. "We need to gather evidence to prove he's innocent."
Shinna nodded. "So, where do we start?"
"I know a close friend of Erik's," Claire said as she stood up. "We need to go before this gets worse."
Claire and Shinna decided to set out to meet Erik's close friend to gather evidence and form an alliance to protect Erik from Cassian's slander.
Meanwhile, Cassian was using every means possible to expand his power and control the situation in Arakeal. He appointed a new crown prince to replace Astra, claiming that Astra had been killed. The new crown prince was Prince Lucius Amber, the third in line to the throne.
The news of Prince Lucius Amber's appointment as crown prince threw Arakeal into even more confusion. Prince Lucius was known as a royal with a reckless and inappropriate behavior. He was often involved in scandals about lavish spending and abusing power. So when he was appointed crown prince, there was widespread dissatisfaction and concern among the populace.
Cassian, who had plans with the Seraphil cult, used this opportunity to consolidate more power by conspiring with Lucius to solidify his position. At the same time, he ordered the soldiers and knights to relentlessly hunt down Erik and anyone associated with him.
Claire and Shinna, who were traveling to meet Erik's friend, had to move cautiously to avoid encounters with the soldiers who were patrolling the city. After several hours of traveling, they arrived at the house of Lucas, Erik's close friend, who was a renowned magic researcher.
When Claire and Shinna knocked on the door, Lucas opened it cautiously. "Claire? What are you doing here at this time?" he asked in a low voice, glancing around to ensure no one had followed.
"We need your help, Mr. Lucas," Claire said urgently. "They're framing Erik. He's been accused of being a rebel and killing Princess Astra. We need evidence to prove he's innocent."
Lucas sighed heavily. "I've heard the rumors. I know they're not true, but Cassian has more power now than ever. Anyone who opposes him will be in danger."
"We know, but we have to help Erik," Shinna said firmly. "He doesn't deserve this."
Lucas was silent for a moment, thinking. "... Come in."
Lucas led Claire and Shinna into a small study filled with books, papers, and magical equipment scattered on the desk. "I've been trying to gather all the information I can that might help Erik," he said as he walked to the desk and picked up some documents. "I sent a warning letter to Erik after hearing the rumors, but so far, there's been no response."
Claire and Shinna looked at the documents on the desk. They were notes on complex magical research, information about secret weapons, and evidence that might be connected to Cassian's plans. Lucas continued, "I found some documents related to the Seraphil cult that Cassian is involved with. They're amassing power, and their plans might be bigger than we think."
"What should we do?" Shinna asked anxiously. "And what is the Seraphil cult?"
Lucas was silent for a moment, thinking. "The Seraphil cult is a power-hungry group that seeks to dominate the world. They focus on controlling powerful beings like dragons or Behemoths to use as their main force in world domination."
Claire thought for a moment before speaking. "... So what should we do, Mr. Lucas?"
Lucas placed the documents on the desk. "We need to find solid evidence to expose Cassian's plans to the public. That's the only way we can defeat him."
Shinna asked with determination, "And where do we start?"
Lucas thought for a moment before answering. "First, we need to find Erik and make sure he's safe. If he's still in this city, he might have crucial information we need."
Claire nodded. "And if he's not here?"
"Then he's likely headed to the continent of Silveria," Lucas said firmly. "There are people there who can be important allies for him."
Meanwhile, on the ship heading to Silveria, Erik, Astra, and Largas were unaware of the rumors spreading in the capital, Arakeal. They were heading to Silveria, hoping to find refuge and plan to fight the Seraphil cult in the future.
One night, while they were resting on the ship, Erik, who was keeping watch on the deck, received a magical message from a friend in Arakeal. The message warned of Cassian's slander and advised Erik to prepare for a potential manhunt.
Erik frowned as he read the message. "Just as I thought, that old man."
Astra looked at Erik, concerned. "What happened?"
Erik sighed and replied with a serious expression, "That old man Cassian is accusing me of killing you."
Largas, who had been quiet the entire time, spoke up. "Well, that old man doesn't have any evidence that you killed anyone."
"But that old man has been around for a long time," Erik said. "He's done a lot of good deeds and has credibility with the common folk. I really don't want to rely on those people."