Ch. 1641..1650
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1641
“What is it? What are you looking at?” he queried.
Beatrice replied tearfully, “Do you remember how that young chap did his younger sister's hair?”
His wife's words threw him for a loop.
What hair?
Kristoff had been too busy hunting for a bandana for Kurt's hair to pay attention to his female companion.
“What hair? I wasn't paying attention.”
Beatrice gazed at the comb in her hands and sobbed, “She wore a Faire Coiffure. Our darling Pearl used to wear her hair like that all the time.”
Pearl Calyette was none other than Kurt's mother.
Along with her sister, Ruby, the Calyette sisters were nicknamed the Jewels of Elysium thanks to their striking beauty.
They were both strong-armed into the palace later on. Before becoming a member of Elysium royalty, Pearl's favorite pastime was embroidery.
Faire Coiffure was an intricate updo that Pearl had invented using only a single embroidered ribbon.
Back then, all the women in the Elysium tribe had fallen over themselves trying to recreate the updo.
However, none had ever come close to imitating the intricacy of Pearl's art.
Beatrice was thus dumbfounded when Kurt successfully combed Vivian's hair into a proper Faire Coiffure.
Her eyes widened in realization as she continued staring at the comb, and her chest began to heave.
Meanwhile, Kurt was leading Vivian toward the core zone of the tribe.
His gaze ahead grew alert as he suddenly asked Vivian, “Have your brothers contacted you?”
Vivian jolted in realization before rummaging for the earring she had kept with her old clothes.
She wailed, “I didn't know you'd ask me to change. This earring will be too obvious with my outfit. What should we do about the earpiece? How should I wear it?”
Vivian felt lost again.
Feeling resigned, Kurt took the earring from Vivian and removed the bead containing the earpiece. He then attached the bead to the silver earring Vivian was now wearing, which used to belong to his mother.
“There,” he uttered.
Vivian praised his quick thinking, “You're a genius Kurt!”
She followed it up with a bright smile.
Kurt merely replied, “You should get in touch with your brothers.”
“Okay.”
Vivian focused her attention back on the task at hand and activated the earpiece.
She asked, “Matt, Ian, where are you? Kurt and I have arrived in Elysium and changed into their local costumes.”
“Oh, we didn't go in.” The earpiece crackled with Matteo's reply.
What? They didn't come in?
Vivian's eyes widened in shock as she yelped, “Matt, w-why didn't you come in? Are you not coming anymore?”
“No, that's not it. Ian and I had a discussion and agreed it would be unwise to infiltrate the tribe in the same manner as you and Kurt. Once they see through one of our disguises, they'd sniff out the rest of us in no time. That's why we thought of another plan,” Matteo explained.
“What plan?”
Matteo launched into a lengthy explanation. “We'll enter Elysium normally, like everyone else. We've called Mr. Cooper about our plans, and he has arranged for us to meet with Mrs. Cooper. She'll bring us to Yorksland and have one of the authorities escort us to Elysium.”
Vivian was so awestruck she almost fell to her knees in worship of their ingenuity.
“Kurt, my brothers are so smart!” she lamented. “Why didn't we think of a plan as good as theirs? Ugh, stupid brain.”
Vivian smacked her head dejectedly as Kurt stared on, speechless.
Though he had the strongest urge to smack some sense into her brain, he controlled himself and led her deeper toward the core zone.
Our brains have nothing to do with this. We came in with that mother-and-son pair. We couldn't possibly saunter up to the Yorksland authorities and demand escorts for them as well.
Kurt grew distressed when he realized they had spent more time than anticipated. Quickening his pace, he dragged Vivian along with him. He hoped they had not kept the mother and son waiting long at the mouth of the River of Styx.
Suddenly, just as they were about to turn down the path leading to the River of Styx, a tribe member emerged before them, halting their progress.
He interrogated, “Where are you two going? You can't enter this place.”
Vivian jumped in shock, while Kurt narrowed his eyes at the man.
“Why can't we go in?” Kurt countered. “Wasn't it allowed in the past?”
“The past?” The tribe member appraised Kurt thoughtfully before adding, “How long ago was that? How did you know about this? Where are you from? What are your motives? To infiltrate our tribe?”
Kurt's simple question had ignited the man's suspicion and hostility toward them.
Even though Vivian did not understand the man, she could tell from his fierce expression and the crowding tribe members that they were in trouble. Frightened, she gripped Kurt's hand tightly and hid behind him.
While Kurt struggled to think of a reply, a girl's voice rang out behind him, interrupting the tension of the situation. “Uncle, you're here. Aunt says the food is ready.”
The voice sounded unusually familiar, causing Kurt and Vivian to turn around in unison.
They were surprised to see a familiar face in Elysium.
“Lucy?” they exclaimed.
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1642
Lucy!
She was the girl of the indigenous people who took Vivian and the rest to the subterranean river to search for the black stone back then at Aquene Temple. She had even stayed with them at Oceanic Estate for a while.
However, she returned to her village when it was time for Vivian, Matteo, and Ian to go to school.
Why is she here? How is she related to Elysium?
Vivian widened her eyes in disbelief.
As for Kurt, his gaze darkened when he saw the girl, and a cold glint flashed past his eyes.
Lucy was at a loss for words.
“Lucy, what are you looking at? Aren't we going back to eat? Why are you still standing there?” the middle-aged man asked, noticing that his niece was staring in the direction of Vivian and Kurt.
He walked over suspiciously, trying to figure the situation out.
