Chapter 377: Unexpected Appearance
Watching her mother step through the door while giving everyone a wave, Alice bit her lip.
This heartache, this bitterness. Why?
And most importantly, why doesn't she have any memories of her!?
'What's… going on?' Alice asked with a trembling voice.
Alyss wasn't able to respond as she too noticed this strange phenomenon. They could clearly recognise her as their mother and yet… the memories of her past seemed out of reach.
Holding her head, Alice shook her head but still wasn't able to remember anything.
Even if she had been locked away for ten years, it shouldn't be enough to the point where she forgot her own mother.
Hell, she could even remember the times with her father and brothers before her birthday!
So why couldn't she remember her mother?
Unaware of Alice's dilemma, the party continued as Sienna stepped to the side and allowed the main character to step through.
Walking while holding both her brother's hands, three children stepped through the door as young Alice could be seen in the middle.
Unlike her current self with the split hair and eyes, young Alice had dark brown hair similar to her father only much darker in colour.
She had a cheerful smile while wearing a glimmering dress of white, the opposite of her mother.
Seeing young Alice, Selen's pupils trembled for a moment.
'Is that… No… There's no way?' She thought with doubt. But the resemblance was uncanny. It was hard not to compare her with Alice yet at the same time, it seemed impossible.
"That's the target. Remember, do NOT, make a move until the accident occurs. Stand your guard and try to stop as many people from leaving as possible." Erick whispered as he stood next to Selen, cutting off her train of thought.
"Understood." Selen nodded.
Repeating the process for the others, Erick soon approached Alice who couldn't take her eyes off the members of the Zenia main family near the stairs.
"Kale, are you alright?" Erick raised an eyebrow as Alice nodded her head.
"I'm fine don't worry. I don't believe I've heard much news about Lord Zenia's precious daughter." Alice asked 'curiously'. With such a big party, it was hard not to know about the members of the Zenia main family.
But ever since she escaped from the Labs, Alice hasn't heard a single mention of her existence until now.
Did the Zenia's suppress the news? Or did they announce her 'death' as to hide her existence?
Therefore, she had to act as an unknowing bystander.
"The Lord's daughter is… a touchy topic. If you ever meet the Lord don't mention her at all. But you remember what I told you right? Guard the exit and go for the target once the 'accident' occurs." Erick reminded as Alice nodded her head.
"When will I know the accident's happened?"
"It'll be a big commotion so don't worry. Plus, you'll see me and the others move so just follow. As long as you remember to guard this exit it'll be fine." Erick reassured as he made his way to the centre of the room. It'd be more suspicious if people were to find him talking to Alice and the others.
Narrowing her gaze, Alice let out a soft sigh as she snuck a glance towards her mother who gave young Alice a warm hug. Meanwhile, her brothers and father looked on from the side with a soft smile.
If Cayla wasn't aware of everything that the Zenias have done, she would've begun to doubt that this was even the same family that Alice spoke of.
Just as Alice was about to turn her attention elsewhere while trying to recall memories of her mother, a man stepped into the banquet from the southern exit, the exit she was guarding.
A chill ran down Alice's back as though an untamed beast had just stepped through the door beside her. She dared not to turn around as doing so could directly lead to death!
"Hm? How strange. Are all Maids supposed to be in disguise as you are or is this just a personal hobby?" A familiar voice asked as all three of them froze up.
Slowly turning around, Alice came face to face with someone she didn't think would show up here.
A man who used to have medium length wild brown hair and sharp black eyes with a messy stubble. A man who used everything and anything in an attempt to reach his ultimate goal. An enemy whom she can't forgive.
Lord commander of Ayr, Nyer!
While the Nyer in the past felt rather relaxed and a man with the weight of the world on his shoulders this was no longer the case.
Scars riddled his body and his hair was cut short. He wore a large cloak yet even this wasn't able to hide the damaged body beneath the cloth.
