"Armen… Don't!"
Even though the mist had vanished, Armen was about to give chase only to be stopped by Amare. She looked at Randy Ronvorld's corpse and even without close examination, knew that he was dead.
Armen, irritated, pulled back from the window and walked to the lifeless body. As he touched the chest and felt no heartbeat, he angrily complained,
"There are only a couple of things that could hide from your eyes. I'm sure I killed that man earlier… I'm sure I did."
"I know. We're dealing with something else."
By now, Amare had realized that it wasn't a simple trick but a profound technique. As Armen had said, she was gifted with a pair of exceptional eyes that could see beyond simple tricks and basic illusion spells, so the fact that she failed to notice any peculiarities was a clear indication that whatever they were dealing with a unique entity.
"That was the Bloated Murderer, the serial-killer Randy had been invesitgation and handing out posters about."
Instead of responding, Amare paced around the room as she thought about everything that happened ever since they started tailing Randy. They must have missed something or were too confident in their abilities. Either way, it was too late for regret.
"It wasn't an accident."
"Hm? What?"
The girl's pacing came to an abrupt stop as her purple eyes intently looked at the dead Randy.
"The Bloated Murderer's attack. I think Randy expected it and used us to get rid of the killer. That's the only explanation."
"But that doesn't make sense! How could he have known he would be attacked there and then?"
"It's not so simple, Armen. He knew we needed him alive and made use of that to handle his own investigation. However, his main focus should have been to catch the killer, not kill him… but, if we switch it up and assume that it wasn't actually the real Randy we've been tailing then…"
"Then?"
"Then his objective was the death of the Bloated Murderer. Still, why would he want that?"
"Maybe a relative of his was one of the victims? I reckon it's for revenge."
"No." Amare shook her head as she unknowingly clenched her hands. "One thirsty for vengeance wouldn't want it to end like that."
"Fine! Let's assume it wasn't the real Randy. Who was it? And, most importantly, what do we do now? If Randy is actually dead then do we target his accomplice?"
****
After making sure no one was giving chase, Arthur stealthily returned to his original inn room. The Bloated Murderer was wearing a long old coat and an over-sized hood, which made it difficult to get a good look at his face and allowed the parasite to avoid any unwanted attention.
Evelyn had yet to return, so Arthur switched back to Leonis' body then closely inspected the dead body laid next to his feet.
The man behind the recent killings had a hideously disfigured face: a squashed nose, beady eyes, scarred lips, and cheeks riddled with deep gaping holes. He definitely had an unforgettable face, one that would strike discomfort to anyone who had seen it.
Although Arthur's plans had marvelously succeeded, it ultimately hinged on the availability of the Bloated Murderer's skill to immediately escape the scene. He had previously used it during his second failed attempt to kill Randy.
The second he had possessed his target, Arthur wasted no time in finding and using it at the right time. In total, the possession granted him three active magical skills, two of which were labeled 'sub-skills', deriving from the main one.
*[The Mist of Decay(Active Lv4)]: The ability to manipulate green mist for attack, defense, and obfuscation.
While within the mist, the user stats will be increased by 30%.
Maximum range of the mist will increase with each level up; Current range is 10 meters.*
*Mist of the Decay sub-skills:
- Origin Return (Active Lv3)
- Air Decay (Active Lv5)*
*[Origin Return(Active Lv3): The user will choose a specific spot to lay down 'Mist Rune', which he could instantaneously return to if the range limit has not been exceeded.
Range limit: 500 meters.
During the second activation, the user will be impervious to all physical and magical damage.
If the 'Mist Rune' is destroyed, the skill will be canceled. Additionally, after the first activation, the user has a maximum of 120 minutes for the second activation.
This skill can be used once a day.*
*[Air Decay(Active Lv5): This skill requires a minimum of one target trapped within [Mist of Decay]. Once activated, the air will grow still and the target(s) will be incapable of breathing for 10 seconds.*
As he read the skills' description, Arthur was pleased and elated. It was what he hoped for and more, especially the fact that [Mist of Decay] was a diverse skill, not unlike Leonis' [Sanguis Barrier].