In the nick of time, Lucy ran back while replying, “It's nothing. Who are those people? I've not seen them here before.”
“Oh, they're probably from a neighboring tribe, trying to climb over the borders. It's fine. Let's go home and eat.” After hearing Lucy's words, the middle-aged man did not ask any further questions before turning around, preparing to leave.
Vivian heaved a sigh of relief when she saw that.
She was really glad that Lucy did not expose them. Otherwise, they would surely be in deep trouble.
Just when they thought everything was fine, the middle-aged man suddenly turned back and said sternly, “The two of you, leave right now! Stop sneaking around, understand? Otherwise, I won't let you off!”
Vivian was stunned at the man's sudden outburst while Kurt exuded an air of hostility.
However, they merely kept quiet and restrained themselves.
Fortunately, the middle-aged man left with Lucy after giving them that warning.
After both of them were gone, Vivian asked, “Kurt, what should we do now? If they won't let us in, how are we supposed to meet up with Daphne?”
“Then we'll take the same route she took,” the young man replied with a crease between his brows as he gazed at the majestic mountain ahead of them.
Vivian's expression changed instantly.
The same route she took?
Isn't that area taken over by the remnants of this tribe? Wouldn't it be very dangerous if we travel by that path?
“Kurt, can't we go another way instead? Ian said that it'll be really dangerous for us to venture there if it's really where those people reside.”
Vivian looked toward the young man with a worried expression on her face.
However, the fact was that they simply had no other options. Kurt did not know of any other routes they could take that would allow them to reach the entrance of River of Styx by the agreed time.
If they didn't show up by then, that woman might end up changing her mind.
Kurt's gaze darkened at that thought. In the end, he still made the decision to turn back and take their original path.
However, right after Vivian and Kurt arrived at the mountain, a young lady who was wearing a thick silver ring on her neck sprinted toward them.
“Kurt, Vivian! Wait up!”
It turned out to be Lucy again.
She had returned.
Vivian froze for a second. Before she could react, the young man next to her had already grabbed her wrist and pulled her behind him.
Lucy, who had just caught up with the two of them, fixed her gaze on their tightly held hands while catching her breath. After a long while, she finally looked away.
“Why are you here?”
“I... I specially came here to look for you guys. Vivian, why did you two come here? Is something up?” Lucy asked her old friend in concern.
Vivian blinked her eyes and looked at Kurt, who was standing in front of her.
The young man replied coldly, “Everything is fine. We're just here for leisure. I studied architecture when I was in college, and I'm very interested in tribal architectural designs. I'm thinking of incorporating some of the elements in my work, so I decided to make a trip here during the holidays.”
It was just an excuse that Kurt made up on the spot.
After hearing the young man's words, Vivian's eyes grew wider.
Impressive! How did he manage to come up with such an excuse so quickly?
With a look of realization on her face, Lucy answered, “I see. We seem to be quite fated. I never thought that I would get to see you guys again.”
The young lady started feeling down as she spoke.
Noticing the change in Lucy's expression, Vivian dismissed her thoughts with a wave and tried to comfort her. “Don't be silly! We are friends, of course we'll see each other again. When you get home, you can come and look for us at Oceanic Estate any time you want!”
“I can't go back anymore.”
Lucy became even more upset after hearing what Vivian said and started sobbing in front of the two of them.
She was sobbing so hard that even Kurt could not help but look at her.
“My grandpa is gone. Shortly after you guys left, I went home. During that time, Grandpa took a fall when he was chopping wood in the mountains and died instantly. After that, my uncle brought me here. Since then, I haven't gone home. It has already been more than half a year.”
Lucy continued wailing sorrowfully.
Vivian was shocked at what she had just heard.
She could hardly believe that something so terrible had happened to her friend.
She still remembered that back when she was at Aquene Temple, it was Lucy's grandpa asking Lucy to show them the way. When they reached the foot of the mountain, Lucy told them that her parents had passed away long ago and it was her grandpa who raised her.
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Now, even her grandpa is no longer around?
The kind-hearted Vivian could feel her heart aching for the young lady in front of her who was crying miserably.
“I'm so sorry, Lucy. I didn't know your grandpa had passed away. If I had known that, I would definitely have returned to look for you.”
Kurt could not help but take a few additional glances at Lucy.
This time, there was some warmth in his gaze.
Lucy wiped her tears while saying, “I'm fine. My uncle treats me well. Even though he objected strongly to my mom's decision to marry my dad last time, he brought me here to take care of me immediately after knowing that I was all alone.”
A smile appeared on the young lady's face once again as she briefly narrated her family circumstances to Vivian and Kurt.
So that's how she's related to this tribe.
Vivian, who had a trusting nature, did not doubt Lucy's words.
Meanwhile, Kurt simply stood beside the girls in silence.
“By the way, I heard you guys asking my uncle about that route just now. Do you intend on going that way? Where are you heading to? There's nothing there except the River of Styx.”
Lucy suddenly brought up the earlier conversation, startling Vivian slightly.
“Vivi's daddy has not been feeling well ever since he regained consciousness. River of Styx is one of the few remaining rivers with a high salt concentration containing the extremely rare pentlandite rocks. According to her mommy, some elements contained in the rocks can help with her daddy's recovery,” Kurt explained placidly.
Vivian was utterly dumbfounded by the young man's ability to make up another perfect story in just a few minutes.
He's really something! How did he even manage to think of that?
Vivian was certain that she would have been deceived by the man as well if she was not aware of her parents' real situation.
Indeed, comprehension seemed to dawn on Lucy after she heard that.
