CHAPTER 1482: GET REST

Jay was sent to his room in Cestine Palace to rest, the same room he used when he stayed in the Cestine Palace. Though he kept insisting he was fine, moreover, after being healed by Lory. Still, Lucas refused to take chances.

He wanted every detail of Jay’s condition checked, knowing that while healing powers could mend wounds, they might not reveal the hidden aftereffects an injury could leave behind.

Reluctantly, Jay gave in. As the King’s subordinate, he couldn’t argue against a direct order, though in truth he knew Lucas’s insistence came from concern rather than authority.

The medical team soon finished their examination, and their verdict was simple: Jay wasn’t hurt, only worn out. What he needed most now was time to rest and proper meals to restore his mana pool.

"I told you, I’m fine!" Jay shoved the blanket aside and started to rise from the bed.

But before he could take a step, Fargo’s large hand landed firmly on his shoulder, halting him in place. "And where do you think you’re going, boy?" he asked with a wide grin.

With one effortless push, Fargo pressed him back onto the mattress and pulled the blanket up over him again. "Either you lie down and rest like a good boy... or I sleep right here beside you to make sure you do. Your choice."

His eyes glinted with mock seriousness, and by now no one could tell if Fargo was joking or deadly serious.

Jay jolted, arms crossing over his chest instinctively like a scandalized maiden. "You evil man—Don’t you dare!"

Fredhardt rolled his eyes at their playful exchange, while Lucas let out a long, weary sigh. This was exactly why weird rumors had circled around them when they were younger, because of jokes like these.

Back then, he’d wasted far too much energy trying to explain, until he finally gave up and let people believe whatever they wanted.

"There, there, don’t be angry," Fargo said as he tucked the blanket around Jay with exaggerated gentleness, grinning all the while.

Jay shot him a sharp glare, but Fargo only pretended not to notice. As much as he enjoyed teasing, he knew when to back off before pushing too far. So, he smoothly changed the subject.

"So," he asked casually, settling himself on the chair beside the bed, "what kind of creature did you fight that was able to make you end up like this?"

And it worked. Everyone’s attention immediately shifted to the serious matter at hand.

Jay leaned back against the headboard, the shadows under his eyes deepening with fatigue. His voice was low, deliberate.

"Well... it was humanoid, that much I’m sure," he began slowly. "But its skin—" he paused, recalling the sight, "—it was cracked, rough... like tree bark. The eyes were hollow, sunken. It wore armor, rusted and battered, and carried a sword. Everything about it looked... ancient."

Fargo pinched his chin, muttering under his breath. "Humanoid tree... but wearing armor. So, not an Ent then." He exhaled sharply through his nose. "Great. Just what we needed—another monster on the ever-growing list. At this rate, we’ll need a catalog."

"We already had" Fredhardt chimmend in.

Lory’s gaze sharpened. "Could it have been human once?"

"Maybe," Fredhardt allowed grimly. "We still don’t know how far the Seed of Life can warp someone."

By the window, Lucas stood with his arms folded, the city lights behind him painting his silhouette in cold silver. "How many agents are still monitoring the site?"

"Three Noxcra agents," Jay replied, though fatigue weighed down his voice.

Lory turned to Lucas, her tone edged with warning. "The enemy should know what happened by now."

Lucas’ gaze slid toward Jay, calm and deliberate, the kind of look that carried both reassurance and warning. "Indeed," he said evenly. Then, with the faintest curl of a sly smile, he added, "But this is our chance to see how they’ll respond." His eyes gleamed as if he were already playing three moves ahead.

Before anyone could reply, a low, unhurried baritone cut through the air.

"How big was the explosion?" Zhao Li Xin’s voice carried easily, smooth yet heavy with quiet weight.

All heads turned toward him. He lounged back in his chair, legs crossed, phone in hand, as though the matter were no more than a passing curiosity. Yet when their eyes shifted to Jay, the atmosphere tightened.

Jay tilted his head, frowning slightly. "I... borrowed the King’s power. So yes, it was big. Very big. Why?"

Zhao Li Xin barely looked up, thumb sliding across his phone screen, his composure unshaken. "I keep track of news cycles here. With an explosion of that size, reports should have surfaced by now. Someone should have said something." His tone was casual, but the weight beneath it pressed against the room.