Basically, it meant that, provided he had decent control and sufficient amount of Mana, he could mold the Mist into whatever wanted. Earlier, the Bloated Murderer conjured a deadly scythe to fatally wound Randy.
'If this was all he had, how exactly did he make the bodies bloat with one hit?'
Arthur raised his hand and, after a split second, green mist came out, enveloping him then spreading to every corner of the room. Fortunately, the mist only obstructed the visibility of other people, its caster not included, meaning that Arthur was able to see clearly.
As mentioned by the skill description, his stats were increased while within the mist.
"To think that even with the mist empowering him, he was killed with one strike."
As a parasite, Arthur did not have to go through the arduous journey of training a newly-obtained skill. He would get exactly what the host had and would be able to use it freely and without any real difficulty.
Still, skills like [Mist of Decay], which could be used in varying ways, weren't as simple. It wasn't like a game, where one would activate a skill and wait for the effect.
The manipulation of the Mist, while not as taxing as the barrier, still depleted Arthur's Mana and required focus.
When the one and only door in the room opened, Arthur slowly retracted the mist and looked at Evelyn, who was momentarily startled.
"At ease… it's me."
Seeing Leonis sitting on the bed with a wide, satisfied smile, the maid sighed and said,
"So it was successful."
"You bet it was!" Arthur then pointed at the lifeless body of their target.
"It wasn't particularly hard, but not overly easy either."
"..."
Evelyn walked next to the corpse and inspected its hands then the face and neck.
"There are no traces of wounds. It must have been Armen, yes?"
"Yes. How did you know?"
"Armen Na Xivia is known for his ability to inflict internal wounds without damaging the exterior. It is said that he could stab your heart without even touching you… pretty scary stuff."
"Hmm… it makes me want to target him next." Responded the parasite while contemplating something.
"..."
Upon seeing her threatening cold stare, Arthur jokingly raised both hands in surrender. "I'm jesting."
After that, Arthur cleared his throat and raised one of his hands, from which a bit of green mist started coming out. Following his command, it swirled around then transformed into a knife.
"I'm still not sure how his targets ended up with bloated bodies."
The maid too, was perplexed, but only for a short while. As she looked at the mist dancing around its caster, she spoke,
"It may have been the mist, after all. He would injure the victims then make the mist invade their bodies and consequently bloat it."
"That seems highly-plausible. Or… we could be dealing with two killers. Two that somehow share the same ability."
"I don't think that's the case, Master. You're overthinking it again."
"Maybe I am. It's been a long day so I'll just go to sleep."
With that said, he laid on the bed and soon fell asleep, now completely used to Evelyn's continuous and piercing stares.
…
"Stop lazing around and come help me count!"
Rebecca, one of Terden Sidus' subordinates and a mighty from the South, snarled at the disinterested. Every month, she would be tasked to come to a large storage building relatively close to the Duke's castle.
There, she would manage Marjory's shipment along with Jack and Armen. However, tonight, the vampire was missing and Jack was too bored to properly do his job, thus it fell to her to make sure everything was in order.
The place was tightly guarded by bribed city guards and, apart from Rebecca, Jack, and Armen, no one else was allowed inside.
"Every time I look at them, I remember my tragic past." Lamented the tall and muscular woman as a sigh escaped her lips.
"Stop with your monologue and continue counting." Jack retorted as he stood up and went to one of the numerous large cages and inspected the children quietly holed within.
"It's not like we're killing them. In fact, they'll be treated nicely by Marjory."
"Fuck! I still can't help but pity them."
Rebecca spat on the ground and moved her eyes away from the scared boys and girls, who were shaking from fright.
"It's either slavery or sending them to be trained and integrated into her private army. Personally, I prefer the latter. Now, stop with your needless pity and start distributing the food."
Even Jack was disgusted with his employer's illegal deals. Terden Sidus was providing Marjory Na Xivia with fresh blood to train and raise. Although the Militant Syndicate encouraged slavery, it wouldn't condone offering to-be soldiers to another nation, especially one ruled by a vampire.
If the Consortium or the public were to learn of this, Terden Sidus' reputation would be ruined and the backlash would even affect the diplomatic deals between Marjory and Militant Syndicate.
