Chapter 1676 Sharu's Thoughts <TOC> Chapter 1678 The Coliseum in the Void
Translator: SumTLMan
A rich floral fragrance wafted, immediately engulfing Sharu. Although Sharu wasn’t particularly fond of fragrances, the scent of these flowers was so captivating that he couldn’t help but take a few deep breaths.
Amidst the floral aroma, Sharu’s initial apprehensive mood gradually began to ease.
Opening his eyes, he tried to discern his surroundings.
Before him lay a winding path leading to what appeared to be a rather unremarkable wooden cabin.
However, despite the cabin’s ordinary appearance, the path leading to it instilled a sense of dread in Sharu. That’s because, flanking either side of the path, there was sheer darkness. It was as though a path had spontaneously emerged from a chaotic void.
Against such a backdrop, even the wooden cabin took on an eerie aura.
“Where am I?” Sharu, feeling a tinge of fear, took a step back. However, as the tip of his foot touched the ground, he quickly withdrew it, realizing that behind him too lay the endless void.
The only stable ground seemed to be the path leading to the cabin.
Sharu’s emotions churned and tumbled. He yearned to know where he was, but no one was there to answer. Even his loudest cries were met with only silence.
All Sharu could do was to compose himself.
Surrounded by this intense floral aroma, for some unexplained reason, Sharu felt his thoughts becoming much clearer.
Given the lack of response, it seemed that his only option was to venture forth and explore. But given the bizarre nature of this place, it might be fraught with dangers.
As Sharu hesitated, images of Angel and Freud flashed in his mind.
There was no doubt in his mind: his arrival in this place was certainly their doing.
If they wished to end his life, there were far more straightforward methods available to them, negating the need to jump through hoops. Given that his intention wasn’t suicide, his decision to venture here certainly wasn’t a dead-end with no way out.
If it isn’t a dead-end, there might be a way to leave.
The sole apparent avenue ahead seemed to lead into that wooden cabin.
After some contemplation, Sharu decided to take action. He began walking towards the cabin, understanding that he couldn’t stay stagnant. To seek change, he needed to adapt and take steps.
Meanwhile, outside, Angel and Freud were discussing the matter.
“Despite Sharu’s external bravado and arrogance, I’ve observed that he’s exceedingly cautious, verging on timidity,” remarked Freud skeptically. “Given Sharu’s nature, do you believe he’d truly step into that cabin?”
Angel glanced at Freud with a hint of surprise, “It seems you’ve never entered the House of Hearts.”
Freud queried with confusion, “And what does that have to do with anything?”
“If you had ventured into the House of Hearts, you’d understand. Sharu will undoubtedly enter the cabin. Not just because he lacks other options, but because during that moment, it’s not truly him making the decision.”
Sharu believed he had made a thoughtful choice to enter the cabin. But in reality, based on his real-world personality, he wouldn’t have come to such a decision so swiftly.
His rapid determination was primarily influenced by the fragrance of flowers. This aroma was, in fact, part of an illusionary realm. While it seemingly acted as a stimulant, it also subtly manipulated one’s thoughts.
For illusion wizards like Angel, this scent was ineffective. However, for Sharu, under the allure of this fragrance, he remained oblivious to the anomaly, convinced that his actions were entirely his own.
Upon hearing Angel’s explanation, the pieces fell into place for Freud. He now understood the true purpose of the floral scent within the House of Hearts. Though he had previously documented Knight Sabel’s entry into the House of Hearts and noted the peculiar aroma, he hadn’t truly grasped its significance.
“Tell me, do you truly not wish to experience the House of Hearts?” Angel gazed at Freud.
A trace of embarrassment flitted across Freud’s face, his eyes evading slightly, “Perhaps not now. I’m not sure whether what’s in my heart is an obsession or a demon’s influence. I just somewhat dread confronting… the past.”
Angel fixed a profound look at Freud, nodding noncommittally, “Suit yourself. The House of Hearts is right here. You can visit it whenever you want.”
“Facing your past is, in essence, looking towards your future.”
Freud lowered his head, responding with a soft “Mmm” and fell silent.
Elsewhere, Sharu was nearing the log cabin. Up to this point, he hadn’t felt anything out of the ordinary.
“Maybe I’m just being overly cautious, thinking there might be danger inside the cabin?” As this thought crossed Sharu’s mind, a shadow swiftly passed by the cabin’s window.
Sharu paused momentarily.
He hadn’t managed to get a clear look at what the shadow was. However, its appearance indicated that there definitely was someone… or something inside the cabin.
A touch of unease crept into Sharu’s heart, but as the fragrance of flowers wafted into his nostrils, this nervousness inexplicably lessened. Unbeknownst to him, he muttered to himself, “Perhaps it’s Young Master Tyson inside. Maybe he has some business with me and arranged this entire scenario… or maybe, my brother Lietz is in there?”
Optimistic possibilities continuously surfaced in Sharu’s mind, diminishing his fear and even filling him with growing anticipation as he continued towards the cabin.
Upon reaching the cabin, Sharu noticed several pots of vibrantly colored fresh flowers on the steps. The rich aroma he had detected earlier likely emanated from these flowers.
Sharu lifted his foot, stepping onto the cabin’s porch.
The very moment his foot touched the ground, the surrounding environment shifted in an abrupt manner. It was as if time and space had intertwined; the original wooden cabin had vanished. Before Sharu stood a corridor that seemed to connect both of its ends to an abyss.
Upon this corridor, there were Three Doors.
Before Sharu could even ponder on what had transpired, he already found himself in front of the first door.
When Sharu set his gaze on this door, a glint of disbelief flickered in his eyes. This door bore the signs of significant aging, with traces of wear and tear apparent on its surface.
Sharu stared intently at this familiar door, and a rush of childhood memories flooded his mind.
He knelt down and gently caressed the door frame at the height of his knees. Upon feeling certain engravings, his eyes unexpectedly welled up with tears.
Why would there be such a door here? It had been over a decade since he’d left. Why did this door appear here of all places?
Pressing his ear against the door, Sharu attempted to discern any sounds from within. Yet, he heard nothing.
With a trembling hand, he contemplated pushing the door open.
Yet in the end, he withdrew his hand.
Ever since the passing of his mother, he and his elder brother, Lietz, had moved away with their uncle and settled in Saint Seim City. From that moment on, he never returned to his ancestral home.
The door before him was the entrance to that very home.
He yearned to push it open and see what lay beyond, yet he was apprehensive.
It was a peculiar feeling. It wasn’t the fear of the unknown, but a hesitance to face a place where he once lived… or perhaps, it was the proverbial “fear of returning to one’s hometown.”
In the end, Sharu clenched his fist but did not push open that door.
He planned to inspect the other two doors to get a clearer understanding of the situation here.
Taking a deep breath, Sharu approached the second door. This door was made of iron.
Even if this iron door was devoid of any distinct features, cold and unyielding as if it were a block of ice, Sharu recognized it instantly.
It was the door to his uncle’s house.
He and his brother Lietz had lived at their uncle’s place for six years. Those six years were the most painful years of his life. Living under someone else’s roof, being powerless to resist, memories like recurring nightmares had haunted him until this very day.
Gazing at this iron door, a cold gleam of hatred flashed in Sharu’s eyes.
Nevertheless, he did not push it open. He even felt too disdainful to touch it.
Finally, Sharu arrived at the third door. This door was distinctly different from the previous two; it was split in half, framed in stone, and looked oddly familiar…
Could it be the city gate of Initial Heart City?
However, it seemed to be a miniature version.
Chapter 1676 Sharu's Thoughts <TOC> Chapter 1678 The Coliseum in the Void