CHAPTER 171: WHISPERS OF MALICE

Sitting in a table in the main hall inside hunter’s guild, Leonard was drinking ale from a huge wooden mug in an irritating mood.

Thud!

He slammed the mug on the table. "Why the f**k hasn’t his party taken a mission yet?!" He muttered angrily under his breath.

His party members sitting beside him didn’t dare to make even a single extra sound, afraid that it would worsen their leader’s mood further.

But Lucas sitting across Leonard chuckled. "You look angry. Why? Did something not happen the way it was supposed to?" He knew exactly why Leonard was so annoyed, and enjoyed pouring more fuel into the fire..

After Logan joined Gideon’s team a month ago, Leonard felt humiliated. So he had decided to teach them a lesson.

Since Gideon’s party was currently in a weak condition, Leonard was sure that Gideon would choose an easy D-rank mission.

So after waiting for a long time, Leonard took advantage of Elizabeth’s absence one day and changed the details of four C-class dungeons, then pinned them on the mission board as if they were D-class dungeons. He also collected all the real D-class dungeon scrolls and kept them with himself.

It was a very common thing for a party to select a dungeon and keep its scroll in advance to prepare for the mission.

Leonard was fully confident in his plan. If Gideon accepted one of those missions, then his team would definitely face a huge crisis. And after seeing that, Logan would realize his mistake. Leonard also planned to appear at the last moment, save everyone, and show himself as a hero in front of everyone, while making Gideon look weak.

But unfortunately, Gideon hadn’t selected even a single mission in the past month, and Leonard was almost losing his patience.

"It’s nothing." Leonard somehow held back his anger and spoke through clenched teeth.

"Haha..... come on now. No one is a fool here. I can surely tell. You have been waiting for a chance to teach that kid’s party a lesson, aren’t you?" Lucas exposed the reason behind his frustration.

"So what if I am?!"

"Well I have a better plan if you really want your revenge." Lucas said confidently.

"Is that so?! Let’s hear it out then." Leonard’s brows relaxed a bit.

Lucas then leaned forward and started whispering his plan so that others wouldn’t be able to find out what they were scheming.

And hearing Lucas’s plan, Leonard’s eyes finally lit up with excitement. "Amazing! Why didn’t I think of this?!"

Without Gideon and his party members knowing, a grand scheme was being orchestrated against him. Just because his party had successfully recruited a new potential hunter, Leonard had his eyes on.

At the same time, Inside the healer’s chamber...

Emily’s words felt heavy like it suddenly had increased the room’s pressure.

"I think... I can help her recover. I can wake her up right now."

Ronald and Jessi both froze.

For a second, neither of them could react. Their eyes were locked on Emily, stunned.

"You... you really can?" Jessi finally managed to ask, disbelief and hope mixing in her voice.

Ronald looked just as shocked. After all the efforts they had taken... the new party member trying, bringing one after another healer to check if they could be of help...but no one succeeded.

Noah on the other hand, still had his calm expression intact.

He stood calmly by the door, arms crossed, watching his wife. He knew exactly what she was capable of. She wasn’t just a normal healer....she was the best and most powerful in all of Arcadia. If anyone could wake Melissa, it was her.

Emily didn’t reply to Jessi’s question. She simply gave a small nod and stepped closer.

"Ronald," Jessi called out turning her head toward him, "go and inform the boss."

"Right!" Ronald snapped out of his daze. Without wasting a second, he turned and rushed out of the chamber.

Emily then turned to Jessi. "I need you to help me. Gently lift the patient and hold her in a sitting position."

Jessi nodded quickly, her hands slightly trembling. She carefully slid her arms under Melissa and slowly raised her, making sure not to strain her body.

With Melissa now resting lightly against Jessi’s chest, Emily knelt down beside the bed. She reached forward and gently held Melissa’s both wrists with her hands. One hand on each.

Then she closed her eyes.

For a while, nothing happened. Only silence.

But slowly... a green glow began to form around her hands.

It was soft. Barely visible at first. But as the minutes passed, the glow started to brighten...steady and rhythmic. Not powerful or flashy. It looked calm, deep and pure.

Jessi held Melissa’s body gently in place, barely even breathing. Her eyes were locked on the glow. She didn’t dare blink.

Time passed.

Five minutes.

Ten minutes.

Fifteen.

By the thirty-minute mark, the faint green light finally began to fade.

Emily slowly opened her eyes and released Melissa’s wrists.

Jessi looked at her eagerly. "Is it done?"

Emily didn’t answer immediately.

She was watching Melissa closely.

And then....

Melissa’s eyelids twitched.

Jessi gasped, clutching Melissa tighter.

A moment later, the girl’s lashes fluttered again.

And finally... after nearly a month... Melissa’s eyes opened. Slowly. Weakly. But surely.

Her pupils adjusted to the light. Her breathing quickened slightly.

"Melissa...?" Jessi whispered, her voice cracking.

Melissa blinked once... then looked up at her. Her lips parted, but no words came out.

Tears welled up in Jessi’s eyes.

Before anything else could be said...

SLAM!

The chamber door burst open.

Gideon came in first, eyes wide. Behind him, Luna and Ronald followed quickly.

Right behind them, followed another man in his mid twenties. His figure was lean but well-built, his short brown hair slightly messy, and his dark coat half-buttoned. His expression was calm.

It was Raphael. The new party member.

The moment the group came in and saw Melissa sitting up, awake....every one of them froze in place.

"Melissa! You are finally awake." Luna said in a trembling voice.