Instead of complying, Rebecca pulled her black tank top down and looked at the area above her left breast, precisely at an ominous dragon head tattoo.
"I kind of miss home, Jack. Do you think we'll be called?"
"Don't know, don't care."
Having grown tired of his attitude, she slapped the back of his head while grumbling.
A short silence followed thereafter, which was interrupted by a curious Rebecca.
"When are you going to tell me Evelyn's whereabouts? Did she get rid of the tattoo? Is that why I can't sense her?"
Jack's expression distorted as he glared at his friend and, with a rarely heard tone, said,
"Mind your words, Reb. We don't speak of our own, not here or anywhere else."
"It's not like anyone will care. Stop being overly-cautious and just tell me. I want to meet her too."
"She doesn't want to get involved. Let her live her own life."
"You're just saying that because you got your ass handed to you."
Gloomy and irritated, Jack looked away and shrugged his shoulders.
"Do you still have a crush on her? Poor lil jackie can't handle rejection?"
"..."
As he maintained silence and ignored her, Rebecca snorted and walked away.
"Master, you do know we will be using my money, right?"
"Yes, the selfsame money I had generously given you."
The maid rolled her eyes at his retort and quickened her steps to avoid any more bickering with him but that ended up in failure as he caught up to her.
"Praised by any and all, I can't say I'm not excited."
"You could be recognized, Master. Fleur Rouge may be just a Tailoring Company on the surface but it has ties to the Global Azakin Empire as well as the Despot Collective. They have no shortage of powerful people for protection."
"Come now, it's not like we're going to rob them. We're just two customers looking for a new change of clothes."
"..."
With the Bloated Murderer killed and possessed, Arthur decided to rest for one day and take time to enjoy what Blackcrest had to offer. The past week or spent masquerading as Randy Ronvorld to fool the Vampires and the killer, but now that his objective was completed, he could relax for a bit.
His first destination was Fleur Rouge, which was the biggest Tailoring Company in all of Astria. Not only does it offer ludicrously expensive but exceptionally well-made clothes, but it also sells magical artifacts and Knight armors.
Arthur did not have any hidden intentions for his visit, he truly wanted to buy better clothes for himself and Evelyn. He was berated by the maid due to his poor appearance after leaving the Maga Venari Village, therefore, he changed his perspective and opted for a better outlook, fitting for a relatively handsome man like Leonis Sanguis.
Ironically, Evelyn, the one who caused this, wasn't keen on going to Fleur Rouge. While it was true that Leonis Sanguis wasn't famous, he was still distinguishable due to his characteristically dark red hair.
The Fleur Rouge headquarters was second to none in terms of extravagance and size. It was slightly smaller than Terden's castle, but it was divided into smaller shops, like the malls on Earth.
For a world not as technologically advanced as Earth, Arthur was fascinated by the welcoming sight of Fleur Rouge.
The entrance wasn't even guarded and civilians were flocking in, excited to begin a shopping spree.
Of course, a renowned establishment like Fleur Rouge was meant only for those with enough money to buy exquisite sets of clothes made of rare materials.
Evelyn and Arthur entered the enormous buildings and soon got to see the neatly ordered shops on both sides. Surprisingly, there were even Tea Shops and small but crowded fancy restaurants.
"You seem as fascinated as I am. Is this your first time too?"
"As you know, Master, I'm but a frugal maid. Fleur Rouge was and remains beyond my monetary capabilities. However, even at a first glance, the products on display are of the highest quality."
Her earlier reluctance and adamance notwithstanding, Evelyn was intrigued by the products and would stop every couple of steps to inspect something. Arthur did not follow the current fashion nor did he have a good or bad taste, therefore, he let her unwittingly drag him from one shop to the other.
Eventually, they stopped at a relatively large shop: It was clean, spacious, and even the clerks were purposely young and beautiful girls, dressed in seductive but not overly-revealing outfits.
"Greetings, how may I help you?"
Upon noticing them, one of the clerks approached Arthur and Evelyn and performed a respectful bow.
"Oh, we're just browsing. Thank you, though."
