His heart hammered against his ribs, his breath catching in his throat.
He wanted to run, but his limbs betrayed him.
Even if he moved—where would he go?
The Vuldari were closing in.
He was trapped.
The Vuldari were closing in, blocking his only exit.
No, maybe… there was a way.
Only one escape route presented itself in this dire situation.
The window.
The glass panes were thin, almost fragile.
All he needed to do was shatter the glass and leap.
But, there was a significant problem.
He would die if he jumped. He was on the third floor; a safe landing was impossible.
But, if he didn't jump…
"Screw it all!" Hastora bellowed, flooding his fist with mana as he drove it through the glass.
GRAAAHHH!
Without a moment's hesitation, he launched himself out the window as the Vuldari reached him.
Hastora plummeted.
The wind roared past him, a chilling reminder of his precarious situation.
"AAAA! I can't die here!"
Summoning his courage, he focused his mana, grabbing onto the second-floor balcony as he fell.
A searing pain shot up his arm as his grip found purchase on the railing.
"I need to wait for those Vuldari to leave, then climb back up to the third floor."
Hanging precariously, he attempted to recover his mana.
If not for the blessing of the Arcanum water, he wouldn't have survived this far.
He had no idea how long he'd have to wait.
Could he hold on?
He didn't know. But one thing was certain: he couldn't release his grip.
If he did… he might never return.
In the depths of his despair, a voice suddenly echoed in his mind.
Ding!
[Warning]
[Your quest will end in 3 hours, 28 minutes, and 26 seconds]
[[Mission Failure Penalty: Sudden Cardiac Arrest in 3:28:26]
[Note: Complete your mission or die.]
Hastora flinched, his eyes widening at the message displayed before him.
"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"
Frustration clawed at his mind. Rage boiled within him.
Even in moments like these, there was always something to irritate him.
Time was critically short.
Would he manage to complete his quest?
He couldn't say for sure.
Failure meant a sudden cardiac arrest.
It would be excruciating, a torturous end.
Success, however, meant a massive reward.
But the time…
His chest ached, and for the first time, tears threatened to spill.
Hastora sighed, gazing blankly at the sky.
He let out a small, bitter laugh. "For such a troublesome quest… only 8 hours? You've got to be kidding me."
"GRAAAHHH!"
Hastora jumped, startled by the sight of the Vuldari leaping from the third-floor window.
Five, eighteen… no, it looked like all of them!
Hastora scrambled back onto the balcony, using every ounce of his strength.
"Why the hell did I create them like this…" Hastora muttered bitterly.
Once, it was just fiction—his fiction. Now, those brilliant monsters hunted him like prey.
Genius, huh? He'd take it all back if he could.
He wanted to create powerful, intelligent monsters for his own novel, Echoes of an Unwritten Fate.
That's when the Vuldari were born.
It earned him positive reviews; many loved and were captivated by his novel.
But those past opinions meant nothing now.
He deeply regretted his creation.
The monsters born from his brilliant idea were now a deadly threat.
Hastora approached the balcony railing, biting his lip until it bled, his gaze fixed on the fallen Vuldari.
He was safe, for now.
But mere safety wasn't enough.
He had to survive—and prove himself worthy of this world.
Still, his most immediate concern was something else entirely.
His current position was his biggest worry.
He was on the second-floor balcony. If other Vuldari inside the tower discovered him and attacked—
It would be the end.
He couldn't leave, though.
Going down meant facing a swarm of Vuldari below.
Going up was equally impossible; his body was too weak.
Even after bathing in the Arcanum water pool, it wasn't enough.
This world was far harsher and more complex than he'd imagined.
With his current strength, he might not survive the upcoming chaos in Eldoria.
Hastora leaned against the railing, his expression weak. "This is so troublesome… How am I going to do this? Can I even survive in this world?"
Maybe… just maybe, he still had a chance.
The truth was, death meant his soul would be sent to the anomaly dimension, Nihility Collapse.
He'd experienced this firsthand during his third death.
He could be revived by the Null Scribe.
All he had to do was ask.
But it wouldn't be free.
The Null Scribe would undoubtedly make him complete a trial first.
He was certain of it.
The Null Scribe had already given him a survival trial to claim his reward.
It was a standard procedure.
But that was the reality. Ultimately, he had to complete this survival trial.
Hastora walked to a wooden chair on the balcony and sat down.
He leaned back, closing his eyes to recover his mana.
He wasn't sure,
But his magic would likely be fully restored within 30 minutes.
Time was slipping through his fingers.
His quest would end soon.
He had to complete this survival trial before the quest timer ran out.
Hastora opened his eyes, his gaze fixed on the raging storm in the sky.
"This survival trial isn't as easy as you made it sound, Null Scribe."
