The Sinful Young Master

Chapter 93 Hello Goddess, Can you hear me?

Jolthar was lying on a bed in a small room. His eyes fluttered open, his vision hazy as he adjusted to the dimly lit room. His body ached all over, a constant reminder of the ordeal he had just survived. As his vision cleared, the first thing he saw were Eran and Daus, standing near his bedside, their expressions a mix of relief and concern.

He blinked a few times, then smirked. ”Well, this is awkward,” he rasped, his voice laced with dry humour despite the pain. ”If I didnʼt know better, Iʼd say you were waiting for a romantic confession. Hate to break it to you, but Iʼm already married... to trouble.”

Eran sighed, shaking his head, and let out a chuckle, recognizing Joltharʼs unyielding wit even in the direst circumstances.

”Youʼre impossible,” Eran muttered, crossing his arms.

”Yeah,” Jolthar shot back, attempting to sit up. A sharp pang from his side made him wince, and he noticed the white cotton bandages tightly wrapped around his torso. Another around his shoulder, from the top to his left side downwards.

”Whatʼs this? Am I auditioning for a mummy role now?”

”Youʼre lucky to even be alive,” Eran said firmly, stepping closer to help him sit up properly.

Jolthar leaned back against the headboard, noticing his sword, Knashii, resting against the wall beside his bed. Its dark glow was gone for now, but the sight of it comforted him. ”Glad to see my trusty toothpick made it out too.”

”You were out cold for hours,” Daus said, his tone more serious. ”We barely made it back to the valley. The matriarch of the Blue Rose… she saved us. If not for her, we wouldnʼt have gotten this far. The women are being treated now.”

Jolthar nodded, his expression softening at the mention of the rescued women. ”Good. At least we did something right.” He paused, then looked between Eran and Daus. ”But seriously, you two standing there like that—if I didnʼt know better, Iʼd say you were trying to figure out who gets the honour of feeding me soup.”

Before either man could respond, the door to the room burst open, and a young woman entered in a flurry of motion. Her face was pale, her eyes wide with desperation. ”Lord Jolthar, please help us!” she cried, her voice trembling.

Joltharʼs smirk faded as he straightened, ignoring the protest from his sore muscles. ”Well, looks like my napʼs over. Whatʼs going on?”

Daus, visibly surprised by the womanʼs sudden arrival and urgent plea, stepped forward. ”What happened?” he asked, his voice filled with concern.

The woman bowed slightly before gesturing for them to follow. ”Please, come with me. You need to see this.”

Leading them through the valley, they soon arrived at the ancestral shrine of the tribe. The structure was humble yet sacred, adorned with carvings and symbols of their deity, an aura of reverence and mysticism surrounding it. The faint scent of burning incense lingered in the air.

As soon as Jolthar stepped inside, he was struck by the scene. Standing near the altar was Raayani, her imposing presence even more palpable in this sacred space.

Beside her were Belan and Lysandra, their faces sombre. But what drew his attention most was the frail figure of Eloda, lying on a simple bed, her once-radiant form now weakened and pale.

Around her were members of the tribe, their faces etched with worry.

Jolthar frowned as he took in the scene, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten. He noticed the intensity of Raayaniʼs gaze upon him, her eyes sharp with curiosity. He shifted uncomfortably under her scrutiny, muttering to himself, ”What is it with these people staring like Iʼm some alien?”

When Eloda caught sight of Jolthar, a faint but determined smile appeared on her face. She weakly gestured for him to come closer. The people around her parted, allowing Jolthar to approach.

Raayani, still observing him closely, finally spoke, her voice low but firm. ”We need to talk, but she comes first.”

Jolthar blinked, glancing at her before replying with his usual dry humour, ”Iʼm starting to feel like a character in a drama series. Whoʼs next, the mysterious stranger with a secret past?” His reference to drama, they all looked confused, except for Raayani, as she didnʼt care what it was.

Despite his quip, her piercing gaze didnʼt waver, making him wince. ”Alright, alright, I get it. Iʼm special. Can we move on now?”

Elodaʼs faint voice interrupted. ”Please… everyone… leave us.”