“I see. Let me take you guys there then since my uncle is not around now. We should hurry.” Lucy urged the other two to get down the mountain and take the other path.
Vivian and Kurt froze for a few seconds at the young lady's suggestion.
As they were unable to sense anything amiss from observing Lucy's expression, Kurt decided to follow her suggestion.
A while later, when the three of them arrived at the entrance from before, Lucy looked around cautiously before taking out a badge from her pocket.
“Vivian, you guys should take this. I'll keep a lookout at the entrance. If someone gives you trouble inside, just show them this badge and say my name. It's all right,” Lucy advised.
It seemed like she was going all out for her two friends, and Vivian was not willing to let her take the risk.
“How can we do that? We don't want to get you into trouble,” Vivian said anxiously.
“It's fine. My uncle is the chief here and is in charge of this area. He won't be too harsh on me. Hurry up and head inside before he finishes his lunch and returns,” Lucy urged.
While Vivian was still hesitating, Kurt grabbed her hand decisively and quickly led her inside.
“Thanks.” He thanked Lucy before leaving.
Thanks?
Lucy could hardly believe that the man was finally thanking her.
The young lady who had a silver ring around her neck stared at Kurt's disappearing figure in a daze with a bittersweet feeling in her heart.
Half an hour later, Kurt and Vivian finally emerged from that path, holding hands. Immediately, they heard loud roaring sounds and saw that right in front of them was a river that was almost a hundred feet wide.
It was entirely black in color, and the sight of it was majestic!
Even though the sun was still shining brightly in the sky, when the two of them looked up, the reflection of the river seemed to have cast a layer of haze in the sky.
It was as if they had been transported to a different world, a world that was dark, gloomy, and cold.
In fact, it seemed like they were in hell. One glance at the river was enough to send shivers down their spines.
How is it possible that such a terrifying river exists? Is this even real?
Recoiling in fear, Vivian instinctively took a few steps back.
“What's wrong? Are you scared?”
Sensing the girl's fear, Kurt immediately reached out and held her ice-cold hands, warming them with his.
Vivian felt a lot calmer after that.
“Yup. This river sure is... really black! Why does it look like that? I've never seen a river like this.”
“Because it's a subterranean river that flows through Elysium's Black Marsh that has existed for a few thousand years. The Black Marsh is boundless and gives one the feeling of an endless hell. Every clear stream that passes through it turns black.”
The damp, rotting smell from the river filled the atmosphere. As Kurt gazed toward the river, a sorrowful glint appeared in his cold eyes.
It was as if what he was looking at was not the river but graves and corpses instead.
“Prince Kurt, you guys are finally here! I thought you weren't able to find your way here, and I was about to go get you.”
While Kurt and Vivian were talking by the river, suddenly, they heard the familiar voice of a woman.
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Vivian immediately turned around at the sound of the voice.
Indeed, it was Daphne and her son, Jason, who had arrived separately.
“Prince Kurt, have you decided? Are you coming with me to the Black Marsh? If you've decided, I'll bring you there now,” Daphne asked smilingly.
Black Marsh?
What Black Marsh? Isn't this already our destination?
Vivian did not know what Kurt and Daphne were talking about. Her expression changed slightly as she asked, “What's that place? Where is it?”
Daphne smiled again.
“Vivian, this man next to you is Elysium's prince. Back then, his mother committed a crime that was punishable by death. Do you think the people of Elysium would agree to let a royal concubine who has committed a capital crime stay here?”
Upon hearing that, color drained out of Vivian's face.
A crime that's punishable by death?
In order to save her child's life, the woman had tried her best to send her child away. Vivian could hardly believe that Kurt's mother was sentenced to death because of that.
Should she have watched her child die and done nothing instead?
Vivian was so upset that she was quivering with anger.
“That's because this is such a horrible place that is brutal, conservative, and backward! Why don't you ask your son if he thinks it's right for his father to sentence you to death in Yartran if you had tried to send him away in an attempt to save his life?”
“I...”
Daphne was stumped and unable to come up with a reply.
It was a fact that that was an absolutely ruthless and senseless decision.
As Kurt listened to the two women's conversation, a surge of warmth rose in his heart.
“All right, that's enough. Vivi, wait for me here. I'll be back soon,” said the young man as he turned around to the girl who was trying her best to defend him.
Vivian's face paled instantly when she heard that.
“No way. I'm coming with you. Where's that place? Let's go together.”
“Vivian, that's not possible. Black Marsh is located in the middle of the River of Styx. This ebony wooden boat can barely support two people. If you come along, it will definitely capsize. Besides, Black Marsh is not as simple as you imagine. The air there is extremely stale, and there are all sorts of poisonous creatures around. Moreover, if you accidentally slip, you will end up falling into a bottomless swamp. Vivian, do you have a death wish?”
Daphne reminded Vivian in a rather cold voice.
Is it really that dangerous?
Fear appeared in Vivian's eyes after hearing the woman's words.
Upon seeing that, Kurt took Vivian aside and tucked some stray strands of the girl's hair behind her ear before looking into her sparkling black eyes and saying gently, “Don't worry. I'll be fine. After all, I was born here, and I know this place very well. All you have to do is to wait for me here and protect yourself. That would help me a lot.”
After he finished speaking, Kurt took out something from his pocket.
Vivian looked down and saw that it was a dagger that the man had carried with him since he was young. It was as long as his palm and cleverly designed. It looked just like a child's toy with colorful patterns on the sheath of the dagger.
“This is...”