"But I won't give up. You'll regret hoping for my surrender."
"I expect a hefty bonus reward when I complete this trial."
---
Imperial Palace, Valeska von Asterea's chambers.
Elyshara felt a knot of unease in her stomach.
She nervously gnawed on her index finger.
Why wouldn't she?
Evening was approaching, and Hastora still hadn't returned.
Had he left and never come back?
Or was he dead?
Both possibilities were plausible, yet equally unbelievable.
Hastora was weak; his chances of survival were a mere 24 percent.
But Hastora wasn't stupid.
Only his sharp mind gave him even the slightest chance of making it out alive.
However, Hastora was cold and… a master manipulator.
He was clever and cunning.
The likelihood of Hastora leaving and never returning was high.
She couldn't deny it.
Elyshara's anxiety intensified.
She bit her finger until it bled, swinging her legs restlessly.
"Please… don't leave me, Hastora. If you disappear too…"
Elyshara whispered, her voice laced with fear.
Her greatest fear was being abandoned by Hastora.
She knew she couldn't rely on him forever.
She needed to earn money and learn to navigate this new era.
But… her heart ached at the thought of him leaving.
She didn't want to be abandoned.
She wanted to be with him, always.
Mirellia noticed Elyshara's distress and felt a surge of curiosity.
She stood and approached Elyshara.
"Excuse me… are you alright?" Mirellia asked, concerned.
Elyshara was slightly startled by Mirellia's sudden appearance, but she hid it well.
"Ah, I—I'm fine. I'm just thinking about something." Elyshara replied, slightly stammering.
Mirellia raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Really? But… are you sure?"
"I'm sure, very sure."
"Alright then. Forgive me for interrupting."
"It's okay."
"Thank you, you're very kind."
Mirellia smiled and started to return to her seat.
But she quickly turned back to Elyshara before she could sit.
"Sorry… if you don't mind, may I know your name?" Mirellia asked, intrigued.
"My name? I don't mind at all. You can call me Elyshara."
"Elyshara? What a beautiful name! It suits you perfectly."
Elyshara's ears turned pink, and she averted her gaze. "T-thanks… I think you're cute too..."
"Hehe, thank you. You can call me Mirellia."
"Okay. Eh? Hold on, didn't I already introduce myself earlier?"
Elyshara had introduced herself to Valeriane earlier when they entered the room.
Had Mirellia not heard or simply forgotten? How could she not know?
Mirellia looked bewildered, as if completely unaware of Elyshara's earlier introduction.
"M—My apologies. I don't recall. I must have forgotten." she said.
Now, Elyshara understood.
Mirellia was incredibly forgetful.
It was obvious; her words betrayed her.
In the novel, Hastora had portrayed Mirellia as forgetful, but not this extreme.
She could easily be manipulated by Hastora whenever he pleased.
Elyshara sighed, "It's alright."
"So, you've forgiven me? Then I'll sit back down." Mirellia extended her hand.
Elyshara smiled and shook Mirellia's hand.
The handshake lingered, neither of them seeming to want to let go.
It certainly wasn't Elyshara.
It was Mirellia.
Elyshara's hand felt soft and smooth, making Mirellia reluctant to break the contact.
However, she didn't want to make Elyshara uncomfortable.
She finally released her grip, "M—My apologies, your hand is so soft. I…"
"It's okay." Elyshara smiled.
Her smile was breathtaking, captivating Mirellia.
Mirellia shook her head, snapping out of her trance.
She returned to her seat, a smile playing on her lips.
Shortly after, Valeriane re-entered the room after a brief absence.
Two maids followed, carrying a table.
"Place it there." Valeriane instructed, pointing.
"Yes, Your Majesty." the maids replied in unison.
The table was placed before Elyshara, leaving her momentarily confused.
She wanted to ask why, but decided against it.
She sat quietly, watching Valeriane approach the table.
One of the maids quickly moved Valeriane's chair closer to the table.
Valeriane sat, smiling and closing her eyes.
"Your name is Elyshara, correct?" she asked, opening her eyes.
"Yes."
"Then may I speak with you for a moment?"
"Of course, I don't mind."
"Excellent. Mirellia, please prepare tea for the two of us. Help yourself to some as well, if you'd like." Valeriane instructed.
Mirellia rose from her chair, "Certainly, Your Majesty."
She left the room.
Only three remained: the frail Valeska, Valeriane, and Elyshara.
Elyshara felt slightly awkward but refrained from initiating conversation.
She waited patiently.
What did Valeriane want to discuss?
Was it important, or just casual chatter?
If it was important, she'd need to take it seriously.
It would likely concern her and Hastora.
If not, she'd simply pretend to listen while enjoying the free tea.
To be continued in the next chapter…