The girl did not insist, she smiled and backed away, though she did follow them with her eyes and kept her ears perked in case they needed any assistance.
Evelyn took a couple of steps and stopped before a mannequin wearing a long black dress made of Silk, Cotton Tulle, and Cashmere around the shoulders… all of those were raven-black.
Arthur ogled the dress then suggested,
"Why don't you try it? They have changing rooms."
"..."
The maid did not respond, she kept looking at the dress for a bit then, with a quieter voice, said, "It does look like my now-ruined maid clothes. I admit that it's good…"
She stretched her hand and caressed the dress in a daze, "But it wouldn't sui-"
"Hey! Yes! She would like to try this dress, please."
Before she could finish, Arthur had already called the clerk. Arthur dragged the startled Evelyn to the changing room and pushed her inside while the clerk girl brought the dress.
"This is unnecessary, Master."
"Ehm, I don't think so. Shouldn't a maid of your caliber look the part?"
"..."
There was only silence coming from the closed curtain. Soon enough, Evelyn was handed the dress while Arthur patiently waited, his eyes sweeping across the other customers.
Two minutes passed by and, at last, Evelyn revealed herself. The black maid-like dress suited her perfectly; It wasn't too revealing and it matched her characteristically cold appearance.
With a smile, Arthur motioned for her to look at the mirror, which she did.
"See? What did I tell you? I've got a good eye for these things."
"I was the one who picked it, Master."
"Irrelevant! You didn't have the balls to try it."
"I'm a woman, Master, I don't have ball-"
"For the love of- ahh... Do you have to retort every time?" He turned around and asked the nearby clerk.
"What do you think? Isn't she gorgeous?"
"Yes, sir. It's as if the dress was designed for her."
The girl agreed on the spot while lightly clapping then proceeding to name the materials from which the dress was made of.
As for Evelyn, she kept staring at her reflection, seemingly absent-minded. It felt too surreal that she was trying on an expensive dress from Fleur Rouge, a place she had never expected to visit in the first place.
"Isn't it exhilarating to indulge oneself's desires once in a while, my dear Evelyn?"
"..."
The woman glanced at him then returned to the changing room only to see a faint light emit from her casual clothes. She closed the curtains and took out the shining Sky Bloom, momentarily mesmerized by its green hue.
While Arthur went to the reception to pay, Evelyn kept looking at the flower in a daze, only snapping out of it when she heard a familiar yet obnoxious voice of an old friend.
"I really hate this place."
With his hands behind his head, Jack strolled behind a black-haired young man wearing what could only be described as 'aristocratic' clothes.
"Shut up, will you? You're not here to talk but to do your job."
The young noble snarled at his protector then continued his brief tour around the shop, eagerly looking at the new products.
Without even changing into her former clothes, the maid left the changing room and walked behind the busy Arthur, her eyes following Jack and the young man.
Her old friend Jack noticed her too, he stopped walking and stared at her with surprise.
'The fuck?'
Evelyn, with narrowed eyes, gave him a piercing glare and signaled for him to not cause trouble. Fortunately, apart from grinning, Jack shrugged and walked back to the young man's side.
Alas, within less than a minute, the matter got more complicated. The young man, Thomas Sidus, son of the Duke, caught sight of Evelyn.
"Oh?"
With rapid steps, he approached her but did not act rudely, instead, he elegantly bowed and said,
"Greetings, Miss. I am Thomas Sidus, I was wondering if you're interested in…"
Thomas stopped talking as he noticed a middle-aged man with dark red hair turn around, a confused frown plastered on his face.
Arthur did not even need an explanation, he first glanced at the quiet Evelyn then at the young noble.
'Well… of course this would happen.'
He was about to speak up only for Evelyn to coldly say,
"I'm not interested."
Since he did not know her, Thomas did not dare to be forceful, especially not in a place like Fleur Rouge, which did not tolerate things like this. He bowed again and excused himself thereafter, though his eyes never left Evelyn.
"Would you look at that. Love at first sight."
"He's the son of the Duke, Master."
"Is he now? Doesn't look bright."
"Are we done here, Master? I think it's best if we leave."