“My mom made this for me when I was young. She had drawn the patterns on the sheath herself, and I have been carrying it with me for years. I am giving it to you now, and I hope that it will keep you safe from harm.”
The young man spoke in a tender voice that felt like a gentle sea breeze. Vivian's heart skipped a beat, and a blush quickly spread across her cheeks.
It was the sweetest thing Kurt had ever said to her.
Besides, apart from that eagle-shaped buckle, he had never given her any gifts. The dagger was the second one. Moreover, it was something that his mom had left him.
When Vivian took over the dagger, she could feel the man's lingering warmth on it, and her heart raced.
“Alright. You have to be back as soon as possible.”
“Sure. Don't be scared. You're not alone here.”
Those were the last words Kurt spoke before getting onto the ebony wooden boat with Daphne.
The ebony wooden boat was, in fact, just made up of a few wooden planks tied together.
The reason the high priests of Elysium were able to cross River of Styx with that was mainly because of their ability to control magnetic poisonous worms.
Once those worms entered the ebony wood, attractive forces between the magnetic forces in the worms and the iron at the bottom of the river would stabilize the wooden boat on the surface of the river, preventing it from capsizing.
However, the people of the backward Elysium tribe would never get to know that secret. They had always thought that with such abilities, the high priests were gods who were omnipotent.
While Daphne took Kurt to the middle of the river, Vivian remained on the shore.
After Kurt disappeared from her sight, the girl found a rock and sat on it while playing with the dagger and gazing toward the river intermittently.
Jason was also there with her.
However, they did not speak to each other, behaving just like complete strangers.
If not for the sudden footsteps that sounded behind them, both of them would probably not have had any interactions until Kurt and Vivian returned.
“Someone is here! Let's hide!”
Jason was a boy after all.
When he heard the footsteps, his expression darkened, and he rushed toward the girl at once.
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1645
Vivian had heard it too.
Her mind went blank as trepidation seized her. She mindlessly let Jason pull her toward the tall reeds, where they crouched for cover.
Two Elysians appeared at the river bank the moment they concealed themselves.
“Are you sure that you saw people here?”
“Yes, I'm pretty sure I heard something.”
Frustration flashed across the first Elysian's face upon hearing the answer. He strode toward the River of Styx.
“They're seeking death by coming here! Do they want to add to the number of dead bodies floating down this swamp?” he cursed, evidently annoyed.
Vivian was perplexed, but she instinctively cowered in fear when she heard the malice in his voice.
Her involuntary action caused her to brush up against the person next to her.
The atmosphere grew tense.
“I'm sorry, t-that was an accident,” Vivian stuttered an apology. Her face flushed scarlet as she went rigid from embarrassment.
Vivian was innocent by nature. Although she and Jason had gotten into a conflict because of Daphne, Vivian harbored no hard feelings toward Jason.
After all, he was not directly involved in the matter.
Jason, too, was feeling a bit awkward.
He peeked at the young girl and noticed the pink blush on her cheeks. Realizing that she was not disgusted nor repulsed by him, he heaved a sigh of relief.
“It's all right. It's too dangerous for us to linger by the river, though. Let's head back to the mountains once they leave.”
“Is that so?”
Vivian looked over her shoulder, her eyes wide and watery as she regarded the looming mountain behind them.
I suppose it's safer to retrace our steps.
In the end, Vivian followed Jason back to the mountain. She decided that she would only reemerge when Kurt got back.
However, they had just settled behind a huge boulder when a voice rang from behind them.
“Vivi, what are you doing here? Where's Kurt?”
It was Lucy.
Thankful that it was a friend and not a foe, Vivian hastily tugged Lucy to her hiding spot.
“Kurt went to the River of Styx. What are you doing here, Lucy? Weren't you guarding the road? You...” Vivian trailed off as she glanced at the road leading to the mountain. Alarm bells rang in her head.
“I saw two people come in here just now. I thought that they had discovered you, so I came to investigate,” Lucy explained frantically.
“Oh, I see.” Vivian nodded in understanding.
“Who is she?” Jason interrupted the conversation, and his voice was cold and distrustful.
Startled by the foreign voice, Lucy whipped around to look at Jason. She was stunned when her eyes settled upon his gorgeous face and azure eyes.
“Vivian?” Lucy prompted.
“Oh, allow me to introduce you. Lucy, this is Jason, and he's with us on this trip. Jason, meet Lucy, a good friend of mine,” Vivian quickly said, amused by their curious, albeit wary, expressions.
Silence descended upon the trio after the brief introduction, but Jason and Lucy continued to scrutinize each other. Lucy's eyes seemed to bore holes in Jason with their intensity.
“All right, then. Lucy, you should probably go back before your uncle finds out that you're gone. Jason, should we head in deeper? I don't think this spot is safe enough,” Vivian piped up after a long silence.
Preoccupied with the possible danger of their current location, Vivian did not notice the meaningful look Lucy shot her.
Vivian figured that it would be best if they ventured deeper into the mountain, and Jason agreed readily.
With that, Jason promptly left. Vivian rose to follow him, but Lucy's grip on her arm held her back. “Vivi, something feels off about that guy. He looks like he's an Elysian.”
“What?” Vivian exclaimed.
How could she tell? Do they have distinctive features?
“Look at how refined his features are! And don't you see the structure of his jaw? It's a wolf bone—a telltale feature of Elysian royalty!”
“Oh...”
Perspiration beaded Vivian's forehead.
She's right about the features but ultimately wrong about Jason's identity. He's only a counterfeit. Brother Cal is the one who's of royal Elysian descent.
