That day, Kingsley packed his things.
He didn’t take much–just a thick coat and some food he had carefully saved up.
He waited until dusk to set off for Tilon Mountain. After a long, exhausting climb to the summit, Kingsley finally saw the Dragonbone Lotus. At that moment, he understood why Pablo and Naya were so eager to gift this flower to the Holy Lady. It was Kingsley’s first time seeing a Dragonbone Lotus.
The flower, blooming atop the snowy peak, burned like a flame, its brilliance undiminished even in the fading light.
Every detail matched the legends perfectly.
It was indeed the Dragonbone Lotus, the ideal flower to present to the Holy Lady.
Kingsley muttered, “It’s worth a fortune, but there’s no helping it. It was their discovery, after all.”
In the end, Kingsley let go of the selfish thoughts he had been holding onto.
He cautiously crawled to the edge of the cliff, reaching out to pluck the flower when suddenly, a furious shout erupted from behind him.
“Where did this filthy commoner come from? Drop that flower in your hand immediately!”
Already teetering on the edge, Kingsley was startled by the voice behind him. His foot slipped, and most of his body dangled precariously over the abyss.
Luckily, his reflexes kicked in at the critical moment. One hand grabbed the edge of the cliff, while the other clung tightly to the Dragonbone Lotus, barely saving himself from falling to his death.
Damn it. He had deliberately chosen to come out at dusk to avoid running into anyone.
Who would have thought that even at this hour, someone would still be out there?
Kingsley begged, “Sir, please, let’s talk this over! Please pull me up first. I won’t touch the Dragonbone Lotus anymore. It’s yours, alright? Does that work for you?”
The figures behind him drew closer. There appeared to be three of them: two towering men and one seated in a wooden wheelchair, seemingly due to an injured leg, being pushed along by the others.
The man who had shouted at Kingsley paid him no attention, leaving him hanging on the cliff’s edge. Instead, he turned to the man in the wheelchair, bowed slightly, and said, “Lord Anthony, judging by its shape and features, this is indeed the Dragonbone Lotus you’ve been searching for.”
Anthony felt a flicker of joy flashing through his eyes as his subordinate confirmed the discovery.
He said happily, “Who would’ve thought it’d be this easy? The Dragonbone Lotus is already ours!”
One subordinate smiled. “Congratulations, Lord Anthony! Truly, congratulations!”
The other subordinate, who had been silent, stepped forward with a grin. “Lord Anthony, your luck’s finally turning around. From now on, no one can stand in your way!”
Anthony let out a cold, mocking laugh.
The thought of Eliza–the one who had brought him to this state–made his eyes narrow, a sharp glint of murderous intent flickering within.
Still, Anthony wasn’t one to act recklessly.
He instructed, “Enough. Pick the Dragonbone Lotus and store it properly. Now that the medicine’s in hand, it’s time for me
to head back.”
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: The Lady Nun Seeks Justice (Eliza Stonor)