Chapter 64: Return

Thanks to his night vision skill, Raven navigated the snow-covered forest without difficulty and went further into the woods.

Although a few wolves and goblins attacked him, they posed no threat to his current strength. After traveling for more than two hours, Raven finally found an excellent place to bury Thomas's corpse right underneath a tall oak tree, surrounded by thorn-filled plants with no leaves.

He first used the shovel to remove the snow, dug a large area of 6 feet, and made a grave around midnight.

After that, he waited until dawn in the cold, took out the corpse from the inventory, and placed him near the grave.

Then, he removed Thomas's clothes and other belongings and pushed the naked dead body towards the grave.

As he started burying his body by pushing the soil, he slowly opened his mouth and began to do a ceremonial prayer.

"Beloved spirits, guardians of the Eclipse land, we gather here under the watchful eyes of the stars to honor the dead, who have journeyed beyond the mortal veil.

We call upon the Four Winds, the Earth Mother, the Celestial Waters, and the Rebirth Flame to guide and protect him on his passage to the next life.

O Spirits of the Beyond, hear our call. Grant him peace and safe passage through the celestial realms.

In the East, where the sun rises, we ask for clarity and wisdom to light his path.

May the dawn's light guide him.

In the South, where the Rebirth fires burn bright, we seek the warmth of love and courage to embrace his soul.

May the fire's warmth comfort him.

In the West, where the Celestial waters flow, we pray for the cleansing and renewal of his spirit.

May the water's purity cleanse him.

In the North, where the Earth stands firm, we hope for strength and protection for him on his journey.

May Mother Earth's strength support him.

O Mother Twilight, Keeper of Souls, we entrust the dead into your care.

May he find rest among the stars, his spirit and heart at peace.

We release him into the arms of eternity. May he soar higher and dance with the stars.

Until we meet beyond the stars."

After the ritualistic chant, Raven placed the flower garland near the grave and clapped his hands before bowing his head towards it.

After that, he quietly walked away from there.

…

Raven didn't stay in the Ashenvale forest after burying Thomas and quietly returned to the Claw Ville. Then, he met with Rebecca's father and returned to Giaris City with his help.

The journey back to Giaris City was boring, with only the rhythmic clatter of the carriage wheels. By the time the carriage reached the city, it was around 9:00 A.M.

The morning sun was rising, painting the sky in orange and giving everyone a warm feeling. The snow covering the road also started to melt as the sun ascended from the East.

Raven saw the familiar restless energy of the city, bustling with people, as the carriage entered the Southward Borough.

Vendors also set up their stalls in crowded areas, and the smell of freshly baked bread filled the air, even at the city entrance.

"Where shall I drop you, boy?" Rebecca's father asked, breaking the silence as he drove the carriage through the crowded streets.

"Put me near Salford, sir," Raven said.

"Aye," he said. Minutes later, the carriage arrived in Salford Borough and was immediately parked on the side of the road.

Meanwhile, Raven walked out of the carriage and thanked Rebecca's father before entering the nearby alley road. After that, he activated the 'Shadow Stealth' ability and slowly disappeared into the dark.

…

Bristol Street, Salford Borough.

It was around 8 A.M.

A black-haired young boy, around 16 years old, strolled on the street road and soon arrived in front of a two-storied mansion entrance. He had azure blue eyes, a square face, upturned eyebrows, and fair skin. At that moment, he wore a black frock coat over his formal white shirt, black pants, ribbon tie, and a bowler hat on his top. He also held a leather Gladstone bag in his left hand.

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The monocle perched on his left eye was the most surprising thing about this boy.

As soon as he arrived closer to the compound gate, a 30-year-old man in a dark green uniform stepped forward and blocked him.

"This area is off limits, boy." He stated.

'A policeman? Wait, isn't he the same person I saw a week ago? But why is he still guarding my mansion?'

Raven furrowed his brows and asked.

"Did I ask the police to guard my house? Why are you standing at the entrance and guarding the mansion?"

At the same time, he activated the monocle and checked his status.

…

'A local guard, huh? I thought of him as a policeman.'

"Your mansion?" The guard's face froze before turning into a surprised one.

"I didn't recognize you, Young Master Thomas. I have been assigned to guard your house by Lord Count after you went missing."

'Yeah, I've seen you guarding the mansion while letting those thugs in,' Raven walked past him and opened the compound gate.

Meanwhile, the guard took an iron key from his pocket and gave it to him.

"I tried my best to guard the house, Mr. Thomas. I never allowed anyone in."

The corner of Raven's lips twitched.

"You are relieved from your duty. Return to the Count and tell him I'm grateful for his help."

Raven didn't even look back at the guard's face before stepping onto the lawn.

He felt a familiar chill in the morning air.

In front of him lay the garden, a tidy area covered in snow. With snow covering almost one-third of the garden, some fearless wildflowers have sprung up at the corners with their tints.

