Chapter 180: Leaving Silently

“Are you okay?” A voice behind him called out, prompting Rod to turn around.
“You came?” With a bitter smile, Rod asked. Standing behind him was Lilith!
“I came to check on you. What? Shaken? You’re not that kind of person, are you? That little confidence? If so, it means both I and Sognar misjudged you!” Smiling, she walked over to Rod, sat down at the table, and rested her chin in her hands, looking at him curiously.
Her eyes were wide, blinking slowly, appearing innocent yet seemingly able to see through a person’s heart.
“Impossible. I’m not that kind of person. You underestimate me too much. You can’t even handle being beaten by me!” He rolled his eyes—being looked down upon by a woman wasn’t pleasant at all.
“That’s good. I came to see you and also tell you that Lucy has left!” Adjusting her posture, Lilith stared intently at Rod and said.
After speaking, she watched Rod’s expression carefully for any changes. Everyone could tell Lucy’s thoughts, perhaps except Rod himself, who showed no reaction. She wanted to see what his expression would be once he learned Lucy had left.
“Left? When? Where?” His expression changed abruptly as he quickly turned to look at Lilith, confirming she wasn’t joking before asking. Concern and anxiety flashed in his eyes.
“Just now. Let me pass on a message from her!” With that, she repeated Lucy’s last words word for word.
“Suffer together? Is that really what you think?” His expression became dazed as he murmured to himself. Lucy’s words had a profound impact on Rod, and recalling the past moments, he felt a sense of distress.
“Suffer together? Why would you do that? If I’m not suffering, you won’t suffer either!” Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and muttered to himself. Then, suddenly, he stood up and turned to rush outside.
“No need to go. Since she doesn’t want you to see her off, then don’t go. You don’t understand women’s minds, but I do. Going won’t bring any benefit in less than half a year. Trust her. If she says to wait for her return, then wait. Use this time to train hard and surprise her when you meet again!” Quickly getting up, Lilith stepped in front of Rod in an instant. His somewhat vacant eyes were heartbreaking to see.

Staring at Lilith for a moment, Rod’s gaze once again lost its strength. He crouched down on the ground, then looked up at the sky. Night slowly covered the entire land, casting a gray haze that made it impossible to see distant scenery; all that could be seen was the glow of lights.

“Why… why didn’t you tell me these things in person? How could I not know what you’re thinking? I originally thought you were just a blond girl; I never expected…” he murmured to himself.

Others thought he was stupid, but he wasn’t. Who didn’t know Lucy’s thoughts? Was he really an idiot? Even if he were, he should be able to sense something. For his sake, she was willing to turn against the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagle clan and defy her family’s wishes. For his sake, she could undergo drastic changes—what more was there she wouldn’t give up?

What exactly was she going to do this time? How long before they could meet again? Maybe half a year, maybe a year, or even longer! The only thing certain was that this trip would surely bring her a lot of hardship.

A dull pain arose in his heart. It was then that Rod realized that after just a few short days together, his feelings for Lucy had gone beyond a simple friendship or brotherly affection.

“What’s wrong? Are you okay?” Lilith asked anxiously, crouching beside Rod and seeing his distraught expression.

“I’m fine. I understand now. I won’t disappoint him. Don’t worry. Brother Sognar, please don’t help me this time. Give me three months. I’ll come back to find you all after three months!” Taking a deep breath, Rod spoke each word carefully. After finishing, he stood up and walked back inside, leaving Lilith filled with confusion and concern.

“This guy… hey…” She tried several times to say something to persuade him, but in the end, no words came out. With a sigh, she turned and left.

…

In the quiet of the night, inside the dragon clan’s residence, Rod turned back and gazed deeply at the place where he had only lived for two days. He stroked the Dark Dragon in his hand. “See you in three months!” With a breath out, he dashed outside in a series of quick movements.

He was leaving. Yes, after what happened that afternoon, he had already made up his mind to leave. Three months wasn’t long nor short—it was enough time for him to accomplish many things and to hone his skills. The intermediate level of the divine realm wasn’t an unattainable dream for Rod.

