The Last Monarch : Unlimited Regeneration-Chapter 75: A Vilage

The journey toward the dungeon had taken quite a long time. They had spent a full day traveling through forests, hills, and long winding paths.

Now, the horse-drawn carriage came to a stop in a small village located at the northern edge of the Vashtraal domain and the Sky Lord’s territory.

The village they stopped at was called Ersav—a modest yet well-organized place. There was not a single filthy or rundown part. The demi-humans in this village also looked cheerful. They smiled, not a single one wore a frown.

Their houses were made of a mixture of stone and clay, with straw roofs and small yards filled with medicinal herbs and fresh vegetables. There were no tall buildings, no symbols of power that stood out, no arrogant faces in sight. Just a life that was calm and humble.

As the carriage carrying Alvaric approached, the villagers began to turn their heads. They clearly recognized Serya’s carriage. Some even shouted in excitement.

Those who were inside their homes came out. The children ran around laughing, only to stop immediately once Serya’s carriage was fully inside the village.

"Miss Serya!"

"Miss Serya is here!"

Several adults smiled warmly. Even the elders stood and welcomed them.

Serya stepped down from her carriage with a wide smile, returning their greetings warmly. She looked completely at ease here. She shook the hands of the villagers, occasionally bowed respectfully to the older ones, and asked about their well-being one by one.

It was something that almost no leader would do—especially not on Earth.

Alvaric also stepped down from the carriage, slightly surprised by the reception. But he was even more shocked by Serya’s overly humble demeanor.

He stood still, observing everything.

Serya didn’t display the aura of a ruler here. She spoke like an old friend. There were no guards keeping people at a distance, no set boundaries. Perhaps this was a side of Serya that Alvaric had never seen before.

"She’s truly loved by her people," Alvaric muttered quietly. Then suddenly he remembered the old man’s words back in the capital. "If she’s truly this well-loved, why did that old man ask me to kill her?" He shrugged, unable to comprehend it.

Velka, standing on Alvaric’s shoulder, answered flatly, "She grew up in a place like this. That’s why she knows how to treat the common folk."

Alvaric glanced sideways. "Didn’t you say her family had ruled Vashtraal for generations? Shouldn’t she have lived a comfortable life?"

"Miss Serya is indeed a descendant of the Sarqeth family, but she came from a barely known branch. She once ate leftovers because of starvation. But when she was eight, the main family looked for a girl from the Sarqeth branch to marry the son of the city’s ruler."

"Since then, Miss Serya began living in the ruler’s estate. She was treated well until she turned fifteen. After that, she was to be married to the ruler’s son, but..."

Velka didn’t finish her sentence. At first, Alvaric didn’t understand, but when he saw Velka’s eyes looking away, unwilling to meet his, he began to piece it together on his own—even if he couldn’t be sure if it was right or wrong.

"I didn’t see many people in the city ruler’s estate. Was that Serya’s doing?" Alvaric asked.

"That’s right. But don’t misunderstand. Everything she did was for the sake of the people. The previous city ruler was extremely corrupt and made the people suffer. The only way was through... that."

"And she’ll do the same to the king?" Alvaric asked quietly.

Velka turned her gaze away. "I don’t know."

***

A middle-aged woman came bringing warm bread and fresh water in a clay jug, offering them directly to Serya. "You look thinner, dear," she said softly.

Serya laughed. "I’m doing just fine, Mother Arlen. Thank you, as always."

"Would you like to stay at grandma’s house again?"

Serya gently shook her head. "I don’t think so, not today. I’m sorry!"

The elderly woman looked disappointed but nodded in understanding. She dearly wanted Serya to stay at her house again but understood that she couldn’t be selfish.

"It’s alright. Take care of yourself, dear," said the old woman.

Serya nodded. "Thank you. You always know how to lift my mood."

She wasn’t the only one offering Serya a place to stay. In the end, Serya explained what they were currently doing. Their mission. The villagers understood immediately.

