The Stonehearted Knight
Chapter 219: Naive and innocent (1)

Chapter 219: Naive and innocent (1)

’Life changes in a blink.’

Hex peered through his closed eyelids, observing his new environment. Within an hour, he had gone from infiltrator to prisoner to patient.

Although his plan to reach the Temple district succeeded, the subsequent steps required quick thinking and adapting. It couldn’t be helped though. Before going through the gates, the steps were laid on solid information and a lack of vigilance from the three teams in the noble district.

Perhaps in their early days, they would beware of others discovering them but with the passage of time and lack of enemies, their awareness dwindled.

But on this side of the gate, he lacked information. He expected the fate of the ’goods’ to be bad but he didn’t know their precise situation. Even now, he knew they were imprisoned with others but for what and why, he didn’t know.

’This went actually better than I expected,’ Hex thought. ’I was ready to be a prisoner and see how I could break free. But now, thanks to the Vice-Captain, I can pretend to recover slowly and learn a thing or two in that time. Maybe I can even complete the mission disguised as Herman.’

Hex didn’t climb up to the fourth floor only to win time so he could change. He also believed the chance of being discovered diminished on the fourth floor. The warden wouldn’t pay much attention to it and his runts wouldn’t recognize the Vice-Captain either.

The chances of the Vice-Captain recovering from his injuries were low. After all, he took a full blow from a Calamity. The fact that he didn’t die spoke of his enormous tenacity.

’Now I need to rest and see how much I can learn before escaping from here in two days.’

Hex didn’t plan on remaining in the Temple district for long. He expected his cover to be blown in two days on the darkest night of the month. After all, something would happen that night and he expected someone to recognize the Vice-Captain.

’Once they realize they got the wrong person, they will search for me. Even that Gatekeeper may get involved. I don’t fancy my chances against him.’

Hex shuddered at the thought of being pursued by that old man. He would rather abandon the mission and make a run for it.

...

The next hour nothing happened. But just as Hex almost fell asleep, he sensed people arrive in the room.

"So, he is the one who suffered an attack from the berserk beasts?"

Hearing the sweet voice, Hex took a peek at the speaker. He saw a woman examining his abdomen while talking to another person. With that glance, Hex noticed quite a few details about the woman. She seemed to be over thirty, vibrant, and curious. Her exquisite jewelry enhanced her beauty and charisma.

As she examined, Hex felt a cooling sensation spread through his stomach. No doubt she was already applying some of her powers. Based on her energy, Hex knew she was a Refined Knight.

"Yess, Miss Rosa. According to the Knights who brought him here, the three teams suffered attacks from the Heartless. Many were killed. He survived and was ordered to be brought in here."

The other person was a girl, barely in her twenties. She had a curious look on her face as well and her tone revealed a sense of longing despite her talking about people’s death.

’She is perhaps bored to the death in here.’ It was something important to take note of.

Although she was a Knight, the traces of innocence remained on her face. Hex’s mind churned, thinking how he could use the traits to his advantage.

"Strange. He was attacked yet his injuries aren’t that grave."

Hex’s heart thumped as he heard the woman’s words. Having a Refined Knight as a healer was indeed risky. She wouldn’t be fooled by superficial wounds.

’Damn it.’

Using his monolith and heart, Hex hurried to control the remnant chaotic energy in his body. He let it flow without control, injuring a few vessels and cells.

"Arg."

The berserk energy destroyed his energy channels, causing Hex to break out in a violent cough. Saliva mixed with blood specks flew out and stained the white sheets. Some also landed on the pristine robes of the two Healers.

"Miss Rosa, what is happening to him?"

The girl exclaimed in panic. Sensing her body jolt, Hex understood at once the girl didn’t have much experience with blood and aggravated injuries.

"Elana, stand still. There is some chaotic energy in his veins. Most likely he suffered an energy turbulence when he got hit by the Calamity."

The mature woman came up with an explantion on the spot as she focussed on getting the wayward energy inside Hex under control. To Hex’s surprise she managed to calm the energy within seconds.

’She is an expert, far better than Hestia. Staying unconscious for too long won’t benefit me. She might start to inspect me more, which could expose me.’

As an experienced Hunter, Hex was familiar with adapting his plans according to his needs and the actual situation around him.

He waited the right time. When the cooling sensation spread through his entire body, he groaned out loud but then let his body relax. Slowly, as if his lids weighed a ton, he opened his eyes.

"W-Where am I? W-Who are you?"

He emulated the wounded and injured people he saw in the infirmary, just after the first time he clashed against a Calamity.

"Shhh...Please try to relax. You are still alive and out of danger. That is all that matters," Rosa said, her pleasant voice soothing his scrunched brows to relax.

"Elana, see to it that he is taken care of. And don’t disturb the man a lot."

Hex suppressed the glee in his heart when he heard her instructing the younger girl. Having Rosa around him continuously would worry him. But the girl was too innocent and naive. He could wrap her around his fingers as he willed.