He didn’t really intend to bid farewell to Lucy and Sognar here, nor to Ada and Eirwen, who seemed somewhat distant to him. He just wanted to walk away alone, just as he had quietly arrived in this Dark Moon City, leaving no trace behind and owing no favors. Because he knew that if he told these people his plans, Sognar would surely not allow him to act alone, and Lilith would also try hard to stop him. At best, Sognar would follow him to protect him.

He didn’t need that. He wanted to accomplish this on his own, to temper himself through trials of life and death. Once Sognar faced such trials frequently, they would no longer be considered life-or-death situations.

After several twists and turns, Rod stepped out of the dragon clan’s residence and onto the streets outside, feeling the coolness of the late night. He looked up at the vast night sky, then turned and resolvedly stepped forward.

“Just let him go like this?” The moment Rod left the residence, inside one of the attics, two voices stood side by side, looking down at the departing Rod. One of the men asked.

“What if I follow him? If he doesn’t want to see me, I won’t let him see me. If he doesn’t want help, I’ll just follow silently. I won’t appear unless it’s a situation where death is inevitable. How about that?” After pondering for a moment, the man asked again.

“No need. Let him go. That man isn’t a coward, nor will his son be! The troll race never produces cowards or ordinary people. A crested eagle must spread its wings and soar—the sky is its true home. A rope holding it back will only hinder its flight.” With a sigh, the woman spoke slowly, “Let it soar on its own. Let’s see how high it can fly. If it only reaches such a height, that sky isn’t suitable for it. If it can fly higher, why not let it soar alone? It won’t die. Don’t worry.”

“If the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagles dare harm him, I’ll dare to attack them. If the Nash family dares to kill him, I’ll dare to exterminate them!” At that moment, the woman’s gaze was fierce. Her white robes fluttered in the wind, yet they gave off a blood-red, icy sensation.

“Well, if the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagles really kill this guy, what if I destroy their entire clan? Never mind, it’s fine too. I hope to see a brand-new young man appear in three months!” Glancing at the woman beside him, a hint of surprise flashed across the man’s face before he spoke with firm determination. What surprised him was the woman’s attitude—seemingly, he hadn’t seen such an attitude in a long time. It had been the same thirty years ago, when it nearly led to bloodshed. Would it be the same again thirty years later? Would it truly lead to chaos and bloodshed, with him stepping on bones and blood, his hands stained with the lives of countless beings?

They both smiled, seemingly reflecting on each other’s attitudes. Finally, seeing Rod finally leave the mansion and head into the distance, the two turned and left the attic. The night was cool as water, utterly silent, as if nothing had happened. The overwhelming presence from earlier had vanished, restoring the coolness that a summer night should have.

……

Turning and walking past the street corner, Rod glanced back at the mansion about to disappear from sight. With a sigh, he gritted his teeth and prepared to move forward. “In three months, I’ll make sure everyone at the Source of Darkness remembers me!”

“Are you leaving?” Just as he turned to leave, he heard a gentle voice, nearly startling him.

Turning, he saw a beautiful woman in white emerging from a dark corner at the street corner! Under the moonlight, she shone like a saint; under the starlight, she was as pure as a breeze.

“Aida?” Rod asked uncertainly, looking at the woman before him. If Aida and Eirwen were separated, Rod really couldn’t tell them apart—they were identical, with no discernible differences. Of course, if they could talk for a while, perhaps they could tell them apart by their tone of voice and personality.

“My sister is resting. I just couldn’t sleep, so I came out for a walk. I happened to see someone sneaking around in the middle of the night, so I came to take a look!” The woman said slowly, with a slight smile.

“Eirwen! So it’s you. Couldn’t sleep yesterday, can’t sleep today… Heh, worry makes one age quickly!” Rod said, looking at her with a smirk. He wasn’t stupid—he certainly wouldn’t believe some excuse about not being able to sleep!

“Where are you going?” Without answering Rod’s question, Eirwen smiled mysteriously and continued to ask, now standing very close to him. He could clearly feel the warm breath she exhaled as she spoke.

“I’ll just do what needs to be done. If nothing else, I’m leaving now!” He tilted his head back, truly unwilling to be in such close contact with this girl. Her faint feminine scent and warm breath were unbearable for Rod. He wasn’t a man who couldn’t resist women, but fortunately he wasn’t either an idiot who lost his head at the sight of a woman. At least for now, a bit of sense told him not to get too close to this Eileen. She wasn’t as simple as she seemed.