From Different Perspective

"Yeah, the World's Empire doesn't care if it's a child or not. As long as one knows about the Lost Epoch, even just a tiny bit. Death is the only way," said Heileen seriously.

"They have the right. Should there be any aspect that could spark destruction, rebellion, and revolution. In this case, is the history of the Lost Epoch. They do what has to be done," commented Xu An.

"You're supporting the World's Empire act? Looks like you've been blinded by them and foolishly follow them like the others." Heileen's tone was that of disappointment.

"... No, if you're saying the World's Empire is evil. Can you say the same to those who are saved by them? Some lucky children are saved from the war which annihilated their homes.

"Peace is maintained despite the fact that this world only favors the strong. Though, I've seen fairness in many aspects like education, and job. No one is prioritized, even the commoners are given the chance to rise to the top.

"This world is much better than any era, no?" Xu An ends his long uttering with a question.

"That's… but curiosity is one of human's nature! They have no right to limit it!" Heileen refuted.

"You're a fairy yourself, why are you talking as though you're a human?" Xu An pondered as he frowned.

"This– ah! You tried to change the topic!" Heileen noticed something suspicious and found it.

"Sigh, I am not. Although curiosity is a human's nature. If it only brings calamity to humanity itself, it's better to shackle it as tight as possible.

"Have you heard of Pandora's Box?" Xu An pondered.

"Pandora's Box? That's one of the stories the Emperor of Humanity created! It's a story about a lady who opens a box and thus, releases physical and emotional curses upon mankind," replied Heileen quickly.

'Emperor of Humanity?' Xu An softly muttered but was heard by Heileen. Xu An also continued in his heart as his brows knitted together: Furthermore, the story is similar to the one in my past life.

"Yeah! He creates many wonderful and masterpiece stories. My favorite stories are Don Quixote and the Sherlock Holmes series! Kyaa!" She was beaming with a smile as she was excited.

Don Quixote, Sherlock Holmes. These two stories are no doubt from my world. Then does this mean? Xu An was shocked as she speculated that.

With two works as evidence, it was clear that the Emperor of Humanity was someone like him!

A person reincarnated into this world. No, He could also be transmigrated. Regardless, this was shocking news!

Though, he should get copyrighted for plagiarism.

"There is this my favorite line from one of the books I've read, curiosity killed the cat but–"

"Satisfaction brought it back," cut Xu An as she stopped her sentence in the middle.

"Yes, that's right! How'd you know? That line is popular in the southeast region!"

The Southeast region was extremely far from here. It would take five years to reach there!

Crap, I can't let her know I'm from another world! Xu An reminded himself as he quickly cooked up a lie on the spot, "some of my distant relatives are from there. We usually talked during family gatherings."

If the last words were erased, that may be true.

Heileen grunted in acknowledgment as she did not probe much further.

"Where are we earlier? Ah, that is right. What I want to say is to try to see something from another perspective. Every story has two sides of the coin.

"I don't know why the World's Empire strictly prohibits anyone from learning anything regarding the Lost Epoch but the reason is probably something that we normal people should not know," said Xu An as he grabbed his sword and put it on his waist.

Without waiting for Heileen's response, Xu An hurriedly continued as his voice was that of disgust, hatred, and fury, "But I don't like the way they do things. Even go as far as killing a child. What happened to him? Is he alive?"

"He's dead. That's what should've happened but the older uncle prevented that by summoning me by force after defeating the Imperial Major," answered Heileen.

"For reference, can I know what that uncle looks like?" Xu An pondered as realization dawned upon him. He felt like the story was similar but this time from a different perspective.

"He has blue ice hair and blue eyes. He's extremely handsome, like a prince from a snow kingdom."

White hair, that's him, it's truly him! His hair changed according to the days! Xu An was completely certain that the story Heileen told him was the exact thing that happened to him a few years ago!

"I understand, you can continue," said Xu An calmly. He was the original him, not as the original Xu An.

"Un, after he did so. He made a deal with me. If I could heal the boy, even to uncrippled him. I would get his cultivation realm, which is higher than the boy's."

