Chapter 1761 Calming the Hearts <TOC> Chapter 1763 The Three Tribulations
Translator: SumTLMan
“In such a tumult of energy, your ability to open a stable spatial gateway reveals your increasingly profound understanding of spatial spells,” Gloria remarked to Angel, a smile playing on her lips as she stepped through the passage.
No sooner had Gloria emerged than she spotted a bewildered Azaz not far away.
“What has you so stunned?” Gloria inquired with a hint of puzzlement.
Azaz seemed somewhat dazed as he greeted her, then pointed curiously at Toby, “Is Toby alright now?”
“What do you think?” Gloria responded with a playful smirk. As she addressed Azaz, Toby hopped around to face him, fixing him with an innocent stare.
Azaz and Toby locked eyes in silence.
For some reason, Toby appeared unchanged, but when Azaz met his gaze, he felt an overwhelming and terrifying presence surrounding him.
It was like an undercurrent: invisible on the surface but raging mightily beneath.
Seeing Azaz remain silent for an extended period, Toby seemed to entertain the idea of playing a prank. While seemingly motionless, Toby secretly summoned the aura of the Serpent-Bird.
Azaz suddenly felt an unsettling feeling in his chest and quickly took several steps back, his legs slightly trembling, “Is this… the aura of a formal wizard?”
In that split second, Azaz saw a monstrous serpent raising its head. Yet, in the blink of an eye, the serpent vanished as if he had merely hallucinated its presence.
However, Azaz knew it was all real. Even after the phantom serpent disappeared, the eerie and terrifying sensation continued to linger in his heart.
Azaz suddenly recalled what Sebastian had told him not too long ago, “Your power doesn’t even compare to a single hair on Toby’s body.”
Is this the truth?
“Toby, have you advanced?” Azaz inquired with a hint of difficulty. Although it was a question, his tone carried a touch of certainty, as if he had already settled on the answer within his heart.
Gloria didn’t hide anything and responded with a nod, “Yes, that’s right.”
Upon hearing Gloria’s confirmation, Azaz was taken aback. He paused for a moment before slowly turning his head to look at Toby.
At that moment, Toby resembled a vibrant flame——literally. As Gloria mentioned his advancement, Toby began to wiggle his rear, displaying a triumphant demeanor. His little red cape swayed with his movements, fluttering up and down, much like a dancing red flame.
A whirlwind of emotions and questions swirled within Azaz. These thoughts and feelings bubbled up and vanished just as quickly, akin to freshly formed foam on water. However, in the end, he managed to voice just one query: “Then, how should I address him from now on?”
Seeing the bewildered look on Azaz’s face, Gloria couldn’t help but chuckle, “What do you think?”
It took Azaz a while to gather his thoughts, then he said, “I understand now, Lord Toby.”
As he spoke, Azaz respectfully bowed, half-kneeling in homage.
This address of “Lord” and the act of half-kneeling only boosted Toby’s pride further, with emotions nearly bursting from his beady eyes. Without even looking, Angel could hear the jubilant sound of Toby’s wiggling rear and flapping wings.
Watching Toby’s display of pride, Gloria couldn’t help but laugh and shake her head. She then addressed Azaz, “You know the answer now. Carry on with your tasks; we’ll be on our way.”
With that, the group moved past Azaz.
Azaz remained half-kneeling on the ground. It wasn’t until all sounds of movement ceased that he took a deep breath. Then, with legs feeling slightly weak, he slowly sat down.
He had just performed a half-kneeling salute, not solely to show respect to Toby, but there was another underlying reason——his legs had truly weakened. Even though Toby had only slightly revealed his aura, that very essence felt like a dense and profound pressure that incessantly lingered around him.
Azaz, up until this point, still hadn’t snapped back to reality.
After a considerable pause, Azaz mustered the strength to stand from the ground. The first thing he did after standing was to silently think: “You knew about it, didn’t you?”
However, there was no response in his heart.
“You knew Toby had advanced, so you deliberately mentioned making him a gourmet tribute, didn’t you?” Azaz solemnly called out the other’s name, “Sebastian!”
This time, Azaz finally received an answer. An elegant yet indifferent voice resonated deep within him, “I indeed was aware. However, I merely wanted you to face the reality that your strength is even lesser than Toby’s. My dear Miloris, shouldn’t you strive harder now?”
“Of course, if you truly can turn Toby into a delicacy, I would be quite pleased.”
“By the way, weren’t you just asking about the source of that terrifying aura?” Sebastian slowly continued, “You’ve seen Toby earlier. Do you now understand the answer?”
…
Upon Angel and the others returning to the hall, Butler Number 1, who was previously busy tending to the plants, flew in holding a large tray.
On the tray was a set of exquisite Baroque-style teaware. Apart from the steaming teapot, there were three larger teacups and a smaller one. They were placed in front of everyone, with the smallest cup naturally reserved for Toby.
The fragrant aroma of the black tea, along with the slowly rising white steam, began to gently spread throughout the room.
After pouring the tea, Butler Number 1 promptly exited. Typically, he would be tasked with providing accompanying snacks for the tea, but with Gloria present, his humble tea-time offerings would seem unsuitable.
Indeed, once Butler Number 1 had departed, Gloria, with a casual wave of her hand, produced an array of exquisite treats on the plates before everyone.
One could only speculate whether these were something she had prepared in advance or magically conjured on the spot.
Judging by the aroma alone… they were quite pleasing. Angel took a whiff of the subtle cheesy fragrance and nodded in satisfaction.
While savoring their tea, everyone’s attention turned to Toby, anticipating his remarks.
At that moment, Toby was satiated with his meal. Azaz’s recent reverent demeanor had inflated his ego immensely, making him feel on top of the world. When he noticed everyone looking at him, he appeared genuinely perplexed for quite a while, unsure of their intentions.
By the time Toby gathered his wits, his expression had undergone a drastic transformation. From his previously triumphant demeanor, he now bore a look of deep aggrievement.
However, the swift change in his expression seemed a bit overdone, making it come across as somewhat inauthentic.
“Chirp chirp——”
For a good ten minutes, Toby rattled on, trying to convey the depth of his perceived injustice. But despite his prolonged lamentations, he never got to the crux of the matter. Instead, he just kept going in circles, embellishing his narrative, but always circling back to the same sentiment:
Oh, how wronged I feel!
Seeing that Toby was about to repeat the same words again, Gloria hurriedly interrupted him, “You say you feel wronged, but you need to specify. What exactly made you feel this way? What happened during the tribulation you faced?”
Toby nodded vigorously, much like a chick pecking at grains.
Then, Toby began recounting his experiences. However, he didn’t start from the mysterious voice that seemed like a “new tribulation” he encountered last, but from the very beginning of the tribulation.
Everyone listened for a long time, but all they heard was Toby praising himself. He described how he, like a general, had navigated through various traps, constantly moving in and out, and fought his way to survival.
Mentions of linear zones, fog traps, emotional torrents, and armies of monstrous entities…
Toby’s narration was so vivid that the only sounds in the entire hall were the varying murmurs of the audience.
Chapter 1761 Calming the Hearts <TOC> Chapter 1763 The Three Tribulations