Chapter 118: Necessary Separation
That was why right now; he could do nothing but stare blankly into her almond eyes.
"I…" He tried to speak but was surprised when he saw her flash forward with speed, her arms wrapping around him, pulling him into a hug.
"You lived, just like you promised…" she said, her voice on the verge of breaking.
For some time, Lorelei had felt nothing but intense guilt.
She had tried to kill herself when Nolan had told her he couldn't help her.
She knew well that he was the only one who could, and if he said no, then there was no convincing her.
She was bound to be like this, unable to communicate at all, unable to express her feelings, and be cast pitiful glances all her life.
Such a life was something she couldn't live with, and therefore she had decided to end it for good.
But when she opened her eyes, what she had been faced with was the scene of her curse floating right before her, taken away by the only person who could help her.
It brought her relief that she had been healed, but her soul wrenched in greater pain than her dying when she saw his struggle—how much he tried not to be overtaken by the curse, and how he had healed her up completely.
What use would it be if she lived cured of her curse, but then he died, just for her?
Why does anyone deserve to die for her?
He had promised her he would be fine, but that never took away the guilt she felt.
But now, everything was okay, and everything went well.
He was now before her, more alive than she had ever seen him, and the joy it brought her was the greatest she had ever felt in her entire lifetime.
[Guess someone got a girlfriend now. I take back my previous words...]
the system sneaked in, rubbing it on Nolan, who for the first time in his life accepted a hug.
Together, they stayed in the peaceful silence of each other's embrace before they eventually parted at the same time.
"When will you be leaving?" she asked him, as Nolan's eyebrows furrowed.
Right now, he knew well they had spent more than four days in here, and there should be just a few hours left before the portal closed up.
Unless he wanted to get be in here forever, the best time to leave was…
"Now," he said to her, as the light in Lorelei's eyes dulled a little, but then it brightened up when she saw the necklace in her grasp.
"Then it's a good thing that we have this."
"Once the Order ages around Atlantis have been removed, I promise to see you in person…" she said to him, as he picked up the necklace from her soft palms and wore it on her neck.
"And I too will come to listen to your plays once in a while."
"I'm guessing now there should be some sort of improvement in it…" he teased, as Lorelei giggled.
"Yes, there is now. Thanks to you…" she said, before slowly leaning forward, her cherry-red lips pressing against Nolan's.
[Hopefully, all the guilt you're feeling leaves after this…] the system probed Nolan, who accepted the kiss back, and they kissed for quite a long while before eventually, they stopped, and slowly, Nolan walked away from the room.
"I will see you soon, Lorelei. I promise…" he said to her, and she gave a nod with a brilliant smile, but the tears at the corner of her eyes betrayed her emotions.
For now, they had no choice but to part, so both could build upon their future.
It was a sad parting, which they knew they had no choice but to accept.
But each knew they would find each other again soon.
'I have never loved before, Lorelei.'
'But maybe with you, I might be willing to take the risk...' Nolan thought to himself in conviction as he disappeared from the scroll room, and just by the door was a group of ten figures who all quickly moved their gaze away from him.
[Sneaky bastards! They need to be taught a lesson on what the damn word "privacy" means!!!] the system roared out loud in anger in Nolan's head, and Gojo broke the silence with an awkward hum.
"We have just 19 hours left. We need to leave…" Oliver said to Nolan, who nodded his head, and immediately, they all moved outside the palace.
Nolan branched off to pick up the bag he had brought to the place before they all headed outside.
Before them, a crowd of Atlanteans could be seen, ready to wave them off as they all disappeared into the far distance.
King Sammorda ordered a deep bow—a special gesture that was the greatest show of respect by the Atlanteans.
A bow that shocked even Oliver, and a smile bloomed on his normally serious and scholarly face.
"Thank you!" King Sammorda's voice echoed after their figures as they all quickly disappeared into the distance.
It was the first time the group had completed a mission and received a nationwide thank you from the people they had saved.
And they couldn't help but agree that it was nothing short of a heartwarming experience.
They all soared in the air with the aid of their divine essence, while Nolan marched down below them, catching up with their speed with his legs.
Now, the gazes that the Godly Ten used to look at him with had changed.
For they knew without even the smallest doubt that without him, this mission would have definitely been a failure, and they would have paid for that with their lives.
But now they all lived, and they could thank him for that.
For 17 hours straight, they kept up with their run before, once more, they stopped before the entrance jewel of the order gate.
This time, the door had almost closed up completely, but thankfully, they were all still able to enter with the aid of Gojo, who miraculously widened the gap, and they all instantly appeared in the depth of space soon disappearing and re-appearing inside the Aethercraft.
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