Chapter 315 312: The dreadful truth!

Oliver, his face etched with concern and frustration, took a step forward, eyes fixed on Marshall. “You assured us that once we close the dimension, you’d handle whatever was left behind. But when we followed through, you were nowhere in sight. What happened? Where were you when we needed you the most? If it wasn’t for Brother Val fending off those monsters that were expelled from the lesser dimension alongside us, we might not have made it back alive!”

Oliver’s words were not only sharp like a blade but also direct and carried a weight of accusation, stabbing Marshall where it hurt the most.

To better understand what Marshall was feeling right now, one must know that although Marshall was the strongest intermediate-rank bloodline user in the entire frontier, he also had his fears.

His greatest fear was disappointing his masters.

His masters were the members of the main family of the Thunderspear tribe and it included Oliver, the youngest son of the Thunder Lord.

Although Oliver had left the Thunderspear tribe with Lord Lucious years ago, Marshall had always regarded him as the youngest young master of the tribe. After all, Oliver was never truly expelled from the tribe. The Thunder Lord had never said anything like that. There were indeed rumors like these, but they were spread by the other young masters of the tribe to undermine Oliver’s authority, dirty his reputation, and make it impossible for him to ever return and gain a foothold in the tribe.

At that time, there were two types of people. The first ones were the ignorant ones. They fell for it as they didn’t know the truth. The second type of people simply accepted the lies as the truth as they have been bought by the people with malicious intentions.

But who was Marshall? He was the direct servant of the Thunder Lord. He wasn’t ignorant about the truth of the matters related to the tribe. And he couldn’t be bought by any of the young masters.

He was as loyal to Oliver as he was to the other two young masters of the main family of the tribe. Although he didn’t dare to intervene in their matters under the explicit orders of the Thunder Lord, he still held them in high regard in his heart as they were the future of the tribe.

Not to mention, Marshall had seen Oliver grow up and had witnessed his transition from a young, depressed, and almost suicidal boy to the strong, determined man he is today. In other words, their bond was deep, built over years of shared experiences and mutual respect. So, to see Oliver now, questioning him with such intensity, it was more than just a blow to his pride; it was a wound to his heart, a piercing pain that went beyond the surface.

Now that Oliver was clearly showing that he was disappointed with how Marshall had handled things, Marshall was left feeling like his worst fears had come true.

“I-I am sorry.”

Marshall could only stare back at them apologetically.

His eyes, however, were filled with a myriad of other emotions and were heavy with words left unsaid.

He was actually so overwhelmed that he found himself holding his breath after apologizing.

He was not sure of how to start explaining the truth to the confused crowd.

Because he knew that the truth would be too much for the young victorious heroes who had returned mentally and physically exhausted from the expedition, he kept silent, lowered his head, and apologized again.

Val and several other onlookers who had a high level of perception could sense the turmoil within Marshall, and their guts churned with unease.

They had a foreboding feeling that whatever had transpired during their absence from the Frontier was far from good.

The potential answers that they might be given, they realized, might not be easy to swallow. It could be devastating, even to the point of breaking them mentally.

One of the lower city guards could no longer bear it. The sight of their captain apologizing not once but twice when he wasn’t even in the wrong to begin with was too hurtful to watch.

So he decided to speak up for him and make things right.

“Captain Marshall isn’t the one you should be pointing your fingers at.” As he opened his mouth, the silence that hung heavily in the air was broken, and all eyes turned to him. Although he was being stared at by a group of wronged people, he continued speaking with a calm voice that was tinged with a sense of solemnity. “He waited. In the forest, against all odds and beyond the recommended time. Even when others lost hope, even when it seemed like all was lost, he believed in your victory. He didn’t abandon his post. Day in, day out, fighting monsters, covered in wounds, he stayed. He was ready to provide reinforcement the moment you stepped out. But two months passed, and there was no sign of you. Yet, he was willing to wait even longer. But as the captain of the lower city guards, his duties called him elsewhere. He couldn’t be allowed to wait indefinitely for what seemed like a lost cause. In the end, he was forced to return, under the direct orders of his eminence, the Lord of Thunder.”

The words were spoken by a guard stationed at the station, a man of average looks, with brown hair and brown eyes. The tag on his chest carried his name. Val’s eyes blinked as he captured what was written there.

This calm guy was… Ilyan.

The onlookers were dumbfounded upon hearing Ilyan’s words.

Rowan’s eyes widened in shock.

“Wait, what? He waited for two whole months? But…but it’s only been some days since we entered the dimension! How…how is that even possible?” Rowan was so shocked that he spoke like a broken radio.

“No,” Marshall finally found the courage to say what must be said. He uttered the harsh truth in a low voice that carried a complex mix of emotions. “It’s actually been three months since you entered the lesser dimension. The winter is upon us.”

His words left the group utterly stunned.