Now he remembered everything.
Starting with Valeska and the girl standing before him.
Valeska, the second princess of Queen Valeriane, the current ruler of the Empire.One of only three characters Hastora had ever considered making the protagonist of his novel.
And before him now stood Mirellia, Valeska's fiercely loyal maid, renowned for her unwavering devotion.
But a question gnawed at Hastora.
Why was Mirellia here?
And how did she know about this secret place?
Only Hastora, the author himself, knows the location of the Arcanum spring right now.
No one else.
Absolutely no one…
Was this connected to the quest he'd been given?
Or a plot deviation?
Whatever it was, this was a massive problem.
Mirellia's presence here risked exposing the spring—a spark that could ignite a devastating, all-consuming war.
Hastora wasn't ready for that.
He needed to be far stronger before facing such a conflict.
Strong enough to protect himself in this world.
Dismounting Elyshara, Hastora approached Mirellia.
His presence pressed down like a crushing weight, threatening to tear Mirellia apart.
Instinct screamed at her not to defy this man.
Hastora stood before her, Mirellia struggling to withstand the immense pressure.
"Why are you here? And how did you find this place?" Hastora demanded.
His blood-red eyes blazed with intensity, his mental pressure a tangible weight on Mirellia.
"I-I…" Mirellia stammered, her body trembling violently, unable to answer.
Hastora stepped closer, his oppressive aura intensifying.
"Answer me. How did you find this place?"
Mirellia remained silent, her voice trapped in her throat.
She collapsed, her body wracked with tremors.
"I... It… I…" she whispered faintly.
She eyes squeezed shut.
Then, a breathless confession, "I-I found it accidentally… while swimming."
The terrifying pressure vanished instantly.
Hastora glanced at her, then turned back towards Elyshara.
"Who came with you?" he asked, remounting Elyshara.
"I-I came alone," Mirellia gasped.
"Were you searching for a cure for a curse?"
Mirellia's eyes widened in shock. "How did you know?"
"Just a guess. I didn't expect it to be right."
Of course, it was a lie.
Hastora wouldn't reveal his true knowledge.
He remembered now.
It was Mirellia, a mid-ranking noblewoman, who had discovered the Arcanum Spring.
In the novel, she'd known Valeska since childhood—they were the same age—and had chosen to serve her at the princess's own request.
Then Valeska fell ill, a sickness no one could cure.
Valeriane had tried everything, to no avail. Mirellia, consumed by guilt, wouldn't rest until she found a cure.
She has been everywhere, every forbidden and illegal place, until finally…
Valeriane summoned an expert to examine Valeska, revealing that the princess was cursed.
Driven by remorse, Mirellia crossed the kingdom's borders, searching relentlessly, days blurring into a desperate, sleepless quest.
She found the cave—the Arcanum Spring.
She brought the water back to Valeska, and the princess recovered instantly.
News of the spring spread like wildfire, sparking a brutal scramble for its miraculous waters, ultimately igniting war between kingdoms.
The Arcanum Spring held immense power; its existence was a ticking time bomb.
One wrong move could trigger all-out war. Hastora had to keep it secret, no matter the cost.
Hastora regarded Mirellia gravely.
"Leave. I pardon your life."
"But… I must save the princess."
"I don't care about your princess. Go."
"I-I…" Tears welled in Mirellia's eyes.
"I must save her. If she dies…"
"What a crybaby." Hastora dismounted again, approaching Mirellia.
"You wouldn't survive a day on the battlefield."
"You… you're cruel…"
"Thank you for the compliment."
"That wasn't a compliment… Hic! Hic!" Mirellia covered her face, tears streaming down her cheeks, guilt overwhelming her.
Elyshara approached, enveloping Mirellia in a warm hug.
"Don't cry. You don't need to feel guilty," she whispered, stroking Mirellia's hair.
"I can't… If she dies, I…"
"No! She won't die!" Elyshara's voice was like liquid gold.
"What do you mean, she won't die?" Mirellia stopped crying, wiping her tears.
"We know how to save her."
"W-what?"
"I'll explain later. For now, you need to stand."
"O-okay."
Elyshara helped Mirellia to her feet.
Her legs trembled, her face still wet with tears.
Yet even in this fragile state, Mirellia possessed remarkable strength.
In the novel, she was the MVP during the inter-kingdom war, a heroine of the Eldorian Empire.
But she had a fatal flaw: her mental fortitude crumbled when Valeska was in danger.
She would completely shut down.
Elyshara, supporting Mirellia, led her to Hastora. "Will you help her?" Elyshara asked, smiling.
Hastora narrowed his eyes.
"I don't know. I'm not sure."
Mirellia's face fell. Her hope dwindled.
Hastora held the key to Valeska's survival.
Mirellia trusted Elyshara.
Everything depended on Hastora's decision.
Refusal meant a 0% chance of Valeska's survival.
Acceptance meant 100%.
"So, what's your decision? Will you help this girl?" Elyshara asked hopefully.
For the first time, he saw Elyshara show genuine concern for someone other than herself.
Usually, she was indifferent to her surroundings—just like him.
Hastora wanted to exploit the Arcanum Spring without anyone knowing.
But how?
Should he take this quest and cure Valeska?
'Is accepting this quest the right choice?'
'What willI gain ifI succeed in curing Valeska's curse?'
'WillI get money?'
If that was all, there was no profit at all.
He needed to get more benefits.
What should he ask for in return?
Money alone wasn't enough.
Hastora pondered a way to gain significant profit while gazing at the cave ceiling.
After five minutes of thought, he finally made a firm decision.
A decision highly advantageous to him, while still keeping the Arcanum Spring a secret.
It was decided.
'I'll accept this quest,' he said in his mind
Ding!
[Quest Accepted]
[Cure Valeska of her curse (Incomplete)]
[Reward: •100 EP •+5 to all stats •New Spell: Prime Genesis]
[Time Limit: 8 hours 35 minutes 58 seconds]
[Note: Valeska is the second princess of Valeriane, the current empress. Two years ago, she was diagnosed with an incurable disease. Your mission is to save her. Good luck!]
'What? Two years ago?'
Hastora was slightly surprised after reading the note on the screen.
In the novel, Valeska was diagnosed with an incurable disease at the age of 16, which is now.
So how could she have been cursed 2 years ago?
'Troublesome… The story keeps changing.'
Hastora stared flatly at Mirellia.
"I accept."
A wide smile spread across Mirellia's face. Her hope for Valeska's survival was at 100%.
However, Hastora wasn't that good. He already had a plan.
"But my help isn't free."
Mirellia's smile vanished, silence enveloped them both.
It felt like being rescued, only to be blackmailed right after.
Mirellia didn't want Hastora to demand anything from Valeska.
"Fine, I'll agree to whatever you ask. But don't ask the princess; you can ask me. I don't want to burden her."
Hastora walked towards the Arcanum Spring.
"I don't mind. Then we have a deal."
Hastora created a giant bucket of darkness, then scooped Arcanum water from the spring until the bucket was full.
After that, he stored it in the shadows and walked back to Elyshara and Mirellia.
"Let's go. Take me to your princess," Hastora said.
Mirellia nodded, then followed Elyshara and Hastora from behind.
They walked out of the cave, but there was one problem.
Hastora looked around, scowling. "Wait… Where's my diving gear?"
Even in a serious moment, he found something to be annoyed about.
To be continued in the next chapter…