Chapter 476
Swiftly...
At the same moment, men in black attire appeared around Duran. These were not members of the information guild but rather Duran's personal hidden card he had kept secret until now.
Normally, Duran would utilize Alkaeda, a trusted member of the information guild. However, in situations like this where sheer destruction was the aim, the power of these men proved to be more effective. They lacked reason but possessed strength beyond that of ordinary humans. They were known as the mutated chimeras. Acquiring them had been a stroke of luck.
"Never thought those leftover vampires would be of such help," Duran mused.
These chimeras, which he received from the vampires that had secretly aided him in evading their kind, were surprisingly advanced. Of course, as the vampires were the enemies on the continent, secretly assisting them would undoubtedly lead to severe consequences if found out. But that did not matter. As long as they were not discovered, it would all be fine.
"We're short on time. Quickly infiltrate and destroy the golem they've built. Steal its blueprint or core technology. Understood?"
At Duran’s quiet murmur, the men in cloaks silently nodded their agreement. They were distinctly different from the fickle information guild, swayed by money. These chimeras did not answer, but their actions were decisive.
Duran watched as they quickly broke into the warehouse. He then activated the artifact around his neck, making his physical presence disappear in an instant.
* * *
Inside the dim warehouse...
Various items were stacked haphazardly, but the most conspicuous among them was the colossal skeletal frame of a golem. This golem had a more slender and streamlined form, unlike any others Duran had seen before. It appeared almost too lean to be functional. Even minor damage to some of its parts, with less than two days remaining, would likely result in them missing their deadline.
It seemed fortune favored Duran's endeavor. Though security measures seemed to be in place, anticipating another potential intrusion, neither the chimeras nor Duran's artifact emitted signals strong enough to be detected by them. They were in for quite a surprise.
"Destroy it," Duran commanded, swiftly neutralizing the security artifact.
Although it was a risk for him to be physically present, the chimeras wouldn't perform optimally without his proximity.
The chimeras moved with remarkable speed, targeting what appeared to be vital components of the golem. The plan was to dismantle them swiftly and make off with a sample. That was the initial intention, until...
Thud!
Suddenly, the dark warehouse was bathed in a brilliant light.
Startled by the abrupt illumination, Duran's heart plummeted. While his artifact kept him invisible, the chimeras, cloaked in their black robes, weren't as fortunate. The Canos, towering at 2.3 meters, were momentarily frozen by the sudden light.
Sensing the impending danger, Duran instinctively sought cover amidst the piled items. Shortly thereafter, the sound of a man's voice reached his ears, originating from the entrance they had just utilized. This unforeseen turn of events had caught him completely off guard.
Out of nowhere, a young man, appearing to be in the transition from boyhood to young adulthood, confidently sealed the warehouse doors with a resounding thud. He remarked, "Manners foster trust. Familiar with that concept?"
His voice betrayed no hint of surprise.
"Though, I doubt rotting corpses like you would comprehend," he added.
At the sight of this young man, Duran's throat went dry. He knew exactly who this was. It was Davey O’Rowane, the very individual responsible for his current turmoil. Beads of cold sweat formed on his forehead.
* * *
Hasty work often compromised the quality of the outcome. After casting a sleep spell on Edison, who had been tirelessly working, Davey watched as a red-haired girl entered, carrying tools.
"Thank you. Once my grandpa gets started, he hardly cares for his own health," she said.
Her lively demeanor was a noticeable departure from the typical noble's daughter.
"Do these need to be moved to storage?" she asked.
"They're no longer needed, so yes, move them," Davey replied.
"Come on, we were engaged once. Don't be so formal. Speak casually," she suggested, her words stumbling out.
Her demeanor held no hidden intentions. She set down the tools and, treating Edison like he weighed a ton, gently placed him on a makeshift bed. She gazed at him silently.
"He should live a long life. He should outlive me, see me get married, have children, and then pass away," she softly mumbled with affection.
Even though their bloodlines were not intertwined - one being a dwarf and the other a human - their bond seemed stronger than Davey initially thought. Whatever had transpired in their past, one thing was clear: Edison cherished Tiara like his own granddaughter, and Tiara followed Edison blindly.
"Since my grandpa has been a bit peculiar all his life, he didn't have many friends," she said.
Despite his skills, Edison’s odd personality had made it difficult for him to maintain friendships.
