Chapter 343: I feel like you are getting progressively crueler.

"...did your people stand in one place for thirty minutes?"

Lucian asked.

And while normally that would be a strange question.

After all, who in their right mind would stand in one place for thirty minutes without moving for no apparent reason?

Only this time, it made sense because...

That was exactly what Varek wanted Lucian to do.

Lucian thought about the conversation he had with him a few minutes ago.

’You need me to stand in one place and do nothing for 30 minutes?’

’Yes.’

’Why?’

Lucian asked.

Only this time, instead of answering his question, Varek looked into his eyes and—

’I trust that once you find the Heart, you will come back and find me.

I ask you to trust me a little as well.’

He requested with an earnest look on his face.

’I don’t trust you.

At all.’

Lucian remembered shaking his head almost instantly. At that moment, he didn’t really think too much about it.

But with Aurelia now telling him everything she did, his expression changed.

"Think about it. It makes some sense, doesn’t it? If someone enters an empty stone room, what do they do? They look around, maybe inspect the walls, check the pillars, walk around. If they’re there for maintenance, they do whatever they need to do and leave.

Absolutely no one walks into an empty room, stands in the exact centre and doesn’t move for half an hour.

This has to be related to something.

At the very least, it is worth checking out, this is the only lead we have."

Now Lucian didn’t deny the possibility of Varek lying, it was very much possible, it could also be that Varek’s information was outdated or outright wrong, maybe it was something he imagined entirely on his own but...

Whatever it was—

It was worth checking out.

And Aurelia—

[...fine.]

She agreed.

"So we are going?"

Lucian asked excitedly.

[Yes.]

"Wonderful."

He could finally leave this darned place.

Or... that’s what he thought.

[Give me thirty minutes.]

"...what?"

Lucian went completely still.

[Thirty minutes.]

"You cannot be serious."

[The Foundation chamber may not be guarded as strictly, but I still need some preparation to get you there.]

"I have already been inside this thing for hours."

[It has been fifteen minutes.]

"My left leg is no longer communicating with me."

[That sounds devastating.]

"..."

Lucian didn’t know what he was supposed to say.

[Stay quiet.]

She said one last thing before she stopped talking.

Lucian stared into the darkness again, and once again, his mind fell into the exact same zone.

Where was he again?

Yes, drugs.

What if... he found a stone filled with drugs instead?

It was definitely a thought worth thinking about.

Lucian’s mind drifted into his thoughts again. Time passed, he kept thinking about the absurd thoughts that filled his mind, until eventually—

His senses caught movement.

Footsteps.

One Vampire was approaching him.

Lucian turned completely silent, then, he sensed his cart shift.

The Vampire also kicked the cart, almost as if giving a signal before he started moving the cart.

And just then—

[Do not speak.

I sent him.]

Aurelia’s voice returned.

Lucian sighed in relief.

Although he didn’t think he was unfortunate enough for his cart to be taken away out of all the available carts, her voice still gave him some level of relief.

Lucian once again expanded his senses and focused on the route, this was his only way to pass time.

Obviously, the route was different this time.

Their surroundings were much quieter, the farther they moved, the fewer people he could sense, until eventually, there was no one around except for them.

After a while, Lucian also sensed the stone beneath the wheels change, the surface became rougher, which made everything even more uncomfortable.

And after about fifteen more minutes, a grand total of just two checkpoints, the cart stopped.

The Vampire pushing the cart released the handle, then, he walked away. Lucian heard him close the door on his way out.

For the next few seconds, Lucian waited.

Once he was sure no one was around, he finally opened the lower compartment again and crawled out and fell on the ground, stretching his body and taking up as much space as he could.

"Ahhh..."

He sighed in relief.

He could feel his body melt on the floor.

Then, after about a minute, he stood up. He stretched his back, his neck, his shoulders, the relief hit him in waves, it... felt good.

"If I ever see another service cart again, I am destroying it."

He groaned.

[That seems excessive.]

"I was imprisoned inside one for almost days."

[Again, you’ve barely been inside for an hour.

And you did it voluntarily.]

"I did it under emotional coercion."

[That is not what emotional coercion means.]

"Of course you would say that."

Lucian snorted.

Aurelia shook her head and sighed.

[Can you walk?]

"I can."

Lucian answered as he tested his leg.

[Then move.]

"I feel like you are getting progressively crueler."

He complained as he started walking.

The corridor around him was very old. The walls were made from dark stone blocks rather than the polished material used throughout most of the estate.

It was... interesting architecture.

Lucian kept walking around following Aurelia’s directions. He moved past a few corridors, then took the stairs down, then another corridor, then—

He saw a metal door.

It was already open.

Lucian walked inside and saw a circular chamber.

"Is this it?"

He asked with a curious look on his face.

[Yes.]

Aurelia nodded.

Lucian kept looking around. Aurelia wasn’t exaggerating, there was nothing here, absolutely nothing. The room was maybe fifteen meters wide, six thick stone pillars stood equally spaced around its edges, supporting the ceiling above.

Bare walls, bare floor, dust, a lot of dust, spider webs, no furniture, shelves, equipment, visible runes, nothing.

"This might actually be the least interesting room I’ve ever entered."

[I warned you.]

"Eh, whatever."

In the end, Lucian shrugged.

"He said the centre, correct?"

[Yes.]

"Alright."

Lucian stood at the very centre of the room.