Fredhardt’s brows furrowed, a shadow of realization darkening his face. "He’s right. It happened the day before. By now, it should have been everywhere."

The unease spread quickly. Jay sat forward, urgency sparking in his eyes. "Give me a laptop, quick!"

Without missing a beat, Fargo flicked his wrist, and with a shimmer of light, a sleek laptop materialized from his spatial ring. He plopped it onto Jay’s lap with a smirk. "Here you go!"

Jay blinked, staring at the device, then at Fargo. "...I forgot I even had one of those rings."

"Of course you did," Fargo said smugly, wiggling the band on his finger. "It’s trully a life saver, the best gift I ever head." he wink meaningfully at Zhao Li Xin.

Zhao Li Xin give an acknowledged nod while Lory glare at Fargo.

Jay muttered something under his breath, shaking his head as he flipped the laptop open. "I’m just not used to it yet." His fingers flew over the keys, the glow of the screen reflecting against his tired face. The room hushed, the only sound the rapid clatter of typing.

Minutes passed like hours. Then Jay’s voice broke the silence.

"You’re right," he said grimly, lifting his gaze. "There’s nothing. Not a single mention. It’s like it never happened."

"Could it be because it’s too far from any residential area, so no one noticed?" Lory suggested, though even she sounded unconvinced.

Fredhardt tapped his chin, eyes narrowing. "That’s possible. But more likely, they used something to cloak it. You mentioned Veilward before. Maybe they layered another spell to suppress the fallout, something that erased every trace of the blast."

"Whatever the case, we’ll uncover it," Lucas said firmly. His voice carried the kind of authority that cut through speculation and anchored the room. His eyes shifted to Fargo. "Send more agents to the site. And about Dominique Hartley, tell her we’re gonna need her help to get our people inside White Rose."

"On it," Fargo replied with a sharp nod, already moving to carry out the order.

Lucas’ gaze then slid to Fredhardt, steady and commanding. "Contact Jasmine Wu. Her natural resistance to the drug is invaluable. We’re gonna need to give her thorough information to help the other healers."

Fredhardt straightened, the gravity of the task reflected in his solemn expression. "Yes, Your Majesty."

"Oh, by the way, is there any news from Clif?t" Jay waves his hand.

Fargo then replied, "We did, and so far so good. I heard he and Samuel found something interesting, but we still don’t know what it is. But according to the schedule, we will get news from him in three days."

"Well, they were in Zenon City, the capital city of Luxemborough, he must keep in high alert," Lory sighed.

"Yes, about that, I want to join Clift’s mission. I’ve already completed mine, so I want to join Clift’s mission," Jay said, looking at Lucas hopefully.

Lucas tapped his chin, then nodded. "Alright, I will feel more assured when you both get together, but you can only start to prepare tomorrow; your job now is to rest."

Jay grinned in Joy. "Yes, sir. considered it done," he said, throwing a half-serious salute.

"Okay, so everyone, let’s leave Jay to rest," Lucas ordered everyone to leave.

"Rest well, Jay," Lory added, giving him a little wave.

"Eat well, don’t skip meals, and no jumping up and down if you want to heal faster," Fredhardt said like a nagging parent.

Jay groaned. "I’m not a kid, Fred. Stop treating me like one."

Fredhardt only shrugged as he strolled out, looking perfectly satisfied with his teasing.

"You sure you don’t want me to tuck you in? Like I used to?" Fargo added with a smirk.

Jay glared. "That happened once! I was eight—and being haunted by a wraith!"

Fargo lifted his hands in mock innocence. "So? Don’t you wanna your big brother to accompany you when you are sick, hm?"

"I am not sick!" Jay snapped, hurling a pillow at him. But Fargo was already halfway out the door, laughing as he slammed it shut.

Left alone, Jay muttered under his breath about how Fargo and Fredhardt always seemed to enjoy teasing him far more than Lucas or Clift. With a weary sigh, he pulled the blanket up over his chest and let his eyes close.

His breathing soon evened out, and before long, he slipped into sleep. In the end, Lucas had been right; he truly did need the rest.