Kingdom's Bloodline, page 39
Compared to Seychelles, who was once a mercenary in the Eastern Peninsula and lived every day by the tip of a knife, Cassain's origin was much better than his compatriot's. When the old duke conferred the title of a knight to him years ago, he was a first-rate Swordsman of Eradication who had just completed his training at the Tower of Eradication and was a young, ignorant brat who had a bright future ahead of him.
Ever since he became a Knight of Eradication, Cassain had not experienced a bloodbath greater than the tourneys in a very long time.
"If we immediately dispatch a unit to conduct a thorough investigation, we might be able to find some clues about these cavaliers." Cassain looked at the body on the table in disgust—it had been drained off all its blood—and spoke with a frown, "If they are members of a certain family, then the best camouflage would be to enter the manors of various nobles in the eastern town districts."
However, his compatriot, Seychelles, shook his head. He thought of the rabbits that roamed and scrambled around the prairies in the Eastern Peninsula. No matter how many clever traps the nomads of the Sele Tribe set up, the rabbits always found a way to survive.
The rabbits' only mortal enemies were the falcons who roamed the sky and could see everything happening on the ground at once.
Seychelles followed the trail of blood and walked towards the dungeon. He opened his mouth to argue. "We are already operating in a very flashy manner, and now you want to dispatch troops to search through all manors in the eastern town districts? Yeah, sure, we might be able to get some clues about those people, but that's only after we manage to offend all the people in the upper-class society in the entire Constellation because we searched their manors. Since we can't uncover their identities, we can only identify their motives."
Cassain picked up an Everlasting Lamp and covered his mouth and nose while inwardly cursing at these insatiable vampires. As he walked along the stone steps leading to the bloody dungeon, his voice became muffled and echoed between the dark walls.
"This Place was lent to Blood Bottle Gang as a temporary encampment to receive and hide the elites of the Corleone family. However, both Nikolay and Corleone are nowhere to be seen."
"We and the Corleone family are behind the Blood Bottle Gang. This is an open secret among us. However, the aiders in the Corleone family have always been our secret contacts. That's why, if they are discovered, it is highly likely that whoever discovers them would trace their connections and discover our plan too."
"All the families who are participating in "New Star" know about the plan to an extent, so it's not something to be worried about." Lord Seychelles did not feel any difference at all as he walked through the blood-saturated air. He calmly analyzed, "I have already sent someone to report this to the duke. Blood Bottle Gang's contact will also arrive soon. However, what secret is the Corleone family harboring, to the extent of provoking these people?"
Cassain held an Everlasting Lamp and tried hard to maintain his composure. He stopped at a pile of ruins in the dungeon and sized up the place, his gaze full of puzzlement.
It was obvious that these ruins used to be a prison cell. But right now, it was completely disfigured.
It was as though it went through terrifying destruction; the iron fences, chains and stone walls had been smashed into tiny pieces, debris scattered everywhere in the cramped prison cell.
It was as though someone had cut them into smithereens.
"The dungeon doubles as the Blood Clan's blood bank," Seychelles said coldly. "Looks like somebody didn't really like this place."
"Whether it was vampires or people from Blood Bottle Gang, or even intruders; why would they destroy the dungeon like this? To vent their frustrations?" Cassain asked, puzzled.
"The dungeon wasn't destroyed by them." Seychelles picked up small, black piece of mysterious material made of a stone that had weird patterns and words engraved on it. His face was somber. "This is a dungeon; I'm afraid that a dangerous person who was locked here had escaped. The cavaliers who barged in had probably 'cleared' this bloody manor by working together with this person. They coordinated by having one work from the inside while the other party worked from the outside."
If Thales were here, he would probably be clapping for and praising this balding knight because his guess was very close to the truth.
"This degree of destruction…" Cassain, who was frowning deeply looked at the degree of demolition in the dungeon and said in awe, "only supreme class elites are able to do it."
"No." Seychelles' gaze suddenly became extremely strange. He held the piece of mysterious, black, stone-like fragment and said, "According to this shape, I'm afraid that this piece of stone was part of a shackle. I suspect that the shackles were used to chain up that mysterious person."
The next moment, he flung the black stone into the air with his left hand. Seychelles' gaze sharpened as he drew his Cross Hand Guard Saber from his left waist.
The sharp and clear edge of the saber cut through the mysterious stone.
During that instant, all was silent.
A second later, invisible waves riding on the compression in the air swept through the narrow dungeon.
Huge, deep cracks were etched into the surrounding walls!
Behind him, Cassain nodded in admiration. This perfect swing was a balanced combination of precision, speed, and skill. The "Fortress Flower" was probably something like this.
The sound of the saber cutting through stone finally came.
*Chiang!*
The sound was crisp and sparks flew in all directions.
*Boom!*
The strong wind brought about by the swing of the saber simultaneously blew around their ears.
The momentum of Seychelles' saber brought down plenty of debris from all four walls. As the strong wind blew, swirling clouds of dust filled the dungeon.