“You're mistaken, Lucy. He's not Elysian. He's from Yartran. In fact, he's the young prince of Yartran. Don't worry about him. He's just here for a visit,” Vivian placated the rambling girl.
“Young prince?” Lucy echoed, her eyes bulging out of their sockets in surprise.
“Y-You convinced the young prince to follow you here? D-Does he like you? He came here for you, didn't he?” Lucy chattered excitedly, all the while staring at Vivian with rapt attention.
Unable to answer Lucy's intrusive questions, Vivian hurriedly shooed her off.
Like me? No, thanks
Vivian quickly caught up to Jason, and the two trudged through the dense forest. Sunlight barely filtered through the leaves above them, and the thick air made the journey all the more arduous.
“Jason, did you come from this direction just now?”
“Yes.” Jason nodded his head in affirmation.
Pouting, Vivian began to recount their grueling trek before. The indignance in her voice was apparent.
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“We nearly didn't make it. It's all thanks to my friend just now that we managed to get here. We nearly doubled back to take the road you guys took!” she whined.
“Your friend helped you over? She has that much authority here?” Jason voiced his confusion.
“No, but I heard that her uncle calls the shots around here, so we got in under his name,” Vivian explained.
Comprehension dawned on Jason.
He made no further comment, and the two continued to walk further into the woods. After a kilometer or so, they found an obscure spot to hide.
“Ah!”
Just as they had settled in, Vivian's high-pitched scream pierced the still air.
With a jolt, Jason turned to check on Vivian. However, before he could react, the young girl sprang up to her feet and bolted out of the hideout.
“A snake!” Her shriek seemed to reverberate through the whole forest.
Jason had no choice but to chase after her.
Thankfully, being a princess who was a stranger to the wilderness, Vivian finally slowed to a stop in front of a hill.
“S-Snake...” She panted, depleted of energy.
She held onto a tree for support as she gasped for air.
Her face was still pale with fear.
Jason approached her and began to calm her down. “That wasn't a snake. You saw wrong.”
“Really?” Vivian was dubious.
“Of course,” Jason assured. “I took a good look just now. Don't worry. Snakes don't appear in broad daylight.”
Jason tried to sound as convincing as possible in hopes of dispelling her trauma.
Fortunately, Vivian began to calm down after listening to his white lie.
“T-Then, let's head back,” Vivian suggested hesitantly as she scanned their gloomy surroundings.
Jason nodded in agreement.
It was imperative that they went back. As of now, they were so deep in the woods that the Elysians who went to the swamp wouldn't be able to find them.
Jason held Vivian by her wrist, and, for the first time, she did not resist his touch. She was still reeling back from the scare before.
Vivian had just collected herself when a figure darted out of the woods and appeared before them.
“Ah!”
With another frightened yelp, Vivian ducked behind Jason to shield herself from the newcomer.
Jason's face clouded over instantly.
“Mr. Jason, why are you back? And who is this doll?” the man blurted out at the sight of Jason.
Jason remained silent.
Vivian peered over Jason's shoulder and gave the man a once-over, her expression one of bewilderment.
“Jason, does he know you?”
“No,” Jason denied curtly, his voice ringing with conviction.
Vivian was rendered speechless.
When her gaze returned to the stranger, she noticed a shift in his expression as he changed the subject, “Where's your mother? Didn't you say that you were going to get us the treasure? Why are you alone?”
For a split second, Jason saw a glint of malevolence in the man's eyes.
Jason exhaled in relief.
“She already went ahead on her own. I was worried that I'd get caught outside, so I took cover. By the way, she's with us. Mom brought her along.”
Jason furtively glanced at Vivian and started to converse with the stranger.
He began to relax when he saw the puzzlement on Vivian's face. She appeared naive, which was in line with his first impression of her.
Jason refused to believe that Vivian had the brains to trick him.
On that fateful night, Kurt had been at the scene. Besides, Vivian's father, along with the rest of the Hayes family, had been around her the whole time. She was a sheltered princess who had been pampered all her life.
It was impossible for a simple person like her to devise such an intricate ruse.
After dismissing the stranger, Jason turned to Vivian and urged, “Come on. Let's get out of here.”
“All right,” she agreed breezily.
However, as she lowered her head, she inconspicuously touched her earring. Her brothers' voices exploded in her ear.
“F*ck! That b*stard Kurt let you do something so dangerous? I'm going to beat him to death!” Matteo's exasperated voice penetrated her eardrums.
Vivian grew anxious when she heard her brother's enraged threats. Matteo rarely lost his temper, but now, he was practically growling as he interrogated his sibling.
Vivian quickly tapped her earring and communicated with her brothers in their own unique way.
“Don't blame Kurt. I was the one who decided to do this. I figured that we could break through their defenses and gain insider information while that woman is gone.”
Matteo could not find the words to rebut her.
“Well, I think that we should commend Vivi for her wit and courage. You have to admit that it's a great plan. Moreover, the bodyguards that Daddy employed will protect her,” Ian chimed in.
Vivian was pleased to hear Ian's compliment.
However, Matteo was still concerned, and his worries only grew stronger when he caught sight of the man just now.
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“From the looks of it, this mountain is their hideout. Who knows how many people are hiding in its caves? It'll be difficult for us to get a good grasp of the situation.”
“That's true,” Ian conceded, his voice tinged with worry.
Meanwhile, Vivian was lost in thought.
She stopped in her tracks all of a sudden.
“Jason, I heard them refer to you as Mr. Jason. Is that because you're the high priest's son? Did they find out your mother's identity?”
