Before the crowd dispersed, I quickly intercepted a group of women who were still engrossed in their whispers.
"Excuse me, ladies. Sorry to interrupt," I cut in. "About that village that was massacred... if I may ask, where exactly is it located?"
They stopped talking and exchanged suspicious glances. One of them furrowed her brow, scanning me from head to toe. "Why would a young man like you want to know about that place?"
I forced a clumsy laugh while scratching the back of my neck. "Ah, it's nothing, ma'am. I was just curious because everyone has been talking about it. Just wanted to know, that's all."
The woman sighed and pointed toward the outskirts of the village. "Leave this village, and you'll find an abandoned territory. There's only one village out there. You won't miss it."
After thanking them, I hurried away. My mind was racing. Damn it. This meant that in my past life, Nathaniel had lied. He always claimed that Lunara was his childhood home. In reality, he had erased his "past" with blood.
When I arrived at the site, the atmosphere instantly turned eerie. The village was completely dead. Not a soul was in sight. Tall weeds had overgrown the collapsing buildings. Darkened bloodstains were still visible on the wooden walls—silent witnesses to the atrocities that occurred two years ago.
I walked through the rubble until my foot tripped over something hard. Buried beneath the dirt and dust lay a crucifix. Its design was magnificent, a stark contrast to this filthy place.
"Why is something like this here?" I muttered.
Rain began to drizzle, forcing me to leave. I picked up the crucifix and decided to take shelter at a roadside shop on my way back. Under the dim shop lights, I examined the crucifix more closely.
"Excuse me, ma'am," I asked the shop owner, who was cleaning up. "Have you ever seen a crucifix design like this?"
The owner took the crucifix, examined it for a moment, and her eyes widened. "This... if I remember correctly, this is a design from the Central Church in the Capital of Luminare. Only the Great Cathedral in Luxora possesses ornaments this lavish."
She returned it to me with a puzzled look. I remained silent. In my past life, I was merely a low-rank Awakener who had never set foot in the great cities. My knowledge of the Luminare Kingdom was very limited.
That night, in my shack, I stared at the crucifix on the table. "Luxora, huh?"
Luxora was the heart of the Luminare Kingdom, the most magnificent city where nobles and high-ranking officials gathered. If this crucifix originated from there, then the clues about Nathaniel must be there as well.
The next morning, I rushed to Uncle Jack's bakery. The scent of warm bread greeted me as the door bell chimed. Tring!
"Uncle!"
Uncle Jack, who was busy packing, looked up. "Draven! Where were you yesterday? Why didn't you come to help?"
"Sorry, Uncle. I had some business. Uncle, I want to ask you something... have you ever been to the Capital, Luxora?"
Jack stopped what he was doing and looked at me scrutinizingly. "Why the sudden interest in Luxora?"
I placed the crucifix on the table. Jack picked it up, his eyes narrowing. "This crucifix... I've seen it in Luxora. Where did you get this, Draven?"
"I picked it up on the road yesterday. It looked expensive, so I was curious," I lied to avoid suspicion.
"Well, it definitely belongs in Luxora. Perhaps a traveler dropped it," Jack said, handing it back. "If you're asking if I've been there, of course. Luxora is the heart of the kingdom. You can see the grand castle from miles away."
"Is it far from here, Uncle?"
"On horseback, it takes about three hours. But if you walk like you usually do, probably five to six hours," he explained.
I fell silent. I didn't have a horse, and a six-hour trek would be exhausting. However, before I could complain inwardly, Uncle Jack smiled.
"Coincidentally, I have to go to Luxora the day after tomorrow. There's a large bread order to deliver. You want to come see the big city, Draven?"
My eyes lit up. "Yes! I'm coming with you, Uncle!"
The City of Luxora
The scene shifted. Luxora was nothing like the slums I lived in. This was the City of Light. Clean cobblestone streets, tall buildings with beautiful architecture, and luxury horse-drawn carriages belonging to the nobility passed by constantly.
"Alright, Draven. Since you're coming the day after tomorrow, you'd better work your heart out helping me prepare tomorrow," Jack said.
"You got it, Uncle!" I replied enthusiastically. We both laughed together a laughter that, for a moment, managed to chip away at the heavy burden resting on my shoulders.
The day of departure finally arrived. Since before dawn, I had been at the bakery, helping Uncle Jack pack hundreds of loaves of bread into wooden crates.
"Uncle, who actually orders this much bread?" I asked curiously while lifting the last crate.
Jack chuckled with pride. "There's a large bakery in Luxora that always orders stock from me. You know it yourself, Draven my bread has a flavor everyone loves. Even the nobles there acknowledge it!"
I let out a small laugh at his confidence. However, as I glanced out the window, my smile faded. I stared at the sky, which was beginning to change color. "Uncle, it looks like it's going to rain. It's still early, but the sky is already so dark."
Jack joined me in staring at the sky and let out a long sigh. "Yeah, looks like it. But don't worry, I've booked a covered carriage. We and the bread won't get soaked."
Jack fell silent for a moment, letting the cold wind brush against his face. "You know, Draven? I actually really like the rain. For some reason, when the droplets fall, my heart feels calm and relaxed. It makes me feel more... 'alive.' And one more thing... if you cry in the rain, not a single person will ever notice."
I was stunned by his last sentence, falling silent for quite some time.
"HEY! Why are you daydreaming again?" Jack's shout shattered the mood.
"Hahaha, nothing, Uncle. I was just really feeling what you said," I replied quickly.
Not long after, the hired carriage arrived. I, Uncle Jack, and the coachman worked together to load the entire order into the carriage. As the wheels began to turn, leaving the village behind, the rain slowly started to fall. Syuuhhh... syuuuhhh... the sound of droplets drumming against the carriage roof became a lonely background score.
I stared out the window, watching the roads turn wet. My mind was in turmoil. Can I really change the future? Can I truly kill Nathaniel?
Honestly, deep in my heart, there was fear. Nathaniel wasn't just any enemy; he was the person who would eventually sit among the Top 10 strongest humans in the world. And me? In my previous life, I was just an ordinary Awakener. The gap in our strength was like heaven and earth.
If it was true that he had massacred an entire village at thirteen, then now, at fifteen, his strength must have far surpassed what it was two years ago. Damn it, how can a kid be that strong?
Suddenly, a hand tapped my shoulder. I jolted.
"Hey, you're spacing out again, kid," Jack scolded. "Why have you been staring into space so much lately? Do you have debts you haven't paid?"
"No, Uncle. I was just enjoying the view and the rainy atmosphere," I made an excuse.
Jack pointed ahead through a gap in the carriage. "Look over there. The Capital of the Luminare Kingdom, Luxora... is in sight."
I leaned forward. Behind the veil of rain and thin mist, an extraordinarily magnificent city began to reveal itself. High white walls, castle towers soaring through the dark clouds, and golden gates that shimmered even under the gloomy weather.