They didn’t stay long in the village. Just enough time to rest, feed the horses, and confirm their travel direction. When the villagers learned that Serya was heading to the ancient ruins up north, the atmosphere shifted slightly. Some looked worried, but none dared to stop her.

"Are you sure you want to go to that place?" asked the village chief, an old man with white hair. "I’m not entirely certain, but some of the young men from this village once ventured there and..." The village chief swallowed. "They felt an aura and magical pressure so evil coming from that dungeon. I suggest you don’t go."

Serya looked him straight in the eye. "That’s why I’m not going alone." She pointed toward Alvaric, standing at her left side. "He’s very strong. He even defeated one of the empire’s generals."

The chief’s eyes moved to Alvaric, studying him closely, as if trying to judge. He didn’t seem to believe anyone could do such a thing. No matter how they looked at him, Alvaric didn’t appear special in any way.

"Are you sure he defeated a royal general? I think you’re just exaggerating," the chief said bluntly.

Alvaric heard those words and narrowed his eyes. He was a little annoyed, but he couldn’t be mad, since the man before him was much older and clearly not a bad person or someone who meant him harm.

Just an old man who spoke frankly.

"Just trust me. I never misjudge people," Serya said calmly.

Alvaric nodded. "You heard her!"

Though doubt lingered on their faces, the villagers said nothing more. They respected Serya’s decision, and they believed in her.

As evening approached, the group returned to the carriage. They resumed their journey. Their destination was still two days away from Ersav—passing through barren plains filled with monsters and bandits. After that, they would have to enter a haunting forest. Only then would they reach the ruins they were headed for.

From the carriage window, Alvaric watched the village grow distant. He saw people waving at the carriage. He glanced at Serya who sat across from him, now asleep from exhaustion. She looked like a fragile and innocent woman.

But that wasn’t the truth.

"If I hadn’t heard Velka’s story... I might’ve believed she really was just a pure woman," Alvaric whispered very softly.

He leaned back and closed his eyes. He would sleep for a while—but a few moments later, he opened them again. A bad feeling crept into him if he fell asleep. But his eyes were too tired.

Eventually, he dozed off.

***

Suddenly, Alvaric felt strange. He opened his eyes and saw a bright light appear before him. He lifted one arm to his forehead to shield himself from the blinding glow. Slowly, the light dimmed and finally returned to normal.

He lowered his hand and tilted his head. He was in a very strange room. The space was vast, yet completely empty. All he saw was his shadow beneath him, and a light above his head.

Alvaric pinched his arm. The pain told him this wasn’t a dream. But it was strange—because the last thing he remembered was falling asleep inside the horse-drawn carriage on the way to the dungeon. And now, upon opening his eyes, he found himself in a place he’d never seen before.

"Is this some kind of illusion?"

He looked around, but there was nothing. He was all alone. He rubbed his chin repeatedly, trying to piece together what might have happened to him.

He tried to summon his Crimson Sword Demon. Without any hesitation, Alvaric swung it with immense force. A slash formed into a circle. The slash spread rapidly and powerfully, but it didn’t hit anything.

Alvaric then tried to stab the ground beneath him. But when he did, the surface he was standing on turned out to be very soft. With just a small thrust, the sword sank right back into it. However, when he stepped and jumped on the transparent floor, it felt solid.

"Is this some kind of discrimination against weapons?" Alvaric grumbled.

He tried taking out another item. As he attempted to drop it, just as he suspected—the item sank into the floor and emitted a blinding light. Though it vanished after a few minutes, Alvaric was still filled with confusion.

"What exactly is going on here?" he muttered in frustration.

While Alvaric was lost in thought, confused for quite a while, he suddenly heard footsteps coming from behind him. Without delay, he turned around sharply. His eyes widened—it was rare for him to react like this. In fact, Alvaric even smiled.

"You desire my power?" asked the figure of light.

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