"The only friends he had were my parents," she continued. "Although, they're gone now due to an accident."
She stood up and lovingly stroked Edison's cheek.
Davey noticed something peculiar about her behavior. And judging by Perserque’s expression, she seemed to have noticed it too.
"Look at our handsome grandpa," she giggled, planting a quick peck on Edison's cheek before standing up again. "Shall I move this then?"
"Just leave it…" Davey said, maintaining his silence.
There were all sorts of cases in the world, and while this was not impossible, it was unexpected. As she headed toward the back storage of the workshop, Tiara continued to sing praises of her grandfather, mentioning how strict yet caring he had been.
"I've seen 'dad' turn into 'brother' and then into 'honey', but…" she began.
"Yes?" Davey prompted.
"Nothing really," she replied, giggling at Davey's question.
"How is it? My grandpa is really cool, right? Honestly, he looks very sexy when he's working. I know it sounds weird, but he was really popular back in the day," she commented.
"Yeah, he is cool," Davey replied, although he was somewhat distracted by her behavior.
"Why did you make this?" Tiara asked, looking at a metal object in her hand.
"It seems like an unnecessary part."
"If I decide to trap someone, I don't plan to half-ass it. It's bait for a trap," Davey explained.
Tiara tilted her head at his comment.
"From now on, whatever happens, never make a sound," he cautioned.
She quietly nodded after placing the parts inside the storage. Davey then turned off all the luminous stones lighting the storage and cast a simple spell on her to hinder her perception. He signaled for her to remain silent and waited nearby.
Suddenly, a subtle change occurred. Tiara almost let out a surprised noise, but Perserque, who had cast an invisibility spell on herself, immediately covered her mouth. They had spread the word that Davey had left the kingdom to mislead others, and it seemed to have worked.
Davey coldly observed the intruders who entered the storage. They were not human. The faint but unmistakable scent of decay and blood indicated that they were vampires. The evidence suggested that they were remnants of the radical vampires he had once waged war against.
Although Reina had been hunting them down, it appeared a few had survived. This was a surprise. The intruders quickly moved toward the pile of parts Tiara had left. Davey used a 'Blink' spell to swiftly move to the entrance and began locking the doors, one by one.
“Manners build trust. Are you familiar with that saying?” Davey figured they probably didn’t know much about such things to begin with.
Inside the brightly lit warehouse, five figures in black robes moved about. Surveying the scene, Davey contemplated taking out four of them and leaving one alive. These beings seemed driven by a single purpose. If he appeared to let his guard down even a little, they would probably attempt to destroy the parts. They might not even realize that this could be their downfall. They did not know that Perserque was recording everything happening in that place.
Of course, he wasn’t referring to the mindless chimera, Canos. He meant the prince who was being concealed by an artifact. Mouse traps are primarily used to catch and kill mice. That prince wouldn't know.
Even though he's hiding behind a mere relic, Perserque had infused the entire area with mana, and his image was being directly recorded onto a video stone. If possible, Davey hoped they would destroy the dummy parts and escape with the blueprint he had left there. Meanwhile, he would record and exploit the newfound knowledge that they had allied with a vampire.
Davey hadn’t expected Duran to have formed an alliance with vampires. He had only wanted to catch them off guard with their dirty tricks during the competition. It felt like he had accidentally stepped on a rat. Davey saw no reason to involve either Blue Ribbon or Red Ribbon, who would both be assisting Rinne. A great writer wouldn’t get picky when choosing the pen.
Davey picked up an iron pipe lying nearby. It felt weighty in his hand, with a solid grip. It didn't look easy to swing without considerable strength, but it appeared sturdy enough not to break easily. Davey was fairly skilled with blunt weapons. Perhaps it was time to rely more on his brute strength than his blade technique.
‘Let's see how long these chimeras can last.’
The remnants of the radical vampires, who had lost the power of the abyss, were now unable to use their immortality recklessly.
"Don't know who you are, but you'll make for good post-meal exercise," he mused.
Davey could imagine the expression on Prince Duran's face as he watched from a distance. He probably knew Davey had left the kingdom for some personal matters. The thoughts evident on the prince's face were simple: "Why are you here, Davey?"
Regardless, five of them were too many.
"I'll just take out one of you. Just one! You!"
Updat𝒆d fr𝒐m freew𝒆bnov𝒆l.c(o)m