The Everlasting Lamp in Cassain's hand was extinguished by the strong wind in the blink of an eye.
The strong gusts vanished.
Seychelles did not change his expression as he sheathed his saber.
Cassain covered his mouth and nose. Although he disliked the dust, he reignited his Everlasting Lamp and bent down to search among the debris.
As Cassain brought the mysterious black stone in front of Seychelles, both stared at each other. The two supreme class Knights of Eradication saw shock and fear in each other's eyes.
The black stone, which had been cut by a supreme slass elite's saber was resting on Cassain's hand, was completely intact without a single scratch.
They were silent for a long time until Cassain spoke with difficulty.
"Looks like I was wrong again. This degree of destruction—"
Cassain turned his head, his face greenish and pale. Looking at the shattered dungeon, his face was full of disbelief.
"Even supreme class elites can't achieve this!"
…..
Eleven o'clock at night.
In a bedroom on the third floor of Mindis Hall, the mysterious person who was the topic of discussion of the two supreme class Knights in Vine Manor—Thales (who had recently escaped great calamity and wore clean, tidy clothes) sat awkwardly on the bed.
He stared absent-mindedly at the female official, who was forty-something years old but still attractive and had a beauty mole beside her mouth. She was reprimanding two other people.
'Too bad.' Thales thought, 'If only she was a little gentler.'
"Is this the kingdom's heir that you people are looking after?"
"Are you people savages?"
"What His Majesty entrusted to you is his heir! Constellation's future! Not some gray monitor lizard you can just throw on an island and expect to survive!"
"With your manners, you people probably can't even take good care of a monitor lizard!"
The stately female official was growling in a dominating manner and reprimanding His Majesty's two most trusted followers—Count Gilbert Caso, and Protector Yodel Cato. The two of them lowered their heads obediently and accepted the rebuke.
"His everyday diet consists of only bread and beef? Do you people know that he's growing up right now? Have you people actually given him a bath? Don't tell me that scrubbing with clear water counts as bathing! Can't you see that all his wounds need delicate care? Bandages? What is this? Have you people taught him the correct way of putting on clothes? Don't use the lack of time as an excuse!
"What sort of beddings are you letting him use? These blankets and pillows are practically child killers! You people have the audacity to prohibit him from going outdoors? Do you know how important sunlight is for growth?!
"Safety? Don't look for an excuse! Didn't he get kidnapped right under your eyes when he was indoors? Place the vampire girl in a room at least a hundred meters away! What? There's no such room? Then go and dig one out now!
"From tomorrow onwards, apart from when offering protection and giving lessons, you both stay at least ten meters away from him! You useless men!"
After a while, when Jines finished her angry reprimanding, she chased the two "useless men" out of Thales' room ("Go and prepare everything on the list immediately!" -Jines). Then, she suddenly turned her head around.
It terrified Thales, who was on the bed drinking a glass of water and watching the whole thing. He scooted a half-meter back.
As he looked at Jines' stern eyes, the boy was reminded of the high school class teacher in his memories.
However, Jines only looked at Thales hesitantly and with a complicated gaze. In the end, she sighed delicately, then forced a smile and tried her best to speak gently.
"Don't be scared, Thales. You are safe now and will always be safe.
"In the one month you're staying in Mindis Hall, I will be wholly responsible for your everyday life."
Thales swallowed a mouthful of water and nodded. "Thank you, err—"
Jines continued her sentence softly. "I am Jines Bajkovic, a first-grade female official. I am your father's loyal friend, follower and… Erm, how do I put this…" Having said that, Jines paused, as if contemplating something.
But in the end, she raised her brow as if she had thought of what term to use. She spoke decisively, "… and his lover."
Thales could not hold it in and spat his mouthful of water onto the bed.
…..
On a road not far away from Mindis Hall, Yodel manifested in the air and kneeled on one leg in front of a muscular figure.
"You should go inside and take a look." Yodel growled.
However, the muscular figure only remained silent.
It took a while before he spoke, "You're still the same as twelve years ago," the figure spoke slowly, "always doing ridiculous things."
Yodel knew that he was not referring to the incident in Vine Manor.
"But you sent Gilbert here." Yodel lowered his head slightly. "You are also hesitating."
The figure did not speak for a long time.
In the end, he raised his head and looked at the lights shining out of the room on the third floor. He then turned and left, flanked by a troop of elite bodyguards clad in silver armor.
Only the Mask Protector's lone form was left kneeling under the moonlight.
Chapter 35: Knights, Ordinary Class, and Supra Class |
Jines did not say anything else; she tended to his new wounds and told Thales to rest. Before she left his room, she also promised that she would let his life 'return to normal' by tomorrow.
But when nighttime arrived, Thales' sleep was restless—the things he had experienced during the past few days were just too bizarre.
The terrors in Red Street Market, Mindis Hall's sensational secrets, and his strive for survival in Vine Manor, had all made him extremely exhausted after thinking too much.
Worse still, even after Thales had reached this point, he still could not get used to the soft mattress beneath him. It was as if his ability to fall asleep in his past life right when his head hit the pillow had vanished without a trace.