Arthur glanced at Jack, who was also eyeing Evelyn, and nodded. Since the dress was already paid for, Evelyn left wearing it.
The rest of their tour did not last long and, with the maid's help, Arthur bought a couple of casual clothes for both of them.
…
"Jack! Who was she?"
"No idea."
Still mesmerized, Thomas was dazedly looking at the shop's entrance while remembering Evelyn.
Upon seeing the youth stand there and do nothing, Jack suggestively said,
"Do you want me to go after her and see which family she's from?"
"Y-yes yes! Do that! I'll wait here."
Evelyn had rejected his offer earlier, nevertheless, Thomas was someone easily smitten by beauty and liked to fool around rather than be responsible and train. However, Terden attributed his son's immaturity to his young age and, for now, let him do whatever he wanted. As long as Jack was protecting him, nothing could go wrong.
****
While the parasite and his maid were having delicious meat at one of the restaurants, someone came to their table and unceremoniously pulled a chair then sat down.
Arthur wasn't bothered, he glanced at the man, recognizing him from before. Seeing how Evelyn reacted and from what he already knew, it wasn't difficult to guess who the man actually was.
While he kept his silence, Evelyn was giving Jack a threatening glare, one which made him burst out in laughter.
"Don't look so gloomy, Eve. I'm here just to chat."
With that said, Jack turned his attention to 'Leonis', who was nonchalantly eating his meal as if nothing happened.
"Dark red hair is something uncommon, even amongst nobility. I take it you are Leonis Sanguis, yes? I thought you killed yourself during the Blood Purge."
"Could have happened, my memory is hazy." Retorted Arthur, still unperturbed.
"This is Jack. Please excuse his rudeness and-"
She was interrupted as the parasite raised his hand, signaling for her to stop.
"This is the friend whom you told me about, right? The pleasure is mine, Jack. As you can see, I'm having a lovely meal with my dear Evelyn, so unless there is something important to discuss, I suggest you leave us."
'My Dear Evelyn?'
Jack creased his brows, his complexion changing ever-so-slightly. However, he did not lash out angrily, he merely smiled.
"The fact that a supposedly dead person, a noble no less, is standing before me should be important enough, wouldn't you agree?"
"I suppose so. But I don't see how it has anything to do with you."
"Evelyn is a dear friend of mine and I wouldn't want her to be embroiled in things like this. She has gone through enough alr-"
"Enough, Jack."-Evelyn
"..."
Arthur proceeded to ignore the man and continued his meal, oblivious to the tense atmosphere lingering in the air.
Jack sighed and left after leaving those final words.
"Just like I have recognized you, don't doubt for a second that more people will. If I were you, I would leave the city."
…
"You have such a good friend, my dear Evelyn. He even worries for your safety. I mean, is it really that bad to be traveling with me?"
"I can't say that it's not dangerous. However, I find it more interesting than being just a maid."
Evelyn unknowingly let out a faint smile as she gave an instinctive response.
"I wish I had friends like that. I'm kind of envious."
"Friends aren't always a good thing to have, Master."
"That's debatable. Aren't you my friend too? Imagine if I was traveling alone… it would be insufferably boring. Plus, who wouldn't want to travel with a gorgeous woman."
"Your compliments will get you nowhere, Master. If you're horny, Blackcrest has a reputable red district."
"I was being genuine, though."
"..."
***
Minor Explanation about the System and Stats.
Put simply, the System granted to Arthur Bilgart has no tangible effect on the environment nor does it facilitate the execution of skills (Which include, but not limited to, Spells and techniques).
The System provides numerical and exact values of a person's physical and magical capabilities. Additionally, it offers explanations regarding new and old skills through the use of 'System Management'.
The following are the standard 'stats' included in the System: Strength - Agility - Dexterity - Intelligence - Wisdom - Vitality
Strength: gauges the user's physical prowess(For example: the ability to lift heavier objects). The capacity of exertion and endurance, the power to resist force.
Agility: gauges the user's velocity, the speed of one's movement or attacks. Quickness of motion.
