Free Web NovelChapter 167: I’ve Been Had!
Zorat enjoyed watching the subtle changes in Jacob’s micro-expressions, which he was trying so hard to keep under control.
The young man would no doubt be surprised by his sudden decision to undertake such a thankless and dangerous act since he thought he was getting a handle on Caleb’s true nature.
His decision had nothing to do with the young man....but he enjoyed watching him squirm.
That Lily, who everyone knows to follow all of Jacob’s decisions, would suddenly be siding with Caleb instead of Jacob, was a little surprising to the others, but not so much to Zorat.
Zorat wasn’t sure if Jacob would decide to outwardly kick against his stand now that Lilly was out of play and he could no longer lounge behind his fragile calm.
And sure enough, Jacob had posed him a question....linking his and Andrew’s decision to their naivety.
Zorat chuckled inside, as he could feel the young man’s mask slowly peeling off, and the surging bloodlust he always had fixed on him had suddenly multiplied.
Look who’s getting impatient.....
Hehehe.
"How else, Jacob?..... Of course, we stand and fight. Have any of us actually been pushed to our limit as heroes?" Zorat said first to Jacob before turning to look at the others.
"We don’t yet know were out limits lie. I say we take down this beast, and our road to becoming grandmasters would have become that much shorter..."
"Or, don’t you wanna be strong, Jacob.... Don’t you want to someday leave this world and return to our own?....."
"This is the only way.... It starts by saving these innocent adventurers and facing that beast."
Zorat spoke in a soothing, passionate voice as the others nodded their heads in agreement.
The adventurers were looking more hopeful, but Urasmus and the knights were not fully convinced yet, while Sylvara simply had her golden eyes fixed on Zorat like a hawk, but her expression gave nothing away.
Jacob, of course, was not going to let Caleb try to justify them committing literal suicide on the whims of some manipulative person chasing after his own benefits....
Not when his own life was in danger, and not when the person in question was Caleb.
"You say that....but you won’t be contributing anything to this fight, will you?" Jacob said half mockingly to Caleb.
"Hey!.... careful what you say, Bro." Broddy cut in, looking pissed at Jacob for essentially calling his Bro useless.
"What?...but it’s the truth, Broddy.... Caleb is the weakest amongst us all...."
"Ptff!...."
"Ahem....sorry .....do continue." Ariana apologized after laughing unconsciously at Jacob’s statement, taking a few of them aback at why she would find such a statement so funny.
Jacob also paused for a moment as he was a little thrown by Ariana’s act before shaking it off, adjusting his glasses, and continuing...
"As I was saying.... It’s not that I have anything against Caleb...."
"Rather, I care for him, and please understand since he is so weak.....he shouldn’t be advocating a course that would endanger us all....."
"And lets not forget, we are supposed to be escorting the benevolent saintess safely and avoiding any danger that might befall her."
Jacob added as he turned to look at Sylvara, but Sylvara’s attention was entirely on Caleb, which made him frown a little, but also confused him as to why she was so focused on his enemy.
But his speech resonated well with the knights, Urasmus, and Julia, who was still trying to make her boyfriend see reason.
’There. Lets see you try to have your way now, Caleb.’ Jacob thought in spite.
"I understand just how much you care about me, Jacob, and I feel the same for you too..." Zorat began in response.
"...but you don’t have to worry about my safety." He added, smiling warmly at Jacob.
"In fact...you don’t have to worry about anyone else’s life in this place being in danger..."
"Not with the powerful saintess here to watch over us."
"I am sure she will intervene when things are ever about to get out of hand.... Isn’t that right, benevolent saintess?" Zorat intoned as he slowly turned to look at Sylvara.
The others also turned in surprise at Caleb’s statement, expecting to hear the saintess rebuke his request since she wasn’t supposed to interfere in their escort duties....
But their expectations couldn’t have been more off the mark.
"Certainly. You can be assured, dear hero of item box." came Sylvara’s immediate response.
’What the fuck?!’ Jacob almost blurted out before controlling himself. freewebnσvel.cѳm
’She’s in support?....wait!....don’t tell me....’
Jacob suddenly had a dreadful thought of the likelihood that Caleb had somehow gotten his hands into the person whose power and influence dwarves even the kingdoms in this world.
Why else would she have been looking at him that intently the other time?
’No, that’s impossible...there should be limits.... It’s certainly just a coincidence, but I still can’t let this stand. No!.
"Pardon me, benevolent saintess, but I was made to understand that your honored self would not be involved in any of the tribulations we heroes must face on this journey.... Or was I misinformed?" Jacob said humbly to the saintess on her white horse.
"Dear hero of Lighning.....you speak the truth, and you speak well. However, that truth only applies when no other variables, such as innocent adventurer lives, are involved."
"Now it becomes not just the hero’s duty, but also my duty to make certain their lives are secured." Sylvara intoned in her calm, soothing voice.
Hearing this divine-looking young lady being addressed as the saintess, all three adventurers immediately lay face flat on the ground as they yelled in happy greeting.... as all denizens of Arleria would...
"We greet the Holy Saintess!"
’Fuck...damn it!’ seeing the situation being so completely reversed on him, and as he turned..... There it was, that grin was now on Caleb’s face...
The same one he had when he was shoving that thing inside his Ava.
Jacob’s bloodlust spiraled, but he kept his composure on the outside as he asked yet another question that would at least save him from complete loss. He followed up, saying to the saintess...
"Again, pardon my uncertainty, saintess.....but how can we trust that you will be strong enough to handle this incoming threat?"
"Hah....now you’ve gone too far, Jacob.... are you right now calling the benevolent saintess.... a liar?" Zorat muttered, shaking his head from side to side as if in disappointment.
One thing you never do in the world of Arleria is question the saintess, the representative of the goddess the people serve. And Jacob had just done exactly that.
Instantly, the atmosphere changed, and even the knights and Urasmus who were in support of Jacob also frowned.
Only one person had a self-satisfied grin on his face.... and that was Caleb.
Seeing this....only one painful thought came to Jacob’s mind at that moment....
’Shit.....I’ve been had!
