Kingdom's Bloodline, page 124
"Do you know what this reminds me of?" Kaslan interrupted his thoughts.
Kentvida curved his lips up politely and gave him a smile. The old man stared back at him coldly.
"Quiso Lampard was asked by the empire to convince the people of his hometown to cooperate with the empire, to pay their taxes obediently, and to not resist anymore. If I say no, is that Chapman brat going to banish me to the Reformation Tower as well?"
Kentvida furrowed his brows.
"Just go back and tell my nephew," Kaslan said slowly but resolutely, "F*ck Lampard."
"Alright," Kentvida sighed and shook his head, unsurprised. "Then, you should at least be able to help with the second favor."
Kaslan snorted coldly. "All you always care about is interest, right?"
"This time," Kentvida narrowed his eyes, "It is about that prince."
Kaslan put away a few more glasses again without paying any attention to the viscount.
"There is someone who wants to assassinate that prince in Eckstedt. Regardless of whether it is to frame the archduke by it, or to disrupt the situation," Kentvida's face darkened as he said, "They even began using a military spy lurking in our Mystic Gun unit."
Kaslan lifted his head and said impolitely, "You know I hate dirty politics the most. I do not want to know any—"
"The following matter is relevant to you," Kentvida interrupted in a stern voice, "The archduke sent a letter yesterday. We managed to investigate and find some clues about the military spy from the black market but we got cut off halfway by someone."
"Does it concern me?" Kaslan said roughly.
"Those people who cut off our clues were using Tower of Eradication's sword style, and a very different type of Power of Eradication!" Kentvida said in a low voice, as if he was talking about a secret. "But they were definitely not people from the Tower of Eradication."
Kaslan was stunned.
"Go on." The old man was becoming serious. "What Power of Eradication?"
"I knew you would be concerned about this," Kentvida said sharply, "This is what you had mentioned a very long time ago—that hysterical and uncontrollable Power of Eradication. I remember that you are still working for the Tower of Eradication..."
"Only to return a favor to Shao," Kaslan revealed a reminiscence in his gaze, "After all, I have already graduated years ago..."
But he immediately stared seriously at Kentvida. "What else?"
"The supra class Swordswoman of Eradication who works under us, Kroesch… do you still remember her? She is the daughter of your comrade, that strong young girl… She was seriously injured by their hand and she almost lost her life.
"She was the only one who escaped and returned."
Kaslan clenched his hands tightly.
"The trail that we tracked down was cut off. The only lead we had left was about the strange Powers of Eradication…" Kentvida said sincerely, "We need your help... Even if it is for the Tower of Eradication and not for Lampard.
"The person who is as famous as the 'Gray Sword Guard', the pride of the White Blade Guards and the Tower of Eradication—'Ground-Shaker' Kaslan Lampard."
…..
A few days later in the Tower of Eradication. The House of Scions lounge.
"We can be certain that the Disaster Swords have not completely inherited the Northland Military Sword Style." One of the supreme class scions, Zedi Taffner, sat on the table and said to his student, "Even if it is very old-fashioned, it is still a sword style numerous swordsman and wizards have carefully researched… and the House of Scions has the most complete archive preservation system.
"We can start from here…"
"Alright… you can continue searching for the book here, Zedi."
Kohen Karabeyan looked exhausted as he leaned against the table, tapped against the table leg and rubbed his red eyes, "I can't stand this anyway… But I will remember this wonderful time—the days I sneaked into the Truth Library with my teacher every single night…"
Zedi's face darkened suddenly.
"You are going to give up?" his teacher said moodily, "Give up on the investigation of the Disaster Sword?"
"I'm not giving up." The blond police, Kohen, replied sourly, "But do you know how many books there are in the Truth Library? Then, I received a letter from a beautiful lady yesterday…" Kohen ignore Zedi's sour expression and yawned, "I have to return a favor."
'Jala. This is her name...' Kohen touched the letter at his bosom and curved his lips up into a smile. 'That cool dual sword-wielding girl.'
But right at that moment, a strict and cold, old voice came from behind the teacher-and-student pair. "Zedi Taffner. Kohen Karabeyan."
Both Zedi and Kohen jolted at the same time!
*Plop!*
Zedi leaped off the table awkwardly, stumbled, and fell gracelessly on the ground gracelessly.
Kohen sprang from the ground nervously and hit his head on the table.
The two of them were flustered. One rubbed his knee with his face scrunched up, while another touched his scalp and grimaced.
They stood up with much difficulty and tried their best to stand straight. They showed their most submissive and friendly smiles as they looked towards the gray-haired old man from the Far East who appeared out of nowhere, a sword hanging from his waist, and an ice-cold expression on his face.
"Ah! Shao! When did you return? They all said that you went to the Sharp Blade Valley to inspect…" Zedi Taffner had a huge smile on his face as he bowed respectfully with clasped hands.
"Great Master Shao! Master Shao! Ah, I planned to see you first for during this visit. I even brought some of Constellation's local specialties, just for you…" the Constellation police officer and captain of the city defense team, Kohen Karabeyan, was rubbing his hands with an obsequious look on his face. But the gray-haired old man, Shao, ignored their smiles.