“Yes,” Jason answered as he regarded her with suspicion. Her sudden question had caught him off guard.
To his surprise, Vivian followed up her question with another that was even more probing. “Then, are they going to hurt you? Your mother fled as a traitor, didn't she? If they found out that your mother brought back the Jadesons' princess, wouldn't they lose all trust in her?”
Before Jason could stop the torrent of words pouring out of Vivian's mouth, the atmosphere in the forest grew hostile.
The Jadesons' princess!
If any of the people waiting to ambush Vivian had worked under Eddie Limmer, then hatred for the Jadesons would be etched in their bones. They would never pass up on the opportunity to seek revenge, especially when Yariel's precious daughter was right within their reach.
As predicted, a minute later, people began to emerge from all sides.
The twins watched in horror through the transmitter, wishing they could teleport to Vivian's side.
Vivi is being too rash! I can't believe she did something so reckless just because we complimented her!
What now?
Vivian was tied up and brought into a cave.
While Vivian was certainly a daredevil, she was no fool. Her brothers were right—the geography was too complicated to navigate without first diving into the depths of their headquarters, which was why Vivian decided to take the risk.
Intelligent as she was, she speculated that the kidnappers would not have the guts to kill her immediately.
After all, she was the Jadesons' princess. If anything happened to her, Sebastian, along with the entire Jadeson family, would obliterate the whole place to avenge her.
Hence, she was confident that they would not harm her.
Vivian's deduction was proven true when she was brought into a wide cave. There, a man sat on a throne of sorts, surrounded by a crowd. His expression darkened at the sight of Vivian.
“You're telling me that she's Yariel's daughter?”
“Yes, commander!” Her kidnapper chirped, his voice colored with unbridled glee.
He stood tall with his chest puffed as he shamelessly waited to be showered with praise.
However, the coveted approval never came. Instead, an object slammed into the man.
“Do you want to die? Do you even know who she is? How dare you bring her here? Do you want all of us to die together with you, you moron?” the commander ranted, livid.
The kidnapper was stupefied by the assault, both physical and verbal.
“I-Isn't she Yariel's daughter? I brought her because of who she is, Commander! Her father killed so many of our men. Since she so kindly showed up at our doorstep, why should we leave her unscathed?” he countered.
“And what are you going to do once you've ended her? Do you really think that you can get away with it?” the commander bellowed, infuriated by his subordinate's idiocy. His body quivered with anger.
“I'm telling you that if Yariel's daughter dies here, he'll level the entire Elysium!”
Silence ensued after the commander's outburst.
They glared at Vivian, their faces twitching as conflicting emotions warred within them. It felt like they had a wolf cub in their hands. Alone, Vivian was vulnerable enough to kill, but they dared not for fear of retaliation from the wolf pack.
Vivian stared back with her doe-like eyes.
Humiliation turned into ire, and the kidnappers vented their anger out on Jason, who was also tied up.
Jason grunted in pain as they kicked him.
“Jason! What are you guys doing?”
Seething with rage, Vivian glowered at the attackers.
“What are we doing? Killing him, of course! Commander, this guy and his mother were the ones who brought that girl here! How dare she lie to us and bring us a ticking time bomb? What do you think she's planning? Is she trying to use the Jadesons to uproot us all now that her life is fine and dandy?” the attackers spat through gritted teeth.
With that, a man slapped Jason harshly across his face.
Jason's head snapped to the side from the impact. Blood trickled down the corner of his mouth.
“Jason!” Vivian was furious when she witnessed them doing that. The prince had never suffered in his life, and Vivian could not condone such violence.
“What are you guys doing? I came here of my own accord; it has nothing to do with them! I was the one who forced them to bring me here. My father is sick, and only something from the River of Styx can heal him, which is why we sought out his mother.”
Even in her frantic state, Vivian remembered the story Kurt had fabricated.
Yariel is sick?
Everyone's faces lit up with delight upon hearing her words, the commander included.
They had survived by the skin of their teeth because Sebastian had gone dormant for the past three years, thus allowing them to retreat into the forest and lead quiet lives.
If Sebastian was currently ill, then death was just around the corner for him. When the day came, Elysium would rise from the ashes and restore its former glory.
As for Vivian, they could erase her memory to stop her from exposing their secrets without having to murder her. After all, it would be a simple task for the Elysians.
At the thought of this, a malicious grin spread across the commander's face.
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1648
When Kurt returned to shore, he realized Vivian was nowhere to be found.
Instantly, his expression drastically changed as he shot a cold gaze at the lady who came up together with him.
“Where is she?”
“Huh?”
Daphne was stunned.
“I-I don't know. My son is here too, so how would I know?”
“Cut the crap. You told us that my mom and sister were at the Black Marsh. Now that we're here, there's no sign of them at all. Daphne, what are you planning? What's your agenda in trying to get us here?” Kurt questioned with bloodshot eyes and a murderous expression on his face.
Daphne's face lost all color, as she did have an agenda.
Before she met Kurt, she had assumed that her son would be the future king. However, now that the true prince of Elysium had appeared, her plan was on the brink of failure.
As a result, she decided to eradicate the competition.
“What kind of agenda could I have? Didn't I bring you here because you ordered me to? I really have no idea where both of them have gone, but I can help you search for them,” Daphne volunteered.
Kurt narrowed his eyes in response.
At that moment, a voice rang out of the earpiece he was wearing. “Kurt, Vivi has fallen into the hands of the enemy. Don't do anything reckless until we arrive.”
