The Gamer's POV-Chapter 208: Goddess of the Verdant Gardens

’What?’ At this point, Cedric was completely lost. What was this creature rambling about?

He tightened his fingers on the hilt, but then the creature’s next words caused Cedric’s eyes to widen in pure shock.

"May I ask... what is her name?"

’Huh?!’ 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

Cedric was stunned that he was at a loss for words.

’Did they already see Aika?’

Sweat began to bead down the side of his head, and when he still did not say anything, Argentos frowned.

"Oh? Do you perhaps not speak? Or is there a problem with my Kaldor?"

Cedric swallowed and tried to compose himself. Then, rather than answering, he asked a question of his own. "How is it that creatures like you can speak Kaldor?"

At that moment, the female beside Argentos spoke in an annoyed tone. "Creatures?"

She reached for the large sword on her back. "Mind your words, lest you insult us."

’What did I say wrong?’ Cedric was completely caught off guard by the human-like irritation in her voice, and his left leg took a step back. However, just before the female could draw her sword, Argentos spoke calmly.

"Marcella."

The female flinched, and slowly lowered her hand. Although she kept her eyes locked on Cedric with a lingering glare.

Argentos sighed, then he looked back at Cedric and spoke wearily.

"My people and I are not one to meddle in the affairs of the world and we prefer to be left alone to our affairs. We also try not to fight with your kind, because honestly, we just do not care enough to bother. We only fought your kind this time to defend the red bridge as it was in our territory. And, since we have failed, there is no point fighting any longer."

Cedric blinked. He was completely stumped by the words of this creature and had absolutely no idea what exactly was happening. This was not how he remembered the hollow ones from the memory he had of seraphim of doom. In those memories, they were mindless, driving forces of destruction. This creature, however, sounded almost human in its exhaustion.

As he processed this, a small pang of hope took birth within him. If they are saying that they don’t actually like to fight, that should be great, right? That means there’s a chance he could leave here alive!

"Does that mean you’ll let me go?" he asked politely, watching his words so as not to offend them.

Argentos stared at him for a long moment. Then he replied with a bluntness that killed any hope Cedric had, "No."

Cedric’s frown deepened.

"You just said there was no point in fighting," he muttered, his voice rising slightly in frustration. "If the bridge is gone and you don’t care about our affairs, then shouldn’t you let me go?"

Argentos tilted his head slightly, then replied after a moment. "Although we do not like killing your kind, we have been given orders from beings that we cannot refuse."

That was enough to tell Cedric that things were still going to end badly for him.

"As I said, it’s a shame," Argentos continued. "You know, when I was told to kill you, I was hopeful. A person whom the lords are wary of should be a person of great power, right?"

He gestured toward the many hollow ones standing beside him. "But sadly, you do not look any stronger than even those below me. If... you were at least as strong as the lords, I might have been tempted to let you go. And I might have been tempted to fully defy them."

Cedric gritted his teeth as his instincts told him to prepare for the prelude to his death.

Argentos slowly raised his hand. As he did, ten hollow ones began to move and surrounded Cedric in a circle.

Cedric unsheathed his sword and got into a stance. His eyes darted between the ten figures.

It was then that Argentos spoke again. "Still, I’m willing to give you a chance to fight for your life."

"What?"

Argentos gestured to the hollow ones surrounding Cedric. "If... you can survive them, I swear to our holy mother, Proserpina, the goddess of the verdant gardens, and queen of the Hortus Conclusus. I... will let you go."

As he spoke, he tapped his heart, then his forehead, before raising his hand to the side again. He was not the only one who did it this time. At the mention of the goddess, all the hollow ones, tapped their hearts, then their foreheads, before raising their hands to the side.

Meanwhile, Cedric was puzzled.

’Proserpina? Goddess of the Verdant Gardens?’

He had no idea who that was.

’Is that the goddess of this realm?’

His thought process was suddenly cut short as the hollow ones began to shuffle closer.

At that moment, Aika’s voice echoed in Cedric’s head. ’I’m coming out to join you.’~~

’No!’ Cedric quickly interjected, while his eyes tracked the movement of the circle.

’They promised to let us go if we can survive the ten of them. Don’t you think it will best if we take them on together?’~~ Aika argued.

’If... Aika, If. There’s ten of them. If we don’t win, then it’s over for both of us. Just let me do this alone. If... and again, if I fail, it should just be me who dies.’~

Cedric turned to the leader one last time, then asked, "You promised to let us go if we survive. How am I sure that you will keep your word?"

Argentos narrowed his eyes. After a few seconds, he replied. "I have already sworn on the name of the goddess of our realm. Do not worry. I will not dare break such an oath."

Cedric exhaled, then he looked back at the attacking hollow ones and expended a bit of his mana into the air.

The hollow ones watched as black feathers appeared around him, after which three ravens materialized from the swirling mana and took to hovering in the sky above.

In the next instant though, the hollow ones looked away from the ravens and began closing the circle in a coordinated manner.

Without waiting for them to finish their formation, Cedric roared and lunged at them.