Even with all the wounds, Nyer felt far more dangerous and threatening!
Cold sweat filled Alice's back as she didn't even dare to shiver in front of him.
If Nyer was a silent guardian beast in the past, the current Nyer is akin to a starved beast, hungry for flesh.
Narrowing his gaze at Alice, he let out a laugh as he reached for her head and gave it a pat.
"No need to be so scared. I know I look scary but I'm just a guest today." Nyer chuckled, his gaze focused on Luthor Zenia and his family.
As Nyer stepped away, Alice was finally able to breathe as she panted heavily.
'Why the f*ck is he here?!?!' Alyss shouted in a confused panic while Alice was the same.
Nyer shouldn't be here. There's no reason for him to be here since he didn't know that she was the successor in the past!
[That's not his real body…] Cayla muttered as her eyes widened at the sight of Nyer.
'Of course it's not, we're in the Inverted World.' Alice furrowed her brows while pressing her hand over her chest. She could feel the restless beating of her heart that couldn't calm down even as he stepped away.
[No that's not what I meant. This isn't his real body that he's contracted with the Abyss!] Cayla explained, clearly distressed.
Pacing around, she began to bite her nail while mumbling to herself.
Her panic allowed both Alice and Alyss to calm down as whatever Cayla had realised was clearly unnatural.
[He's broke off his contracts. He's completely free of the Will's influence and the bindings of the Abyss. The current 'him' is not a Lord, merely a four Sigil Hunter. But rather than the conventional Sigils that we're used to, it's forged! A fake!] Cayla explained while sitting down on her bed.
[No I need more information. Arggg!!! O'master mine, why did you have to seal me?!] Cayla tugged her hair in annoyance as she wasn't able to find out how Nyer has achieved this and what his intentions were.
Furrowing her brows, questions flooded Alice's mind.
Nyer's appearance, his thought process and his intentions. These variables had thrown her predictions into the wind as her understanding of the banquet began to stray from what had happened in her memories.
Perhaps she was too young at the time but she couldn't recall anyone that looked like Nyer. Or maybe she simply didn't notice.
But there was another variable that confused Alice.
The variable regarding Enris's energy on his body!
Since Cayla was sealed, she wasn't able to 'see' the strands of energy that belonged to Enris.
But as someone who's fought the God of the Eclipse, her followers and felt the energy personally, it was hard not to sense it from Nyer's body. No matter how faint it was, it like seeing a black dot on a white canvas!
Unmistakable!
'Did Nyer come to an agreement with Enris? She loves chaos so perhaps she desired this outcome? But even so, there should still be issues with that no? I thought he claimed a portion of Velouria's divinity? So why is he able to showcase Enris's divinity too?' Alice asked with a frown.
But before she could get her answer…
*BANG!!!
A sudden collision of power within the centre of the banquet.
The building trembled as rubble crumbled from the ceiling.
"NOW!" Erick's voice could be heard, clearly as a sign to seal the exits.
Seeing the spiral of energy exploding out from the centre of the banquet hall, Alice furrowed her brows but followed the plan.
There were many questions in her mind, many of which could only be answered while she observed the situation.
Thus to ensure that things weren't going to become even more hectic, Alice made a move.
Slamming the doors shut, Alice stood in front of the door and activated Tiamat's power, draining the world of energy into a single orb.
"What is the meaning of this?!"
"Open the damn door!"
"Let me out you whore!!!"
Shouts of protest and panic rang out but the Erick group and Alice stood firm.
The first to make a move was someone near Selen but they were dealt with instantly.
Alice couldn't care less if anyone was to charge towards her since all she had to do was kill them.
However, her gaze slowly turned towards the source of the collision.
Standing in front of young Alice who was clutching her arm, Luthor glared at Nyer with killing intent while sparks crackled around him.
"What's the meaning of this?!" He shouted, demanding an answer.
All Nyer did was smile and in his hands…
A single empty syringe.