Chapter 1167 lt Has Been A While, Auntie
"Here is one of those places, Master," Astrape said as she stood beside her Master.
William sighed in his heart because he already had a hunch that Astrape would take him to this place.
It was none other than the Old Oak Tree that connected Midgard to Alfheim, the lands of the Elves. Back then, there was a specific condition that needed to be met in order to cross between the two worlds, but now the Half-Elf knew that, if he wished for it, he could open the portal and step into the Elven lands anytime.
"Are we going to enter it Master?" Titania asked. "I can feel the strong power of nature on the other side of this doorway to another realm."
William shook his head. "No. Take me to the other places that are similar to this. I will decide once I have inspected all of them."
"Understood," Astrape said as she held onto William's right hand. "If you'll excuse me."
"Mmm." William nodded his head in understanding.
A moment later, all four of them were enveloped with a lightning bolt and streaked towards the sky, and headed to another location.
A few seconds later, they arrived on a cliff overlooking a deep ravine, whose bottom couldn't be seen.
"This is the second place, Master," Astrape reported.
William narrowed his gaze because he could feel a strong attraction coming from the bottomless pit in front of him.
'This feeling is similar to the Oak Tree that led to Alfheim,' William mused. 'This probably leads to a different plane, but I have no idea where it is.'
After carefully observing the ravine for a while, he once again ordered Astrape to take him to the places where they had felt the same kind of uniqueness within Midgard.
All in all they found eight locations that signified that they could visit eight different places. William didn't know if this was just a coincidence, but something was telling him that he already had an idea of where those places would lead him.
According to Astrape, the Time Loop would happen every three weeks. This infinite loop would continue until they found a way to allow the stuck time to move forward.
'This is quite troublesome,' William thought as he pondered his next course of action. 'If my hunch is right, these pathways lead to the other eight realms. In order for time to push forward, I need to find the reason why the Time Loop happens in the first place. Only by understanding the cause, will I be able to find a solution to this problem.'
The black-haired teenager then discussed his plan to his subordinates, and the three ladies had no objection to it. They were also thinking of the same thing.
"So, where should we go first, Master?" TItania asked. "Should we stay here on this plane and wait out the three weeks before we move to the next location?"
William frowned. He knew that by staying in Midgard for three weeks, they would be spending a lot of time trying to look for the reason for the Time Loop. However, if all of them separated, it would be difficult for one person to traverse the entire realm, searching for clues if they were alone.
Also, the people on the other planes of existence would not ignore their presence. The Half-Elf was quite worried that if Astrape, Bronte, and Titania were to appear in places like Asgard, Vanaheim, Jotunheim, and Muspelheim, they would be attacked by the powerful beings whose strength may even surpass their own.
After pondering for a few minutes, William decided to play it safe and have everyone stick together for the time being. That way, they would be able to cover more ground, and report their findings to each other. It would also allow them to spot the probable causes of the Time Loop if they all brainstormed together.
"We'll stay here on this plane for now," William ordered. "The three of you spread out in different directions and look for clues. You can report to me in this city."
The black-haired teenager placed his fingertip at the three ladies' forehead to make them know Camelot's location. Although he didn't like the city where he was raised until his early teens, he knew more about its surroundings compared to the three deities, who were still unfamiliar with this world.
"Meet up with me three days before the Time Loop happens," William ordered. "Now, go!"
""Yes, Master!""
Three streaks of light flew in different directions as they obeyed William's command. The Half-Elf then sighed before using his Lighting Strider Skill to return to Camelot, in order to solve the mystery of the Infinite Loop that plagued this plane of existence.
—-
At the Gates of Camelot…
The guards stared anxiously the moment the black-haired teenager appeared in front of them.
He walked through the gate unhindered because none of the guards had the courage to block his way. They had seen how William had dealt with the Knight Gawain, and knew that ordinary people like them were not a match for his Dark Magic.
"This place is still as lively as ever," William muttered as he walked towards the city's center.
Many people were strolling the streets with smiles on their faces. They called out to each other as they had known each other for years, which was a very common thing within the walls of Camelot.
As the black-haired teenager wandered aimlessly along the streets, several people looked at him with curious gazes. However, none of them called out to him and simply saw him as one of those foreigners that came from distant lands.
William was aware that he was being followed, but he paid no attention to the people that were sent by either his father or the wizard who served as the country's court magician.
Just as the Half-Elf was walking past his past haunts, that he used to go to when he was still a gullible child who only wanted to get his father's recognition, a cloaked figure appeared several meters away from him.
They were inside an alley, so no one else was there aside from them.
Although the cloak blocked the person's face, it didn't hide the long strands of silver hair that peeked through it.
"Welcome back, Will," the cloaked figure said with tenderness and affection. "I missed you."
William didn't answer and simply stared at the person who had secretly treated him with love and care when he was still in Camelot.
Back then, she introduced herself as his Godmother when he was young, but after growing up, he found out her real identity, which she had kept hidden for reasons only she knew.
"It has been a while, Auntie," William replied. "Surprisingly, I don't feel the same way as you do."
"Don't say hurtful things, Will. Have you forgotten how I cared for you when you were still a child? How much I loved you?"
"If you really loved me then you should have told who you really are. It's too late to play the Mother Role, Auntie."
A sigh escaped the lady's lips before she took off the hood that was covering her face. A moment later, a beautiful lady, whose blue eyes and silver hair could easily charm men whose will was weaker than hers, was laid bare in front of his eyes.
She was none other than the enchanting fairy and sorceress, Morgan Le Fay, who was also William's birth mother, who had given birth to him in Midgard.