Temple of the Demon Lord of Wishes

Chapter 57 Vallgorath

"Eh? Uncle!?" Reves exclaimed, his eyes widening in surprise as he dashed to the counter.

Ivaim blinked, caught off guard by the sudden recognition.

"I've been looking for you for months now!" Reves continued, his voice tinged with a mix of frustration and relief.

"Even Father thought you had—" He paused, his expression faltering as he pouted. "—well, he thought you were dead."

Ivaim's heart skipped a beat.

'Months?' He frowned, confusion creasing his brow. 'But I've only been here for a few days. Why would he say that?'

His mind raced, but he didn't want to raise any questions.

'If I ask him about it, he probably wouldn't know the answer either.'

Instead, Ivaim gave Reves a calm look, wanting to ask other relevant questions instead.

"You've found your father, then?" he asked, his voice steady. "What about the lady in the black clothing?"

Reves's expression shifted, his brows knitting together in a slight frown.

"I'm not sure where that lady is," he admitted, his gaze drifting as if searching for the answers himself.

"But my dad's doing great! He's competing in the arenas now, and he's climbing up the ranks. He's gonna make it to the big leagues soon!"

Reves's chest puffed out as he spoke, his tone filled with pride. "Everyone says he's got a real shot at winning it all."

Ivaim couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at Reves's boundless enthusiasm. The boy spoke about his father as if he were destined for greatness, a legend in the making.

As Ivaim listened, his thoughts drifted back to the many things he had already learned about this place.

The first thing he'd discovered was the name: Vallgorath.

He wasn't sure if it referred to a country, a kingdom, or even an entire world, but everyone seemed to call it that.

'I still think it's a kingdom,' he mused, though he still had little concrete evidence to back that up.

"So your dad thinks that becoming the Champion of Vallgorath is the way to escape?" he asked, his tone more thoughtful than before.

Reves nodded, his eyes shining with unwavering belief.

"Exactly! He believes that if he becomes the Champion, he'll be able to find the armored man who trapped us here. That guy—he's the key to everything." Reves's fists clenched, as if the thought of the armored figure filled him with both fear and determination.

"I just know my dad will defeat him. He's the strongest fighter I know. That armored scum won't stand a chance!"

Ivaim's lips twitched, a smile threatening to break through his more serious expression.

Just as he was about to respond, the door to the bakery creaked open, and the familiar sound of footsteps filled the room.

Neli, the elderly woman who had taken him in, walked in from the back with a basket of fresh loaves in her hands. Her eyes twinkled with a warm, knowing gaze as she wiped her hands on her apron.

"Oh? Loaf boy, I haven't seen you around in quite a while now," Neli said, her voice light but carrying an underlying sharpness. "Ivaim, you know him?"

Ivaim smiled politely, the corners of his mouth turning upward ever so slightly, but he didn't elaborate.

"Coincidentally, yes," he replied, choosing to leave the rest of the details unsaid for the moment.

Reves, his eyes lighting up at the sight of Neli, immediately perked up.

"Hello, Grandma Neli! Have you heard the latest news?" He grinned widely, practically bouncing on his heels. "My dad's getting into the big league arenas soon!"

Your adventure continues at My Virtual Library Empire

Neli paused, her hands still as she placed the basket of bread down onto the counter. For a long moment, her gaze seemed to drift into the distance, a flicker of contemplation crossing her face.

She appeared to be processing Reves's words, though her reaction was far from what one might expect. With a soft sigh, she shook her head, her thoughts apparently elsewhere.

"I see..." she muttered, but then, as if dismissing the topic entirely, she shifted her focus back to the bakery. Her tone became matter-of-fact, almost as if the excitement of Reves's announcement hadn't registered at all.

"Are you going to buy the moonrise loaf again today?" she asked, a hint of warmth returning to her voice. "We've got plenty in stock today, and they've just come out of the oven."

Reves's excited chatter faltered for a brief moment, his enthusiasm momentarily muted by the practical shift in conversation. But he quickly recovered, eager as ever. "Yeah! I love the moonrise loaf! It's the best thing ever! Thanks, Grandma Neli!"

He grinned at her, clearly not bothered by the change in topic.