Amelia the Level Zero Hero

Chapter 157

I was going to be leaving Wolfwater soon. More precisely, I was going to be leaving in three days’ time.

Well, actually, I was leaving in two days’ time now. The [Knights of the Astral Order] left just last night, and they said they would be arriving in the Capital City of the Astrad Kingdom— Astral— in three days where I assured them I would meet with them. And since it was now the morning of the day after, there were only two days left for me to break the news to Noele, Harlan, Arthur, and Bucky.

I didn’t consult with them before I agreed to head out on my own. And while I was the owner of Bucky’s Out of this World Restaurant, and Noele was my apprentice, I still felt bad about leaving them behind without much warning. Especially after I had just abandoned them not too long ago to save Guildmaster Evan with Jax.

So I slept on it, hoping to find the right time to speak with my employees about their sudden time-off, before talking to my apprentice about how I wasn’t going to be able to mentor her for another day— which honestly was every day, at this point.

I’m probably going to have to talk to her about her apprenticeship too… maybe even give her a refund… I thought to myself as I pulled myself out of bed at sunrise. I only stopped in the middle of brushing my teeth when a realization crossed my mind. Wait, has Noele even paid me yet?

I remembered citing a price to her— a moderately expensive fee— which she agreed to pay at a later date. Sure, I didn’t teach her that much, but…

I shrugged as I stepped out of my room, tying an apron around my back. “Honestly, who cares about money anyways?”

I muttered to myself, and I searched for my employees to break the news to them.

—--

Oddly enough, neither Harlan nor Arthur were present at the kitchen at the break of dawn like they usually were. Instead, I found them outside of the restaurant, gathered together with a small crowd of [Farmers] and [Traders]. Bucky was with them too. She turned around and clucked at me when I stepped out of the front door.

“What’s going on?” I asked as I was greeted by the worried whispers of a dozen different voices.

“It’s terrible—”

“It’s a good thing it didn’t reach our village.”

“But my family is in Whiteridge…”

Bucky leapt at me, and I caught her. She nestled in my arms as she waved a wing at the distant horizon. I looked up and narrowed my eyes. Across varying distances, thin gray streaks rose to the sky like the smudgy painting of trees smearing the morning canvas.

“Smoke?” I whispered, and a figure approached me from the side.

“It happened last night,” Harlan said as he came to a halt next to me. I turned to him with a raised brow, and he explained. “I don’t know what it is, but they’re saying that Whiteridge and much of the surrounding farmland was attacked.”

I swept my gaze over the horizon. “Attacked by what?”

“I’m… I’m not sure,” he replied hesitantly. He shifted back, nervously looking at the destruction in the distance. “But for whatever reason, Wolfwater was spared.”

“But why?” I asked, only for a second approaching figure to answer.

“You know why, Amelia.” Arthur nodded at me, stepping up from behind Harlan. The former Lich King held my gaze as I saw a gleam in his eyes. “You can sense it. I can too.”

I raised my head, and I blinked. “Void essence.”

“That’s right,” he said as he bit his lower lip.

I stared into the distance for a moment as Arthur wore a dour face. Harlan just glanced between us, a quizzical look on his face.

“It must be the Sect of the Abyssal Thorns,” the former Lich King continued.

And I shook my head, responding simply. “No, it’s not their fault.”

I sensed it— the stench of the Void emanating from Whiteridge. Their lingering presence lurked near the rising smoke. But it was just within the confines of the city. I sensed nothing coming from the nearby farmlands, also damaged and burning.

Something else must have attacked those places. And it just so happened that very same thing was repelled by someone who could use the power of the Void.

“The Sect of the Abyssal Thorns was involved, but they didn’t cause this,” I said as I turned away from the gathered crowd. “I don’t know who or what did this, nor do I know what they were after…”

I trailed off as I started walking back with Bucky in my arms. Arthur and Harlan watched me go, wide-eyed. They exchanged an apprehensive glance as I continued.

“However, I know one thing for sure.”

They looked towards me as I came to a halt. I placed my hands on my hips, turning back to face them. It was the former Lich King who mustered up the courage to speak.

“W-what will you do, Amelia?” he asked, his voice cracking.

“I’m going to get back to work,” I finished as I met the gaze of my two employees. “So if you’ll excuse me, I’m going back to the kitchen now.”

They paused. Arthur opened his mouth, but he couldn’t find the right words to say. He slowly lowered his hand, before I spun around and returned to my restaurant, leaving them both behind.

—--

The day continued as normal. At least, for me. Fewer customers than normal turned up at Bucky’s Out of this World Restaurant, and there was a clear sense of dread pervading the room. But people still needed to eat, and some of them wanted to drink their nervousness away.

After all, they were nervous. Something had attacked the nearby towns and cities, but they didn’t know what it was. All they heard were rumors about shadows moving amongst an unveiling dark mist, like a wave of destruction that didn’t discriminate, before dissipating just before dawn.

Or so that was what the rumors said.

I didn’t know if it was actually true. It sounded… odd, to say the least. But I was too busy cooking to care. And I was sure I was going to find out what it was soon enough. After all, Noele, Garron, and Jax didn’t visit the restaurant today.

And I knew they must have gone out to investigate what had happened. So I wasn’t too worried about… whatever this was. But others were concerned. I could hear their distraught whispers whenever I stepped out of the kitchen.

It wasn’t just my customers either. When I was in the middle of excusing myself for a quick lunch break, I found a figure blocking my way. I frowned when I saw the golden locks on the worried face. It wasn’t Noele. She was still out. Instead, it was—

“Arthur?” I raised a brow when I saw him standing there. “What’s up?”

I walked up to him as he bit his lower lip. His face was pale, and he had bags underneath his eyes. It looked like he barely got any sleep. He opened his mouth, before catching himself.

“What’s wrong?” I stared at him.

“It’s about… this morning,” he said slowly as he shifted back uncomfortably. “With what happened.”

I stepped past him, before taking a seat in the middle of the kitchen. I grabbed a plate of leftover pilaf and turned to the former Lich King. I began to dig into my lunch as I waved a hand dismissively.

“You’re talking about those shadows, right? Don’t worry, I’m sure Noele will figure it out.” I gave him a reassuring nod.

—---

And just fifteen miles outside of Wolfwater, standing over a crater in the middle of a vast pasture, Noele sneezed. Garron and Jax turned to her, and she shook her head at them.

“I’m fine. It’s just a bit breezy.”

—--

But despite my reassurances, Arthur didn’t relax. Instead, he clenched a fist before lowering his head.

“I could sense it, Amelia,” he said in a low voice. “You sensed it too.”

“Yeah, and?” I tilted my head back at him. “You’re talking about the Void’s essence, right? It wasn’t just in Whiteridge— it was all over the world. I noticed that as well.”

“That’s not what I’m—” He opened his mouth, then paused. “Wait, you’re saying this attacked happened across all of Vacuos?”

“Well, it certainly happened across all the continents,” I replied casually.

Arthur stared at me for a moment, bug-eyed. But then he caught himself. He shook his head as he stepped forward.

“You’re not getting it, huh?” he said softly.

“What is it?” I narrowed my eyes at him.

And the former Lich King placed a hand on his chest. “I’m telling you I sensed it, Amelia. Even though I have no magic. Even though I have nothing. Somehow, I managed to sense the power of the Void.”

I paused, slowly lowering my plate as I realized what he was saying. Arthur looked down at the palm of his hand as he whispered.

“And I didn’t just sense it there in Whiteridge. I can sense it… coming back to me again.”

“Oh.” That was all I said.