'What a grand sight.' Raven's gaze shifted towards the two-storied mansion.

The structure was impressive, with its high, steeply pitched rooflines and ornate gables. The walls were made of old bricks; their deep red color gradually faded in places by rain and sun.

Tall, narrow windows marked fronts, their curtains once bright white but faded with time. Some of the windows were decorated with metal, with floating patterns that cast soft shadows when the light first came. A large window also jutted out from one side of the house, its windows reflecting the morning sun like broken diamonds.

"This is a beautiful mansion worth over ten thousand gold coins." While muttering,

Raven made his way toward the building's entrance.

The front door, a heavy oak affair with an arched top and inset with stained glass panels, stood as the centerpiece of the mansion's entrance. Its brass knocker was shaped like a lion's head, worn to a smooth sheen by countless hands.

Stunning wood framed the patio, where the paint had been stripped to reveal the raw wood beneath.

Vines climbed up one side of the house, their trunks twisting around the doors, stretching up as if trying to reach the top.

After observing the surroundings, Raven inserted the metal key into the lock, opened the door, and entered the hallway.

The inside of the place was cool, with a faint fragrance of dust and aged wood mixed with some flowers. Sunlight filtered through the entrance glasses, splashing colors throughout the main lobby's marble floor.

The lobby stretched out wide, its ceiling soaring high. A grand chandelier took center stage adorned with glass shades in various hues, though many of its bulbs had gone dark over time. A curved, split staircase with a strong iron railing spiraled up to the upper level.

The kitchen, dining room, butler's pantry, and guest suite were on the left side of the foyer. The living room, library, drawing room, home office, and laundry room were on the right side of the foyer.

'The mansion house is so big.'

Raven first went to the laundry room, took all the items from his inventory, and washed everything.

Then, he moved to the living room and quietly sat on the sofa with a tired face.

'I badly need rest.' But he knew it wasn't the time to worry about his sleep.

A bell sound came from the foyer, causing him to sit straight.

"A guest?" Raven stood up from the sofa, approached the foyer, and soon reached the entrance door.

He opened the wooden door and saw two people standing at the mansion's entrance.

One was a middle-aged man with a tall stature, while the other was a blonde-haired woman in her thirties. The man had a rough square face, black eyes, and a half-bald head. He also wore a charcoal-colored morning coat over his formal white dress. The woman had a slim figure, olive skin, thick eyebrows, and emerald eyes. She wore an emerald-colored pelisse over her high-necked blouse and loose pants. She also wore balmoral boots and a toque.

"Jacob?" Raven looked at the middle-aged man and asked.

"Oh, have we met before, Young Master?" The middle-aged man named Jacob looked surprised and asked.

"No. But I was expecting your arrival, Mr. Jacob." Raven said with a smile and turned his gaze towards the woman.

Meanwhile, the blonde-haired woman bent her waist and bowed her head.

"Greetings, Young Master Thomas. I'm Quincy, vice leader of the Sepoy Mercenary."

"Greetings, Lady Quincy. Please, come in." Raven invited them in and led them towards the living room.

"Please excuse me for not giving the guest a proper welcome." He motioned for them to sit on the ornate sofa, then quietly sat on the Lawson sofa to the right.

"At this moment, there are no servants in the mansion. But I'm planning to hire them in a day or two."

"It's all right." Jacob waved his hand and asked.

"I heard from the news that you had been kidnapped and tortured for months. How are you feeling now, Young Master Thomas?"

"Thanks to the memory loss, I didn't remember much. But besides the lost memories, I'm already mentally and physically healed." Raven said with a nod and continued.

"But the reason I'm planning on hiring Sepoy Mercenary is-"

"You don't have to worry about your safety once you hire us, Young Master Thomas," Quincy curled her lips upward as she interrupted his talking and then added with a smile.

"But all our seven members are Radiant Rank Walkers, and our leader is someone on par with an Expert Rank Walker. Isn't it too much to protect you, Young Master? Moreover, our monthly earnings always amount to around 800 gold coins. Can you able to afford the price? If you plan to hire us long-term, even selling this mansion won't be enough."

'Seven Radiant Rank Walker? Insane indeed. One or two is more than enough for a normal security job. But I'm not in dire need of their protection. What I need is their strength to reclaim the Azmar territory.' Raven moved his right hand towards the tea table in the front and snapped his finger.

A second later, a large leather pouch appeared out of thin air and fell on the wooden table with a thud.

Jacob's eyes squinted sharper as he saw the pouch appearing out of thin air.

"A spatial artifact?" An invisible ripple came out from his body and searched Raven. But to his shock, he found no artifact other than the shoes!

'Spatial artifacts are not something anyone can get... But I didn't see any elemental fluctuation from his shoes or dresses. It's as if the earlier fluctuation came from his soul -' His face froze abruptly.

"Are you a Wizard?" Jacob asked stiffly.