"The table in the lounge is not for dancing." Shao glared at Zedi and his ingratiating expression. Zedi's smile became increasingly awkward because of Shao's cold and strict tone, "A scion must set a good example!"
"Of course, of course." Zedi Taffner nodded with modest sincerity.
Then, he turned towards Kohen. The latter was trembling because he was frightened by Shao's stern face. "Since there is a chair, you do not have to sit on the ground."
"Yes, yes, yes." Kohen listened seriously and solemnly to his instruction.
Both Zedi and Kohen continuously nodded with a smile on their faces, and they appeared to be very respectful.
What a joke, this was the tower master of the Tower of Eradication owner, the Gray Sword Guard!
His lightest punishment for his students was a one-handed handstand for ten hours!
And the offense that deserved the lightest punishment was something like: walking with strides that were too big that showed bad deportment!
The Gray Sword Guard stared at them coldly. Zedi and Kohen stood ramrod straight.
Fortunately, in the end, Shao only snorted and did not say anything else.
The two of them secretly let out a breath of relief.
Until Shao said the next sentence slowly, "I heard that during these past few days, the two of you secretly broke into the Truth Library… many times?"
Zedi and Kohen froze in their original positions at the same time.
"Erm... hear me out," Zedi laughed awkwardly, "Err... you were not around, you know, and Kohen found some traces about the Disaster Swords, so..."
"We are doing this for the Tower of Eradication and for the 'Purgers'." Kohen used the diction he had learnt from the police station and patted his chest in a righteous and rigorous manner. "We are doing this for the 'Disaster Sword'—"
But Shao's serious and deep voice slowly rose and interrupted them. "Very good." The Gray Sword Guard looked serious. "Kohen Karabeyan."
Kohen immediately straightened solemnly, his chest sticking out and his head raised.
"Make a trip to Eckstedt immediately," Shao said unhurriedly, "There is an old friend named Kaslan who requires some help."
"Huh? Kaslan?" It was Zedi who spoke up. He stared at Shao in astonishment. "Do you mean that Northland drunkard who used his sword like an axe?"
Shao turned to him. His chilly gaze forced Zedi to stay quiet.
"But…" Kohen rubbed his head awkwardly. "I have to go back to Constellation to help my friend first…"
"Do you remember Kroesch? She was in the same year as you," Shao said in a deep voice, "She was hurt by the Disaster Sword… there is a huge possibility that she might never be able to use a sword for the rest of her life."
Kohen lifted his head with a stupefied expression. 'Kroesch…'
An image appeared in his mind of a Northland girl with a buzz cut, holding her sword while clenching her teeth under a scorching sun.
And her mouth filled with white teeth.
"Alright," the police turned around without hesitation when he resolutely said to the two scions, "I will prepare immediately. How serious is the situation? Do I need to bring my family's private army with me?"
"Bringing a Constellation noble's private army into Eckstedt," Zedi said sternly, "Is there something wrong with your brain?"
Kohen nodded in a daze.
In a deep voice, Shao said, "You are not the only one, there will be a person who will meet with you on the way there… She just recently joined the 'Purgers'."
Kohen was at once mystified.
…..
Broken Dragon Fortress. The Northern Portcullis.
"Be careful on your journey. Even though Lampard has withdrawn his army, and war has not erupted… It is still Eckstedt, after all." The Fortress Flower, Sonia Sasere, looked at the fully equipped Miranda Arunde and chuckled. "Even though I really want to recommend for you to bring along the private army of the Arunde Family…"
"This is the border between the two countries," Miranda said softly, "it is impossible to bring troops across it."
'Not to mention... Arunde…'
Miranda squeezed her black gloves, and at the same time, clenched tightly on the white eagle symbol on her sleeve.
The Fortress Flower saw her subordinate's look and sighed. "It is also a good thing to hide away for some time. After all, your uncles and brothers from the Arunde Family are really annoying…"
Miranda bit her lip and said nothing.
"I am not doing this to hide," she said faintly.
Sonia held her subordinate's shoulders helplessly. "Alright, you are doing this to help a friend, right?"
Miranda patted the white sword hilt at her waist lightly and nodded.
Kroesch. That girl who would never give up.
"We studied under the same teacher," the daughter of Duke Arunde said quietly, "When times are difficult for her, I must be by her side."
'I already have very few things left in the world. I have to treasure them properly.'
Miranda recalled from her memory that brisk and bright figure dressed in white with his endlessly happy and optimistic tone.
Her lips curved up into a smile involuntarily. She turned around and stepped on the stirrup.
"Do not be worry, commanding officer, I am not some helpless kitten. Also, I am not fighting alone. An old friend will go with me. I will return once the matter is resolved." Miranda Arunde sat astride on the horse and nodded to Sonia
She swung her steed and rode it out through the fortress' portcullis.
Sonia watched Miranda's disappearing figure, and the faintly discernible white eagle symbol on her back. She then sighed, 'Are you really not doing this to hide?'
Chapter 114: The People in Hell (One) |
Somewhere in Eternal Star City.
It was in great pain.