'Ah…' Thales rolled his eyes.
After tossing and turning a million times over, he got up from bed as usual, then went to his 'designated' corner before he curled up his body and laid down.
'As expected, hard surfaces suit me more.' Thales licked his lips.
Two days ago, he had been worried about the survival of the five child beggars in the Abandoned Houses and was plotting his grand escape.
After that, his life had been filled with drastic changes, and he was like a duckweed without roots being blown by a violent gust of wind. He struggled in this world that was filled with evil and misfortune, and he had used every method he had at his disposal for his own survival.
'I just want to live well.
'But with this status…' Thales looked at the wall above the fireplace. In the dim inner chamber, he could vaguely see the pattern of a huge star in the shape of a nonagon.
'Things such as "living well" and "being a free person",' Thales sighed deeply and thought, 'are probably wild dreams.'
Not to mention…
Thales absent-mindedly raised his right hand. Under the moonlight, he looked at the bandaged abrasion there.
'What actually was…' Thales recalled the moment he released Ralf from the shackles and the surge of explosion and light that appeared right afterward. 'What was that energy?'
Then there was the loli vampire. When Thales recalled her mummified looks and the two, almost invisible, round holes on his neck, he felt a surge of fear.
And now, Thales was sure that his past-life memories that often flashed inside his mind without reason were not just fragments. What sort of memories were able to support him to the point where he could suddenly exude superhuman strength and determination at the most dangerous moments, anyway?
Although it had been five years since he came to this place, Thales realized in disappointment that his uncertainty and lack of understanding regarding this world did not diminish but instead gradually piled up.
…..
Someone still woke up him by screaming into his ears while he was still on his bed and covered by his blankets. When he was sleeping, someone had returned him there.
But today's atmosphere was significantly different.
First of all, it was Jines who woke him up instead. She patiently explained to the flustered Thales the steps in putting on noble clothing. Next, his breakfast had also been changed to delicious cake and milk instead of bread and beef. The guards in the hall were walking back and forth busily, carrying inside item after item that had obviously just been transported here today.
Gilbert appeared with a stern face and told Thales that his personally tailored classes would begin from nine in the morning and until nine at night.
This made Thales truly feel that his daily life had completely changed. And although it was only the first class in the morning, the content was something he had never been exposed to before.
After breakfast, Thales was led by Jines to a cleared, empty plot filled with soft sand in the backyard of Mindis hall. Gilbert Caso was holding his exquisite staff and standing among a huge array of weapon racks, dummies for sword practice, archery targets, sandbags, horse-hitching posts, and a young foal.
He spoke to him solemnly, "After the incidents that happened these past few days, having gone through deep contemplation and after making careful choices, Young Sir Thales, we believe that you are in urgent need of basic training for fighting and self-defense skills. And as a child who will be growing up alongside Lord Mahn, you should, naturally, be well-versed with horsemanship and basic swordsmanship skills. Do not worry. We, especially Lady Jines, guarantee that the training will not affect your existing wounds."
'What?'
Thales let out a deep breath, then to his surprise, he saw Jines taking a step towards him. She spoke coldly.
"Do not be surprised, child, the morning is the best time to train your body. As Constellation's future heir, you must, of course, have a body that can bear this heavy responsibility—and I will make sure of this."
Thales stared at the curvy Jines, who stood under the sun wearing the elegant attire of a female official. He looked at the empty space around him and scratched his head.
"Why isn't Yodel the one teaching me? He looks formidable." The boy recalled the secret protector who moved about the town area with swift movements.
"Do you expect a supreme class elite, who are hard to come by in the entire kingdom, to teach a newbie about the most basic things?" Gilbert, who stood nearby, put his hands behind his back and continued, "And, please believe me when I say that Yodel's tactics do not suit your status and traits."
Thales nodded his head, not fully understanding what Gilbert had just said. "What is a supreme class?"
At this, Jines clapped her hands, walked towards the middle of the field and gestured with her finger for Thales to come over.
"Gilbert will explain all this theoretical knowledge to you during the training. Now, attack me with all your might! I want to appraise your existing basics."
Thales watched, stupefied, as Jines put her hands behind her back and stood still in the middle of the field, and he continued staring until Jines opened her mouth to urge him again.
'Alright, practice and level up. Isn't this what the older generation loved the most?' Thales finally took a breath. He decided not to take out his dagger after some contemplation.
The next moment, with street-fighting skills that would pass for a child beggar, Thales lunged towards Jines.
Without even moving her supporting foot, Jines easily tripped Thales—who had lunged with too much energy.
*Bang!*
Gilbert slowly began his explanation. "Martial arts is the oldest and most long-standing skill in human history. Human history is one built where they continuously waged war against other races and amongst themselves.
"Thousands of years ago, in the process of fighting for the right to survive in this world, human beings gradually categorized the skills and patterns involved in using weapons or fighting bare-handed."
Thales was tripped for a second time, tumbling onto the practice ground with his face dusty and dirty.