"Did you agree?" Xu An pondered. He knew what was going to happen next but he could not believe it as he learned the truth by coincidence. 

"Of course I am. The boy is my Master in the first place, for the fact he conquered the dungeon. I'm thankful that uncle forcefully summoned me," replied Heileen with a smile but then it vanished.

"Then why did he make deal with you? Can't you just do it for free?" Slowly Xu An asked.

He was extremely calm as this event did not have anything to do with him. If he was acting as the original Xu An, he would probably become emotional, not this calm like the topic was talked about with a cup of tea.

"If I could save the boy. I wouldn't agree to make the deal in the first place. I'm rather weak at the time. Normally, a Paladin from a recently conquered dungeon is powerful but I got summoned by force. The one who did it is also not my master or someone who contributed greatly to the dungeon raid.

"An outsider summoning me by force is breaking a contract of [redacted]."

Upon reaching the last words, Xu An could not catch what she just said. Her voice suddenly became static like a television lost its signal.

"What?" Xu An was perplexed.

"I'm sorry, the contract I'm talking about is not something that a human should know. Anyway, to heal the boy. As well as uncrippled him, I need a lot of energy and so, after hearing that.

"That uncle chose to sacrifice his cultivation realm with the risk of crippling him."

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A white hair middle-aged man bowed on the ground. His expression was solemn.

"Please! Take my cultivation realm and save this boy!"

"Are you sure, human? Your bright future and everything you've built will be all for naught. This world favors the strong, especially so in the Dark Continent," Heileen asked for confirmation and tested Jack's will.

"Yeah, it does not matter. There are more things in this world than absolute strength. Please, I beg of you, take it!"

"... Very well, but remember this, human. I will not pledge to you but my Master. However, I sincerely thanked you for saving him. We owe you a big favor."

"Thank you!" Jack was delighted as he hit his forehead a few times before raising his head.

"But, this dungeon is going to disappear in short notice and the both of us are probably going to be teleported to the nearest village.

"You haven't made a contract with him yet. How should you fulfill your promise?" Jack pondered.

"If fate allows it, then he'll be back. No matter how long it is going to be, I will wait for him."

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Heileen told Xu An the story of what happened as she continued, "then after I get that person's cultivation realm and use it to heal back the boy. He and the boy conversed shortly before their bodies disappeared from my sight."

Heileen paused as she continued, "shortly thereafter, the dungeon collapsed. Hence the lake."

After Heileen told Xu An the story. The place fell silent. One could hear the calm waves of the lake coming to shore.

Leaves danced gently and birds in V formation passed above their heads.

"Why are you not looking for him?" Xu An blurted out a question.

"How do you think people would react if they saw this?" Heileen shifted her eyes to her blue butterfly wings as she flapped them.

"Can't you just hide it under a robe?" Said Xu An.

"Ah, you're right. I forgot humans have such a thing," she said as if just forgetting something small and remembering it.

". . ." 

The edge of Xu An's mouth twitched.

"How do you even become a Paladin? I thought Paladins are people who have done amazing feats in their life?" Xu An asked doubtfully about Heileen's identity.

Heileen did not utter a word as she smiled sadly and it was a bit bitter.

Xu An felt like he had just said something inappropriate and offensive. He did not know anything about Heileen yet he talked like he knew everything.

Heileen perhaps has life worse than him, right? Only those great historical figures could be Paladin.

Xu An could guess what those people had to pass to achieve their goals. The things they went through were probably far greater than him, far painful and harder.

"Sorry," Xu An apologized as he cast his gaze downward.

"It's okay," Heileen looked at the sky as she assured him. She reached out her hand to the sky before pulling it down.

In the next moment.

"So, what do you think of the story? Do you think I can find the boy? He probably grew up already," asked Heileen as she shifted her line of sight to Xu An.

Both eyes met.

"Your eyes look like him. The same color." Heileen frowned.

"YOU! IT'S YOU!" Heileen suddenly shouted after she looked straight at Xu An's eyes for a few seconds straight.

Heileen grabbed Xu An's cheek.