The voice belonged to Ian.
Vivi has been captured?
In an instant, Kurt's face turned as pale as a sheet.
Not wanting to waste any time with Daphne, he slipped back into the forest and sprinted in search of Vivian.
“How did she end up in their hands? What about Jason?”
“They were together. Vivi did it on purpose to find out where the remnants of the enemy were hiding on the hill. Didn't I tell you to stay put? Why did you go back in? Don't you know your identity puts you in a dangerous position against them?” Ian warned him anxiously over the line.
The truth was, if the enemies learned Kurt's identity, he would certainly be treated much differently from Vivian.
Considering that he was from Elysium and also the king's son, his life would be in danger, especially if the enemies were really working with Daphne. After all, Jason, who resembled Calvin, was also with them.
Consequently, both Ian and Matteo were extremely concerned.
In spite of that, their instructions fell on deaf ears, as Kurt was behaving like a raving madman.
The only thing on his mind was to find Vivian at once.
Ten minutes later, he arrived in the depths of the forest. Just like Vivian's encounter, the men lying in ambush suddenly appeared with their guns pointing at him.
“Are you from Elysium?”
Someone in the group recognized him at first glance.
After all, the people of Elysium had facial features that stood out. It was just as Lucy had said. Their chiseled lower jaw was what distinguished them and also made them look particularly handsome.
At the same time, Kurt was discreetly reaching for the dagger in his sleeve.
Suddenly, a nervous female voice was heard shouting. “Kurt! Kurt! Where are you?”
The voice sounded extremely crisp and familiar.
Lucy?
From the corner of his eye, he saw a figure in blue running toward him. When he returned his gaze to the front, he realized the person who was aiming a gun at him had already disappeared.
Lucy finally came over. Walking up to Kurt, she grabbed his hands nervously and said, “Kurt, I finally found you! I must tell you that Vivi and the others have disappeared. We have to find them at once. Also, my uncle knows that you're here and is coming with his men. What are we going to do?”
After shooting an indifferent glance at her, he pulled back his arm.
“I already know. You should go back now and don't bother with us.”
“How can I do that? Since you're unfamiliar with the area and I'm your friend, there's no way I can sit idly by and do nothing. I know this place very well, so let's search for them together.”
Lucy refused to leave.
When she saw how Kurt rejected her, she ignored him and trudged deeper into the forest instead.
As a result, the grim expression on Kurt's face deepened.
Overwhelmed with frustration, he wondered why she had insisted on tagging along.
Nonetheless, he followed her from behind, as his concern for Vivian took priority.
After walking some distance, he was pleasantly surprised when Lucy guided him to a hidden trail right in front of them.
It seemed to be leading to somewhere.
“Kurt, should we follow it?”
Staring at the trail, Kurt asked, “Have you come here before?”
Lucy shook her head to indicate that she had not. In fact, a fearful expression descended upon her face when she saw the dark and creepy trail.
Kurt suggested, “You should head back. I'll be fine going in alone.”
“No!” she refused.
This time, she hugged Kurt's arm just so that he would not chase her away.
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1649
Kurt's gloomy expression grew more intense.
Just when he was about to shove her aside, two figures appeared from the trail all of a sudden.
“Do you think the commander's plan will work? After all, she's Yariel Jadeson's daughter. Will it be all right if we release her?”
“We should be. Don't forget that she has been fed the worms. Once she is released, she won't even remember her name, let alone the fact that we're here.”
Both of them chatted as they walked out.
Meanwhile, Kurt was dumbstruck when he heard their conversation.
What do they mean by feeding her with worms? These animals! What did they do to her?
Losing his cool, he fell into a fit of rage. The very next second, he cut one of them down in a flash while quickly subduing the other.
“What were you talking about? What did you do to her?”
Overwhelmed with fury, Kurt gritted his teeth so hard that he almost shattered them.
Terrified by Kurt, the man answered in a trembling voice, “I-I didn't do it. It was the commander's decision. T-The girl discovered our secret. Hence, we had to either kill her or... or feed her with worms!”
Crack!
As a spatter of blood gushed out, the man died at the hands of Kurt.
Disregarding Lucy's protest and the objections of Ian and Matteo over the earpiece, Kurt charged ahead with his dagger in hand, which still had fresh blood dripping off it.
By the time he caught sight of Vivian, she was lying motionless on a rudimentary-looking stretcher that was being carried by a group of men.
Immediately, Kurt's eyes turned bloodshot.
“Put her down!” he thundered without a care for his own safety.
Holding his dagger, he then threw himself at his enemy.
In the blink of an eye, the group of men who were carrying Vivian had their throats slit before they even realized what was going on.
“Quick! Inform the commander at once!”
As for the rest of the survivors, they dropped Vivian in panic before fleeing back into the hills to call for reinforcements.
However, there was no way Kurt would allow them to escape.
He knew that after being fed with those vile creatures, the only way Vivian could ever recover was for him to find the antidote, or else she would never be cured.
Consequently, he killed another two men.
Just when he was about to continue his slaughter, Lucy cried out to him, “Kurt, stop killing! Let's hurry back with Vivi first. As I have not seen these men before, we have to find my uncle and the royal family!”
Nevertheless, it was already too late. A few of the survivors had gone back to report the incident. Therefore, the entire group that had been hiding for almost twenty years swarmed out at once.
“He's from Elysium!”
“That's right. He has a chiseled jaw, and that means he's part of the royal family! He's one of them!”
After the last sentence escaped the person's mouth, all of them were stricken with panic that swiftly spread through the entire mountain.