The air was cold as well as humid, and its skin had become wrinkled because of this. Its six limbs had no strength within them; its stomach had become shriveled; its lips trembled and its teeth were no longer as sharp as before.
Only the darkness around it made it feel at peace.
It lifted its right hand and wanted to change its posture to lie down, but it accidentally knocked against the metal cage.
Intense pain shot up its entire body from the part where its skin touched the metal.
It opened its mouth and let out meaningless screams of pain.
'This damned cage.'
The magic seals on it were concise, meticulous, thorough, perfect, and had no flaws. They were standard products of the Alchemy Tower.
It wondered whether the seals were produced by the 'Confinement Research Center' or the 'Hex Experimentation Center'.
It was probably the former.
In the already destroyed Alchemy Tower, only that research group, which had been on the decline for a long time could create this magic cage. It only had one single function:
Keeping it firmly locked inside.
It had gone through days like this for an unknown number of years now. It had lost its perception of time, and suspected that someday, it would even forget its own name.
Every month, it would be fed once; every month, it would be delivered a set amount of electrical shocks, and it had a task it had to complete at all times.
In such a situation, it started to miss its primary body. Up until this point, it could still remember the pain of being cut off from its primary body. The cries of grief and screams of pain the primary body felt were fresh in its memory.
Even the numerous days of suffering it had to bear and the time it was cut open was nothing compared to the intense pain it suffered when it was separated from its primary body.
It really wanted… to return to its primary body.
'If I remember it correctly, my primary body should be locked in the Capital of Triumph… That damn capital of the Empire, which belongs to the humans. That land was divided a long time ago and only a small part of its territory is left. It's stupidly weak, but those humans still shamelessly call it the Empire.
'Weaklings should die, isn't that the law of nature?'
When it pondered about this, a thought suddenly appeared in its slightly muddled mind, a result of being locked up for too long.
'That's right. Hasn't it been quite some time since my primary body sent anything from the Capital of Triumph? Whether it's letters or items, there hasn't been anything.
'It's been some time since the connection binding me to my primary body's mind was cut, hasn't it?
'Do the humans not need me anymore?'
Impossible. It did not believe that the accursed humans would let it or its primary body have a holiday. They would only endlessly use it and drain it of its value, because they did not know their limits.
'Could it be that something happened to my primary body?' This thought appeared in its heart.
'No… The primary body may also be imprisoned, but at least it's preserved completely in the Capital of Triumph. The Empire clearly knows of our value. That prince from the Empire even tried communicating with my primary body before… But, how would the prideful primary body possibly answer to these inferior humans' requests to make a deal? That's why they still need me to send messages.
'The Empire may not be as strong as before, but those humans will definitely protect my primary body. As long as the Capital of Triumph isn't destroyed, my primary body will be safe and unharmed.
'One day… I will definitely return to my primary body… And when I do, I will become strong again, just like before.
'Then, I will hide myself carefully and become even stronger. But most importantly… I have to find a method to suppress those Mystics.'
It did not want to experience the humiliation of being captured, imprisoned and enslaved again.
Especially by that damn Mystic.
Giza Streelman… If the human nearest to the cage had not mentioned that name, it would have nearly forgotten about it.
It gritted its teeth with hate. Before the Mystic, it felt as though its flesh and blood were boiling. It felt like it was about to explode. That feeling of prostrating on the ground while screaming in pain was something it would never forget in its entire life.
At that moment, the familiar feeling of swelling appeared in its stomach.
'It's here…' it thought.
The humiliating feeling of being forced to work as a slave and ordered around by others rose in its heart once again.
It did not know which branch was sending news this time.
The bell at the top of the metal cage let out furious chimes right on time.
*Creak.*
The door to the metal cage swung open.
It used every ounce of its strength to roar at the cage, trying to show its hate and malice.
The intense pain like that of being stabbed by needles, surged up its body once again.
It knew that it had to complete its task of getting out of the cage, or else the pain would only get worse.
Just like every single time in the past, it climbed out of the cage with great difficulty and reluctance.
The pain then slowly diminished.
Its stomach squirmed as something inside shot up its throat and reached its mouth.
That feeling of its stomach swelling gradually disappeared.
It opened its mouth, which was filled with sharp teeth and spat out a piece of paper in the darkness.
'Paper again…' it thought, feeling annoyed. 'Those stupid humans, can't they send something more interesting next time?'
A young man in white robes seized the paper and pulled it out of its mouth in a rough manner.
'Insolent human.'
It felt intense pain again and it howled in agony. It knew that it was time to return to the cage.
With humiliation and pain filling its heart, it climbed into the cage once more.
The pain disappeared.
The young man lit up his lamp, and the piercing light from the lamp shone so brightly that it made it bare its teeth and snarl. It lifted its claws to block the eight pairs of eyes that were closely woven together on its body.
Light.
The thing it hated the most.
Fortunately, once the young man finished reading the paper, the first thing he did was extinguish the light.
"The latest news from the fortress." In the dark, the young man in white robes put down the paper in his hands within its field of vision. The man then spoke in a voice much more solemn than before, "Things have slightly exceeded our expectations."
