Artemis Unveiled:The Descent

Untitled Part 27: Secrets

After bidding farewell to the Serpent Queen and leaving the Black Tower, Aria walked silently ahead, her mind a whirl of complex emotions. The cold morning light bathed them, casting a gray outline around their figures. The surrounding forest shivered in the wind, the branches making eerie sounds as if whispering.

The recent encounter made Aria realize that Neven was a man who flirted everywhere. The thought made her increasingly angry—she had given her first kiss to such a person. Not only was she furious, but she also started wondering what she had done during the 280 years she couldn't remember. Did her first kiss even exist? She had no recollection of it. Occasionally, drops of melting dew from the branches hit her shoulders, the cold touch sending chills down her spine.

"Wait up, I need a rest," Neven suddenly complained from behind, his voice tinged with fatigue.

Aria stopped, took a deep breath, and then turned around. She saw Neven's pale face and the cold sweat on his forehead. Her voice remained icy: "So why didn't you ask the Serpent Queen for two horses? And by the way, you need to explain to your queen that I'm not your girlfriend. I won't be jealous of you two."

Neven moved a bit closer, a hint of helplessness in his voice. "What do you think you have to be jealous of?"

Aria turned her head impatiently, her expression scornful. "You know perfectly well." Her voice was sharp and piercing. "Actually, you don't need to explain anything to me. We are not..." She trailed off, her heart burning with a mix of anger and cold despair.

A provocative smile tugged at the corners of Neven's mouth, his expression knowing. "I and the Serpent Queen haven't developed into what you think..." His tone was playful, almost mocking.

Aria's face instantly flushed with embarrassment. "Stop it." Her voice squeezed out through clenched teeth, filled with shame and anger.

"No wonder you haven't spoken since you came out. I thought you were scared by what happened yesterday." Neven cleared his throat, his tone low. "I didn't explain the second option clearly. Why didn't you ask me about it?"

"What else could it be?" Aria bit her lip, trying to hide her unease. "Your Serpent Queen is quite fond of you, isn't she?"

Neven sighed, a trace of helplessness and resignation in his voice. "We're familiar, but not in that way. Of course, I can't deny that the queen is very fond of me..."

"See? So you agreed... Otherwise, why would she let you in after you gave your name?" Aria's voice was filled with a mix of anger and sarcasm. She felt foolish for even listening to his explanation.

Neven reached out to grab her, but she pushed him away harshly. "Ugh." He squinted in pain, his face twisting slightly.

Aria felt a pang of guilt and worry seeing his reaction. "Did I hurt you?" she asked, her voice softening a bit.

Neven shook his head gently, his eyes revealing a hint of bitterness. "Actually, that tower is the entrance to the Abyss of Ancient Serpents. The Serpent Queen rules over it and manages the Arena of Asura."

Aria's heart skipped a beat. "The Arena of Asura?"

"Yes, it's an illegal gladiatorial arena." Neven explained, his tone somber."The first option was a more personal reward, but I chose the second one—to fight in the gladiatorial arena for her and win a match. I didn't explain it clearly before because it's illegal. I didn't want you to worry."

Aria's brow furrowed deeper, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and fear. "Are you crazy? You don't even have Essence Power, and you're already injured. Are you trying to get yourself killed?"