The Herb King



"You found a Teleportation Rune?" Aethelwolf furrowed his eyebrows upon hearing Ramiel's report.

"Yes. We found it in a hidden location." Ramiel nodded his head.

Aethelwolf recalled the information he got from Bralgorach. 'That guy must have used the Teleportation Rune to travel to another continent!' 

"Take me there." 

"Yes, King Aethelwolf." 

Aethelwolf followed Ramiel all the way to the location of the Teleportation Rune. When they arrived at the place, Aethelwolf saw the complex patterns inscribed on the ground.

"This isn't just a Transcendent-level Teleportation Rune!" Aethelwolf exclaimed in shock when he laid eyes on the complex patterns. 

Ramiel who was standing behind him was shocked when he heard this. "King Aethelwolf, you mean this Teleportation Rune is not a Transcendent-level Rune? Then this is..." 

"If I'm not wrong, whoever made this rune had a power that was beyond the level of Transcendent!" Aethelwolf muttered. 

"That powerful?!" Ramiel's eyes widened at his words.

"This rune has already run out of energy. There are also some parts that need to be repaired. Guard this place and don't let anyone come inside without my permission!" Aethelwolf had the materials to repair the rune, but he had to inform his family about this first. He wanted to know where the Teleportation Rune would lead him to. 

Aethelwolf went back to the Barden Territory to inform his family about the matter. He told his wives Julie Irish and Samira that he might be gone for a long time. 

"Do you have to leave? The continent is peaceful now that the Underworlders are dead. The various empires had also signed a non-aggression pact so there is nothing for us to worry about." Samira who was holding a two-year-old little girl muttered softly. 

Julie Irish didn't say anything, but she was also staring at Aethelwolf emotionally. 

Aethelwolf hugged them and rubbed their back. He also kissed her little daughter's face. "I have to go. We don't know what is on the other side. If Bralgorach's words are true, then that means there are powerful experts who are stronger than me out there. If I don't investigate, we might be caught unprepared if they come to the Regalis Continent." 

The two women stared at him in silence upon hearing his words. 

"Then let us go with you! The continent is already peaceful and the Barden Territory is a lot stronger than before. Please..." Julie grabbed his hand as she looked at him pleadingly.

Aethelwolf hesitated when he saw their expression. He didn't want to put them in danger, but he also didn't want to be separated from them. 

"Papa, I also want to go with you!" A red-haired girl who seemed to be ten years old came running towards him. It was the little devil, Olivia. She was already a big girl now. 

"Fine." Aethelwolf forced out a smile while nodding his head. He was already a Transcendent expert and he was confident that he could take them away if they encounter something dangerous on the other side.

"Yey!" Olivia jumped happily, while his two wives smiled in relief. His little daughter, Shane, also giggled in joy.

"Let's go bid farewell to the others." Aethelwolf gently grabbed their waist as he led them out of the room. 

After bidding farewell to their families and friends, Aethelwolf brought them to the Teleportation Rune. 

"You guys rest first. I still have to repair the damages on the inscriptions." Aethelwolf said as he took out the materials he need to repair the damaged inscriptions. 

"Alright." Samira and the others nodded their heads and left. 

Aethelwolf sorted the materials in front of him. The damage to the inscriptions was caused by the lack of maintenance. They just need a little bit of restoration for them to be operational. The energy source of the rune was also depleted so he had to provide another source of energy. He had a lot of such items in his storage space so there wasn't a need for him to look for anything.

Aethelwolf didn't know what level was beyond Transcendence or if there were more levels after it. However, he was certain that the Teleportation Rune was only one level ahead of Transcendence. The inscriptions in its magical array were complicated, but it didn't reach the point that he couldn't understand them. He only had to use a bit more time to decipher some of the complex patterns. 

It took him more than two hours to repair the rune and another twenty minutes to change the energy source. When he activated the rune, the inscriptions suddenly lit up. "It's done!" He smiled as he wiped off the sweat on his face.

The restoration of the rune consumed more than half of his world essence so he felt tired. 

He then called everyone and informed them that the rune was already repaired. 

"Ramiel, don't let anyone enter this place. Make sure that a Level 5 Esper would be here at all times to secure the area." Aethelwolf commanded sternly. If the rune was destroyed while they were still on the other side, they might not be able to return to the Regalis Continent! 

"Yes, King Aethelwolf! You can rest assured! I won't let anyone pass by this place!" Ramiel answered confidently. The Barden Territory had more Level 5 Espers now so it wasn't a problem to deploy one or two of them to guard the Teleportation Rune.

After issuing the command to Ramiel, Aethelwolf led Samira and the others to the Teleportation Rune.

"Are you guys ready?" He asked while looking at them seriously.

Everyone nodded their head in response. Samira and Julie felt a bit nervous, but they felt more secure every time they look at Aethelwolf.

"Good. Remember to stay near me at all times and don't wander around once we arrive on the other side." Aethelwolf warned. 

After seeing them nod their heads, Aethelwolf grabbed their hands and activated the function of the rune. 

A bright ray of light enveloped their bodies and they soon disappeared.