Dexterity: gauges the user's senses and accuracy(It should be noted that Dexterity is closely tied to Agility and the two are highly reliant on each other for better stability and execution). Dexterity affects not only precision but one's sight, hearing, and the natural survival instincts.
Intelligence: gauges the user's Magic power. Generalized terminology may give rise to misconceptions, however, the Intelligence Stat has nothing to do with one's actual learning and understanding capacity. It is only a visual and numerical representation of the following: Mana Pool - Mana Purity - Outgoing Magical Power - Mana Control.
Wisdom: gauges the user's Mana Recovery. It is an accurate depiction of an individual's ability to absorb ambient Mana and replenish his/her Mana Pool.
Vitality: gauges the user's rate of physical recovery. Vitality is literally the state of being active and strong, it is the energy allowing one's body to recover from fatigue and injuries.
-
Blackcrest:
Blackcrest city is the second oldest main settlement in the Militant Syndicate. It took five years to build the towering walls and the famously unbreakable thick gates.
In the year 1002 of the 6th Era, people started flocking into Blackcrest after the notorious White Skin Disease that broke out in the capital.
Before the Aristocratic Consortium could dispatch one of their own, a local noble took charge of the city and raised people's morale: It was a man by the name of Frederic Yun Sidus, who would later join the Consortium as a permanent member.
Frederic saw the potential of a city strategically built in what could only be described as a perfect place. Excluding the abundance of fertile soil around Blackcrest, there also existed a mine rich with regularly excavated silver.
But, a single mine wasn't enough for Frederic, who spared no small amount of resources and men to thoroughly search every corner of his new territory. Eventually, a second mine was located South-East, dangerously close to Hollow Creek. The second mine had gold in it, which pushed Frederic to hire hundreds of people to build a wall-like fence that separated the mine from Hollow Creek and its ghastly and eerily empty forest.
Unfortunately, the Gold mine did not sustain Blackcrest for long and was abandoned in Year 1126. Therefore, George Sidus, son of Frederic Yun, changed the fundamental tactics for rapid income that his father had relied on and, instead, switched to Tailoring and Farming, which were profitable, stable, and much more self-sufficient. George Sidus would sell all the mined Silver and bring the best artisans from all the corners of the Human Continent, somehow managing to aid in the birth of the largest tailoring company in Astria.
Relying on his new benefactors, George Sidus expanded the farms and provided them with protection and reasonable annual tax, which garnered more respect and, later on, earned him a position in the Aristocratic Consortium.
The chain of good luck did not last indefinitely for the Sidus family as George's son wasn't as bright as he was. Despite inheriting the status of a Duke, the son was an incompetent and greedy person, almost causing the downfall of his family and leading to a disastrous economical collapse of Blackcrest. However, George's grandson, Terden Sidus, turned the tides and through extinguished military accomplishment as well as a bright mind, was able to recover the dwindling honor of his family and even get recruited into the Consortium at the age of 40, less than a year after his retirement from the military.
While it has seen better days, Blackcrest remains one of the four pillars of the Militant Syndicate and it accounts for a staggering 35% of the nation's net worth, all thanks to the presence of Fleur Rouge Tailoring Company Headquarters in it, as well as the amicable relationship between the Sidus family and Fleur Rouge.
-
*The Chamber of Choices:
Subsequent to the rise of races that could evolve, mutate, or physically enhance themselves, the System reacted accordingly by offering 'The Chamber of Choices'. In essence, it is a useful sub-system meant to facilitate self-improvement as well as avoid any unnecessary complications.
User 'Arthur Bilgart', as a Blood Parasite, was granted the Chamber of Choices Number 32OF61264.
Ever since its creation, only 32 living beings were granted the Chamber of Choices, with Arthur Bilgart being the most recent.
32OF61267 translates into Num.32 of the 6th Era year 1264.
Fleur Rouge is French. It means Red Flower
Vous aimerez peut-être aussi
Commentaire de paragraphe
La fonction de commentaire de paragraphe est maintenant disponible sur le Web ! Déplacez la souris sur n’importe quel paragraphe et cliquez sur l’icône pour ajouter votre commentaire.
De plus, vous pouvez toujours l’activer/désactiver dans les paramètres.
OK