Kurt ignored their words. It was not until he was exhausted from killing that he noticed four familiar figures by his side.
At that moment, all of them were drenched in blood, just like him.
No one could tell if the blood belonged to them or the enemy.
“You guys...”
“Kurt, you've acted impulsively. Since Mr. Hayes has assigned us to protect Ms. Vivian, there's no way we would let her come to harm. Her brave actions have allowed the situation here to be transmitted via a hidden camera back to her brothers and Mr. Jadeson.” Back to back with Kurt, a member of SteelFort reprimanded him when he saw he had regained his senses.
After that, he related everything that had happened.
She's all right, then?
The moment he heard their explanation, the panic he felt in his initially shattered heart began to gradually dissipate.
Earlier, he had lost control of himself when the fear of losing her had overwhelmed him.
In fact, the thought of her forgetting him after being fed the insidious worms had terrified him beyond belief.
Pursing his lips, Kurt slowly recovered his composure.
“Fine. In that case, you should take her back while I cover the rear.” After regaining his senses, he calmly made a decision.
However, the SteelFort member's expression drastically changed.
“We can't allow that. Now that they know you're a member of the Elysium royalty, they will seek to kill you. Hence, you're inviting your own death if you stay here,” he expressed his disagreement angrily.
As for the other three members, they too rejected the idea.
All this while, SteelFort's culture was similar to that of a large family. Even though they were an organization of assassins under the Hayes family, all of them shared a tight bond, unlike other cold and calculated organizations.
Thus, they would never allow any one of them to go on a suicidal path, especially when they had personally watched Kurt grow up.
In spite of that, Kurt disregarded their objections when he saw the increasing number of enemies swarming toward them. Furthermore, they were all equipped with modern firearms and explosives.
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1650
All of a sudden, he thought of the terrifying nuclear wave weapons that had struck Sebastian and Devin before, causing his face to lose all color.
Nonetheless, his gaze was filled with a resolve that he never felt before.
Subsequently, he took out the snake whistle he had used in Yartran.
Fweet!
The moment a sharp and jarring sound reverberated throughout the forest, bone-chilling rustles began to fill everyone's ears.
Are those snakes?
How is that possible? How can this young man summon snakes?
After being stunned by Kurt's action, they began to feel swarms of slithering creatures at their feet, sending a chill down everyone's spines.
“Quick! Retreat to the cave at once! These are the poisonous snakes that we have raised ourselves.”
The fact that the snakes belonged to them terrified them further.
With that, all of them retreated swiftly.
At the sight of the fleeing enemy, Kurt finally stopped. He then turned to his SteelFort seniors and instructed, “You should leave quickly, while I hold them back. Matt and Ian should be outside waiting to receive you.”
“But—”
“Don't worry. I'll withdraw soon. Besides, didn't you see for yourself how I summoned the snakes? Obviously, I still have a few tricks up my sleeve. After all, I did grow up here.”
In order to allay their concerns, Kurt convinced them he had other means of defeating their enemies.
With that, the four members of SteelFort left with the unconscious Vivian. Their main duty was to protect her, after all.
Once they were gone, they had no knowledge of what happened in the forest after that.
The moment they came out and saw Devin and the two brothers, they informed them they had lost contact with Kurt.
“Lost contact? In that case, we will flatten their entire base!” barked Devin, who had arrived with a huge troop of soldiers.
At his command, the people of Elysium watched in fear as the heavily armed soldiers marched into the hills.
The Elysium royal family who ruled the tribe did not dare to stop them at all.
Three hours later, the intense battle finally came to an end.
Devin, together with his men, killed many of the enemies while the hundreds who survived were all captured. Consequently, news of their success shook the entire region.
As for Vivi, she had missed all the drama due to her being unconscious.
By the time she awoke, the terrifying battle had already ended.
“Vivi, you're finally awake! How do you feel?”
Within the small town where they had set up their temporary base, Matteo hurried over to check on his sister when he realized she was up.
Ian, who was beside them, came over to do the same.
Lying in her bed, Vivian glanced at her two brothers. Even then, it took her a long while before she managed to regain her senses and the sparkle in her eyes.
“Matt, I'm fine. Where are we?”
“We're in a small town near Elysium. You silly girl. Do you know how big a fright you have given us?” Matteo reprimanded as he helped Vivian to sit up.
Ian did not say a word. Instead, he poured Vivian a cup of warm water.
After drinking some, Vivian sat there and scratched her head before smiling awkwardly.
“I just saw a wonderful opportunity. So how about it? Did you receive the videos of the terrain and the caves? Were they of any use? Is Uncle Devin here? Does he have any plans?”
Evidently, Vivian was all grown up, too.
The moment she awoke, she started asking about the issue at hand instead of being concerned about her own well-being.
When Matteo heard her response, he rubbed her head in amusement.
“Yes, he has. Looks like you have become the hero of the day. With the information you have provided, Uncle Devin has captured all the remnants of the enemy. Even Great-grandpa has praised you for your bravery.”
“Really?”
Vivian was so delighted by the news that she blushed.
At the same time, Ian gave her an approving look.
Amidst the triplet's chatter, Devin entered the room. When he saw Vivian had awoken, he came over to her bedside to check on her.
“Vivi, are you feeling all right? Does it hurt anywhere?”
“I'm perfectly fine, Uncle Devin. I heard that you have wrapped up the matter beautifully. What about Kurt? Have you seen him? He went to the River of Styx. I didn't tell him any of this.”
Finally, she began asking about Kurt.